And here we are with a new chapter of Shinobi's Creed. Last chapter we got quite a bombshell there, didn't we? What with Naruto finding out about Jiraiya being his godfather.

Sadly I won't be doing a Ranger Lair intro here as I have far too much to address, both good and bad. So let's get going on that.

First and foremost, to Vl4d. I would have responded to your review but your private messaging was disabled. Thank you for your review. Indeed, I have been told that many times and I'll endeavor to make sure I use the correct phrasing in the future.

Next, to WearyCurmudgeon. Thank you for your review and your corrections. I'll try to keep them in mind.

To NJred2000...that is honestly a very awesome idea…and one I may or may not have already been considering. I will see what I can do in future chapters, though I hope you will be patient. If I do use it, it likely won't be for some time, perhaps into the Shippuden era. Thank you for the idea and the review.

To anonymous Guest reviewer: that's primarily where I drew most of it from. Ezio's explanation of the maxim in Revelation's is the most in-depth explanation we've had of it, at least in the games. And I primarily only follow the games of Assassin's Creed, though I did do as much research into other AC sources when trying to write up that explanation. Anyways, thank you for your review.

To Zanzibar1. Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the fanfic so far!

Sadly, this is where the good times end. Now to address the BAD stuff.

To anonymous reviewer Likmereet…seriously? That's the best you can come up with? That I'm a complete retard and fucking pathetic? That 'crack ships are only easy to ship by delusional psychos'? First off, your insults are so pathetic and weak that a sheltered Christian raised fourth grader could insult better then you. Second of all, you're the one hiding under anonymity and insulting other people, rather than having the actual balls to sign in and allow someone to reply to you 'in person'. I'd say that's a lot more pathetic in comparison, especially since you somehow think you've got the upper hand. Beyond me giving you attention, you really don't. In fact I would think that someone who spends their time anonymously trashing and flaming others is more of a delusional psycho, because you actually think you've accomplished something. Allow me to break the illusion for you: all you've managed to accomplish is add TWO MORE reviews to my review count, amuse me with your sad attempts at justifying your existence, and wasting the ten minutes it took me to type out this response. Please feel free to continue anonymously reviewing my fanfic, I enjoy the additional review counts and chances to trash anonymous flamers like you in front of my readers.

This other anonymous review was put on my Demon Dragon Rider fanfic. And I have to say…it is fucking hilarious. The reviewer accused me of doing no research at all, and then makes a couple of claims that shows they themselves have not done any research either. If they had, they would know that piercing weapons do not automatically equal win against chainmail. Meaning that kunai do not automatically 'destroy' Naruto just because he's wearing chainmail. During the First Crusade, Seljuk Turk horse archers attacking the crusader forces besieging Nicea found their arrows to be ineffective against the heavy European infantry outfitted with heavy riveted mail over thick felt shirts. As reported by Beha ed-Din Ibn Shedad, a Moslem official present at the battle, "I have seen soldiers with up to twenty-one arrows stuck on their bodies marching no less easily for that". While yes, a good sword or spear thrust will go through chainmail, those are larger heavier weapons with a lot more power, weight and momentum behind them. Arrows, on the other hand, require specialized arrowheads and a powerful enough bow to ensure they do go through chainmail. The bodkin arrowhead was designed to be narrow and heavy enough to pry a link open when it hit, and thus disrupt the strength of the chainmail. But it is a very narrow shaped design. In comparison, kunai DO NOT have the correct design for piercing chainmail the same way. They are too broad bladed, so unless you go in for a thrust in melee combat, a thrown kunai will most likely just bounce off or catch on the chainmail but do little else. This is, of course, ignoring the fact that kunai in Naruto are completely unrealistic as real-life kunai are not throwing weapons. They were/are stabbing implements meant for close-quarters combat and usually were made of a soft iron with only the tip being hardened. This is also ignoring the fact that Naruto's chainmail would have been made of superior quality materials to any kunai (mass produced weapons for any shinobi vs custom personal made armor), the fact that Naruto had a kite-style shield to protect himself with, he had magical WARDS to protect himself with, and let's not forget he's a shinobi now enhanced with some actual useful training, a dragon, and magic. So no…I don't think Naruto would be destroyed because he wears chainmail in the fanfic, If anything I think he would be far better protected then most shinobi.

As to their other claim, about how the physical training Naruto went through should have been nothing compared to what he normally does for training, I would counter with this: at what point have we ever seen Naruto do actual dedicated PHYSICAL training? Last I recall, Naruto's training almost always centered around improving his chakra or learning a new jutsu. I don't recall ever seeing him go through dedicated physical training. And if you ask me, it shows. Naruto's chakra endurance is off the charts but his physical endurance seems to stem more from his sheer determination to simply not lay down, rather than actual endurance. His physical blows are nothing special unless it's a very important 'dramatic' hit or is fueled by his or Kyuubi's chakra. While I don't want to disparage Naruto, physically his training is nothing really that special. BARRING all of that…the physical training I put Naruto through was taking place right after he nearly died and was physically recuperating, and then after that involved added weights to his body to improve his physical conditioning and get him ready for wearing armor. Naruto, nowhere in the series, ever wore any weights or did training with them. Meaning that no, the training I put Naruto through was not 'a warm up' compared to what he usually does because we've never seen what he usually does, his actual physical characteristics in the show do not show someone who has gone through dedicated physical training, and even if he had, he's never done it with weights before. So, my dear stupid cowardly anonymous reviewer who felt the need to insult me over and over and over again just because I did something you didn't like…who didn't do their research? Hmmmmm? Who is it that has fallen into the pop culture myths and automatically believes things just because it was in movies or TV shows or some person does it on youtube? I'll admit I've done it in the past, but I try to owe up to my mistakes when I realize I have made them. I doubt you'd be willing to do the same, if you even ever saw this reply at all.

sorry for going long there, really wanted to rant on the last one there. Sorry readers. x.x

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Assassin's Creed. They are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Ubisoft respectively. This is a non-profit work of fan made fiction. Please support the official releases.


Chapter 48

Recovering in Konoha

It was a rather tense trip back to Konoha in the aftermath of Orochimaru forcing the truth about Jiraiya's relationship to Naruto out in the open. The blonde genin had been almost entirely silent the whole trip, keeping mostly in the company of Tomo and only responding to the others when necessary. Jiraiya chose not to try and engage Naruto, knowing at best the boy would ignore him and at worse he'd most likely attack him. This left Tsunade and Shizune somewhat in the uncomfortable middle of this whole tense affair.

Now the quartet was nearing the walls of Konoha, with Jiraiya letting out a soft sigh. "We'll need to report back to Sarutobi-sensei as soon as we get inside," he said before looking to Naruto. The young genin was still ignoring him as they signed in, moving to the back of the group as they proceeded to the Hokage's office.

Meanwhile, Tsunade was looking around the village with an apprehensive look. She could already feel memories she had long tried to ignore start to resurface as she saw familiar places. Places she had gone with her brother and boyfriend, moments of happiness that now were tainted by the loss of her two loved ones. Yet at the same time the pain she felt was not as great as she was expecting. It was still there but it wasn't the overwhelming pain she had thought it would be. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before focusing forward again as they reached the Tower.

Within a few minutes they were admitted into the Hokage's office, where Sarutobi greeted them. "Jiraiya, welcome back. Mission accomplished I see," he said.

"Yes. Mission accomplished," Jiraiya said tiredly, causing Sarutobi to frown as he took them in, his eyes stopping on Naruto when he saw the blank look the genin had. He was drawn back to Jiraiya as the toad sannin continued. "There were…complications."

"I see then…you can tell me about them in the mission debriefing," Sarutobi said, writing up a voucher. "Naruto, turn this in at the missions office for your payment."

Naruto took it, barely nodding. "Thank you, Hokage-sama," he said before quickly leaving the office.

Sarutobi gave Jiraiya a look, who shrugged slightly and helplessly before the aged Hokage turned to Tsunade. "It's good to see you back in the village Tsunade. I'm sorry for the measures I went to, but-," he started to say, only to be stopped by her.

"I'm not too happy about you basically threatening me, sensei. But in truth…I think it was necessary. I think it's time I faced my demons," she said quietly. "I can't promise I'll become Hokage…but I can promise I'll do what I can to help out around Konoha. Though I do request therapy for my…problem," she said quietly.

Sarutobi nodded in understanding. "I'll speak to Inoichi-san about working with you to overcome your fear of blood. For now, please do what you can at the hospital to help them out. There are several cases I would ask take precedence, but I leave it to your discretion."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," she said, bowing. "I'll get to work right away. Shizune, let's go."

Jiraiya watched them leave before turning to Sarutobi, who was looking at him expectantly. "There was…a hiccup. Orochimaru was there trying to recruit Tsunade as well. He…captured Naruto at one point and…told him the truth…about me," Jiraiya explained.

Sarutobi slowly shook his head. "I see then. That would explain young Naruto's mood," he said quietly. "How bad is it?"

Jiraiya let out a completely mirthless laugh. "The kid has barely said a word to me, has basically refused to look in my direction, and I doubt he'll even let me teach him at this point, let alone anything else," he said, before slowly collapsing into one of the seats before the Hokage's desk. "I don't know what to do."

"To be honest…I don't think there's anything you can do right now, Jiraiya. You made many mistakes, and now you have to reap the consequences," Sarutobi said quietly. "Perhaps in time, Naruto might allow you to explain. Perhaps he might even find reason enough to forgive you. Or perhaps he won't. But for now…there is little I think you can do except wait and give him time to come to terms with his feelings."

Jiraiya closed his eyes. "I should have just taken care of him from the start…"

"Why didn't you?" Sarutobi asked him, causing Jiraiya to look at him. "Tell me the honest truth Jiraiya…why didn't you take care of Naruto?"

Jiraiya sat there before closing his eyes. "…because of the guilt I felt," he said quietly. "Because when I saw that small baby in that cradle…I felt so much guilt for not being here. I was out tracking Orochimaru when Minato told me Kushina's due date was near. I could have come back then and there, but I thought I would still have some time and I thought Orochimaru was a bigger threat. And then I received your message about the Kyuubi attack. And when I saw Naruto…all I could do was feel so much guilt and hatred for myself. If I had come back…could I have made sure Kyuubi didn't get out? Could I have helped Minato find another way? Could I have taken his place and sealed the Kyuubi inside of Naruto? If I had been here…could this boy's parents be here instead of me? I couldn't handle it; thinking my choice to go after Orochimaru was the reason Minato and Kushina were dead, that Naruto was now an orphan. And then I had to go back out, to stop the other villages from taking advantage of our weakened state. I spent those months stewing in my guilt, my pain. By the time I came back I was convinced that I couldn't raise Naruto, not when I was so certain I was responsible for him losing his family, when I felt responsible for Minato and Kushina's death."

Jiraiya looked to Sarutobi, his eyes filled with sadness and self-loathing. "You know how hectic things were after that. Between the incident with Kumo a few years later and keeping threats away from the village, I found plenty of excuses to stay away. By the time I realized what an idiot I was, how much I was failing my duties as a godfather, it was too late. Anko and Raphael entered the picture and Naruto didn't need me…at least…not as a godfather."

Sarutobi studied his student quietly. "I see then…I understand the pain you feel, Jiraiya. It is one I have felt these years as well, since Minato died. It does not mitigate your failure…but I understand why you chose the path you did."

Jiraiya just gave a snort. "Doesn't matter now," he said quietly, standing up. "Do you need anything else, Hokage-sama?" he asked, his voice tired and dead.

Sarutobi slowly shook his head. "No Jiraiya. You're dismissed."

Jiraiya simply gave a nod before disappearing in a shunshin, leaving Sarutobi to let out a long, tired sigh as he stared at the space his student had occupied.

Naruto, meanwhile, was currently sitting on top of the Hokage Monument, staring down at Konoha. He had retrieved his pay for the mission but had chosen instead to immediately come up here in order to be alone, to try and think over what had happened. He stared vacantly at the buildings of Konoha and for the first time, he felt old feelings from the past build up. When he had been younger, before and even a bit after Raphael and Anko had come into his life, Naruto had been hiding growing feelings of despair and rage directed towards the people of Konoha. The people who ignored him, who hated him, who attacked him. He had buried it beneath his determination to prove he was somebody, to have them acknowledge him.

His time with his sensei, his pseudo family, had started to make those feelings die down. They had acknowledged him. Even though they knew the truth about him, they had still been there for him. Training him, spending time with him, helping him out. They had acknowledged him. But those feelings had never gone away, couldn't simply be forgotten. They had been etched into his heart and memories. And now knowing that there had been someone who was supposed to take care of him, who could have prevented him from having to go through the life he had, made them resurface with a vengeance.

Naruto continued to stare ahead, even as he sensed the presence behind him. He didn't turn as the person sat next to him, instead still staring out over the village. "…how did you find me?" He asked quietly.

"Tomo came and told me, before he went back to the summoning realm," Hinata said quietly, sitting next to him. Naruto let out a sigh, glancing down slightly. His friend and familiar had been recalled to the fennec fox realm in order to continue his training, but it seemed he was still trying to look out for Naruto.

"He told me something bad happened on your mission, but nothing else," Hinata continued, watching Naruto carefully. "I think he wanted me to be here for you."

"Sounds about right," Naruto said. "…I doubt you'd leave if I said I wanted to be alone?"

Hinata shook her head. "You know I'm not going to do that, Naruto-kun. Something happened and after all you've done for me, I'm going to return the favor."

Naruto just sighed and closed his eyes. "…I don't know if I want to talk about it."

"Then don't. We can sit here together, saying nothing if you want. But I'm not going anywhere right now," she told him.

Naruto gave her a resigned shrug and stared back out over the village with Hinata sitting there next to him. The two remained silent for some time before Naruto decided to speak up. "How have things been while I was gone?" He asked.

"Decent. We've finally cleared out most of the rubble and almost all the missing have been accounted for now," Hinata told him. "Been pretty busy still between patrols and taking missions to help keep up appearances. Nice thing is…I've been able to spend time with my kaa-san and Hanabi," she said with a soft smile.

Naruto finally turned to look at her, a strained smile on his face. "That's wonderful," he said quietly, knowing how much she had missed Hitomi and Hanabi. "I-I hope things have been going well for them as well."

Hinata nodded with a small smile. "For the most part. Hanabi is still recovering from the incident with the Kumo shinobi. But kaa-san has been supporting her ever since. It seems some good came of those Kumo bastards trying to kidnap them, as now Hiashi-san has left Hanabi in kaa-san's care."

Naruto scoffed lightly. "Of course. Why should he care to try and help his own children out…why should he be there for them when they need him most?" He asked in a hard tone, looking back out at the village. "…why should he care about how much they've suffered…"

Hinata, sensing Naruto wasn't entirely talking about what she had mentioned, very gently placed a hand over one of his. He didn't seem to notice, simply staring out at over the village. "…what would you do if you found out that the worst things you suffered through could have been avoided? That the only reason you did suffer through them was because someone else didn't do what they were supposed to do?" He suddenly asked her.

Hinata frowned as she watched him. "What do you mean?" She asked him.

"What would you do, if your earliest memories were of nothing but loneliness, pain, fear, anger, and to a degree…hatred?" He asked her quietly. "What would you do if the earliest memory you have is sitting in a room, crying out for someone to come make you feel better because you're alone, hungry, filthy, and scared of the dark? And nobody came…except to yell and scream at you to shut up?" He asked, his voice growing more erratic. "And what would you do…if you found out the only reason you went through all of that was because someone who was supposed to take care of you was never there for you?"

"…I don't know," Hinata said quietly, still holding his hand. "I honestly don't know Naruto-kun…"

Naruto let out a mirthless chuckle. "That's what I'm trying to deal with right now, Hinata-chan. That is my problem at the moment. I learned that Jiraiya is my fucking godfather. The man was supposed to take care of me when my parents died. And he wasn't even a part of my life until a couple months ago," he said quietly as Hinata gasped. "And the worst part is…I had to learn about this from Orochimaru of all people."

"N-Naruto-kun…I'm so sorry," Hinata whispered, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. Naruto closed his eyes, slumping down and leaning against her as tears began to form in his eyes.

"Just…why damnit…why couldn't someone be there for me from the start? My parents died facing Kyuubi…that old bastard couldn't be bothered to be there for me…no one was there for me until Anko and Raphael…w-why?" He whispered, trembling against her. "Why damnit…WHY?! WHY?!"

Hinata didn't answer beyond holding onto him as his emotions finally bubbled over and he half-yelled, half-cried to the empty sky. She continued to hold onto him, supporting him the whole time as he finally let out everything he had been struggling with for the past few days. Just like he had done for her when she was exiled from her clan, she silently supported him as he let his emotions take over.

Sometime later he finally calmed down; breathing heavily as he sat there with his head slumped over. It took him a few moments to realize that her arms were still wrapped around him and that he was leaning against her. He looked up at her face, a weak half smile forming there. "Thank you," he said softly.

"You don't need to thank me. I'm helping out a friend," she replied with a soft smile. She began to pull away only to be stopped by him.

"Don't…please…" he begged her, causing her to lean closer again, both of them blushing as they sat there like that for several moments.

Eventually, Hinata spoke up. "Naruto-kun…I'm sorry…I don't have any answers for you. I wish I could help you to understand, help you work through all of this. But I don't know why Jiraiya-sama wasn't here for you," she told him. "But I can tell you this: you're not alone anymore. And you won't be, so long as I, Raphael-sensei, or Anko nee-chan still lives. Probably Yugito-san and Kiseki-san as well. We're all here for you and we always will be."

Naruto nodded at that, closing his eyes. "T-Thank you," he said softly. "Thank you for that. And I promise the same Hinata-chan. I'm always going to be here for you too."

Hinata nodded and sighed softly before both her and Naruto's stomachs grumbled. She bushed but giggled a bit as Naruto let out an embarrassed chuckle. "Want to go get some food? My treat," Hinata offered as she stood up.

"I'm the one who just got paid," Naruto countered, pulling out the ryo he received from the missions counter.

Hinata just smiled and pushed his hand down. "Maybe, but I still want it to be my treat," she told him.

Naruto just nodded, blushing slightly at that. "Alright then. If you insist. Where shall we go?" he asked as the two started to head down the mountain.

At the hospital, Tsunade was already hard at work. When she had arrived, she had immediately contacted the head doctors and began working with them immediately to treat some of the worst injuries. Due to her fear of blood, caused by the traumatizing deaths of her brother and lover, Tsunade was handling cases involving internal injuries while Shizune handled the cases involving more visible wounds. Tsunade had quickly fallen into a rhythm, working with the on-call doctors and nurses to stabilize the most injured and critical patients still in the hospital before moving on to less critical injuries and patients.

At the moment she was waiting for the next patient to finish being prepped, giving her a moment to deal with two injuries of a different nature. Currently she was standing over Sasuke Uchiha, one hand over his head as her medical jutsu worked. Near her stood Mikoto Uchiha, who nervously watched her son.

"He's going to be fine," Tsunade assured her. "He might need to go through therapy for any mental or emotional trauma from what he witnessed, but physically he should be alright." Mikoto merely nodded and watched as Tsunade removed her hand and Sasuke began to slowly stir. When his eyes cracked open Mikoto was instantly at his side, gently clutching his hand.

"Sasuke. Sasuke, can you hear me?" She asked, seeing him groggily looking around before his eyes landed on her.

"K-Kaa-san…is that…you?" he murmured, only for Mikoto to nod and gently hug him.

"It's me sweetie. I'm here," she whispered, still hugging him as he continued to wake up.

Tsunade left them as she moved to the other patient, starting the same process on Kakashi Hatake. She shook her head slightly as she looked the jounin over. She knew of Kakashi's reputation, as it was hard not to hear about his exploits. So, to see him laid out like this let her know that his opponent had been a highly dangerous one.

As the jounin began to stir, she pulled her hand back, watching one eye blearily open. "Kakashi-san, how are we feeling today?" She asked him, causing him to blink at her.

"Tsunade…sama? What are you doing here?" He asked tiredly.

She just sighed as she began to check him over with a diagnostic jutsu. "Getting you back on your feet, along with everyone else laid out by the invasion it seems," she said, nodding. "Get some rest and some solid food in you and you should be good to go. As well as therapy for whatever you went through under that genjutsu," she ordered.

Kakashi shuddered at that, closing his eye for a moment. "That's…a good idea," he said quietly as Tsunade nodded before moving back to check on Sasuke, who was sitting up now. The boy's eyes were looking a bit dull and lifeless, causing her to frown and wonder what exactly he had experienced.

She quickly scanned him. "He needs rest and food but should be fine physically," she told Mikoto, who smiled in relief.

"Thank you. I'll make sure he gets both," she told Tsunade, who gave a nod and left the room. She paused when she saw the woman standing outside the door, her attention drawn to the somewhat similar bracers on her arms that Naruto had as well as the currently lowered hood.

"Can I help you?" she asked the young woman, who merely bowed her head.

"Thank you but no. I'm Kiseki Uchiha, accompanying Mikoto-sama," Kiseki said quietly, causing Tsunade to nod at that.

"I see then," she said, taking in the girl's appearance overall. "Well, Sasuke is awake now if you wish to see him. If not, please make sure to keep quiet and out of the way. We've got a lot to do," she said, moving off. The whole time though she couldn't help but notice the similarities between the woman's attire and equipment and Naruto's own. It would seem the girl was likely part of the same group Jiraiya had mentioned, the ones who took Naruto in and trained him. She'd have to ask Sarutobi more about them later. For now, she had more patients to help save.

In another room, Anko couldn't help but groan happily as she finished lightly stretching. "Finally, we can get out of here," she murmured while Raphael stepped out from behind a divider he had been changing behind.

"It'll be good to breathe fresh air again," he agreed with her, smiling to the woman who was releasing them from the hospital. "Thank you for overseeing our release."

Shizune smiled and nodded to them. "It was my pleasure. I was happy to help you both out, after what Naruto did for Tsunade-sama," she said.

"I'm just glad the gaki is back," Anko said. "Didn't feel right not having the whole team in Konoha."

Shizune nodded before looking over the notes on their conditions. "Just remember that you both are to keep your physical therapy appointments and are not to train or go on active duty for at least two weeks. At which point you may resume light training and light duties until further notice," she said, causing Raphael to nod while Anko groaned.

"Understood. Thank you, Shizune-san," Raphael said with a bow before heading off with Anko.

Shizune sighed as she watched them leave, hoping they would not be too upset when they did run into Naruto. While she had informed them of Naruto bringing her and Tsunade to Konoha, she had not told them of what had transpired towards the end of the mission, not wanting to worry them and feeling like it wasn't her place. Straightening up the room she turned to head off to fulfill her other duties for the day, feeling a sense of contentment at getting to put the skills Tsunade had taught her to use.

Ichiraku Ramen

Naruto let out a satisfied noise as he slurped down some more noodles before setting his bowl down. "Mmm, thanks again Hinata-chan. I really missed Ichiraku," he said while his teammate just smiled at him.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," she said, glad that she had restricted how much he could get. Last thing she needed was for him to leave her bankrupt on a ramen binge. She turned back to her own ramen, enjoying it at a more sedate pace.

Ayame and Teuchi both just smiled, watching the pair. Ayame decided to have a bit of fun with them. "You know Naruto, it's supposed to be the guy who treats the girl to a meal, not the other way around. Especially if it's a date," she said, causing the two to blush.

"A-Ayame-nee-chan, don't say that!" Naruto said, blushing. "T-This isn't a date. Hinata-chan's just being really nice to me, even though she doesn't need to," he added.

Hinata nodded alongside him even though a part of her really wished it was a date. She'd love to be here with him as his girlfriend.

"Oh, is that so?" Teuchi asked, looking them over. "You haven't asked this cute girl out yet?"

Both of the genin were quite red now, before Naruto spoke. "N-No…I mean, Hinata-chan is awesome and badass and strong, but also really sweet and kind and cute. B-But…it might be kind of weird, since we're teammates," he said, not seeing the stunned look Hinata had.

Ayame gained a knowing look, moving over to Hinata. "Can I get you a refill?" She asked Hinata while nodding to her mostly empty cup of tea. Hinata gave a nod and Ayame leaned over to get it while whispering to her. "You know…I think he does like you."

Hinata just blushed more, feeling a sense of shyness come over her that she had not felt in some time. She was about to respond when someone entered the ramen stand behind them. "Hinata Miatarashi?"

Hinata turned, only for her eyes to narrow when she saw one of the Hyuuga branch members behind her. His face was blank of any emotion as he spoke. "Hiashi Hyuuga requests your presence at the Hyuuga Estate tomorrow at one, along with your guardian Anko Mitarashi."

Hinata narrowed her eyes at that. "About what, exactly?"

"I am not at liberty to say. Hokage-sama has also been informed and will be present at the meeting. Please dress formally," the Hyuuga said before leaving, causing Hinata to let out the softest growl of annoyance.

"What do you think he wants?" Naruto asked her.

Hinata just shrugged, turning back to her ramen. "I don't know. I'd assume it'd either be regarding me saving my kaa-san and imouto, or it'd be about me beating Neji-san. Either way, I'm not exactly eager to find out," she murmured in annoyance.

"Find out what?" Anko asked, entering the stand and causing them both to turn as she grinned at them. "Knew we'd find you two here," she added as Raphael entered.

"It's good to see you Naruto," he said as Naruto smiled and got up, hugging them both.

"I'm glad you two are out of the hospital. Is everything okay?" He asked them worriedly.

Anko just nodded. "Oh yeah. We just need to do some physical therapy and take it easy for a bit, and then we'll be back out there in no time," she said. "And how about you? Heard you had a run in with my bastard of an ex-sensei," she added.

Naruto stiffened as he was reminded of what happened before doing his best to act calm. "Oh umm…yeah, no problems. Had a bit of a scare when the kunoichi with him tried to kill me, but…everything's fine," he said.

"Uh-huh," Anko said, crossing her arms. "You can't fool me Naruto, I practically invented the fake 'I'm fine' bit," she said.

Naruto bit his lip, looking away. When he felt a hand grab his, he glanced over to see Hinata gently squeezing his hand, causing him to take a deep breath. "…I'll tell you both, but after we get done eating here. I don't want to cause a scene here."

Raphael nodded at that. "Very well then. Perhaps we shall join you," he said as he sat down, with Anko doing the same. The two of them watched Naruto out of the corner of their eyes, worried about what it was he was holding back at the moment.

That Evening

Jiraiya stared down at the saucer of sake before him before picking it up and downing it, and then pouring himself another one. He had been there for about an hour, after simply wandering Konoha or staring off into space. The entire time he had either been in a daze or lost in thought and regret the entire time. The latter had led to him arriving at the bar to get drunk, to try and dull the pain and guilt, if for a time.

As he lifted the saucer again, he didn't even turn to acknowledge the presence behind him. "I'm guessing you heard," he said, as the figure sat next to him.

"You could say that," Raphael said, watching the sannin as he downed the second saucer. "Naruto told Anko and I about the mission."

Jiraiya just poured himself some more sake. "I see then...I'm honestly surprised Anko isn't here trying to kill me," he said.

"She wanted to, but I thought it would be a better idea if I came instead," Raphael said, signaling the bartender for his own drink. "Last thing she needed was to end up in jail after just getting out of the hospital."

Jiraiya didn't respond, instead staring down at the empty saucer. Raphael soon had his own drink and took a sip before speaking up. "So, I guess now it makes sense as to why you didn't want me near Naruto this whole time. You thought I was corrupting him."

"To a degree, yes," Jiraiya said. "I was afraid of that, but…I was also jealous. Jealous because you had and still have a strong relationship with him."

"You've no one to blame for that except yourself," Raphael countered, causing Jiraiya to chuckle darkly.

"Oh, I fully know it," he said. "Trust me, I know I've been a hypocritical bastard this entire time. I wasn't willing to take care of him but was all too eager to stop someone else from doing what I should have done."

Raphael turned to look at him, brown eyes inquiring. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me why you weren't there for him? It might help me choose whether I'm willing to help you or keep you as far away from Naruto as possible."

Jiraiya stared at the counter, finally pushing the saucer of sake away. "…I think it all stems from one unavoidable fact of my life: I am nothing but a failure. Dead last at the Academy no matter how hard I trained and studied and tried. I was the one who nearly failed sensei's test when we were assigned to him as genin. When my team made it to the finals of our first Chuunin Exam, I didn't even get past the first round while Tsunade-chan put on a hell of a display and Orochimaru won the whole damn thing, of course. By the time I finally made chuunin, my teammates were both already well known and Orochimaru was on his way to becoming a jounin. Even in the fight that earned us our title of sannin, I was the weak link. The one who needed to be helped."

Jiraiya leaned back, eyes closed. "When Tsunade lost her Nawaki, her otouto (Little brother) and Dan, her lover...I couldn't do anything to help her out. Despite my best efforts she never recovered from either of their losses. When Orochimaru left the village, I failed to stop him. The one single moment I thought I hadn't failed was my team of genin. And especially Minato. He put so much effort and hard work into his training and I did everything I could to help him flourish. He was practically a prodigy, but I like to think that at least some of the training I instilled in him and his teammates helped him become the shinobi he was. And when he became Hokage…I never felt prouder. All of his work and effort had paid off. I thought that I had finally accomplished something, helping him grow into the shinobi he was."

He laughed bitterly. "And then I failed there too. I failed by not being here when the Kyuubi attack. I failed him by not being here to support my student when he most likely needed it most. My student, the man I looked upon as a son…he died protecting this village."

Jiraiya poured himself another saucer of sake and downed it. "And now I've failed at being a godfather. Because I felt too guilty about Minato and Kushina's deaths. I took one look at that baby and thought there was nothing I could do for him. If I took him in, tried to raise him, I'd just fail him too, like I had always failed. Except that's what's so damn hilarious about this. I failed him anyways! Isn't that hilarious?!"

He slammed the saucer down hard enough to break it, not caring as shards of it cut his hands. "Didn't protect him from the village, couldn't protect him from Orochimaru, and couldn't do one damn thing right by the kid. Culmination of my fucking life."

He just stared at his hand before sighing and slowly pulling out some bills to pay for his drink and the damage. Next to him Raphael processed what he had just heard before taking another sip of sake.

"I see then…so what will you do now?" he asked, causing Jiraiya to sigh.

"Well…probably going to stay away from the kid, except on official business. He's not going to want to have anything to do with me and I already fucked up his life enough, so I at least can give him space," Jiraiya said, turning to leave.

Raphael's next words stopped him. "And you don't think that is failing him as well? Cutting and running?"

Jiraiya turned back to him, giving him a somewhat drunken look of confusion and anger. "What, you actually want me to try and patch things up with him?"

"Certainly not now. Naruto would simply ignore or attack you," Raphael said. "But maybe after he's had time to calm down and process things, maybe after you've proven to be someone worth learning from, that can change. I'm not so petty as to ignore the dangers that are out there in the world, targeting Naruto specifically for who he is and what he holds. And I'm not so petty as to ignore the fact that you are still one of the most capable shinobi of this village. Someone who can teach Naruto things that no one else here in this village can. I want him to survive and I'm going to do everything I can to help him. Will you do the same?"

Jiraiya stared at Raphael before nodding. "If nothing else…I want him to survive…and to be happy."

The assassin gave a nod before paying for his own drink. "Then prove you want to help Naruto. Prove you're actually worth him considering forgiving you. Maybe, if he feels like it, he might do so one day. If you can't do that then yes…stay the hell away from him. Otherwise…Anko won't be the one you have to fear," Raphael said before brushing past Jiraiya.

Jiraiya stood there, swaying for a moment as he watched Raphael leave. He slowly shook his head, trying to clear it as he stumbled out of the bar, heading towards his home as he struggled with the words Raphael left him with and the warring emotions in his heart.

Meanwhile, Naruto was sitting alone in his apartment, staring at a picture of himself with the other members of the Brotherhood. It had been taken several months ago, before the genin exams. None of them were dressed in their assassin robes, as getting a picture taken like that would look suspicious. Instead, they were dressed in various civilian clothes. He was in front with Hinata, grinning broadly as he flashed a v sign while Hinata was smiling a bit shyly next to him. Anko had her hands on top of their heads, her grin as big as Naruto's while Raphael stood next to her, one hand resting on Naruto's shoulder. On either side of them were Yugito and Kiseki, both with their own smaller smiles.

Next to this picture was a framed picture of his mother and father, Kushina very obviously pregnant with Minato's arms wrapped around her protectively. Naruto had kept these pictures next to each other, to show off both his families. They had always made him so happy before but now as he looked at them, he could only feel the anger and sadness return. The reason for that was because he now knew there could have been something between these two points. There had been someone who could have taken care of him, who was supposed to take care of him, but hadn't been there for him. He had no real happy memories before Raphael came along and even then, the happy memories had been somewhat slow in coming, as Raphael and Anko had merely been instructors early on. Sure, they were nice to him and actually taught him, but he had never truly connected to them until a couple of years later.

He closed his eyes only to open them when there was a knock at the door. He sighed, not really wanting any company after seeing the anger on Anko and Raphael's faces after he told them what happened with Jiraiya. Telling them what happened and seeing their anger had rekindled his own dark feelings, though they were not as strong as before thanks to Hinata's efforts earlier.

There was another knock before he heard someone on the other side of his apartment door speak. "Naruto, I know you're awake. I would like to speak to you," spoke the voice of Sarutobi.

Naruto blinked at that before getting up and going to the door, opening it. "Hokage-sama…what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice somewhat flat.

The aged Hokage sighed as he took in Naruto's expression. "I wished to speak with you. May I come in?"

Naruto stood there for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh and stepping back, allowing Sarutobi to enter. The old man did so, setting a thermos on Naruto's table. "Thank you. I hope you don't mind, but I brought some tea. Usually, the host is supposed to offer a beverage, but I thought it would be easier if I simply brought one along."

Naruto simply nodded and got two cups, setting one out for Sarutobi and one for himself as Sarutobi poured the still warm tea into both of. He sat down and took a sip while Naruto did the same but didn't touch the tea.

"What exactly did you want to talk about, Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked, only for Sarutobi to wave his hand.

"No titles, please. This is not the time for it, I think," he said, taking another sip. "As for what I wish to talk about, I think you can guess."

Naruto looked at him before speaking. "Did you know?" He asked quietly.

"That Jiraiya was your godfather?" Sarutobi asked him. "Yes, I did know. I was one of the very few people who knew outside of your parents and Jiraiya, for legal reasons."

Naruto just nodded slightly, still staring at him. "…do you know why he wasn't here for me?" He asked quietly.

"I do, yes, though it is not as simple as you think," Sarutobi said, taking another sip of his tea. "Part of the reason could be blamed on me. Jiraiya was needed to maintain the security and safety of Konoha by monitoring potential threats after Kyuubi's attack. You have to understand, Naruto, that our forces were severely weakened. A great many of our most skilled and powerful shinobi were either dead or crippled after fighting the Kyuubi and we were left with a much-reduced shinobi force. Jiraiya's spy network was necessary to keep the other villages from exploiting our weakened state. And even then, it wasn't entirely enough. The Hyuuga incident that followed was due to our forces still recovering and caused further tension that could potentially endanger all of Konoha."

Sarutobi sat back with a tired sigh. "So, you could say part of the reason, and the blame, for him not being here for you was because of me. As Hokage I had to ask him to do what was needed to protect the village. However, he could have still taken several opportunities to check in on you, make sure you were being treated well, and helped take care of you. He did not, though when he told me why he didn't…it is somewhat understandable."

Naruto's eyes narrowed at that. "Understandable?" He asked, his voice hard. "You can understand why he chose not to take care of me, when he was supposed to?"

"I didn't say it made his decision right. I merely said it was understandable," Sarutobi explained to him, causing Naruto to stiffen slightly. "I wish I could tell you, but ultimately, that is for Jiraiya and Jiraiya alone to do. Jiraiya made a bad choice but I can understand why he did it and I can sympathize with him for it. He is, like any of us, only human."

Naruto scoffed at that. "So what then, I should just go up to him and listen to him? Forgive and forget that when I was alone and scared, there was someone out there who could have taken care of me but chose not to?!"

"No, and I would ask you to not put words into my mouth Naruto," Sarutobi said sternly, leading to Naruto calming down slightly. "I cannot, nor will I ask you to forget what he did or to forgive Jiraiya. He has done nothing to earn it so far. What I am saying though is that you need to understand that people make mistakes. And if they are truly sorry and repentant, you should give them a chance to earn forgiveness when you are ready to give it to them. If you had done something to hurt your friends, you would wish for a chance to earn their forgiveness, wouldn't you?"

"That's different though!" Naruto protested, only for Sarutobi to shake his head.

"Not at the basic level it isn't. It is the same thing. The only difference is how much pain the victim has gone through," Sarutobi told him. "Naruto…holding on to pain and bitterness is why so many conflicts and wars begin in the first place. Why do you think Suna was willing to attack us, their ally? Because they were bitter over the favoritism their daimyo was showing us. Why do you think Orochimaru betrayed Konoha? He was bitter that he was passed up for the position of Hokage."

He let out a tired sigh as he sat back. "Again, I am not here to tell or ask you to forgive Jiraiya. I merely do not wish to see you poison yourself with anger and bitterness and lose yourself to the pain of the past. I am not saying you need to forgive Jiraiya. If you wish it, go your whole life without ever forgiving him. But at the very least…when you are ready, hear him out. And allow whatever pain and bitterness you feel to die before it poisons your soul and turns you into something you have no wish to be."

The genin stared at him, before shuddering softly and swallowing. "I…understand what you're saying, oji-san…I can't say I'll be able to do that, or…that I even want to agree with you. But I understand."

Sarutobi gave a nod. "That is all I can ask for," he said, slowly standing up. "I am sorry that you had to go through all this. I was hoping your days of pain and suffering were over but…such is life. It is full of misery…but also happiness."

Naruto just gave a quiet nod, sipping his tea quietly. "Was that all?"

"If you are willing, I'd like for you to speak with Inoichi-san or another trained mental specialist. I wish to make sure that you are in good mental health for upcoming missions. We need every shinobi to make sure Konoha gets back on its feet, and after what you've been through, I do not want you to have an emotional or mental break. But it is your decision, ultimately," Sarutobi told him as the aged Hokage gathered the thermos up. "Other than that, I do think that is all for now."

Naruto nodded as he stood to see him out. Sarutobi paused at the door, smiling slightly. "By the way…Konohamaru is eager to see you again. He apparently wants to show you how far he's progressed in his training."

Naruto gave a bare weak smile. "I…think I'd like that. I'll see about finding him when I've got some spare time."

Sarutobi nodded as he headed out the door. "Good night Naruto."

Naruto watched him go before closing and locking the door, then slowly turning and staring at his apartment. Sarutobi's words range in his ears still, the thoughts caused by them warring with the rage and pain in his heart. He slowly went to his bedroom, changing into his pajamas before slumping into his bed.

As he lay there, he could only stare at the ceiling as his thoughts and emotions raged back and forth, a constant storm within him. His mind could see the logic and reasoning of Sarutobi's words, but his heart could not let go of the pain and anger within. How could he ever possibly even think of forgiving Jiraiya? How could he forgive a man who abandoned him when he needed him most?

He rolled onto his side, closed his eyes, and tried to quell the storm within, if for no other reason than to get some sleep. Yet it would be quite some time before he drifted into a troubled sleep, his heart and mind still racing with thoughts and emotions.


And chapter. Think I'll call it there. While I could go on, I think what I have planned next is better suited for a new chapter.

So, this one is a bit of a doozy to write. Mostly because…well yah, I'm dealing with Naruto's emotional fallout. And I have to say…quite a few reviewers did not make it easy. Mostly with comments or what felt like demands for Naruto to never forgive Jiraiya, that he didn't need him.

I can understand your sentiments, but please understand this: this is my fanfic. I'm going to go what direction I want to go in, that I think is most realistic for the characters and the story.

Anyways, sorry for the long rants at the start of the chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed this one. Next chapter will be a bit of a pick me up after this one.

Thanks go to Bill Alain for his help betaing the chapter!

Thanks for reading, and hope to see you all next time.