It took a few days for Jiraiya to reach Konoha at top speed, he made a quick stop in the warm baths taking glorious notes down before heading to the Hokage tower, jumping through the window and into his senseis' office he smiled clearing his throat to announce his arrival to the Hokage who was currently immersed in his latest novel.

"Argh! Oh Jiraiya!" Hiruzen half scolded and half squeaked out, Jiraiya tilted his head to the side as he studied the old man trying to quickly hide the orange book and grinned, while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Ah my loyal fan, A masterpiece if I do say so myself, don't you agree Sensei?" Jiraiya plopped himself on the chair and laughed uproariously when he saw the pink that dusted his senseis' cheeks.

Sarutobi cleared his throat trying to hide his smile, the book was honestly great, better than his other books not that he would ever admit it out loud, he couldn't last long without reading at least a chapter, and the paperwork that kept growing at an unnatural pace was proof of that.

"Y-you got here faster than I expected my boy." Hiruzen said a bit flustered at being caught.

"I was not that far out" Jiraiya waved him off,"... so what can you tell me about our current mess?" Jiraiya said facing the Hokage.

"We will get to that in a bit, first tell me…did you come with him?" He asked instead, already knowing the answer he couldn't help opening up his senses trying to feel for the boy.

"No, I told you that in the letter." Sarutobi sighed, he found the village too quiet without his favorite orange ball of energy.

"How much longer?" he mostly asked because he honestly missed him, but also because the council were sitting on his back, especially with what happened with the Uchiha, they wanted...no demanded for their secret weapon, and with Jiraiya here he was sure that a few ninjas sensed his return which meant he'd be forced to call a meeting soon.

"A year or two." Jiraiya shrugged while Sarutobi shook his head,

"I thought we had agreed to him atleast visiting every few months, and that he would have to start attending the academy." Sarutobi sighed while his hands twitched to get back on his book, well he had been interrupted on a good part and he was no fan of cliff hangers.

Jiraiya shrugged.

"He won't fall behind trust me sensei, I've already started him on those, he is moving in great strides in all his studies and training, I am honestly in awe of him sensei."

Sarutobi's eyes widened stunned. He honestly hadn't expected Jiraiya to take things this serious, to go as far as teaching him his studies also, he half expected Naruto to come back slightly perverted, that was why he had reached out to the only Kin of his he knew, he smiled.

"Tell me." And that's how a few hours passed by, with Jiraiya updating him on everything.

The hours included shocked gasps, smirks, chuckles, sadness, uproarious laughter, confusion and stillness.

It was honestly a lot to take in, especially the Kyuubi being unsealed and Narutos' third sensei, him meeting his parents, three unknowns who seemed too strong for even Jiraiya to grasp… it worried him a little, wars were started for far less.

"Repeat this to no one Jiraiya, at least until we have more information about these people… for now at least it seems as if they are on our side." Jiraiya nodded at his Hokage then sighed,

"Now that we have caught up on my side, tell me what happened." Jiraiya said all pleasantries gone, the fun reminiscent air evaporated immediately and a sad stillness took over instead.

Sarutobi rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

Jiraiya had to lean closer in order to catch what his sensei was telling him, how the Uchiha had been planning a coup, how Itachi had basically been a spy for him, how when convincing them hadn't worked and coming up empty handed how Danzo had had a solution that they couldn't disagree with, cause in that time it was the only solution on the table when all else failed, which it had, how Itachis' only condition was his brother being the exception, how he was never to know the truth, how he needed to be painted as the vill- before Hiruzen could finish his sentence his head suddenly snapped back that for a second he thought it would fall off, his whole face throbbed in pain as he stared shockingly at his student who was bending over the table with his one arm stretched towards him, he stared at his students clenched fist in disbelief and wondered in awe, was he always that fast or maybe he had been so lost in his thoughts, but still that power was almost tangible and a part of him shivered as he also realized that his student had held back, he wondered what sort of insane training he had been doing.

"I'm telling you this becaus-"

"Shut it old men… just be quiet." Jiraiya said in a deadly tone through gritted teeth, Sarutobi stared wide eyed at his student, never had he ever spoken this way to him it honestly unnerved him, he would've scolded him but watching his trembling bent form he decided it best to be still until the boy calmed a little at least,

Jiraiya was fuming, he hadn't moved an inch, his arm was still outstretched, his fist clenched, while he was slightly bent over his sensei's table while his other arm was gripping his desk tightly, if both adults were focusing they would have heard the tables tiny creaks and whiny sounds it was making, Jiraiya stared at an empty space trying to center himself, taking deep breaths.

When he finally looked up at his he sensei, Sarutobi took in a sharp breath and averted his gaze and wondered if that was the face he'd worn when that whole incident had happened, while he had maybe turned himself as a victim Jiraiya easily destroyed whatever lies he had been telling himself, how it had been necessary and unavoidable, Jiraiya had destroyed that and opened his eyes to all of it and he hated him a little for it,

Anguish covered his whole face, with how much death he had seen, how many bodies he had laid to their graves, how many men he had sent out to die, this one felt different, he emptied his stomach on his wooden floor, he had been trying to get rid of this feeling, but it kept trying to crawl up his neck and strangle him, he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe, he felt the emotions tighten their hold on his neck, he threw up again,

For a while all that could be heard was his shuddering breaths and gagging sounds.

That may have been what calmed Jiraiya down at the end, seeing how much this had actually hurt him, as stubborn, arrogant and egotistical the Uchiha may have been, they were still family to Hiruzen,

As much as Sarutobi would visit Naruto or walk around the village he did as much for the Uchiha clan, he would go for dinners make random visits to the clan, play with the kids, tell them stories… he had basically executed his children and grandkids, and for what? Fear?

Of course the Uchiha's would be angry, they were one of the founders of this village they did deserve more, but instead they basically were given crumbs, the Hyuuga were granted more respect then the Uchiha…

They both drowned in their own despair and loss for a few more minutes, Jiraiya didn't offer words of comfort or lies such as it was a necessary sacrifice and Sarutobi honestly would have been disappointed if he had said such things, so instead they continued on.

"when you'd told me to take the boy… I'd thought you were ready to actually take the reins back…" Jiraiya said glaring at the table…

"Not all of them died…" Sarutobi answered instead, there was no point in talking about what's already happened, as horrible as it is at that time it was the only thing they could do, and the sad part is if given a chance to relive that whole moment he knew he would make the same decision as horrible as it is.

Jiraiya looked up at him sharply but before he could say anything the Hokage continued speaking.

"Not my own doing sadly…" at Jiraiyas' confusion he smiled sadly, "ninety percent of them did die that night, but the other ten were rescued… please do not ask me who, we also do not have the answers…"

Silence followed, both mulling over what had been said, than the Hokage chuckled…

"Honestly it's embarrassing how people can come and go in our village with no one the wiser, second time now… and I have a growing suspicion that the same person or people are involved." Jiraiya said nothing to that, he was starting to think the same thing too.

"Want me to try track them down?" He asked instead, but judging from his failed attempts at finding the Heiress he wasn't sure there would be any leads this time around also.

"You may try but even the Inuzuka couldn't find their trace, they say it's like they simply vanished into thin air… are we that inadequate Jiraiya… have I failed our home this much?..." Sarutobi sighed, yes if only the fourth hadn't passed on maybe he would have done a better job at it.

"Something doesn't seem quite right, that is why I want you to find your old teammate, just to gather information, I feel like if something is brewing out there, he should know, the enemy is closing in Jiraiya, we need all our players here and ready to help strengthen the village, we need to fix all the cracks and keep an eye out…

check in with all your informants and get new one's, unknown to not even me and get them to infiltrate other villages… whatever secret ranks they come across, we need to know what game their playing then slowly drag them into our board were we hold atleast some control, I've already sent ANBU after your other team mate, i believe it is time she returned home." To say Jiraiya was stunned would put it lightly, but he couldn't deny that he had been waiting for such a daring move from his sensei years ago, he just hoped he'd have been this daring or perhaps a little more when dealing with not only Danzo but Orochimaru as well, he had allowed them too much leeway which later turned into power. He nodded.

"I'll get to it as soon as I leave." Sarutobi nodded.

"What news do you have for me?" Jiraiya knew what that meant 'any news on the Hyuuga girl.'

Jiraiya merely shook his head in answer, the girl had disappeared into thin space as if they had all made her up. The Hokage sighed.

"Leave then before the council catches your scent." Jiraiya nodded.

"Be well."

"Keep your ears on the ground." Jiraiya smiled and said his goodbyes and jumped out of the window, he had a lot to plan for but first he wondered if he should take his merry band with him, maybe Arashi, he would be of great help but then again with both of them gone what's to stop those three mischief's from doing something insane. He sighed and decided to head to the Land of Waterfall he did not want to do this alone, but before that he had another long overdue stop, she was going to kill him but he was sure he could get her to calm down after explaining everything that is. To the Nadeshiko Village it is, he sighed but couldn't help the grin that formed on his face as he took off in such speeds that the root agents sent to follow him lost him in the first few minutes.

...

Naruto was walking through the woods searching for wood with Sayuri close by, listening to Naruto animatedly tell her about when he was at Mnt. Myoboku when this 'stupid toad that ate him' challenged him to a eating competition, and of course because he never backs down from anything he accepted, imagine his shock when all kinds of bugs were piled into his bowl, Sayuri covered her chuckles with her hand as humour danced in her eyes, she couldn't have possibly imagined ever going ahead with that, she thought her sanity was more important after all,

"so what happened next ?" she asked with a tinge of pink on her cheeks which Naruto thought was natural for Sayuri after all he has never seen her without that shade, well he had whisker marks so why not.

"What do you think, I ate them, they were disgusting but I would not be Uzumaki Naruto if I gave up, and anyway I soon learnt to get over it after all that's all I had to eat for a whole year." Sayuri burst out laughing, she couldn't believe it, she would have rather starved and she told him so, he merely smiled at her. "I doubt it, hey I think we have enough branches, let's head back I'm starving, Kaito is cooking right?" Sayuri nodded, and couldn't help the slight disappointed that flowed through her, she enjoyed times like these when it was just them, and there weren't a lot of them.

They entered the little clearing where their things where laid out and dropped the branches next to the pots where Kaito immediately got to work.

"How was your little walk?" Kaito wiggled his eyebrows at Sayuri making sure that Naruto didn't see.

"It was quite nice, we spoke mostly."

"Was that all you did?" Kaito asked grinning earning himself a punch on the head.

"You've been spending too much time with Jiraiya-sensei Kaito!" Kaito chuckled, that was true, he thought as his hands ached to continue his reading, Jiraiya has shown him the light.

An hour passed and dinner was served.

"This is so good Kaito!" Naruto exclaimed shoveling the food into his mouth.

"Better than bugs I'm sure." Sayuri said while stifling her laughter, Naruto almost chocked in shock as he stared at her, than smiled mischievously.

"Oh I will get you for that." Sayuri immediately paled and started apologizing; Kaito watched the two with a small smile on his face and vacantly wondered what she meant by that bugs sentence.

...

The next morning Arashi set them all down.

"Okay listen I chose this route because its a pretty straight forward path there should be no troubles for you guys..." Arashi shrugged, while the three kids wondered what he was planning for them. " I'm going to give you guys a head start, you're going to drop your weights and run full speed to the land of Waterfall it's a two days walk, I expect you there in a day, short stops only understand, everything you need is there, if I get there ahead of you there will be punishments, understood-"

"Where are you going?" Kaito asked while Sayuri started packing, she didn't think where he was going was important but their mission was and she would not fall behind.

"I will be behind you, I'll give you guys...hmm lets see an hour of a headstart, how does that sound?" Arashi grinned while kaito shook his head,

"Only an hour?" Sayuri asked nervously.

"Don't worry your pretty little head off, my seals are staying on and I will increase them to make it a little fair for you guys, is that better?" the kids nodded, they would take any advantage they could get. "anyway if you get there first you'll earn a day off-"

"What! No fair!" Naruto said causing everyone to laugh.

"only you'd think that's not fair. Head out."