Apprentice

CH. 13

Naruto awoke from his bed with a mighty stretch. The sun had just began to rise, and Naruto knew what he needed to do today. He pulled out two pieces of parchment and began to wright letters.

Salutations Itachi,

Danzo is dead. Your name will be cleared, and I will personally see to it that any mention of Uchiha treachery is berried underneath stories of your heroism.

That being said, we are selfishly requesting your help once more. Orochimaru is soon to attack Konoha. Most likely during the Chunin exams. We will need your help to stop him. If we can get your help, then casualties will without a doubt be lessened.

With regards.

Councilman Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto.

Naruto nodded in satisfaction, folding the letter and quickly sealing it with an official Konoha emblem. He set the letter to the side for Jiraiya to send later. He stretched his hand before beginning work on his second letter.

Dear Tsunade,

I am writing you on request of both the Hokage and his village. Both things I'm sure you want no part of, given how you feel about the deaths of those you held so dear.

But the future of the village they loved and died to protect is in peril . Orochimaru will attack Konoha during the Chunin exams. The chances of it getting out of hand and harming innocent people is much too high for any of us to deal with. Please return. I will not ask you to fight, but please heal for the village.

Sincerely,

Councilman Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto.

Naruto sighed out the tension in his body. He knew Itachi would respond, he always did. He would return home without too much pushback, it was Tsunade he was worried about. She didn't outright hate the village, but she was certainly bitter towards it. Naruto couldn't blame her for it, either. He was just as bitter not that long ago.

'To think it's barely been half a year since graduating, and I'm this powerful... the Rinnegan is truly a monstrous gift.' Naruto left his apartment to bring the letters to the Hokage. He walked through the main office in an orderly fashion, ignoring the bow of respect from the receptionist. "Please alert Lord Hokage that I am here to drop off letters for Jiraiya." The receptionist nodded as Naruto continued up the steps. He walked into the Hokage's office seeing both the Hokage and Jiraiya next to him.

"Hey, Sensei. I drafted letters to be sent to Itachi and Tsunade. I was going to have Jiraiya send them off." Jiraiya nervously waved his hand, a half smile on his face. His face contorted in a strange way as he was about to open his mouth. "Jiraiya, I'll be waiting for you downstairs, we're going to get a meal after your done with Sensei."  Naruto went to the base floor, sitting on a bench patiently. He saw a tuff of silver/white hair around the corner, before it stopped moving. He heard heavy breathing around the corner. "No need to hype yourself up, Jiraiya. Come on. Let's get that lunch." Jiraiya stepped forward, an awkward look on his face.

The two start walking down the commercial district, the civilians looking at Naruto with complicated looks. A few of them still glared, but most were reluctant given his new status as Councilman. "A recent development, though I must say, I almost prefer the glares rather than this... confusion." Jiraiya sighed out his guilt, continuing his stride beside Naruto. The two walked into Ichiraku's.

"One pork miso for me and my friend here." Naruto ordered quickly. Teuchi turned and smiled before turning around and seeing Jiraiya. Jiraiya watched as the man's smile turned halfhearted. "Your friend's quite late." Naruto nodded in confirmation. "That's fine though, Teuchi. Were all late sometimes." Teuchi sighed intensely, turning around mumbling something about overly forgiving blondes. Jiraiya was too deep in his own guilt to notice however.

"Jiraiya." Naruto snapped Jiraiya out of his thoughts. "I don't like beating around the bush. Due to your absence as Godfather, our Sensei has taken up the role." Jiraiya nodded softly, not so selfish as to attempt to deny Naruto that. "That being said, I don't hate you. If I hated you I'd have to hate Sensei and Tsunade just as much. I don't hate any of you, it's not worth the energy. I just need to tell you: Don't bother being a Godfather. Just be a good friend. Ok?" Jiraiya let out a massive sigh, as he visibly stopped slouching.

"Alright, Naruto. You know, Sensei was saying just how powerful you were. Enough to give me a run for my money..." Naruto smirked at the man, his smirk slowly turning into a sly grin. "Oh he's right. Without the Kyuubi's chakra it would be a very close battle." Jiraiya smiled before paling. "You-you-you can control it?" It was spoken in a whisper. Naruto's smile split his face, as he struggled not to laugh. "Oh lord this is the third time in the last 4 years someone a fraction of my age surpassed me!" Naruto couldn't hold in his laughter anymore, pointing at the man as he complained. "Well... I guess if your Sensei's student, it makes sense." Naruto nodded, shaking off his laughter.

"On a slightly serious note, I do have a ways to go before I could take on one of you three in confidence. All of your have something to counter the Kyuubi's chakra, tank a hit to get in close, or both. Sensei may be the most powerful of the five of us... but he's getting older." Jiraiya sighed sadly, understanding where Naruto was going, and spoke his mind. "Your worried about the Chunin Exams." Naruto placed something under the table, before channeling his chakra into it. "If Orochimaru manages to cut off Sensei from reinforcements, it doesn't matter how many ANBU we have around him. If he predicts any of our plans... Sensei is a dead man. I'm pretty sure that both you and Orochimaru could beat him these days..." Naruto close his eyes before laying his head on the table.

"If Kakashi were still here, this invasion wouldn't be a problem. You, Kakashi, Gai, and myself would be more than enough to beat back a combined Oto and Suna force no sweat... but he's not here." Jiraiya sighed. 'I seem to be doing that a lot lately.' "You're right, he's not here. Only thing we can do is move on." Naruto nodded, turning over in his chair. "Yeah... but I do think it would be hilarious to see Orochimaru getting beaten in every direction by Kakashi. I can see it now. 'Oh? Kakashi? So the little boy from back then-.' Then slam! Chidori to the gut. The two chuckled imagining Orochimaru getting slapped around. "I guess we'll just need to do it in his place." Jiraiya nodded a smirk on his face. "I can live with that. He needs a good smacking. Together then?" Naruto nodded nudging the man's shoulder.

"Together."