That afternoon, Anko heard Ryoji's and Minato's voices raised in anger for the first time. While they were now back on Konoha territory, the mission seemed to have gotten under the boys' skin, particularly Ryoji.
"You never said you could summon the toad!" Ryoji shouted at his cell mate.
"I didn't think I had to give you every detail of my training routine," Minato retorted edgily.
"You never said you could summon at all! What else have you been learning behind my back?"
"Toad summoning is only compatible with certain individuals," Minato defended himself.
"Perfect individuals, you mean? People like me aren't good enough?" asked Ryoji bitterly.
"I didn't ask to be better than you!" protested Minato, his voice rising with exasperation. Ryoji was obviously wounded by the remark, and Minato seemed to realize he'd put his foot in his mouth. There was an awkward pause as Minato's shoulders slumped and Ryoji's eyes narrowed even more than usual. When he spoke again, Minato's tone had become conciliating, earnest. "But I am." He stared intensely at Ryoji as though he could make him understand. "I wanted to keep you safe. That's all."
"No one asked for your help," Ryoji muttered, avoiding his teammate's eyes.
Jiraiya stalked up to them, looking not at all happy. "That's enough," he warned the boys. "Just because you're tired from the mission, that doesn't give you the right to fight with each other." He looked at them both and sighed. "We're moving on soon. Get your stuff together." The apprentices nodded and moved to refasten sandals, retie obis, and shoulder their knapsacks once again. As the others began moving, Jiraiya took Ryoji's arm and waved the rest of them onward. "You go ahead. We'll catch up." When master and apprentice were alone, Jiraiya folded his arms, leaned against a tree, and eyed Ryoji. "What was that all about?" he pressed the genin. "Starting a fight with Minato after he protected you in battle? I expected better of you, Ryoji."
Ryoji shifted his weight and ducked his head. Then he said in a barely audible voice, "Why is it always Minato, Sensei?" He didn't see his master's eyes go wide, or Jiraiya's mouth opening without a sound.
Orochimaru wore a smirk, and Tsunade had that lopsided grin of hers that was always there whenever Jiraiya messed something up. Sarutobi Hiruzen glared over folded arms down at his least promising pupil. But how could an average genin compete with the top student at the Konoha Ninja Academy? Couldn't Sarutobi-sensei see that? Boiling over with frustration, Jiraiya balled his hands up and shouted, "Why is it always Orochimaru, Sensei? Why always Orochimaru?"
Jiraiya let out his bated breath in a kind of groaning sigh. He scratched the back of his head and stared up through the broken pattern of light through the canopy. Finally, he moved in front of Ryoji and squatted down so that they were face-to-face. "Minato is a very skilled ninja, Ryoji. He always has been. I taught him the art of summoning toads because he was more than capable of doing it." He paused. "You'll probably never be able to learn senjutsu. You don't have the chakra level necessary for it." Ryoji's face became closed as he listened to his master's blunt appraisal. Jiraiya's mouth lifted into a half-smile as he went on. "You know, I worry about Kazuko, and especially about you. I can give Minato almost any task, and it never causes him much trouble. It's not like that with you, though. I have to remember that you and Kazuko need protecting." He shut his eyes for a moment, his smile rueful. "You're not cadets anymore—I know. You don't need baby-sitting all the time." His eyes had a faraway gaze. ". . . But sometimes I forget to treat you like you are—like you deserve to be treated. And I just end up making things worse." Ryoji's eyes had gone wide by this time. His stare both begged his master to say more and pleaded with him to stop talking. "Forgive me." Jiraiya's request was soft.
"No, Sensei, don't—there's nothing to—" Ryoji started to protest.
"Masters can make mistakes, too," Jiraiya told him firmly. "Worse than any genin, that's for sure." He smiled again, apologetically. "If I let Minato do more than the rest of you, it's because I know he can. And if I hold you and Kazuko back even though you can fight perfectly well, it's because I don't want you to get hurt." Shrugging, he finished, "That's no excuse, but maybe if you can see it my way, you'll at least understand."
"Sensei," mumbled Ryoji, embarrassed, "I'm sorry for . . . driving the team apart." He lifted his slanted eyes to meet his master's. "I'll try hard not to do it anymore." Gradually, a grin spread across the Toad Sage's face.
"You and me both," promised Jiraiya. He stood up and started to run. "C'mon, Ryoji! Think you can keep up with a jonin?" The Ogawa boy scampered after his teacher and laughed rather breathlessly.
"That's not fair, Sensei!" He pumped his legs harder. "You got a head start!"