~~~~~~~~~~
Prologue: Why
(13 years ago)
“Why?”
They stopped between the Academy and the tree he was standing upside down on.
She couldn’t look at him as the old man stepped in front of her. “Let me take him back to the tower. It’s past his naptime.”
She nodded, not moving as the old man took him from her arms. Watching until they started around a corner, she turned back to find him at arms length. She let the silence hang, even though every bit of her was aching to get back.
“Why?”
She raised her head, averting her eyes. “He…” Suddenly loosing her nerve, she took two steps down the road before looking over her shoulder.
“A… Arashi asked me to.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 01: Found
(Present)
"Just west of the hill, about twenty yards from the road," he muttered as he caught sight of it. The place was a little bigger than he expected; it was still a small house, but it was two stories. Barely catching it through the fluttering he started around to the clothesline. And there she was.
His hot springs hottie. All that black-blue hair done up in a high ponytail, that sage green crop-top flashed just the right amount of that finely muscled back, mid-thigh cut-offs and some little black booties for those dainty feet - she was just as sexy in clothes. Snapping out the towel, she just kept humming, taking down the laundry as he stepped around the post. "Hey cutie! The villagers said you sometimes put up travelers out here. Got room for a wise and powerful sage and his we-"
THUNK!
The hilt of the kunai was touching his ear. He hadn't seen it coming. She calmly turned away from him, picking up the basket. "Don't ever call him weak or stupid you old perv!"
"How-"
"It may have been 7 years since I've seen him Jiraiya. But Naruto's the strongest person I've ever known." She turned around, smiling softly at the unconscious body flung over his shoulder.
"That's something coming from you Kaida," he smirked, "Just don't tell the kid, his head's too fat as it is."
Kaida huffed as she started towards the house, "And yours isn't?" shifting the basket to her hip, she waved him to follow. "Come on, I don't think Naruto would like waking up to your ass."
Suddenly Jiraiya was on her other hip, "Would you?"
Kaida shivered as she tried to pull away, "Gods no! That's sick Gramps!"
Jiraiya's jaw, along with Naruto, almost hit the ground at that. "Gr-... Gramps! I'm not that old!!!" he kept it at a low shout.
Turning back as she opened the door, Kaida jumped a little, whispering, "He's still..." shrugging, she added, "Okay fine, you're not that old. But you're older than my dad, Uncle."
He tripped over that one, stumbling through the door, "God, this is almost as bad as what the kid calls me."
Kaida smiled as she walked into the living room, clearing off the couch. "What, it's true. You're only three years older than Dad would be."
Putting Naruto down, Jiraiya got a look at what she was picking up. "Keeping busy, I see."
Kaida only glared at him as she tucked it all in a cabinet. "Tell him and you're dead."
All he did was shrug off their packs, turning to the stairs. "It's all up to you. Just be careful."
"I've had seven years to figure this out." Kaida answered as she led him to his room.
"That's not all I'm talking about."
She stopped short with the doorknob in her hand, "I know. Tsunade's message came awhile ago." She opened the door, turning back to him, "It's like I said, I've had seven years to get ready."
Looking into her eyes, he could tell, "Okay Kaida." Jiraiya nodded once before that lecherous sneer was back. "Can I leave the squirt with you for a while? I'm dying to try out the hot springs."
Kaida sighed as she walked away. "Try using them while you're at it. Your smell might drive them all away."
\
He woke up inside. Used to it by now, Naruto just got up and wondered half-asleep to the first doorway, "Hey pervy sage, what smells so good?"
"The perv's not here Naruto." A woman's voice snapped him awake.
He only stared at her blue hair as she turned from the stove and came over to him. "Who are you?"
She smiled and he noticed her eyes were green, "Oh sorry, my name's Kaida," she sighed, "Unfortunately, I know that ass, he knows where I live, so he probably set this all up."
"So he just up and leaves me AGAIN!!" his roar was just as strong as his stomach's growl.
Kaida laughed, ruffling his hair, "You can rip him apart later Naruto. Dinner isn't gonna be ready for a while yet, why don't you go wash up? I already washed some of your clothes. They're in the bathroom, third door."
"Uhh..." he could only stare.
She smiled and laughed again before turning him around, pushing him into the hall, "Go. The noodles aren't ready yet," he looked over his shoulder at her, "Shower or you don't eat. Now go!" Shoving him, Kaida laughed as he stumbled.
Naruto couldn't help chuckling a little as he barely caught himself, rushing down the short hallway. It wasn't until he closed the door behind him that it came to him. It was strange enough when people cared about him...
...but this lady was acting like they'd known each other for years. Why...
---------------
"You really threw him with that." The voice from behind didn't surprise her, "He's probably just standing behind the door wondering why."
Turning back to the half-rolled out noodles, Kaida briefly glanced at him standing in the back door. "I'm not gonna put on an act just because the locals don't know where I really came from," she couldn't stop the smirk even after catching that tiny pinch to his eyes. "After all, I've got no reason to hide it now."
Jiraiya walked in, setting the scroll against the wall before taking a seat. "What do you mean, no reason?"
"I told you I've already heard from the Fifth Hokage," she paused, pulling a knife and started cutting the noodles.
"So it was official," he replied, nodding.
"She told me all the details and decided it would be better for everyone that I was back in the village." He was mildly surprised she turned to the hallway, chuckling softly, "Guess your stomach overtook your head, hey Naruto? That was pretty fast, even for a shinobi."
Jiraiya huffed at Naruto, about two steps back in the hall in his blue shorts and black tee with a towel draped over his shoulders, that same look of confusion on his face. 'Maybe I shouldn't have done this so soon?' He shook it off, throwing that half-angry look the kid already saw through at him. "Naruto, stop being rude to our hot hostess," he tried to rile him up.
Naruto shuffled three steps, ending up at the end of the counter as she stirred the pots, turning the burners down, "Why would Granny Tsunade be writing to you... want you back in the Hidden Leaf Village..." he stopped, turning to her, "... are you a rogue-ninja?"
Kaida shook her head as she turned to him, "No. I never finished at the Academy. And besides, what would be my signature jutsu wouldn't be an easy sale on the black market."
"If you're not the danger, then..." Naruto twisted to her.
She smiled softly as she knelt in front of him, "I might be. That's why Tsunade wants me to go back." Kaida added, absently putting her hand on his shoulder.
Naruto's gaze moved from her face to her arm and back. "Why are you doing that? And why does it feel so good... so familiar?"
"It should Kid, she is your sister after all." The perv piped up before Kaida had a chance.
Naruto just stared as Kaida gave Jiraiya a death glare, "I'm not his sister," she hissed at the perv before turning back to him, "Not really... but I am the one that took care of you."
----------------------------------------------------------
AN: and before anyone asks - this isn't a mission, it's a visit. so please review and bug me for more!!!
[Reviews - 2]Chapter or Story
Table of Contents
- Text Size +
Chapter notes: Disclaimer: it's Masashi Kishimoto's universe, I'm only playing in it.
Rating: 15 of Jiraiya's lewdness and future chapters.
Author's Note: this is set within the first year of the time-skip - the second time Naruto and Jiraiya leave. And as usual, I'm working something that doesn't get explained in canon... at least from what I've seen/read it doesn't. \ - short time skips ------ - scene changes