Chapter 25

"Nothing that someone like you needs to worry about I am sure," Sasuke said answering Naruto question once they were close enough to talk without having to talk loudly or yell.

"I very much doubt that," Jiraiya said looking at Sasuke with a slightly stern look.

"Fine I decided to follow you to see what I could learn. Since I am not a ninja I can travel about where I want to without restriction," Sasuke said with a smirk.

Jiraiya looked at Sasuke closely, "And what makes you think that I show something you can learn just by watching let alone teach you?"

"Well because I can follow just fine and if you want a reason to teach me. I am an Uchiha and the last Loyal Uchiha on top of that," Sasuke said still smirking, "So I shall now ask you to teach me everything you know as the Last Loyal Uchiha of the Hidden Leaf Village."

"And," Jiraiya asked as he started to walk down the path again.

"And what?" Sasuke asked confused as to the lack of a yes or no answer. As he stayed close enough to Jiraiya as to talk in a normal tone of voice.

"And what is the reason I should teach you?" Jiraiya asked as he moved along.

"I told you, I am the last loyal Uchiha that should be more than reason enough," Sasuke said moving in front of Jiraiya.

"Not for me," Jiraiya said as he moved around Sasuke and kept on walking.

"What about your duty as the soon to be new Hokage? Shouldn't your worry be about increasing the strength of the Ninja forces in the Leaf Village?" Sasuke asked and started following again. Getting annoyed slowly as Jiraiya turned him down.

"I am taking care of that, why do you think I am bring back Tsunade to the Leaf Village?" Jiraiya said.

"Then why not train me so that I may become a great defender of the Village?" Sasuke asked smirking.

"Because you are not a ninja of the Leaf Village, so I do not need to do that. Also my Sensei the Third Hokage, said your right to be a ninja was removed after you willingly attacked a fellow ninja just to pass a test of teamwork. As such I have no reason what so ever to help you or train you." Jiraiya said stopping and giving Sasuke a look of annoyance.

"Fine, but I still need you to train me so I may defeat my brother." Sasuke said glaring back as he stopped walking as well.

"Kid let me tell you something about your brother. At the height of his skill before he left the village he was a match for Orochimaru or Tsunade. Since he has left I very much doubt his skills have decreased in the slightest. Meaning the only one currently that could fight him to a standstill would be Sensei or me as we have the speed and or the skills needed to match him. You have the skills of a Chuunin at best I am sure. But that is nowhere near close enough to even to giving him a slight pause if he wished to kill you," Jiraiya said explaining trying to get Sasuke to give up.

"I know all this all too well. Now teach me so I can beat him!" Sasuke said forgetting to be semi polite.

He was rewarded with a backhand that cause him to skid a few feet away before he came to a stop, as Jiraiya spoke though this time his voice held a power that made both Sasuke and Naruto tremble, "Sasuke Uchiha, I already said no! And as the soon to be Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village for that type of disrespect I could have you locked in jailed. If you wish to learn from me, I would suggest rethinking about what you know about the world. And more importantly what your place is in it. Once you have done that and can prove to me you have changed your ways then maybe, just maybe. I will think about letting you become a ninja of the Leaf Village. Now Naruto let's go we have to find Tsunade!"

Naruto just blinked and nodded and started following Jiraiya. It did not take long before they were completely out of sight thanks to the new pace that Jiraiya was walking at. Sasuke though just moved to a sitting position from where he had landed. He was not really paying attention to his surroundings when he heard something that nearly made him jump.

"See I told you that he would not train you, but you did not listen to me." A voice said.

Sasuke spun around drawing a Kunai as he went only to feel a sharp blade against his neck. Sasuke though sighed and growled slightly his eyes activating for a second before he shut them off again as he spoke, "Kabuto Sensei it is not wise to sneak up on a ninja, even if I have not fully competed my training yet."

"I will worry more when you have reached my level Sasuke, and you are still a long way off from that. Besides I wanted to see what you plan to do now seeing as you got rejected quite harshly." Kabuto said then asked letting Sasuke go.

Sasuke glanced towards the medical ninja before turning to look where Naruto and Jiraiya had vanished. "I am going to follow them and see if I can learn anything semi useful. If I have not learned anything useful soon then I will return to the village and we can go to meet your Master and Sensei."

Kabuto chuckled lightly adjusting the round glasses he was wearing. "Fine but you had better hurry my master is not the most is not the most patient of people."

"If he wants to teach me as bad as you seem to suggest I am sure he is willing to wait a while longer," Sasuke said with a very arrogant smirk before he started walking down the road in the direction Naruto and Jiraiya had gone.

"Yes but everyone do have their own limits Sasuke," Kabuto said before vanishing completely. Sasuke glanced back at where his teacher stood a second before. Shrugging he continued walking along he had two people to catch up to quickly.

Naruto sighed as they finally reached the town where they would be staying for the night. Jiraiya had been quiet for rest of the trip not even speaking once as the moved along. He could tell that something was bugging Jiraiya since his talk with Sasuke. And while he wanted to know what it was, he was not fully sure it was safe to ask. As they settled down into a room at an inn for the night Jiraiya came in with the food as he sat it down on the table Naruto figured now was probably going to be the best time to ask.

"Jiraiya what has been bugging you all day?" Naruto asked quite bluntly.

"I am sure you know kid," Jiraiya said not looking at him as he set down the food on a table.

"It is more than just Sasuke getting on your nerves," Naruto said pressing a little bit.

Jiraiya sighed slightly as he gained a lot many could not claim of being old, at least not and still be a ninja. He turned and looked at Naruto closely before shaking his head, "You would be right on that."

"Yes I know so what happened?" Naruto asked.

"Orochimaru is what happened," Jiraiya said as he sat down and took off his headband and looked at it, "You may not realize it but if Sasuke had stayed on your team, it could have ended up becoming or looking like my team was."

Naruto blinked surprised, "how so."

"In maybe ways each of the teams would have mirrored one another," Jiraiya said.

"That does not explain much," Naruto said.

"Fine I will explain it easier for you. You and I are a great deal alike, though we have been trained much of the skills you and I have, have been gained through hard work alone. Sakura in many ways is like Tsunade, and though while Sakura did not have the clan backing and skills she has much the same attitude that Tsunade did and if what I heard is correct the strength to match it." Jiraiya said with a light chuckle as Naruto nodded in agreement.

"So Sasuke is like Orochimaru, but how is that true? I mean I know Sasuke is not the best of guys but I have never seen him truly that bad other than our first Genin test and then the second time he tried to become a ninja. And no I am not defending him," Naruto said.

"Because you did not know Orochimaru before he began his fall into darkness. At first he used to be one of the best ninja of the leaf, skilled eager to learn, and possibly one of the nicest people you would meet. Sasuke from what I understand about him was basically the same." Jiraiya said, causing Naruto to stare at him for a few moments in complete surprise.

"But how is that possible, he is so twisted and evil now." Naruto said in complete shock at the thought of Orochimaru being kind at all.

"Life of a Ninja has many dangerous sides to it. As well as many risk to those that have a still living family. Orochimaru, like Sasuke, lost family his family. The major difference between them was that Orochimaru's mother and father were lost while out on a mission. And while Orochimaru loss was not nearly as great as Sasuke the news of his dead parents was enough to drive him over the edge," Jiraiya said sighing remembering the events like it was yesterday.

"What happened," Naruto asked.

"Nothing at first that anyone noticed, but slowly he started to crave knowledge about any ninjustu he could find. He figured, or at least thought that the amount of ninjustu a ninja had mastered equaled the skill of the ninja. But when we were defeated by Hanzo of the Rain and become named as the Sannin I think he realized that Ninjustu was not enough. After this I can only guess what happened, but what I know for sure is he began to try and find a way to become immortal."

"And that is when the old man found out what happened?" Naruto asked.

"Yes though we are not sure how long he had been working on it by that point," Jiraiya said, "He was forced to flee the village, taking Anko his student with him."

Naruto sighed, "What happened that made her do that?"

"She was under the impression that they were out on a long term mission but during one of the times while they were moving from one base to the next I found them." Jiraiya sighed again looking all of his many years knowing full well why Naruto asked.

"It did not go well I take it," Naruto said looking out the window. While he was sure Sakura knew about the past he only knew a small part of it.

"I fought them both after Orochimaru called me a traitor for leaving the village. I was able to fight them to a standstill when the Anbu reinforcements arrived. Orochimaru at this point in time seeing his odds just drop to zero did something unexpected and placed a curse seal on Anko before fleeing. Laughing if he wanted to save his disgrace of a student we would have to get her to the hospital at once. I took her at once to save her life thinking she had been injected with poison while the Anbu chased after him. That was the last contact I have had with him since," Jiraiya said sighing.

"Wow," Naruto said thinking about what Anko had gone through. "So you fear Sasuke could flip like that?"

"To be honest I think he already has. But I don't think nearly as far as Orochimaru has gone," Jiraiya said handing the food over before he began to eat. Naruto nodded and ate his own food. It gave him a lot to think about. As they finished and got ready for bed Jiraiya stopped and spoke again, "Naruto by the way I forgot but I did say I would teach you something on this trip, did I not."

"Actually no, but I would not mind it," Naruto said putting his sword near his bed so he could draw it at a second notice.

"Good because we are going to be up early tomorrow so I can teach you some skills and a Ninjustu I think you would find most useful." Jiraiya said with a slight smirk and a smile. Naruto just nodded and was soon off sleeping. Jiraiya stayed up for a little while longer placing seals around the room. After all on could never be too careful.

(hi Espo here.

I have removed the preview chapter. So if you cannot review you know why.

Also please review as always if you can. If not private message work as well. )