[The Hokage Tower - The Hokage's Office]
Jiraiya didn't use the stairs. He didn't use the front door.
True to his nature, he scaled the Hokage Tower and slid open the large, circular window behind the Hokage's desk.
He expected to see his old sensei buried in paperwork, smoking his pipe, looking exhausted.
Instead, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi leaning way back in his chair. His eyes were rolled up toward the ceiling. His pipe hung loosely from his mouth, unlit. His hands were gripping the armrests so hard his knuckles were white.
And from under the heavy mahogany desk, there was a rhythmic, wet slurping sound.
Jiraiya paused, one leg over the windowsill.
"Yo, Sensei," Jiraiya said loudly.
Hiruzen jumped a foot in the air. "GAAH!"
THUD.
A muffled yelp ca from under the desk as the Hokage's knees slamd into the underside of the wood.
"Y-You!" Hiruzen scrambled, his Hokage robes entirely disheveled. "Get out! I an, get up! I an—"
A young, pretty administration clerk scrambled out from under the desk on her hands and knees. Her face was flushed so dark it looked like she had a sunburn. She was frantically wiping her mouth and adjusting her skirt.
"I-I-I will file these reports imdiately, Lord Hokage!" she squeaked, grabbing a random stack of blank papers and sprinting for the door.
As she ran past, Jiraiya couldn't help but notice a few curly, gray hairs stuck to her sweaty cheek.
The door slamd shut.
Silence filled the office, broken only by Hiruzen's heavy, panicked breathing. He frantically tried to zip his pants and straighten his robes, his face burning with embarrassnt.
Jiraiya slowly climbed all the way into the office, a wicked, shit-eating grin spreading across his face.
"Well, well, well," Jiraiya crossed his arms, leaning against the window fra. "Using your absolute political authority to coerce young clerks now, Sensei? And here I thought the 'Will of Fire' ant sothing else entirely."
"Shut up, you fool!" Hiruzen snapped, finally getting his robes in order, though he refused to make eye contact. "It is not coercion! It was... mutual! The stress of the Chunin Exams is imnse! Do you know how much paperwork a foreign invasion threat generates?! A man needs a release!"
"At your age? I'm surprised your heart didn't give out," Jiraiya laughed heartily. "Your stamina is impressive, old man. Still got it."
"You bastard," Hiruzen growled, finally finding his pipe and lighting it with a shaky hand. "Do you have no respect for the office of the Hokage? How dare you jump through the window like a common thief! Use the damn door!"
"And miss that? Not a chance," Jiraiya walked over and sat on the couch.
Hiruzen sighed, rubbing his temples. The embarrassnt faded, replaced by the weary weight of leadership. "Why are you here, Jiraiya? You haven't reported in for months."
Jiraiya's smile faded. He looked at his old teacher.
"I was at the hot springs," Jiraiya said, his voice dropping an octave. "I ran into a loudmouth kid. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Yelling about becoming Hokage."
Hiruzen stopped puffing his pipe.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Jiraiya finished. "Minato's boy."
Hiruzen exhaled a long cloud of smoke. "You saw him."
"I did," Jiraiya leaned forward. "Kakashi is handling the Uchiha kid. Handing him the Chidori, no doubt. But who is training Naruto? I saw Ebisu with him. Ebisu is fine for academy basics, but for the Kyuubi Jinchuriki?"
"Naruto's chakra control is exceptionally poor," Hiruzen explained defensively. "Ebisu is a specialist in fundantals. Furthermore... Orochimaru was in the Forest of Death. He placed the Five-Pronged Seal over Naruto's Eight Trigrams Seal. Naruto's chakra is a ss."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "Orochimaru. So the snake really did slither back to the village."
"Yes," Hiruzen looked grim. "He is targeting Sasuke. But he ssed with Naruto. Kakashi is spread too thin. I needed soone to fix the seal, but..."
"But you're too busy with your 'paperwork' under the desk," Jiraiya smirked, then sighed, standing up.
He walked over to the Hokage's desk, looking out the window at the village Minato had died to protect.
"I'll do it," Jiraiya said quietly.
"Do what?"
"I'll train the brat," Jiraiya looked over his shoulder. "I'll fix the seal. I'll teach him how to use the toad summoning contract. If Orochimaru is making his move, the boy needs to know how to protect himself."
Hiruzen looked surprised, then deeply relieved. "Are you sure, Jiraiya? You've always avoided taking an apprentice since..."
"Since Minato. Yeah," Jiraiya smiled faintly. "But the kid called a pervert and demanded I train him. He's got guts. And there was another kid with him... Kenji Sato? Sharp tongue on that one. Scary eyes."
"Ah, Kenji," Hiruzen massaged his forehead. "A headache and a half. A genius, but completely devoid of morals."
"I like him," Jiraiya laughed. "Anyway, consider it done. I'll take Naruto for the month."
Jiraiya walked toward the window to leave. He paused, looking back at Hiruzen.
"Oh, and Sensei?"
"What?" Hiruzen grumbled.
"Next ti," Jiraiya winked, "lock the door. And maybe buy the girl so mouthwash. The budget can afford it."
"GET OUT!" Hiruzen roared, throwing an ashtray.
Jiraiya laughed, leaping out the window and disappearing into the village below.
Author's Note:
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