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"talking"

thoughts or emphasis

letters

Summon Boss or Kyuubi

Back with a Vengeance

Tsunade,

Returning tomorrow with Naruto. He's changed. Be prepared.

Jiraya

Tsunade, godaime hokage of Konoha, read the last letter she received from the toad hermit. She had been looking forward to this event for the last month. For that length of time, she had been preparing things for him; airing out and having his new residence cleaned top to bottom, stocking the pantry, having the grounds landscaped, just for her little brother. She knew just what to do now.

"Shizune, can you send for Sakura?"

"Of course." replied the slug sannin's apprentice.

Fifteen minutes later, Sakura appeared.

"You wanted to see me, sensei?"

"I have good news, Sakura. Naruto's coming home tomorrow. I was wondering if you would be able to gather the Rookie 9 together for a 'welcome home' party."

"H-he's coming home? Are you serious?"

"As I usually am. I received the last letter from Jiraya today. Both of them will be home tomorrow." Tsunade said before Sakura performed a happy little jig.

"Go on, tell your friends. We need that party ready by tomorrow afternoon. That's an order." Tsunade said with a smile on her face, the first in a long while.

Sakura saluted and ran out of the office to get everyone together.

Tsunade thought back to a part of the letter. Her little brother couldn't have changed that much.

-------

Naruto had definitely changed. His usual violent orange jumpsuit had been replaced by a jacket that was almost all dark red with the exception of the sleeves, shoulders, and zipper. The pants were a matching red, with a black stripe down the outside of each leg.

With the way his face-mask and his hitai-ate was arranged, he could almost pass as Kakashi's brother, except for his blonde hair now tied into a long ponytail. Over the past three years, Naruto had finally hit his growth spurt and was now able to look his former sensei in the eye without tilting his head.

At the small of his back he carried a ninjato sword that he could easily grab with his right hand, and in a sheath on his left hip, he carried a three-piece staff folded up for carrying. All in addition to his usual compliment of kunai and shuriken.

"Do we really have to come back, Erro-sennin?" groused Naruto.

"Yes we do, Naruto. It'll be good for you to see everyone again."

"No, it won't, Jiraya. Part of the reason I went with you was to get out of a place where 98.3 of all the people there curse the ground I stand on. Hell, I can count the number of people that actually want me back using both hands with fingers to spare. Now ask yourself; do I want to be back in Konohagakure?"

Jiraya was silent for a moment. "I can understand how you feel, Naruto. Let's just check in with Tsunade-sama and see what can be done before you go and do something we'll all regret."

"I suppose that's the best I can get right now. Let's just get this over with."

Within fifteen minutes, they were roof-hopping through Konoha in the direction of the Hokage Tower. Twenty more minutes, and they were sitting in Tsunade's waiting room, each wanting an audience for their own reason. When they saw Shizune in the waiting room, Jiraya was the only one who greeted her.

"Ah, Shizune-chan. It's been a while now, hasn't it?" asked the letch.

"J-Jiraya? Is that you? It has been a while. How are you doing?"

"Good, good. It's nice to be back in Konoha after so long."

Shizune noticed the figure sitting on the bench next to where Jiraya had been sitting. Before she could say anything, her mentor came out of her office.

"Shizune, hold my…Is that you, Jiraya? Where's Naruto?" At that, Naruto stood up and walked over to her.

"Hokage-sama, we have business to discuss." was all he said to her. The tone of his voice spoke of urgency.

"Alright Naruto, Jiraya. Come on in. Shizune, hold my calls." she says as she ushers the wanderers into her office. After they pass, Tsunade winks at Shizune. The plan begins. Closing the door, Tsunade sits down at her desk and regards the ninja in front of her. They've both changed so much. "So how have you been these past three years?" she asks them.

Jiraya begins explaining what has transpired on their journey. "And that brings us to here. Is there anything you'd like to add, Naruto?"

"No."

Tsunade studies the young man in front of her. His clothing, his stature, his uncovered eye. The pupil of his eye puzzles her; it is not slitted, but it isn't the normal round shape, either. It seems to have found a balance between them. The color of the eye is still the same blue it was when it left, but it seems to have been rimmed with a bright red color.

"Naruto, what happened to your eyes?"

"Bloodline limit only partially awakened. Keeping it covered is the only way to turn it off."

Her curiosity piqued, "Really now? What does it do?"

"The secondary ability is like a really weak version of the Byakugan. It can see through objects, but only if they're less than 6 inches away. The primary ability, well, do you know of the Kanashibari no jutsu?" She nodded.

"It's like that, but far more powerful. At full blast, I've made Jonin turn and run in terror. With the Kyuubi's chakra, I've made even Gamabunta afraid to face me. But I can't turn it off, hence the position of my hitai-ate."

Tsunade boggled. Such a technique would be very, very powerful.

"I-I see. Well, um, is there anything else, Naruto?"

"Yes, I want to leave." That puzzled her. Jiraya put his head in his hands.

"'Leave'? But you just got back."

"You mis-understand. I want to leave the Leaf for good. With or without your permission, I'll be leaving the Leaf."

AN: So, should I bother continuing this, or no? If you want me to continue, say so. If you think I suck, tell me why. Everything else will give me superpowers.