Chapter 21 - ArcIIiii: Saving Grace- Chapter 2

Tsunade opened one eye wearily. She was underground somewhere. It was dark and damp; like a sewer. But the only prominent smell was that of dirt and tree roots. In the dim light, she could make out a few huge tree roots jutting out through the soil. She could also see the hallway with loose wooden planks for flooring. That was the source of the light. The room she was in was maybe fifty feet all around; upon further inspection Tsunade noticed it was a perfectly circular room.

Damn…last thing I remember was telling Shizune to close the village gates due to an emergency. The elders stopped in, and they were telling me something…something that made me angry. So angry I needed a drink. Ugh…from the headache I have, it must have been my sake they drugged. I was so mad I didn’t even taste the sake. I just gulped it down. What was I thinking? I am a prominent figure of a prominent village; I can’t afford to drop my guard like that!

Tsunade could feel a chain attached to her leg. That was child’s play to get rid of. Her first instinct was to rush out of here. But without knowing the full effects of the drug in her system, it was risky to move.

I’ve got to leave it to the village. There are so many capable shinobi that I can sit here and get bearings without worrying. Now, I’ve got to focus on healing…
--
--

Jiraiya sat around patiently, jotting down some notes. Unlike the normal circumstances, he wasn’t writing down anything having to do with girls. Instead, he was working on a special scroll. This one would go to Ryouko; but it would really be for Naruto’s benefit.

And that child…the Issekigan. It’s an odd kekkei-genkai- it’s abilities aren’t perfectly apparent, and the name itself is dodgy… (“Issekigan=‘Discerning Eye’)Ryouko might have an easier time of it. The one time I met this kid, he was as gloomy as Ryouko is. They seem to be the same type of person. And there’s another similarity that I can’t quite put my finger on…

“HEY! PERVY SAAAA-GEEEEE!”

Naruto and Sakura were finally up again. Sakura had needed to rest after healing Ryouko’s wounds and forcing the curse bindings back on. Naruto had just stayed to be with her. It pleased Jiraiya to note that Naruto was having much better luck with Sakura than Jiraiya ever did with Tsunade.

Thought she might inherit ALL of her teacher’s bad habits…like punching guys into orbit for innocent peeping!

“Hey, there you two are! Have a nice rest? DID you rest?”

(Sakura smacks Jiraiya)

“Ha ha, you really ARE just like Tsunade! Ah well. So, here’s the deal kiddies- I’m babysitting for a while.”

Naruto looked around. “Huh? Where’d Ryouko go? And why’d he leave this old perv?”

“I’m right here, you know?” --’

“He shouldn’t be moving around! That procedure was tantamount to surgery! He needs to rest!” Sakura protested. “Next time I’ll break his legs so he’ll stay still!”

Oh yeah, she’s got Grandma Tsunade in her, all right. If I see her get that dot thingy on her forehead, I’m outta here! Unless she also get’s Grandma’s ra-

(Sakura smacked Naruto)
“You were just thinking about my breasts, weren’t you?!” Sakura demanded, looking mighty offended.

“No! I was thinking about Grandma Tsunade’s breasts, and I’m wondering if YOU’LL ever learn that jutsu-OWW!”

Jiraiya shook his head. Idiot. At least I knew when to quit!

All three of them suddenly whipped their heads around toward the mountain. There were two familiar figures standing at the base. Their cloaks were black with red clouds; they both wore straw hats with paper strips hiding their faces.

The shorter one had glowing red eyes.
“It’s been a long time, Master Jiraiya. Nearly three years since we last met, correct?”

“Wh-what?!” Naruto managed weakly. He was always looking for this guy- but showing up here? And how did he get into the village.

“And you, Naruto…you’ve grown both taller and stronger. Shall we assess that strength?”
--
--
Ryouko stared blankly at the entrance he had been told about. It paid to be in his position some times. You could make the right friends.

--Memory--

“Huh? The Foundation? Why do you want to know about that organization? They disbanded a long time ago…”

Ryouko shrugged. “I’d like to think so, too. But I have my doubts they’re completely erased from history just yet. And besides, those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it, right?”

Inoichi Yamanaka had to concede that point. “Well, makes sense. The scrolls for them are…”

“Actually…I’m more interested in their current residence. Rather, Elder Danzou’s current residence…”

-- End memory--

And here I am…This is where my research led me…

Standing at a large, yellowish rock, Ryouko felt around with his hand coated in chakra. He felt the rope first, then the seal that was attached to it.

“Alright, that’s a start…Now, I’ll need to remove this seal…and seal up the seal, as it were. Should I call for back-up?”

I’ve got no time. More people is more noise. I’ll have to be enough. And if I’m not, I’ve left enough clues so that someone else will find out where I went.

Ryouko opened up one of his newly-healed cuts enough to dip his thumb in. Blood on it, he made the handsigns and pressed his palm to the ground.
“Summoning Jutsu!”

A wheezing, aged old monkey landed on the spot Ryouko had indicated.

“Lord Enma. I’m sorry to disturb you yet again…”

“I’m old, Ryouko. Retired. What do you want with me?” the old monkey managed to say around deep breaths. It was hard to believe this was the ‘Monkey King’; Lord Third’s familiar.

Ryouko narrowed his eyes toward the rock. “It’s an old grudge. It goes back to the Third Lord…Do you remember ‘The Foundation’?”

Enma transformed into the Adamantium Nyoi.
“Say no more. I’ve a duty to see this threat ended. You have my support.”
--
--

“Sakura…step back, please. I’ll need you to heal us, if this doesn’t work. Naruto, back me up.”

Jiraiya strode forward carefully.

“Seems you’ve got his attention now, Itachi. But won’t he be trouble?”

Itachi’s eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter. Last time, we learned a great deal about Lord Jiraiya. Enough to combat him this time.”

Kisame’s hand was resting on the giant sword slung across his back.
“Is that so? Don’t tell me I have to sit this one out…”

“No. Please keep nine-tails and the girl busy. I’ll deal with Jiraiya.”

Kisame drew his sword; the legendary ‘Samehada’- Sharkskin.
“I wonder if I don’t spoil you, letting you have your way all the time, Itachi. We let your little brother live, and look at all the trouble he caused for us…”

Itachi didn’t bother to look at Kisame. He kept his eyes on Jiraiya.
“I meant to kill him. Jiraiya interfered. I made an error in judgment- one I will correct. I can’t let my foolish little brother continue to be chased by these pests.”
-

Jiraiya had a plan from the get-go. The one sure-fire way to talk to Itachi. And it would give Naruto an instant, too, if things didn’t work out.

I need to make it convincing…

“Alright then, you criminal scum! Feast your eyes upon the legend; the most honored sage of Mount Myoboku; the white haired lady lover; the one and only sensation of the Leaf…”

Jiraiya smacked the ground, summoning a toad directly underneath his feet.
“Jiraiya!”
He struck a comical pose, waving his long hair around.

Itachi and Kisame were unimpressed, apparently. Itachi just closed his eyes, masking something that seemed dangerously close to a chuckle. Kisame just shook his head.

“First I get that ‘Might Guy’ idiot; Now I find out that one of the ‘Great Sannin’ I’ve been wanting to fight…is nothing a dirty old man peddling perverted trash and striking up stupid poses.”

Kisame leveled his sword at Naruto.
“And nine-tails is the disciple of this fool? This’ll hardly take any time at all!”

Naruto and Sakura nodded to each other. They leapt in opposite directions, heading into the forest at the base of the mountain near their new home. Kisame gave chase- there was no missing his massive chakra.

Itachi and Jiraiya held their positions, letting the others go, keeping each other in check.

Itachi stared past Jiraiya and into the forest.
“You must have great confidence in Naruto to let him fight Kisame alone. I wonder…”
Itachi’s eyes seemed to grow more menacing.
“…Could he have changed that much in a few short years? The last time we met, he was a cowering little whelp with nothing but an unfounded belief in himself…”

Jiraiya smirked a little. “You don’t know Naruto as well as you’d like to think you do. You only know about the ‘jinchuuriki’ Naruto. Naruto the shinobi is another story. He’s got one thing going for him- guts. And he uses it to the max. So no, he’s not the same kid. He’s not some little brat who’s only claim to fame is vandalizing the village. He’s a shinobi of his own right. And you’d do well to remember that.”

“Kisame will decide that. If those kids dispatch him, I’ll agree with you- he’s become formidable. For now, you and I need to pick up where we left off…”

Jiraiya tensed up- this felt weird. Looking directly into Itachi’s eyes was a death warrant.
And yet, the amount of intelligence to be gained…It was too great to ignore.

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