Author's Note: Sorry that this is so short! And I also apologize immensely for taking so bloody long to write this... I haven't had the greatest amount of motivation to write, but I'm working on getting some chapters done! If possible, I'll post two chapters today! Again, I apologize and thank you immensely to my faithful readers!
Third Person POV
Naruto remained at the training grounds working hopelessly to destroy the rubber ball, the second stage of his training, throughout the entire night. Jiraiya spent a few hours perusing the local bars 'investigating'. However, the white-haired sanin did not touch a cup of sake, nor did his eyes catch onto one of the scantily-clad barmaids. Truth be told, the nonchalant, jovial sanin was worried about his former student. The young girl had been through a lot in her short life. She had been abused by her true father, then she had lost the loving couple that had shed light into her dark life, and then she was held captive and tortured. The sanin knew that she had found a way to blame herself for all of it; that much was evident by the carnage left from her training.
Yuuki, on the other hand, was sitting deep in the forest, surrounded by the devastation her anger had caused; the anger she felt towards herself. The young violet-headed girl could no forgive herself, because she was weak. Her real father had tried so hard to save her from her weakness. He had punished her whenever she allowed her many weaknesses to interfere with training. Then, after her father's death (which she was certain was her fault, despite the fact that he had died on a mission), she was embraced by Minato and Kushina. Her weakness allowed not only them, but her best friend, Obito, to die. She had then abandoned her brother and was captured by Orochimaru. Now, her weakness stood to take Kakashi from her, also.
"No. I will be strong. I will find Tsunade and save Kakashi," she said aloud to no one in particular. Abruptly, she stood and briskly sped out of the forest.
The next morning, Jiraiya interrupted Naruto's training, ordering him to go into town and grab some lunch for the two of them. Grumbling, the genin made his way to town and stood in front of one of the many food vendors trying to pick out something for lunch. Sadly, he watched a father and son share an ice cream as they traveled down the crowded streets. The blonde could not help but feel sad, never knowing how it felt to have a father. Disheartened, the boy bought two lunches and trekked back to the training area. After throwing on a brilliant fake smile for the sanin, Naruto went back to training.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Naruto was able to pop a small hole in the ball, but he was not satisfied.
"Well, looks like you've at least improved a little bit," Jiraiya says, startling the exhausted genin. Naruto turns quickly towards him.
"I only made a hole in the ball. It hasn't broken yet!" Naruto says angrily.
"Don't be so stubborn," Jiraiya says. "Here." He hands Naruto an ice cream, much like the father had done with his son. "You've come a long ways on your own." Naruto takes the ice cream slowly. They talk for a few more minutes before Jiraiya draws a small swirl on Naruto's right palm. After Naruto's confused, blank look, Jiraiya shows him his own palm, bearing the same mark. Jiraiya explains to the boy about concentration of one, he then takes his leave again to do some more searching.
Jiraiya finds himself seated at a bar siping some sake no long after leaving Naruto to his own devices. He shows the bartender a photograph of Tsunade with no luck. "I know her whereabouts," a red-faced man sitting at the bar says with a chuckle. "Seems the Legendary Hitter is pretty popular, huh?
"Hmm?" Jiraiya asks.
"Some pretty little girl was looking for her, too, just yesterday."
"That's right, and I so generously bought you a bottle of sake for your help," a feminine voice says from behind the two men.
"Yuuki," Jiraiya says with a nod, tossing back a swig of his sake.
"Jiraiya, she's not far from here. I confirmed the man's information."
"Good job, Yuuki." Jiraiya praises, ruffling the now annoyed girl's hair.
"She could leave at any time. We should go quickly."
"We'll leave in the morning," he says, waving his hand dismissively. The girl sighs and informs her former sensei that she was going to go keep surveillance on the woman.
Meanwhile, Naruto trains until he collapses onto the ground, thinking back to his days in the academy. His eyes pop open and he smudges the spiral into the Leaf village symbol. He concentrates on the symbol, focusing his chakra and manages to force the ball explode! When Jiraiya finds Naruto, he is laying in the dirt, too exhausted to move. Jiraiya notes the burns on Naruto's hand and dismisses Naruto's desire to begin the third stage.
"We're gonna meet Tsunade now. Yuuki's on her way there already. I'll explain the basics of the third stage on the way."