Mending The Past To A Better Future

Chp. 11 Return of the Toad Sage {Part-2}

As Kakashi and Naruto pushed their way into the Hokage’s office, she felt like a bit of vertigo had hit her on the way in. Seeing Jiji was one thing - where he had come and go and looked at her when no one else would. Seeing Jiraiya was a whole different ballgame.

Jiraiya had met her when she had only been twelve in her timeline, and while Iruka had pushed the basics of Shinobi into her, and Kakashi had got her started with her genin team and looped her into the high stress fold of things and built her foundation as a ninja, Jiraiya had really built on her foundation. They basics had already been there but he made it better. When she had come back from their three year training trip, she had been no less childish, but more matured. She was better at stealth even if she chose not to utilize her new found skills. Her ninjutsu was much better, and her Will of Fire had burnt brighter.

Jiraiya was practically the grandfather she had never known she had wanted.

She had grown especially close to him from splitting blue popsicles and training days with the toads, and just their general time together on the road.

And she would’ve never said it to his face, but she respected him more than any Shinobi elder she had ever met.

So seeing him now, seeing him alive was like a wrecking ball to her heart.

He still stood ridiculously tall, his white hair making him look older than his age, and his huge scroll was strapped to his back in sage fashion like it always was.

“There she is,” Jiji said at once gesturing to Naruto. “This is Naruto-chan, and you already know Kakashi-kun.”

Naruto sprung forward like the wind was at her feet before holding her hand out to Jiraiya in greeting. “Yo! What’s up Old Man?” she said happily. “Kakashi told me all about you, ‘ttebayo!”

Jiraiya ignored her hand and looked incredulously at his Sensei and his own student. “Who is this gaki calling me Old Man?” he asked, like Naruto wasn’t right in front of them. “Hey, kid! I’m not old!”

Naruto hummed and tapped her finger against her lips contemplating. “Then why is your hair white?” She challenged brashly.

Kakashi huffed from behind her and Minato looked like he was about to laugh.

“Genetics! Didn’t you ever take a biology class?”

”Course I did, dattebayo. I know what genetics are. Clearly you had old genetics.”

“Reminds me of you when you were a mere child,” the Sandaime mused nostalgically. “All loud and riotous.”

Naru snorted, taking pleasure in the way her Sensei seemed to be disgruntled. “Eh? How long ago was that? Like eighty years ago?”

“You-“ Jiraiya pointed at her furiously. “Don’t tell me you made me come back from my research trip just to make me talk to this brat!” he pleaded to Minato who looked too amused.

“Your research huh?” Naru hummed. “Doesn’t sound legit to me. Sounds like you sneak into hot springs so you can write your pervy novels. And since you write pervy novels, and you’re clearly a Sage, then... they must know you as the Pervy Sage! Am I right?” She questioned cheekily. Getting on Jiraiya's nerves was one of her favorite things to do, especially since he made it so easy.

“Wrong! Absolutely wrong!” Jiraiya cried, waving his arms wildly. “I’m a legendary Sannin. And I’m not pervy at all, kid! Who do you think you are?”

”Naruto, ‘ttebayo! That’s my name!” She flashed him a thumbs up but he looked severely displeased.

Minato laughed into his knuckles, shooting Naruto a wink. “Young Naruto here is a part of my team and she recently got promoted to chūnin. You already know that, though from the letter I sent you. But time has passed and you said that if you couldn’t reach her then you would come back.”