ICHIRAKU RAMEN
Jiraiya pours himself some sake and sips it slowly. Then he lets out a long breath between his lips.
"Eat the ramen before it gets cold," he says, "and no, I'm not going to do anything. What do you expect? Should I force Kakashi to be your teacher? We're civilized people here, not a bunch of brutes. I'm telling you to eat the ramen. What's wrong with you? You used to go crazy for it. Aren't you hungry?"
"I would've preferred some meat."
"You're picky today. Anyway, back to what I was saying. Just because you're not ready to be on a team doesn't mean it's over. You just need to learn to control that temper of yours," Jiraiya takes another sip. "Finally, some god-damned sake."
"It's not my temper, it's... I don't know what it is." Naruto twirls the noodles around his chopsticks disinterestedly. "Do you have any idea?"
"Who knows. It's too early to tell. But don't worry too much. Also, not having a team is fine. Look at me: mine disbanded a long time ago, and I'm doing great."
"Please don't use yourself as an example."
Jiraiya laughs with the cup still in his mouth. Then he takes a sip and sets it down on the counter.
"I think I can help you, though," he says. And he continues with a silence that may be intentional. But Naruto says nothing, just slurps his noodles loudly. "Ah, that's more like the kid I know. Aren't they wonderful?"
"They're not bad." And he slurps his noodles again.
"Yeah. Well, as I was saying, I might be able to do something for you." Someone puts a plate of beef on the table. Jiraiya grabs a piece with his chopsticks and chews it calmly. "You see, there's a type of ninjutsu that specializes in seals. They can be used for many things, but I'll spare you the explanation. What I want to say is that I think it could be possible to seal that part of you. The part that makes you, well, a bit irritable."
"You mean the Fox."
"I'm still not sure it was right to tell you about him. But I suppose keeping it a secret didn't do any good last time." Jiraiya finishes the meat and wipes his mouth with a cloth napkin, carefully. "In my opinion, everything that happened in the valley has affected your relationship with the Nine Tails. I had already thought about the possibility that your seal was doing... strange things. What happened earlier only confirms it. From now on, you'll spend time with me. I'll teach you to control yourself and make sure we don't have a scare like before. And if something happens, don't worry: fortunately, I'm much stronger than you."
A NEW LEAF
The weeks go by quickly. Now in the Leaf Village, it doesn't rain as much. The days are sunnier, but it remains cold enough for Tayuya, who is now on her way to the meeting point, to hug herself even though she is wearing winter clothes. Why on earth did they summon her so early? That Kakashi is always getting on her nerves.
The new Team 7 (now one member short) has already completed a handful of missions. Most of them involved trivial matters, such as escorting a noble family to another family's party, resolving a dispute over which merchant had rights to which route, or—this almost made her want to flee the damned village—finding a rich woman's cat that, apparently, gets lost a couple of times a month.
The only mission with any substance was the last one, where they had to drive out a group of bandits who had taken over a village on the outskirts. The task was not difficult at all, but Tayuya enjoyed giving each of them a good beating.
She now lives in an apartment, a fifth-floor unit in an unremarkable neighborhood of the village. It's small and somewhat cold, but it's better than the cell where she used to spend her nights. Which is enough reason not to go back to where she was before. Or is it? The truth is that Tayuya tries not to think too much about it. Sometimes she is aware of where she is and the people around her and feels strange. "I'm a Leaf kunoichi now," she thinks, touching the headband she wears on her forehead. "What am I doing?" But thoughts like these are followed by memories of Orochimaru in that cold dungeon. Of endless death matches, secret missions, assassinations, and kidnappings. Where would she go back to? There's no home to return to, only a life of servitude. "These people saved my life, at least. Although they're idiots, they're better than my master." And though she would never admit it, she sometimes thinks of Sakura's words, when she asked, "where were your people?" Time has passed, and no one came for her. "Have they given me up for dead?" and the relief she feels thinking this makes her sick.
"You're late," Sakura tells her, sitting on a wall a couple of meters high—again. Of course, her relationship with her hasn't changed. They hate each other as much as they did the first day.
"I'm okay as long as I arrive before Kakashi. I don't care if you're waiting for me, in fact, it amuses me."
"How pleasant it is to see you two arguing every day," Kakashi rounds the corner, reading one of his books, as always, "it makes me want to get up in the morning and come to work. But unfortunately, we have things to do, so let's get going."
The mission they face today is a little more dangerous than the previous ones. But let's have some confidence in their skills and look at another part of the village. For example, training ground number twenty-six, where Neji Hyuga, whose life was hanging by a thread not long ago, is fighting against a Rock Lee who, for once, seems to have the initiative. Sweat drips from the green-clad boy's temples as he strives to overcome the byakugan of his eternal rival. Not far from there, on another training ground, Asuma Sarutobi, an elite ninja, punches a huge rock with his iron knuckles, cracking it and making holes in it, feeling nervous and frustrated.
A few hundred meters away, in another direction, Choji Akimichi stuffs a handful of potato chips into his mouth while Shikamaru Nara, wearing his half ninja vest, yawns behind an open hand.
"Have you talked to her yet?"
Shikamaru frowns.
"Of course not. I don't want to get punched in the face."
"I think you should apologize. I mean, she's with us now. And you almost killed her."
"Better focus on your chips. What a pain..."
We watch them walk away down a quiet street, which, a while later, is walked down by Naruto, accompanied by Jiraiya. Over time, their relationship has only improved, to the point where it's not too different from what it was before. But that's the only thing that hasn't changed. The more Jiraiya talks with his godson, the more he realizes he's become a very different person. The stubborn and impulsive boy he used to be has vanished. Now Naruto is quite reasonable. One could even say that sometimes, he seems mature for his age. "Wait, slow down, am I thinking this about him?" The truth is the idea is a bit chilling. But as Tsunade had said: "Let's see, he almost died, Jiraiya. Isn't it enough that he's still alive? I'm glad he now listens to what people say. Now let me work, please."
Deep down, she's worried too, and he knows it. They've known each other for a long time. Who knows what he'd do without her positivity. Probably get slammed on sake.
"Hey, old man, you haven't told me where we're going today." Naruto pulls him out of his thoughts. He's walking beside him with a pork skewer in his hand, which he takes big bites from from time to time. In recent weeks, the boy has developed a preference for meat, even asking for it rare when he gets the chance.
"True. Today we're going to meet the boss. Yours and mine, that is, the Hokage." Although the truth is that Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer technically runs the village. That job falls to the next candidates for Hokage, namely Danzo and Tsunade.
"I don't know what he might want from me," Naruto keeps eating his skewer, "besides, isn't it too soon for him to be talking to people? If I were him, I wouldn't want to know anything about anyone for a few months." After his victory against Orochimaru, Jiraiya's master fell into a deep coma from which he only woke up a week and a half ago. A coma from which no one expected him to wake up. But he did. And now the situation in the Leaf is quite delicate.
"After everything that happened, we have no right to question the old man," says Jiraiya, "besides, you used to have a good relationship with him."
"You said it, used to." Naruto finishes the skewer, breaks it in two, and throws it in the nearest trash can.
The Hokage's office is silent. Outside, six figures wearing Anbu armor and masks wait with their arms crossed. The tallest of them, who must be the chief, stands between the door and Jiraiya.
"Authorization."
The Sannin points to his face with his index finger. Then he makes a move to go, but the Anbu stops him by placing his hand on his chest.
"No one enters without authorization, sir."
"That's a new one." Jiraiya looks the Anbu up and down and raises his eyebrows. Then he shouts, "Hey, gramps! I came to check on you! But I have no credentials it seems! Come save me, sensei!" The other Anbu glance at each other, uncomfortable, but the one who seems to be their captain remains unfazed by the screaming. After a few moments, the door opens inward.
"Let them in."
It's the voice of an old man. Immediately, the Anbu steps aside. "Go ahead, sir," he seems to say. But the truth is neither of them pay attention to him.
THE THIRD HOKAGE
"Glad to see you well!", Jiraiya smiles. "You know, with all those bandages, you remind me of a certain someone. Ha-ha!" Jiraiya walks confidently toward the desk at the back of the room. The Hokage's office is just that: an office. On either side are shelves filled with books, reports, and scrolls. At the end of the room is the desk, and behind it, a large window with the curtains mostly closed.
The person sitting at the desk is around seventy or eighty years old. He is a short, wrinkled old man with a white goatee and his body covered in many, many bandages. A large white hat sits on the desk, with the word "Hokage" written in red letters.
Hiruzen Sarutobi has a pipe in his mouth and a somber expression. Without speaking, he gestures for them to sit in the two chairs in front of his desk. Once they do, the old man takes a deep drag from his pipe and exhales a long, steady stream of smoke.
"It's good to see you again," he says. His voice is deep and sounds as old as he looks. Hearing it brings to mind dusty rooms, parchment paper, and tobacco leaves. "Oh, Naruto. We haven't had a chance to talk about what happened in the Valley. I want you to know I'm deeply sorry about your loss."
"No need to worry," Naruto responds. "I don't think about it much anyways."
"I see. Keeping your eyes forward is a good mindset, but we shouldn't forget the lessons of the past. You must know..." Hiruzen pauses, turning pale and starting to cough heavily. When Jiraiya stands up, concerned, he motions for him to sit back down. "It's nothing. This old body doesn't recover as quickly as yours." Hiruzen discreetly wipes the blood from his mouth with a tissue, which Jiraiya suspects isn't there by accident.
"Old man," Jiraiya says, "isn't it a bit too soon for you to put on the uniform? I'm sure there's someone who can handle the paperwork. You should be resting in an onsen in your condition, not here."
"I appreciate your concern, Jiraiya. But I've been a shinobi all my life, and if I may confess, I have no intention of stopping."
Outside, a crow lands on a nearby rooftop and looks around attentively before flying off again. Jiraiya straightens in his chair, becoming serious.
"I thought I'd lost you," he says, "and I never want to be in that situation again."
The old man nods, as if he appreciates his words. When he raises his gaze, there is a strange, fierce gleam in his eyes.
"Fortunately, there's only one Orochimaru in this world," he says, taking the pipe between his teeth and chuckling silently. "In any case, I can't continue being Hokage for much longer. That's part of why I call you here."
"No, stop, no way. I know what you're going to say, and my answer is no, thanks."
"Jiraiya..."
"Sensei, please, don't ask me. Don't put me in that position."
"I didn't know you could feel pressured."
"It's hard to say no to a resurrected man."
Hiruzen lets out a low, slow chuckle.
"I still think you'd be the best choice for the next Hokage. Despite all your flaws, which are... numerous..." Jiraiya grimaces, but lets him continue. "You're the most experienced, loyal, and powerful shinobi in the village. After your teacher, of course." Hiruzen smiles again. Given his current state, with the ugly scar across his face, his smile has gone from kind to sinister.
"Thanks for the kind words, but frankly, I'm a fool. I'm lazy and disorganized. I drink a lot. I'm a terrible choice." Now Hiruzen seems irritated. "Haven't you considered Tsunade? She may be brash, but she's much smarter than me. And who knows, if she becomes Hokage, maybe they'll start letting her win at the casino."
"Tsunade is my next choice if you refuse the honor, of course."
"Don't ever tell her that. You've survived Orochimaru, but she's a different beast."
"Jiraiya, please..."
"I have a question," Naruto, who has been listening patiently until now, leans forward in his chair. "How did you defeat Orochimaru? From what I've been told, he was some sort of invincible monster. Yet, you manage to defeat him. How?"
"Kid, now's not the time," Jiraiya starts, but the old Hokage shakes his head, as if to say, "it's okay."
"Orochimaru was undoubtedly powerful. It's no wonder some consider him invincible. Whether he was a monster or not, I don't know. If you were to ask in another village, they might say I am one too." The smoke from Hiruzen's pipe floats around him, making him look like some kind of specter. He takes another puff of smoke and exhales, coughing a couple of times. "When he faced me, he tried to use a certain forbidden technique. Forbidden techniques are so for a reason. They are dangerous and often lethal. But I managed to stop him, and without his technique, he had to face me alone."
"What do you mean by 'alone'?"
"Don't interrupt, Naruto," Jiraiya gives him a gentle tap on the back of the head, and Naruto scowls at him. Hiruzen smiles but doesn't answer the question.
"The important thing is that no matter how powerful Orochimaru was, I remain his teacher. Which brings us to an important topic, Naruto. You need one."
"Jiraiya has taught me a few tricks."
"No doubt about that. I've already heard about your progress in your... self-control. That's good news. But Jiraiya is a busy shinobi. He can't stay in the village all the time to teach you. In fact, I know," and he directs a sharp look at Jiraiya, "that he's already late on some of his tasks."
"Guilty as charged."
"As I was saying, you need someone who can look after you daily. Someone with plenty of time on their hands. And soon enough, I'll be retiring." Hiruzen smiles again, with that hungry glint in his eyes. "It's about time the Professor took on a student again."
Outside, a crow lands outside the window once more. It's the same one as before. It's small and dark and seems to be watching them. But none of the three pay attention to the animal, which after a few moments spreads its wings and flies away.
