Minato's Daughter

Chapter 34 - Somber News

Miyuki

It had been two months since Kakashi had sold his home and moved into mine, making the house ours. We had replaced all the furniture, starting fresh together. I couldn't help but remember when Kakashi had first spent the night, feeling strange about living and sleeping in the home that used to belong to his deceased sensei. The sound of urgent footsteps outside of the door broke me out of my thoughts.

"Miyuki, Lady Tsunade wants to see us at once."

I looked at Kakashi who had burst through the door. Lady Tsunade wanted to see us so early? I got up and the two of us quickly ran to the Hokage tower. As we approached, I noticed two toads, Gamabunta and Gamakichi. What were they doing here? We walked in and Kakashi opened the door to the Hokage's office where Lady Tsunade was sitting behind her desk and Shizune was standing next to her. To the left of her were three toads, one I recognized as Lord Fukasaku. I heard footsteps behind us and saw Sakura and Sai also enter the office.

"Lady Tsunade, for what reason have you called us in?" Kakashi asked her.

She appeared to let out a breath, trying to steady herself.

"Jiraiya is dead."

All of us froze. What had she just said? Jiraiya, as in dad's sensei, one of the legendary sannin, was dead? 

"What did you say?" I asked her, quietly.

She closed her eyes. "Kakashi, please bring Naruto. Don't tell him about anything yet."

Kakashi, even though he was in shock, simply nodded before walking out. All of us were silent, unable to speak. It wasn't until Kakashi returned with Naruto that the silence was broken.

"Who's the old geezer frog?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto! This is Lord Fukasaku, one of the two great sage toads. He taught Jiraiya," Tsunade snapped.

"No way, he taught pervy sage?" Naruto said in disbelief.

"Hah, pervy sage huh? I never heard a nickname more fitting," Lord Fukasaku stated.

"So what's this about?" Naruto asked.

"Jiraiya boy... He... I'm sorry to report that he's died in battle."

I watched as Naruto's face dropped. He went from looking shocked to angry to sad. I wanted to reach out to him but I stood still, just watching.

"How?" Kakashi asked, breaking the silence.

"Jiraiya boy had found out the leader of the Akatsuki, Pain, was operating in Amegakure," Lord Fukasaku explained.

"Amegakure? But that village is closed off to the outside," Sakura exclaimed.

"Yes, but Lord Jiraiya was especially talented in infiltration and espionage," Kakashi pointed out.

"Yes he was. He had managed to infiltrate and upon meeting Pain, Jiraiya boy had realized that Pain was his former student, Nagato," Lord Fukasaku added.

"Former student?" I asked, unaware that he had other students besides Minato and Naruto.

Lady Tsunade closed her eyes before letting out a deep breath. "During the last shinobi war, Jiraiya had taken in three orphans who were displaced from the war. But to think that his students would end up like this..."

"But how was he overpowered?" Kakashi questioned.

"It's because his student possessed the Rinnegan."

All of us froze. The Rinnegan? But that had to be a myth, nothing but a legend. How was that even possible?

"And it wasn't even one, there were six of them who possessed the Rinnegan," Lord Fukasaku said.

"Six? That's unheard of," Kakashi mumbled. 

"Even after one of them had crushed Jiraiya boy's throat... He managed to leave a code, a final message to you all," the old frog mentioned as he turned around and took off his robe. 

Sure enough on his back, were several numbers separated by commas. What could they mean? I turned to Lady Tsunade but even she appeared puzzled. Lord Fukasaku turned around and fastened his robe back on around him. Before anyone could say anything, Naruto began to speak.

"Granny, did you approve this?" Naruto asked, his voice low and his eyes full of anger.

Lady Tsunade didn't respond. She only looked away. Naruto turned towards the door angrily.

"If pervy sage had been the Hokage, he would have never let her go on a dangerous mission like this," he growled before opening the door and slamming it on his way out.

Before anyone said anything, I ran out to go after him. I didn't think, my body only moved. By the time I had reached him, he was already a few steps away from the Hokage tower.

"Naruto," I called, causing him to stop.

"What do you want?" He asked without turning around.

I didn't know what to say. What could I do? Hug him and tell him that the feelings of grief would pass? That Jiraiya had died to protect everyone else? Nothing would bring him back and lessen the grief. When I didn't respond, Naruto continued walking forwards and I watched him go, feeling helpless. What could I do as a stranger?