Guardian Style
Chapter 1: Homecoming
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters involved except Guardian F. Fire
It had been two years.
Naruto and Jiraiya were walking the road that led to the village hidden in the leaves. There was a sense of bittersweet relief in the air.
"Are you excited to be back?" A voice asked from behind the pair.
Naruto looked back over his shoulder at their traveling companion, a young man with spiky red hair, wearing a matching open-front jacket and billowing pants.
"Yeah, it'll be nice to see everyone again," Naruto replied as he turned forward again.
"I think the better question is what we'll have to do about you," Jiraiya tossed the comment back at the other boy.
"What do you mean?"
"We can't exactly waltz into the village with a stranger in tow. Tsunade'll have my head for it," he explained.
"Can't you vouch for me? I need to complete my mission!" The boy retorted.
"Yeah, yeah. We'll get it sorted out. I was just complaining because of how much extra work I'll have to do," Jiraiya grumbled.
The boy relaxed, then gasped as he looked ahead and saw the massive gates of the village wall looming out of the trees.
"They're huge!"
"Just wait until you see the village," Naruto told him.
The trio passed through the gate, only being briefly stopped by the men on duty as they questioned Jiraiya about The Boy.
"He's with me, and I'm taking him straight to the Hokage."
The two guards stepped back, bowing to Jiraiya as they did so.
"What was that about?" The boy asked.
"Pervy Sage is something of a hero in the village. How that is I still don't understand," Naruto explained.
"Listen, kid, I told you to knock it off with the Pervy Sage stuff didn't I?"
"When you quit peeping on girls I'll quit calling you that," Naturo shot back.
"I do not pee-" Jiraiya stopped himself as he noticed a few women were watching them, "do that… it's called Research for my new book!"
"Your book on how to peep at girls," Naruto said.
Jiraiya sighed as he continued down the street. Naruto flashed a grin at the boy before following. He stood there, confused, before chasing after them.
After a few minutes of traveling through the winding streets, they arrived at a large, red, circular building.
"Is this Hokage Tower?" The boy asked.
"Yep, the seat of the Hogake's power and where they lead the village from," Naruto answered.
"And Tsunade probably already knows we're here, so standing on her front lawn won't get this over with any quicker," Jiraiya sighed as he led them into the grounds.
They ascended the spiraling stairs of the tower, eventually arriving outside a simple wooden door.
"Now listen, you two leave the talking to me. Don't speak unless she directly speaks to you. Understand?" Jiraiya asked.
The two boys nodded.
"Good."
Jiraiya knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, they heard a woman's voice call from inside.
"Come in!"
Jiraiya slowly opened the door, stepping through first.
"Tsunade! Good to see you! You're looking as beauti-"
"Cut the crap," she said, cutting him off.
Jiraiya gagged on his next words before sighing.
"Alright, you two."
"Two?" Tsunade asked, watching as Jiraiya stepped aside to allow Naruto and The Boy to enter the room.
Tsunade nodded at Naruto who grinned back, but then her gaze focused on The Boy. She took in his hair and clothes, then her eyes rested on the large handle protruding from just over his left shoulder.
"Some kind of warrior are you?" She asked.
"Uh, yes sir-uh ma'am! Yes, ma'am!" He shouted as he came to attention.
"Settle down pipsqueak, I'm not gonna hurt you," Tsunade said as she stood up from behind her desk and walked over toward him.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Fire ma'am. Guardian F. Fire, at your service. I come on a mission from my people."
"Your people?" Tsunade asked as she walked around him, examining him.
"Yes ma'am, the Guardians are reaching out to others for aid, we're going to war soon and we need allies."
"War? That's a brave word to go tossing around here," Tsunade told him as she completed her circuit and stood in front of him.
"I… understand your hesitation, but I was tasked with securing allies. If there's anything I can do to help persuade you, you need only ask!"
"Help persuade us huh?" Tsunade asked as she leaned down, getting right in Fire's face.
His face flushed from their proximity.
"Let's see if you can handle yourself first. Can't have you recruiting us to fight in your war for you after all," Tsunade said.
"You're serious? You're actually considering it?" Jiraiya asked.
"I didn't say that. I said I wanted to see if the boy can fight is all."
Tsunade turned and made her way back to her desk.
"Tomorrow, at training grounds 7. I want you two to face off against one of our best," Tsunade explained, "Naruto will be familiar enough with the terrain, you can go over with Fire in preparation for your little bout."
Naruto nodded.
"You said one of your best, we aren't fighting Master Jiraiya are we?" Fire asked.
Jiraiya looked at Tsunade as she burst out laughing.
"No! You're both way out of his league!"
Jiraiya sighed as Tsunade continued laughing at his expense. He let her continue for a minute before coughing to clear his throat. Tsunade took the queue and began to settle down. After she had gotten over the last of the giggles and cleared her throat, she looked up at the two boys.
"No, I had someone else in mind. Someone Naruto is also familiar with."
At that, a knock resounded from the open door behind them. The pair spun around to see a man with white, spiky hair entering the room.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted in disbelief.
"Kakashi's going to be your opponent."