Ai’s POV:
I woke up smelling breakfast and sat up. “What the…?”
“Morning.” I tensed at the voice. “I dropped off your children at the Academy for you. When did you get kids?”
“I adopted them not too long ago.”
“Got rid of that speech impairment, eh?” I nodded. “So…what’s this plan of yours? You made it sound like you were going to die, but you said Hitomi’s staying. What are you trying to pull?”
“Since when do you cook?” I asked, swinging my legs off the bed.
“Hey, I’ve been around for a long time. I couldn’t buy all of my meals.” I wondered vaguely if the food was edible. “So…want to tell me what you’re planning?”
I sighed and went to the restroom, changed into jeans and a long sleeved shirt with my flak jacket (jounin vest), put my clay in my old pouch, and walked back out to sit at the table. I put my elbows up on the table and rested my forehead on my hands. A cup and plate was set in front of me, and I switched to my Sharingan to see, then started to eat. The food, surprisingly, was pretty good.
“You think I’ll attack?”
I shook my head. “I can’t see unless I use the Sharingan.”
“You’re blind?” I nodded. “I see…So, one of your kids looks exactly like Kakashi, and the other looks like you. Care to tell me why?”
“Mere coincidence only. Kai and Sora were of an enemy clan, and I couldn’t kill them. So, I adopted them.”
“So you’re going to leave two children whom you’ve just adopted?”
I looked up at him. “Master Jiraiya, I have no choice. They want Naruto’s demon…to seal inside me.”
“You? Why?”
“Because, I already house six others.” He looked as surprised as I felt when I first heard the news. “Apparently, I am the only person alive who can house all nine Biju. And I was born into criminals. Some luck, huh? But…I’m trying to make things right now. I’ve got a plan, but… Ten on one isn’t going to be easy, and that’s not counting Pein’s extra bodies.”
“And it doesn’t look like you’re bringing any weapons…”
“I…won’t need them for this plan.”
His eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you’re going to…?”
I nodded. “Ultimate Art/Self-Destruction technique.”
“But what about Hitomi?! I thought you said she was going to be around still!”
“She will be. I have separated that part of myself and set it free. No longer can I transform into a tiger. I’ll be leaving either after the preliminaries later today, or during the final exams, if all goes according to plan.”
“But…”
I shook my head. “No. There is no other way. If I could ask a favor, however…”
“What do you need?”
I closed my eyes and looked down at the table. “I would like you to hold on to the letter to Kakashi. I’ll send you a clay figure right before my final move, and make sure it gets to you before I’m completely gone. Wait a day, and then give it to him. And please…Please watch over Naruto. You will be his best tutor. I’d help him with the demon, but…”
He put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll give Kakashi the letter, and I’ll do what I can with that knuckle head.” I nodded and stood. “Why Kakashi, though? Why only write to him?”
