Chapter 27

Athena was staring at the sky. She was on her back in the grass. She enjoyed the wind hitting her body and relaxed. She had traveled to the next village with her father. Her mother and brother remained in the last visited village. She was curious as to what she would learn under her father, but she was excited. Of course she would have to wait. Her father went to go take care of some business. Athena didn't know if she should take him seriously or not. Was he doing something serious or was he spying on women in the hot spring? She didn't know.

She didn't care as much as she should. She liked the time to herself. Time to think. Her conversation with Naruto was still in her head. Why did he have to say such things? It was frustrating. He was implying that she had feelings for Hinata.

Hinata of all people.

Yes she admired her. Yes she respected her. Yes she's a bit protective, but that didn't mean anything.

She sighed and closed her eyes. Hinata originally married Naruto. She developed feelings for the boy after he saved her from bullies in the winter. Athena always liked that scene. Naruto got beat up and his scarf was a mess but he stood up for her.

"His scarf"

It was red.

"He saved her in the winter. From bullies. He had on a red scarf"

She blinked and suddenly sat up. How had she only then realized it? She had saved Hinata in the winter. She had fought her bullies. She had on a red scarf. Hinata now had the scarf.

"Oh no"

She fell back into the grass and groaned. She did not mess up the chance of Boruto and Himawari being born. She did. She most definitely did. Naruto never met Hinata. He never saved her. He hadn't been there. She had.

Another sigh.

Things were getting out of hand. She didn't care about changing canon. It's what she had been trying to do since she arrived. She's pretty sure she saved the life of practically every Uchiha. She wasn't informed of what the Hokage had done but she believed the Uchiha clan was not slaughtered. Sasuke may or may not turn out differently. Naruto would be trained. He would be stronger and smarter. That was okay. She was okay with such changes. She was not okay with changes that directly affected Naruto's future children. Or emotionally involved her.

She didn't plan any of this. She didn't plan to grow attached to Hinata.

Naruto should have never asked questions. He didn't even know what he was encouraging. Hinata is his future wife.

"I don't want to think about this"

She stood up and wandered back to the village. She could hunt down her father. She didn't want to think about her emotions towards someone who was meant to be with her brother. One of the reasons she didn't like emotions was because they are unreliable. One cannot control their emotions. Not fully. Emotions cause problems. And problems are something Athena wants to avoid.

She found herself in town and behind the hot springs. She had easily located her father and found him doing his "research". She sighed as she quietly approached him. Her steps were silent, as always. Silent steps is a habit she developed in her last life. She would sneak out of her room at night and she had to learn to be as silent as the most skilled ninja.

She stood behind her father and gripped him by the collar. The man yelped in shock and struggled as Athena pulled him away.

"Hey! I wasn't finished "

"You are now" Athena sighed. "You should stop spying on women"

"You know I can't do that. How am I supposed to get good content for my book? "

Athena said nothing as she dumped her father by a tree. He had his work in progress around his waist in a pouch and Athena easily snatched it from him. She flipped it open and read through the contents. She had always wondered what was to be found in the famous Icha Icha Paradise book Kakashi was so obsessed with. It was interesting. She read through everything in less than a minute.

"I'm not sure you should be reading my book. It's not really for kids" Jiraiya took the book from Athena and put it away. "I need the research for the steamy scenes"

Athena said nothing and just sat in front of her father.

"You know, I just realized that I don't know a lot about you. How about we change that? "Jiraiya sat up straight and folded his legs. He would have three years with his daughter. He wondered what she was like. She was obviously better now. Time around her mother had helped. He knew she was blunt and honest. He also knew that she wasn't one to admit emotions. At least not all the time. But that's about it.

Athena had nodded and shrugged to the idea. It could be interesting and it would take her mind off of other things.

"What do you want to know? "

"I don't know. Do have any hobbies? "

Athena hummed and looked down to the grass. "I like to draw and sing. I write sometimes but it's not serious. Just something to sort my thoughts and emotions"

She draws and sings. He didn't know that. She also liked something he liked. That was good to hear.

"Do you have any of your drawings on you? "

Athena nodded and reached into her pouch. She pulled out a scroll and opened it in front of her. She placed her palm on it and watched as her drawing equipment appeared from a puff of smoke. She took her drawing pad and flipped it open, handing it to her father.

Jiraiya had interest in his eyes as he went through Athena's drawings. She had a talent for it. The drawings were so realistic and very good. He had stopped at a drawing of Naruto. It featured the boy at different ages. The first was of the five year old he was three years ago. He was alone and surrounded by shadows. A representation of what he went through. The next was of a seemingly twelve year old version of the boy. He had on the leaf forehead protector and was adjusting it with a massive grin on his face. The other was of the boy at fifteen or sixteen. He had a rasengan that looked like a shuriken held above his head. The other was of the boy in sage mode. Toad sage mode. Next to that was that of him glowing yellow and black spheres floating around him. He held a small staff in his hand and looked serious. The other was of an adult Naruto. His hair was cut short and his outfit had changed. He was smiling with his hands behind his head. The last was of the boy dressed as the Hokage. He had the hat over his head and was smiling brightly

Jiraiya looked to Athena, who was also staring at the drawing.

"The evolution of the Naruto I watched grow up"

Jiraiya flipped the drawing pad to the latest drawing. It only had two versions of the boy. The five year old and the smiling eight year old.

"The evolution of the Naruto I am now watching "

"He becomes to Hokage? "

Athena nodded. "He will become the Hokage and I will be by his side for the entire journey "

Jiraiya smiled and ruffled Athena's hair. He received an annoyed glare as the girl returned her hair to its perfected state. It was obvious the girl liked to keep her hair neat.

"You said you like to sing"

"Do not ask me to sing for you, because I will not"

"Are you embarrassed? "Jiraiya teased and poked an annoyed Athena. She swatted his hand away and said nothing. She gathered her art supplies and returned it to her scroll. The scroll was then returned to her pouch.

"Don't tease me. I will break your wrist "

"I thought you weren't one for violence"

"I'm not, but I'm still my mother's daughter. Test me enough and I will hurt you"

"I am your father" Jiraiya cried anime tears. She was just like Tsunade. So cold towards him. She was dead serious about breaking his wrist. She would hurt him if she was angered or annoyed. He knew spending time with Tsunade would do that to her.

Athena blankly stared at her father. He was really something else.

"Your books or book" Athena had somehow retrieved the book from the man.

Jiraiya was shocked and reached for the place he had stored it. How had Athena gotten it from him?

"Genjutsu, I'm very skilled in it" Athena said casually as she flipped through the book.

"When did you even activate a genjutsu? "

Athena shrugged as she continued through the book. "Your book is based on your personal experiences in love ,particularly your rejections by mom" Athena lingered on the last written page. " You're retelling it in a comical way"

Jiraiya laughed nervously. At times he forgot how much Athena knew about him and the world. Of course she would know such a thing. He was sure that if she didn't have her knowledge she would still come to the accurate conclusion. She's a smart kid.

"You make me want to feel sorry for you, cheer you on and relate all at the same time" Athena chuckled. "When I watched you in the anime I was really hoping you'd end up together "

"I'm going to guess we didn't "

Athena had looked away at that. They could have ended up together. Sadly Jiraiya had not returned from his fight against pain.

She would not let that happen. She would find some way to prevent it. She would keep him alive. She couldn't lose him. She had broken down in tears when he died on screen. Now that she was actually in his world. Now that she knew she was his daughter. Now that she saw him as a father. If he died she didn't know what she would do. She didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to lose her mother. She didn't want to lose the old man.

There are a lot of lives she planed on saving. Haku could have been very useful. The same went for Zabuza. She would have her own spy network in the future. Just like her father. She would want those two be one of her reliable spies. She would try to keep them alive. Working for her would be a lot better than Gato or anyone else they would work for. She would pay them a considerable amount and make sure they had everything they would need for any mission.

She would make sure they were happy. They would not be hunted down. They didn't need to constantly be on the run. They could just be Zabuza and Haku.

"Hey, are you alright? "

Athena nodded and pulled out of her thoughts. "What's first on our training list? "

Jiraiya stroked his chin in thought. It was just an act. He already had things planned out.

"I have to take you to Mount Myōboku" Jiraiya stood up.

"Why? "

"The old toad told me to bring you to him. He said he had something important to tell you. I think he had a prophecy dream involving you"

Why did Jiraiya say it so casually? The toad sage wanted to see her? He requested to see her. He had a prophecy about her.

She was curious.

"Well then, let's get our guide" Jiraiya bit his thumb and performed the needed hand signs.

Athena calmly watched him slap his palm on the grass. She watched the markings start to creep across the grass. Summoning frogs is different from summoning slugs.

"Summoning jutsu"

With the usual puff of smoke a small toad was revealed. Athena immediately recognized the odd hair on the toad's head.

"Shima? "

"Hello, child" the kind elderly toad greeted. Shima ignored Jiraiya and hopped towards Athena. She ended up in the girl's open palms. She inspected her. "I see you've adopted your mother's looks"

"Hey, she has my red lines or whatever they are"

"But that's about it" Shima disregarded the sage. "You have very strong chakra, child"

"I've been told that a lot"

The old frog smiled and climbed up Athena's arm. She landed on her shoulder and sat there comfortably.

"Your a special one. I can feel it" The toad said quietly. "Never had anyone naturally possessed yin and yang release without the rinnegan"

Athena spluttered. Say what now? She had yin yang release. How in the world was that even possible. She turned her shocked expression to the smiling Shima, who motioned for her to keep quiet.

"What did you say to her? Athena is hardly ever shocked" Jiraiya inquired.

"No need to worry about that" Shima waved him off. "We have to go see the senile old man"

~~~~~

Athena was starting to dislike any form of teleportation. She always ended up with a mixed up stomach and the urge to vomit.

"Are you ok? "

"Yes. I'm perfectly fine" she waved off her father's concern. "I just get a bit sick whenever someone teleports or uses any form of teleportation apparently "

"If you say so"

"Hang in there child" Shima patted her cheek. She was still seated on her shoulder.

Athena nodded and followed after her father. He lead her into an odd cave like structure that was a bit dim. She expected to a least see Gamabunta. He was massive. She would have easily seen him and expected to. But she didn't.

"Oi, old toad. I brought Athena "

The sage was old. Athena remembered him being around to help Hogoromo or Hagoromo, whatever his name was. The one thing she tended to forget was the name of the sixpaths. She didn't care about it too much. The sage should be over a thousand years old. He lead a long life.

"Ah, Athena. Yes"

He said nothing after which made everyone realize that he had most likely forgotten who she was.

"Senile old geezer"

Athena glanced at the toad who had very clearly said that and met Fukashaku, Shima's husband.

"That's Jiraiya and Tsunade's daughter. You said you had prophecy involving her" he reminded the old ever smiling Gamamaru.

The old toad seemed to finally recall everything and made a sound of recognition. Seeing as he did his job Fukashaku hopped over to Athena and climbed up her body to rest on her free shoulder.

She sighed. She knew Fukashaku and Shima tended to bicker and they ended up sitting right on her shoulder.

"Why have you two taken place on my shoulders? "

"Your chakra is very pleasant and is very close to natural energy" Fukashaku explained. "You're a very special child"

So now she found out her chakra is close to natural energy.

Great.

Just what the hell is up with her?

"Right"the old toad must have recalled everything. Athena found Gamamaru to be very funny.

"Athena Senju, the unknown Goddess"