CHAPTER 35:
RASENGAN AND AKATSUKI
Sasuke, after some thought, decided to opt out of accompanying Jiraiya and the others to find Tsunade. He knew that what he had done had shaken Sakura's trust in him, perhaps fatally. Instead, he opted to train with Kakashi. Sakura, Naruto, and Haku, however, opted to join the perverted Sannin. Hinata also opted to stay behind at Konoha, deciding to discuss Naruto's parentage with her father. They had remained long enough, however, to hear Kakashi and Sakura telling them, and Naruto, what they knew of the Akatsuki.
As they made their way out of Konoha, Jiraiya said, "Now, the Fourth had many jutsus that made him feared. One of them, I've decided I'm going to teach you, Naruto, as it is your legacy. Given your chakra control, I'd be willing to see how well you two do it as well."
"And what technique is that, Jiraiya?" Sakura asked.
"The Rasengan, or the Spiralling Sphere. A spinning sphere of chakra contained within the palm of your hand…and which, if it hits an enemy, can cause immense damage. I believe Minato got the idea when he saw a Bijuudama, or a Tailed Beast Bomb, in action. That's one of the most devastating techniques a Tailed Beast can use, incidentally. Now, Sakura, despite your improvements since the Chunin Exams, I think you lack the power to create a full-on Rasengan. However, I think you have the chakra control to create a smaller version. Naruto, thanks to his tenant, has the power, but not the control. I dunno about Haku, so I cannot honestly tell you, though your chakra control seems pretty good, so I think you can give it a shot."
"Why teach us? Why not just Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Well, with you, Sakura, it's because I see your potential. I see Naruto's potential too. Both of you have created jutsus. Naruto, for example, has created his Centrefold jutsu, while you have created two Hikariton attacks. You complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. What's more, you helped teach Naruto how to use genjutsu, something your own teacher was surprised at. Specialisation is all very well, but a truly splendid shinobi is a versatile one. And what's more, the pair of you have had to work very hard to get where you are now. I can respect that. Even with the old fuzzball in your guts, you've had to work hard to get where you are Naruto. And you, Sakura, you work harder than many a wannabe kunoichi I have seen. You come from no clan, and physically, you're pretty weak. But you work hard to overcome that weakness."
"Not as much as Rock Lee," Sakura said. "He's a nice guy, but his training regimen's insane, and frankly, so is he. A little."
Jiraiya chuckled. "That's Might Guy and his influence, partly. And I hear the affection in your voice. You admire his work ethic and his chivalry, don't you?"
"Of course!"
"Good. There's not many people like that in our world, people who break their own limits regularly. Anyway, the reason why I admire you two is that you work hard to make your way. I was like that too, believe it or not." Jiraiya's face took on a wistful nature as he indulged in nostalgia. "I guess our teams aren't so dissimilar. Orochimaru was like Sasuke, the orphan, but the one with a lot of skill and strength…and with a misanthropic streak even then. Oh, he was okay back then, before he became obsessed with immortality, but he was also often mocking me. Tsunade could be like you, Sakura, though she was also ninja royalty, being the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage. But the same fire burns in you, the fire to prove yourself as a kunoichi. And I was Naruto, the dunce with no apparent potential, the prankster vying for attention. In a way, that was good. I didn't have everything handed to me on a platter. Instead, I had to work and train hard to get to the level where I am today."
"As did I," Haku said. "I have my Hyouton bloodline limit, true, but my master put me through training that, to you, may seem like Hell on Earth. I worked hard for much of my life to get to where I am."
Jiraiya nodded. "And I can respect that. Zabuza Momochi was a brutal guy, but he was also a strong warrior. Haku, I dunno what I can teach you to make you stronger, but the Rasengan can be a versatile little move, and it is better to have a varied arsenal than rely on a single set of moves. Minato, if I remember correctly, tried to combine the Rasengan with his chakra element. In fact, Kakashi's Chidori is actually a failed attempt at combining the Rasengan with his lightning element, which goes to show, even a jutsu that is a failure in one regard can be a success in another." Jiraiya waved them over to a rock, and sat down. He then put his palm up, as if holding something in his hand. A blue orb of energy coalesced, chakra swirling around a central point in a spherical shape. A continual noise, as if of a small but powerful wind, filled the air.
Sakura stared at it in awe. "All that chakra, but with no handsigns."
Jiraiya nodded, before he hopped off the rock, and slammed the orb into it. The orb drilled into the rock for a time, before there was an explosion. The rock had shattered from the effect of the Rasengan. "If that was an enemy shinobi, imagine what that would have done to their internal organs. It's not always lethal, especially if the enemy has a regeneration technique, but it's powerful all the same."
"I do see one problem with it," Sakura said. "Do you need to be at close range to use it?"
"Sadly, yes," Jiraiya said. "If you throw it, it loses its shape. That being said, with no handsigns, there's less forewarning of the technique. But it is also difficult to use. There are three steps to learning the basics of the Rasengan: spinning, power, and containment. I will have to show you those three steps, but you're a smart girl, Sakura, so you will understand it better without an explanation." Jiraiya held up a finger. "Firstly, you need to spin chrakra, find out how your chakra spins. Each person has a natural chakra rotation. Secondly, you need to pump out power. Finally, you need to contain both the power and the spinning in a confined point."
Sakura blinked, before she nodded. "I see. Combine power with rotation, and confine it to that sphere, right?"
"Exactly," Jiraiya said. "We'll wait until later before we start the training seriously. Now, I think you have the chakra control for a Rasengan, Sakura, but you lack the raw power. As I said, though, your control might be enough that you can create a smaller version of the Rasengan."
"The Fourth Hokage was a genius," Sakura murmured. "I would have loved to have met him, and Tobirama Senju, the Edo Tensei aside. I think I would have had a lot to talk about with them."
Jiraiya chuckled. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but you sounded a little like Orochimaru." On their glares, he hastily said, "Look, Orochimaru is a bastard, but…if there's one good thing you can say about the man, it's that he is eternally curious, eternally willing to learn."
Sakura nodded. "I know that. He even said we were more alike than I cared to admit. But I would never go down the path he did."
Jiraiya gently put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Sakura…I haven't known you for long, but I like to think I'm a good judge of people. I know you wouldn't. I only compared you to what few good qualities Orochimaru has. Anyway, we've wasted enough time. We'd better get to Shukuba Town before long…"
Not long afterwards, in the room in the rather dubious inn where they were staying for the night, Sakura let out a sigh of annoyance. "Lecherous old fart," she muttered. Once they got into the inn, Jiraiya had gone off with an admittedly beautiful young woman, and had told them to head to the room and practise their chakra manipulation.
Haku nodded, a faint scowl marring his own features. "Sannin or not, he seemed to go after that woman very quickly."
Naruto's own scowl was even bigger. "He's the Pervert Sage," he muttered. "He'd better be serious about helping us train…"
Suddenly, there was a rap on the door. Sakura, with a sigh, walked to the door. "Did he get dumped already?" Naruto remarked.
Sakura rolled her eyes, before opening the door, and looking up at the person just outside the room. And when she did, it was all she could do not to scream in fright.
The man was wearing a high-collared coat or cloak of some sort, with red clouds on a black background. Above the high collar were facial features that were familiar not just because she had seen them in photos, but because they were similar to an older Sasuke, save for a pair of careworn lines from the eyes down to the cheeks, running alongside the nose. As if he was sickly, or else had once cried so much, it had eroded part of his face. The shock of black hair was familiar, and the shinobi headband was that of Konoha, but with the symbol scratched through, the near-universal sign of the rogue ninja. And his eyes were Sharingan, looking at her with calm disinterest.
Sakura knew this face because it was in every Bingo Book, every recent book about the Uchiha clan and its massacre, every wanted poster in Fire Country. It was the face of Itachi Uchiha. And even knowing the circumstances around his fleeing Konoha did nothing to ameliorate the fact that he was currently their enemy.
Her eyes flickered over to another figure standing nearby wearing the same outfit, with blue-grey skin, gill-like markings on his cheeks, white eyes glinting within hollow sockets, and spiky dark blue hair. His vicious grin showed sharp teeth, like the shark he resembled. He wore a headband with the Kiri symbol scratched through, and a wrapped-up sword on his back. She recognised him from the Bingo Book: Kisame Hoshigaki. The Monster of the Hidden Mist. The Tail-less Tailed Beast. One of the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, now a rogue ninja, like Itachi.
Both working for Akatsuki.
All of this revelation passed in a split-second. Then, mustering up all her reserves of bravery and facetiousness, Sakura said to Itachi with a smile, "Whatever you're selling, we don't want any." And shut the door in their faces.
As she stepped away from the door, she heard laughter from the other side. Judging by the low rasping voice, it was Kisame doing so. "That's a reaction we've never got before!" the shark-like man laughed.
"Uncle Kisame?" Haku whispered quietly.
"Naruto," Sakura said quietly and urgently. "Remember that Akatsuki thing we told you about before leaving Konoha? They're here. We need to get out of here." She began readying her chakra. "When I use my technique, get out of the window. We need to find Jiraiya."
Naruto, having had the dangers of Akatsuki impressed on him, didn't argue. And soon, the door was kicked open, revealing Itachi and Kisame. "Well, well, well," Kisame rasped. "What have we here? Not just the Kyuubi jinchuriki, but a little kunoichi, and little Haku, too. I heard of Zabuza's demise, Haku."
"And I am sure you didn't mourn him," Haku said.
"Enough," Itachi said, his quiet, calm voice cutting across it. It sounded tired, even a little dead. It matched his impassive expression. "Please come with us, Naruto. We have need of you."
"And what does Akatsuki want with him?" Sakura asked, keeping herself between Naruto and the two rogue ninja.
"That is not your concern. Please, do not get in our way," Itachi said.
"Or what?" Sakura demanded. "You'll use the Tsukuyomi on us, like you did with Sasuke? Do you have any idea what you did to him?!"
Itachi blinked, before he said, with a strange undercurrent of sincerity, "All too well."
"He knows why," Sakura said. As Itachi's eyes widened, she held up her hand. "He's seen the light, as will you! HIKARITON: SENKOU!"
The strobe of light seared the retinas of the two rogue ninja, and as soon as the flare faded, the three younger ninja fled through the window. Following them was the angered roaring of Kisame, who was uttering all sorts of threats of dismemberment. Itachi made no such sounds.
Sakura, Naruto, and Haku began running. They needed to find Jiraiya, wherever he had ended up. Because if they couldn't, then the two rogue ninja working with Akatsuki would catch them. And while they needed Naruto alive for the Kyuubi, the same couldn't be said for Sakura and Haku. Jiraiya was the only person who could possibly stand up to Itachi and Kisame.
Even so, even as she ran, Sakura thought, if the circumstances behind Itachi fleeing Konoha were as the late Hokage had said in his letter to Sasuke, what was he doing in the Akatsuki? It was a question, she felt, that could wait for a later time, when they weren't running for their lives…
CHAPTER 35 ANNOTATIONS:
Okay, I said the next chapter wasn't going to be out for a long time. But this drew me in, and, well, here you go. Unlike in canon, Sasuke hasn't come to Shukuba Town to confront Itachi. And unlike in canon, Jiraiya has discussed his plans to teach the Rasengan from the get-go. The next chapter still will be a while, though.
With this chapter, Observations of a Wannabe Kunoichi will probably become my second most viewed work, finally surpassing my first ever fanfic, Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage. Yay!
Speaking of views, this story will be updated as part of an update designed to pay tribute to Final Fantasy IX (in celebration of the Steam release finally coming out), with three of the stories updated being based on that game. There are two of my Harry Potter crossovers with that game, A Third Summoner and Xenophilia, and my first pure fanfic for that game, Raison d'Etre. A new story will be posted, the first crossover between Final Fantasy IX and Highschool DxD, called Black Mage of Kuoh. In addition, my Harry Potter and Final Fantasy VIII crossover Mnemosyne's Son, my Harry Potter/Final Fantasy XII crossover Nitimur in Vetitum, my Final Fantasy VII and Harry Potter crossover Vert the Emerald and the Cetra Heritage, and my Harry Potter and Hellsing crossover Haemophilia (based on, with her permission, sakurademonalchemist's It's in the Blood) will also be updated.
Review-answering time! jgkitarel: Although Danzo is the guy you love to hate, especially in many fanfics, one of my first fanfics I ever read with him in it was White Angel of Auralon's Dark Phoenix of Konoha, where Danzo is portrayed as, while extremely dubious, willing to ally with the Hokage in strengthening Konoha, and portrayed in a more positive light than most. I did a slightly more positive Danzo in Sins of the Father, and I find it more interesting writing him that way than as an out and out villain.
Duner89: Admittedly, that was one of my weaker chapters. Sakura, however, is not actually forgiving. But at the same time, she understands him. As for her reaction to Tsunade, most of the yelling will be on Tsunade's end. Sakura will be more cold.
RayvnAshes2: As you might have noticed from the above, not really. Kisame is more dedicated to the Akatsuki. And as for a fight between Haku and Neji? Well, I'd say Haku, if only because he could use some Hyouton techniques that can bypass the Rotation.
No numbered annotations this time.