Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, never did, and never will. Masashi Kishimoto does.
I'd like to thank you readers who have sent their reviews and comments. Pointing out mistakes and some reviews have even given me ideas. I apologize for the slow update. Really sorry. Like before, I'm trying to develop the story instead of going on an all-bashing fiction. I've reposted and repaired the mistakes done on past chapters. From obvious typing errors to fixing some glitch and misunderstanding. Great thanks to the Disruptive One. I fixed the part of not including Shizune in Naruto's short list of precious people in Konoha.
"Hei, Takagi." called Chiro as he turned around under his blanket.
"What…? Go to sleep…." replied Takagi drowsily under his blanket. "I've got a Jounin exam to pass tomorrow, you know."
All three of Baki's students had returned to their respective room. Hirami and Baki each had a room all to themselves, while Chiro and Takagi had to sleep on the couch. The whole inn was reserved for the Sand-nins to stay, why the Chuunins didn't get a room each like the ANBU members was a mystery. Each room in the inn was very much like an apartment: equipped with a sofa set, T.V, a mini bar, with a master bedroom or two bedrooms. Clearly, the inn had given or Baki had taken the one that had two separate bedrooms.
"Oh come on…," pleaded Chiro. Evident that he wasn't the slightest bit ready of going to sleep.
"Go to sleep…I don't want to get into trouble if Baki sensei barges in while the both of us are still awake…" mumbled on Takagi as he pulled up his blanket.
"I was wondering about something." said Chiro as he looked up at the ceiling. "About Oni taicho (Demon captain)."
Takagi didn't say anything in return, trying his best to get to sleep. Being teammates, Chiro knew too well that his friend was just acting and was hearing every word.
"What do you think Oni taicho can do thanks to his bijou?" wondered Chiro as he had the palm of his hands together at the back of his head, on the pillow. "I mean Kazekage-sama has that cool protective sand of his. To react and move around without him giving out the slightest thought or command."
Takagi still remained silent. Thanks to his friend, he was now wondering the same thing after watching the ANBU captain totally thrashed the genius Uchiha of the Leaf. All those Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and the speed he saw were incredible. To top it all off, an ANBU Sand-nin at the Ichiraku Ramen had told him that he hasn't seen anything yet.
"Come on Takagi, I know you're not asleep." ranted Chiro in the dark.
Takagi gave a long yawn. "Just shut up and go to sleep, okay? I have a Jounin exam to ace and you don't. If you don't knock it off, I'll go and sleep at Baki sensei's room. I'll be damn with the consequences as long as I don't wake up late tomorrow."
"Yeah. Yeah." replied Chiro. The Chuunin wasn't going to sleep just yet.
It was all too quiet after two minutes, with Takagi finally getting the peace and quiet he deserved. Until…..
"What if all those bedtime stories we used to hear about were true? May be Oni taicho can really take out your soul from your body, and then he'll eat it all up? I mean through that freaky blood red mask of his? Wouldn't that be cool?"
"Chiro." called Takagi in a neutral tone.
"Yeah?" replied his teammate.
"First of all," pointed Takagi with his eyes still shut. "May I remind you Baki sensei said, a demon sealed in your body isn't something cool."
"Oh…okay." agreed Chiro. "Second?"
"Second of all. Eating a person's soul isn't something you'd call 'cool'." continued Takagi. "Even if it that was possible. Which I strongly believe it's not. I don't think Oni taicho would want to."
"Why's that?" asked Chiro in confusion.
"He's willing to pay a huge sum of money every time he eats out." answered Takagi. "That totally states that he prefers to eat food than people's soul."
"May be he just like switching out between meals or something. He eats food, then he eats souls when he's on missions."
"Thus, we go back to 'I strongly believe that's not even true'." reminded Takagi. He was all too tired to have a little chat at the moment. "That and the fact that he probably prefers to kill his targets with those two katanas of his, instead of engulfing their souls."
"You think so?" asked Chiro.
"Not sure," said the Ant Lion summoner. He was being sarcastic. "I'll ask him next thing in the morning."
"Really?"
"No." replied Takagi who getting angrier as time passed by.
"But you said--" continued Chiro.
"Look! I was being sarcastic okay?" Takagi finally blew up. "Can we both go to sleep now? I have to beat a shinobi that's almost twice my age tomorrow morning in front of over thousands of people that has gathered all over Fire and Wind Country. If you go to sleep, I'll think about asking him the question."
"Are you serious or just being sarcastic like before?" asked Chiro in suspicion, narrowing his eyes. Looking at the silhouette of his teammate on the sofa.
Takagi couldn't take it any more and performed a hand seal. One that was particularly similar to when Gaara stood out on Shukaku's forehead. 'Thank god, Baki Sensei taught me this Jutsu…'
Yosuke Takagi finally dropped off to sleep on his couch, leaving his hyperactive Chuunin companion awake all alone.
Chiro finally decided to go to sleep. Talking all to himself. "I hate it when he does that."
Meanwhile, fifteen minutes before. Taking place several rooms away.
Gaara walked to the luxury suite that had been specially prepared for the Kazekage, courtesy of the people of Konoha. The other ANBU guards, Kankurou, Temari, Lady Chio, and Old man Ebizou had already returned to their own respective rooms. The Shukaku vessel was thinking about the private conversations that just happened with Naruto.
--Begin Flashback--
"Hei Gaara, I need another favour." requested Naruto.
Every time Gaara heard this, something was up. Something that he needed consent from his 'superior', no matter what his team was up to. Naruto, Asami, Kabuto and Kisame were Sand-nins, those that had been in service for Sunagakure for more than a year, whether counted officially or not.
The two Jinchuuriki were talking while sitting at the staircase, which was an odd place for two people to have a conversation. The rest of the Sand-nins knew all too well , it was either a family talk between brothers. That or business talk like giving reports between a Kazekage and an ANBU captain that either one of them couldn't seem to wait until they reached a room. Asami along with the Sand-nins just waited.
"What do you want?" asked Gaara directly towards the subject.
To Naruto, he was just being plain old Gaara. A person that wastes no time in asking why, when, or try to know further details pertaining to a certain matter. He didn't care much about that.
Naruto idly scratched the whisker marks on his right cheek. "I want to have a little chat with Shukaku."
Gaara gave him a questioning look.
"I know it sounds ridiculous. Chatting with rampaging tailed demon isn't something people find normal." pleaded Naruto. "Just hear me out okay?"
The maroon haired Kazekage was silent. " To me, it doesn't sound ridiculous. It's a marvel for you to have a great understanding with Kyuubi. Something that I am unable to do with Shukaku."
Both Kyuubi and Naruto were speechless, but the two were silent for different reasons.
Naruto gave his usual cheery, foxy grin. "Well the, let's just say...This little conversation with Shukaku is a step to at least making terms with that sand Tanuki. I don't mean like being friends or anything, more like know him a little. Like getting to know a stranger, you don't have to like that person or hate that person. A talk with Kyuubi, I hear Shukaku is a really jolly kind of demon."
Kyuubi added, though he knew only Naruto could hear him. " A rampaging, destruction wrecking, jolly kind of demon. That one tail just destroys anything whenever he feels like it. Unlike me, he doesn't thirst for the thrill, the amusement, and the excitement coming from the resistance and the battles puny humans put up. Though they're truly pathetic, the only time I've ever got that was from the so called Fourth Hokage and few fights you've had your entire life."
Naruto replied back to Kyuubi, 'In short, Shukaku is a total opposite to what Gaara is.'
To Gaara's surprise, he could feel something stir up in Shukaku.
--End Flashback—
The four Sand ANBU elites were walking down the corridor, towards their room. Kisame had been wondering about something ever since he finished watching the little fight at the training ground.
"I want to know something. Why didn't you just beat the hell out of that pesky Uchiha kid?" asked Kisame as he looked down at the back of Naruto's head. He was the tallest out of all them after all, clearly by a head at least. "I know you could've just beaten him down to a pulp."
Asami joined in. "You know, I was wondering the same thing."
"I didn't want to." summed up Naruto.
"Oh? You suddenly decided to just go soft on your opponent?" asked Kisame. "The Kyuubi vessel I knew would've start thrashing him hard the very second they both started that match. I mean you're just as serious and cruel as Itachi is when it came down to fighting anyone, and I mean ANYONE."
"After that beating he received right after that failed Chidori attempt, he should've at least have a broken rib or two." said Kabuto. "That indicated that you were holding back."
The wearer of the creepy Oni mask kept looking forward. "There was no need to."
"Why's that?" asked Asami, in surprised hearing what Naruto just said. "We did have medic-nins ready on the side-line. He was like practically pointing out that they will be of need."
"The injuries I could have inflicted on Sasuke-teme aren't something medic-nins can work out in one day." answered Naruto.
"Such as?" continued Asami, though she already knew what the answers were.
Naruto thought about his teacher's brother lying down while shouting or hissing in agony. "Broken bones."
The three had to agree, broken bones isn't something medic-nins could heal directly. It's not something like closing up wounds. The best thing medic-nins could do about mending broken bones is reducing the time it takes for them to heal. It's one of those injuries where all shinobis try to avoid, since the consequences are too bothersome. It takes too much time to recover. A complete recovery so it wouldn't weaken the bone structure or simply break again. If medic-nins could fix that thing in a jiff, Lee wouldn't have been spent too much time walking around with a crutch, cast on his left leg and arm. A courtesy of Gaara's Sabaku Sousou (Sand Burial) since he was unable to cover him whole in the Chuunin preliminaries. Shikamaru wouldn't have too much about his broken thumb on his first ever Chuunin mission.
Kisame laughed. "So you would have beaten done him really bad. But for some reason, you didn't."
"We all know Gaara-sama and Tsunade would have intervened the sparring session the moment you cross the line," added Kabuto. "I'm sure Naruto-kun has a lot of reasons why he avoided beating up Sasuke. Attracts more attention than we've already drawn to ourselves? Not to blow our cover? Not worth the effort?"
"We need bait to lure the snake out." explained Naruto. "I don't like to idea about the four of us missing another opportunity in killing that snake. All those time searching and destroying his hidden bases, only to find that he's not there. It takes too much time, and he'll take his time to get Sasuke's body."
"Personally, I think you just hate the idea of spending your time here in Konoha." commented Kisame as he gave a pat on Naruto's back.
With that, Asami stopped in her tracks and elbowed Kisame in the stomach. "Geez, you think?"
Weird enough, the kunoichi raised the same hand and slapped the back of her lover's head.
"Ouch! What was that for?" demanded Naruto in puzzlement as he rubbed his head in pain.
"For pulling off those annoying tricks in that spar of yours. You fooled all of us back with that burned up clone of yours. You boil me up every time you make me worry like that." answered Asami with a tinge of anger.
Kisame nodded in agreement while still recovering from Asami's assault. "Stupid illusionary tricks. You just can't fight on without the occasional Genjutsu casting around."
"You're right. I think I'll do just that next time." replied Naruto sarcastically. "Just forget all those things that makes one a shinobi. Fighting someone face to face with no tricks whatsoever."
Kabuto expected Kisame ready with his answer as he slightly looked up to his tall friend.
"That's not what I meant." Kisame snarled and bared his sharky teeth. Naruto couldn't see it but he already knew from the snarl. The Samehada wielder finished. "Trick your enemies, not your comrades."
Just when Naruto think it was all over, Asami gave a punch at his shoulders. Right when the ache on his head was starting to disappear. He and Kyuubi always wondered why he couldn't dodge such hits coming from the red haired kunoichi when he could just easily dodge attacks from enemies.
"What?" asked Naruto looking at his 'mate', as what the fellow foxes including Kyuubi would say. He rubbed his right shoulder. Kyuubi was already easing the pain, since he too was sharing the body.
"Temari said she was really pissed when she came to know about missing that spar. She knew there was no way she could lay a hit on you, so she decided to ask for my help." answered Asami.
She didn't sound guilty at all, more like satisfied she had more reasons to hurt Naruto.
They finally reached their room, wondering as to why it took too much time just to reach to their room. (The author coughs up.)
Yakushi Kabuto opened the door to his room, which was connected to Naruto and Asami's own. The fact that neither Naruto nor Asami had bothered to bring their own room key before they went out earlier that morning. They didn't have to worry about having intruders or thieves. Either to check on their belongings, or steal them. Not that they could really find anything to steal. All of their belongings were stored in scrolls, sealed away, only to appear when summoned with the smear of the owner's blood.
A very useful thing Naruto learned from the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. The old pervert never did bring any luggage around, not even a sack.
Naruto was about to make his way to the couch when Asami suddenly stepped on his cloak, causing him to suddenly stop in his tracks, only a few steps away from the comfort of the leather seat.
"I suggest you go and change into something cleaner before doing anything else." pointed out Asami, still wearing her blue fox mask, as gave a tug on the dirt and dry mud covered cloak.
Naruto obeyed without a fret, not wanting to risk another hit. As he was about to take off his mask and hood when he noticed something. He saw their reflections on the television screen, which totally freaked and alerted him as a memory popped up in his mind.
"Wait. Don't take your masks off just yet." ordered Naruto in an all-commanding manner. Switching back into Itachi mode as what Kisame would call it.
The other three Sand-nins complied, being on high alert like their leader. Though they were wondering what was up, they didn't sense anyone's presence or notice any traps. The Kyuubi vessel on the other hand, opened the upside down pocket on his Jounin vest and let a scroll drop onto the floor. A paintbrush wisped out of nowhere into his hand, and he began writing down seals on the opened scroll. Under a brief period of time with the Legendary Toad Sannin, he learned a few things about seals. Before and after the whole Akatsuki incident, however, it was apparently clear that he was a quick learner after the Akatsuki training. A really quick one. In Jiraiya's opinion, the blonde haired shinobi was starting to show a few more similarities with his most prized student, the Yondaime Hokage. And it no longer was the blonde hair and stubborn attitude that the two shinobis shared in common.
Naruto finished the last line of seals, and summoned some chakra. The writings on the scroll crawled out like an army of ants onto the floor. They seem to disappear a few inches after trailing out into the surface. It was all too obvious that the three Sand-nins knew what their captain was up to.
"Another Fuinjutsu (Seal technique)?" asked Kabuto.
"More specifically, another barrier seal. I just remembered Tsunade has access to that Hokage crystal ball of hers." answered Naruto. He gave a sigh of relief, finally being able to take off his mask and dirty cloak off.
"Crystal ball?" pondered Kisame. "Why didn't you tell us earlier? Then we shouldn't have talk around."
Naruto clarified. "Hello? I said crystal ball, fish brain. It only shows images, it doesn't give out sound. So we're safe from having them eavesdropping upon our conversation."
Kisame, Kabuto, and Asami heard this and felt relieved.
"I always wondered how one would use such object." said Kabuto. "Just like those you see in the streets or shops. See the future--"
"No, not the future, the present. Anywhere as long as the place is here in shit-, I mean, Konoha." corrected Naruto. "It's more like used to look what's happening around the village. Though I remember the old man (The Third Hokage) telling me it very rarely used. I guess a Hokage wouldn't waste too much of his free time staring at some ball of glass, since there are other better things to be done. I remember catching Erro Sennin using it several times to peak into the women's hot springs and bath houses."
Asami walked into the master bedroom. She was about to enter the bathroom when she said. "Pervert."
"Not a surprise, coming from Jiraiya-sama." replied Kabuto. He was clean from any dirt whatsoever, unlike his three companions. Naruto had that 'mud sparring', he and Kisame got dragged a few feet on the road by Asami, and Asami probably had dirtied herself a little since she was going to take a bath.
The idea was confirmed when all three of them could hear the shower coming from behind the bathroom door moments later.
"I could use the shower myself." noted Naruto. He looked at the patches of dirt and mud, followed by a sniff at his own dirty clothes. "Hei Kabuto, if it's not much a trouble, could you lay out the stadium's plan or anything there is to be presented on the table right now? I want to start to the meeting as soon as possible. Right after this bath of mine."
"It would not be a trouble at all. Naruto-kun." noted Kabuto as he complied, and began presenting out scrolls and plans from his pockets and sleeves on to the tables, like magic.
Both Kabuto and Kisame watched as Naruto walked into and out of the master bedroom. He headed towards the other unoccupied toilet, with a toothbrush in his hand.
"What? The two of you are not taking your baths together?" joked Kisame with a sly sharky grin. "I think she could use your help in scrubbing her back."
Naruto gave a glare however Kisame just kept on smiling, challenging the Jinchuuriki further on. "Whatcha gonna do? Stab me with that toothbrush of yours?"
The blonde haired shinobi decided he'd let the shark free this time as he closed the bathroom door.
"Do you think Naruto-kun prefers the stadium's original blue prints or the town hall's own building plans, Kisame-san?" asked Kabuto in opinion as he set down several more scrolls on the table.
(Note: Kabuto always did call Naruto with the suffix –Kun since the starting of the Chuunin exams. Though this whole calling thing confuses me when girls tend to use more this suffix in calling boy's name such as by Hinata and Sakura as an example.)
"It doesn't matter, he'll take whatever you've got. I bet he's already expecting you to present both of them." replied Kisame without a bother as he sat down on the couch and flicked through the T.V channels. "I don't even want to know how those papers got into your hands in the first place."
Nothing big happened while the two ANBU Sand-nins waited for the couple to come and start the meeting. Except when Naruto came out of the bathroom and was on his way to the master bedroom. He already opened the door when Kisame turned from his seat, and looked the captain whom was wearing a white towel. He had a few scars around the body and arms, 'souvenirs' he'd received back when he didn't know about Kyuubi's existence and before he left Konoha. He was still wearing the necklace that once belonged to the First Hokage, a keepsake that was also a constant reminder of his grim life in Konoha. Naruto also had the proof of his membership in ANBU: The black ANBU tattoo could clearly be seen on the skin of his left upper arm bicep, which all four of them shared in common along with the rest of the ANBU members of Suna. The ANBU Leaf-nins had theirs tattooed on their right arms, different in design as the black tattoo had a twirling or spiral like design.
"Hei Naruto, don't you start fooling around in there." advised Kisame, thinking about how the love birds would get distracted meeting each other in their room while only wearing towels. "You lovebirds can do that after we're done with the meeting."
A kunai whizzed out from the tiny opening of the door, missing Kisame's right ear by a hair since the Samehada wielder managed to dodge at the very last second. It struck deep into the concrete wall right next to the television, and caused cracks a few inches long. Proof of power used in throwing the deadly projectile judging by how long the cracks on was and how deep the kunai had penetrated onto the concrete wall. Kabuto tried to look as busy as he can with the scrolls all over the table.
The perpetrator pushed the master bedroom door open. "Think you're all that funny, eh Kisame?"
The Ice mistress was currently drying her long, red hair with a towel using her left hand. With her right hand still straight out at Kisame, the one she had used in throwing the kunai. She was wearing black pants and a long sleeved coal, black shirt. Much how the average Konoha Jounin or Chuunin would look like without the green vest, kunai holster, and weapon's pouch. Naruto didn't care what she wore, heck she was best with she had nothing on, and she would still look beautiful in his eyes no matter what. With her hazel, brown eyes, right under the wild red hair that usually obscured her forehead. In Naruto's opinion, her hairstyle was a little mixture of Temari and Ayame's own. The drapes of untamed hair at the front much like Temari's, but how it would just beautifully trail down at the back like silk as of Ayame's. While in Kyuubi's opinion, she reminded the fox demon of vixens. The hazel brown eyes, wild hair nears the face, but then all too perfect at the back much like the fur of a fox's tail. Not to forget, the immense killing intent she could produce.
Naruto gave a sign of definite support as he gave Asami a quick kiss on her cheek. "Nice one. Missed him by a hair though."
The Kyuubi vessel went into the master bedroom, just as his lover threw her towel at the back of his head. Then taking her usual spot on the sofa.
"So you were really aiming for my ear?" asked Kisame as he observed the impact between the kunai and the wall. "May I remind you that I don't have super freakin cell regenerative abilities unlike demon boy and four eyes over here?"
"Kabuto could've fixed it either way." replied Asami. True, Kabuto could regenerate cells much like Kyuubi's, as he once displayed it after receiving Naruto's Rasengan. In comparison, Kabuto's rate was much slow and more chakra demanding. As of the fox demon, he didn't need to use too much chakra. Not that he cared, being the ultimate chakra source in the whole wide world. Mending wounds wasn't too much of a problem for him if compared to other medic-nins, since he could also use the same method of cell regeneration on a patient's body. Kabuto once told the three of them that he could transplant organs right in the battlefield, cut off chakra pathways in the body, and even sewing back parts of bodies like limbs or even a cut off ear. His three friends were impressed but also greatly irked at the same time when he managed to disguise a dead body as himself in front all three of them. Of course, this coming from Orochimaru's right hand man.
All in all, Kisame had tried his best effort to avoid such predicament in which Kabuto would have to sew his ear back together.
She gave a serious look while going through the blue prints of a stadium. "They're actually going to hold the final part of the Jounin exam right here?"
"It's just the perfect place." claimed Naruto as jumped on the sofa, landing beside Asami. With the same pitch black pants, but differed by wearing a plain maroon colored T-Shirt. "That snake's going to die right there in front of their eyes, and all those fools are going to twice before even considering about messing with the Sand."
"Going to show off all the tricks you've picked up over his three years of absence?" asked Kabuto as he pushed the bridge of his spectacles higher.
Kisame turned off the television and looked at the Jinchuuriki. "I hope you're not going to hog all the fun just for yourself."
"You said that you'd get to kill that bastard." pointed out Asami as she moved on the scrolls on the table. "That doesn't mean that we don't get to rough him up a little. I bet he'd wish he had died by our hands by the time you're half way done with him."
"Speaking of bets, I guess Tsunade-obachan still hasn't lost her touch at losing bets and gambling." smiled Naruto.
Kisame, Asami, and Kabuto instantly remembered Godaime (The Fifth) Hokage's words at the training area of Team 7.
"You? Itachi?" laughed Kisame as he looked at Naruto. "The first step is for you grow your hair long enough at tie it into a pony tail like Kabuto over here."
"She did get one right, the bet about Kisame." stated Kabuto. "I guess it's an improvement."
Asami raised an eyebrow, "What's the use? It's like in a slot machine where you just anything random in any slot."
Naruto pointed out in Tsunade's bet on Asami. "You were never a Snow missing-nin."
"That's because I was never a Snow-nin in the first place. I was never registered as one, Otou-san and I fled Snow Country long before I entered a ninja academy. Not that I needed one,"
"She was close enough then." murmured Kabuto.
"I wish Orochimaru would summon some dead Mizukage with that necromancy Jutsu of his." pondered Kisame as he moved on to another subject. The ex-Akatsuki member thinking how it would be all to good if the Mizukage turned out to be the same person why he betrayed Kirigakure in the first place. He did hear news of that particular Mizukage's death, apparently killed by his very own fellow advisors. "Then all of us get to have our own fair share of challenge and fun altogether."
"Shall we begin?" asked Kabuto.
Naruto nodded as he was once again in his hyper, dead serious, Itachi mode.
A young shinobi with different personalities, yet it all came to down to the very same person as to why he was granted the position as the highest ranking ANBU in Sunagakure. That, was just one of the many qualities that Asami discovered and loved about the young, blonde Jinchuuriki.
"Here's the plan……."
Elsewhere, two days ago off the shores on a remote island."Why in the world does he have to live all the way here?" complained a certain white haired, legendary Sannin as he just pushed the wooden boat up shore.
Jiraiya settled down the boat on the white sandy beach, and walked towards the shaded parts under a tall tropical tree. He took out a piece of white folded paper from his pocket. "Uhmmmm…"
The Toad summoner narrowed his eyes, once again reading underneath of the underneath of the underneath that was written on the paper. Currently, he was slightly irritated. "The moment I see that boy's face, I'm so going give that boy a whack on the head. Between him and the Fourth, who else writes this kind of crackpot?"
Deep in his heart, he was proud after the student had once again surpassed the teacher. After destroying Akatsuki and returning Gaara back to Sunagakure, Naruto had once again continued his training with the Legendary Sannin. Though, they were now also accompanied with notorious S-Ranked shinobis. Naruto took an interest in learning everything he could about seals from the old hermit. Only a few weeks later after that, he was already creating his own set of seals. Jiraiya soon came to realize the young shinobi's true potential. He had the hunch when he saw Naruto using a variant in completing the First level training of the Rasengan. He had only came up with the weird idea simply because he saw a cat play around with his water balloon. He was like the Fourth, a total genius, coming up with ways or creating and mixing odd ways in performing Jutsus. What set him apart from the Fourth was his little knowledge of the demons.
Upon hearing from Naruto's 'teachers', Jiraiya came to know of Naruto's little creation of 'special' techniques. His own creation of jutsus that were already ranked as absolute Kinjutsu. It could simply be put down as benefits of being a Jinchuuriki. More specifically, the Jinchuuriki of the Youma Kitsune. He couldn't argue with the boy. The techniques were something that came up after mixing his understanding of the few granted demonic knowledge and ninja techniques. Jiraiya was a little bit worried upon the scary thought.
'What if he becomes just like Orochimaru?'
'Creating techniques, seals….'
'What if he was merely being toyed around by Kyuubi?'
The teacher of the Fourth Hokage feared the worse. He thought that he was slowly losing him, much like how he had lost the Fourth when he confronted Kyuubi. History was repeating itself all over again, but in a twisted manner. A teacher playing favorites, only to realize he'd realize his grave mistake when it was all too late. A new generation of the Legendary Sannin, the great summoners of toad, snake, and slug. A shinobi running away from his village, how he claimed how he was just misunderstood. The demon had taken away a blonde haired shinobi, the greatest one of his time. It was going to repeat all over again.
When Jiraiya thought back all that happened.
He knew he was wrong.
He was glad indeed that he was wrong.
True, Sarutobi had picked favorites and was proud of his prized student. Only to came to realize his big mistake in doing such. Orochimaru over him and Tsunade. Pretty much like how Kakashi did, Sasuke over Naruto and Sakura. Orochimaru fleeing Konoha, again as how it occurred with Sasuke. How Naruto too left Konoha much like Jiraiya. How two of the three Legendary Sannin had left Konohagakure. Then, Kyuubi's rampage finally finding it way to Konoha. Even Naruto came to realize what his teacher was thinking, after watching his teacher behaving very odd for several days.
It was all too similar.
Then again, it was all too different.
Naruto left for a different reason. Naruto wasn't going to be like Orochimaru. He didn't go create his own village, to come back, and destroy Konoha he so hated. He was nothing like Orochimaru. He had a someone he loved, very little friends, very small number he would call as family, put that up and that would grow in numbers drastically. He just needed time to heal. He might not be the same ever again, but that was enough. He still had it in him, to change people around him. He had people he wanted to protect, not to destroy. Much to Jiraiya and Gamabunta's heavy disappointment, Naruto decided to nullify his contract with the frogs. Not that he really wanted to, but they all understood his intentions. Well, it took some explaining and some fights for Gamabunta to fully understand, but in the end the frog boss did. There wasn't going to be a new generation of snake, slug, and toad summoners that belonged to the same team. He didn't want that. Not in his time, if that was least he could change about it.
Still, Jiraiya was still sad upon seeing his student's behavior. He wouldn't trust a person. He didn't want to. He didn't want to risk it all over again much like he how did it back in Konohagakure. How could he trust anyone? The person he'd never would think of, one that he fully trusted himself, had broken it all. His trust, his belief, in people. Including the fact how a person would shun him away the moment they know what he will bear as a burden for a lifetime. He could just keep Kyuubi as a secret, but then he'd wake up everyday and go lying in their faces, lying to himself all over again.
Those problems finally lead Jiraiya to the idea of convincing Naruto join the Sand. He'd get a fresh start. A second chance in life. Besides, he had a 'brother' there. One that he trusted. Gaara was someone who could act as a base or starting point in helping Naruto to trust people again. Plus the fact that the entire population of Sunagakure knew about the whole Jinchuuriki predicament since they had Gaara. They weren't like Konoha the young generation didn't simply follow their parents unknowingly like a flock of sheep. Not everyone would share the same idea, different opinions arise from different people. It's just how people are, different from one another. Slowly, they'd come to the conclusion. All of them knew about the truth, and they had came to realize how a Jinchuuriki wasn't the very demon they had sealed in them. And Jiraiya was relieved for that.
"Yup. It's this one alright." confirmed Jiraiya as he folded back the paper and stored it in his net shirt. He laughed and talked to himself in delight, "No matter how intricate a message is, there's nothing that can baffle the awesome, great mind of the Legendary Sannin, JIRAIYA!"
Apparently, he didn't expect a tiny crab and a seagull being there to see his foolishness. He wondered if the two creatures fled away in fright or was ashamed to be there to see such poor sight.
The toad hermit walked for over half an hour in the dense tropical forest, and he was beginning to doubt himself as time flew by. Just when he leaned over a tree to get some rest, something small dropped down from canopy of leaves above. Being both a strong shinobi and a legendary Sannin at the same time, the old pervert had already knew about the thing that was about to fall on him. He only saw a furry tail from under the pile of disrupted dead leaves. He was thinking of a mammal, a squirrel? A small monkey perhaps? His questions were answered when the furry little animal scurried out into view.
It was a weasel.
A weasel with dark brown colored fur from head to tail.
Which the Sannin definitely knew it was no weasel at all. A weasel that had been climbing up tall trees, only to land easily on the layer of dead leaves on the forest floor. The hermit even wondered if weasels could even climb trees all the way to the top. His suspicions were confirmed the moment the weasel just stood having a good look at him, instead of running off in fear.
It was a weasel until the mammal just suddenly burst into smoke. It was nothing more but a henge, with the infamous murderer of the Uchiha clan now stood in its place as the smoke cleared. The former Akatsuki member wasn't wearing an ANBU uniform or an Akatsuki cloak. He was just wearing the average civilian type of clothes, nothing fancy or any shinobi looking. He still had that serious, up tight, broody face of his, something that Naruto had inherited a little, besides the various teachings of all ninja techniques in becoming a very powerful ninja.
The two shinobis stared one another.
Jiraiya smiled. "Living up to your name, eh, Itachi (weasel)?"
Okay, people. You know the drill, RATE AND REVIEW! I know there is not action or nothing much interesting going on in this one. I guess you people are kind of disappointed in reading this one after waiting over two weeks. I'm really sorry about this.