Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
The Fundamental Rule of Counting
The fundamental rule of counting is necessary to determine the total number of possible outcomes. This is easiest to explain when two variables are present. For example: the number of possible outcomes of event A are represented by the letter A. The number of possible outcomes for event B are represented by the letter B.
A x B = the number of total possible outcomes.
Of course, this only works when you know all the variables at play.
My favorite thing about Sasuke used to be his inability to care. Unfortunately, that had changed drastically since joining team seven. Walking shoulder to shoulder with me, we trailed behind Jiraiya and Naruto as we traveled to the next town. I could see the change in the way Sasuke's eyes bore into Naruto's back. It was present in the way his jaw clenched and how he balled his hands into fists. I could guess why:
1. Kakashi had been injured by Itachi.
2. Naruto was being hunted by Itachi.
3. Itachi called Sasuke weak.
But I couldn't determine if Sasuke was feeling jealous or protective. Maybe a deranged combination of both. There was plenty to be jealous about, I suppose. Naruto capitalized most of Jiraiya's attention when Sasuke was used to having Kakashi's focus on him. Especially after the Forest of Death. It also didn't help that Jiraiya didn't know what to do with him. Probably because he didn't want Sasuke on this mission.
Up ahead, Naruto suddenly came to a stop. Looking down, he placed a hand on his stomach. Very much like a pregnant woman trying to make sense of the foreign entity taking root in her person. "Why are they after me?" Naruto asked; forcing Jiraiya to pause and turn to face him. Eyes narrowed, eyebrows slanted; Sasuke came to a halt as well.
Jiraiya offered Naruto his attempt at a comforting smile. "It's not you they want", he assured as I kept walking. Or tried to. A hand lashed out and wrapped around my arm, just above my elbow, before I could get too far.
Sighing, I rolled my head until Sasuke was in my line of sight. "Really?"
Sasuke silently shushed me with one cold, unrelenting stare. With Naruto occupied with Jiraiya and his own thoughts, somehow Sasuke had become my problem.
"It's what is inside of you", Jiraiya explained; doing a wonderful job of ignoring those of us stuck in the peanut gallery.
"But why?" Naruto pressed; rubbing his stomach as Sasuke's fingers dug into my arm. "It's a horrible demon that attacked Konoha, right? Why would anyone want it?"
Sasuke's grip tightened with each piece of information that Jiraiya dropped. "The nine-tailed fox is a spirit who has destroyed much. Many trembled under its power. And that is why the Akatsuki want it. For its power". Which was another thing Sasuke could be jealous of. Naruto had power. Something Sasuke deeply craved. Arguably to the point where he couldn't see the burden Naruto carried.
Jiraiya relaxed his posture, a goofy smile taking over his expression. "But not to worry. I'll protect you and-"
Naruto perked up all on his own. It was almost as if someone had waved a bowl of ramen under his nose. "Nothing to worry about now" He declared, grabbing onto his pack straps with but hands. "I'll just have to hurry up and get stronger. It's the only thing I can do". Through his grip on my arm, I felt Sasuke twitch.
With the energy of a game show host, Naruto turned around and pointed an excited finger in our direction. "We need to find this Tsunade lady as fast as possible so she can fix Kakashi-sensei and save the village. And then we can get to some serious training. Are you two with me?!"
Sasuke's hand fell from my arm as he stepped forward. "Let's get started". He used his most determined voice; a dark edge laced in.
Naruto beamed at him as Jiraiya looked on with pride. No longer being held back so Sasuke could eavesdrop, I started forward. "If I have to". My consent came out in a low mumble. Still, the others seemed to have no problem hearing. Jiraiya stood with his arms crossed and lips stretched up in satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Naruto jumped in the air; a fist raised over his head. "Alright!" Sasuke copied me. And soon we were walking shoulder to shoulder again; Jiraiya leading. When he landed, Naruto jogged the few steps needed to catch up. "This'll be great", he declared. Pushing himself between Sasuke and me, he swung an arm over each of our shoulders. "Just like when we were in the academy". Sasuke tried to shrug him off. But Naruto couldn't be dissuaded. "Do you remember that code deciphering scavenger hunt Iruka-Sensei made us do?"
Relenting for now, Sasuke snorted. "You mean when Rion made up a fake decipher to trick you into buying our lunch?"
I blinked at the sound of my name and tried not to think too much about it. Naturally, given all the time we've spent together as classmates and teammates during the Wave mission, Sasuke knew my name. But he was one of the first to start calling me Aburame after Shibi's grand reveal and had refused to call me anything else since then. Until now, that is. Why? I mean, he calls Sakura and Naruto by their first names. So, it's not a weird thing to do. But why change now?
Naruto gapped at me. And Sasuke used his distraction to slip free. Manipulative bastard. "Rion, is that true?" Naruto wanted to know. He sounded betrayed.
I shrugged. Or tried too. Naruto was leaning too much of his weight on me. "I was hungry and you were being annoying".
In front of us, Jiraiya's shoulders were shaking. "You sent me to the other side of the village!" Naruto pushed away from me; his body clipping my splinted wrist and making me wince at the sudden pain. Not even a second, and there was a disgruntled Naruto blocking my path with a frown etched on his face. Only the spark in his eyes told me he wasn't actually upset.
Holding my broken wrist close to myself, I stared straight into his eyes. "I had to. The best curry place was on the other side of the village".
The next village we came to was even louder than the last. And not because it was a tourist trap. There was a festival in full swing. Colorful banners waved in the air; their fabrics glimmering in the afternoon sun. Sounds of laughter and frivolity could be heard in every direction as we watched people in yukatas enjoy different food and game booths.
"Wow!" Naruto exclaimed as he turned his head in all directions; trying to take everything in. "I've never seen anything like this". Which probably wasn't true. Konoha had at least two every year.
But Jiraiya nodded along as if he knew exactly what Naruto meant. "Down time is important", he announced; using his best sage voice. "So you kids can have some fun here while I hunt for information. We'll hunker down in this village until the festival is over and start training afterward".
"What happened to getting started right away?" Sasuke complained. He stood on the left side of Naruto, his hands crammed into his pockets; glaring at the people passing by.
Not that Jiraiya or Naruto paid him any mind. Giggling like a kid on his first trip to a candy store, Naruto swung his pack around his back to his front and started digging through its top pouch. I wasn't bothered by this… pitstop? The more time we could put between now and Orochimaru was okay by me. Besides, this was uncharted territory. And I didn't mean because we've never been here before. Sasuke was supposed to be in a coma. There was no need for me. So how would two extra genin affect future events? Would Sasuke land himself in Orochimaru's hands earlier than expected? Will I somehow offend Tsunade and make her stay abroad? I needed time to think.
Naruto pulled out his frog wallet; practically bursting at the seams from all his savings. He held it up in triumphant. And Jiraiya's response did not disappoint him. "Woo! Big saver".
"Yeah, I know", Naruto grinned. "I've been saving up from all my missions". Nuzzling the frog wallet against his check, Naruto glanced towards Sasuke and then me. "Come on, Rion. Sasuke. Let's find something to eat. My treat!"
Naruto tried turning around; planning to run towards the first thing that caught his eye. However, Jiraiya wouldn't let him. "Hold it, Naruto".
Pausing, Naruto looked up at the old man. "What is it?" At Naruto's side, Sasuke shifted his feet. Probably wondering the same thing.
"I'll hold on to your wallet for you", Jiraiya declared; moving to take the frog from Naruto's hands. "You must practice the three shinobi prohibitions. No booze, no pretty girls, no excess spending". Naruto stood still, mulling over what Jiraiya just said. It made his wallet easy pickings. If it wasn't for Sasuke stepping in.
Reaching across Naruto, Sasuke grabbed Jiraiya's wrist before he could come in contact with Naruto's savings. When the great toad sage cast a curious stare in his direction, Sasuke simply said, "No".
The action broke Naruto out of his musings. "Sasuke?" He questioned; voice soft as he stared at his teammate with his personal brand of trusting curiosity.
At the same time, Jiraiya studied Sasuke's face with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean 'no'?" I couldn't tell if his tone was pleased, annoyed, or somewhere in between. As such, Jiraiya kept his posture loose and allowed Sasuke to hold onto his wrist without any fuss.
With exception to the grip he had on Jiraiya, Sasuke ignored the old man. "There's no such thing as the three shinobi prohibitions", he informed Naruto.
Naruto's jaw dropped as he turned a betrayed eye to Jiraiya. Folding my arms across my chest, I added, "And even if they did exist, Jiraiya probably breaks them every day".
Gently pulling his wrist free, Jiraiya pouted as he let his arms hang limply by his sides. "You kids are no fun".
Clutching his wallet close to his chest, Naruto bristled. "I can't believe you! Do you know how hard I worked to save this much?" With a huff, Naruto turned around and started marching away. "Come on, you guys", he called behind him. "Before the Pervy-Sage takes your money too!"
We started out with Takoyaki. Naruto bought three servings and we ate as we walked to the yakisoba stand. "I'll pay you back", Sasuke said after I paid for the next serving.
"Don't worry about it", I said around a mouthful; leading the way to find a place to sit. Some festival foods you could eat while walking. Others were better enjoyed when you were stationary. It wasn't like I was spending my money. It wasn't any skin off my back if Sasuke ate off Shibi's dime.
"Yeah", Naruto agreed after chewing and swallowing. "This is what teammates are for".
Sasuke didn't seem to agree. But he did a good job of keeping his face neutral. One of the consequences of joining an abroad mission without any forethought was not having any supplies. Sasuke left the village with no knowledge that he'd be traveling for an extended time. He did not have a pack. Extra clothes. Money. Or any of the ninja supplies we were taught to always back for long-term missions. If forced him to rely on us. Naruto's extra shuriken filled Sasuke's back pouch. My spare kunai filled Sasuke's holster. We ended up buying spare sets of clothing for him that Naruto carried in his pack. Sasuke's pride wasn't happy about it. But it was either this or he'd have to go back to the village.
When we were stuffed, Naruto grinned and pointed excitedly toward a ring toss booth. "Hey Rion! I bet I could win you that stuff puppy". Following his finger, I got a good look a little plushie that looked suspiciously like Akamaru. Anzu would love that.
But I shrugged and moved to throw away our trash. "If you win it, we'd have to carry it around", I pointed out.
"Oh, come on", Naruto complained. "It's not that big". And he ran towards the booth before either of us could stop him.
As Naruto played, Sasuke and I watched. He drew up beside me, hands in his pockets as he studied the crowds passing around us. Ever the diligent shinobi. "Orochimaru is after you too?" Sasuke asked as Naruto threw his first ring.
Using my peripherals, I stared at Sasuke. He's been dropping questions like that since joining. Trying to figure out why I was here. Like Naruto, I only told him that possibly two crazies wanted to mess with me and it wasn't safe for me to be in the village right now. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke had the sense to press.
"Maybe", I answered. When it came to the likes of Kabuto, I didn't want to assume anything.
Naruto tossed his second ring. "He said he could make me stronger", Sasuke shared; fishing for more. It was a weak tactic. One Shinobu had trained me to recognize.
I shook my head; trying to ignore the dull ache in my chest. "I've never seen Orochimaru. It was just things Kabuto said". There wasn't much I could tell Sasuke. Mostly because I didn't know how I got tangled in this mess. But also because he didn't know what questions he should be asking.
Sasuke turned entirely toward me. I felt his eyes searching my face as I kept my focus on Naruto. "Nara said you warned him about Kabuto. Told us we couldn't trust him".
My nose wrinkled as I turned my face in Sasuke's direction. When was this?
Reading my expression, he elaborated over the sounds of happy people enjoying their day. "In the Forest of Death".
Oh. I faced forward. Naruto was taking his sweet time as he lined up his aim for his last throw. "I tell Shikamaru everything". And before Sasuke could read that as the lie it was, I added. "You know Orochimaru's intentions aren't good, right?" Sasuke scoffed; suggesting what I said was stupid. Normally, I'd agree with him. Based on the events in the forest and the curse mark on Sasuke's neck; clearly Orochimaru wasn't a friend. But I knew things Sasuke didn't. And while he wasn't likely to listen to me, maybe I could plant a seed.
Triumphant, Naruto jumped in the air; thrusting a fist over his head as the booth attendant handed him the dog plushie. Grinning broadly, Naruto turned and jogged towards us. "I told you I could win it", he boasted; holding out the toy for me to take.
Reaching out, I took hold of it; fingers curling in the soft fabric. "My hero".
Naruto beamed; rubbing his nose as if I had just covered him in praise. "Yeah, I know girls like this sort of stuff". A part of me was touched. Most of me was annoyed. I was going to have to carry around this plushie for the rest of the mission, wasn't I?
"Hey, Sasuke", Naruto said before pointing to another booth. This looked to be some sort of shooting game. "Wanna see who can hit the most targets?" Sasuke eyed the booth with disdain. Probably seeing this whole day as a waste of time. But Naruto knew how to push his buttons. "Unless you're afraid you'll lose".
That was all it took. Sasuke squared his shoulders and started for the booth. "You're on". Snickering, Naruto followed.
By the time Jiraiya caught up to us, the sun was setting and Naruto and Sasuke had played their way through most of the booths. I was now the proud owner of; a key chain with a cat charm, a handful of candy, a blue hair ribbon, and two additional plushies. One was a fish. The other was a monkey… I think. Though I put my foot down at the goldfish catching booth. There was no way we could keep one alive while traveling.
"You three look like you're having fun", Jiraiya said as he approached. A rosy hue filled his cheeks; giving me a good idea of what he'd been doing all day. I scowled as the boys moved closer.
"Where have you been, Pervy-Sage?" Naruto asked. "You missed everything". Sasuke didn't comment. His eyes were focused on the tote bag Jiraiya carried with him. Probably wondering why it was filled with rubber balls and different types of balloons yet to be inflated.
"I'll have you know I was hard at work finding vital information". Jiraiya stated; pointing his nose in the air as if he had the right to be offended.
"Oh, yeah?" Naruto challenged. "So, you know where this Tsunade lady is?"
Unsurprisingly, Jiraiya didn't take the bait. "Not just yet", he answered with a dopey smile. As if admitting to secretly liking trash TV. "But it's getting late. Time to find lodgings and prepare for tomorrow".
Sasuke's unamused face was a sharp contrast to Naruto's. The blond took a step forward. "What's happening tomorrow?"
Shaking the tote bag to draw Naruto's attention, Jiraiya answered, "We're going to start your training".
The inn Jiraiya found for us was more spacious than the last one. But there were no beds. Our only option was futons. Claiming the spot under the window, I made sure Naruto and Sasuke laid out their bedding between me and Jiraiya before setting up my own. While this wouldn't be as comfortable as when Chouji, Shikamaru, and I would stargaze on a grassy hill, I still trusted Sasuke and Naruto enough to not be assholes.
Sasuke was unusually quiet. Even for him as he subtly spied on Jiraiya and Naruto. Or rather, he tried to be subtle. "Alright, Naruto", Jiraiya said as he sat in front of the blond; legs crossed in front of him. In his right hand, he held a recently filled water balloon. "There are three steps to learning this jutsu. The first step is to make this water balloon pop".
"That's it?!" Naruto looked like he was about to jump out of his skin.
He only fell silent with Jiraiya held up one finger. "But you can only use your chakra. To do this, you'll have to rotate the water inside the balloon". Demonstrating, the balloon in Jiraiya's hand started bulging and spiking in different locations. It reminded me of a cartoon bomb that was about to explode.
"Not by the bedding", I complained.
The balloon popped and water splattered all over. Naruto lurched backward; arms raised to protect his face as I exhaled; saying goodbye to a little more of my patience. Sasuke was unmoved; watching everything with a critical eye. "You got it?" Jiraiya asked as he shook his hand dry.
Naruto recovered quickly. "Yeah!" He declared; rising to his knees as he reached for a new water balloon.
"Not now", Jiraiya redirected; ignoring the pout Naruto sent his way. "Tomorrow. Spend tonight thinking about how to do it so you have a plan". As Naruto grumbled something to himself, Jiraiya shifted until he was turned towards Sasuke and me. "Now, Sasuke. I don't have anything planned for you".
It made sense. Sasuke was an unplanned addition and Jiraiya's abilities were a better match to Naruto's skillset than Sasuke's. But watching Sasuke grit his teeth together, I came to the conclusion that this wouldn't be acceptable.
How I remembered things, Sasuke left the village because he thought Orochimaru could make him stronger the quickest. But I always thought there was more to it. The minions from the Sound Village approached after Sasuke and Naruto fought on the hospital roof. After Sasuke witnessed Naruto's Rasengan and compared it to his Chidori. To me, Sasuke's actions spoke of jealousy.
Things were different now. Naruto would not be saving Sasuke from his Sharingan coma. Having Sasuke here meant he'd get to see Naruto's struggle as he learned this new jutsu. Maybe, if he had something to enrich himself with, Sasuke wouldn't start to feel that Naruto was surpassing him.
"He can learn what you were going to teach me", I interrupted before Jiraiya could say anything further. From my shorts' pocket, I pulled out the little toad drawing that I hadn't touched in days. "Here", I said; offering it to Sasuke. "You're supposed to use your chakra to make the toad dance. I think it's the first step to learning how to seal".
Intrigued, Sasuke accepted the little piece of paper. His forehead was already wrinkled as he thought about how to accomplish the task. Unfortunately, his interest was short-lived. "So sorry", Jiraiya intervened; plucky the paper from Sasuke's hand. He didn't sound sorry in the least. "That is non-transferable".
I glared at Jiraiya. "Why not? Sasuke is a better student than me". He was more motivated. Sasuke's silence told me he agreed. The jerk.
Jiraiya shook his head; sending bits of white hair to tickle his cheeks. "Sasuke can't learn how to seal. It's not meant for him".
Sasuke's frown deepened. His hand balled into a painful fist. "What?" I snorted. "And you think it's meant for me?"
Raising an eyebrow, Jiraiya gave me a pointed look. Or, his attempt at a pointed look. "Yes".
"Why?" I asked like the annoying brat I strive to be. And Jiraiya better not say it's because I'm just like him.
Letting out a sigh that suggested I was currently the biggest thorn in his side, Jiraiya ignored the question. Shame. It appears he's starting to learn. Maybe Shibi gave him some advice when I wasn't looking. "That said", Jiraiya moved on; pocketing the toad drawing. "Since Sasuke has joined us, I've had to change my plans. You two will train together".
Feeling eyes on me, I glanced in Sasuke's direction. Briefly, we locked eyes. What did we have to gain from training together? We weren't strangers. Iruka-Sensei loved to pair us and Naruto together during our academy days. Probably because I wasn't under the throes of pre-teen infatuation. Compared to our cohort, Sasuke got on surprisingly well with me. Mostly because he was indifferent and I couldn't be bothered.
"What are they going to do?" Naruto asked; glancing up from the water balloon he was studying with great contemplation.
Jiraiya grinned in a way that made my stomach drop. "You", he pointed a finger at Sasuke. "Need to learn how to listen. And you", he moved his finger in my direction, "Need to learn how to lead. So, you two will be spending our time here glued together". In his other hand, Jiraiya held up a pair of handcuffs. To spare myself the horror of knowing, I refused to question where he got them.
Sasuke's disgusted and horrified grimace summed up my feelings perfectly. What exactly was Jiraiya hoping to accomplish? Though Naruto thought it was the best thing he ever heard. Laughing, he rocked on the ground; taking in labored breaths of air and ignoring the painful death Sasuke was promising him with his eyes. "That's great. Rion will kill bastard before the week is over!"
… Was it too late to make the cartoon toad dance?