Hey ya'll! I adopted this fic from a good pal, RamenLoverNaruto. They told me they killed the fic, and I stepped in. Vola~ My new fic.
Pairing:
NaruHina
SasuSaku
ShikaIno
?(Surprise Pairing later! x2)
Chapter Seven: Sadness In The Leaf
While the Konoha 12 were training, Jiraya was on his own mission to hunt down the leader of the Akatsuki to try and talk him out of this whole thing. What he encountered, however was Pain's Six Paths of Pain.
"Pain... Or is it Nagato? You have to stop this!"
"Jiraya-sensei... It's been awhile. I cannot stop the plan once it's in motion." Pain replied.
"There still can be peace. I know you, Nagato. You always wanted peace." Jiraya tried again.
"Peace… I don't know how to get there… but… but someday I'll break the curse. If there's such a thing as peace, I will find it! Even a foolish child can grow up in a right way, when he learns what pain is. Knowing pain controls ones thoughts and decisions." Pain said as the Six Paths charged towards Jiraya.
Taking a well needed break, Naruto laughed at Ino and Sakura's argument as Hinata joined him. "Can you believe those two, Hina-chan? They bicker over teme, who looks like he may bust a gut laughing, yet they always plot to figure me out." Naruto said.
"Y-y-yes. T-they a-a-are funny. But, they're really good friends." Hinata said,handing him a bottle of water to replace the one he just finished. [A/N: I just watch the Hinata's Confession episode... She does NOT stutter! She just speaks quietly, shyly. Anyhoo~] "Say... Naruto-kun.."
"Yeah?"
"If war does happen, I.. want you to know... I used to always cry and give up… I made many wrong turns… But you… You helped me find the right path… I always chased after you… I wanted to catch up to you… I wanted to walk beside you all the time… I just wanted to be with you… You changed me! Your smile is what saved me! That is why I'm not afraid to die protecting you should it come to that! Because… I love you…" She hid her face by looking at her feet.
Naruto chuckled lightly and nodded. "I know. When I was telling my mom, in my subconscious, about you, she mentioned the way I described you that I loved you too. At first, I only think that love was just something only felt for friends. But, after seeing how devoted Sakura-chan was to teme, I realized there's another kind of love. I feel that with you, Hina-chan." Naruto patted her hand and gave her the smile that he was always known to give only her.
Across the way, Ino and Sakura both noticed the change between the two. Ino chuckled to herself. "'Bout time, huh, Forehead?" She asked, meaning Naruto and Hinata.
"Yeah. I never figured Naruto would be so... I don't know... hard-headed, I guess. Almost like you Ino-pig!" Sakura jibed before noticing the others were still laughing at her and Ino's antics, including Sasuke. "Geez! Get some air would ya, Sasuke-kun?"
"So-Sorry. It-It's just.. Se-seeing yo-you an-and Ino goi-going at it is-is funny!" Sasuke managed between laughs before taking her advice and calming down, a grin still present.
Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head as a toad known to be around Jiraya showed up behind Kakashi, who was leaning against a training post. "Naruto! One of Jiraya-sensei's toads are here!" She called to the blonde, who rushed over, with Hinata trailing him.
Naruto blinked. "Fukasaku? What's up? Pervy-Sage following behind you?" He asked, trying to locate his mentor.
"... Jiraya-boy... Was slain..." Fukasaku informed, looking at the ground.
"Quit pullin my leg. Pervy-Sage? Nah, he's probably pulling a joke." Naruto suggested.
"Sorry, Naruto-boy... It's true. Jiraya-boy was killed by Pain... I'm sorry. But, Jiraya-boy found something interesting about Pain." Fukasaku turned around to show a code of some sort.
"Strange. I have no idea what this means." Neji commented before noticing how silent Naruto had gotten. "Naruto?"
He stood frozen as the news sunk in, eyes wide as tears started to fall. "..N-n-no..." Was all he managed to get out before he collapsed in a heap of tears, pounding the ground until his body shook with his tears. When Hinata bent to give him comfort, he eagerly accepted it, mourning the loss of his mentor.
Everyone else stayed quiet to let their friend mourn, even Kakashi was at a loss of words on how to comfort his student. Guy cried man tears [The kind that he always seems to have when he's happy], Lee following suit, Ino sniffling at the sadness, Shikamaru placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, Neji frowning sadly as Tenten buried her face in his shoulder [no, this isn't the surprise], Kiba trying to wipe his tears in Akamaru's fur, Choji not touching his bag of chips, Shino showing his sadness by bending his head downward, Sakura openly trying not to break down until Sasuke repeated what Shikamaru did to Ino, which led to her breaking down on his own shoulder. Kurenai wept silently while Asuma bowed his head.
After a few minutes, Naruto wiped his eyes and stood up, determination burning stronger than ever in his eyes, red from crying so hard. "Let me see that code, Fukasaku." He stepped forward and looked the code over more than five times before putting his thinking face on.
"Any idea?" Neji asked as Shikamaru looked the code over.
"The real one isn't among them'? What is that supposed to mean?" Shikamaru, who was known to be able to figure things out, looked stumped.
'Kurama, any idea?'
'Hmm? What was the question?'
'Pervy-Sage was killed and left a code: The real one isn't among them. Could you try and help me?'
'And I heard Pain's name mentioned.. He is the one after the Beasts.'
'How the heck do you know!?'
'Tail-Beast here. I can tell from the other Tailed Beasts last known thoughts. We're getting off subject, kit. I think you need to know Pain has a jutsu called The Six Paths of Pain. It must've been one of those Paths that killed that pervert.'
'Thanks, Kurama!'
'Feh. Don't interrupt my nap next time.'
Enlightened, Naruto broke out in a grin. "I think I understand it. The real Pain isn't one of the six, which makes me think that there is someone else who is using Pain." He said, trying to figure it out via words.
"And that someone is the real Pain." Shikamaru said, finally understanding what it meant. "If we can somehow find the one who uses the jutsu, we can get rid of Pain."
"Exactly what I was thinking, but I couldn't say it like you could, Shikamaru!" Naruto said, energized back to his full self. "Fukasaku, could that be what Pervy-Sage meant?"
"Well, yes. You truly are Jiraya-boy's pupil, Naruto-boy. However. Even Jiraya-boy's incomplete Sage Mode was unable to even touch Pain. That's why I want to take you to Mount Myōboku, the place where Jiraya-boy learned senjutsu. It may take a month or two, bu-"
"Alright! I'll do it! After all, I'm Pervy-Sage's pupil! I will not let his death be for nothing!" Naruto announced before realizing what Fukasaku said. "A-a-a month? S-seriously?"
"Yes, even though I can get you there lickity split, the training is very long." Fukasaku explained.
"What if I use my Shadow Clone Jutsu? Would that speed things up?" Naruto asked.
Fukasaku looked stunned before Kakashi explained. "Naruto develops a lot faster when he uses clones."
"Hmm... That would really speed the time to about a week, week and a half at the most. But, we'll have to head out right away!" Fukasaku said. "I'll be right here when you wanna head out."
Naruto chuckled and faced his friends. "Guys, don't you dare fall behind in training just because I'm gone! Especially you, teme! You still owe me that match you promised!" He said, bumping his friend's fist like they did as kids. "Hinata, you just remember your ninja way and you'll show that stuck up father of yours that you are a great Hyuga!" He leaned a little closer to whisper the last thing. "And remember I love you because you never give up." Pulling back he saluted his friends before he and Fakusaku left for Mount Myōboku.
When Naruto was gone, Kakashi smiled. "Well, you heard Naruto: keep training." When he saw their confused looks, he tilted his head. "What?"
"Kakashi-sensei, what exactly is senjutsu? I have only heard of taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu and fūinjutsu." Lee asked.
Kakashi shook his head and nodded. "Senjutsu is a specialised field of techniques that allows the user to sense and then gather the natural energy around the ninja. Senjutsu practitioners can then learn to draw the energy of nature inside of them blending it with their own chakra, created from spiritual and physical energy within the shinobi, and adding a new dimension of power to the sage's chakra, resulting in the creation of "senjutsu chakra"." He explained. "However, this chakra cannot be seen by anyone other than those who have been trained in senjutsu. It allows the user to enter what we know as Sage Mode, which can then drastically increase the strength of all ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu."
"So, even the Byakugan can't see it?" Neji asked, clearly amazed.
"That's right. Senjutsu chakra cannot be seen by the three powerful eyes: the Rinnegan, Sharingan and Byakugan.." Kakashi stated before thinking of a good way to train. "Say, while Naruto's out training at Mount Myōboku, why don't we all go make Jiraya-sensei a proper grave and carve his name into the Memorial Stone? Plus, I think one of us has to let Lady Hokage know... Sakura, how bout you? Okay? Good! The rest of us will take care of the grave and carving." He said, not giving Sakura a chance to answer.
Sakura sighed and mumbled her way to the Hokage's office, knocking on the door. When she heard Tsunade summon her, she took a breath in for the upcoming news. "Lady Tsunade... Jiraya-sensei's toad Fukasaku came and took Naruto to Mount Myōboku."
"You're telling me because..?"
"Because... Jiraya-sensei was killed by the leader of the Akatsuki: Pain." Sakura informed, flinching when the sake bottle dropped from her teacher's hand and the look of shock took over. "A-according t-t-to Fukasaku, h-h-he went t-t-t-to stop h-him."
"Milady?" Shizune asked, clearly concerned.
"WHAT?! JIRAYA'S DEAD!?" Tsunade raged before collapsing in tears at the loss of her old friend.
"I-I-if it h-h-helps, Milady... Jiraya-sensei gave Naruto a clue on how to beat Pain..." Sakura added, ducking as a book came her way.
"That's just like Jiraya.. Have Kakashi-"
"Erm, they are already making a grave and carving his name into the Memorial Stone." Sakura informed.
"Drat. Kakashi thought ahead... Thanks, Sakura.. And sorry for throwing that book at you." Tsunade said and motioned for Sakura to leave. 'Jiraya... You idiot...'
Bwaaaaah. *cries* I had to follow that part of the plot! Pervy-Sage-sensei! *bawls*
Deidara *conforts*: Shh... We'll have Sasuke do the whole disclaimer, if you want.
Me *nod*
Sasuke *Sighs*: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto. Otherwise, the author here would have married Deidara, have mea nd Sakura make babies, make Naruto not dense, etcetera... HUH?! Me and Sakura make... *passes out at the images with a nosebleed*
Me *sniffling while laughing*: Arigato, Sasuke-kun... Arigato, everyone.
Deidara/Me: Sayonara!