The Huntress

Father

Hours passed like seconds. It was a never-ending conversation full of laughs and tears of joy and sorrow. The longer they talked and got to know one another, the less it felt like they were strangers. It was starting to feel normal, the conversation flowing as easily as breathing. Katsume hadn't eaten in two days due to the misunderstanding with the Interrogation Task Force, but three bowls of ramen later, she was finally full.

Jiraiya was understandably upset when she told him the story of her arrival, saying he'd be having a conversation with Ibiki at a later date. She told him about the Old Bat and how she had raised her as her own until she fell ill, passing away not long after. Happily laughing while she explained how much of a hard ass she was when they trained, reminiscing on the petty arguments that ensued when Katsume lazily performed techniques and still somehow accomplished the tasks she'd given her. She talked about the townspeople of her village and how they all worked together to ensure she was properly cared for while simultaneously teaching her how to take care of herself.

He was happy to hear she had all these people looking after her, however, he was saddened by the hardships she had to face. She was forced to grow up and take on the world on her own at the age of twelve. She was still a child, and that wasn't fair to her. She should have been able to go to school, play with friends, and come home to dinner surrounded by a loving family. Although he was kept in the dark, he regretted not being able to be there for her, and be the father that she needed. He would do anything to make up for the time he's lost with her.

He shared stories of his own as well. He told her about his life as a shinobi and his team. She was surprised to hear he was one of the Legendary Sannin, along with the man Ibiki had said conquered her village, Orochimaru, and her mother, Tsunade. They were on an assigned team from the time they were genin at just twelve years old, going on to becoming the Legendary Sanin in their late twenties. That part of the conversation had led into a spiral of information on the history of the Leaf Village, The Second Great Ninja War, and the orphans he had stayed behind to teach ninjutsu to. Eventually, it led to Jiraiya explaining the prophecy that foretold a student of his would either bring salvation or destruction to the world of ninjas.

Katsume listened intently while Jiraiya spoke, eyes wide. He was such an amazing storyteller. She felt she had been a citizen of the village, been there on the battlefield alongside him, seeing everything firsthand. He told her about the books he'd written and the ones he was currently working on vaguely. She had insisted she wanted to read them, but he quickly changed the subject. Deciding it was a bit too early in their relationship for her to be exposed to his perverted ways.

Changing the subject to his pupil, Naruto Uzumaki, he told her he used to be the mentor to the boy's father, who later appointed him as Naruto's godfather. This led to the history of the jinchurikis: demon spirits placed within humans to keep them contained from wreaking havoc. She had heard stories of the tailed beasts, but hearing Jiraiya's experiences with them made the terror of them all too real. It was a hard pill to swallow, the thought of such an unpredictable force being sealed within the body of a newborn baby. She'd never met the boy, but her heart hurt for Naruto. She couldn't imagine the burden he must've felt, being treated as some monster. She hoped to meet the poor boy if only to wrap him in a warm embrace.

They talked about everything under the sun; before long, the sun had begun to set. They had unknowingly conversed the day away, having arrived at Ichiraku's in the early morning. Although it would take more than a day to make up twenty-five years apart, today had been a huge step in the right direction. Jiraiya walked away briefly to pay the tab so that they could return to the Hokage Mansion for the dreaded conversation with Tsunade. They both needed answers, and they thought it best to get them sooner rather than later.