Dangerous Bond: Clan of Peace

Part 16

The annoying sounds of beeping awoke a certain white-haired male from his deep slumber. He squinted his eyes as light shone through the widely opened curtains of the white room he laid in.

The first thought that came to his mind was Nagato. His former student. The first emotion that came to him was sadness. Where had he gone wrong? Then the first realization came upon him. Where was he?

Jiraiya tried his best to sit up but his body simply wouldn't let him. The pain almost blinded him each time he tried.

Nagato had truly tried to kill him and yet he wasn't sure how he had survived.

"Jiraiya boy..." Called a soft voice.

Jiraiya only knew two beings that called him that and they were both toads. Shifting his head painfully to the side to see Fukasaku sitting elegantly on the window sill, his body wrapped in bandages.

"Hmm" Jiraiya groaned. It was too painful for him to speak yet but his eyes held the guilt and shame he felt at failing his mission and almost getting his masters killed.

"I know. It's okay" Fukasaku's calm, soothing, voice whispered over to him. It was enough to lull the Sannin back into his healing slumber.

___

"I'm growing worried" Sakura bit her lip as she stood in front of the Hokage with her team apart from Naruto and Sasuke.

Kakashi glanced her way, feeling the same but otherwise remained silent as he watched Yamato step up to the girl with a comforting hand on her shoulder. Kakashi didn't hesitate when the boys stayed behind, trusting in their abilities but now with three days that have passed and no sign of them, he wondered if he should have hesitated.

Sai remained quiet at the back of the group but he, too, wondered if they would make it out alive when Naruto's mentor and a Sannin barely made it out with his life. Sai had grown accustomed to the presence of team 7 and though he contributed little to the conversation, he was learning how to live and truly become the person his brother would have wanted him to be thanks to the team.

"Perhaps we should send a rescue team?" Sai questioned only to receive a shake of the head from the Hokage.

"No, although the village is led by the Akatsuki, the village of Rock has settlements in the region. Our treaty is already holding on by a thread, this would only push it over the edge." Tsunade sighed into her hands as she crossed her fingers under her chin.

"The rescue team wouldn't attack those settleme-"

"The mission was meant to be top secret. If the Iwakagure discovers we were even in the region, they'd become suspicious and start assuming the worst. It's not a worth the risk" Kakashi interrupted Yamato with his usual casual tone though Sakura could sense the underlined tension the man hid so well.

"Not worth the risk?" Yamato grumbled, dejected.

Tsunade sighed, her worry for the boys overwhelming. Truly, she could send a rescue team with a diplomatic guise but then she would have to run it by the elders and she knew Danzo would never agree to it. Kakashi knew it too which is why Tsunade could guess he was standing in the corner of the office with a grim expression.

Still, she wanted to try and bring them home.

"We could speak with the elders-"

"That won't be necessary" Came a harsh, cold, voice that interrupted the Hokage.

Everyone shifted their stances to see Danzo standing in the doorway.

Sakura immediately glared harshly at the old man, not going unnoticed by him and her Sensei.