The Unknown Goddess: A Naruto Fan-fic

Chapter 15

"Come in"

And so she stepped through the door. She was met with two pairs of eyes. One belonging to her teacher. The other to the father of her child.

The man wasn't his usual cheerful and perverted self. He looked serious. His eyes held the same sorrow she felt.

"Tsunade, I am happy you made"

Tsunade didn't answer of react. She only took a seat next to her fellow student.

"We're both here. What do you want? "

~~~~~~~~~~

Hiruzen almost flinched from the tone of Tsunade's voice. She didn't want to be there. Jiraiya didn't want  be there. It was easy to see. Why would they after suffering so much? He couldn't blame them. It saddened him to see his students like this. Broken and not wanting anything to do with their own village.

He didn't know where to start. He would be telling them that their daughter was alive and well. That they did not loose her. That she is very talented.

That she had been through a lot. A lot of pain.

"There is something I must tell you" He began slowly, not sure how to start. Not sure how they would react.

"You've said that already " Jiraiya sighed. "Tell us already old man. I have things to do"

"I don't know where to start or how exactly to tell you this" Hiruzen said with a look of uncertainty.

"What is it? "

"It's about Athena"

At the mention of her name both students visibly flinched as if the name itself ha stuck them in the heart.

"Why are you bringing this up? "

"We decided not to speak of it again, didn't we? "

Hiruzen sighed. "Well we have to now"

~~~~~~~~

Jiraiya was frozen in his seat as the old man recounted everything to him. He was silent. Not daring to say a word in fear of breaking the spell that had taken hold of them. He could not believe what he was hearing. Surely it was not true. Why would the old man lie? How could she be alive? He told her she had... He told her they had lost her, didn't he? Now he's saying she's alive?

How?

He didn't know what to think. His daughter is alive? The thought was hard to believe and had a powerful effect on him. She's alive. That one thought was prominent in his mind. He had not lost her? He couldn't believe it. Could it be true.

"She's alive? "

His voice was hardly recognizable. Soft and vulnerable. As if he could break down at any moment. In all honesty he could. He was overtook with a sudden rush of emotions all at once. Relief. Joy. Confusion. Disbelief. Hope. His daughter was alive. He could see her. Talk to her. Hug her. There was so much he wanted to tell her. So much he had to apologize for. So much he wanted to show her. To teach her.

He thought he would never get the chance to. She was with him one moment. A small bundle of joy in his arms. The love for her he felt felt that moment had brought him to tears. The next she was gone and he could do nothing. He had never felt more worthless in his life. It hurt like nothing before. Not even a kunai through the heart could compare to the pain he felt. Nothing could compare to the pain of losing a child.

"Yes. She is and she has been training under the best for the last three weeks" Hiruzen say carefully. His words were barely heard by the two.

"Where is she? " Tsunade asked. Her voice was filled with so much desperation. "Where's is she?"