Third person pov

The session with Ayumu is more informal than the ones they had back in Konoha. Naruto sits cross legged on a pillow across from the man, beaming a grin in response to the kind smile he's given. There hasn't been much time to hang out with Ayumu with all that's been going on, but the man's still been diligent in his note taking and advice-giving.

They're closed up in one of the backrooms of the guest house they were given to stay in. Naruto wasn't sure where his dad had gone, but Kashi was just outside, watching over Gaara whilst the redhead napped. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Probably catching up on all the sleep he'd missed over the past couple of years. If Naruto were in his shoes, he'd probably just fall straight into a coma.

"You've had a pretty busy week, Naruto." Ayumu points out invitingly. A pretty open understatement. Busy doesn't even begin to cover it. Every ramen stand in Suna isn't going to try itself, after all. And there was the whole sealing thing too but whatever. "Any updates you want to share? I know you've made a real friend in Gaara. How's that make you feel?"

That was one of Ayumu's favorite questions as of late. He was always asking Naruto how certain things made him feel, and then he was writing those things down. Naruto didn't really know why, but he figured Ayumu did and that was sort of the whole point anyway. As long as one of them knew what the hell was going on.

This week had been one of the best of Naruto's life, beat out perhaps only by the nights he spent with Kurama and the moments his dad would scoop him up and spend time with him. Gaara felt like, as Ayumu had said, a real friend. Like someone Naruto could genuinely connect with on some deep level most could never hope to reach or begin to understand. There was a kinship there-- like maybe Gaara was his brother in the same way his tailed beast was Kurama's. 

Kurama had been brighter. Not just in the way he talked more and the way he poked his snout out from between the bars, but his fur had a healthier sheen, not such a dull orange. It wasn't so scruffy, soft and shiny and so silky Naruto wished he could spend a lifetime faceplanted in it. His ears spent more time perked up than they did pressed down, expressively twitching and swaying when he spoke.

He just seemed... happier. And that made Naruto happy. Seeing his friend smile, his red eyes crinkling and snout scrunching. He didn't talk a ton. More than usual, but for the most part he just hummed along to whatever Naruto was saying, watching him with eyes that were softer than Naruto thought possible from the old fox.

It was blissful. The elation that filled Naruto seeing Kurama so content-- he felt like he was really getting closer to giving him the home and life he deserved. Maybe he couldn't be free right now, but Naruto wanted to have a healthy mind for him to stay in if that was the case. He wanted to be the best friend he could, and he wanted Kurama to know that he was worth it! Each day was a step nearer to that goal.

"Well, Gaara and I are best friends forever. But you already knew that." Naruto rubbed his hands together gleefully. "You better get your pen ready though, Ayumu. You're not gonna believe this. Not only has the water in my brain sewer gotten less murky, Kurama and I have eleven flowers now. Eleven of them!" 

These days, it felt as though Naruto could feel Kurama even when he was awake. He was a warm ball in the center of his chest, a constant comfort and presence. Naruto wasn't sure what that meant, but it didn't seem like a bad thing. If anything, it just indicated that Kurama wasn't sleeping so much. And wasn't that a good thing? That he was more alert?

Ayumu perked up at his words. His pale eyes shone as Naruto struggled not to all but vibrate out of his seat in his excitement. Everything was just-- it was amazing. Kurama was teaching him so many new things. Naruto could make clones now! Not the illusion ones they taught at the academy, but real, solid clones! Apparently Naruto had a lot of chakra and that's why he was able to make them-- who knew!

"Eleven? That's a big leap, Naruto! Congratulations!" Ayumu looked genuinely happy for him. "This shows a lot of progress and in a very short amount of time. Do you have any idea what caused them to grow?"

He did, but it's not like he could tell Ayumu that Kurama was happy to see his sibling. Brother? It felt like it was a brother, but Naruto guessed it was probably rude to assume.

"Well, Kurama really likes Gaara." Naruto decided. It was close enough to the truth. "He's a really good friend! Believe it! He just-- he really gets it, you know?"

Ayumu's smile saddened just slightly. It was a subtle thing, but Naruto saw it anyway. There was no pity there, which is the only reason Naruto didn't reflexively bristle at the sight of it. Ayumu just seemed genuinely upset that this was the cards that had been dealt to Naruto and Gaara both. And Naruto could respect that-- admired it, even. Ayumu was one of the least judgmental people Naruto had ever had the pleasure of meeting. 

"Gaara, huh?" Ayumu's voice was just a tad lower, but in a tender way. "You two really have gotten on fast. Why don't you tell me a little about him, Naruto? Kakashi tells me you two spend a lot of time together in that sand castle of yours."

Naruto's joy returned tenfold, a near-physical buzz in his chest. He was happy to oblige.

~~~

It doesn't feel quite so chilly in the sewer today. It's not swelteringly hot either. It's a comfortable warmth that tickles his skin, like a breeze at the beginnings of summer. Naruto basks in it, and he thinks he sees Kurama do the same as the big fox closes his eyes and takes deep, even breaths.  

Kurama doesn't look quite so scary when he's all relaxed like this. In fact, one could even call him cute. Naruto's obviously never going to verbalize this out loud for fear of beating eaten alive, but the observation still stands. He looks at Kurama now and wonders how anyone could ever call him a heartless demon.

He knows he's privileged to see this side of the tailed beast. He feels honored to talk to him and get to know him. Which he knows he's said before, but come on. Kurama's ancient! And no, that isn't an insult. It's super badass is what it is, believe it! It's like talking to an immortal. He's been around since the beginning of practically everything ever-- him and all his siblings have been.

Has no one ever wanted to talk to them? Wanted to know? History books are great and all, but what about someone who was actually there? Naruto's no history buff, and he's far from an academic, but that doesn't make it any less cool. It doesn't make Kurama any less cool. Naruto feels endlessly lucky to have a friend like him at his side.

"Say, Kurama." Naruto was laid out on the end of one of his tails again, splayed out on his back and staring up into the endless darkness overhead. It was a little disorienting. If he looked at it too long, he lost sense of his orientation and almost felt like he was falling. It was kind of cool. "You're my best friend ever. Am I your best friend ever?" 

He's half fishing for information. If Kurama had other friends before, he so wants to know! Especially if any of those friends are still accessible somehow. Naruto's already planning a whole road trip to take when he's older! Not a road trip for himself, but one for Kurama. One where they can visit all his siblings and go anywhere else Kurama wants to go or see.

So far he only really knows Suna is on the map, but don't the other big villages also have tailed beasts? To promote balance or something stupid like that? They act like the tailed beasts are mindless weapons that can be wielded. Do any of them realize that they're living, feeling things? Or does everyone just use them for their own benefit?

He expects Kurama to snort at him derisively and tell him he's like, the worst friend ever or something. Good mood lately or not, he definitely still snipes at Naruto. It's pretty much an ingrained part of his personality. He can get away with it though since his comebacks are actually good. Unlike, say, Sasuke's or something.

Instead, Kurama cracks an eye open to peer at him. He doesn't look annoyed. He rarely looks annoyed or irritated at Naruto these days, used to his endless stream of chatter. He's probably an expert at tuning it out by now. Or if he's not, he's at least close to one.

"Quit asking stupid questions, brat." Kurama grumbles shortly, observing him. Naruto gives his best grin, feeling hopeful. Kurama's lips curl up at the corners just the barest amount. He snorts, closing his eye again. His ears flick. "Who else do I have to talk to? What, you think the flowers are my friends? Don't be impudent." 

That's as good as a yes in Kurama's language. Naruto's smile follows him all the way to the morning and into his wakefulness. His whoop of elated joy wakes Pakkun from a dead slumber, the pug bolting upright like he's just been shocked. Naruto's too busy jumping up and down for joy to apologize.

In his chest, the ball of warmth grows a little larger, a little brighter. And Naruto smiles all the wider for it.

~~~

The rest of their stay at Suna is like a vacation. With the sealing stuff successful and out of the way, Naruto and Gaara both are left with several days to frolic and play. And by play, Naruto means expand their sand fortress and plot the hypothetical murders of Suna's corrupt council members and other various douchebags. For all his psychotic tendencies, Gaara knows a surprising amount about the political climate of his village.

Naruto doesn't really want to leave. As tiring as it is to wake up with sand in places he didn't even know existed, Suna's still great. Kurama's mood had stayed consistently improved. Him getting to coexist in the same vicinity as his sibling had been nothing but positive as far as Naruto could tell. He didn't want to take that away.

It was also nice-- and maybe this was a bit selfish of him-- to walk down the streets and to be stared at with something other than contempt and disgust. If people look at him now, it's either because he's the Hokage's son or because he has Gaara with him. It's not because they think he's a monster, or a blemish on their home, or a demon. They look at him with curiosity and see him as a child and nothing more.

He misses the towering trees and rolling grass hills of Konoha. The clear rivers and the muddy banks of them. Leaving is hard, but Naruto's first bout of homesickness ever is admittedly hitting him hard. Besides, who knows what Sasuke's been up to in his absence. He's probably fucked something up that Naruto will have to fix when he gets back.

He jabbers all this to Kurama. He tells him everything, barring the fact that he knows he's the nine tails, and Kurama seems happy to listen. Well, maybe not happy-happy. But content to, which is more than enough of a greenlight for Naruto! It's great-- he gets to hug him whenever he wants, and learn from him, and talk to him. 

Kurama is a treasure trove of life experience. He's gruffly told Naruto stories before, but never in wide detail like he seems willing to now. He talks about the places he's been, some of the people and entities he's met. Naruto feels like he should be writing it all down to make into a history book or something, it's all so cool.

Leaving is bittersweet. Gaara looks like he might cry, which makes Naruto want to cry, which makes Ayumu clutch his pen and slowly raise his clipboard. It's a bit of a surprise that the redhead not only hugs him, but moves and hugs Kakashi around the legs too. The sand barely even nips at the masked ninja for it! It's like, the best thing ever, and Kashi looks super flattered too.

Naruto leaves Gaara with promises to see him again soon. He tells him that it'll all be okay, and that he's going to be awesome. That now that his tailed beast is sealed, everything will get better. Maybe he can reconnect with his older brother and sister! He'll make friends. Naruto is sure of it. After all, it's Gaara. What's not to like?

They barely see the Kazekage. He comes to see them off, but the way he interacts with his son is awkward and stiff. Naruto has no idea what his dad said to the guy but it must've been something insane. Which is totally on brand for his dad-- he even gave the Kazekage that super scary smile that lets you know he sort of wants to strangle you!

Even though Naruto is reluctant to leave, it's evident that his dad is... well. Not. He's ready to go home, and so Naruto tries to keep his complaining down to a minimum. Not too much of a minimum, or else Ayumu may get suspicious and ask if he feels his feelings are inadequate or a bother or something. 

"This sucks." Naruto whined in a way he knew was annoying but couldn't help. His dad was carrying him again, and Naruto had his chin hooked over the man's shoulder so he could watch Suna's massive gates fade off into the distance. Gaara had waved for as long as he could before they had to close the gates, and Naruto had waved back with just as much vigor. 

"We'll come back soon, Naruto. Don't worry." His dad reassured with a grin, adjusting his grip on him. Naruto really was getting too big to be carried, but his dad had never gotten a real chance to. Naruto hadn't either when you think about it. "Who knows! Maybe Gaara can come visit you next time. Konoha's a pretty cool place to explore, don't you think?"

Boy was it. Was a pretty cool place to get rotten tomatoes thrown at you too. At least the Suna civilians had been too afraid of Gaara to provoke him. If his dad weren't alive, Naruto would probably have to take notes. Kill a couple people in public and suddenly no one bothers you! He's glad he won't have to employ such messy tactics.

Most of their journey is spent talking about Suna and that Kazekage dickhead. Naruto is quick to slander him, even more so when his dad grumbles agreements. His behavior towards Gaara, his own son, was utterly appalling according to Ayumu. Naruto had to agree. The thought of his dad ever treating him like that made him feel sick to his stomach.

The trip back is as fun as the one there was. The resounding success of Gaara's sealing had lifted everyone's spirits. Their bond with their ally had strengthened just from this, after all! There was a lot to celebrate. Things had gone well-- way better than anyone had thought they might.  

Perhaps that's why Naruto should've expected something to go wrong.

Something always has to come along and ruin things. If something is too good for too long, it's probable to assume something bad will happen. Everything had been a going a little too smooth. Normally there were little bumps in the road, but they'd hardly had any at all. Everything had worked out and fallen into place.

So of course all those little bumps they hadn't gone over had to accumulate into one massive one to wreck the entire experience. Because naturally, things had to go to shit eventually. Naruto's supposed to be smarter than this-- he's supposed to see stuff like this coming! His whole life has been one big cycle of bad luck. Why would that change just because his dad showed up?

Things had been amazing since his dad came back from the dead. He felt loved, and cared for, and protected. Naruto was safe and he was happy-- two things he hadn't thought would ever coexist for him in any steady tandem. 

It happens when they finally exit the desert and make it to the tree line, entering the wooded area that marks the beginning of the Land of Fire. There is no immediate shift that puts people on edge, but there are more places to hide in the reaching branches and towering trunks than there are in the endless dunes of sand.

They make camp shortly after making it to the nearest river. The start of the forest was an unofficial border, but the river wasn't. It was marked on every accurate map of the great nations, and everyone all but collapsed in relief, ready to take a break from running. Even Naruto was exhausted, his face lightly sunburned despite the cream his dad had slathered him in.

Everyone was tired. Everyone was ready to go to sleep. That's probably exactly why the enemy had decided to strike then.

The fireball they shoot into the center of camp is massive. Or, at least, the way it implodes is. The ground is dry and the brush takes the light rapidly. Shouting immediately starts. Naruto is up in seconds, heart thundering in his chest. Adrenaline shoots through him as the flap of his tent is pulled open, his dad's terrified face crumbling with relief at the sight of him still there and decidedly not burning to death.

The sweltering heat makes sweat pour down his face. Before Naruto can succinctly ask 'what the fuck?', his dad-- lit orange from the glow of the flames-- is yanked away from the tent opening and out of sight with a parting shout of rage. Naruto's words catch in his throat in an odd choke, and he scrambles out after him as the sounds of fighting start up nearer.

His dad is nowhere to be seen. Naruto wagers this is probably a pretty bad sign.

They're being attacked by what looks like ANBU from their own village almost, though something about the way they're dressed is off. Clearly they're not friendly whoever they are. Naruto tries to push his panic down and keep his head on straight, stood paralyzed in front of his tent with no idea where to turn. The fire seems to surround the entire camp, and it's rapidly closing in.

"Naruto!" He hears someone shout, though he can't tell from what direction. He curses to himself under his breath, a scowl settling over his face and pushing back the shock. He looks the direction his dad was yanked and just sees a wall of fire, so that's great. Very helpful.

He'd rate the situation an overall one out of five stars. The only reason it isn't zero stars is because he's not currently on fire. He'll take his wins where he can get them, believe it. Naruto's an optimist at heart! Someone around here has to be. It's hard work. Especially when people are pissing on your camp.

So much for getting some sleep. He'd been tired, too. Still was. 

Deciding that standing in one place like an idiot is something that moron Sasuke would do, Naruto turns on his heel and darts the direction with the least fire. The smoke is insane, but Naruto doesn't let himself close his eyes completely. He stays low and squints, his shirt drawn up over the lower part of his face so he can keep from coughing a lung up. If he gets brain damage from this... 

There's the briefest shift in the air behind him. Naruto ducks on instinct, diving forward and rolling as he does. He pops back to his feet and whirls around just in time to see one of those weird not-ANBU guys whipping towards him again. The kunai they have in one hand isn't very reassuring, but they don't immediately chuck it at his head. So that's nice.

"We can talk about this, believe it!" Naruto yelped, already scrambling backwards. There's practically no visibility with as much smoke as there is. The canopy overhead is so thick it's not escaping into the air at the rate it should, shrouding what little light the moon might've provided. "Are you guys cannibals? Please don't be cannibals! I'm just a skinny little boy, man, I won't taste good! I've lived off instant ramen for like, my whole life so far!" 

There's no response. Which is just-- so lovely, really. Naruto leaps out of the way of a kunai. These guys aren't messing around. Naruto launches himself off again, darting into the bushes nearby and taking off as fast as his feet can take him. He has to find someone. His dad, or Kashi, or Ayumu-- or hell! Even that old pervert guy everyone likes to rag on!

There's a lot of noise. It's pitch black out aside from the flames, but Naruto is sort of trying to avoid those funnily enough. Who would've guessed. The ball of Kurama's warmth in his chest burns, a faint prickling that speaks to nerves and apprehension. He's glad he's not the only one feeling uncertainty here. What the hell gives, anyway?

Maybe he shouldn't have run. His dad was probably looking for him in camp which is the exact place Naruto is no longer in at the moment. He can't really hear the person following him, but he can feel them vaguely. Kurama says he's chakra sensitive, and apparently that's doing him some good right now. 

He knows he's not going to get away. It should probably be scarier than it is. He just-- doubts these people are trying to kill him. He's sure they would've done it already if they were. Maybe they're after his dad, or maybe they want him for ransom. Or maybe--

Maybe they know about Kurama.

Most of Konoha clearly does. It's obviously not a very well-kept secret. People calling him a demon and a monster made it fairly obvious. Some had even called him the Nine Tailed Fox directly to his face before, spitting venom at him. People knew Kurama was sealed in him. He had no doubt those rumors had likely leeched out of Konoha's towering walls one way or another. That was assuming these masked individuals weren't from Konoha to begin with, of course.

Tailed beasts are strong. They're masses of chakra that are nearly endless, all-powerful and used to create tentative stability between the nations. The period of peace they're in is rocky at best, but it is there. There's a mutual "you don't set your nuke on us, we wont set ours on you" understanding they seem to have.

What about the villages that didn't have a tailed beast though? They'd definitely want one. Or what about the enemies of Konoha who didn't want the Leaf to have one? Killing Naruto would only spring Kurama. Kurama couldn't die in the sense that he could be stabbed and his heart would stop beating. He was a mass of chakra so large and so old he was cognizant and had awareness. A mind and thoughts and feelings. 

He was alive, but he hadn't been born the same way most living things had been. He'd been created. People probably knew this, right? Rumor that the Hokage left for Suna must've spread, and rumor that Naruto was with him... He's vulnerable outside the village. All of them are. It's just them and the woods, none of the security Konoha provides to buffer them.

So basically... shit's totally fucked.

"Naruto!" He heard someone bellow close by. It sounded like Kashi and was enough to have him hesitating, trying to pinpoint the exact way it had come from. That was more than enough time for his pursuer to catch on.

The kunai piercing the back of his calf was far from the worst pain he'd ever had. Naruto grunted, immediately springing towards the nearest tree without wasting another second. Chakra flooded through his feet just like Kurama had taught him. He scrambled part of the way up, springing off of it and to the next tree. His leg screamed at the movement, but pulling out the blade would only make it worse. Naruto took off.

He wasn't sure what had been hit to make it bleed as much as it was. Or maybe his constant movement was jostling it. Naruto couldn't tell if it was the smoke or the fluid loss that was starting to make him lightheaded. You were supposed to stay close to the ground in the case of a fire, but pinging between the trees like this was faster and was better than letting his enemy have the high ground.

The heat in his chest was growing stronger and more insistent. He thought, almost, he could hear Kurama's voice frantically calling out to him. Or maybe he was getting delirious. Man, Naruto wished he had some kunai of his own to fire back. Not that his aim would likely be all that up to par with him bleeding like this.

A gust of wind from behind knocked him off the branch he'd been about to leap off of and sent him plummeting. Even putting chakra into his hands did little to brace his blow. He felt some part of his arm snap and hissed loudly, even more so when the kunai in his leg was punched deeper. Damn. This is ass.

He moved to scramble up again but was hit with a wave of dizziness. His leg buckled, feeling numb and tingly. Naruto's world spun, a myriad of colors. Had... was the kunai poisoned? It had to be poisoned, didn't it? No way it'd be doing this to him this fast. Not unless it had hit an artery or something. Where were those again? Iruka-sensei had tried to teach them where in the body, but he'd zoned out.

Naruto tried to shove himself up again but the world teetered. He let out a noise of pain as he was yanked up by the back of his shirt hard. His arm jostled, already turning a gross purple that made him wince. It was bleeding too. Had his bone punched through his skin? He really hoped not. Last time that had happened it had taken like, a full week to heal. He didn't have that kind of time.

The burning in his chest was strong enough to make his eyes sting. Something hot rushed through him and started to numb the pain, something that felt like Kurama. Naruto struggled weakly against the hand holding him up, twisting to try and bite at the wrist of whoever'd snagged him. The not-ANBU just held him out further, like he was an angry wet kitten he didn't want to claw him.

"I've got him." He heard the man speak in an artificially distorted tone, though to who, Naruto couldn't tell. A syringe slipped out of their sleeve. It was full of a green liquid that looked like it probably shouldn't be injected into a body. "Don't fight it, kid. Just let yourself dream."

Naruto heard Kashi, closer this time. He felt like there was cotton in his ears. Kurama roared in his chest, the noise pinging around in his head as the syringe was jabbed hard into his neck. Somehow, it hurt more than the kunai had, more than his arm. It was fire in his veins, hotter than the flames at camp were.

Naruto's eyelids drooped. He spotted Pakkun running towards him, fear blatant on the dog's face. The last thing he did was reach out with his good arm, desperately reaching.

He was out cold before he could even hope to make contact.

~~~ 

By the time the fight's through, Minato's missing two fingers on his left hand, has broken a majority of his ribs, and has several kunai sticking out of him.

They'd come out of nowhere in the dead of night. They weren't ANBU, but they fought like they were. They'd come in and hit hard, sending a majority of their forces after the two biggest threats-- Minato himself and Jiraiya. They'd brought a small army with them. They hadn't stood a chance against so many enemies. 

The kunai were poisoned with... something. Minato didn't know and didn't care. He felt like his chest was collapsing in on itself. His heart had been racing like a jackrabbit's since it happened, a heavy, fast thumping. He could hardly breathe, and it had nothing to do with his injuries. He was gone. Naruto was gone, gone, gone. 

The last time Minato had seen him had been in that tent. Looking wide-eyed and alert, fear beginning to seep into his youthful face. He'd looked so relieved to see his dad there. He'd trusted him to get him out and Minato had failed. He'd failed his son. 

He'd known taking him out of the village was a risk. Even if they'd kept where they were going and why on the downlow, there'd been more than enough time for rumor to spread. The wrong people had heard and now-- now his son was gone. They'd taken him. Kakashi had seen it, had been mere yards away when the not-ANBU vanished into thin air. 

Naruto had been in bad condition according to his student. A kunai to the leg, an arm bent the wrong way with exposed bone sticking jaggedly out. Apparently they'd injected him with something. Minato had already thrown up twice at the thought. The mere notion that Naruto was hurt was enough to make him sick. What if he-- what if they killed him? What if his son was dead?

He never should've brought him out of Konoha. Or-- he should've protected him better. He should've stuck to his side like glue. Better yet, he should've taken him and run when this happened. Flashed in and flashed out. Gotten him to safety before trying to fight. Maybe then he'd be okay. Maybe then he wouldn't be hurt somewhere, knocked out and to be taken god knows where for god knows what.

They'd done it for the tailed beast in him. Minato should've known. Naruto was a high-ticket individual. Son of the Hokage, holder of the revered nine tailed fox, and still young enough not to know how to effectively defend himself against highly-trained adults. Minato felt like he was being melted from the inside out. He wanted to scream and throw things. He wanted to set the world on fire.

This was all his fault. He was supposed to protect his son, but Minato hadn't been able to do even that much. Now he was here instead of out there looking for him, surrounded by his injured men. What kind of Hokage was he to be beaten so easily? Ambush or not, poison or not-- he should've been better than this. He should've been able to...

The whole thing had been a blur of dizziness and colors. Minato had no idea what was in his system or how he hadn't died from the sheer combination. He'd had a cocktail of poisons in him, some the healers on staff hadn't ever seen before. It was a miracle they'd lost so few of their own. It was a miracle Minato was still here, as heavy as he was hit.

(It didn't feel like it.)

Kakashi was agonizing over it. He hadn't said hardly a word since they got back to Konoha. Minato hadn't wanted to leave, but poisoned as they all were, bloody and broken-- they'd just die before they could save Naruto, and Minato refused to let that be an option. If they wanted the nine tails, they needed Naruto alive. His son was alive. He had to be.

Kakashi blamed himself. He was always quick to do that. The simple reality was that if someone as fast as the yellow flash couldn't catch Naruto and save him, it was far from Kakashi's fault that he hadn't been able to either. They'd all taken a beating. Around thirty enemies, maybe even more, all of them high-level and ready to play dirty...

"It's a miracle you came back when you did. This much poison in your system-- a few more hours and you all would've been dead. Minutes for some of you." One of the nurses clucked. Minato stared at her with dead eyes, and she gulped a little, straightening slightly at his flat gaze. "Y-You should be healed up in no time at all, but you must be careful with those ribs, Hokage-sama. They're--"

A hand whipped out and grabbed Minato's wrist, startling the healer. The blonde turned, expressionless, rage simmering.

Jiraiya had been beat up pretty bad. They'd knocked him out fast and had tried to kill him, and he'd been out cold for much of the fight and journey back. He was awake now, hazy eyes bloodshot. He struggled to sit himself up, tightening his grip on Minato slightly. He opened his mouth to say something and a wheeze escaped him.

Abruptly, Minato wanted to strangle him. He wanted to strangle everyone. They had no idea who'd taken his son. The enemies they'd managed to kill-- a hefty amount-- had turned to ash thanks to some sort of cursed seal on their person. Their bodies were gone, and now all they had was--

"M-Minato." Jiraiya choked out, looking like he was struggling to breathe. "T...Toad. I put... on--"

Minato's heart all but stopped in his chest. Kakashi's head snapped up. Minato twisted his wrist out of the sannin's grip, grabbing him by the shoulder and yanking him up. Jiraiya winced but didn't protest at the furious motion. The nurse looked like she was about to go into cardiac arrest a the harsh handling, however. 

"A toad?" Minato asked with almost hysterical desperation. "You got a summon on one of them?! A toad?!"

Jiraiya didn't speak again, but he did nod, his eyes grim but glittering. And that... that was something.

~

Next three, soon to be four chapters out on Patreon's early access! 

Chapter 28 sneak peek:
 
"The Kyuubi." Ayumu frowned, eyeing Minato dubiously. "How will it play into this? If I agree entering his mind is the best course of action."