The Cost
of Vengeance
By Ami-Chan
Chapter VIII: The Heart Gone Astray
The Akatsuki are a secret organization in the shadows of the already hidden shinobi villages. They are like a hate group. Once one has joined, it is really hard to escape. The reason being, that most members of the Akatsuki have their head plates of their previous village slashed to show they no longer believe in anything that their home had stood for, or the people they knew there. Even a closest friend of one’s previous village must become one’s worst enemy. Those who dwell within the shadows of shadows are the darkest of all. To mingle with the Akatsuki means to give up one’s heart, one’s soul, and one’s courage as an independent person. Jiraiya and Naruto however knew this and pressed on. Despite any knowledge they had of Akatsuki’s malice, they would use whatever means necessary to reclaim the misled heart of the second Sennin, Tsunade.
“That’s it, huh? Who would have thought the Akatsuki was right under the sands’ noses?” Naruto said as he looked up at the large building and then down at the door.
“Yeah…I’ve only been here once, and that’s when I watched them take Tsunade like a helpless little child…” Jiraiya recalled to his past once again. “I’m going to change all that. This time, I won’t back down!”
“Let’s go then!” Naruto threw the doors open, immediately sending five members after them both.
“Well, well, well,” Jiraiya folded his arms in front of his chest and smiled. “We’re expected…with a welcome mat and everything.”
“Take this!” Naruto made a sign with his hands. “Naruto Rendan!”
Naruto duplicated himself exactly six times with Kage Bunshin and he went all out. Within seconds, the Akatsuki rookies were diced to pieces. Jiraiya wasn’t surprised…after all; he was the re-incarnation of the Konoha’s “Yellow Flash.” Jiraiya rushed forward to take on the next hoard. His eyes turned completely black all of the sudden, and he had no pupils. His chakra was soaked in dark energy. The ten Jounin level Akatsuki still continued their rush. Jiraiya’s eyes opened with a red color in the middle where it was normally bluish green. The dark energy around him formed into a large snake.
“How about this one, eh, gaki?” Jiraiya’s voice was slightly demonic now. “Kage Oro no Jutsu!”
Jiraiya held out his hand in front of him, and the snake hovering above him shot down and swallowed the charging Akatsuki with one gulp. Naruto fell onto his back he was so stricken with terror and slight admiration of the great Sennin. The dark chakra that was borrowed from demons and the wicked intentions of humans was the most evil of all, and could only be tamed by those of great power. Jiraiya’s eyes returned to their usual color, and the dark chakra faded away to his normal energy. He had the most sheepish face when he looked at Naruto, whose heart had definitely skipped a beat.
“I didn’t go too far, did I?” Jiraiya thought as his mouth dropped.
“That was incredible…Jiraiya…” Naruto stuttered.
“We’ve got to get a move on. Tsunade’s still in there.” Jiraiya stated looking up at the large shady building.
Without another word, Jiraiya and Naruto searched up and down for more members of the Akatsuki. That couldn’t have been all of them. Tsunade probably fled along with the survivors. Jiraiya sighed. This was hopeless. He came here with all the ambition of any shinobi, and it failed him once again. He opened one last door to sleeping quarters at the end of the hall. He turned around and shoved Naruto behind him. In the eerie silence, he heard footsteps.
“So…you were the intruders all along,” a woman walked from the shadows with a head protector that bore a slashed leaf.
“Tsunade! Have you forgotten me?” Jiraiya asked.
“Of course not. I haven’t forgotten how foolish and weak you still are.” She answered coldly. “Why did you “come to my rescue?” I joined Akatsuki willingly.”
“They’re using you, Tsunade! You know that!” Jiraiya argued.
“Are the Leaves any different?” She smiled at Jiraiya. “Of course they aren’t different. If they were worried, they would have come ages ago.”
“That’s not true, Tsunade! You know it’s not true! You ran away! There was no possibility of ever finding you!” Jiraiya snapped back.
“Enough of this idle banter, only kunais shall speak.” Tsunade warned. “Jiraiya, you will die today!”
Tsunade rushed at Jiraiya and forced her fist into his stomach. He felt a wave go through him and his entire set of front bones crack. He cried out as he felt it travel under the skin of his forehead, and then he sank to his knees. Naruto out from his hiding place within the walls of the sleeping quarters. He stepped in front of Jiraiya defensively, and then took a look back at him. His chakra was decreasing. Naruto was panicked now. Was this the end of the legendary Sennin, Jiraiya? Tsunade just cackled an evil laughter.
“Jiraiya, so bright with ambition…crushed by a single fist.” She mocked.
“Shut up, old hag!” Naruto insulted her from afar. “Jiraiya, are you ok?”
“I’m sorry, Naruto…” he muttered. “I wasn’t all…I said I was…I underestimated her…”
“Jiraiya!” Naruto called out as he caught him from a fall. “Don’t worry…I’ll protect you…”
“What can you do, kid?” Tsunade snickered. “If Jiraiya, the strongest among you two was so easily defeated, then I can finish you both off in one blow!”
“We’ll see about that!” Naruto retorted with his fingers on both hands crossing one another. “Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!”
Tsunade gasped, as she could only see ten solid duplicates of Naruto and no ghostly figures. Five of them ran in front of Jiraiya while the others surrounded her. She was terrified. Who was the real one?
“Take this!” All five said. “Rasengen!”
Five perfect chakra spheres struck Tsunade at once and she instantly hit the floor. Jiraiya had his eyes slightly open through the whole thing. He was appalled speechless. To think Naruto was just born with the power of Rasengen, imagining him at his age was scary. Of course, Jiraiya would be long dead by that time, but the images within his mind refused to die. The five Kage Bunshins surrounding him all disappeared into Naruto’s real body. Jiraiya couldn’t move. He felt so weak…so helpless like Tsunade said him to be. He flinched slightly as Naruto knelt in front of him. Naruto had quite a calm look on his face now.
“Are you all right?” He tried his best to mimic Jiraiya in their first meeting, yet he had a long way to go.
“I still can’t move…”I Jiraiya said a few curses under his breath. “What about Tsunade? Did you kill her?”
“Don’t be anymore foolish, Jiraiya.” Tsunade was weakened now. “You think I’d die that easily?”
“You’re still willing to oppose us then?” Jiraiya was almost to the point of crying. “It’s not our fault you lost everyone…it’s not even yours…”
“Jiraiya…” She whispered. “I was the fool all along. I betrayed my friends believing the Akatsuki would bring back what I’ve lost. Now I’ve lost even more…I’m going to lose my only true comrade left…”
“I’m not going anywhere, Tsunade…I can’t move. They hate me in Heaven, and Naraku is too full for me.” Jiraiya smirked. His perverted nature was beginning to show.
“Uh huh…” Naruto had his eyes narrowed now. “Shut up, ero-sennin, before I break your back side.”
“Just who do you think you are gaki?” Jiraiya was so tempted to club him…if only he could move.
“Sorry to say I’m you for now…” Naruto transformed and blinked down at him and Tsunade. “I have to carry you both out on my back…although I could leave ero-sennin behind…”
Jiraiya once again cursed under his breath and Tsunade smiled. She remembered a person who was like Naruto…him and Jiraiya always fought, but they were truly the best of friends.
“So he’s returned at last.” Tsunade thought. “Welcome back, Yondaime.”
Back at the Leaf, unrest plagued everyone who waited loyally for Naruto’s return. A bottomless anger overtook Sasuke. He was sick of false hopes and broken promises. Naruto wasn’t going to return, he was away relaxing in the Wave Country. He stood on his feet with newfound strength wincing as both arms dangled, shattered from the inside. His broken body bled all over. Kakashi jumped down in front of him. Sasuke walked past him. Kakashi started following him, until he shot a feral stare at him.
“Kakashi, you have cursed me. You told me to live…” he said harshly. “That was a mistake! Naruto is a happy missing-nin in the Wave Country, leaving me here to rot!”
“Sasuke, don’t jump to conclusions!” Kakashi snapped. “It’s only been two days, and you act like it’s been decades!”
“It’s not like you’d understand!” Sasuke yelled back. “I saved his life…and he isn’t even grateful…I thought he was different, but he isn’t! He truly hates me, Kakashi…”
“Listen to yourself…” Kakashi muttered. “And you call me a liar?”
“You don’t understand the faith I had in him…” Sasuke sobbed on his hands and knees. “He was almost like the little brother I never had, and now he’s thrown my place in his heart away like it was just trash…”
“Sasuke…” Kakashi placed his hand over his shoulder. “He would never abandon you. It goes against his will. Naruto protected you once before, and he’d even do so if he were dead…”
Kakashi sighed and thought, “Poor thing…that medicine must be such a high dose it’s messing with his head…he’s lost his sense of time…”
“Kakashi…I can see someone…” Sasuke blinked.
“What do they look like?” Kakashi knew it. This was Sasuke’s first vision of his Sharingan foresight.
“He has white hair….and…he’s with a woman. She’s blonde. They’re talking. One is Jiraiya, the other is Tsunade…” Sasuke described. He gasped soon after.
“What is it now?” Kakashi asked.
“Naruto is with them…” Sasuke explained. “They’re badly beaten, and he’s taking care of them. Kakashi, is there a reason he’s with those two?”
“Why, yes.” Kakashi answered. “Tsunade is your key to using jutsu again.”
“Do you mean…” Sasuke hesitated to finish.
“Yes. As soon as she gets here, Tsunade will heal you, and you’ll be able to be a shinobi once again.” Kakashi completed his sentence.
“Take me back, Kakashi…” said Sasuke. “I made a mistake leaving that room.”
“I agree with you for once.” Kakashi smiled under his mask. “Let’s go back.”
Sasuke returned to the place he was resting and Kakashi kept a close eye on him. For some reason, he felt he couldn’t trust him now…it was probably because he already left Konoha three times. Those two weren’t the only ones suffering an uphill struggle. Naruto could feel his transformation about to give way as he was just feet away from his destination. Out of his own will, he managed to carry Tsunade and Jiraiya back to Jiraiya’s home in the Wave Country. He lost his transformation when he set them on the floor, panting. He peeked around all the closets in Jiraiya’s house. There had to be some blankets somewhere. Tsunade awoke first. She was stronger…she had an automatic healing ninjutsu. She didn’t know where she was until Jiraiya woke up.
“I’m not dreaming, am I?” Jiraiya pinched himself. “Nope, I’m really home.”
“This is your house?” Tsunade blinked. “It suits you…a small dwelling in the Wave Country by the seaside…”
“Things never turned out as bad as the Third always said they would be…” Jiraiya winced, his pain just kicked in now. “Although you’ve broken me bad…you’ve hurt me on the inside in more ways than one…”
“I’m sorry about his, Jiraiya…” Tsunade’s sad sapphire eyes sparkled as they stared at his. “I’ll never betray you again. I promise.”
“You know, since you’re at full strength almost, you can try healing me…” Jiraiya suggested. “Just get it done before the gaki gets back.”
“How far did it spread?” Tsunade asked. “I can’t heal you without knowing how far it went.”
“Well,” Jiraiya smirked. “It spread to my lower back…”
Tsunade sat up and punched Jiraiya’s shoulder. Naruto had just arrived and he dropped the pillows and blankets after witnessing the whole thing. Jiraiya had the most sheepish smile, while Tsunade crossed her arms and looked away. Then, it hit him. Naruto knew exactly what happened.
“Baka ero-sennin…” Naruto dropped his pillow right over his face. “Do you want her to kill you?”
“Hey! Get it off! I can’t move my arms, gaki! Get it off!” Jiraiya’s screams were muffled by the pillow.
“I can’t hear you, ero-sennin…” Naruto gave the most innocent look. “Here, Tsunade.”
“Thank you.” Tsunade said plainly, taking the pillow laying on it.
Naruto kicked the pillow off Jiraiya’s face. He was red like a tomato. Naruto merely shrugged and plopped on the couch. He sighed and thought, “I leave him alone for one second, and ero-sennin is the same lecherous jiji…” he blinked a few times staring at the ceiling and then he sighed again. “I hope Sasuke is all right…”
Naruto’s eyes shut and he was instantly asleep. This day exhausted him. What else was to be expected when you were ambushed, saved by one Sennin you were supposed to look for, and then you ended up protecting him all in the same night? Naruto was snoring…
“Hey, Tsunade, why did you really join the Akatsuki?” Jiraiya asked after Naruto was sound asleep for sure.
“I thought my home had nothing…my little brother died, my fiancée died, and Yondaime died. I kept asking “Why them and not me?” I was a vulnerable soul…” Tsunade muttered.
“That doesn’t describe you.” Jiraiya stated. “You’re a strong person, Tsunade, no matter what losses you may suffer.”
“How do you explain it then?” Tsunade eyed him curiously.
“You’re never a weak and vulnerable person, Tsunade.” Jiraiya smiled warmly as he spoke. “Your heart had gone astray, and your emotions controlled you instead of your mind.”
“A heart gone astray, you say?” Tsunade repeated Jiraiya’s words. “Yes…that sounds right, Jiraiya.”
When a shinobi loses all that’s important to them, they are driven into a sort of insanity where thinking is their last option. They become driven by their feelings of angst, and they do whatever is necessary in order to gain satisfaction. Every person, a shinobi or not, has these hardships. Even if only one person believes in them though, a great change can always come when one’s heart has gone astray.