Naruto was sitting next to Jiraiya's hospital bed. Tsunade had told him that he was in a coma and had no idea when he would wake up. She tried to reassure him reminding him about just how strong he truly was, but Naruto could still see the worry she was hiding. He got back with a wounded Jiraiya three days ago and hasn't left his side unless he could help it. He sat next to his mentor, and godfather, thinking about the events the lead him to that point.
Naruto and Jiraiya set out on there training trip about three months ago. He had learned a lot sense then. Not just about jutsu or being about being a shinobi, but about the world, about the history of the elemental nations(which was a lot sense Naruto didn't listen in the academy and Jiraiya's lessons were more interesting sense he had the actual experience), his views on the world, and most important, about Jiraiya. Though Naruto spent a lot of time with the perverted Sanin and quite a few adventures, Naruto knew very little about him. It was during their three months gone that Naruto learns his mentors ideals, philosophies, and even a little about his past. There were many days on the road Naruto questioned endlessly about Jiraiya and he almost always gave the answers Naruto wanted; but when it came to the philosophes, they would go back and forth for hours from questions to debates. Jiraiya always had a smile on his face during those talks.
Jiraiya, slowly but surely, thought Naruto and helped him get stronger. From improving his already incredible chakra reserves to strategy to concentration. Everyday was a new challenge and for both shinobi respectively, but both loved it. It was four days ago when things changed. That day, there was no talks and no training. Jiraiya told his student to take it easy that day. Naruto already knew something was up. For the hole day Jiraiya had the look on his face that he gets when something trubbles him, and it made Naruto nervous. It was that evening that Jiraiya told him. He was going to help naruto learn how to control the Nine-Tailed Fox. Naruto had a bad feeling the moment he was told, but he didn't say anything. He had learned to trust Jiraiya and he did. Even so, Jiraiya still assured Naruto that he would everything under control and he wouldn't have anything to worry about. Naruto didn't feel any better.
After hours of Jiraiya setting up barrier ninjutsu and seals to help him restrain the fox if things start to get out of hand, they began. Jiraiya told him to take the foxes chakra, as much as he possibly can, then take more but to stay in control. Everything after that was a bler to Naruto and he doesn't remember much of anything, not until it was over. Naruto's focus came back he noticed that it was much later at night then when he started. They started a little after nine and now it looked like the sun was just about to rise. Naruto looked around and noticed that he was still in the same clearing that he started but it looked more like a battlefield now. That's when he finally noticed his teacher. He layed in a puddle of his own blood with a opening in his chest. The front of his chest was gone and so were a few of his ribs. Naruto could see his heart inside of his chest and one of his lungs. He went to his teacher as fast as he could. Naruto seen that he was still, not only alive, but conscious; though bearly. He was muttering about it all being ok or how it wasn't Naruto's fault. Naruto was in shock, he couldn't make his body move. He could barely breath. Finally something clicked. He had to move, or Jiraiya would actually die. He remembered that there was a reason that Jiraiya chose that spot for that training. Not only was it within the land of fire, but it was only seventy miles from the village! Naruto remembered somethings Sakura taught him before he left. He wrapped up Jiraiya's chest tight to help slow the bleeding then gave him a shot in the shoulder, one that was supposed to slow the heart rate and make them go to sleep. At Least that's what he hoped that one was.
Naruto then summoned two clones to help him carry the much larger man the seventy miles to his home village. The sun was well into the sky before he got within thirty miles of the village. Once he did, it wasn't long before four shinobi blocked his path. Though they were not just any shinobi, they were all Anbu Black-ops from his village. They didn't seem surprised to see him there, but they did seem surprised about the state Jiraiya was in. Without a word, two of the Anbu appeared next to Naruto and took Jiraiya and disappeared with him. Naruto was beginning to freak out but the Ambu leader spoke up, "Uzumaki, Horse and Bird is taking Master Jiraiya to the villages hospital." The Anbu leader, who was actually a woman, then turned to the other remaining anbu, "Escort him back to the village, I must report this to Lady Tsunade so she can get to the hospital." And with that, she disappeared too. The last remaining Anbu gestured with his head to move, and for one, Naruto compiled without question. He was able to move much faster without carrying Jiraiya, but was still going slowly due to him being almost out of chakra.
It took almost another two hours for Naruto to get back to the village, but the moment he did, the final Ambu disappeared. He didn't care though, Naruto knew exactly where to go and went straight for the hospital. Naruto ran in and went straight for the emergency wing. Before he could get in a Chunin stopped him. Ne told Naruto that nobody was aloud in the emergency section. After a few minutes of pleading, then arguing, Naruto was about to lay this guy out so he could get through. Before he could someone said loudly and firmly "Enough." He looked back to see who the owner of the voice was. It was another Ambu in a white trench coat with the hood up. Naruto knew that meant that he was a captain.
"The boy is with me, and we are both going through here. Problem with that?" The caption asked. The Chunin stood aside without another word. The caption looked at Naruto and said, "Stay with me and I will take you to Master Jiraiya." and he started walking. Naruto was too tired and had too many questions to know where to start, so he stayed quiet. It wasn't too long of a walk, to get there. It was one of the emergency ninjutsu rooms. The light was on which meant that there was an operation going on. It meant that not only they were working on him, but he was alive as well. He was relieved beyond words. There were two Anbu agents standing guard in front of the room.
"Dog, find Kakashi Hatake, bring him here. Don't tell him why. Go." The caption ordered, and one of the agents was gone. That's when it started for him. The bombardment of questions. It want on for almost an hour. Naruto didn't know what to say, so he didn't. He didn't say a word for the entire time. The caption didn't seem to get angry at Naruto or even raise his voice. Finally he had a long sigh, then said "Perhaps you will have better luck then I Kakashi." then disappeared, revealing Kakashi standing right behind him.
Kakashi stepped forward until he was right in front of his former student. "I know that Master Jiraiya is in there Naruto, and I felt the foxes chakra from here last night." he took a knee and put his hands on Naruto's shoulders and told him "Naruto. You need to tell me what happened. It's important that you do." Naruto looked down, but Kakashi seen his eyes watering.
"H-He…." Naruto looked up to look his sensei in the eye "He was just trying to help me." he told the older man, with tears running down his cheeks. It was that moment that he broke. For the first time in a very long time, Naruto let himself cry. Kakashi watched in surprise as the younger boy started sobbing right in front of him. Kakashi knew that he was hurting more inside then he had ever seen before. He did the only thing he could do and just hug the boy and hold him as he cried. Sense neither one was very used to such things, they would have thought it would have been pretty awkward if they were thinking straight. But neither of them were, both still in shock in some form.
Naruto got under control pretty soon and they both sat down an one the benches outside the room so they can wait more comfortably. Kakashi didn't ask Naruto anymore questions on what happened. They both just sat there for hours in tried in vain to make small talk every once and a while, but Naruto just stared into his lap without a word. After a few hours Kakashi want to talk in private to one of the Anbu guards then came back without a work. Later Iruka came in with a worried look on his face. Before Iruka could come over Kakashi went to talk to him. Once he was done, Kakashi left and Iruka sat next to Naruto without a word. If Naruto even noticed the new man there, he didn't let it show. That's how it went for the next two and a half days. Every couple of hours someone new came to watch over him. Most of his sensei's and a few Anbu watched over him at least once. Naruto sat there, only moving to get water or use the bathroom, but not acknowledging anyone.
After sitting there for two days, the light for the room finally went off. Naruto jumped up and stared at the doors expectantly. Ebisu, his current guardian, nearly had a heart attack at the sudden movement. It was only minutes for the door to open, but it felt like hours to Naruto. When they did, it was Tsunade sheself to come out with with Shizune close behind. Both looked incredibly exhausted. Naruto noticed the point on Tsunade's forehead where she stored her chakra was missing. Naruto felt as if he was punched in the gut when he saw that.
Tsunade took a knee in front of Naruto and looked in his eyes. She may have not known the details, but Naruto could see it in her eyes; she knew what happened.A tier slid down his cheek and Tsunade pulled him into a tight hug.
"It's ok Naruto, I'm not angry at you. I'm just glad that your ok." She told him softly, he believed her.
"I didn't mean for this t-to happen. Any of it. You have to believe me Tsunade." His voice was unstable and shaky.
"I know you didn't sweaty." she cupped his face and continued "Jiraiya is alive and stable and your both home. It's all going to be ok now." she pulled him back in for another hug. He embraced her back for a few seconds before asking the one question he's been scared to.
"How is he?" he whispered. She took a deep breath, then broke the hug and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Naruto," she started slowly " Jiraiya was lucky you got him here when you did. And that you had the medicine from Sakura. Had he lost anymore blood…" she took another breath before telling him. "Naruto. Jiraiya is in a coma. And I don't know when he's going to wake up."
It's been over a day sense then and Naruto hasn't left his bedside sense then. There were two Anbu in the room at any one time and probably more where Naruto still couldn't see. No doctors ever came in, it was only ever Tsunade or Shizune that came in, and only two nurses, both of whom seemed to be friends with Shizune. All tried more to make conversation. Naruto never said anything. It was late Afternoon on the third day back in the village before Naruto did anything. He stood up and walked out of the hospital room, then out of the hospital.
Naruto knew what he had to do, and he put it off for too long. He had to explain to Tsunade what happened. He slowly made his way to the hokage tower, absently hoping that he doesn't see any of his friends. He doesn't want to deal with that right now. He made it to the tower without seeing anyone he knew. Naruto was almost at the door when he noticed that it was cracked. Was she expecting him? As he got closer, he heard voices coming from inside.
"Tsunade, this was unexceptable. The boy is obviously losing control of the demon fox." Naruto was about to knock when he heard that, but stopped when he did. Naruto didn't recognize the voice, but it was obviously an old mans.
"WE KNOW NOTHING OF THE SORT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED SO I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO PUNISH NARUTO FOR SOMETHING WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT." He knew that was Tsunade yelling at the man.
"Tsunade, you're letting your affections for the boy to face the truth. One way or another, Jiraiya is on his deathbed, and we know that, one way or another, accident or not, it was the ninetails, the boy, who put him there. You need to act upon this, or there will be consequences for you as well." This was new voice. An old lady. Naruto still didn't recognize it.
There was a pause before Tsunade asked "Are you threatening me Koharu?" Her voice was scary calm now. Chills went down Naruto's back.
"It is no threat Tsunade. As we speak, we have a representative discussing your replacement with the feudal lord. If that boy is not banished from the village or in chains by noon tomorrow, you will be stripped of power and replaced." That was all Naruto needed to hear. He turned and ran.
Naruto was back in Jiraiya's room trying to process everything he heard. 'What do I do? Granny would never put me in prison. But I can't let her be pushed aside like that.' He thought to himself. 'How do I help her. What would she do for me. Damn it why is this so hard!' he took a couple of seconds to calm himself down to think. Just as he was taught.
'They said that if im not imprisoned but tomorrow afternoon then shell be striped of power. Wait; not just imprisonment. They said imprisonment or… or…' it was in that moment Naruto knew his answer. She had done it, and so had Jiraiya, even if it was for different reasons then what he was doing. "Banishment." He said it outloud to himself, as if sealing his resolve. The choice was made, now to go through with it. Naruto went to Jiraiya's night stand and looked through the draws and found exactly what he was looking for. A pen and some paper. Naruto started writing immediately. He wrote about what actually happened with Jiraiya, what he heard, why he made this decision. It was hard for him to write it all out but he did. At the end, he wrote his final goodbyes and apologize one last time. He looked at all he wrote and was surprised when he seen he wrote three pages front and back. Naruto sighes, folds the papers in half, puts it in a very convenient envelope he found, addresses it to Tsunade and turns to leave.
Naruto stops as he reaches for the door. It was only then did he notice that the anbu weren't in the room, that had nothing to do with why he stopped though. He turned around and went back to the nightstand and looked at the envelope. He had to think hard about what he was about to do. After a minute of contemplation, he decided that it was the right thing to do. He took off the first Hokage's necklace, and put it in the envelope. He then went to Jiraiya, and grabbed his hand and told him, not caring if he wouldn't hear him "I'm sorry Pervy Sage, but I have to do this. To protect Granny Tsunade. After all, you're the one who taught me to always follow my heart, no matter what. Goodbye, Master Jiraiya."
And with that goodbye, Naruto left. He walked out of the hospital to avoid arousing suspicion but once he was out, he started running. As he got closer to the heart of the village, he jumped for the rooftops, jumping across them. He was heading for the main entrance to the village as fast as he could, and it didn't take him long to get there. He didn't bother stopping or going through the massive open gates, he just went over them and started going north, away from the village hidden in the leaves as fast as he could. He knew he wouldn't be coming back for a very long time, if ever, but he couldn't bring himself to look back. He just ran as fast as he could, but he didn't know where he was going.
Naruto ran for five days and five nights straight, never stopping. Ne still didn't know where he was going nor where he was, just that he went north the hole time. It was about midday when Naruto finally stopped. He jumped down from the tree he was perched in to the ground, but stumbled when he landed. He was on his hands and knees, but he was too exhausted to get up. He rolled over to his back to try to catch his breath, and stared at the clouds as he waited.
'I wonder how far I've came from the village. Man, I'm so hungry. I'd kill for some ramon right now. Some water too.' He sat there for a couple of minutes before thinking ' I've probably came far enough for some rest. I need a nap… ya a nap sounds good…. Right….' Naruto let his eyes close and fell asleep instantly.
Naruto's eyes opened hours later, just as the sun was setting, though he didn't know why at first. He laid there for a minute looking at the orange sky, trying to figure it out. Finally he looked to his left and seen what disturbed his sleep; a convoy heading his way. 'Maybe' he started thinking slowly ' Maybe I should…' Naruto passed out before he could even finish his thought.