Chapter 24 - ArcIII-Seperation- Chapter 2

The toad’s stomach disappeared. Jiraiya was standing on top of his toad, holding a limp Ryouko.
Naruto and Sakura could just stare. There wasn’t even a scratch on Jiraiya. Heck, there wasn’t one on Ryouko!

Jiraiya approached the two and laid Ryouko at Sakura’s feet.
“Revive him. He needs to be awake now that I’ve calmed him down.”

Sakura looked as though she was going to punch Jiraiya. Her fist tingled with anticipation. But he met her eyes with a stern gaze that left no room for argument. It actually scared her. She had never seen him so serious. Reluctantly, she tapped Ryouko just the right way to wake him up.

Jiraiya stood over Ryouko, his gaze hard. Ryouko stared back, his face unreadable.

“You aren’t ready for this kind of assignment. I think you understand that now.”

“…”

Jiraiya picked Ryouko up by his shirt, holding him on his tiptoes.
“You’re angry. You’ve let your emotions betray you. I think it would be best for you to pass on your considerable knowledge to that boy we discussed. You’re obviously better equipped to be a parent to the boy than a protector to these two.”

Even Naruto was momentarily speechless. But only for a moment.
“Pervy Sage, what are you-”

“BE QUIET, NARUTO!” Jiraiya snarled, giving Ryouko a shake. “He’s put you in danger from day one, ‘protecting’ you. You two are more talented than him, and have no need for someone to slow you down. You need to be with people BETTER than you… What you DON’T need is someone like this chasing after your heals.”

That was all Ryouko could take. He snapped his elbows down on Jiraiya’s arms, breaking the grip. He kicked for the stars, narrowly missing Jiraiya’s head. After that, neither made a move to attack.

“I…will not…ever be insulted like that! Not ever!” Ryouko shouted, glaring daggers at Jiraiya. “I’ve been beaten, battered, broken, and destroyed for these two. I would have done ANYTHING for them. My life was theirs to command! For you to say what you did…it’s unforgivable! I looked up to you, Jiraiya!”
Ryouko was really cooking now. Sakura and Naruto both grabbed an arm, holding him in check. His chakra was so agitated there were burns forming on Ryouko’s skin.
“I looked up to you, despite you being a lazy pervert! Never again will I admire someone so…so shallow! You bastardize all shinobi by demeaning someone less powerful than yourself! You’re a disgrace! You’re a disgrace! …”
Ryouko’s breathing returned to normal for a moment.
“…And so I am.”

Jiraiya made sure to keep his face stern. He couldn’t show the pity he was feeling right now. Or the guilt at having to push the boy this far. It made him feel evil and dirty. But one does as one must. If the Third was to be proven right, it had to come to this.

Ryouko suddenly bucked like a bronco. All it had taken was the thought of being at Jiraiya’s mercy, and his chakra boiled. Burns kept forming, but one formed in a nasty, painful way. It actually elicited a scream of agony from Ryouko.

“YAAAGGHHHH! (huff huff, huff huff) AGGHH!”

A burn boiled to the surface on the back of Ryouko‘s neck. Sakura’s quick action kept it from spreading further, but she couldn’t stop it from forming. Thankfully, that seemed to stop Ryouko’s chakra cold.

Ryouko’s arms and head went limp as if a puppeteer had been controlling him. But what had really happened was that the fight had left him. Naruto and Sakura let him go.

“…”

“Are you done having a temper tantrum like a spoiled little brat?” Jiraiya asked, a mean tone in his voice. “If you are, it’s best if you follow my advice. Even if you hate me.”

Ryouko didn’t say anything, He just opened a scroll, used a summing jutsu to give himself a change of clothes. He folded his vest and headband up and dropped it onto the scroll, sealing it again.

The coat and hat he’d summoned lay on the ground in front of him. The long, black trench coat fell to his ankles; the straw hat covered his head and eyes.

“…I’ll do…as you say. And I’ll train endlessly. And I promise you, Master Jiraiya- if I return here, I will have the ability to beat you. No, not even that- I will stand at much less than your equal and play at satisfaction. I’ve set the bar. If I can’t leap over it, you’ll never see me again.”

This wasn’t what Jiraiya was expecting. He had told Ryouko to leave because he thought Ryouko would defy him. He really believed Ryouko would train in private somewhere in the village, and manage to work with the boy Lady Uzume had suggested. For Ryouko to go this far…

I did more than bruise his ego. I shattered it. I went too far. But I can’t step back and take it back. He wouldn’t accept it, and it would have an even worse effect. But I’ll stop pushing his buttons.

Naruto and Sakura both stood in front of Ryouko, their mouths still dropped in shock. Sakura could just stare; Naruto managed to say a few words.

“…You promised to protect us. And now you’re leaving…I understand, but…”

Ryouko just nodded his head slightly, and kept moving. Sakura clung to his arm for a moment, eyes down and covered by shadows. His arm was still warm with receding chakra. She didn’t say anything to dissuade him. What COULD she say?
It’s what I thought of earlier…that we’d be separated…I just didn’t understand the feeling.
“…I’ll miss you, Ryouko. Please come back. There’s always a place for you here.”

It was almost silent, but she could just make out Ryouko say:
“…thank you…”
--

Inside Ryouko’s genjutsu, the Ryouko in chains felt his bindings tighten up painfully. The glass in front of him shattered, starting with the crack. But a wall made of metal grew in it’s place, leaving Ryouko chained up in the dark.

Never again…this hurts so much…so much…

The shattered glass rose up from the ground and aimed pointy ends at ‘Ryouko’. He raised his head to look at them. Wearily, he let his head drop again. There was no stopping the pain.
They all pierced him like daggers. He should have died- but he didn’t. Only a will to live and reason to cling to that will kept him going.

This one’s self hasn’t been challenged like this in a long time.

The chamber began to fill with fire. Hot gasses rose in the windowless room, scorching all within.

--

Naruto pushed past Jiraiya without a word. Sakura followed in his wake, only looking at Jiraiya with ‘why’ written all over her face. But she ignored that. She didn’t know why and right now she didn’t care. All that mattered was that her friend and protector had been sent into self-exile by a cruel act.

And that burn…it must hurt so much. And there was nothing I could do for him.
--
--

Sunagakure was quiet today. There was no commotion to speak of. Maybe it was just too hot. Whatever the reason, even Gaara, the Kazekage, felt bored with all this…nothing. His duties had become mundane- sign off on this mission; allot this much; budget this; and so on. Boring, administrative stuff he tolerated for the good of his people. Part of him missed being in combat. The sand flowing; the power; the rush of adrenaline. Having since recovered from the pounding he took at the hands of the Akatsuki, the itch for battle had returned.

But there are no battles to fight. And going on the offensive isn’t something anyone here will tolerate. Even though attacking the Akatsuki would likely prove fruitful.

Boom.

A distant explosion in a far part of the village shook Gaara awake. If he could have, he would have smiled. Something to break the boredom.

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