Disclaimer: You probably already know this but just in case. I don't own Naruto.
A Sun and Its Moon.
It was almost sun down but Naruto was not giving up. He didn't come this far for nothing, even though he was working on bursting the damned rubber ball for almost a week now. The water balloon was much easier compared to this because he only needed theory understood to burst that but bursting a rubber ball means he needed to exert a lot of concentrated chakra which to his dismay, needed great chakra control.
'Damn it's and 'Why isn't it working's were among the most common things Jiraiya heard that week. He was sitting, his legs sprawled out in front of him while leaning back on a tree not far from the clearing where Naruto was hopelessly trying to burst a rubber ball from but he wasn't facing Naruto's impromptu training field. Jiraiya was always very calculating when picking training spots, so he could supervise his student's training and do his research. It was no coincidence Naruto was training not too far from a waterfall where a group of girls came to bathe or play. Unbeknownest to them they were being used or rather exploited as research material for his 'pervy' novels as Naruto put it. But Jiraiya always argued that they should be honored that they helped in the development of the world famous make-out series, read by daimyos and civilians alike. Unfortunately for him today though they left quite early but he still would'nt face Naruto in the false hope that they might return for some odd reason and stared expectantly.
"Argh! Pervy Sage, tell me how to do this!" Naruto shouted from the clearing.
"You have to learn this yourself Naruto." He replied subconsciously.
Which elicited a tired grumble, unnoticed by Jiraiya or ignored would be a better description.
Once Jiraiya lost all hope he realised that there was still some time before he could call it a day. He decided to use this time to think 'cause if he was going to be the master of the child of prophecy he had to keep a sharp mind. He looked up and stared at the descending Sun.
He's learning your jutsu, Minato. It's funny though I'm using your jutsu like my own signature technique, I probably used it more than you ever did and here I am teaching it to your son when that should've been your job. I seriously can't remember the last time I used the toad flame bombs or the raging lion's mane and those are MY signature techniques.
He inadvertently formed a rasengan in his right palm. The translucent jutsu based on pure chakra refracted the rays of the Sun and formed into a mini-Sun itself, shining almost as brightly.
Jiraiya closed his palm, the mini-Sun disappearing simultaneously. And closed his eyes sequentially.
So, could it be true what some people say? That teacher learns more from the student than the student from the teacher? Who profits more? Did you learn anything from Obito, Rin and Kakashi?
He sighed.
In the end, all we have to relay are our jutsus and our ideals to aid them in their path. But.
He opened his eyes and reminded himself of his lost comrade.
Our jutsus needn't necessarily be used for the right cause if the ideals we passed down aren't strong enough or if our students can't accept them. But that itself is the essence of apprenticeship, isn't it? Cooperative evolution.
A smile graced his lips.
We share our experience and they share their ideas, right Sarutobi-sensei? You should know with all -
He was startled out of his thoughts by a loud crack and thud from behind him. Not sparing a second thought Jiraiya quickly got onto his feet and rushed to where Naruto was, almost tripping on the Sake bottles he had drank from a lot earlier.
From where he was, he could make out a few Naruto clones poofing out of existence and the original Naruto panting a little roughly. Further in front of him propped against a slightly indented tree was a Mist ninja, he could tell with the headband he wore on his head and the crack and the thud he had heard was probably from his back impacting on the tree and his consequent descent, respectively. He deduced but gritted his teeth. How could he, a legendary sannin specializing in espionage, let a lowly Mist ninja sneak past him!
Ignoring his bruised ego he rushed to his student and inspected him for any injuries. Seeing that he was okay except for being more than a little tired he decided to ask.
"Naruto, what happened?"
Naruto was a bit startled at first and almost threw a kunai from the direction it was coming from but almost instantly realized who it was. Since that last attack came out of nowhere he was more than a bit jumpy. He took a deep breath, turned around to face his master and pointed his left thumb at the fallen ninja by raising his arm, regaining his boastful nature he said.
"That guy came out of nowhere and attacked me but I took care of him." He puffed up his chest, put his hands on his hip and plastered a wide grin on his face, his tooth shone in typical Guy fashion. Clearly proud of his achievement in his less than optimum condition.
Jiraiya was more than a little impressed, Naruto has been working on that jutsu from dawn to dusk relentlessly and after all that he took down a Mist...
His eyes narrowed at the vest he wore.
Chunin.
"He's a Chunin." Jiraiya stated glaring at Naruto.
Ignoring the glare sent his way, Naruto widened his already face-splitting grin and rubbed the bridge of his nose in a very smug fashion.
"Well, I am going to be Hokage after all."
Which earned him a decent smack upside the head from his master.
"Ow! What the hell, pervy sage? Why'd you do that?" He yelled, glaring at his teacher from under his hands which was caressing the new bump he just got.
"That's not the point, you idiot! You could've DIED! Why didn't you call me?" Jiraiya yelled back at his student shaking his fist at him. He was impressed Naruto could beat a chunin in his state but he needed to learn when not to be reckless and presumptuous, it's gonna get him killed one of these days, he just knew it.
"Well, if someone was watching my training that wouldn't have been the case!" Naruto countered, stressing the word 'someone' with obvious venom.
Jiraiya gritted his teeth at this and almost felt the need to punch his student right in the face but immediately relinquished seeing the pointlessness in their argument and relaxed.
"Anyway, you're not hurt. So, let's go check your assailant and find out why he attacked you."
Naruto mimicked his master and nodded. They both made their way to the fallen chunin.
Jiraiya was kneeling to the left of him with Naruto to his right, also kneeling. The toad sannin was currently searching him for a mission scroll which ninjas usually carried on missions and more so on assassination missions to verify their targets. Sure enough, he found one in his weapons' pouch. It was a red scroll with the hidden Mist insignia in the center.
His eyes widened at the contents of the scroll. It really was an assassination mission. But this only paved the way to more questions.
Why would the hidden Mist want Naruto killed? It could've been because Naruto played a role in the death of Zabuza Momochi, one of their seven ninja swordsmen, but that would be a moot point considering Zabuza was a rogue who vowed to destroy the Mist. I really can't see another reason for them wanting Naruto dead unless Naruto's Jinchuriki status or the fact that he was the 4th Hokage's son had somehow leaked. But that was impossible.
Jiraiya gained a grim look upon this realization, not lost on Naruto.
"What is it, pervy sage?" Naruto inquired.
Jiraiya handed the scroll to Naruto hesitantly. Who took it unsuspectingly albeit warily and began reading it. His eyes widened and his naturally vibrant eyes honed a solemn look. All his life he was hated and pitied in his own village and now another village wanted him dead and he didn't know why. Deja Vu.
"Why? Why does the Mist want me dead?" He asked calmly, but Jiraiya could hear the bitterness in his voice.
The sannin opted to adopt his former hypothesis against his better judgement and asked him.
"Do you remember Zabuza?"
Naruto quickly put two and two together. His eyes widened again.
"Is that why? Because they thought I killed Zabuza?" His voice was slightly cracking.
Jiraiya nodded.
"Though, we can't be sure. Zabuza was a rogue after all."
Naruto 'hmm'ed approvingly, the solemn look not leaving his countenance.
A moment of silence passed between them before Jiraiya returned to the matter at hand. He drew a kunai out of his sleeve.
"In any case, we have to take this guy down for good."
He got ready to move in for the kill and stab the ninja through the heart when an orange-sleeved arm shot up in his path.
"NO!" Naruto reprimanded fiercely.
Jiraiya was slightly annoyed at this but chose to reason with him, genin are naturally uncomfortable with the idea of killing someone, he knew.
"Look, Naruto if we don't kill him now he will com back to kill you later. Besides, he's an enemy shinobi of another village which the leaf has not allied with and therefore is a threat to the leaf. We can't show any-." Jiraiya couldn't complete his justification as the kunai in his hand was slapped away rather forcefully.
"That's exactly why I can't let you do this!" Naruto locked his eyes at Jiraiya with firm blue orbs which faltered a bit later, his face softening immensly as he gazed at the fallen chunin. Jiraiya followed his gaze.
"I mean he can't even fight back." He said gesturing to the unconscious man to his left. "But that isn't the point here." Naruto shook his head and locked his eyes with his master's again as he continued. "Zabuza told me that we are just tools to our village, we either use or get used. And all we really care is about our village. If they're an ally we protect them with our lives and if not we go out of our way to get them killed."
He gestured to the man again. "What I mean is, this man here who wasn't even a match for a lowly genin could be of no use to his village and could be nothing but a nuisance to ours but."
His eyes almost pleading but also just as fierce, his hands balled into fists like the not so rare times he used to proclaim he was going to be the greatest Hokage. "He could have a family that would want nothing more than to have him home safe and sound. A wife? A son? A daughter? Do you really want to ruin their life!?"
Jiraiya dropped his head down in shame, it felt like he was back in the academy and was being lectured by his proctors, but this wasn't the academy and this certainly wasn't his proctor, no this was his apprentice. And yet he seemed to be the one needing the enlightenment more than his inexperienced, naive and bratty student. Yes, it seemed he was the student here.
Compassion, he smiled as he finished his earlier cut-off sentence in the secrecy of his mind. Jiraya closed his eyes as he affirmed to himself, lesson learnt!
"Then what do you suppose we do with him Naruto?" No trace of condemn or contempt in his tone but rather approval and respect.
Jiraiya's affirmative reply calmed Naruto, as he smiled and said while grinning.
"Scare him and his village off, 'their target is under the tutelage of one of the legendary sannin' would be fine but if you really want to scare them out of their wits 'you're messing with the future Hokage' would totally work." Naruto was his boastful self again. Jiraiya almost missed him.
"I suppose."
Jiraiya was now staring at the moon that had come out since the glare of the Sun was now gone. The Sun had long set.
Barely visible in the presence of the Sun, the Moon can only grant little light and has no warmth but the Moon appears to prevail the Sun, its warmth, its light because without it or the night it brings the Sun is detested for its glare and its heat. But on the eclipse, its innate potential is drawn and alas a new Sun is born as the old one departs! But in its place a new Moon is born as well, as the cycle continues. Such is the life of the master and his student.
He recalled an old saying of the Sage of The Six Paths and chuckled.
I suppose it's true.