Naruto the Broken Bonds Konoha Hospital "Naruto I am going to tell you this for your own good. Give up on Sasuke he left on his own free will." That's what Jirayiya told him. It was pointless to fight it to try and keep that promise or maybe even making that promise. Hearing it from someone else like Kakashi Naruto would have no thought he was right, but Jiraiya had been through this once. "Is Sensei right? Is it wrong to tell someone who exercised this before me that they don't know what I know? That Sasuke is any different from Orochimaru." Naruto closed his eyes and breathed to calm himself. 'What am I supposed to do let him go without a fight? The academy always put bonds and friendship over others. It was always taught to value bonds. Sasuke was the first bond I had made. The only bond I have.' Naruto thought back to the academy than it came flooding back to him. Flash Back Naruto was an academy training ground practicing his taijutsu late evening "Naruto!" Naruto stopped mid-punch. Turning around Naruto saw Iruka walking up to him. Kneeling down Iruka came to eye level with the boy. "Naruto what are you still doing here. You should be home by now. It's getting pretty late and the exams are coming up soon." Naruto smiled it was going to be his first time taking the exams. "Iruka you told us to train hard for the exams so we can pass, so that just what I am doing!" Iruka was taken aback that Naruto had taken time to study and even pay more attain in class than to stay late to train his taijutsu. Naruto was really trying to make an effort to pass. "If you're that determined to pass than I will help you some more alright?" Naruto smiled happier to have someone willing to train him one on one, Even after tutorials were over. "Really, I promise to work even harder to pass on my first try! I will make you proud I promise!" Iruka was happy to see Naruto smile again he didn't get to see Naruto smile sense Naruto began to work harder. Naruto even barely pulled pranks on anyone or at least not more than tripping them up or throwing something and vanished from the spot. Come to think of it whenever Naruto ran away or hide himself even Iruka had trouble founding him. Maybe he would be put on a stealth team. Iruka laughed at the idea of Naruto of all people on a stealth team considering he liked to wear orange. Even so Naruto was still hard or impossible for even some ANBU to found so maybe he was a stealth type. "Oi, Sensei what are you laughing about?" Iruka was torn out of his musing by Naruto. "It's nothing you should think about at the moment. Just keep practicing Naruto I will be back I have something to take care of alright?" Naruto smile disappeared and replied "alright, but what should I work on till you get back?" Iruka thought about it for a minute. "Work on your control till I get back you will need control to get stronger jutsus and can make them do more damage. Work on your control by meditating like we covered in tutorial alright?"Naruto smiled again than turned away to take a seat near a lake in the training ground. Naruto relaxed himself to meditate. Iruka stud than moved his way back toward the academy but stopped looking over his shoulder he called out. "You better not be sleeping again!" Iruka was surprised he got no reaction from Naruto he was really meditating. Iruka looked but toward the academy and left. Flash Back End Naruto was disappointed of himself forgetting Iruka. After being put on a team he didn't even go see Iruka unless he was at the mission hall. Naruto felt sick he forgot the first person to be his friend and his brother. Naruto lay in bed knowing he would not get to sleep anytime soon before settling to think more of his academy days that held happy times of his time. Next Day Konoha was starting to rebuild the damage done to the village by the surprise attack that Sand and Sound unleashed. The Third Hokage himself was killed by Orochimaru. The Leaf village had taken one of the biggest blows of its time. Jiraiya was back but it did not have much impact on softening some morale damage it did to the village to lose another hokage again. The Leaf was losing most of their more well-known powerhouses and the other villages were sure to notice!

Leaf had taken a blow when Tsunade left. More Leaf ninja were hit with the aim to kill and infect the others that lived through the attacks. Leaf was slow and steadily getting killed via poisons. Leaf medics were getting better but that would not stop them from losing more than they were saving. It was decided that Jiraiya would track down Tsunade and return her to the village as the Fifth Hokage! This was the talk of the village and Naruto for once in a long time was not closing out what they were saying around him. Naruto had learned so many things that he felt he could hold a conversion with anyone in the village! He began to feel he may really be able to talk Sakura in to a date with him and keep her talking! Naruto was very happy at that thought. Maybe he would be able to gain a reputation as a normal shinobi. If he could get that he would be able to get chuunin in no time. He had the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. He was more than ready for chuunin. Then a thought came to Naruto he was the only one who could fight Sasuke even if he was the academy's dead last rookie. Even with only one jutsu outside of the academy. Naruto thoughts soon were back at the fact he escaped from the window of the 3 floor. He hoped he was back before they checked his room. Well his friends the hospital staff never checked on him, unless there was no sound coming from his room but they only came to see if he was open for attack or if he had something to them of value. Not many of his friends came to visit Kiba and Hinata 'Maybe Kiba wanted something?' his face took on a more thoughtful look. Hinata was acting even more unsettling than normal. Kiba was well he didn't know, Kiba was acting somewhat as if he knew him well; like he was his brother. 'Hinata was acting more weird than normal if you can even call it normal. Then again it was it was cute.' Naruto was pulled out of his thoughts when he noticed he was at his training area. It was better than his teams' training ground or at least in his eyes it did. It had moral value it was easy to relax when taking breaks and this was one of the only places he could go to study. The word 'study' brought more memories in mind again the times at the academy when he had tried. The first two years he was with Iruka since the beginning. Iruka was always nice to him to all his students but it meant more to Naruto. Back then Naruto was an acrobatic fighter. He loved to flip, dodge, roll, and other things. Thinking back Naruto was able to do things most if not everyone wished they could in a fight. He was top student in spars and kunai practice. He was not able to get the shuriken right half the times. Then a thought accord to Naruto he was able to see better when his hands was not the earth, he would put his on the ground and find just about anything if he tried hard enough. It would work on trees or wood too but better with the earth, best with water. Iruka knew he could see with earth but not water. Iruka said his skills and abilities were able to fit any profession he could think of. Naruto did something he never thought he would do he spent a whole day thinking. More of a surprise it was about his time in the academy that was thinking back was a good time till the third year came around. He had friends Hinata, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chōji. At least he thought Hinata was his friend, she was always nice to him. Kiba was his brother or at least his befriend Kiba was always willing if not more than Naruto to prank someone. Kiba even helped him get away without being on the receiving end of a thrashing from the shinobi and citizens. Naruto spent so much time with Kiba till it now seemed wrong not to have been talking to him like back then. When Naruto finally came out of his thoughts the sun was beginning to set. Naruto jumped up and shot down the street at a speed that only seen from ANBU. Naruto moved through shinobi and citizens alike without stopping or hardly disrupting anyone. No one took notice of Naruto with the stealth in which he moved. Turning a corner and making a straight and hard b-line for the hospital. Naruto did not even slow down to jump. He simply jumped and flipped so not to hit the ceiling on entering. "Nice your speed is at least chuunin." "I was not a where you were here." Naruto turned to face Jirayiya. "I was not a where you would really think about what I said." he walked to the bed. "Well I did. I spent the whole day thinking about it and my time at the academy. Naruto eyes held a sentimental look in them. As he looked at Jirayiya as he moved near the window by the bed. "I'm happy you gave me something to think about but how long on till we leave sensei?" spoke Naruto as he gave Jirayiya a nostalgic smile. Jirayiya nearly went to shell shock at how much Naruto was acting like his father for a brief minute. Jirayiya was torn out of his thoughts when Naruto spoke up again. "When do we leave?" Jirayiya looked at Naruto for a minute before speaking up again. "Leave for what you're not allowed out of the hospital just yet you know." "The whole village is talking about you going to get Tsunade. I want to come besides you said you were going to teach me remember?" Naruto said with a sly smile on his face. "I remember I was going to tell you today but since you already know-"Jirayiya was already cut off but the boy again. "What do you mean since I already know? You saw me come back into the room? How do you not expect me to not to know! It's the talk of the village!" the fact that the boys' tone was still calm while he was rising his voice did not go unnoticed by Jirayiya. Jirayiya turned away from the boy to walk toward the window. Naruto followed him and stopped just a few feet away from his sensei. Jirayiya smiled when he noticed that the boy had made it more than half the room and he didn't notice on till he was nearly in striking range. He didn't take full notice till Naruto stopped and he felt the wind be displaced by his feet. "Not bad, not many get to say they are able to sneak up on a sage." Jirayiya turned his head to look over his shoulder to gauge the boy's reaction. "What do you mean? I just walked over after you. There is no reason for me to try and surprise you right now is it? Naruto asked in calm and a bit edged tone. The kunai the boy had in his right sleeve just out of the light was not shadowed well cause of the rooms' lighting but the boy shift in posture indicated that the boy knew this. Jiraiya was then set on edge a bit himself that he just noticed the feeling that the there was a second kunai in his left sleeve. Naruto's eyes was calm and on very noticeable on edge like he was trying to sense someone. "Calm down Naruto no one is watching us." Jirayiya spoke in an even tone. Naruto seem to calm down but his eyes was still on edge. "I'm just a bit uneasy at the moment, I'm still thinking about what you said." Naruto said as his eyes shifted to a calm yet alert light. "That look is the look of a shinobi you know that?" Jirayiya said becoming a more calming feel to it. "Maybe I will get respect if I keep this look! Then I will get a respectable reputation, than finally a date!" Naruto was sounding like he always had. Jirayiya smile turned to a smug smirk. "I thought you were going for a respectable reputation?" "I am but first I need a girl to talk to." said Naruto still keeping a calmed brisk tone. "Oi, What for you said that was last right?" said Jirayiya voicing his confusion. "I need to talk to girls so I have somewhat of an idea of what to expect. 'One of the shinobi best weapons is knowledge of what they are after' or at least that's how Iruka said it. Anyway I need someone who I can talk to that can help me understand girls or at least give me a better understanding of what I need to avoid doing in front of Sakura. If I can't do that then even I know I'm not getting anywhere!" Naruto was trying to calm down. He still needed to get use to it. That was one thing he knew Sakura liked about Sasuke. "Why not try and talk to the Hyuuga girl? She is nice to you right?" Jirayiya was fishing for a reaction to the girls name and this didn't go totally unnoticed by Naruto and Jirayiya knew it. "Why you did you bring up Hinata, unless…. you are a lolicon! Wait till I tell Hinata and her sensei that you are a lolicon they may never let you within nine-hundred meters of a Konoha hot spring again! Jirayiya was losing it that statement meant that he would never be allowed near a hot spring in Konoha but if it was about him being a lolicon and was after the Hyuuga heiress no less he would not be able to get to a hot spring in the whole fire country! Jirayiya lost it at that thought. Jirayiya's mind and body was shutting down on him. The last thing that he got to see was him being caught by Naruto. "He he, I guess I'm good to be able to defeat Jirayiya without a fight. I am one step closer to getting a date! After all not many can say that they have something over the legendary Jirayiya." Naruto was happy now he could get a 'lot' over on Jirayiya now and the first being a meal at the Ichimaru Raman stand! oOoOoOo (means character development) Ichimaru Raman stand "Where have you been anyway?" asked Ayme. "I was in the hospital. I got beat pretty bad this time. That's all still you know me, I heal faster than most. Others would still be in the hospital or worst…." Naruto trailed off. "Yeah, but you are still human Naruto healing factor or not. Still did anything new happen?" Ayme replied. "I got a new mission. This time I'm not going with my team. I get to travel with the legendary Jirayiya!" Naruto was trying to play it up a little. He still could brag about it about if he didn't at least try then he would miss out on some fun. "No way, Jirayiya of the legendary Sennin is taking you! The other shinobi would be so jealous of you if they found out."Ayme was happy Naruto may get a reputation if this got out. "Ayme thanks but can you leave me alone? I need to think about some things. He said he was going to train me. He said I need to learn to calm down. Jirayiya thinks I'm to hyper-active, so I'm supposed to learn how to calm down and think things through like my pranks." Even now Naruto still enjoyed the pranks he pulled people, shinobi or citizens never saw them coming. He was feared and by some envied for his skills of evasions, invasion, and info tracing. If it ever came to a prank Naruto would know how to get to a person. No one had ever stopped one of his pranks, Iruka was the only one that was able to found or track Naruto when he disappeared from even Uchiha, Hyuuga, and even Inuzuka were not able to found him. Ayme complied seeing that Naruto had a real few reasons to need time alone. She put the Raman in front of him and left Naruto to his thoughts. Naruto's mind almost instantly returned to what Jirayiya said. The thing about Hinata while Naruto would normally ignore these things would get him into trouble whenever he got into others' business. "Hinata don't seem like most, through with my luck I may still get into trouble. Tenten is normal and she can help me with weapons. Maybe she can help… Hinata… why can't I get Hinata out my head for a bit? I kicked Neji around the damn ring and helped him and Hinata smooth things over...right? She is nice and a bit cute." Naruto had yet to touch his Raman. The fact did strike a note with Ayme and her father. Mr. Ichimaru decided it was something that he should try and help noting Naruto had a light blush on his face. While he would normally let his Daughter take care of. The thing that had his attention was that when Naruto thought of Sakura, He would have a more in another world look on his face as if day-dreaming. The look Naruto had on his face looked more like he was giving it a good bit of time and effort to consider whatever he had chosen to spend his time on. "You need something Mr. Ichimaru?" asked Naruto. "Huh… I was going to ask what is on your mind you have yet to touch your Raman." Naruto looked down to the bowl. He had been so busy in his thoughts he forgot about the Raman. "I just have a lot on my mind. I'm giving things some thought. Jirayiya said I will need to pack for our mission. Besides that he wants me to think of some things that I think will help my combat skills. I don't know many real jutsus that are not element based, so unless I stick to element jutsus I got no Ideas." "You have given some thought to jutsus but the look on your face says you were thinking of a girl. Don't you dare say it's Sakura! Cause the look on your face was deep into thought. When you thought of Sakura it was more of a 'She is so pretty, she is so hot, I know what I would do with that body, and etc.' Seems to me like a new girl has got your eye am I right?" "I don't know Jirayiya brought her up. I kind of got her on my mind now. I don't like her like that in fact I barely see or hear about her. In the few times I have she has been nice to me that all. I just…" Naruto didn't have words to say. This does not happen too often at least not any more it had stopped happening after his first year in the academy.