Of Jumpsuits, Three Prohibitions, and Grilled Squid
-Of Jumpsuits, Three Prohibitions, and Grilled Squid-
“All right, Gai. We’ll leave Sasuke in your hands.”
At Jiraiya’s words, the green clad Jounin adjusts his grip on the a Uchiha he was currently carrying piggyback and turns his gaze to Amaya and Naruto, entering a brief staring contest with the duo before closing his eyes. “Master Jiraiya...”
“Hm?”
Opening his eyes, the corners of Gai’s lips pull up into a smile. “Find Lady Tsunade, bring her back to us—“
“Don’t worry you can count on us!” Naruto interrupts determinedly. “We’ll have her back in the Village in no time!” His words spur a laugh from the Sannin on his right and the older man can’t stop himself from ruffling the blond’s unruly locks.
Gai’s grin widens. “Naruto! Nothin’ impresses me more than guts, Kid. C’mere, let me give ya this...” He informs before reaching into his flack-jacket. “Lee got stronger with this...”
Naruto’s eye’s widen and an excited grin forms on his face. “Really?! What? What is it?!”
With a flourish, Gai pulls out a similar green jumpsuit and holds it up in the hair proudly as it flaps in the breeze. “Check it out!”
Amaya and Jiraiya deadpan, both unimpressed and wary of what was to come afterwards. Naruto, on the other hand, was ecstatic as he lets out a joyful laugh.
“It’s breathable, retains moisture, and offers complete freedom of movement— all in one sweetpackage.” Gai explains, holding the jumpsuit out and closer for the trio to see. “If you wear it while you train, you’ll notice the difference immediately. They really grow on ya.” He adds with a wink. “Pretty soon you’ll be wearing them all the time, just like Lee. I’ve got a bit of a thing for ‘em myself!”
Naruto’s eye’s light up and he quickly and happily takes the garment from the Jounin. The two then begin to laugh, sharing bright and sparkly smiles with one another.
‘Ugh... If you’re gonna walk around carrying that thing ya ought to pack a hand mirror or two. You idiot...’ Jiraiya thought to himself, his eye twitching in annoyance.
Amaya sighs tiredly to herself as her mind conjures up an image of Gai, Lee, and Naruto. All three were matching and posing ridiculously, all the while spouting something about the ‘Power of Youth’. ‘It’s a cult. It’s gotta be a cult, right...?’
***
Gai leaves them a few minutes later, his and Sasuke’s forms growing smaller and smaller as he walks away.
It’s then that Naruto turns to the duo beside him and motions towards the green garment in his hands. “Pretty cool, huh?” He asks with a grin.
Jiraiya hums and looks down at the boy bewildered. “Don’t even think about it. I mean... look at that guy!” His words prompt the two Genin to look back in Gai’s direction. “Man, now that is goofy!”
Amaya tightens her grip around the straps of her backpack, her expression neutral. “Saa~… Better being goofy than an outrageous perv. But I’d say you’ve got the worst end of the stick, having both attributes.” She grumbles before turning and walking in the opposite direction.
“Heh, you got that right.” Naruto replies, chortling as he follows after the girl.
Jiraiya blanches as he watches the two walk away, struggling to form a witty response in his own defense.
All is silent amongst the three as they walk. It had been like this for a while now, ever since they parted ways with Gai and Sasuke in Otafuku Town— something which Amaya was grateful for.
The Minamoto lets out a quiet sigh through her nose as her eyes trail around the open landscape, her mind going back to the encounter with Itachi and the events that followed after.
She hadn’t lied or overreacted when she awoke from her unconscious state. Her chakra still continued to thrum lively, almost as if it were begging to be expelled a second time. And the symptoms, of which she had told the Sannin walking next to her about, had yet to fade. Everything was brighter and her senses were sharper. It all pulsed with a newfound energy and she could feel the chakra residing in the nature surrounding her, no matter how faint or small the signature was.
And the heat - the one she had felt burning in her chest like wildfire - it still remained. However, it was now more subtle and not as strong or intense as before, resembling that of dying embers just waiting to be lit anew.
Amaya wasn’t stupid, and she certainly wasn’t as naive as most expect her to be. She knew what all of this meant. Her Kekkei Genkai was blossoming, turning into something that those outside of the Minamoto Clan couldn’t imagine. However, she wasn’t quite sure of why it was happening, seeing as most in her clan fail to achieve such a state of power.
Once the current matter was settled, she will have to return to the Main Residence. She would have to speak with her grandfather, and soon.
“What’s wrong?”
Jiraiya’s question brings the brunette from her thoughts. Pausing in her next step, she looks over her shoulder to find the Sannin staring curiously at Naruto, who now stood a few feet back.
“So, Pervy Sage... What exactly do those guys want with me anyway?” Naruto asks, his brows furrowing when the older male hums to himself. “C’mon, out with it, Pervy Sage, you know, don’t you?”
Jiraiya stares at him for a moment longer before a halfhearted smile forms on his face. “Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not you they want, it’s what’s inside of you.”
Naruto looks down at his stomach and grips at the fabric of his jacket. “What the hell is this thing anyway?”
Amaya’s gaze also falls onto his stomach where the seal would be, her own churning at the vicious and dark chakra bubbling just under its surface, waiting for the opportune moment to break free.
Naruto then continues, “Some horrible demon that terrorized the Leaf Village... That’s why everyone’s so afraid of it, right? So why do these guys want it so bad?”
“The Nine-Tailed-Fox has appeared in times of consequence all through the ages. A ghastly spirit destroying all that lays in its path. As powerful as any act of nature, men trembled before it.” Jiraiya replies, pausing as he briefly closes his eyes, his actions making the two Genin look up at him. “As for what they would want with that malicious monstrosity, that’s a hard question to answer, Naruto. I honestly can’t say... I suppose with the Nine-Tails sealed up inside you, they might be thinking of somehow seizing control of that power, bending it to their will. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that those two will be after you now, but that is your fate.”
There’s a moment of silence and after he sees the look on their faces, Jiraiya’s serious expression melts away as he sends them a confident grin. “Not to worry though, after all, you will have me around—!”
“Oh well, I’ll just have to hurry up and get stronger! No other choice!” Naruto exclaims, cutting the Sannin off as he straightens up, clenching a fist with a determined smile. “All right! Lets find this Tsunade woman you’re talking about so she can fix up Sasuke and we can get down to some serious training!”
Jiraiya chuckles to himself. ‘This kids got a one tracked mind.’
***
-A Few Minutes Later-
“Hm...”
Jiraiya turns to look back at Naruto. “What is it now?”
Naruto looks between the older male and Amaya, his eyes squinted. “This beautiful woman that you’ve got us out here scouting around for... Is she the Tsunade you mentioned?”
Jiraiya grins. “Hey, not bad, Kid! You’re pretty sharp, aren’t ya?... Why? What’s on your mind then?”
“Well, you said she was one of the ‘Three Legendary Sannin’, the same as you, right, Pervy Sage?” Naruto questions.
“That’s right. What’s your point already?” Jiraiya asks in response, slowly becoming annoyed as the boy continues to beat around the bush.
“How...old is she?” Naruto finally asks, almost hesitantly.
Jiraiya grins and points his thumb at himself. “Same age as me!”
It’s then Amaya interjects as she also looks back at the blond. “Saa~… That give you an idea? She’s pretty old... But still better looking than this guy, that’s for sure.”
Jiraiya blanches at the insult, his expression becoming peeved as he turns to her. “You know exactly why that is!”
Amaya shrugs with a sly smile, not bothering to elaborate for the confused Uzumaki that watched the interaction silently.
“So, what’s this Tsunade lady like anyway?” Naruto questions after a few more steps.
Jiraiya grins and shares a look with Amaya. “Ah, curious are ya?”
“Yeah...”
At his response, Jiraiya cups his chin thoughtfully. “What can I tell ya... Well, for one thing, she’s kind of unpleasant. Plus, I guess there’s the fact that she’s known far and wide as a die hard gambler and all...”
Naruto smiles widely. “Great! This should be a piece of cake then, if she’s as famous as all that!”
“Oho, she’s famous alright. You might even call her... ‘The Legendary Sucker’.” Jiraiya replies with a small laugh. “But as legendary a sucker as she may be, I doubt she’s gonna be all that easy to find.”
“Why? What makes you say that?”
“She’s not the type to grow old gracefully.” Jiraiya replies. “Probably using some kind of jutsu to mask her appearance... She’s actually fifty-years-old, but I’m sure she’ll look more like she did in her twenties. That’s not all, the word on the wind I hear of late, is she started transforming on the fly. Going though her teens to her thirties or forties, all so she could cut out on any money lender she’s in too deep with.”
Amaya swats at the Sannin’s arm, though she didn’t hide her amusement when she meets his gaze. “Stop gossiping like an old lady! Besides, you’re not setting up an ideal image of her. There’s more to that old bat than her gambling habits... What’s he gonna think when they meet for the first time?”
Jiraiya tilts his head up, his tone haughty. “I speak nothing but the truth. You can’t deny me that.”
Ignoring the conversation taking place before him, Naruto shakes his head at the information. “That’s awful! She sounds like a charmer...”
Amaya raises a brow as she motions to the blond, her point just being proven. “See? Look what you’ve done.”
Jiraiya sighs and turns to the blond, letting out a soft laugh as he tries to make light of the conversation. “Yeah, well, Tsunade’s always loved gambling more than anything. It’s too bad she never had any luck— or skill for that matter.” He informs, his walk coming to a halt as he turns to the Uzumaki. “She was made a sucker so many times the name just stuck with her. But then she would just borrow money and skip out on her debts. Ah, it brings me back, I tell ya.”
Naruto stares at the older male for a moment before stomping his foot. “Hey, we don’t have time for nostalgia!” He exclaims, ignoring the Sannin’s curious look as he continues. “C’mon, do ya have a plan for finding her or what?”
Jiraiya grins. “Not exactly. We might have a little work ahead of us but I’m sure we’ll come up with something.”
Naruto groans in response. “So you don’t even have the slightest idea of how long this is gonna take, do you?!”
Jiraiya turns away from him, his arms crossed over his chest. “Not a minute will be wasted!”
Amaya raises a brow at that. “How so?”
“All of our time on the road will be devoted solely to you both.” Jiraiya informs.
“To us?” Naruto asks.
Jiraiya nods. “We’ve gotta get you stronger. Time to train!” He replies, a wide grin pulling at his lips as he looks back to the blond.
Naruto smiles happily in response and drops his backpack to the ground, rifling through it hurriedly.
Amaya deadpans as she catches sight of a familiar green fabric and turns to Jiraiya, finding a similar expression on his own face. “Saa~… Now you’ve done it.”
“Okay!” Naruto exclaims, pulling the green jumpsuit from his bag with a flourish.
Jiraiya panics as the younger male begins to stretch out the garment and hold it against his body. “Ah... wait, wait, wait, wait—! Hold on a second! Look, I already told you, I’m not having that! I don’t want to be seen walking around with someone wearing that— That— Th-That thing!”
Naruto’s movement’s pause and he turns to the Sannin, his eyes squinted.
As the two descend into another round of bickering, Amaya lets out a heavy sigh through her nose and looks to the sky, praying for patience to whatever deity that was listening.
“C’mon, Pervy Sage! What are we waiting for? Lets start my training already!” Naruto, who was thankfully still wearing his signature orange clothing, chirps as he looks up to a Jiraiya, breaking the silence that had once again formed between their small group.
Jiraiya laughs and sends the boy a smile. “All right, don’t get ahead of yourself now. I have to train you while we gather information on Tsunade. Otherwise it’s not going to mean anything to you.”
“Huh? Gather information?” The Uzumaki questions. He then turns to Amaya when she lets out a sigh.
“Saa~… You may not want to hear this, Naruto, but training isn’t the main priority right now. We have to find Tsunade as fast as possible, the Village’s future relies on it.” She replies, rubbing at her tired eyes with one hand as the other raises to stop him when he opens his mouth to speak. “The training will be something to keep us occupied when we stop for breaks or make camp. It’ll always be on the back burner until we find her and bring her back with us. You have to be patient. Asking every minute of every hour of the day isn’t gonna change anything.”
Jiraiya chuckles as Naruto pouts at her words and reaches out to ruffle the girls hair gently, knowing that the days prior events were starting to catch up to her by her tone of voice. He then picks up his pace and stops next to a barrier that lined the edge of the small cliff they were approaching.
The two Genin follow closely behind. Once they’re next to him, both look over the railing to see a village resting in the valley below.
***
“Ah, man, this is gonna be great! I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life...! What about you Amaya?”
Amaya turns her attention away from the crowed town square and onto the blond next to her. “Places like this are popular and common near main roads of travel. I’ve been to a similar village before, it’s about a weeks journey from the Minamoto’s Main Residence, near the sea.”
Naruto’s eye’s light up in fascination. “Really? What’s it like?”
Amaya hums, “Well, it’s nestled on the peninsula between the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Waves. So, it’s a hotspot for fishermen and merchants from Kirigakure.”
It’s then Jiraiya subconsciously butts into the conversation, his expression thoughtful and his cheeks flushed. “If it’s the same village I’m thinking of, then I’ve been there before. The women there are b-eau-ti-ful!”
Both teens stare up at him unimpressed. Seeing this, Jiraiya quickly clears his throat and collects himself. “Anyway, enough about that! Downtime is important! So have a little fun before we start your training... This festival will be going on for a while. We’ll hunker down here until it’s over and then we’ll start your training here, too.”
Naruto cheers and throws his arms up into the air in response. “ALRIGHT!” He exclaims before digging into his bag. He then pulls out a green toad-inspired wallet.
Amaya snorts at the familiar item and shakes her head at the irony.
Jiraiya’s grin matches Naruto’s to a T and he bends over slightly to inspect the stuffed wallet. “Oh baby! That is one fat frog you’ve got! You’re filthy rich!”
Naruto laughs and fondly nuzzles his cheek against it. “Yeah, I’ve gotta pretty big stash! I’ve been saving it up bit-by-bit from my missions!” He then turns and grabs Amaya’s wrist, intending on dragging her along to one of the many stalls. “Catch you later!”
“Stop right there, Naruto!” Jiraiya exclaims, making the two teens turn to him. “I’m going to hold onto your wallet for you!” He then plucks the wallet from the boys hand, holding it up and out of his reach when the blond tries to take it back.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” Naruto roars, jumping and straining to reach in hopes of snatching his wallet back.
Jiraiya digs into the pouch and pulls out a few bills, holding them out for the blond to take. “Here, you can have this much to spend.”
Naruto takes the money and blanches. “What?! Only three-hundred ryo—?!”
“I don’t want to hear it!” Jiraiya interjects as he pockets the wallet. “Honoring the ‘Shinobi’s Three Prohibitions’ is the duty of any upstanding ninja!”
Amaya shakes her head at the interaction, happy to have kept her own wallet and money out of the Sannin’s sight for this exact reason. ‘Saa~… He’ll be broke by the end of the day... This has to be karma for all of the times he made Iruka-sensei buy him ramen.’
Naruto squints up at the older male. “The ‘Three Prohibitions’? What are you taking about?”
“You’re kidding? Don’t you know?” Jiraiya asks, as if in disbelief. “The ‘Three Prohibitions’ are a trio of temptations that will bring a Shinobi to his ruin!” He informs before closing his eyes as he began to name each one off with his fingers. “The three temptations are alcohol, pretty woman, and worst of all... money.”
Amaya rolls her eyes. “Then that means that you yourself, have broken every prohibition, right?” She asks, making the Sannin’s eye’s snap over in her direction as she copies his previous actions by naming off each temptation on her own fingers. “You do drink alcohol occasionally, since attending bars allows you to sometimes pick up inebriated women— Speaking of, you stalk bathhouses and your pervishness knows no bounds when said pretty women are involved. And, when you do it, you probably squander money on both.”
Jiraiya’s brow twitches in annoyance. “Do as I say, not as I do! I’m doing this for your own benefit, believe me!”
Naruto was still unimpressed. “Yeah, well, none of those things really apply to me all that much. So, we’re cool... I mean... I’m underage so I can’t drink yet, I don’t get the whole woman thing, and I work so hard to save all of that money that I really don’t feel like spending a ton of it.”
“YOU LITTLE FOOL!” Jiraiya exclaims in response, pointing at the blond angrily. “Don’t take money lightly! Once you start spending it, you’ll never stop!... Money possesses a frightening power. This woman Tsunade that we’re searching for has ruined herself with the pursuit of it.”
Naruto crosses his arms, scowling. “Pretty big talk comin’ from someone so addicted to the ladies.”
Jiraiya chooses to ignore the jab and points over his shoulder with his thumb. “I’m gonna go see if I can gather some information...” He informs before holding out his own luggage. “Here, I want you to hold onto my bag for me. Okay? If you happen to get lost somehow, you can always rely on my tracker toad to sniff out my scent. Although, you probably won’t have to go to that extreme since Amaya will be with you.”
Naruto huffs and grabs Amaya’s wrist a second time, sticking his tongue out at the Sannin momentarily before pulling the brunette along in the opposite direction.
Jiraiya, however, only smiles as he watches them go. ‘Gotta keep reminding myself that they’re still just kids!’
***
Allowing his jog to slow to a stop, Naruto releases Amaya’s wrist and looks around at the stalls lining the street, his stomach growling at the various smells wafting through the air. “Okay! The first thing I need is a little something to eat!”
Amaya watches blankly as the blond then leaves her side and runs to nearly every food stall that caught his eye. Shaking her head, she pulls out her own wallet from a side pocket of her backpack and begins to follow after the boy leisurely. Already knowing from experience that he wouldn’t manage his money well.
The next few hours consisted of the two teens buying food— Naruto hitting up at least six stalls before finally calling it quits, playing festival games, and snooping through Jiraiya’s check book when it fell out of his bag.
Now, the duo were walking the streets, searching for the Sannin— whose presence had been scarce since they had initially split up.
“Good grief, where’d he run off to?” Naruto, holding a piece of grilled squid in each hand, grumbles as he looks around.
It’s then a loud and boisterous laugh emits from inside one of the establishments they were passing. Amaya and Naruto pause, sharing a look before peeking inside. There, they find Jiraiya himself, sitting on a plush sofa with two women under each arm.
“What can I say? I love the ladies!” The Sannin exclaims with another obnoxious laugh. He then opens his eyes and catches sight of the two Genin, smiling as he takes another sip of sake. “Oh, hey you two. Had your fill of the festival already, huh?”
Amaya flushes at the scene before her and turns her head to the side. ‘By information, he probably meant for his smutty books... Why am I not surprised...?’
Naruto blanches, his eyes growing wide and face paling as he catches sight of the familiar wallet resting on the table. Walking forward, he watches as the once stuffed frog deflates. He then turns to the oblivious Sannin in front of him. “I NEED A REFRESHER!” He exclaims suddenly, leaping onto the small tea table, surprising the three adults sitting on the sofa. “WHAT WERE THOSE PROHIBITIONS OF YOURS AGAIN...?! WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?! YOU’RE BREAKING ALL THREE AT ONCE, YOU DIRTY OL—“
His actions spur an immediate response from the two woman. They jump up from their seats, rushing away from the sofa and out of the room with startled cries.
Jiraiya’s hands fly up as he begins waving them placatingly, though this fails to calm the blond. “W-Wait, Naruto—!”
“WAIT SHMAIT!” Naruto roars, pouncing onto the Sannin before hitting the older male repeatedly in the face and head with the two squid he previously bought. “I CANT BELIEVE YOU SQUANDERED ALL OF MY HARD EARNED SAVINGS! YOU STUPID—“
Jiraiya’s hands move from placating the blond to protecting his face as he yelled and pleaded for the boy to stop his assault. “NOT THE FACE—! OUCH—! I’LL PAY YOU BA—!”
It’s then that Naruto looses his grip on one of the grilled squid.
Amaya quickly ducks as it flies over her head before looking over her shoulder, watching as the skewered dish hits one of two men as they step through the entrance, leaving a large grease stain on the front of his white blazer.
The man who wasn’t hit takes a step forward, scowling. “WATCH IT! Look what you did, you little punk!”
Naruto freezes and slowly turns his head.
“You stained the Bosses new designer suit!” The male informs, and all eyes go to the large spot he was referring to. “You’re paying for that! A hundred-thousand ryo!”
“WHA—?! You’re tellin’ me that suit costs a hundred-thousand?!” Naruto exclaims, now more out of fear than anger.
“That seems a little bit of a stretch, fellas.” Jiraiya interjects. “You expect us to believe that monkey-suit is worth a hundred-thousand?”
The “boss” sneers, his focus now solely on the Sannin. “You lookin’ for trouble, Old Man? You’d shut your yap if you know what’s good for ya.”
His henchmen nods. “The Boss used to be a Chunin from the Hidden Stone. The legendary dark ninja, feared across the land!”
Jiraiya smiles and crosses his arms. “Ah, this I gotta hear! The legendary what now?”
The “boss” takes a step forward. “You’re asking’ for it, pal! Just keep pushin’!”
“Amaya.” Jiraiya calls as he stands from the sofa, prompting the brunette to move farther away from the two men. He then turns his attention to the blond next to him. “Naruto. This is perfect timing... I have a new jutsu I want to show you.” He informs as chakra begins to swirl into a sphere in the palm of his hand. “Now, pay attention.”
Taking his words and actions as a challenge, the “boss” surges forward. “ENOUGH ALREADY!”
As he nears, Jiraiya swings his arm outwards, forcing the sphere into the mans chest. It forces him back, sending him careening into his henchmen and both are sent flying out of the establishment and into a stall across the street.
“That was awesome!” Naruto exclaims, his precious anger over the empty wallet now forgotten.
Jiraiya grins and motions for the two teens to follow him outside. Once they reach the destroyed stall, Jiraiya stops and peers down at the two fallen men. “And I was holding back! Oh, you guys are hardly worth the trouble.”
The “boss” opens his eyes, his expression one of realization. “Wait a minute... You’re— The Legendary—“
Jiraiya ignores him and turns to the stall owner. “Sorry about that... I guess we kind of messed up your stand...”
Amaya looks down and nudges a piece of broken wood with the toe of her sandal. “You guess? There’s nothing left but rubble.”
In response, the “boss” holds up his wallet, his hand shaking. “H-Here! This should cover it...”
Jiraiya grins and takes the wallet from him. “Ah, thanks a lot!” He replies before stepping closer to the owner, paying him for the damages. “Now then, my good man, I’d like to buy every balloon you’ve got. Including water balloons. How’s that sound?”
“Fine by me, I guess...” The owner replies, still in shock.
Jiraiya nods and turns his attention to the Genin next to him. “Naruto. Amaya. Lets get going, it’s time to train.”
Naruto grins. “Yes, sir!”
Amaya shrugs and looks back to the two men. “Whatever.”