I spent the next few days trying to act normal, though I was itching to tell Minato what happened... but couldn't. I tried! I dropped hints and tried to make it interesting, so he would start asking questions, but he wasn't having it... Tsk.
Then I met with Sayuri, and although I didn't tell her about it, she noticed something, but she didn't push it. I did mention, when she asked what was wrong, that there are some Clan issues, but... that was it. After that, she no longer tried to be curious, and when we went to have lunch together, she only sat beside me a little longer than usual and stole one of my rice balls, giggling to herself.
In the end, things got to go back to normal, and we were about to start training again, no matter what the adults were going to say, when a toad appeared on my windowsill one morning. It was a small, green warty one.
"Hey, Minato," I called out as he also came in, looking at the creature.
As we were both trying to decide what to do, the toad blinked its eyes independently, looking stupider than before, then opened its mouth and spoke in Jiraiya-sensei's voice.
"Renjiro, Minato, come to training ground seven. Now."
Then it burped, and the toad vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving me standing there with one hand still holding a kunai holder, half packed.
"That was Jiraiya-sensei, no?" Minato asked, glancing at me.
"Either that or we are in a genjutsu."
"If your eyes remained normal, we aren't," He chuckled and was already gathering his things. "Sounded important, so better hurry!"
"I hope it is," I sighed, "I was getting bored anyway!"
We left together, telling Mom we were called upon, and sprinted to the training ground, arriving in a flash. Without any surprises, he was already there, and the look on his face... Tsk. Something had gone bad. Minato noticed too, throwing me a questioning look, but I just shook my head, as I had no idea what was going on. I mean, I had a few; I just didn't know which one it was now. I just hoped it wasn't the news of the Uzumaki's destruction, because nothing else came to mind.
"Sensei." We both said, standing in front of him.
Jiraiya looked at us for a moment without speaking, then exhaled, slowly blinking his eyes.
"For a while, you won't be able to meet Kushina."
Hearing him say that was like missing the last step on a stairway. I already guessed why, and looked to my left, seeing Minato's eyes narrowing, a breath getting stuck in his sides.
"Why?" He asked. "Is she hurt?"
"Not exactly," Jiraiya sighed again, "But she needs time to regain herself."
"Sensei!" Minato took one step forward, while I reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it a little to keep him from moving.
I didn't need to be told that this meant that Mito Uzumaki was dead, but I still got the confirmation right from Jiraiya's own mouth just the next moment.
"Mito Uzumaki had passed away four days ago."
"Which means..." Minato swallowed. "That... Kushina…"
"Yes," Jiraiya nodded at once, "The transfer was completed just in time. Actually... she died at the end of it."
"Then..." Minato muttered, taking deep breaths to calm himself, but he didn't shake off my hand from his shoulder. "She's the jinchūriki now."
"Everything went as planned, so yes, she is. But this is something nobody outside of us has the privilege of knowing. I am telling you, because of your relationship to her, that's all." Jiraiya said firmly, looking at both of us, "You are not to talk about it; this is an order. Do you understand?"
"Where is she?" Minato asked without answering.
"Secured."
"Can we see her?" He pressed, but didn't get the answer he wanted.
"No."
"Sensei—!"
"No," Jiraiya repeated, his voice becoming much more commanding this time. "Not now!"
"She shouldn't be alone in times like this!" Minato kept pushing, making me smile and holding him in place even more firmly.
"She is not alone." Jiraiya exhaled, rubbing his temple, but Minato asked his questions again without waiting for more explanation.
"Then who is with her?"
"The Hokage has assigned specialists to guard her, and we have four Uzumaki seal masters overseeing her every moment until her seals stabilize. She is surrounded by people who know what they're doing, and the last thing she needs is emotional disruption in a moment like this." He spoke, looking directly into Minato's eyes, "You are smart, Minato. I know what you feel, but please start thinking again. Use that head of yours!"
I laughed at that, rolling my eyes, but kept holding Minato's shoulder, feeling him tremble a little before quickly calming down.
"Renjiro," Jiraiya said, looking at me warningly.
"Nothing," I shrugged, "I'm deeply comforted by the idea that our friend just became a living prison for a giant hate demon and is now sealed away with specialists who are looking at her like an asset and not a member of the village. Really. What a wonderful experience."
"..." In the end, Jiraiya said nothing, just closed his eyes, pinching the ridge of his nose, knowing it was futile to argue with us. But, eventually, he had to say something, "You just can't go and visit her yet. She is in a meditative trance, and not something she can come out of just yet. When she recovered... you can go and visit."
After he said that, I slowly released Minato's shoulder and we just stood there, exchanging a few silent glances with each other, before looking back at Jiraiya.
"How long will that last?" Minato asked, much calmer than before.
"We don't know."
"Can we send a letter?" I suddenly asked.
"That..." Jiraiya hesitated, but then showed a gentle smile, nodding his head, "I'll get that in. Promise."
"Tell them if they don't let us send one," I piped in, grinning, "I'll write it on a brick and throw it through a window. Speaking of... Is she in a building? Outside? Under the mountains?"
"Stop trying to ask for details so you can deduce where she is now," Jiraiya said, staring at me with a flat look. Finally, Minato's mouth also twitched despite everything, holding down a smile. "You are going to give me gray hair..." Jiraiya muttered, making me raise my brows.
"Sensei, you already have a head full of white hair, don't you? Everything is white!"
"And you are turning it grey, stupid disciple!" He reached out, planting his fist on the top of my head.
"Ow! Unfair!"
"Listen," he said, getting serious again while I was rubbing the bump on the top of my head. "There's more."
"What else can there be?" I asked, hissing, but the fact that Uzumaki masters were here meant the island was still standing. "Did the Kyuubi get split into two or something?"
"No, it didn't, why would it?! Argh, anyway, a lot is going on, in fact," Jiraiya said as he reached into his vest and pulled out a folded mission packet. I could already see the Hokage's stamp and another I recognized from Uzushiogakure right on the edge of it. Oh...? What's now? "We have a mission, and we are to leave tomorrow before dawn."
"For where?" Minato asked, pulling himself up straight.
"We are heading to the Land of Water."
"Huh?" I blinked, "Excuse me?"
"Listen, without interruptions!" Jiraiya snorted, sweeping us with a serious look, "Kirigakure has been increasing pressure near Uzushiogakure's borders. They are sending daily patrol ships over and increasing harassment towards traders. They are clearly testing the routes and are probing the village's defenses while setting up a blockade. The Uzumaki sent word that their activity has intensified over the last month and asked us for help before they completely cut them off from everyone else."
Oh shit... Does this mean we are getting close? Are we... starting the war? Apparently I already managed to push the moment of their destruction further than it should have been, so... Oh boy. Let's keep it that way... somehow!
"So..." Minato began opening his mouth, but Jiraiya just raised a hand, telling us directly.
"We are going on an espionage mission. Do not bring anything that may identify you as Konoha's shinobi. Although we are not going there to fight, it's best to be prepared. We are going to find out what Kirigakure is planning, how far their preparations have gone, and whether this harassment is independent aggression or the beginning of something larger. If or when we find out, we depart and report back."
"Oh, believe me, it is something larger," I said at once, and Jiraiya looked at me, raising a brow. At the same time, I met his eyes, continuing, "If Kiri is moving against Uzushiogakure, they are not doing it for fun, and it means they have a surefire plan. I would even wager they aren't working alone."
"No," he said quietly. "They are most likely not..."
"Well," I shrugged, putting my hands in my pockets, "I can at least say that this is better than looking for lost cats or something."
"You're Chūnin now." Jiraiya snorted, hearing my words, "This is not an Academy exercise either, so you will follow MY orders. You do not engage unless ordered or unless survival demands it. More than that!" He looked at both of us, "You do not show off. You do not use Hiraishin unless absolutely necessary or only with my permission. I am going to be the leader of this mission, and you are now proper soldiers, following my command. Do. You. Understand?"
His eyes shifted between us, waiting for our answer.
"Yes, Sensei!" We both said, and for the first time, he believed us at once.
"Both of you pack light." He added, now smiling, "Do make sure you have traveling and some dark clothing with no clan markings. Bring a basic field kit, wire, shuriken, kunai, waterproof storage. After we leave, we'll cross through the Fire Country first, then move by sea under cover. I'll brief you on the full route tomorrow."
"You know what we need?" I chuckled, elbowing Minato, "Big black robes, and massive straw hats with bells. Maybe a few red clouds on them..."
"And get noticed at once?" Jiraiya asked, knocking on my head again, "Even without fancy clouds painted over you, the robes and ringing hats would have every shinobi look and investigate you! Think! No. Dress normally; the black clothes are for when we are infiltrating our targets at night."
"Sensei, if you hit me a few more times, my bumps will grow into a straw hat..." I moaned, rubbing my head again.
"What do we tell people?" Minato asked, being the one elbowing me this time to stay silent.
"Best if you stick to something simple, perhaps a training assignment under my supervision."
"That's vague enough." I hummed, nodding my head.
"Now," Jiraiya clapped his hands once, ending the briefing, "Go home, rest, and pack up. Say your goodbyes and meet with me at the village's entrance at four the next morning."
"That is a very bad instruction," I said, grimacing, "You are making it sound we are making our last farewells, Sensei!"
"It is the only one you get." He said seriously, "This is a grave mission, with real dangers... You just never know."
"Sensei," Minato bowed his head slightly. "We'll be ready."
"I know," Jiraiya looked at him, then at me, softening his eyes, "Yeah, I know."