Hey, everyone! As you can probably guess by the date, this chapter isn't a regular update, yep, it's a holiday piece. Just like my Fox Tails story, this one is going to diverge from the current arc, but still counts as part of the overall story. It being Father's Day I feel who it'll focus on is rather obvious, but it's still going to include some interaction and commentary from a certain Assyrian Servant.

I do not own anything.

Poison Dove & Maelstrom Fox

Special Chapter - Fathers and Children

Good news, Master! It's just another two hundred feet to the summit, or shall I say our destination! Now, chop-chop, time is of the essence!

Naruto felt his nostrils flare and his eyes glaze over with a hint of irritation, all of which was Semiramis' intent. Unfortunately, there was little he could do but grumble and press on with the task at hand. Said task involved scaling a massive mountain where one fatal mistake meant him taking a very long and likely very painful way down. The fall might kill him, or it might not; Naruto had long since accepted that he was durable than most. He had after all taken a guillotine-like drop from hundreds of feet straight into solid rock and walked away to tell about it.

Sort of.

And he had…help.

Just for the record, I have a LONG list of times where you would have been dead without my help, so you better damn well be grateful, you stupid brat. Harshly spat the crimson-furred demon that lay contained within his stomach. Ignoring the fox, Naruto continued his climb. The Nine Tails took the boy's silence in strides, merely chuckling to himself as he fell back into the shadows of his cage. As his host ignored him, he too ignored the sharp glare that their unexpected "third wheel" sent him from beyond the boundaries of his prison. It was a relationship that had gradually been solidified since "that evening" where that foolish sage had unlocked the seal beyond its original boundaries. An act that supposedly had positive intentions, yet the nine-tailed demon was the only person who'd benefited from it. Anyone with half a brain could have predicted how things were going to turn out.

Speaking of said sage, the demon couldn't help but ponder where the buffoon was, same as the black-haired spirit that invisibly hovered beside the human blond.

In the darkness, the demon fox grinned a malicious smile that showed teeth. He's probably drunk off his ass by now. Having blown through all his money and onto some of yours; burns you up, doesn't it? All the hard work you put into working those odd and sometimes humiliating jobs and he's out blowing it on drinks and hookers. If I had to guess, not even good ones.

As if you are one to talk, fox. Sniped the Assyrian Servant. As she was in spiritual form, she could peer into her Master's inner self. As usual, her coppery serpentine eyes were locked on the feral crimson orbs of the giant fox that lay within him. Her eyes swayed with thinly veiled malice while the beast's crackled with amusement. It knew that all the cards were currently being held in its humanoid palms. That didn't mean that Semiramis wasn't going to play what few cards she did have. You're nothing but a giant slobbering beast, what would you know of human affections?

Maybe a helluva lot more than you, your Highness. Snidely shot back the nine-tailed mammal with a lick of its canine lips. Between the two of us, who's lived longer? Who's been there to witness every gross and deprived thing that human beings could possibly do to one another? Especially acts of lust and want. Honestly, you mortals are at times no better than us beasts, the very creatures you claim to lord over! It's hypocritically amusing…and oh so disgusting!

Disgusting, huh? Taking romantic advice from an overgrown rodent, yes, that is the word that I'd use as a description of things. I'm absolutely sure whatever relationship you can give would be nothing short of a pile of horse dung at best.

Yes, this coming from the woman who murdered her husband in cold-blood then seized his kingdom for herself. A bit of the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn't you say, your Highness? Coolly fired back the Tailed Beast.

Instantly, the already cold atmosphere chilled-no, it froze. Naruto stopped in his climbing, all the hairs on his body standing up on end and his honed senses sounding all the alarms. His left arm burned like someone was placing a hot poker against it. The same could be said for his stomach, which grew warmer and warmer by the second. Slowly but surely, something was spreading through him, a dark force that he actually had to push back against least he lose control. Given his current position, that would have been a very, very, very bad thing. Not because he'd likely plummet to either his death or an array of broken bones. If he lost control then the Nine Tails would more than ready assume control of his body and find some way to break his fall.

It would then proceed to force Semiramis to physically manifest so she could be ripped apart.

Or using his body to force her to commit suicide.

Knowing the fox's sadism, Naruto was actually torn at which option it'd go with as both were equally cruel and vicious. Unfortunately, what stuck out to him at that moment was the fact that he'd come to recognize his inner demon's personality traits and urgings. He didn't consider such traits something to be proud of.

Speaking of sadism and viciousness, the supernatural familiar he'd been bound to was doing her best to scare the living hell out of him, and the local wild life. From the tree branches and nests countless birds quickly took the skies, their frightened cries fading fast leaving Naruto in a vacuum of painful silence. He truly envied their ability to fly away from anything that distressed them. Being able to literally fly away from danger sounded like a damn fine ability to have.

Fox Came the cold and malicious voice of the genin's Servant, causing his forehead to break out in cold sweat. You-

"HEY! KNOCK IT OFF YOU TWO!" Demanded the whisker-faced mortal in the crosshairs of the two superhuman spirits. Fear had been eclipsed by angry irritation that carried for miles through the fog-bank that floated around the mountain. Any creature that hadn't been scared off by the earlier tension certainly had been by the blonde's angry voice. "I've already got enough to deal with without you two going at each other's throats over something incredibly stupid, so give it a rest already!"

Given her station, the long-haired Servant chose to obey her Master's words, actually finding them to be somewhat on point. Her furry counterpart, on the other hand, was far from swayed. Incredibly stupid? This coming from the kid scaling a mountain to find some magic sake for some perverted old man who's probably getting his ass ran out of town by now! You're the last one to lecture either of us!

Almost every instinct in Naruto's body told him to fire back, but somehow, he managed to restrain himself. Gnashing his teeth, he turned his head back to the summit of the mountain, or more accurately the mountainside ledge he was hoping to get to. Bolstering his concentration was the feel of a somewhat reassuring hand on his shoulder. It soothed his anger if only a little giving him the clarity to keep moving upward. Translucent blue energy once more covered his hands and feet, giving him a tighter grip against the rocky surface he was clinging to like a spider. Following a deep grunt of effort, he launched himself upward, covering almost twenty feet in a single bound. Air rushed past him in an instant, droplets of moisture tickling his skin as he moved at paces faster than the average human being.

The moment he felt his body begin to lose speed, Naruto reacted; his arms stretched out with his Kitsune-ken materializing forth in seconds. Within the same breath, both blades were dug into the stony mountainside. No sooner had half the blade sunk in was Naruto throwing the other one upward, the result being the exact same. The pattern continued, stone being crushed beneath acidic steel while beside the ninja, the other-worldly familiar monitored the situation. Once the time came, she spoke again.

Stop, right here! Four feet to your left! Cried the Assyrian woman. Naruto instantly heeded her words, his whole body coming to a stop even as it shivered against the cold winds that whipped at the mountain side. There he lay, his eyes focused on his left side where the supposed entry way lay.

Behind him, the air shimmered, his body sensing the sudden charge in the air. A moment later and Naruto heard the beating of wings, bird wings. Curiosity getting the best of him, the blond turned his head to find his black-haired Servant standing atop a giant dove whose wings effortlessly beat against the skies.

It'll make good training for you, she said. It'll be good for your chakra control and endurance. Feeling mighty stupid right about now, aren't you? Chimed the demonic beast inside of him.

Can it already, furball. What's done is done, besides, I'm here, aren't I? Fired back the Leaf ninja, attempting to maintain his focus. With baited breath, he watched Semiramis examine the rock face with cold eyes. Her right arm was held out, her palm facing the surface. His back hairs stood on end again, seconds before a magical seal appeared before her. He had a moment to brace himself before the torrent of greenish-colored acid erupted from the seal, splattering the mountainside. Instinctively, he shut his eyes and looked away in order to keep the residual smoke from harming his eyes.

"Naruto," Sounded her casual voice, a far cry from the dismissive and cold tone she used to always refer to him with. Looking back, he saw her free hand outstretched. Without a moment's hesitation, he took it, landing atop the dove's back. "Let us hope this journey turns out to be all its cracked up to be."

Together, they leaped from the dove's back into the newly created hole that the Servant had created. They sailed across the burnt edges of the entrance that Semiramis had made; their feet landed on wet but solid and firm ground. Behind them, the dove dissolved into an array of purple-colored particles that faded away with the passing breeze.

The cave entrance was a tad on the small side, forcing the human and Servant to crouch down if just a little to fully fit inside. Semiramis held up her right hand, an orb of violet-colored light materializing in her head, casting an eerie glow over herself and her Master and the cave they'd jumped into. Tight as it was, neither of them seemed worried at the close-quarters. Quietly, they began to move forward, Semiramis taking the lead with Naruto following behind her. Though the blond worried they might come under attack, the Assassin doubted it. Something in her gut told her that this venture was going to be somewhat on the…light side. Normally, she would have found such a thing distasteful, but gradually she was learning to accept the moments of quiet and even peace that came with traveling with Naruto and the Toad Sage.

While she wouldn't ever admit it, she was grateful to the pair for accepting her into their fold. Still, it never once slipped her mind that in a way she was an outsider to the two of them. But one that could do her part to help them. Helping people wasn't exactly something she did well, but for the sake of the blond behind her, she was willing to take a crack at it.

Besides, she also owed it to the only parental figure in her life she'd ever known. And the only one she'd ever held any sort of familial love for.

One day Earlier…

"Um, hey, Semi-chan, can I…ask you a…favor? Pretty please?" Naruto knew right off the bat how pathetic he sounded and how things were likely going to turn out for him. Still, he went ahead and tried it anyone only because he didn't have any other options. Really, how was one supposed to go about asking a favor such as this? It was beyond him.

And naturally, his Servant saw right through it. The book she'd been reading was lowered, revealing her sharp copper-colored eyes. "Are you seriously asking me to use my magecraft to help you procure tickets for a…belly dance as a gift for that perverted old man? Master, you're either very bold or very stupid. I've come to accept most of the time you're half and half, but you seem to be shooting for the latter this time. Do you wish to sample some of my latest creations? I'm curious to see how you'd react to them."

Her words were like the hiss of snake being heard by a hare. The most natural and logical reaction was for the hare to jump back, its arms and voices raised in defense. "H-H-Hey! I-I-It's f-f-for P-Pervy Sage! N-Not me! I'm not into that sort of stuff!" Cried the young blond.

"Some of your memories tell a different story." Semiramis coldly spat.

"This is a special occasion, honest!" Cried the genin. "I'm trying to think of something he'll like! He's a Super Pervert, what else am I supposed to get him for Father's Day!"

"How's about something a bit more reasonable! Or heartfelt! Even that old goat possesses a bit more honor than that! Besides, your-" Like a falling axe, Semiramis slammed her mouth shut. Dammit! I almost gave too much away! Normally, keeping a secret was second nature to her, but Naruto had a strange power she couldn't quite identify. He could get her to test herself by bringing to the surface emotions and feelings she had to repress as a queen. All while wearing on her nerves from time to time, making it all the harder to keep herself quiet and reserved. "L-L-Look, this…'Father's Day' is a celebration honoring one's father-figure, yes? I'm still learning the customs of this world, but I believe you can do better than some harem girl dancing on his lap or giving him a…massage. Surely there is something else you can do for him, yes?"

The tension dispelled, Naruto crossed his arms as he sat before her, his face bent in concentration as he tried his best to come up with something. Semiramis quietly noted how…different the boy always seemed to look when he was like this. As she'd learned, the whisker-faced boy's normal state of was hyperactivity to the point where a restraining bolt was required to hold him down. He actually looked somewhat serene lying atop the grass beside her. As she and Jiraiya had noted, Naruto had a small growth spurt over the last couple of months. Semiramis was willing to guess that it wasn't his last one, there were going to be more in the future; the last one would likely put him above her in terms of height. Secretly, she longed to see what that day would look like.

Before that day came, they had to deal with this, planning a suitable celebration for the man who wore on both of their nerves greatly. And yet, for the young blond, he was the closest thing he had to a father figure at the moment. For Semiramis…well…he was her "second" meal ticket so she supposed she had to do her part.

"If you want something tame, then how's about some quality sake? Granted, Naruto, you're not old enough to drink so you may only get a cup or two. How strong is your alcohol tolerance?"

Wide-eyed, Naruto craned his head around the forested clear, looking for the source of the voice. He immediately recognized it to be Gamatora. Spotting Semiramis' easy-going expression, he stopped his moving and quieted his mind. In seconds, he felt a familiar presence.

There was a deep chuckle as he reached out with his right hand and felt wet flesh beneath his fingertips. "Kind of wondering how you were going to react to that trick. Pretty cool, isn't it?" Sounded the voice of the blade-wielding toad. Naruto slightly withdrew his hand as a literal wall of steam and bubbles materialized seemingly out of nowhere. A few tinkled his arm as they popped while his eyes fell upon the familiar sight of the red and black-colored toad that had become his training partner for the last several months. "While you were out making a fool of yourself in town, Semiramis helped me practice my stealth ninjutsu."

"Really? That's-hey, wait a minute! I wasn't making a fool of myself!" And just like that, the serenity was gone and it was back to the same goofiness that at times irritated her…and at other times amused her. "Gah, anyway, um…that actually sounds like a good idea. Except I'm not old enough to go in and buy sake."

"Not to mention given your age, I highly doubt you know what good quality sake looks or tastes like." Sniped the black-haired female.

Gamatora looked to Semiramis with a sideways leer. "And I suppose you've been here long enough to have an idea?"

"As a matter of fact, toad, I have." Retorted the Servant.

Just as he was hoping the bad air between the toads and his Servant had been dispelled, it seemed that Naruto's hopes had been dashed. Putting it to the side, he refocused his attention on Semiramis, something she noticed as she turned to look at him. "Semi-chan, would you be willing to…um…eh…"

"Just spit it out, you're going on like you're asking me to commit so some of crime." Groaned the magical familiar with her fingers creasing her nose.

"I kind of am! Can't you use your magic or something to swipe some sake when no one in town is looking?"

"You're asking if I, the Wise Queen of Assyria, can do something as basic and simple as that? Naruto, I do believe you're not giving me enough-"

"Actually, I was going to suggest you get the old man some good sake, the kind that can't be found in town but up there." Politely interrupted Gamatora, following another yawn that caught both of the human's, or human and demi-human's attention.

"Up where?" Both responded in unison.

After a brief chuckle, the black-marked toad pointed his right finger toward the east, where a collection of mountains dotted the landscape. Amongst them was one that seemed to be covered by a blanket of fog. "Old man Jiraiya chose to stop at this town for a certain reason. He used it as a meeting place for informants in the past, kind of an old legend really. That mountain over there, it's called Mount Jianzhen, a sacred place for monks and sages in times long since pass. Part of his sage training actually had him scale his way up to the summit and do some training up there. The other oldie that lives up there is said to be a sake brewer who's able to create some of the best sake in the lands. Old Jiraiya always made sure to grab a few gourds of the stuff, but from the looks of things, he's got other things on his mind. Sound interesting enough for ya', Naruto?"

"Of course, it does!" Proclaimed the blond ninja, jumping to his feet with passion burning in his eyes. "Scale a mountain to find some crusty old sage-"

"Who I trust isn't a pervert?" Interrupted Semiramis, shooting a lone glare in Gamatora's direction.

Naruto completely ignored her. "Let's get going then! Pervy Sage is still stuck in some crummy old meeting, but he said he'd be back at the hotel by night so that gives us plenty of time to get up there then get back down without him noticing!" Suddenly, the boy's cheer broke, particularly as he turned around to face his black-haired companion. "I-I mean…um…if you're…willing to help me."

Deep in the corners of her mind, Semiramis found his sudden shy and nervousness to be cute. Not that she'd ever tell him that to his face. "As your Servant, I will go where you go, and do what I must for your benefit."

"I told you to stop doing that." He spoke with a ring of sadness.

"And I told you, I'm your Servant. Besides…I could go for a good drink, and you could use the training." She casually replied.

"I think what that really means is she wants to spend some time with you before you go off for a family moment with the old-"

Naruto could have sworn he caught Gamatora grinning before he puffed away, or rather, before Semiramis' chains burst from the ground impaling the spot where'd previously been. Such incidents might have put the blond off, but he'd grown used to such antics, perhaps a bit too used to them honestly.

"Um, hey, Semiramis?"

"…Is this question going to be a personal one?"

His mouth sealed shut, yet opened several times showing he was debating rather or not it was worth it to keep going. Eventually, he decided it was. "Yeah, yeah it is a personal question. You said your mom abandoned you but you never really got to know her…but what about your dad? He was the one who raised you, right?"

Given their connection, Naruto felt all the alarm bells go off inside of her, even if he didn't want to. Outwardly, Semiramis looked as calm as could be, but inside, he could tell something had been set off. Her eyes were the first change, widening then narrowing like she wanted to pounce on him and gouge out his heart. Internally, Naruto braced for such a thing to happen knowing he'd crossed a boundary he shouldn't have. Seconds passed, marked by the rustling of the greenery surrounding them.

"Yes, yes he did raise me, and thanks to him I can stand here and say until you do something incredibly, mind-boggling stupid, you will have my support." Her tone was flat, near emotionless. Compared to what it could have been, Naruto considered himself lucky.

Then Semiramis vanished into a star-like array of golden particles, leaving him alone in the grassy field.

He didn't consider himself lucky anymore.

Present Time…

"I must say, this is probably one of the most pleasurable sights I've laid eyes on since coming to your world, Naruto." Gently spoke the long-haired beauty. "It seems I owe Gamatora one, don't tell him that though, I don't want him getting the wrong idea."

The blond just barely remembered to categorize her statement and file it away into his mind. What he was more focused on was the massive forested expanse that stretched out ahead of him and his Servant. As with the outside, mist blanketed the forest floor. The human and Servant heard the soft rustling of leaves indicating animal life, or perhaps something else. Either way, while the splendor of the hidden forest was a marvel to look at, both Naruto and Semiramis had realized that beauty could often conceal danger. For that reason, they began their descent downwards with caution.

"Were you expecting something like this?" Questioned the female Servant as their feet finally went from wet rock to what was wet and somewhat soggy grass. Cautiously, she kept all of her senses on high alert, unsure of what was going to be coming their way. All she knew was that if it threatened her Master then it was to be dispatched as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"Kinda…sorta, I mean, I've had a bit of experience in going to some places that are supposed to be deserted then finding out they're…not." Mumbled the blue-eyed teen. "Not all of them are exactly fond memories. I'm pretty much just waiting for something to jump out and try to kill us."

"Any ideas? I'm more than open to hearing what I could possibly spend the evening dissecting." Playfully quipped the Assyrian Assassin.

Naruto's lips ticked upward, though not for long. Coming an immediate stop in his tracks, he turned to face the pointy-eared woman. Sensing the shift in his mood, Semiramis stood still as a statue. Her expression was guarded, rigid like a statue. One minute they were willing to laugh with one another, but now they'd slipped back into the same tension that had earlier laced their relationship. She knew that Naruto probably believed it to be his fault, but Semiramis knew that blame laid with her. All he was trying to do was reach out to her; however, connecting with people wasn't something that Semiramis did easily.

As with the day before, Naruto's mouth opened and shut several times showing his indecision to ask the question bubbling within him.

"My father loved me."

Wide-eyed, Naruto's jaw dropped at the sudden declaration. Semiramis didn't blame him for being surprised, granted, there was also the chance that he was merely shocked that she came out and said what was on her mind so bluntly. While she could be direct, it was usually with impersonal matters, not her own private business.

Sighing, she spotted a nearby tree and walked over to it. Her back fell against the wet wood, her legs crossed and her shoulders lax. It was as peaceful a position as she was ever going to get. "As I said, my father was a simple fisherman who had a run of good luck in his life. That luck…"

"Was you."

She looked up, surprised to see Naruto smiling at her with what one could only call sympathy.

"The good luck in his life…it was you, wasn't it?"

Gray clouds overhead, obscuring any form of light from reaching the mountain top of the land it cast a shadow over. Surrounded by foreign plants and who knew what else. Semiramis was an alien to this place and this world, a foreigner that probably didn't belong.

And yet it was her Master's smile that made her think that she wasn't as out of place as she thought.

"Yes, he always told me that, especially on those days where I…where…let's just say there were times my confidence wasn't as brimming as it is today." A cruder person would have outright called it arrogance, certainly, she could think of several who'd jump on her choice of words to call her out. All Naruto did was grin at her like they'd just exchanged embarrassing secrets. In a way, they had, though Semiramis had far more secrets to share. "My…mother blessed him, but my father always preferred to say that he made his own luck, catching his own hauls and simply going from there. I loved and admired him for that, especially since he did all he could to keep me fed. He…he did so much for me, more than I could ever repay."

"I…I…I…I think I…might know…what that feels like, even though I…never had a father." Mumbled the Leaf ninja, keeping his gaze focused on the soggy grass. "But I…I like to think that I've had some parental figures in my life. Some that I…wish I could get back."

"The…Third Hokage?" Semiramis broached, unsure of how to respond. Jiraiya had told her the story, and even she had to admit that it tugged on her heart just a tad bit. Again, not that she'd ever let anyone know. "You…looked up to him as if he were your own grandfather."

"He might as well have been. I mean, he treated me like I was another one of his grandkids, even when I wasn't hanging around with Konohamaru." Laughed the blond as his mind drifted back to more peaceful and innocent times.

"From what I can piece together, you were one of his children. Does the Hokage not protect all those under him, men, women, and children alike?" Coolly inquired the dual-classed Servant.

"Old Man Sarutobi…I know one of his greatest regrets was never being able to do more for him. It's likely one of the many regrets he took with him to the grave. I…I can certainly understand where he was coming from."

Semiramis quietly pondered how her new life would end. Would she have regrets, old feelings that would weigh her down? As a Servant, she certainly didn't like to dwell on such feelings.

"I guess you're right. Heh, that's another thing about being Hokage, I…I guess I sort of never really stopped to think about. Kind of stupid of me, huh?" Came the human's half joking and half-sullen voice.

Semiramis immediately looked at him, a reserved expression on her face. "You are young and still learning. Do the latter as you grow so that one day you can seriously put forth your name for consideration, nothing more, nothing less. Of course, by then I fully expect you to have grown a good enough reputation that you can handle yourself."

"Hey, come on, it's me!" Proclaimed the blond ninja, proudly pounding his chest. "Between you and Pervy Sage, I'm on the track to greatness! I'll be the number one ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village in no time!"

"Pervy Sage? Hm, I take it you mean ole' Jiraiya, I see his antics haven't died down in all these years, have they? I suppose a miracle was too much to hope for."

Eyes wide as saucers, Semiramis reacted on pure impulse. First, Naruto was pushed out of the way with one arm while the other shot outward, a barbed chain lashing out like an enraged serpent striking at a defiant prey. Unfortunately for her, said prey was prepared for her assault. There was a tremor in the air, then the shock came like a lion roaring in her face, all of her senses temporarily paralyzed. It was both horrifying and infuriating to the point where she near flared up and evaporated all the surrounding plant life, and possibly injuring her Master as well.

As he struggled to recover, Naruto looked around for the source of the disturbance. Similar to before, his jaw dropped at what he saw, which was basically nothing at all. Literally, nothing but Semiramis' chain being held in midair by an invisible hand.

"Oooooh, seems I've scared you, poor thing."

"Scared me? If anything, you snuck up on me, a mistake few have made an even fewer have lived to do so for a second time!" Snapped the Assassin now on her feet and eyes blazing with righteous fury. "I'm going to-"

"Hey, hey! Semiramis, calm down! Please!" Cried the genin, flailing his arms about as he knew what was about to come next. "U-Um, w-whoever you are…can you um…can you come out so we can talk? Pretty please?"

"Depends." Said the voice, now certainly male a bit scratchy. "When you say, 'Pervy Sage', you wouldn't be happening to be referring to a man named Jiraiya Ogata?"

There was a bit. "…His last name's Ogata? Gee, I never knew that."

For a second, there was silence, then came the roaring sound of laughter. It lit up the foggy forest like a bell being rung. Slowly, Semiramis' chain dropped onto the ground where it was retracted by; though the woman herself remained rather cold eyed. The water around the invisible object shimmered, then dispelled as if it were being pushed away. What the pair saw was a giant toad quite similar to the one their "adult guardian" often rode around on, albeit with bright green skin and sunny yellow streaks across its body. Its large black eyes focused in on Naruto, amusement crackling in them. What sat atop the toad was a human being…mostly. Instead of freckles and wrinkles, the man possessed warts, toad-like warts that dotted his face, especially his bulging, almost cartoonish nose. Black tear-like markings stretched from his eyes down to his chin. Speaking of his eyes, they were rimmed bright yellow like his mount's.

But most of all, what stood out to Naruto was the hair, ashen gray, yet spiky like his own and a certain other person he knew. While usually perceived as being dimwitted, he was capable of putting two and two together. And that's just what he did in this case.

The strange man could see him putting the pieces together and decided to skip straight to the point. He completely ignored the simmering Servant in favor the whisker-faced blond, a smile on his face. His smile also revealed two rows of near needle-like teeth. "So, how is my dear old cousin Jiraiya doing? Still skirt chasing, isn't he?"

Though feeling a bit overwhelmed, Naruto found himself responding near immediately. "Yep, and getting his ass kicked into the ground for it."

They said that time healed all wounds, well, given the life he'd lived, Jiraiya was willing to give half admission to the saying. The wounds didn't quite heal, they merely became…less tender. Had his blonde-haired teammate been by his side, she possibly would have given him a more scientific rebuke, her and his pale-skinned former best friend. His longing for either of them served as contradiction to the saying. Jiraiya knew that likely no amount of time would ever be enough to heal his wounds.

In a way, he preferred things that way. There were some things that people weren't meant to forget, and perhaps never quite move on from, harsh as they may have sounded.

He was one of those people whose destiny was to live with his failures. Starry nights such as this made for the perfect time to reflect upon them; Jiraiya had a long, long list.

Lightly laughing at the fireworks, he leaned back against the lone tree overlooking the waterfall that roared beside him. Down the water went, stretching out through a river into the open sea directly in front of him. To his right lay the decent-sized village that he and his little group had taken refuge by. In the background, almost directly behind him lay a set of mountains that he'd once traversed. His youth seemed like another lifetime ago; it was still his, and he would like to say that he was proud of it. Sure, he'd had his failures, but he'd also had his fair share of adventures as well.

A part of him could only pray Naruto's met with more success when he grew older. He'd already had his fair share of excitement.

"Seems a bit of a lonely place to spend the night, don't you think?"

He was hoping that his pupil would be out on the town, presumably enjoying the festival with his new lady friend. Though he searched that lady friend was nowhere to be found. It was only his blond knucklehead of an apprentice. What caught his eye were the things he was carrying.

"Naruto," playfully began the old sage. "You know, last I checked you're not old enough to drink."

"Old enough to kill old enough to drink, isn't that the old ninja motto?" He coolly shot back, walking towards him with sake cups and bottle in hand.

"Well, actually…yeah it is, just not one we're supposed to use around genin like you." Snapped back the Sannin. "Tsunade would have my ass if she saw the two of us like this."

"Hey, what Grandma doesn't know won't result in her knocking either of our blocks off!" Proclaimed the young ninja, taking his seat beside his mentor. "Here you go."

All it took was one look at the kanji on the bottle for the bells to ring in Jiraiya's head. There was no anger or irritation, merely a type of quiet acceptance as he took the first cup from Naruto. "So…I…guess now you know a little about me. Heh, I didn't grow up with much of a father either. The only time I really got to know him was during his last few days of life, then after he…"

Silently, Naruto absorbed the little nugget of information. His and Semiramis' visit to Shu Ogata's home had been…informative, in more ways than one. "One day…could you teach me that stuff, senjutsu? I mean, your cousin said that you know it too so I was thinking maybe…"

The white-haired sage threw back his head in laughter, his voice echoed by the booming fireworks overhead. "Of course I'm going to teach you senjutsu one day! The hell kind of teacher would I be if I didn't teach you perhaps the greatest and most sacred of the toad's ninja arts! You just gotta wait until you fill out a bit more!"

"Fill out?! Hey, I've already punched out a number of guys well above my weight class! I'm practically jonin level right now!" Exclaimed Naruto with angry knot on his brow.

"Maybe in strength, but in brains, you've still got a ways to go. Luckily," started the white-haired sage, raising his sake cup to the starry night sky. "You've got the great and powerful Toad Sage of the Hidden Leaf for a teacher! You'll fill out in no time at all!"

Again, the blond shouted, but only in playfully protest. His cup was filled and raised, the rim gently pressing against that of his mentor's. For Naruto, it was probably his first "grown up" toast. For Jiraiya, it was a welcome reprieve for what he'd accepted was going to be a long and quiet night. A night filled with regrets and half-hearted wishes he could go back and undo so many events in his life. One thing remained though, it would be a night he would pray for forgiveness, the forgiveness of his surrogate son and his wife who he failed in their time of need. He wasn't going to make the same mistake with their son, his godson. Hell would freeze over and shatter before such a thing ever happened.

The night belonged to the student and the master.

Far away from either of them, on the shores of the distant beach stood the black-haired queen. Her gaze was directed outward to the sea. The blacken waves pushed in and out, the same as they did in her home world. These waves were not commanded by gods, at least none she knew of. They belonged to everyone and everything that dared to venture into their watery embrace. To any brave enough to challenge them. Her father would have been one such person.

"Semi, one day…one day, mark my words, you're going to find someone. A good man that'll probably put an old geezer like me to shame. Just make sure he's not too good looking, will you? For your dear old father's sake?"

She'd so innocently laughed at her father's words. In a vain effort to hold back the tears, she placed her palm against the water, enjoying the soft feel of the seawater against her skin. It felt like it had been eons.

"Father, your jokes haven't gotten much better." Semiramis had playfully retorted. Her sixteenth birthday was merely two days away and already she'd received more than her share of "gifts". At the time, her future beauty was beginning to set in, making her standout amongst the women in the village and the surrounding lands. It was amusing, but tiresome, namely because of the toll it put on her father. "Just make sure to keep yourself healthy. Should I bear children one day, I would like for them to be able to pick and pull at their grandfather's beard."

One tear fell, then another, and then dozens more.

That time had never came for death took her only parental figure less than a week after that discussion.

Semiramis remembered praying to her mother to bring her father back, but she didn't listen. No one listened. Dozens offered genuine and false condolences for her loss. In the haze of emotions, none of it mattered much to her. All Semiramis did was go to the sea and look out towards it, her heart always heavy with grief.

This time, the grief was still there, but it was slowly being counterbalanced by something lighter. That lighter something was sitting atop the hillside at her back, laughing and smiling with the father-figure in his life. Even if he granted on her nerves, she would defend the source of her Master's parental love. She would do everything in her power to protect Naruto from the same pain she endured.

No matter the cost.

Yes, a somewhat bittersweet but kinda-sorta-hopefully ending. Yes, this chapter does show that Naruto and our favorite super-pervert writer are growing on Semiramis. Not that she's going to be able to admit it for a while though.

The surname "Ogata" is actually drawn directly from the legend of the "Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya", the same story that Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru are all based on. The Ogata Clan is the clan that Story! Jiraiya is said to be the heir to, and in most adaptions, it is in fact a ninja clan. More fanon-insertion if none of you mind too much. Anyways, that's this story's first holiday special! Hopefully, they'll be a few more in the future!