I'm writing this in a hospital waiting for my mom to come out of surgery. Whatever I have written I'll post when they come out to tell me to come back to the recovery room. So I haven't looked this over or anything :)

O0o0o0o0o0oo00o

As the Hokage had stated, the next day Naruto and Nao were summoned to the Hokage's tower. Naruto created a shadow clone to pose as Nao during the process, and both walked side by side chatting to the Hokage tower. It was a strange experience for Naruto, to look up and see he's more adult and refined face staring down at him. Usually it was the other way around.

Making their way to the tower, Nao was called in first and left shortly after with a mission scroll. He ruffled Naruto's bangs before making his way out. The clone would travel 10 miles outside the city before destroying the decoy scroll and dispelling itself.

Naruto was then called into the Hokage's office.

"Ah Naruto, please take a seat." The Hokage motioned to the aforementioned seat.

"As you know, our village has too many injured for us to heal in a timely manner and the council is calling for a healer…especially with my current…condition." Here the Hokage rolled his eyes childishly.

"I'm sending Jiraiya to look for his teammate, Tsunade who is a renowned healer. He has requested that you accompany him on the trip. He believes you may have better luck convincing her to return then himself." The Hokage took a long draw off his pipe. "He's agreed to train you during your travels as compensation. Any questions?"

"Yeah jiji," Naruto's eyes become foxlike crescents and he scratched the back of his head, "where is he?"

"Ah." The Hokage hesitated, almost wincing, "he's most likely…near the bathhouses."

"…bathhouses?"

"Hai"

"…he's….a pervert?" Naruto whispered in disbelief.

"…hai."

"…great." Naruto muttered with sarcasm.

O0o00o0o0o0o0o0

Naruto neared one of Konoha's major bathhouses. He'd been at two others, searching for a man with 'white, spikey hair and red tattoos under his eyes.'

As he neared the rear of the bathhouse, he heard muffled giggling and pen scratches. Eyebrow ticking in annoyance, he stealthily made his way towards the sound.

'Jack pot' Naruto thought as he parted a throng of bushes. Perched in a tree meters away was a man that could no doubt be anyone other than Jiraiya. The man indeed did have long, white, spikey hair, red triangle-like tattoos under his eyes and a forehead protector with the kanji for 'oil' where just a few parts of his costume.

Smirking mischievously, Naruto made his way to the tree the hermit was perched under, the sound of tinkling bells followed him. Standing bellow the large oak, he placed his hands on the bark of the tree. Immediately the feeling of One flowed into him, the tree rushing to greet him.

'I know, I know,' Naruto thought to the tree smiling a bit, 'I haven't talked to you in quite a while. My apologizes, my responsibilities kept be occupied.'

The tree sent a picture of a young civilian girl, laughing and waving a hand in the universal 'no worries' gesture.

'I have a favor to ask of you.' Naruto spoke to the tree. 'A little prank.'

The tree rustled in curiosity.

'The man in your branches, I've been searching for him. Currently he's been rather lewd and peeking at women while they bathe. Could you perhaps knock him into the bath?' Naruto requested.

The tree showed an image of a group of young girls tittering behind their hands.

'Thank you' Naruto caressed the bark in thanks before removing his hands.

The Oak tree rustled its branches in preparation before suddenly the branch seemingly have out and slanted down, causing its passenger to cry out in alarm followed by a loud splash as Jiraiya fell into the women's side of the bathhouse.

There was dead silence for a few seconds as Naruto stifled his gleeful laughter behind his hands, then…

"KYAAAAAA!"

"PERVERT!"

"AHHHHH!"

"OUT! OUT! OUT!"

"GET HIM!"

"SOMEONE GET HIM!"

Mass pandemonium.

Screams sounded from behind the wooden and stone walls as women and girls screamed in anger and embarrassment. Loud sounds of splashing could be heard as women scrambled from their baths and kunoichi scrambled for their weapons.

"Now, now ladies, no need to panic…", Jiraiya tried to placate them but never got to finish his words. Naruto watched wide eyed as Jiraiya suddenly broke through the wooden wall, crashing harshly into a nearby bolder. His face was red and his eyes dazed.

As the dust settled Naruto could clearly see the form of a woman, her palm extended outward and her feet planted firmly on the grounds. As Naruto looked closer, he noticed the white eyes of the Hyuuga staring out in anger, her towel clutched to her chest with her other hand. No doubt the woman used gentle fist to expel Jiraiya out of the bathhouse.

"She was…a real…knock-out" Jiraiya muttered dazedly from his position on the bolder.

Naruto snorted before grabbing the back of the hermit's kimono shirt, dragging him away from the scene of the crime.

O0o0o0o0o

Nearing training ground 13 (a training ground used mostly for water-jutsu practice due to the large pond in the center) Naruto didn't hesitate to throw the toad hermit into the cold water. Just before the old man hit the surface, he seemed to come out of his daze and manage to land on the water's surface.

"Ah-ha!" Jiraiya exclaimed as he began to perform a weird little dance, "Do not underestimate the power of…" he dramatically posed, "The Great Jiraiya!"

"Not impressed." Naruto deadpanned.

"Eh?" Jiraiya exclaimed, nearly losing his balance on the water.

"Why you little brat…" he muttered.

"Naruto."

"Ehhhh?"

"My name." Naruto explained, "My name is Naruto."

'So this is Naruto, huuu.' Jiraiya thought to himself.

"Ah, I've been looking for you, Naruto" Jiraiya smiled, as if pleased with himself.

O0o0o0o0o0o

Naruto stared in frustration at the balloon that rested innocently in the palm of his hands. He'd been trying for hours to pop the balloon, and so far he was ready to throw the thing at Jiraiya's head. Spinning it just cause the balloon to flatten out like a pancake but the rubber wouldn't burst. Even then, the perverts had stayed spherical. Growling in frustration, Naruto leaned back against a tree.

They had made camp in a clearing, the grotto of trees making an almost perfect circle.

'Any ideas?' he thought to the tree he leaned against. He waited as the trees seemed to shuffle through their memories quickly; flashes of pictures and snatches of conversation flew by before the tree finally settled on one.

A man tall and blond trained at one of Konoha's training grounds. It was the 4th Hokage, made obvious by the trademark trench coat with flame border that the man wore.

Naruto watched as the trees speed up time, showing the Fourth developing the rasengan over time.

It was then that Naruto understood the concept behind the madness.

Opposite directions.

The 'currents' in the sphere went in opposite directions, causing friction to build and tear away at the balloon's delicate material.

He watched the dead Hokage continue to build on the technique, trying to vary it and improve it.

He realized, as he watched the Fourth try to expand to rasengan only to have it almost demolish his arm, that there was room for improvement.

He smiled in thanks to the tree before he picked up the balloon, starting again.

O0o0o0o0o

Jiraiya stared down at Naruto in shock and awe. The brat had managed to create master all three steps of making a rasengan by the time they'd reached their first major town. Sighing, he realized he'd have to teach the brat something else.

"Not bad, gaki", Jiraiya muttered reluctantly.

Naruto smiled happily.

O0o0o0

Naruto sighed, staring at the ceiling of the hotel room. Shortly after checking in, Jiraiya had been distracted by a pretty face, leaving Naruto on his own. Not that he minded. He'd been mindful not to show Jiraiya his true colors, mostly because he didn't trust the man yet.

Knocking on the door startle Naruto; he felt no chakra on the other side, so he assumed it was a maid or a civilian. Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, he gracefully pulled himself off the bed and padded over to the door, reaching out for the handle.

O0o0o0o0o

Annnnd I see the Doctor coming over to tell us how it went. More to come later, sorry!

Buuuut, since you guys are so awesome, a little hint to what's coming up:

Weasel + pockey = ?