"Talking"

'Thinking'

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 29: Rise to Light

When Jiraiya received the message – he ignored the fact that the fox had bit him pretty hard as some sort of warning – he was overly ecstatic. It said to meet at Ichiraku's at 1400 hours for lunch.

So, that was exactly what he was doing now. He stepped underneath the noren curtains and sat next to the only other man in the stand. Although his eyes saw a man that looked nothing like his godson, the man with deep red hair was tapping the Wabun code for toad and fox.

"It's good to see you again," the redhead at the counter said.

"You as well." Then, hesitantly he added, "Will he be here?" To be honest, the toad sage did not want another encounter with the fox who almost killed him.

Knowing exactly who he was talking about, Naruto responded, "No, I told him to stay inside. Hopefully, he honors his word." That was a relief to hear.

Awkward silence panned out between the two. What exactly was he supposed to say to the godson he thought was dead for twelve years? They were strangers to each other, and one hug hadn't really changed that.

"So… what do you do in your free time?" the Sannin asked after ordering some ramen for himself. A bowl had already arrived for the redhead.

The other thought for a little before responding. "Eat ramen and train, I guess. I used to take missions every night, but those have gotten less frequent lately."

Jiraiya blanched at the latter half of the response. This boy took missions every night. When did he ever find the time? Better to move on to another topic he supposed.

"What kinds of techniques have you learned so far?" It wasn't as if he didn't know the answer, but he wanted to hear it from his godson.

Slurping on some noodles, the redhead took his time. "I know most of my parents' techniques as well as techniques that my tenant has shown me. Ibiki also taught me much on his specialty."

Ibiki's specialty was torture and interrogation… Was his godson going around torturing people for a living?! Jiraiya sure hoped not, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the boy wouldn't have mentioned it if it wasn't part of his normal.

This conversation was honestly going nowhere. If his ramen had not just been placed in front of him, the Sannin surely would have slammed his head down on the counter.

"I know this is a bit sudden, but I'm leaving soon. I hadn't meant for this to be a goodbye, yet that is exactly why I called you here today." Those words were definitely not what he expected. Naruto was leaving after they had just met.

He found himself asking before he had even fully considered it. "Do you want company?"

The noodle slurping sound stopped as gray eyes shifted to look at him. "Are you serious?"

"Of course!" He suddenly found himself unable to meet those stormy orbs. "I regret not being here for you before. Please let me be here for you now and in the future."

Something along the lines of panic yet relief settled on Naruto's face. "I wouldn't mind it if you're offering," he mumbled.

"When do you go? I'm always packed." For some reason, which he knew exactly, Jiraiya was unbelievably eager. Based on the boy's status, it wouldn't be an apprenticeship. Perhaps they could consider it a partnership and relationship building trip.

"I'm actually meeting with the Hokage soon to tell him. You can come along too. I'm sure you'll need to report your absence."

So, that's exactly what they did. An hour and a half later, the Hokage sat before godfather and godson.

"Naruto-kun, what's this I hear about you leaving?" Kakashi had made Sarutobi aware of the boy's planned departure after he had awoken from his chakra exhaustion. That was, he vehemently declared his dissatisfaction of how Sarutobi had raised the boy in a two hour long heated discussion before the Hokage had to ban him from his office for the rest of the week. He was not about to deal with an angst-ridden jounin who had not calmed down from a childish fit.

The ANBU boy unsealed a small crystal ball and showed it to him and his student.

"This is a what I call a soul-seeking orb, or tamatama for short." At this, he heard a snort come from Jiraiya's direction. Of course, his student found it amusing that that piece of technology was abbreviated by genitalia. "I discovered that I could seal a piece of a soul into a crystal, and it would point in the direction that the next nearest piece of the soul lies."

"That's remarkable," Jiraiya interrupted. "You did that with fuinjutsu?"

"Yes." Violet eyes glared in a playful way. "Now as I was saying, I sealed a certain someone's soul in here. He had divided his soul multiple times, and I don't want any of those slivers to somehow bring him back to this world. Thus, I am going to seal the rest of his soul away once and for all."

To say he was surprised would be an understatement. First, the boy had done away with his former student when he himself had failed to do so. Then, he now declared that he could actually find the exact locations of the fragmented soul that his former student had left behind.

He was a bit disappointed that this technique had not been brought to his attention earlier, but he would not be able to reject the boy of this mission. Deep down in his heart, he knew that he wanted it and needed it to be done for the good of shinobi.

As if reading his mind, the brunet once again spoke up. "I wanted you to be informed on my decision to undertake this mission. However, I have already discussed it with Soutaichou, and he gave me the go ahead. I guess this meeting is just for formality's sake."

Contrary to popular belief, a shinobi did not necessarily need permission from the Hokage to go on a mission. If this shinobi was an ANBU, they would typically receive missions from the ANBU commander. After all, the Hokage was a busy man. He only assigned ANBU missions if he personally was concerned with the contents of the mission. Yet, because Naruto had been under his direct command for some five years now, it was only right to inform the Hokage of this decision.

"Oh, and there's one more thing. Jiraiya-oji-san will be coming with me." Sarutobi could see tears of joy streaming down Jiraiya's face at the honorific he had received from his godson. However, it was a bit concerning that one of the strongest shinobi in his force wanted to partake in this mission for an undetermined amount of time.

"I'll still be managing my spy network and sending you reports Sensei," Jiraiya added.

This sent the Hokage into thought. He couldn't bring himself to deny this request, for he had wronged the boy so many years ago, and he deserved to spend time with his godfather. Hiruzen's grandfatherly side won against his militaristic side, and he nodded in acceptance.

"On one condition, however. I would like you to seek Tsunade and request that she return to the village. The medical program has been declining tremendously ever since her departure. It would be beneficial if more of our shinobi could be under her tutelage."

He could tell that the ANBU wanted to reject his request, but the Sannin stopped him. "We'll send Tsunade-hime back to you Sensei."

"See to it that you do." He puffed on his pipe. "If that is all, I'll see you when you return, Jiraiya, Naruto-kun."

"You won't" was the blunt response from the jinchuuriki.

"Elaborate," Sarutobi said whilst trying to understand the strange comment.

Kodanuki's mask appeared in the boy's hand. He stared at it for a moment before meeting eyes with the Hokage. "I'm retiring this mask. It's served its time."

Silence rang loud and clear throughout the room. Hiruzen was a bit stunned to say anything immediately.

"Naruto-kun, are you sure that is a wise decision?"

The boy nodded in response. "I discussed this with Soutaichou as well, and he agreed to it."

"I see…" This made things a bit more complicated. If Sarutobi was not aware of what mask Naruto wore next, he would probably not be able to identify him. Both sides of him screamed that this was a terrible idea.

"Well then Hokage-sama, we will be taking our leave." He glanced up, not wanting to say a word, and watched as Jiraiya exited the room first. The boy paused as he was about to exit but did not turn around. "Bye Jiji," he said before departing.

The pipe that had been in his hand dropped to the desk as the words repeated in his mind. "Bye Jiji." He had called him "Jiji" again. Hiruzen had never imagined that he would hear that word spoken from that boy's lips ever again.

For so long, he had wondered where that bright boy they raised had gone. That very question had increasingly plagued him as the years went by. However, today he found his answer.

Sarutobi himself was the reason that the always bright Naruto-kun had fallen into darkness. His grandfatherly side cursed for not realizing that he may have been the one at fault. There was no undoing the past, but there was always the future. This was not a farewell; he would make sure of that.

'Until we meet again Naruto-kun.'

Completing his final goodbye, Naruto returned to his room. He had already sealed away all his belongings, so the room was filled with emptiness. This was the place that he was raised, but it need not be the place he lived.

He was ready for a fresh start, a new beginning. He wouldn't let himself be tied down to the past any longer. There was no stopping the excitement that bubbled inside of him.

The last goodbye he had wanted to make was with Cat-nee. She was always supportive of him, and he was sure that she would have supported him going on a journey – though it was actually a hunt – of his own.

When he had knocked on her door and noticed that she was not there, it hit him that she was probably on a mission. She had been in the village every other time he had gone to see her that it had not occurred to him that she may have been sent out. Cat-nee was such a constant in his life that he occasionally forgot that she too had her own jobs to do. Was this how she felt every time she had walked through these halls expecting him to be there even when he wasn't?

The worst part of it was that he had realized that he had never fully apologized for his reaction to Gecko's death. In a last-ditch attempt, he slipped a letter (sealed of course) under her door so that when she returned, she would know where he had gone. Perhaps he would send a kitsune to see her once and a while and make sure that she was alright.

Now that he was ready, he glanced around the empty room once again. It was funny really how this felt quite similar to when he left the dingy apartment only a month and a half ago. He hadn't really felt any attachment to the people he had met when acting as a genin, but it was still difficult to leave a place he had bonded so well with.

Unsealing his mask for the last time, he traced the purple stripes that ran across its cheeks like vertical scars. There was a point in time when he believed that he and Kodanuki were not the same. Kodanuki was a torturer and a killer. Naruto was nothing of the sort; he was an ANBU captain and a brother. Time and time again, he denied his identity and separated the personalities.

Today, though, he knew that he was both, and he was okay with how it all turned out. There were some rough times for both Naruto and Kodanuki, but he had gotten through it, no matter who he was.

On his way out, he left the mask in Wolf-oji-san's office – his uncle was the one to give him the mask in the first place after all. He wouldn't be needing the mask anymore, and he pondered what mask awaited him next.

He climbed the steps two at a time until he reached the non-descript rock which hid the exit. With a few hand seals and the swiping of blood, the stone rolled away to reveal the forest. Naruto ascended into the light as the stone rolled back into place.

Waving to his godfather, who had been waiting for him, he pulled out the tamatama, and they took off in whatever direction the orb pointed them. With his past behind him, Naruto was ready for new bonds and new adventures.

End

A/N

I hope that everyone enjoyed reading about Naruto's story as much as I did. I appreciate all readers and especially want to give shoutouts to TigrezzTail, pmotana, aGnamZer0, thor94, Xerzo LotCN, SkylerHollow, Otaku of Anime, and all reviewers.

Until the next story,

- TipsyKitsune

Updated: 6/7/20