Chapter 1
Jiraiya had wanted to keep Naruto out of the fighting as long as possible. He had wanted to let the blond train until he was truly, desperately needed. When Pein attacked, the Sanin knew Naruto wasn’t ready, couldn’t be ready. People had died keeping Naruto’s location secret.
None of those people knew where Naruto was, anyhow. Only Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, and himself knew where Naruto was. Jiraiya knew none of them would willingly give Naruto up, the Jinchuuriki held too much importance to them all.
Most of the village was destroyed by the battles that were taking place. Jiraiya tried to help where he could, but seeing the Rinnegan was a shock. To think that Nagato would fall so far… No. Jiraiya pushed that thought to the back of his mind. He couldn’t think about that now. The Toad Sanin was looking for a particular shinobi who Jiraiya just knew was going to get himself in trouble. At this point Jiraiya was in Sage mode, and was sifting furiously through the energies around him. He had to find Kakashi, he had to find Sakumo’s son, why couldn’t he find him?
Just as he started to truly panic, Jiraiya felt it. A flicker of lightening chakra, the vacuum that was the Sharingan, and the familiar sensation of chakra depletion. That godsdamned idiot had gone and used up almost all his chakra. The Toad Sage could still feel one of the Peins there, but it was retreating. Jiraiya packed as much chakra as he dared into his feet and sprinted faster towards Kakashi, knowing the silver haired man was short on time. Katsuyu slid up to his shoulder, sensing the urgency in Jiraiya’s pace. He had known the slug almost as long as he had known Gamabunta, and was thankful she could read him so well at a time like this.
Keeping his Sage mode active with so much happening was putting a strain on Jiraiya’s focus, but he held on to the lightening edges of Kakashi’s rapidly fading chakra. No, no no no. Not like this. Jiraiya couldn’t lose another Hatake, not while he was still alive. He wouldn’t allow it. The Copy nin’s chakra was slipping away with each second that passed by. Katsuyu shifted nervously on the Sanin’s shoulder as he pushed even more chakra into his legs. He wasn’t going to make it. He would be too little, too late, just like with Sakumo. The thought was like a sucker punch to the gut. Jiraiya raced against time, against fate, he pushed himself harder, faster, and just as the silver head came into view, the last wisp of the crackling lightening chakra sputtered and died out.
The Toad Sage skidded to a halt just to the side of the debris pile that Kakashi was buried in, and fell to his knees. This can’t be happening. It can’t. Jiraiya doesn’t even feel Katsuyu slide off his shoulder to hurry over to Kakashi. He already knows what the slug will find. Tears begin to well up in his eyes, and he releases his Sage Mode. Forcing himself to his feet, Jiraiya makes his way to the debris pile, and begins to tear away at it. Sharingan no Kakashi doesn’t deserve to be left there to rot like trash. He hears Katsuyu’s quiet “Lady Tsunade?” Tears and tears at the pile until the still-too-light form falls limp in his arms.
Gently, the Toad Sanin lays Sakumo’s son on the ground, and sits beside him. Takes in the matted silver hair, the bloodied face, the torn flak vest, can see the blood start to turn tacky where it meets the fabric mask. The broken ribs, the shattered pelvis, the legs broken in so many places even Tsunade would struggle to heal completely. Jiraiya clenched his hands into fists, allowed himself a few tears, then straightened his back. This was the last straw.
Katsuyu had slithered back onto his shoulder, deflated and shaking slightly. “Tsunade,” he asks, surprisingly calm.
“She did not take the news well, but thanks to Kakashi’s actions we now know more of the Pein’s abilities and identifying features.” The message was delivered in a shaking voice, unusual for the slug. Jiraiya nodded his head, making up his mind.
“It’s time then.” Jiraiya stood, and carefully picked up his last connection to Sakumo, one of the few people he promised to protect. Features grim and face dirty, he set off towards the Hokage tower.
“Time for what, Lord Jiraiya?” Katsuyu’s tone was curious, distorted as she wrapped herself protectively around the Toad Sage’s neck.
“It’s time to summon Naruto. We need him,” Jiraiya’s voice was still deceptively calm, the Hokage tower was closer than he thought. He pushed a little more chakra into his legs, wanting to summon the blond as quickly as possible.
“Lady Tsunade agrees with you, I informed her of your approach. She is ready when you are, Lord Jiraiya.” Nodding, the white-haired man leapt the last few rooftops to the Hokage tower, careful not to jostle his burden too much. He heard several of the ANBU guards’ sharp intake of breath, and laid down the broken form in his arms. He heard one ANBU breathe out a denial, one collapsed to their knees, another clenched their fist and punched the nearest wall.
Jiraiya kneeled next to the Copy nin, as Tsunade walked over and kneeled across from him. Dimly, he was aware of another round of shinobi come to report in to Tsunade, only to stop short at the scene on the rooftop. The Toad Sage looked up to acknowledge the newcomers, only to be greeted by Sakura and Asuma.
“Is he…” Asuma breathed out, unable to finish. Jiraiya nodded gravely, unable to meet the eyes of Kakashi’s student and friends. The third Hokage’s son clenched his fists and looked away, while the pinkette collapsed to her knees.
“I’m summoning Naruto. This must end, now. I sent a summons to tell them to prepare a while back, so they should be ready.” Standing Jiraiya walks over to the edge of the tower roof, and turns back to survey the group around him. Kakashi Hatake held a place in the hearts of everyone here, and the loss was thick in the air.
“Do it, Naruto needs to be here, needs to see this.” It was Sakura who spoke, voice cracking on the last word. Asuma nodded his agreement, while Tsunade had made her way back to the circle to resume healing the citizens of the village. Jiraiya met her eyes, and she nodded once to him. They both knew what they needed to do.
That didn’t mean that Jiraiya was ready to tell Naruto that his sensei had been killed.
Jumping down from the tower, he quickly scouted out the largest clearing he could find. Making his way to the middle, Jiraiya formed the familiar hand signs, the summoning seal blooming delicately underneath his palm. Smoke billowed up, and several distinct chakra signatures appeared. As the air cleared, Jiraiya allowed his shoulders to slump for a moment.
This conversation was not going to be easy.