Chapter 3 - Imprisonment

As Jiraiya approached the entrance to the castle, he was able to see the guards a little more closely. They wore light raiment with ornate designs and held onto highly sharpened halberds with finely etched symbols on them. One of them noticed the strange way Jiraiya showed up.

"Uh, hello." Jiraiya said nervously. "Some people from my village are being held in this castle. I'd like to talk with the person in charge."

"Ah, yes. They are being held pending trial." The taller guard answered then sneered derisively, "Apparently they didn't know that stealing was against the law." Both of them laughed.

Jiraiya flushed angrily, but kept his tones respectful, "I am here to find out why they are held."

"Go see the solicitor, Argil. She should be in the courtroom at this time of day."

Jiraiya walked inside and located the office of the solicitor after asking around. A woman with white robes greeted him at the door.

"Hello, I am Argil Hiromi." She said with a bow.

Jiraiya bowed in return. "Monogatari Jiraiya."

"What can I help you with, Monogatari-san?"

Jiraiya stared at her. The woman was an attractive with long dark hair and deep blue eyes. She noticed his stare. She asked with an indiscernible smirk and slight embarrassment, "Well?"

"My envoy from Konoha was taken into your custody recently. I represent Konoha's interests and would like to formally apologize for any improprieties they may have incurred."

Solicitor Argil's sculptured eyebrow rose slightly. "Aren't you a little young to be a diplomat?" She set down a book she had been holding onto a small table and crossed her legs.

Jiraiya gulped, then said defiantly, "I'm no diplomat…I am…" He searched for the right words then said, "The Legendary Toad Sage, Jiraiya!"

Argil laughed, "Legendary?"

Jiraiya danced around with different poses and said, "I am a friend to the weak, and enemy of evil..." His poses grew more ridiculous which charmed Hiromi. She grinned ear to ear. She gestured for Jiraiya to stop and waved her hand, "Okay, so you're the Great and Legendary Jiraiya. I believe you. What do you want me for?"

"I want to make a deal."

"Go on..."

Jiraiya looked the woman in the eyes and said seriously, "My freedom for theirs."

Argil and Jiraiya walked through a stone corridor to a guard station. A guard with heavy raiment stood next to a door. Hiromi nodded at him, and he opened the door.

After walking through a few turns, they stopped in front of another guard in front of yet another door. This door had a piece of paper stuck to it with wards written on it. Jiraiya had never seen such methods used to keep prisoners in before. This guard was sitting at a desk and said, "I see the prisoners have company. This special key opens the door, Solicitor General. We took special precautions to ward away ninjutsu in there, just in case." He handed a key with an embossed tag attached to it to Argil. She accepted the key and inserted it into the heavy metal lock inset on the door. The inner tumblers made some noises, followed by the loud clang of metal.

Argil turned, gestured, and said, "Come with me, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smiled at Argil's use of his first name. He said, "May I call you Hiromi?"

Argil glared, "No, you may not." then she laughed at seeing Jiraiya's shocked expression. She whispered conspiratorially, "Yes, you may, but only in private." Jiraiya followed her through the next corridor. She started down the stairs. At the bottom there was a thick black iron door. Hiromi, as Jiraiya knew her now, knocked on it and a plate slid open. She projected her voice through the hole and announced who she was. The door opened, and a large guard with many tattoos on his arms ushered everyone in.

Hiromi handed the large man some scrolls and said, "Here is the judgment for the transaction, Hiroshi."

The light-skinned hulk of a man read the papers and said, "Follow me." He walked over to the next room. Two other guards were by a cell door. Hiroshi nodded to them and they unlocked the cell door and ushered them in.

Inside the dark cell, Tsunade was crouched on the floor with manacles. Her face lit up when she saw Jiraiya. She said, "Oh thank Kami-sama you're not dead!" Jiraiya was touched by Tsunade's concern for him, but the feeling couldn't cover up his despair over what he would have to tell her.

Jiraiya put on his best face and answered, "I'm glad to see you're doing fine, too."

Hiromi said, "Guards, release the prisoners."

The three in the cell looked around in confusion. The guard began to remove the chains from the prisoners. Hiruzen asked, "Why are we being let go?"

"Jiraiya pleaded with the judge to let you go, in exchange for his freedom." Hiromi replied matter-of-factly.

Tsunade rubbed her wrists where the chains made red marks and rubbed them. Emotionally, being confined inside the cell for almost a week weighed heavily on her, as did her conscience for what she allowed to happen to get them in that situation. Moreover, this joke of a boy wanted to take her place and die there. 'Is this the same guy I punched for repeatedly hitting on me?' she thought, 'Was I wrong about him?' She looked at his face with regret and shame. He looked back, and it was the expression of heartbreak and sadness. She tore her eyes from him before she cried tears of defeat against her own feelings for him. She couldn't allow herself to get involved with him, even if he laid his life down for her. She was too proud.

Orochimaru on the other hand, couldn't care less. He commented, "You are always the martyr, Jiraiya, and never the hero."

Jiraiya frowned with a stiff lip at Orochimaru, "I should have been there to knock some sense into you, you bastard. I wouldn't have let you get away with this."

Tsunade cried in frustration, "I am so sick of this endless fighting!"

The guard fastened irons onto Jiraiya's legs and hands. Jiraiya wished he was back in his frog village with his adopted family. He stared at the floor and felt tears threaten to fall. He looked up at Tsunade and said bitterly, "You won't have to worry about that anymore, will you, Princess?"

Tsunade drew a ragged breath and willed her heart to stop beating in her eardrums from the sadness and embarrassment; her sinuses burned with the threat of tears. She knew it was her fault Jiraiya was doing this. Now she couldn't do anything about it. She felt so far below him, too. Nobody had ever sacrificed themselves to save her life like that. She never liked feeling obligated to someone, and she directed the anger she had at herself at Jiraiya. She yelled, "Baka! Why do you have to be some kind of hero?"

Hiruzen held his hand out to her, "Tsunade...don't."

Tsunade pulled her shoulder away angrily and said, "No! Get your hand off me!" She turned to Jiraiya and said, "You should have just left us here! I hate you!" A guard grabbed Tsunade's arm and began to lead her out of the room.

Jiraiya felt his heart burn and he muttered, "Just leave, then."

Hiromi said, "I think it's time for you all to leave. Visitation time is over." She gestured to the sentries to take the prisoners out.

One of the guards opened the door and led Tsunade out. As they neared the doorway, she screamed, "You're going to die in there, you baka!"

Hiromi looked at Orochimaru and said, "You are going to be escorted." The black haired teen grinned ferally at Jiraiya as he was led out. Hiromi's eyes scanned over Orochimaru. "Hiroshi, you take this one. I don't like the way he looks." Hiroshi smiled in understanding.

"Bye, Oro-chan." Jiraiya said with a grimace and a wave.

Hiruzen addressed Hiromi, "Could I have a few words with Jiraiya before I leave?"

Hiromi said, "I'll allow it. I'll wait outside." Hiromi smiled at Jiraiya just before leaving the room. The remaining sentry waited outside the door.

Hiruzen wanted to say something to Jiraiya, but was at a loss of what to tell the young man.

Jiraiya decided to speak first, "I know what you're going to say, Sensei."

"What did you think I was going to say?"

"I don't know. Lecture me about throwing my life away or something."

Hiruzen shook his head. "No. What you did was honorable."

"Thanks." Jiraiya said as he tested his manacles. "Do you think they'd kill me for what you guys did?"

"The charge was theft and assault. If they're anything like Konoha, then you may be here for a few years. Nobody was killed. I don't know, really."

"I see." Jiraiya said, sitting on a stone bench. He forced a smile and said, "I hope Hiromi-chan comes to visit me here before I am killed."

Hiruzen smiled somewhat, trying to hide his concern.

Hiromi returned. The sentry standing near the door flanked behind her then motioned for Hiruzen to follow him. The two of them left, leaving Hiromi and Jiraiya alone.

The dark haired beauty pulled up a chair from the other room and sat next to Jiraiya. She regarded Jiraiya with a pleasant smile.

Jiraiya smiled back and said, "Hiromi-chan, could you see me every day just to make sure I don't escape?"

Hiromi smiled more, "I like you, but that won't be necessary."

"You mean I'll be executed?"

"As soon as your friends leave, you're a free man." Hiromi laughed gleefully, covering her mouth modestly.

Jiraiya gasped, "What?"

"You're free." Hiromi repeated herself.

"Free? As in…free to leave?"

"Yes, but I have one condition." Hiromi said with a blush and a smile.

"I knew there had to be a catch." Jiraiya deduced, "What condition?"

"I get to hug the adorable 'legend' before he goes." Hiromi said with a smile.

The thirteen year old boy smiled, "I'd love to."

Hiromi gave Jiraiya a big hug. She smiled and said, "You're very cute." She left and returned with a piping hot dinner and some comfortable bedding. She walked towards the door, stood there for a moment and said, "Make yourself comfortable; I know it's been a long day. Oh, and be sure to get a map from the library before you leave." She dropped a stamped document next to him and added, "I don't want you to lose your way. Be sure to visit again sometime." She walked out the door.

Jiraiya looked at the scroll, stunned by Hiromi's generosity. It was a writ allowing him to take a map from the library. He grinned as he realized he was going to complete the mission. Best of all, Orochimaru would look bad.