He could see him
running just ahead, keeping up a furious pace as he raced along the
forest canopy. He was headed east - away from the village he called
home, away from the people he knew. Away from Konoha.
Why did
it come to this? Where does he think he's going?
"Hey!
Stop!"
As if he hadn't heard, the dark haired form continued
to race along the treetops like a mirage, keeping just out of reach.
Time and time again the one who chased him called out and each time
the escaping nin continued to race into the darkness.
I have
to keep up, I can't lose him here. If I lose him...
People
back home were waiting for them both to return. The two of them had
to go back together - even if it meant beating some sense into the
shadowy form leaping just in front of him.
"Just where are
you going?!"
The fleeing ninja stopped his back to the one
who had so stubbornly chased him to the very border of the fire
country. He didn't turn around, but just stood there as he patiently
waited for his pursuer to catch his breath.
"You've chased
me pretty far...but I'm done playing tag now. Go home."
"Never!
We're going back together!"
"Really?" The raven
haired one turned, his impassive eyes looking on his former friend
with a hint of amusement. "Because I have no intention of
returning to Konoha."
Drawing himself to his feet, the tired
youth looked at the one person he thought knew him best. Sure, they
had their moments of bickering and more than once Sensei had gotten
between them before they could actually fight it out. In fact, Sensei
had told the clumsy ninja that he should be more like his mysterious
friend.
"You're going back, even if I have to break both
your arms and legs and drag you back myself!"
With an air of
confidence the other ninja smiled, not at all threatened. "Well.
You're free to try it."
Fists clenched, the impetuous ninja
leapt at his best friend.
As that moment in time
dragged on for an eternity his mind flashed with images of the past
when they had worked together as a team. The three of them had been
inseparable for so long. To him the dark haired one who was so
anxious to leave the village behind was a friend he could never
replace. He was desperate to take him back - to have things go back
to the way they used to be. He wanted to turn back time and undo all
the damage that had been done, but every time he swung he couldn't
hit his target and instead he was the one being savagely beaten
back.
"Why are you doing this?! You're just running away!!"
He asked after being thrown aside. His opponent sneered. "Why
are you coming after me, even though I want nothing more to do with
you?"
There was a long pause, a silence only broken by the
soft rustle of trees in the wind. A few stray leaves broke free and
drifted on the strong breeze, twirling in a featherweight dance.
Their loss would have no effect on the trees existence at all.
He
knew it was hopeless trying to save his best friend. But still he
couldn't let go. Maybe there was a way to bring him back to his
senses. Surely it wouldn't end like this...
"The
bonds...between us are all too deep. I won't let you leave us all
behind." He at last answered, his voice taking a rough, defiant
edge.
His friend thought for only a moment as a devious smile
crossed his face. "Bonds. I suppose I'll just have to destroy
these bonds of yours then. I'll show you just how much of a fool you
really are - old friend."
Lunging one last time all the
desperate young man could hear was one urgent voice in his ear.
Bring
him back...only you can do it.
Two strikes, two wounded face
one another.
They had been teammates...rivals...and friends.
They
had completed missions together under the guidance of their sensei.
All of their achievements as a team...what did they really amount
to?
I...I can't give up now.
"Truly pathetic. You
can't even realize that you've lost already. Go back to playing ninja
in Konoha. I have much to do; I don't have time to play childish
games anymore."
No...I can't...
As he watched the
dark haired figure slip back into the forest he could only feel a
deep sense of failure that was more difficult to bear than even the
pain flowing through his body. He had lost his one chance to take
back his truest friend. Now all he could do was watch as the person
closest to him turned his back on all that Konoha stood for and
walked away from him.
As he felt himself slipping into darkness
he just barely whispered one last time...
"Ero-sennin!"
Jiraiya
looked over at the blonde haired boy who was standing with his arms
crossed in the middle of the road. Naruto had given him that look
countless times and before he could even ask the frog hermit nodded.
"I know, I know. You want to train, right? Hmph. I suppose
we could stop here for a while."
Naruto gave a delighted
laugh. "Really! Great! Let's do it then!
Jiraiya smiled as
they moved off of the road and into the softer grass. As they set
their bags down under the shade of nearby trees the older man noticed
that his young student was staring off into space.
"Hey.
What are you doing? I thought you were eager to train."
Naruto
nodded. "Hm. Yeah. But I was just thinking."
As he
turned to his mentor he gave a nervous grin.
"I
wonder...what Sasuke will think of Sakura and me when we get him
back. I bet he'll be pretty surprised at how much we've all
changed."
As he watched that innocent young face he felt a
slight twinge of regret. From all he'd heard, getting the Uchiha boy
back was a hopeless dream. He was perilously close to being listed in
the newest bingo book as a dangerous criminal - a title that would
mark him for assassination by any ANBU from Konoha he encountered.
Only Tsunade's stubbornness kept him out of the book and safe from an
ANBU blade.
He let his mind drift into a past that was so similar
to Narutos.
"I will bring Sasuke back. Believe it."
Jiraiya gave a grim smile. "Naruto...I really hope so."
And
in the back of his mind he could see the cold eyes that belonged to
someone he had once called 'friend'.
Naruto. Don't fail like I
did.