To Be Young Again-Chapter One
Jiraiya takes a 'trip'
"Ow, why did Tsunade have to hit so hard?" Jiraiya muttered as he continued his walk back to Konoha...at least he think he was.
'Kuso, where the heck did I land?' he asked himself trying to find some kind of marking or scenery he was familiar with. All he could see was trees, trees, and more trees.
"She must have been madder than I thought" he thought out loud, thinking back to how he got into this predicament.
*flashback*
"For the millionth time Jiraiya, NO" Tsunade yelled, furiously trying to finish all the paperwork that had piled up.
"Come on Tsunade" Jiraiya asked with a pout-like voice. "I'll buy you a bottle of sake and then we can drink the sake from cups, the bottle, off your body..." Jiraiya said with a perverted grin on his face. Too bad for him he was too busy thinking about that last image that he missed Tsunade hand, glowed with chakra, and earned a well-placed uppercut to his chin sending him through the roof of her office and farther than he usually went.
Sighing, Jiraiya rubbed his chin and winced at how tender the skin was.
"Ugh. It hurts like crazy."
After walking for several more minutes, the sound of running water nearby caught his attention.
'Good, I was starting to get thirsty' he thought as he quickly made his way towards the sound of the running water. After a few minutes, he came across a river running further deep into the forest. 'Ah, good cold, refreshing, water' as he cupped his hands into the cold water and brings it to his lips. After drinking his fill, he searched around for some food. 'There has to be some fruit around here somewhere.' Looking around, he noticed there wasn't one speck of food anywhere.
"Great, there is no food, no way to carry water, and worse of all...no girls to spy on."
Stomach growling, he sat back down, back facing the river, head hung in defeat.
"KA-PLUNK."
Hearing splashing, Jiraiya turned his head in time to see a fish jump out of water and land back in, spraying Jiraiya with water droplets.
"Hmm, you will make a tasty meal" as he quickly made his way over to river.
'Come on out again, you little morsel' Jiraiya thought, grinning as he waited for the fish to surface again. He then saw bubbles appear on the surface of the water.
"Gotcha," he said softly hands out ready to catch the fish. However, he wasn't expecting a fish about the same size as him to jump out. "Waah" Jiraiya screamed as the monster fish jumped out, drenching him in the cold water. Sputtering he tried to back away but the water around the banks of the river was slippery and he fell in. "KUSO *splash*" is all that Jiraiya had time to say before he was swept away by the powerful current. He continued to be swept deeper into the forest as he fought for every breath when he surfaced.
'Why is this current so strong?' as Jiraiya tried to fight against the fast-flowing river. As he started winning, he was pushed further down into the water as the river he was currently in joined with another making the river move faster and stronger than it had before.
As he continued to be pushed around, he tried to get back to the surface but the harder he tried, the stronger the current fought back. As Jiraiya felt as he was about to drown, he surfaced again to breathe in giant gulps of air before he was pulled back down again.
'It's like the water is playing with me'' Jiraiya thought as he continued to fight. Sighing mentally, he stopped fighting the current and let it carried him wherever it was flowing. That 'wherever' happened to be a cavern where the river became a nice little waterfall ride that pushed him down into a pool of water that is waiting for him at the bottom.
"SPLASH" is the only sound heard as Jiraiya made he tumbled down into the pool of water. After a few seconds, he resurfaced, spluttering and cursing his luck, as he washed up on the shores of the small lake.
'Why is my luck so bad today?' as he dragged his wet and freezing self-up farther on land.
"Achoo!" he sneezed as he began to shiver from the chilling air and the icy water ride. Looking around, he noticed some washed-up tree limbs and branches that took the same route as him. "These should make a nice fire" as he checked to see if the wood could be of use. Placing the firewood in a pile, he made some hand seals and used his Fire Style: Flame Bullet to ignite the pile of wood. After he warmed up and dried his clothes, Jiraiya began to take in his surroundings and see if he could find an exit. Noticing a cave not far from where he was sitting, he decided to go explore it.
"Maybe I can find an exit" he muttered as he got up and walked over to the cave entrance. Next to the cave, was some symbols carved into the wall. DANGER". "I wonder what the symbols mean" Jiraiya asked himself as he studied the symbols closely.
"Oh well, got no other way to go as he headed deep in to the cave."
Unknown to him, the symbols was a warning and in fact spelled "DANGER" which meant that Jiraiya needed to stay on his toes as he headed deeper into the unfamiliar territory.
"Man I wish I had some light" he grumbled as he walked deeper into the cave.
'I could use one of my fire jutsus, but with my luck...'
Jiraiya just kept moving forward, hands against the walls, feeling his way since the cave was getting darker with every passing step.
"I hate this cave, that river, and the darkness…OMPH."
Jiraiya fell on the ground after tripping over something in his way. Muttering curses, he picked himself up and examined what made him trip.
"Hmm, it seems my luck is turning towards the better" he stated, holding a thick branch in his hand and lighting the end of it like a torch. Now being able to see where he was going, he casually walked ahead grinning at his good fortune...until he stepped on a trap.
Feeling the ground underneath give way, he quickly jumped right before falling to his doom in a spiked pit. Growling, he picked up the torch he dropped while narrowly avoiding poison kunai that just came out of the wall. Realizing the cave was booby-trapped, he did the best and most logical thing he could do in his current situation-mutter curses as he ran through the cave, avoiding traps as best as he could.
'Why...is...this...happening...to...ME!' Jiraiya screamed in his head as he dodged poison kunai, jumped over pitfalls, and ducked under fireballs randomly flying from every direction. Seeing the end, he used an extra burst of chakra in his legs and jumped, narrowly avoiding giant shurikens and landing into...another cavern with a dead-end.
"GAAH, WHERE'S THE EXIT IN THIS PLACE!" Jiraiya yelled and punched the wall in frustration. Just then, the wall gave way and he landed face-first into a secret room.
'I bet Tsunade has a mini voodoo doll of me and is just torturing it to insanity' Jiraiya grumbled face still in the dirt.
"Man, my life was easier when I was younger. Look at Tsunade, same age as me and getting more beautiful...and bustier" Jiraiya grinned, thinking about Tsunade gifted breasts. Sighing, Jiraiya got up and dusted himself off.
"Ugh what I wouldn't do to be half my age again."
Looking around he noticed that the cavern was brighter than the one he just left.
'There might be an exit nearby' as he started looking around for the source of light. However, what drawn his attention was a statue in the middle of the room.
"It's...beautiful" Jiraiya said wiping a tear from his eye. He wasn't talking about the beauty of the statue for it was made of polished stone, but the picture the statue was displaying. The picture was of a man with four beautiful women crowding on his right side. "Now that's how I want to live" Jiraiya said shaking his head in approval.
'I wonder how I can live like that—hello, what is this?'
Jiraiya then studied the statue more closely.
'Why is his right side the face of a young man, but his left side is the face of an elder one?'
Jiraiya then noticed the ring on the statue's right hand.
"Did he marry the girls?" Jiraiya grumbled, shuddering at the thought of marriage until he notice an indention on the statue's left hand and crumbles of stone behind his left side. "I wonder..." Jiraiya began twisting the ring off the statue's right hand. After a few more twist, the ring came off. As soon as the ring comes off, there was a rumble from the statue as the girls start to crack, break, and fall to the ground similar to the pile on the left side. "What's going on now?" Jiraiya then noticed the statue's features as it changed from the happy young man to a frowning, elder man who then begins to crumble and break until he too fell into a pile of rubble between the remains of the stone girls. "Even in death, you will lie with your girls" Jiraiya said bowing in respect and grinning like the pervert he was. However the grin was soon wiped away as the cave begin to crumble, blocking the way he came in. "Great, can this get any worse?" Just then, the walls on both sides begin to move closer in as if to turn him into a toad sage pancake. "I had to ask." Jiraiya mutters as he places the ring on his finger.
'Kuso, how am I going to get out of here?' as he looks for an exit. He then notices several holes in the wall behind the once standing statue that was letting in sunlight. Noticing how close the incoming walls were, he knew he had one shot.
"It's now or become a pancake" as he starts creating two Rasengan, one in each hand. Running towards the wall, he drives both swirling balls of chakra into what he believes to be the weak point. "Rasengan" Jiraiya calls out as the wall gave way to the outside world, taking him with it just as the two moving walls slammed together with a loud THUD. Breathing heavily, Jiraiya sighs, "that was too close" as he gets up on his feet again. Dusting himself off once again, he climbs up a tree to check his surroundings. Using his spyglass, that by some chance stayed with him all the way, he spots a road a quarter of a mile from where he was perched. "Better get going" he said starting to climb down, reaching down for the previous branch with his foot. As he put his weight on it the branch broke and he lost his balance. However something in Jiraiya's mind snapped and he then landed on the next branch and propelled his body 5 trees ahead from the one he was just on. Looking back, he stares at the ring that seems to glow with a mysterious power.
'I could get use to this' as Jiraiya made his way to the well-used path through the woods. After leaping onto the path, he starts walking straight till he comes across a sign: "Crater City: 5 miles ahead".
"5 miles huh" Jiraiya says his stomach reminding him that he still hasn't eaten since the river incident. "And I got no money… great."
Sighing he walks slowly forward all the while paying attention to the thieves who were trying to rob him. Finally appearing in front, the thieves, with bags full of stolen merchandise, smirk as they try to intimidate him.
"Hand over all you valuables...and we might go easy on you" the thieves smirk thinking they were robbing another guy down on his luck. Well they were half right because they were trying to rob a guy down on his luck. Unfortunate for them, the guy they were trying to rob was one on the 3 legendary sages and was not in a good mood. Jiraiya, who was hungry, sent down a fast-moving river only to end in a cave and be nearly killed several times, was slightly irritated and itching to go to town. So what he did to the thieves is understandable as he quickly blew flame bullets at them, use a Rasengan that blew all but the leader away. Then he summoned a giant toad which then grabbed the leader and using its tongue swung him around and around until he let him go in the same direction as his fellow thieves.
"That will show you to mess with me" Jiraiya muttered as he watched the leader fly out of sight. "Oh what's this?" he said, picking up a wallet full of money. Grinning, he picked up all the valuables the thieves drop and decided to return them a few of them will be short of money though. Laughing Jiraiya hops onto the toad he summoned and rides on its back all the way to Crater City.
*Crater City*
'Ah, now this is more like it. Food, sake, and women'
Jiraiya laughed as the girls around him feed him karaage-fried chicken, give him sake from cups, and giggle at his jokes.
"Are you really an author?" one girl asks giving him a kiss on the cheek. Laughing again, he said he was indeed an author.
"You're so young though," another girl said feeding him some more chicken. Jiraiya just kept laughing as the girls kept praising him.
"You all are too modest" he says as he continues to let them feed, drink, and kiss him all night. He finally staggers back into room, drunk, and quickly fell asleep. Waking up with a hangover, Jiraiya makes his way to the store. Buying food and supplies he took his belongings and what he got from the thieves and placed them in his room. Leaving soon, Jiraiya decides to go to the hot springs in the town. Taking a dip in the water, he looks down at the ring that was still on his finger.
'Maybe this ring is for good luck. I wonder why it was hidden and what did that statue mean?'
Sighing, Jiraiya enjoyed his time in the hot spring before going back to his room. While leaving the hotel, Jiraiya was confronted by a mob of angry people as bystanders watched. Noticing some of the thieves from yesterday he figured out what the mob wanted.
"Can I help you gentleman with something?" Jiraiya asks not at all intimidated by the large group.
"We want our stuff back," one of the man yelled from the crowd as the rest muttered in agreement.
"What stuff?" Jiraiya ask acting as if he didn't know what stuff they were talking about. The leader of the group, a big man who was taller than Jiraiya, walked forward and glared at the toad sage.
"The stuff you have on your back in those bags. The stuff that was stolen from us and is rightfully ours."
There was more agreement from the crowd as the leader began to poke Jiraiya in the chest. When the leader stepped back, Jiraiya pulled the bags off his shoulder and placed them in front of him.
"Oh, this is all of your stuff?" the toad sage asked the mob as he looked at each face. "Well…here you go then" Jiraiya says and begin to walk away when he suddenly jumps out of the path of a flung kunai.
"You're not getting off that easily" the leader said who brought his arm back ready to knock Jiraiya's head clean off. Relying on reflexes, he ducked the blow, created a Rasengan in half the time it normally took, and placed it into the belly of the leader of the mob. The leader then went spiraling back, knocking over most of the people like a bowling ball knocking down pins.
"Next time you will think twice before attacking me-"
Jiraiya did his signature pose
"Jiraiya, the toad sage and one of the legendary sennin of Konoha."
The mob gasped as the watch their leader lose to one of the legendary sennin. Grabbing their valuables and their leader, the mob and the thieves turn tailed and ran away. Sighing, Jiraiya went on ignoring the crowds whispering as he made his way to the next city before going home to Konoha.
"Man this ring is awesome. I haven't felt this good in years" Jiraiya said actually starting to run from pent-up energy. But then he stopped and looked down at the ring. The ring was made up of a silver band with a blood-red stone that swirled with green and had the kanji for 'young warrior' written on the inside of the band.
"Hm, I better get the ring checked out first before something bad happens to me."
He quickly made his way to the next destination before returning to Konoha—Otafuku City.
"I remember this is the first stop me and Naruto made to find Tsunade. Felt like a lifetime ago" Jiraiya said to himself, nodding to the town's women who blushed and giggled around him.
'Hm, must be something in the air or these girls realized a good quality man when they see one' Jiraiya thought (wishes) as he believed the words in his mind. With the money who took yesterday, he bought a hotel room and decided to catch up on his research around the town. Walking around he met many girls who was flirting with him.
"Hey there, want to come inside for a drink?" three girls, all dressed in half kimonos, asked.
"You bet!" Jiraiya answered going inside the sake bar where he spent the rest of day and night. The next three days Jiraiya stayed in Otafuku city drinking, womanizing, and just plain old having fun. However, his fun was about to end when the one person who knew his habits all too well entered the city, on an errand run for Tsunade.
"Eh, ero-sennin, what are you doing in this city?" Uzumaki Naruto yelled loudly after finding the perverted sage toad surrounded by a large group of females. Growling, the toad sage said, "I told you to stop calling me that" as he glared at the yellow-haired ball of energy. Sighing and knowing his time in the city was over Jiraiya got up and followed Naruto back to his hotel room.
"What are you doing here Naruto?" Jiraiya asked with a giant scowl on his face. However, he noticed Naruto staring at him funny. "What?" he asked wondering if he had something on his face.
"Why do you look…different?" Naruto asked staring awfully hard at pervy sage's face.
"What do you mean different? You were able to recognize me just fine earlier" Jiraiya snapped still angry at being interrupted with the girls.
"I mean you sort of remind me of Tsunade-baachan. I just can't quite figure out how" he said still looking at the sage.
"Did you get whatever you came to this city for?" Jiraiya asked picking up the bag he bought to hold his things.
"Huh, oh yea, I did" Naruto said following Jiraiya out of the hotel and on the road back to Konoha. "Hey ero-sennin," Naruto called walking alongside his former teacher.
"I told you to stop calling me that" he grumbled as he started to walk faster.
"Whatever. Where did you get the ring?" Naruto asked catching up with the toad sage easily.
"Eh, I found it" Jiraiya said and left it at that.
"Hm, that's funny because I read about a ring similar to the one on your hand" Naruto said hands behind his head thinking of what kind of ramen he was going to eat when he returned. Thinking about the savory noodles, he missed when Jiraiya suddenly stopped, after hearing that and stared at Naruto who continued to walk.
"Where?" Jiraiya asked eyes suddenly huge as he stared the retreating back of ramen-loving knucklehead.
"Huh, where what?" Naruto asked now noticing that Jiraiya had stopped moving. Naruto was surprised when Jiraiya was suddenly in front of him, shaking him asking 'where' over again.
"Where did you read about this ring Naruto? Hurry up and tell me where? WHERE?" Jiraiya kept asking still shaking the orange-clad ninja in front of him.
"Stop…shaking…me" Naruto asked feeling dizzy and sick to his stomach. Finally realizing what he was doing, Jiraiya let go of Naruto's jacket and stepped back for he thought Naruto was looking a little sick.
"Where did you read about this ring?" Jiraiya asked once again when the color returned to Naruto's face.
"I read about it in a book from the library" he responded, shaking his head to stop the dizziness.
"Since when did you actually read books, let alone go to the library?" Jiraiya asked.
"Hey, I do too read books and scrolls besides Sakura-chan asked me to return some books to the library for her" Naruto said angrily glaring at the perverted sennin. "While I was walking, the book fell open and I saw the picture of the ring. I picked it up and glanced at it, but I didn't read it" Naruto continued to walk next to the toad sage as they made their way back.
"Why didn't you read it?" Jiraiya asked wishing he knew more about the ring he wore on his right hand.
"I didn't want Sakura-chan mad at me and punching me like you was because I turned in her books in late to the library" Naruto said a smile on his face.
"Good point" Jirayia said, thinking about the pink-haired kunoichi who temper and strength could rival Tsunade's.
"…hey what you mean like I was?"
"I just stepped into the room right when Tsunade gave you an uppercut to the chin that sent you far away from Konoha" Naruto said grinning at the thought of seeing pervy sage rejected…again.
"Let's just get back to Konoha and find that book already" Jiraiya snarled as he walked faster back to the hidden leaf village.
"Hey, can we go get ramen first?" Naruto asked as he and the toad sage made their way home and unexpected surprises along the way.
Catfight to Catwalk
"Hey Naruto, you have anything to drink with you?" Jiraiya asked who was thirsty and sweating in the summer heat.
"No, pervy sage, I just got my empty canteen bottle" Naruto answered, shaking the empty container as if to prove his point.
"Must be something to drink around here" the thirsty toad sage muttered looking around as if a bottle of sake will magically appear on the road.
"There's a river not far from here" Naruto added looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Flinching slightly at the thought of going towards another river, he weighted in his mind how thirsty he was. Deciding the thirst out-weight the dangers of falling in again, he asked Naruto to take him there.
'At least someone will be going under with me if I fall' Jiraiya thought walking along side Naruto who was deep in thought.
'Hey Kyuubi, does Jiraiya seem…different to you?' Naruto asked in his mind as he faces the home of the demon fox living within him.
"Like I actually pay that close attention to the pervert" Kyuubi replied in a snotty way. '
Well excuse me for asking you stupid fox' Naruto muttered as he left the Kyuubi's cage for the real world.
'But I do see what Kit means. If I didn't know any better I'd say that perverted sage was getting younger.'
As they cleared the forest, they came across a river that was, thankfully to Jiraiya, slower and much shallower than the one he tumbled down the other day. Quickly running ahead, he dipped his hands in the water and drank until thirst went away.
"Ah, that was refreshing" Jiraiya said as Naruto came and filled up his empty canteen. Looking at Jiraiya he blinked and stared hard as his face. Feeling uncomfortable under the intense stare, he asked why he was staring at him like that.
"…Are you using some kind of anti-wrinkle cream or something?" Naruto asked continuing to stare at Jiraiya's face.
"What kind of question is that?" Jiraiya yelled, glaring at his godson whom just questioned his looks.
"I mean-"
Naruto started walking closer to Jiraiya who started walking backwards trying to get away from the approaching blond.
"-that after you drank that water-"
Naruto was still walking towards him as Jiraiya started walking backwards, not noticing the rock behind his foot.
"-You suddenly became younger. You look like you're in your late twenties" Naruto said hand extended trying to touch Jiraiya's face to see if it was real.
"What you meeeaaann? *splash*"
Jiraiya tried to avoid Naruto's hand and his heel caught on the rock which sent him landing backside first in the water. Spluttering and coughing, he wiped the water out of his eyes as he looked down at his reflection.
"Whoa. How-wha?" is all that comes out of Jiraiya's mouth as he looks down at a 28 year old man that was staring back at him. Shocked, he just sat there in the water looking at his reflection. Then a giant perverted grin grew on his face as he started jumping up and down in joy. "Woohoo, my dream came true. This ring made me young again" Jiraiya screamed scaring some birds in the nearby trees.
"Eh, hey pervy sage, what happened to you?" Naruto asked in surprise at seeing his godfather act so…energetic.
"The ring Naruto, the ring" Jiraiya said thrusting his hand with the ring in front of Naruto's face.
"What about the ring?" Naruto asked as he and Jiraiya made their way back to the road to Konoha. Jiraiya then told Naruto his adventure down the river and into the cave…exaggerating a lot of the story.
"Then after summoning a giant toad we stopped the walls with our mighty awesome strength and broke through the back wall and to the next city" Jiraiya said nodding as if agreeing with himself. Naruto, however, wasn't the least bit convinced.
"Sure you did pervy sage. I bet after you entered the cave you ran through the whole thing trying to dodge kunai and pitfalls only to end up in a room with a statue and no exit. Then I bet you broke the statue when you took the ring and set off the walls where you desperately used a rasengan to make an exit."
Naruto, who was walking in front, didn't notice when Jiraiya almost tripped due to surprise.
'That brat nearly guessed everything I did. It seems he knows me better than I thought.'
Straightening back up, Jiraiya quickly caught up to Naruto and they made their way back to Konoha. When Konoha was in sight, Naruto asked his godfather a question that made him stop fast in his tracks.
"So, what are you going to do when Tsunade finds out?"
Jiraiya stopped dead fast where he was standing.
'Oh crap, I didn't think about that. Knowing Tsunade she will think that I will use the ring for research and…'
Just then, Jiraiya got the biggest most perverted grin on his face after that thought.
"Eh pervy sage, why do you have that big perverted grin on your face for?" Naruto asked looking back when he noticed that he was walking alone.
"I just came up with the perfect idea on how to take advantage of the ring."
"We don't even know the side effects of wearing the ring or what it does" Naruto yelled concerned for his godfather's life and sanity…well what's left of it.
"Find we'll look it up at the library when we get to Konoha" Jiraiya said trying to calm the loud-mouthed brat before he told all of Konoha.
"But I want ramen" Naruto started to whine as his stomach started growling loudly. Sighing in defeat, Jiraiya agreed, to the joy of the hungry ramen-loving loudmouth knucklehead. As they approached the gate, Naruto warned Jiraiya to use a henge to look like his old self. Nodding in agreement, Jiraiya quickly did a henge and greeted the guards as they went pass them on their way to Ichiraku Ramen.
"I'll meet you there pervy sage. I got to go deliver this package to Tsunade-baachan" Naruto cried out making his way towards the Hokage's office.
'That boy is at stubborn as me sometimes' Jiraiya thought as he made his way to his apartment to change and grab his stuff. After entering his temporary home, Jiraiya took a good look at himself in the mirror.
"Wow I do look a lot younger" the now young pervy sage said admiring his body in the mirror. Feeling that scratching feeling in the back of his throat again, he went to the kitchen, grabbed a cup, filled it with water, an finished it in one gulp. "Man, have I been thirsty lately," as he gulped down another cup of water. After his third cup, he grabbed his bag and set out for Ichiraku Ramen. By the time he got there, Naruto was already on his third bowl of ramen.
"You're late" Naruto said mouth full of ramen.
"I had to go home first and change" Jiraiya said sitting next to Naruto and ordering a bowl of ramen.
"Whatever you say pervy...sage?"
Naruto dropped his chopsticks in his ramen bowl as he stared wide-eyed at the person next to him. Jiraiya caught Naruto staring at him.
"What's the matter with you now brat?" he asked as the usually loud blond was silent, which actually scared him.
'Kyuubi, are you using some kind of genjutsu on me or something?'
"I'm wondering if HE was using some kind of genjutsu and it's affecting me as well as you Kit" Kyuubi answered, noticing how the perverted sage features changed dramatically since they last seen him.
"Are you going to keep staring at me or finish eating?" Jiraiya asked finishing his noodles and wanting to collect "valuable resource" at the girl's bathhouse. Snapping out of his trance, Naruto quickly ate the rest of his ramen, paid for his meal, and half dragged Jiraiya to the library. "Oy, slow down Naruto." Jiraiya said as he was forced all the way to the library and right through the doors.
"What was the name of that book?" Naruto muttered under his breath as he went down each aisle still dragging the poor sage who was trying to get loose. After finally getting free, he watched Naruto dart between each aisle muttering curses as he looked for a certain book.
'Damn it, Kyuubi what was the name of that stupid book. Do you know?'
"The book was called How to Feel Young: Magical Relics throughout History, though I'm not surprised you wouldn't remember Kit.
'Oh hush, Kyuubi…thanks.'
After looking up the book, Naruto quickly went over to a table, searched the table of contents, and turned the pages until he found what he was looking for.
"It's here, pervy sage" Naruto said somewhat loudly earning him a few looks.
"I told you to stop calling me that and you're too loud in the library" Jiraiya said making his way over to the table Naruto was at. "What you find anyway?" he asked looking over the messy hair to see what made Naruto act like he did.
"The ring on your finger, it's called the 'ring of youth' and grants the wearer the ability to reverse their age over a period of time. That's why you been getting younger every time I see you" Naruto said looking at the ring on Jiraiya's finger.
"What else it says?" Jiraiya asked moving Naruto's messy hair out of the way.
"It says the longer the person wears the ring, the younger they look until they reach the desired age. The downside is the constant thirst the wearer will have, so whoever wears the ring should carry around plenty of drinks. The thirst will still continue even after the wearer reached the desired age. To reverse the effects of the ring, all the wearer has to do is take the ring off and keep it off for 24 hours."
"…that's it?" Jiraiya asked.
"It goes into the history of the ring, but that's not really important right now" Naruto said closing the book and putting it back on the shelf. Leaving the library, Jiraiya put on a henge and walked through the town with Naruto, thinking.
"So what are you going do while you're young? You know baa-chan is going to find out sooner or later."
Jiraiya was deep in thought thinking the same thing.
"What do you think Naruto? Naruto?"
Jiraiya turned to look at him and noticed something else that caught his ex-pupil's eye.
'Wow, they're barely wearing anything' is what's going through Jiraiya's and Naruto's minds, as they notice some of the girls walking around in shorts and t-shirts thanks to the summer heat. That's when Jiraiya got the perfect idea on how to spend his youth.
*The next morning at Ichiraku Ramen*
"Come Naruto, I need your help" Jiraiya said quickly making his way to Naruto's apartment.
"My help with what?" the eager young blond said running to catch up with his now fast pacing god father. Turning around and giving Naruto the biggest grin he ever seen on the pervert's face, he said, "I need your help of getting sexy pictures of every kunoichi in Konoha" he said laughing his perverted laugh as he started planning on how to achieve his goal.
'Kyuubi, I think Tsunade's punches and the heat has finally gotten to him.'
And for once, the Kyuubi actually agreed with Naruto as they made their way back to Naruto's apartment and see what kind of plan the perverted toad sage was cooking up.
*Naruto's apartment*
"You want me to do WHAT?" the fox demon's host screamed as he looked at the perverted toad sage who never stopped showing how perverted he really was.
"You heard me right, Naruto. I want you to help me gather research on all the kunoichi in Konoha" Jiraiya repeated as the super pervert grin etched on his face. "Just think…all that research for my books. I'll even let you have the first copy of my new series, To Be Young Again" Jiraiya said already thinking of how he was going to write the series.
"Eh, I don't want your perverted books or help you collect your perverted data, either" Naruto said a frown on his face. "In fact, I'm going to tell baa-chan about that stupid ring right now" Naruto yelled heading towards the door.
"NO!" Jiraiya nearly screamed running ahead and blocking the exit in front of Naruto. Naruto then headed for the balcony. "Please Naruto, this is a once in a life time opportunity. I'll…I'll…I'll buy you a year's supply of ramen" Jiraiya said hoping that Naruto wouldn't snitch. Naruto paused just as he got one foot on the rail.
"… really pervy sage? If I help you with your data collecting, you will buy me a year's supply of ramen?" Naruto asked looking back at the mid-twenties year old man who had tears in his eyes.
"Yes. Yes I will, just please don't tell Tsunade yet" Jiraiya said actually getting on bended knees begging, Naruto not to go.
'Wow, he's really serious. Hm, if it gets me a year supply of ramen…'
"Okay, pervy sage" Naruto said, placing his foot back on the ground.
"Really? You will help?" Jiraiya said eyes bright with unshed tears. "Thank you, Naruto. Now this is what we need to do" Jiraiya said clear faced and grinning.
'Was he even really crying?' Naruto thought suspiciously as he listened to his pervy godfather's plan on how to get the research.
"So you ready to help me, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked going towards the door.
"Yes, but wait" Naruto said making Jiraiya stop and turn around. "You might need some new clothes since your old ones will give you away. Although I'm curious on how they shrunk too" Naruto said following Jiraiya out the door and to the nearest store. After thirty minutes in the store, ten of those spent flirting with the clerk Jiraiya stepped out in a new outfit.
"It's perfect. No one will suspect me in this" Jiraiya said looking down at the outfit of his youth. He was wearing a black shirt with the design of flames on the sleeves and a Konoha leaf on the back. He also wore black pants that had red and orange flames at the bottom. He also carried a dark green backpack slung over his shoulder with a chibi green frog on it.
"Wow, you really look different, pervy sage" Naruto said coming out of the store with a new fox backpack.
"Hey, you going to have to stop calling me that or else YOU will give me away" Jiraiya hissed looking around for anybody familiar who could have heard the loud blonde.
"Okay, so what am I to call you then?" Naruto asked as he started walking through the town not really heading to any destination.
"Hmm, something that Tsunade won't guess as me" Jiraiya said looking down at the ring once more. They stopped at a store to buy Jiraiya a large canteen he filled with water for when his throat itched. As Jiraiya tilted the canteen to his lips, Naruto saw how the ring shined in the sunlight.
"How about Yuusu (youth)?" Naruto suggested looking at the ring.
"That's…brilliant Naruto" Jiraiya said giving his godson a smile. "Ok. So my fake name is Yuusu and I'm from…crap I haven't thought that far ahead. And knowing Tsunade she is going to want to see proof" Jiraiya said looking around as if voicing her name would send the Hokage right to them.
"Hmm, how about the demon country?" Naruto said secretly laughing as the toad sage looked around in fear.
"Huh, why did you choose the demon country?" Jiraiya asked looking at Naruto who was hiding a grin.
"Well, on my adventures, I meet and saved the Shrine Maiden of that country. She asked me if I 'wanted to help her pass the power on to the next priestess'?" Naruto said thinking about that time on the mountain. He missed the look of absolute shock on Jiraiya's face when he said that.
'I don't believe it? This boy can get Shrine Maiden to want him, but I can't get a date with an old teammate?' Jiraiya thought glumly, hanging his head in shame.
"What did you say Naruto?" Jiraiya asked knowing the blonde was dumb enough to refuse.
"Eh, I said sure and that I was up for anything" Naruto asked wondering why everybody had strange looks on their face after he said that. "Eh, you're okay per- er- Yuusu?" Naruto said quickly catching his mistake as he watched the young sage bent over, head hanging down in depression.
"Yes Naruto, everything is just fine" he replied sulking as they made their way to one of the training grounds.
'I don't know why, but seeing the perverted toad sage's expression after learning about the priestess wanting Naruto makes me wants to laugh' Kyuubi thought as he watched Naruto tell Jiraiya about all his adventures.
'How does he get all the girls from distant lands to go crazy for him? What is he doing that I'm doing wrong?' Jiraiya thought as they made it to the training grounds. Once there, they heard arguing and name calling.
"In your dreams, Ino-pig. Sasuke-kun would never want a stick figure like you."
"Yea like your flat-chested self could catch his attention forehead."
"Wow, what's with the name-calling kunoichi, Naruto?" Jiraiya whispered looking at the two girls who were almost growling at each other. Naruto answered his question by loudly saying, "hey, Sakura-chan. Hey Ino." Both girls quit glaring at each other and turned to Naruto.
"Hey, Naruto," both girls responded than turned to look at Jiraiya. Their eyes suddenly went wide as they looked Jiraiya up and down.
"Hey Naruto, who's your friend?" Ino asked still looking Jiraiya up and down. Sakura had a slight frown on her face.
"Hey looks strangely familiar to me" Sakura said squinting at Jiraiya as if it would tell her who he was.
'Crap, I didn't think about that pink-haired girl Tsunade trained. She will figure it out and tell…my resource' Jiraiya mentally cried as he waited for Sakura to guess who he was.
"His name is Yuusu and he is pervy sage's…nephew. He came from the demon country to visit his uncle in Konoha" Naruto quickly lied to save his free year's supply of ramen.
"Smooth save, Kit. I guess hanging out with that masking-wearing perverted sensei of yours really paid off" Kyuubi complimented Naruto on his cover-up story. Realization and a blush came over Sakura's face as she remembered the incident with Naruto and the priestess at the end of their trip.
"Nice to me you, Yuusu" Ino said giggling a bit.
"Nice to meet you too, Ino-san" Jiraiya said politely even bowing in her front of her.
"Oh my. So, what do you do for a living?" Sakura asked impressed at how well-mannered he was.
"Why I'm a novelist" Jiraiya said realizing his mistake too late.
"You're not as perverted as your uncle are you?" Sakura asked reaching for her gloves. Thinking quickly, Jiraiya came up with a story to hide his pervert-ness.
"No actually I interview female kunoichi and ask about their favorite summer-time clothes" saying the first thing that came to mind. Naruto and Kyuubi were both thinking the same thing.
'They won't buy that story/They won't buy that story.'
However, surprising all three, the girl's eyes suddenly sparkled and said how cool that was. Naruto and Jiraiya sweat dropped as they watch the two girls, who were just arguing a few minutes, now talking about being interviewed.
"So, what kind of interview are you conducting today?"
"What's the name of your works?"
"Do you have a copy of your magazine?"
The two friends/enemies were asking rapidly, getting closer and closer to Jiraiya.
'Great, how am I going to get out of this one?' Jiraiya was thinking as he was trying to come up with more lies. Thankfully, Naruto, fueled by the idea of free ramen, once again came to his rescue.
"Hey, Sakura-chan, Ino, what were you two arguing about before we arrived?" Naruto asked slightly enjoying how uncomfortable pervy sage was in the situation. Remembering Naruto, they suddenly looked at him and then at each other. Smiling, Sakura asked Naruto if she could ask him a question. Just then, Ino intervened by saying, "no way forehead he'll pick you only because he had a crush on you."
"Fine then, we will let Naruto AND Yuusu decide on who looks better" Sakura said and the two girls began to argue again. Trying to stop them from arguing, Naruto asked loudly, "what do you want us to do?" Surprised, both girls blinked and looked back at Naruto and Jiraiya.
"We want you to judge who looks better in a two-piece bikini" both girls said at the same time. Both Jiraiya and Naruto's mouth dropped. Even the Kyuubi was cleaning out his ears to make sure he heard right.
"Can you repeat that?" Naruto asked wondering if the summer heat was getting to him too.
"We want you two to be the judges of our swimsuit contest. Do you mind?" both girls asked all seriousness showing on their faces and in their voice. Both Jiraiya and Naruto glanced at each other. Grinning, they both said one word.
"Ok."
"Yay" the girls said as they grabbed their bags full of swimsuits and made their way to a nearby pond.
'This is going to be the best day of my life' both boys thought as they followed the babbling kunoichi to their contest showdown.
