Shadowed Sun

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Utakata and Hotaru were admitted into the T&I for about a week (just standard procedure—nothing to be worried about; we were able to visit them multiple times, and they assured us their treatment was fine), and at the end of the week, they were supposed to be transferred to Wave.

The timing could not have been better. From what I had calculated, the Invasion would happen in about eight days. So they would be out of Konoha the day before the Invasion, and there would be no way to track them. I knew that they would be safe in Wave while Pein attacked Konoha... and hopefully... they would stay safe.

Even if Pein learned about them going to Wave, I doubted he would stop his pursuit of Konoha. Konoha was personal for him. It was his way of... justice.

Heh. Not that I could blame him...

Jiraiya struggled to sit up in his hospital bed. I leaned towards him from my chair, pressing firmly on his shoulders to push him back in a lying position. "Don't strain yourself."

He shook his head, sighing. With a bandaged hand, Jiraiya gestured to the notepad and pen that sat at his bedside table. Naruto reached around me, grabbed them and held them out to our godfather. Jiraiya quickly wrote something down.

Not being able to talk for so long sucks ass.

My lips twitched. "Frankly, I'm just glad that you're al... you'll be able to talk again."

Jiraiya eyed me a moment, his expression somber. He turned to another page and wrote something down before presenting it to us.

Aa. Both of you better stop being so gloomy. There's a reason why I asked you both to come here. Although I've already told Tsunade what I know about the enemy, it's about time I told the two of you... Tonight, both of you will be leaving with me to begin the next stage of your training.

Kurama purred, Well. Naruto will partake in the training.

"Next stage?" Naruto echoed.

Jiraiya waved his hand in a dismissive manner (the universal sign that he would explain it later) just as Tsunade entered the room.

"Out, you two," Tsunade said. "You can talk to him later."

Naruto's brow furrowed, but he didn't argue. Standing up, he left the room and I followed after him.

"Actually... Nii-chan," I asked softly, grabbing at his sleeve. Naruto glanced back at me, cocking his head.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you? Privately."

"... Sure?"

('･ω･')

The two of us sat in front of each other on Naruto's bed in our apartment, our legs crossed.

"What's up?" Naruto asked curiously.

I took a deep breath. "I need you to cover for me."

Naruto blinked vapidly. "... What?"

"Kurama and I have a pretty good idea what Jiraiya-sama will be teaching you - and attempting to teach us," I said slowly, "and... and Kurama and I have different plans. Plans that involve me being outside of Konoha. Alone. Without you. Or anyone else."

Naruto stilled. "... What."

"We have to do some things," I confessed, fidgeting nervously. "I, um, I can't say what exactly because I, er, don't really know myself."