Chapter 20: Chapter 19 – Jiraiya & Mikoto

Naruto followed the stranger through dark alleys, moving further and further away from inhabited areas.

“How?” Kushina asked, continuing the conversation with her husband. “How can you get even stronger? Everyone in the village admires you; you are the most powerful Hokage in Konoha! Even after living through the war, I've never seen anyone who can compete with you, Minato. You are already the strongest? Why do you want more?”

Minato sat down on a chair and fixed Kushina with a serious look.

“And you? Why did you say you wanted to protect me?”

“I…”

“You remember that too, Kushina. You hide it a lot, but I know you're aware of what happened seven years ago, and what it might mean.”

Kushina was about to answer but didn't know what to say and ended up remaining silent.

“You know what a return of Madara Uchiha can mean…”

Kushina lowered her eyes sadly.

“And you know that against him, I have no chance.”

“Don't exaggerate... Besides, we're not even sure that it's really Madara Uchiha!”

“It doesn’t matter. That opponent is strong, and he is an Uchiha. He cannot be underestimated.”

“You talk like the others... The Uchihas and their curse…”

Minato remained silent.

“And Mikoto?” Kushina continued, annoyed. “Do you trust her?”

Oh, good old Ichiraku, Jiraiya thought, walking past the sign. A good dish of ramen wouldn't hurt me, after all...

But while the Sannin was about to enter, his gaze did not miss a woman sitting alone on a bench.

Jiraiya suddenly rejoices. He immediately changed direction and joined this barely visible figure in the night. It was a golden opportunity for him.

“What is a pretty woman like you doing alone in the middle of the night?”

It was then that he recognized her. His exaggerated gallantry suddenly turned into surprise.

“Mikoto?” He asked, uncomfortably. “Uh... How are you?”

Mikoto looked up. Her eyes were brilliant red. Jiraiya, astonished, did not have time to add anything. Mikoto rushed at him, launching successive quick blows that Jiraiya barely managed to block. He managed to jump back, narrowly avoiding a dreadful kick, which gave him a slight respite.

“Mikoto, what…”

Mikoto charged at him. Jiraiya, surprised by her reaction, could not dodge a new kick that landed on a sensitive point that all men could relate to. The Sannin bent over in pain. Mikoto then hit him with her knee, propelling him to the ground.

Half stunned and lying on his back, Jiraiya saw Mikoto's silhouette approaching him. Was she going to continue her assault while he was on the ground?

She knelt on top of him, her legs around Jiraiya's neck, and raised a fist in the air.

Jiraiya closed his eyes. He was well aware of Mikoto's abilities. If she didn't have the strength of his former teammate Tsunade, her blows were more precise and faster, making their efficiency just as formidable. Several direct hits from Mikoto could well kill Jiraiya, and he was aware of that.

"Mikoto..."

She punched him.

Jiraiya spat blood.

"A blow like that... won't finish me off..." Jiraiya said painfully.

Mikoto stood up. Jiraiya, whose eyesight was blurry, managed to spot a stream of tears around her shining eyes.

“I never said I wanted to finish you off,” Mikoto replied.

She turned her back on Jiraiya, trembling. The latter, regaining his senses, got up with difficulty and approached Mikoto.

“Of all the three, you are the one whose character has escaped me the most.” The Sannin said.

Mikoto did not answer.

“A real Tsunade, if you ask me,” Jiraiya muttered, wiping his bloody lip.

“And yet you forgot me so quickly…”

“That’s not true.”

Jiraiya approached Mikoto, who still had her back to him.

“How could I forget such a pretty woman?” He said, in a joking tone.

He received a violent nudge in the stomach which bent him in two. But as he raised his head, he saw a smile forming on Mikoto's tearful face.

"You... you're stupid... I missed you, Jiraiya-sensei!” She whispered, turning around and hugging him tightly.

Surprised at first by this reaction, Jiraiya put his hand in his student's hair with an uncomfortable gesture and smiled.

“I missed you too, Mikoto” Jiraiya replied.

Jiraiya remembered the time when Mikoto, Hiashi, and Minato were just children. He remembered their first missions. If Minato got away with it with disconcerting ease, and Hiashi showed a talent worthy of those of his clan, Mikoto was much more sensitive, which became an annoyance for the team at first. It was thus not uncommon for the young Uchiha to throw herself into the arms of her sensei to find comfort before or after a battle.

It was that Mikoto Jiraiya seemed to find, despite the decades that had passed since then.

She hasn't changed that much, Jiraiya thought.

“Jiraiya-sensei, why... Why did you abandon me?” Mikoto suddenly asked.

Jiraiya sadly closed his eyes.

"So that’s what you think," he replied, surprised. “I thought it was obvious... I am aware of the difficulties you have been through.”

He felt Mikoto's embrace deepen.

“I didn't want my presence to increase your burden…”

“Increase my burden?” Mikoto repeated.

She released her grip and stared at Jiraiya with her still moist eyes. She violently slapped the Sannin.

“I would have given everything to have you on my side.”

Jiraiya opened his eyes wide.

“I would have... I would have given everything to have your support…”

“But... Mikoto, the matter concerned your clan. I could never have…”

“I don't care! I don't care about that! I just wanted your support! I just wanted you to be there!”

She wiped her eyes briskly.

“Since... Since my parents died... Since I awakened those eyes... Everyone has rejected me. I suffered, alone. But you, you stayed. You supported me. You made me live unique moments.”

She smiled as she recalled the happy memories.

“You made me rediscover what a family was. It's thanks to you that I became the person I am today…”

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She approached him, taking a handkerchief out of her pocket. Jiraiya expected her to wipe her tears there, but she wasn't crying anymore. Instead, she approached him and gently placed the handkerchief on his wounds.

“We don’t need to go to the hospital, she said, in a much calmer tone. “You heal fast, so you will again become this handsome man who captures all the girls’ hearts.”

She chuckled. Jiraiya smiled at her.

“Jiraiya-sensei... I don't understand Lady Tsunade. You're an incredible person; you shouldn't let go…”

“Oh, you know,” Jiraiya muttered, whose cheeks had started to blush, “I don't want to interfere in her difficult life…”

He took a violent kick on the foot.

My former students are quite rough with me today… Jiraiya thought.

“Like with me?" Mikoto got angry. “If you interfere a little more in people's lives, I think it would on the contrary become a little less difficult for them…”

She suddenly regained her composure.

“Remind me of your Nindo again, sensei.”

“Never give up... Ah, I see, you got me there,” you little rascal.

Without warning, he took her on his shoulders.

“Aaah!” Mikoto yelled, surprised and amused.

“Does it bring back any memories?” Jiraiya asked. “Don't take this the wrong way, but you've gained a few pounds since the first time I carried you like this.”

“You're the one getting old, Jiraiya-sensei,” she replied, amused.

They entered Ichiraku’s place like that. He smiled at them.

“Are you the ones responsible for the all noise? The owner of the restaurant asked smiling. “We could hear screams from here, it sounded like people were fighting!”

“We’ll take two bowls, chief,” Jiraiya said.

“No, five,” Mikoto corrected.

“Five?” The Sannin wondered. “Are you that hungry?”

“How stupid you are, sensei... I know a family who would love to eat Ramen with us!”

“I see... Let's go get them then. Chief, we’ll be right back.” He added for Ichiraku.

They left, under the astonished eye of Ichiraku in the end had no idea of ​​the number of bowls he would need to serve.

“Mikoto, Jiraiya said, on the way. “I know this may annoy you but... How is Hiashi in your opinion?”

“It's complicated,” Mikoto muttered. “I can't tell if he's mad at me. You know him... He is very attached to his clan, to his honor, to his principles. He can't act as if nothing happened.”

“Yes, he remained true to himself,” Jiraiya sighed.

“But I don't know... I think that deep down, he understands.”

She was silent.

Recently, she crossed paths with Hiashi in the village. She was alone and, curiously, so was he. As always, he had pretended not to see her, but she had clearly felt his gaze follow her once she turned her back on him. She was even convinced that she had seen him stop as if he was about to say something to her... before being joined by other members of his clan.

Jiraiya and Mikoto arrived in front of their friend's house and knocked on the door.

It was Minato who opened the door, dressed in his Hokage cloak.

“What an honor,” Mikoto said. “My dear Yondaime Hokage, we are happy to be welcomed by you in your best outfit.”

Embarrassed, Minato let them in.

What she and Jiraiya didn't know was the reason for him wearing that attire. Just before they knocked on the door, Kushina had confessed to him that she liked men in uniform...

“We want to eat at Ichiraku's, and we thought that maybe you'd like to have some Ramen with us… We were just there but didn’t order anything.” Jiraiya said.

“Jiraiya-sensei is treating us,” Mikoto said, nudging the Sannin in the ribs to keep him from protesting.

Minato and Kushina looked at each other and smiled.

“Why not…”

“Of course, Naruto is welcome as well, Jiraiya said in a strong voice, as if expecting to be heard by the boy.”

“Will your children be there too, Mikoto?” Kushina asked.

“Well… I don’t think so. I had a bit of a fight with the eldest…”

“I see.”

Jiraiya met Minato's gaze. The latter frowned.

"What is it, Minato?"

“You haven't seen Naruto?”

“No, why?”

"And you just came from Ichiraku's?"

“That's right, but…”

“Naruto was going there.”

“Really? Well, obviously he wasn't. We didn’t see him there or on our way here. Looks like he had…”

Without warning, Minato disappeared.

“ ... something else to do…”

“That’s impossible, Kushina said, worriedly. “Naruto wouldn't miss a bowl of ramen for nothing in the world.”

Jiraiya frowned.

"Do you think something happened?"

“I'm sure of it... I know it... I feel it…”

"And where did Minato go?"

“He teleported to where Naruto is. Every time Naruto goes out at night; he gives him an object on which he had placed his mark, as a precaution…

“I see,” Jiraiya whispered.

"A good way to keep an eye on his son without depriving him of his freedom..."

Jiraiya and Kushina looked tense, but Mikoto laughed. Both looked at her questioningly.

“Well…” Mikoto began. “With Minato moving personally, the aggressor will regret it bitterly!"

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