Edit: Wow this used to be a huge author's note. I'm pretty sure I wasted some life writing it and some people wasted their lives reading it. By the end of this cleaning up, I'll of cut off five thousand words worth of author's notes. Pretty bad, isn't it...

They both stood in nothingness.

The boy looked at the other.

His expression was hidden, concealed by the mask.

"How long," the other inquired, "How long have you basked in your hollow pride, concealing morbid truths that within you hide."

The other changed location to be behind the boy with the mask. He didn't turn to face it.

"Your life has become a facade steeled, merely masquerading, unrevealed."

"The blackness swallows me…" the boy responded in a whisper.

The other paid no attention to his words. "Imitating joy with a plastic smile—"

"I have no choice." He spoke quickly.

"—completely absorbed in self denial."

"I have no choice." He repeated, firmer this time around.

The other disappeared, still mocking him as it continued. "Remorse for this lie, you cannot feel."

The boy turned to find where the other had gone, finding it very suddenly in front of him.

"Because for you, it's all that's real."

Now face to face with it, the boy could see the other's face and features clearly.

He looked upon the image of himself.

One without a mask.

-Chapter Six: Living Behind a Mask-

Minato lay on the white hospital bed. His leg was in a cast from the knee down. His cloths and forehead protector were but a pile on the ground, them being exchanged for plain white robes.

The removal of the senbon in his leg was indeed painful, but Minato didn't let it show during the procedure, or even after. Needles are thin, and his puncture wounds avoided most of his leg's muscle mass. The bones were penetrated, but the doctor said that the cast should be off in about a week or two. Even after that he'd be weak in the shin for sometime, but it was far from a permanent injury.

He turned his head to face the bed on the other end of the room. Ryokumaru lay with his shirt off, his chest heavily wrapped. He even had an IV. According to Jiraiya, all of their enemy's attacks were with senbon on purpose. The weapon causes little damage, and in order to use it properly one needs to have a certain degree of mastery over the anatomy of the human body. Combine with the sharingan, the attacks were precise, enough to bring the team down, but all none-lethal for the most part. The needle that Ryokumaru took to the heart completely missed the muscle, but was still millimeters away.

Katsu sat in a chair staring off in the distance. He hadn't taken any serious injuries; only two stray senbon that barely pierced his arm. However, he did take a couple heavy blows to the lower neck. It was enough to break his collar bone. Under his shirt, Minato was pretty sure he also had treated burn wounds on his arms. The neck brace that Katsu now sported didn't seem fitting for his appearance.

It was dark outside, and Minato had already figured that he wouldn't be making it home until tomorrow. Fortunately, with the help of medical jutsu, the team could probably be active again in a week or two, and the bills would all be covered by their insurance.

Minato thought back to Jiraiya's explanation after the initial shock had passed. He had purposely not gone along with them so he could set up the ambush. Their opponent had been the student of one of Jiraiya's friends, or so he said. The one thing Jiraiya had yet to explain was why he did it.

Ryokumaru was half asleep. His eyes were open, but the pain killers for the operation kept him out of it. Katsu was likewise not attentive, but more likely for different reasons.

The door opened and Jiraiya entered. He had left about an hour ago to speak with the Hokage and make sure Shiro arrived back to his father like he was supposed to. Katsu snapped out of it, and Minato was already looking for him; waiting for an answer.

The Jonin spoke seriously, closing the door behind him and leaning up against the wall. "The kid is fine: the mission was a success."

"You think so…" Katsu said quietly, almost as if to himself. His words were bitter, singed with the taste of defeat.

Jiraiya nodded. "Yes, it was a success. The three of you managed to escort Sarutobi Shiro to his mothers house, and take him back to his father without him being hurt in any way."

"But it was going to be like that no matter what. That girl was targeting us, not Shiro." Katsu said, his words not lightening up on his sensei.

"That is true, but the three of you didn't know that." As Jiraiya spoke, Ryokumaru seemed to somewhat turn his head, still looking like he was dazed, but somewhat more aware. "And despite the obstacles, you managed to succeed your mission."

"Why." Minato said almost immediately after Jiraiya finished talking, cutting off what Katsu was about to respond with. Everyone in the room knew what Minato was asking.

"Why not." Jiraiya responded, closing his eyes and smirking. "I needed to know all of your capabilities. A ninja's true powers and virtues are only discovered in the heat of life or death battle. Even though this wasn't the case, it was simulated to appear as if it was. Of all the things you three could have done, I think you made the right choice. Most Genin aren't faced with a situation anywhere near as dangerous as this, yet none of you ran." Jiraiya gave Minato a sly grin.

"Ran from the mission that is."

Minato nodded. "So it was a test of devotion?"

"That and humility. It's a shame, but too many Genin are killed in action thinking they're invincible. As a team, we need to know that we aren't impervious. Though we are ninja, we wear the same bodies everyone does."

Ryokumaru seemed to have snapped out of it at some point in the conversation.

"How about I take you all out for lunch tomorrow, and make it up for all of you, ehh?" Jiraiya asked, giving a smile to try and cheer up the moment. It didn't work very well, but no one said no either.

"Well, Mina-chan, Ryo-chanu, I'll be here to pick the two of you up tomorrow morning. Kat-chan, you can go ahead home tonight. But before anyone does anything, I have someone who would like to say something to the lot of you."

With this statement in the air, Jiraiya turned his head to the door. It opened, and in walked a girl. She looked not much older then the three of them, but was somewhat taller. She wore a sleeveless blue kimono with white trim, and the red and white Uchiha emblem on the back of it. She used her konoha forehead protector as a sash to keep it around her waist. Her shoulders seemed to have bandages on them, showing that Team Ronin had managed to do something. Due to the fact that she was probably heading home, showed them that they didn't manage to do much.

Her hair was raven black and held back in a long pony tail. She had a touch of pink lip gloss. She wore the same dark sunglasses, despite it being night outside. At the end of the kimono she had typical sandals with tabi socks. Minato doubted that she carried ninja gear under the kimono. Besides Jiraiya, her appearance attracted the attention of the boys in the room.

She reached up and removed her sunglasses, revealing large, dark and potent eyes. They seemed much different from the pair that Minato had seen earlier. After this, she bowed.

"Excuse me for the intrusion." Her voice may have been soft and smooth, but it demanded attention none-the-less. "I am Uchiha Masami, and as much as I would have liked to meet under more pleasant circumstances that time has already expired. I would like to apologize for what I did to all of you boys earlier, and hope that we could overlook that confrontation in the future." She looked up at Jiraiya who nodded, and then turned back to the boys. "I would love to stay and chat—"

All three boys were completely silent, either trapped in their own thoughts, not sure what to think, or semi-drugged.

"—but I'm going to let you all rest. I hope all of you rest well and recover soon. Good night."

She left the room after that. All heads turned to Jiraiya, and there was silence.

"Is the entire Uchiha clan like that?" Ryokumaru asked in a sleepy and drab tone.

Jiraiya crossed his arms and sighed. "Yup, for the most part."

-Katsu-

The dark haired boy with the neck brace waved to Jiraiya, signaling that he was fine, and closed the door to his apartment behind him. He gazed into the dark house. The smell of smoke and alchohol was as strong as ever, mixed with other unfamiliar smells as well. As he turned the corner into the living room, he saw his mother lounging on the couch. Her cold eyes watched him, and she held a half empty bottle of some sort of liquor in her hand. Her clothes were ruffled, it not dingily put on, indicating that some of those men had been to the house earlier. Katsu's expression didn't change. He was used to it.

"It's one o'clock." She said, as she studied his figure, wrinkling her nose the way she always did when she looked at him. "Looks like you failed your first mission."

Katsu didn't respond, but he tightened his hands into fists.

"I told you that you weren't cut out to be a Konoha nin." She spat.

"The mission wasn't a failure." He whispered.

"So your team mates managed to save you? Sounds like you're dragging them down. Maybe it's just you who's the failure."

The boy wasn't saddened. He would have been at one point of his life, but he had hardened his heart over time. The emotion that Katsu felt was more akin to rage.

He took further steps toward his room, and then spoke louder. "I'm moving out to live by myself. As of tomorrow, you won't have to see me again."

She sneered. If there was one thing she hated more then her son, it was not being in control of her son. "What makes you think that I'll let you?"

Katsu reached for the handle of his sheathed katana and pulled it, the strap around his chest popping off, and he turned as to align the point of the blade to her position.

"What makes you think that you have a choice?"

She shut her mouth. If there was one thing that she hated more then her son or not being able to control him, it was his sword.

-Jiraiya-

The white-haired Jonin made his way down the streets after dropping his student off. It was a hard choice; to make his own team targets, but in his opinion it was necessary. After all, his sensei had done the same for him, abet slightly differently. The same point got across.

Jiraiya stopped at a point, and decided on a detour before going home. It only required turning on a few different streets to get to a small park. He sat down on a bench. It was dark, of course, and quiet. A few distant streetlights lit the village, but the moon was the true light. Jiraiya looked up at the stars.

He used to watch the stars with his dad. They'd camp out, and the two of them would sit in a tree for hours, sometimes even until sunrise, just to watch the stars. If they were lucky, they'd see a comet, or even a meteor shower. That was rare, though.

Actually, there was another person that Jiraiya watched the stars with. He looked around for comfort that no one was watching, and took off his forehead protector. It was simple to take the photograph out from it. Watching it, he smiled.

It was a picture of Jiraiya, though much younger, in a black tux. He looked somewhat grumpy, maybe impatient. At the time, he hadn't wanted the picture to be taken. Next to him was a shorter girl, with sleek black hair in an elegant white dress: a wedding dress. Her arms were crossed, absentmindedly holding a bouquet of flowers. It didn't go with the outfit very well, but there was a skin tight matching white mask that covered her neck and lower face.

Jiraiya chuckled. He remembered when that picture was taken crystal clear. Now that he thought about it, neither of them looked happy, very unlike a married couple should look. They didn't even kiss at the ceremony. Even the fact that they didn't wear kimonos was humorous, which they would have if it was a local wedding.

"It really brings back nostalgic memories, doesn't it, Jiraiya-chan."

"Yeah…" Jiraiya said dreamily under his breath.

There was a pause as something clicked in Jiraiya's head.

"AHHHH!" He fell out of his seat with shock, juggling with the picture at the same time. He eventually caught it, to try and hide it around his back. It was of course, Kaori who had surprised him. She had managed to sneak up on Jiraiya so well that he didn't notice.

She wore the same outfit as usual: shorts, skin-tight spandex shirt, and her usual weapons, but it included an unzipped Jonin vest, Konoha's headband, and sunglasses. With the mask, forehead protector, and glasses, barely any of her face could be seen. Even more unfortunately for Jiraiya, the vest covered all of the good parts of what he normally looked at. Oh well, at least he could see most of her legs.

"You ehh…didn't see any, did you?" Jiraiya asked, noticeably sweating.

"See what? The fact that you carry our wedding picture with you?" Kaori responded, waltzing around the bench to kneel down in front of him.

Jiraiya cleared his throat, and stood back up, slipping the picture in the headband behind his back before placing it into his pocket.

"Can we just forget about that, I mean, I don't know how that could have possibly gotten in there…"

"Mmhmm, sure." Kaori purred.

He sighed, looking embarrassed.

"Look…I'm not sure what to sa—"

"Mind if I jump the gun?" The konoichi interrupted.

Jiraiya looked up at her questioningly. Shit, now he was going to have to come up with some answers.

"What am I supposed to say to her? It isn't like I can admit anything, but saying something stupid would be just as bad…"

"I'll just take that silence as a yes." Jiriaya saw a gleam in her eyes. "The Uchiha Autumn Festival is coming up in a few weeks, and I haven't attended for a long time now, so I'm gonna be expected. I realized that I don't have a date. Want to come?" There was no hint of bashfulness or timidity in her voice.

Jiraiya's mouth dropped. She had actually changed the subject for him. Why would she do that for him…?

"Wait a second, am I being asked out by a girl?"

"What, you didn't hear me the first time?" She raised an eyebrow, also moving to take off her sunglasses and fold them away. Jiraiya's attention was immediately drawn away from her legs and to her eyes. In that moment, Jiraiya saw something in them: something special. It was gone in the next second; making him question whether or not it was even there in the first place.

He let the moment linger, partly dwelling on his own thoughts, mostly trying to ascertain his own thoughts on this baffling woman.

"I'm not an Uchiha." He said plainly.

"I'm taking a friend on a date, so what?"

"You know how your clan is with keeping the 'blood pure." He continued to probe her eyes for whatever he saw there before. Whatever it was, it was something beautiful, something grand. Something familiar. Something forgotten. What was it?

She groaned. "I'm not very keen on marrying a cousin of mine. Besides, it's just a date, not like you're getting anything good afterwards." There was a smirk at the end of that statement.

Jiraiya matched her smirk, starting to feel a bit more like himself. "So then why would I go if there isn't anything in it for me?"

"I'll be wearing a kimono." She crossed her arms.

"So…when was this again?" Jiraiya was already starting to visualize her.

"Two weeks. You'll dress nicely, and try to keep your eyes to yourself—"

"—or you." He quickly added.

"Have you ever gotten the feeling that we get along on a whole different level then most ex's do?" She questioned.

"Hey, hey, hey! We aren't technically "ex's" 'cause we were never together."

There was another pause after he said this. Jiraiya turned around and looked up. The moon and all of its stars were up ahead, playing a silent musical, one that you listened to with your eyes, but felt with your heart.

"Do you really…regret that mission, Jiraiya-chan?" She asked finally. The atmosphere became very serious.

He remained quiet still.

"I'm lost, Kaori-chan. I…" Jiraiya looked down. That pain in his heart, the pain that always pulled him down, was tugging exceptionally hard tonight. "I don't know what to do without him. I—I don't know anything anymore." Jiraiya did what he could to keep his voice and body language composed.

Kaori looked at his back, almost able to feel the pain that was emanating off of him.

"But I do know—" Jiraiya said as he turned to face her. Kaori almost gasped as she saw his face. It was bold, strong, and resolved. She hadn't seen him like this ever since he lost his father. He looked like the old Jiraiya again. "—that this year I've spent without you, has been the hardest I've ever had to live."

He stole Kaori's breath away. She knew very well that Jiraiya had had a very hard life…but was the hardest one he had really the one that he had spent without her?

"Nah, he's just saying that……but…he looks so serious. Maybe he does mean it?" Kaori thought.

Before her mind could process another thought his arms were around her, and she was in his embrace. He held her tightly, almost as if he'd die if he let go.

She was stunned. Moments passed, until she apprehended that he was crying.

Slowly her arms came to embrace him as she rested her head against his shoulder. She could hear his broken heart beating inside his chest. He really needed her after all. They both needed each other.

Jiraiya on the other hand, had remembered the emotion he saw in her eyes. It was something that he thought died to him, and even though it was a glimmer, he was sure it was there.

It was love.

-Ryokumaru-

He sat awake in his bed. Minato had already fallen to sleep a while ago. His arm was numb, and he felt a stinging pain ever time his heart beat. With every thump of the muscle, Ryokumaru would wince, trying to get used to the pain. You can get rid of pain if you feel it enough, right? Or does the pain even go away. What if you just don't notice it anymore? Does pain ever really go away?

The boy held his breath to try and slow his heart beat, and even tried to meditate. Both were in vain. As much as he tried, there was just no human way to stop your own heart from beating. This was obvious, but in the situation Ryokumaru was in, it seemed like it should have been easy. When something hurts, you just stop the pain at the source. Then again, what if the source was also what was keeping you alive?

Besides the fact that Ryokumaru knew his internal monologue directly related to his current situation, it also reflected on his entire life, which is what he found to be ironic.

-Flashback-

The buildings around him were on fire. Sounds of battle could be heard in the background as his village and his family battled each other fiercely. Some of his family choose chose to betray their kin to side with the other clans, only to die the cruel fate of being backstabbed by those they had defected to. Others stayed to try and fight with illusions of defeating the entire village and becoming a legend among ninja. Most knew that the only way to walk about alive was to flee as fast as they could.

Ryokumaru stood looking at the tall figure in front of him. The man looked similar to how he did: tan skin, brown hair, dark eyes, and a muscular build. Unlike him, he wore armor and held a wakizashi in his right hand, and a mask in the other.

"Oniisan! We have to get out of here!" Ryokumaru pleaded, constantly looking around him. They could be under attack at any moment.

The man did not move.

"What are you doing, oniisan!?"

The man tapped on his forehead protector with his wakizashi. "Look closely at this symbol, otouto. I'm a ninja of Iwa…I can't leave..."

Ryokumaru was in tears. "But—but…they'll kill you if you stay! They've killed everyone else; you have to come with us!"

He shook his head, and held the mask out for his brother to see. Lit only by the lights of the fires around him, Ryokumaru saw the horrific image that was his brother's mask. It was ivory white, and looked like it had tusks and horns, the whole mask looking demonic. At the top was the symbol for Iwa, to show his village dedication even after it covered his headband.

"As long as I live behind this mask, otouto, I will not be killed. Those who wear masks do not have names, and I will not be a part of this Rokku clan any longer!" With that said he moved the mask closer to his face until half of it was covered. Ryokumaru was so trembling, he didn't know what to do.

"Run, little brother, run far from here, and never return! That is, if you want to live. Once I put this mask on you will be nothing to me, and I won't hold back destroying you. Now GO!!" He yelled. Ryokumaru did the only thing that he could do at that moment. He ran.

He ran far away.

From that day on his brother would have no face, only a mask.

From that day on Ryokumaru wouldn't have an older brother, only himself.

And it was the pain of that day that kept him alive. All life does go back to pain eventually, doesn't it?

-End Flash Back-

It still hurt, it hurt everyday. However, that same pain eventually became his power. He would use that to become a great ninja of Konoha, and eventually, he would find his brother. Yes, Ryokumaru vowed that he would one day reunite with his brother.

And on that day Ryokumaru would tear the mask off with every last ounce of might he had.

-The Next Day-

The sun shown in the hospital room the next morning, filling the white walls with a glow. Minato watched the sun through his window as it rose, as if it was setting fire to all that was dark, banishing away the night to begin everything anew.

Ryokumaru's parents arrived early, shortly followed by Jiraiya. Minato was surprised at how normal his team mate's family looked. Their features accompanied his, and they were very fit for their age, but they weren't ninja. Minato had thought that they would have been since Ryokumaru was part of a ninja clan. They scolded their son for being careless, but in the end were glad to see that he was okay. They even greeted Minato and hoped for him to get better soon, inviting him over sometime, which Minato considered. Jiraiya gave them some brief instructions about how to care for Ryokumaru for the time, which was mostly rest, no excitement, and heart-healthy food. Then they left.

After that the Jonin helped Minato sit up in his bed and get a brace around his leg cast so he could walk. After they signed out at the front desk, Jiraiya proceeded to walk with Minato back to his house.

"So, that must have hurt pretty badly, huh?" Jiraiya questioned, giving Minato a smile.

"No." Minato responded. He really wasn't in the mood to talk. Actually, he really wasn't in the mood for feelings.

"Not at all? You broke your shin in three different places and then had to run a mile, how could that not hurt?"

"The mission was completed. That's all that matters."

Jiraiya didn't push the subject any longer. There was something that he needed to ask this boy's parents when he got to his house.

Once they reached the apartment, Minato unlocked the door and stepped inside, Jiraiya following. It was an average house. As soon as they had taken a few steps inside, a girl came running around the corner. She had the same blonde hair and blue eyes Minato did, and wore a pink nightgown and slippers. She had bags under her eyes; she didn't seem like she got any sleep.

"MINATO!" she yelled, literally tackling him, tears in her eyes. "What happened! Why didn't you come home! Why are you hurt!" The questions continued without answer. Eventually he worked his way up. Something seemed off about the boy today.

"It was a mission. I'm going to go to my room, Sora-neechan." And he did just as he said. She was left without any answers, looking saddened by it.

"Maybe…I could be of some help explaining." Jiraiya interjected. He gave a warm smile and held out his hand. "I'm Ashikaga Jiraiya, Mina-chan's Jonin sensei."

"I'm Namikaze Sora, nice to meet you." She shook his hand.

Sora stared at him for a few moments before she realized she was in her pajamas. "Ahh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't expecting any guests. Please, please, take a seat in the living room while I go change."

And with that she rushed off down the hallway that contained hers and Minato's rooms. Jiraiya looked around somewhat. There were only two bedrooms, and few pictures in this house. Were there no parents here?

Jiraiya sat down

She came back about ten minutes later wearing shorts and a tank top, hair combed, and make up to cover her tired eyes. She took a seat across from the man.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Jiraiya-san. It appears our little Minato is asleep right now. Would you like some tea?"

She was definitely older then Minato, but younger then Jiraiya was. Whatever her age was, it seemed like she was the only care taker of his student. Didn't Sarutobi say that Minato only had a guardian?

"Nah, I'll be okay. I bet your waiting to know what happened though."

She nodded.

"Well, it's actually my fault that he got hurt. It was a simple D-Rank mission that I 'rigged' for them to battle a friend of mine's student. Basically it was just a stepping stone that I needed them to cross. None of the kids are seriously injured. Minato should be fine in about a week or so, and their ninja insurance covers all of the medical expenses." Jiraiya confirmed this statement with a smile.

"So he was at the hospital last night?"

This time Jiraiya nodded.

She sighed. "I thought he had been seriously hurt on his first mission…I didn't know that being a Genin would be so dangerous for him."

"You don't know the half of it."

"Yes, it can be. You do know that it is common for ninja to be seriously injured in the line of duty, right?"

"I know…I just never pictured Minato getting hurt is all."

"Would you mind if I ask you a few questions about Mina-chan?" Jiraiya changed the subject. There were some things he was curious about.

"Not at all."

Jiraiya thought carefully about how to go about asking his questions. "I've never heard of a Namikaze ninja clan…" Jiraiya already knew that there was no clan, but it was the best way to inquire as to the origins of Minato.

"There isn't one. Both me and Minato immigrated from Hikyo-shi years ago." She looked at her hands as she nervously held them together.

"And you came all the way from the capitol just for Minato to become a ninja then?"

She shook her head signaling no. "Actually, it was me who wanted to become a ninja…but I was failed by my Jonin instructor along with my would-be-team. I was told…" She swallowed hard. "That I could never be a shinobi, so I've been working as a waitress. Minato…he, well, after I failed he joined the academy. I didn't want him to…but, it looks like he's done what I couldn't."

"He's on the road to becoming a great ninja. What did your parent's think about you and Minato becoming ninja?"

"Well…" She looked up again. Jiraiya's face was completely serious. "They both hate the idea. My mom's an actor, and my dad's in politics so…"

Jiraiya snapped his fingers. "I knew I recognized the Namikaze name, I think I've seen one of your mom's movies. I guess I was thinking too deep into the ninja world, when it would have been obvious if I didn't. You and Minato are really far from home, not to mention pursuing completely different careers then your parents."

"It isn't like we had much of a choice. I was always fascinated by ninja when I was little: my mother and father hired them often for escort services. Towards the end of their relationship, they even hired them to spy on each other."

"So…you left because of a divorce. I'm sad to hear that."

She shook her head. "No, I left because of Minato's condition."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

Sora sighed. "I haven't told anyone, so could you promise me that you won't say anything to anyone else?"

"Of course, I'm always in the best interest of my students. I didn't know Minato was sick or anything, he seems fine—"

"—he always seems fine." She interrupted. "I'm sorry, Jiraiya-san. Look, Minato doesn't have any physical problems. It's…" she paused to think about how she was going to explain this. This was the boy's sensei, he should know about this. "When Minato was born, he didn't cry. Even when he was a baby, he would never cry, at all."

"That's uncommon, but certainly nothing serious."

"It isn't just that. When Minato was little he never showed any compassion at all. He was never afraid of the dark, never scared to be alone. It took us a long time to figure it out, and we even had a doctor confirm it."

There was a silence.

"Minato wasn't born with emotions. Something—something in his brain is naturally turned off, I think that's how the doctor put it. He said that Minato doesn't feel fear, happiness, sadness, anything. He's completely neutral; completely logical."

Jiraiya was confused. "That can't be true, every time I've seen Minato he's always had, feelings, emotions, whatever."

"That's a mask." She replied quickly. "Minato may not have emotions, but he knows that others do. He…he puts on that mask to make himself blend in, but deep down…" Jiraiya noticed that tears were forming in her eyes. "…deep down he feels nothing."

This shocked Jiraiya. He thought about what he had observed from the child before. It had seemed like he was just serious, but maybe what Sora said had some merit to it.

"Maybe…he developed emotions as he got older…"

Sora shook her head. "The only thing that has happened as he has gotten older is he's become better at wearing the mask. It's hard to see it, and it's much less often, but the old Minato does still come out…the hollow Minato…" She wiped her eyes with her hand.

Jiraiya processed this for a moment. "And, there's nothing that can be done about this?"

"The doctor said that it wasn't impossible for Minato to develop emotions, just that he would have to want it. Right now…Minato doesn't have any need for emotions, and he won't sense one. The doctor said that if he met the right person…that there would be someone special in his heart that Minato would change for…"

A few tears rolled down her cheek. The Jonin fought back the urge to comfort her, or tell her to stop talking.

"…and when I brought Minato here with me, I thought that I was that special person for him. I've—I've learn though that—that I'm not that person."

She was now in a full try. She excused herself to the bathroom, and Jiraiya thanked her for her time and announced he was leaving. He exited the apartment, making sure to close the door behind him.

As he started down the street, he went to thinking. Minato was a lot more like himself then he thought the boy was.

"He's the perfect ninja, no emotions, nothing to get in the way of him and his mission. But…with that he's sacrificed all of his humanity. What's more important, being the perfect ninja or being human, no matter how imperfect humans are…"

Jiraiya sighed.

"Well, there is a bright side. I'm not going to have to take them for lunch today."

Remembering his next destination, Jiraiya made his way to the Otonashi residence. Close to the house he saw Katsu. The boy looked rugged today, and carried two large bags with him. Jiraiya decided to watch him.

-Katsu-

He did it. He finally left his mom. No more of those awful drugs, alcohol, and men. He was free. Except there was a problem.

He didn't know where to go.

Looking for a place to rent an apartment was the best idea, but if he couldn't get one, Katsu might have to sleep someplace unpleasant, like the woods.

His sword let off a vivid aura that only Katsu could feel. It wanted to taste his mother's blood, again. He almost let it too, but the better part of him held back from venting the sword's rage, and his own.

Katsu winced in pain as the heavy bag was too much for him to carry over his shoulder. He dropped it, and the arm immediately went to his broken ribs. He wasn't supposed to carry heavy things…maybe he should have listened.

Behind him a man came over and picked up his bag. Katsu looked up and saw Jiraiya. His face was serious; he looked as if he had just heard very unpleasant news.

Katsu didn't say anything, and let the man help him carry one of his bags. They continued walking in no particular direction for a few more minutes.

"You're running away from home, right?" Jiraiya finally asked.

"Yeah…"

"And…you have no idea where you're going, right?"

"…"

"Right?" Jiraiya asked again.

"…yeah."

"Alright. You can come and stay with me, but only because you asked so nicely." Jiraiya chuckled. Katsu looked up at him bewildered.

Jiraiya shrugged, and gave a wide grin. "What? I have a big house and no one to fill it up. I could use the company."

Katsu just stood in one spot thinking about what had just transpired, while Jiraiya continued to his house. Once the boy snapped out of it, he jogged as well as he could to catch up with his sensei.

-End Chapter Six-

Even though I copped off the huge author's notes, I decided to keep the little "Jutsu Library" and "Team Profiles".

Preview – Chapter Seven: Cooking for Ninja

-Jutsu Library-

I've made up several techniques for this fic, and many of them I haven't introduced yet. I'm fuzzy on translations, but I use so many translators (about six) that I can't be too far off. Let me know if you see any problems. Jutsu are as follows.

-Henge no Jutsu-

(Transformation Technique)

E-Rank. Ninjutsu. Support. Intro Ch2.You transform into someone else. Potency of this really depends on the user. As a side note, the Sexy Jutsu variation has appeared in the Yondaime Gaiden, it just wasn't named.

-Bushin no Jutsu-

(Clone Technique)

E-Rank. Ninjutus. Support. Intro Ch2. You make illusion replicas of yourself. They suck, lots, but can be used to confuse the opponent in large numbers. In general, it's useful if you have numerous people use the technique as a swarming/confusion tactic. Useless if they have a dojutsu though.

-Shunshin no Jutsu-

(Body Flicker)

D-Rank. Ninjutsu. Support. Intro Ch2. "Wheeeeeeeeeeeee I move fast!"

-Nozokimi no Jutsu-

(Peeping Tom Technique)

Ninjutsu. Rank and Type Unknown. Intro Ch4. Jiraiya's trump card when he's about to be caught. No one knows how it works…

-Hiden Taijutsu: Jikoku Make-

(Secret Taijutsu: Instant Defeat)

E-Rank. Taijutsu. Offensive. Basically, this is a swift punch to the balls. Nice name though.

-Kageshihai-

(Shadow Control)

D-Rank. Ninjutsu. Support. Even though the jutsu has a very low rank, it's rare to know. The technique makes the shadows in the area appear twisted and distorted, but nothing else. It is, however, a prelude to several other shadow based techniques.

-Ankoku Yari-

(Darkness Spear)

D-Rank. Genjutsu. Offensive. Using this technique the target sees the user's shadows form a sort of weapon that attacks them, all attempts to dodge being useless. By itself, the jutsu can't harm you, and has a low duration.

-Riaru Ankoku Yari-

(True Darkness Spear)

D-Rank. Ninjutsu. Offensive. Shadows actually manifest this time, attacking their target. Damage wise, it's about the same as being stuck with a kunai, which is one of the reasons it has such a low rank. The pros for this jutsu are if used in conjunction with its genjutsu counterpart Ankoku Yari, the target may not dodge it, or it may at least take longer for them to realize that it isn't genjutsu.

-Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu-

(Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)

C-Rank. Ninjutsu. Offensive. Breathing fire out of your mouth is a useful skill. Sort of. Either way, this is a basic Fire Release, so it's common among ninja with the Fire nature.

-Hien-

(Flying Swallow)

B-Rank. Taijutsu. Offensive. Here's a keeper. Using this, you make a weapon's blade extend, also making it sharper. It's a high rank since it takes a lot of chakra (you're constantly pushing spirit force into it), hard to find a weapon that can channel the chakra, but mostly because it's pure deadly. The only reason Katsu was able to use this is since he burst a large amount of chakra into his weapon, which just happened to be able to channel wind chakra effectively.

-Team Ronin-

Ashikaga Jiraiya – Age: 24. Gender: male. Rank: Jonin. Element: unknown. Jiraiya wears the Mask of Bliss. He plays himself off as a much simpler person then he really is, and shows the world the better side of him, even when he is sad on the inside. Jiraiya's history is unknown for the most part, but he's apparently grieving the death of his father, who he was close to. He was trained by the Sandaime Hokage, with Orochimaru and Tsunade as his team mates.

Otonashi Katsu – Age: 12. Gender: male. Rank: Genin. Element: wind. Katsu wears the Mask of Power. He likes to feel like he can control any given situation, even though that isn't always true. Deep down he hides insecurities. He has skeletons in his closet, somehow involving his mother, who is a former ninja. He always carries an odd sword that looks as if it is literally chained into its scabbard.

Namikaze Minato – Age: 12. Gender: male. Rank: Genin. Element: lightning. Minato wears the Mask of Life. He was born without emotions, and has never made attempts to develop them. Instead, he hides himself behind a persona that he created as he watches from within. But is the Minato on the outside really just a lie? He lives with his elder sister, Sora, since neither of his parents can coup with his condition. All things considered, he is unusually composed and analytical for his age. He also became a super-pervert.

Rokku Ryokumaru – Age: 12. Gender: male. Rank: Genin. Element: Earth. Ryokumaru wears the Mask of Ignorance. He plays like he is blunt and irrational as a form of protecting his inner self. He holds a great pain inside for the betrayal of his brother to his clan. Despite being a ninja clan, the Rokku family doesn't seem to have many ninja. Ryokumaru's goal is to restore his clan's glory someday, and in the process find his brother.