Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update. It's been a busy day.
Before you run off and read the awesome chapter I have for you, I'd like to address a review I received. It has never been my intent to portray Kakashi in a lesser light than he deserves, but it's important to remember that much of my portrayal of him is of a side of him that we know little if nothing about. We don't get to see him being human; all we're exposed to in the anime and manga is him being a badass. I'm attempting to show that human, imperfect part of him.
Also, I'll be on vacation next week, so no update next week. I'll be back on the 14th of July.
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 24 - Training Troubles
Amaya glanced over her shoulder. Naruto stood by the hot spring, arms folded, impatient to begin his training. He was back to his normal, optimistic self, for which she was grateful. Naruto needed a smile on his face as far as she was concerned.
Returning her attention to the man in front of her, she leaned against the wall of the bathhouse. "Well, now that you know who it is, will you take him on?"
The man pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. He wore normal Konoha attire save the flak jacket, for which he had a considerable dislike. His bandana-style hitai-ate covered his dark hair. "You're asking a lot, Amaya. I know I still owe you for saving my ass, but to force me to train the Fox brat..."
"That's why I want you to train him, Ebisu. At least for a day or two. If you give him the chance, you'll see he's more than the beast inside him."
"How can he be more than the Fox? That thing corrupts everything it touches."
By the way his arms were folded, Amaya could see Ebisu closing himself off. "You can hate the Kyubi all you want, but don't hate Naruto for something he never asked for. He didn't choose to be the Fox's vessel. You know that as well as I, but it seems you've forgotten the Yondaime's wish."
"Alright, alright. I'll train him for a few days, but I won't like it."
"You don't have to enjoy it. All that I care about is that you do it." The tattooed Jonin paused and dropped her voice into a threat-laden tone. "But if you do anything to upset or hurt him, and I'll know if you do, I'll make sure you regret it."
Ebisu swallowed, remembering what she did to Kakashi for letting an embarrassing story slip. He knew he wouldn't get off with just hair dye. "Yes ma'am."
A sweet smile spread across her face. "I'm glad we have an understanding." She walked towards Naruto, expecting Ebisu to follow.
The excited look on the Genin's face disappeared when he saw who trailed behind Amaya. "What's he doing here?"
"He's agreed to train you for a few days while I find the person I really want to train you."
"But is he really the only person you could find?"
"You'll be fine, Naruto. Now, please, both of you play nice and I'll be back in a day or two."
The auburn-haired Jonin left with another smile on her face. Naruto watched her leave, unhappiness settling in his stomach. Ebisu wouldn't have been his choice, since he knew the Jonin hated him, but Amaya hadn't steered him wrong before. He shrugged, deciding to make the best out of an unpleasant situation. "So, what're you going to teach me, closet perv?"
"What made me think finding one of the Sannin would be easy?" Amaya muttered to herself as she left her third bathhouse of the day. "He was supposed to be around here somewhere."
She knew her intel was solid; Jiraya didn't come back to the Village often, so when he was nearby, news traveled quickly. But, as she was discovering, knowing the Sannin was within a thirty-mile radios of the Konoha and finding him were two very different things. Three days of fruitless searching wore on her patience, and if not for Naruto, she would've given up.
She sat down on a bench outside the last bathhouse of the small village she entered yesterday. She'd though maybe she finally found Jiraiya since a woman stormed past her mumbling about an old pervert. Pulling out a map from her pack, she marked off yet another town. Where should she go next?
Numerous towns were clustered around the ninja Village, becoming more spread out the farther one traveled until you neared the capital or the southern trading hubs.
Amaya jumped when she realized a man sat beside her; she hadn't felt his approach. A quick glance while standing and moving a step back told her Jiraiya had found her. His unmistakable white hair hung in a ponytail down his back. He wore a green, short shirt kimono and matching pants; his mesh armor that showed out of the sleeves and legs of his outfit. His telltale ensemble was completed with hand guards, a simple black belt, wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. He crossed his arms. "You've been following me."
"If you knew I was trying to find you, why didn't you do something about it earlier?"
A smile tugged at his lips. "I wanted to see how persistent you'd be. Besides, it's not every day I get a pretty woman hunting me down."
The auburn-haired Jonin barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "What does my persistence earn me?"
Jiraiya patted the bench. "You get to tell me why you've been searching for me."
She warily sat down, not wanting to offend him but not quite trusting him. "There's someone I'd like you to train. He's got a lot of heart and is willing to do whatever he has to to become strong. He just needs the right sensei."
"What do you need me for? Why don't you teach him?"
"I can't. Not really." She pulled down her shirt far enough so he could see the entirety of the seal resting in the hollow of her throat, the seal that kept her from using her arts without Mamoru's pretense.
A low whistle escaped the Sannin. "That's one hell of a seal. Looks like just another of your tattoos unless you know what you're looking for."
"So will you teach him?"
"No, I don't take on students. But," he said, a smile spreading across his face, "if you showed me the rest of your tattoos, I might be persuaded."
Amaya pursed her lips only just keeping the irritation from her voice. "He's Minato Namikaze's son. Is that enough persuasion for you?"
Jiraiya rose, turning his back on her. She thought he would walk away without giving an answer, but eventually, he spoke. "I'll be there once I've finished my research here."
Kakashi took another drink, wishing for the hundredth time he could drown out Anko's voice. Since the kunoichi found him and decided he needed the company, she hadn't stopped talking. Her blue-black hair was in its usual spiked ponytail and her light brown, pupil-less eyes were fixed on him. Her tan overcoat was draped over the back of her chair, exposing the whole of her fitted mesh body suit that stretched from her neck down to her thighs. Her dark orange mini-skirt had a small stain from her drink when she'd gestured too wildly during a story. She rolled her snake-fang pendant between her fingers. Her wrist watch and pale grey shin guards were no where to be seen.
The silver-haired nin cast a pleading glance at Raido and Asuma who sat with him. They shrugged; this was his fight. Anko was drunk and obviously into him. He had to do something about it.
"Wasn't that hilarious?" Anko asked, leaning closer to Kakashi. He squirmed away a little. This was weird, even for her. She'd never given him the slightest hint that she liked him before. She was just drunk he decided.
"Yeah," he said. What he needed was a diversion, something that would get him away from her. The door to the bar opened, but he paid it no mind, too intent on finding an escape.
A hand clamped around his forearm and Kakashi found himself being dragged sideways. He didn't fight his captor, happy to get away from Anko until he saw Raido's face go white. He dug his heels in when he saw the person holding his arm was Amaya. "What's this about? Can I have my arm back?"
She stopped, her face still turned from him. The auburn-haired Jonin loosened her grip. "I don't want to do this here."
"What's wrong, Amaya?" Kakashi could see her quivering with restrained rage. What had he done? "Let's go somewhere and talk."
"The Forest of Death's open if you want," Anko called from her seat, a grin on her face. This was going to be good.
"Good a place as any. The three of you might want to come with us. In case I need to be stopped from killing him," Amaya said, her voice darkening as she spoke. Without another word, she stormed from the bar. Asuma and Raido glanced at each other and followed her out while Kakashi trailed behind. Anko followed behind him to discourage running.
The silver haired Jonin had no idea what he'd done, but what worried him more was that Amaya asked the others to come with them. Dealing with a private problem in front of an audience wasn't her style. An audience meant she feared she wouldn't be able to control herself and felt she needed someone to stop her. As much as she'd threatened him with violence over the years, she never acted on her more vicious desires.
His troubled thoughts kept him busy until he realized they were rapidly approaching the Forest of Death's gate. Amaya stopped, not turning to face him, so he spoke up. "What did... What did I do?"
The tattooed shinobi whirled around. "You're a real bastard, you know that? I know you hate the Fox, but that doesn't mean you can treat Naruto like shit."
"When have I ever done that?"
"How about when he asked you to train him for the Chunin Exams and when he asked again after the semi-finals?" Every muscle in her body was rigid with anger. Kakashi couldn't see what he'd done, but he would, even if she had to beat the knowledge into him. "He cried when he told me. He thinks you hate him."
The silver-haired Jonin glanced at the ground, shame starting to drip into his mind. "I don't hate him. It's just... I already promised Sasuke."
"Bullshit. You could've trained both of them and you know it. So why? What's the real reason? Remind you too much of Minato-sensei? Or maybe you're tired of how alike he and Obito are?" She took a step forward, the air charged with her rising anger. Anko leaned against the fence and smiled, glad she'd run into Amaya on her way home from a mission. Asuma and Raido remained quiet, neither wanting to redirect the fury of the auburn-haired nin.
Kakashi held his ground, preparing for the strike he knew would come. He dodged her punch, but barely escaped the chakra chains that shot from the ground. Why couldn't she understand? Why couldn't she see that being around Naruto hurt him, reminded him of his failures and broken promises? Surely, she of all people could understand. But the flurry of blows raining down told him all he needed to know and his momentary shame boiled away. He caught her arm after dodging her latest punch, twisted the limb behind her, and drove her to the ground. Amaya didn't struggle; she knew when fighting would do her no good. The silver-haired shinobi leaned down, speaking softly so only she could hear. "The Amaya I loved would have understood, but I guess it was foolish to think you might."
He released his hold on her and left without another word. He needed a drink. Or ten.