Order of Dominance

Spoilers for recent manga chapters, specifically Ch.367 and a bit of Ch. 371, if you squint real hard. As usual characters and setting belong to their respective owners.

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Order of Dominance
by: i Mel-chan i

“You okay?”

Jiraiya looked down at his pupil for the umpteenth time, still not receiving one word from him. The young blond held a white rag over his nose, spotted with red blood stains from a damaged nose. His left eye was half closed, watery and slowly dulling to a nasty prune color. “So are you going to tell me what happened, Minato?”

The younger boy said nothing, preferably shutting his mouth even tighter. Instead he shifted the icepack gently on his swollen face.

Jiraiya sighed, sitting next to him in the grassy meadow. It was a nice cool day in the Whirlpool Village, breezes blowing gently on the landscape and clouds scattering over the blue sky above. The village was small and not too well known, but it still made an excellent site for training.

He’d been doing research when he left his three students instructions for the day’s training. After a few shrieking ‘perv’ and three slaps across the face, Jiraiya came back to where he left his students, only to find a crowd gathered around and Minato dead in the center, barely conscious with blood down his front. Panicking, but still able to yell out instructions to his other students, Jiraiya managed to get an ice pack, an antiseptic and within a few minutes wake the boy.

God, he would have had a heart attack, right then! When crystal blue eyes peered up at him, he could have just cried out in joy. There was no really damage, it was all completely dramatized in his part; so after shooing away the crowd and telling his other two students to go scurrying along and finish their training, and reassuring them that he had everything under control, (really he did! It was just something in his eye!), pupil and master were left alone. Jiraiya told himself he had everything under control, but that was two hours ago, and Minato was just as tight lip as ever.

“You know I can just ask Konan.”

Minato sighed, muttering something before taking off the cool icepack. His handsome face sure looked distorted almost making the older man wince at the bloody damaged. “Someone hit me.”

“What?” Jiraiya asked more astound than anything else. Namikaze Minato was a genius and just about good on everything he set his mind on. His speed was incredible, and he was still building on it, amazingly enough. Few people could actually touch him, much less sent him such a crushing blow. Indeed, if someone managed to hit him that hard than that was certainly a person to fear.

People would call him the “Yellow Flash” in a few years to come, but until then he was just the talented student of one of the Legendary Sannin.

“By who?”

Minato fidgeted for a bit, playing with the tip of his shirt, but not answering his question. “It… was a… girl…” he muttered more like a whisper than anything else.

Jiraya’s eyebrows raised high by his student’s embarrassment. He didn’t believe the entire male dominance (Tsunade had squashed that out of him), but still a girl managed to sock Minato that hard? Here he was thinking it was enemy nin, but a girl? Half the girls were usually fawning over him, much less hitting him. He must have done something really upsetting, something he would do. “So… what y’do to this girl?” He asked conversationally.

“Sensei... it’s not that big of a deal!” He said standing up, but was pulled back down.

“Surely, Minato, I didn’t think I would get an assistant in my research.”

“Huh?” He asked turning around, but when he saw the suggesting eyebrows of his sensei, his face turned red, except for his bruised eye. “It’s nothing like that sensei!”

The toad sage laughed loudly, while Minato kept turning just as red. He was trying to loosen up the tension, get the boy to laugh and forget about this whole situation. “So what really happened?”

“Well,” he said sighing. “She was playing with a bunch of boys… but I didn’t know she was a girl… because of that stupid haircut and that ugly orange jacket….”

“And?”

“I called her a boy…”

Okay.

“…three times.”

Ouch.

If there was one thing Jiraiya picked up from the female species it was definitely that none of them like to by called a boy, no matter how much they act like it. No wonder that girl had hit him so hard, but really with such a nasty eye maybe it wasn’t too off to have mistaken her for a boy.

“I mentioned if she was sure, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the floor, seeing stars over my head.” The blond was quiet, probably humiliated to what his great teacher thought of him. Perhaps he was expecting the great barks of laughter from his teacher, yelling out something along the lines of “a little girl beat the crap out of you?" But he did no such thing,

Jiraiya smiled at him, putting an arm around the boy’s shoulder, shaking him a little, to help ease away the embarrassment he was under. Minato had always sent Jiraiya a sort of parental pride to him for his determination and incredible speed to learn any jutsu. Right now, the boy must be feeling humiliated that he had for once said the wrong thing, and that a genius such as himself could get beat that easily. And right now the boy needed someone to tell him that it was alright that these things happened, sort of.

“Don’t worry about it, girls are just weird like that… too touchy about their femininity and all that crap.”

“I guess.”

“So a girl socked you. I’d be lying if I say a girl didn’t beat me once. Tsunade, now that girl could punch! One time she broke both my arms, six of my ribs and punctured several of my organs. I was this close of dying,” he demonstrated by putting his index and thump finger a few centimeters apart.

“Anyway there’s no rule saying that boys have to be stronger than girls or anything like that, so don’t let it bum you out, kay?”

“Alright,” he said grimly.

Jiraiya sighed, and then grinned brightly. “How ‘bout I take you out for ramen? My treat.”

That seemed to have cheered him up, and in a few hours they sat down the stools of a local ramen stand, and slurped down salty noodles and broth soup. The black-eye around Minato’s right eye was still just as bad, but he didn’t seem to be bothered by it now that he was enjoying ramen. “Jiraiya-sensei, you’re not going to leave me with the bill are you?” he asked suddenly his eyes narrowing suspiciously, and stopping his slurping mid way.

“Ha, when have I ever done that?” He answered laughing off the matter, while ordering another bowl.

“Every time.”

“Bah, kids, they don’t know what they’re talking about. Anyway,” he asked noticing that his student was in a much better mood, so it would be alright to ask him anything. “What was that girl’s name?”

“Huh? Kushina. Uzumaki Kushina,” Minato said thinking to himself how much the bill was going to tally up.

"You should apologize. Get her gift or something. Trust me you don't want to deal with a female that had a grudge against you."

"She was the one that hit me!"

Jiraiya just shrugged. "Just saying."

The blond rolled his eyes that was probably the worst advice his master ever gave him. Namikaze Minato told himself, then, that he’d never ever want to cross paths with that tomboyish red head.

You and Him

HI!!!! Do I dare mention how long it has been since I last posted something? I don't think I dare, people are probably waiting around the corner with rifles and knives for me. I'm so dead.

It's not like I can help it. For those who has read As the Season Fall, I am still occupied with the stupid project (God knows how much I hate it by now) and won't be able to have any time of my own again until the start of March.

So I hope this humble little one shot, I was writing during a lunch break, will be able to help you overcome your dreadful long wait because the story is not dropped, just delayed until all this project-hated-...-thing is over!

Disclaimer

Don't own, so don't batch your prosecutors on me, ok!

Summary

Naruto looks like the Yondaime, but what is the truth? What does the Sannin keep within his heart that the blond doesn't know?

You and Him

by: Shitza

The sun was shining and the road ahead was dry. The wind came softly with a fresh wave of grassy smell that made it clear summer was upon them. A blond fourteen-year-old teem was strolling down the lane, hands in the air stretching and blue eyes watching the landscapes come and go as they walked. His aura seemed orange, which wasn't surprising as his clothes screamed orange, which fit horribly to his already blond hair and tanned skin. Beside him walked his not-so-beloved-teacher-always, the Legendary perverted sannin Jiraya, with his wild untangled mane of hair and his weird facial expression as they passed another tree, another rock and another pack of wild animals. Birds chirped in the trees, watching them come and soon went to hide themselves within the protectiveness of the leaves. The two humans, were having one of their usual talks, which involved high voices. The only creature who normally did run in range of hearing something, the deers, stood still however happily eating on the green grass. It became obvious even for their simple minds that these two wouldn't even notice them as they came. They could also sense that they meant no harm, and only wished to travel, not to mention their prey was something completely different. A young deer stood watching these weird creatures for a while, then found himself a much more interesting leaf on the ground he decided to taste.

“We'll soon be in the Hidden Grass, Naruto” Jiraya suddenly said as they walked. “Before we cross their borders I want you to remove your hitaiate for a while and swear to me you won't mention Konoha even in your breath. There is a lot of rivalry between our villages, and they trust too few, less us from Konoha. You do remember during the Chuunin Exam that three of theirs were slain, and used as masks for Orochimaru's purposes. They say Orochimaru was our fault, I think you can guess the rest.”

Naruto looked at him most bewildered. Before realisations hit him.

“Then how come you are coming along?!” he asked pointing his finger at him. After all, it would seem quite unfair if one would have to carry a mask and not the other. “Your face is planted on every rock and stone outside the village's borders.” After all, Jiraya was far easier to recognise than an hitaiate. Many lower rank shinobi could not recognise the Leaf's symbol yet kids in all other villages were still being frightened by horror stories of the Sannin, and Jiraya happened to be a quite famous one.

“Well, that is true!” Jiraya said laughing heartedly. “But, they will not stop me from coming or going, like they could. No, Tsunade also sent me on this mission to do her a last small favour as I have already been spoken to about whisking you away.”

“Yeah, as if...” Naruto said. “And what kind of favour?” he asked, suspiciously knowing how the Legendary Sucker probably owned the five countries more money than the Fire Country's Lord had ever owned.

“Just delivering a letter, it's not what you think it is.” Jiraya said, ending the topic. Naruto kept trying to figure out more, but the white haired Sannin wouldn't help him. All he received was a secretive smile as his newest student seemed to pull his hair in frustration over something that wasn't even worth it. Naruto was obviously not in the best mood as he had been told to do everything he usually did not, that went straight against his personality. Keep quiet and don't receive attention, which was the normal ninja rules. The poor boy was the precise opposite, he loved attention, hence his usual loud self.

The blond teen walked ahead pouting and as Jiraya watched the blond locks from behind, dangling in the wind, he couldn't help but to think about a boy that once as well, had been something special in his life. A boy, with blond hair and blue eyes that he used to teach, many years ago.

-Flashback-

“Hurry up boy!” Jiraya yelled over his shoulder, stopping for a moment to wait for the young teen to catch up. The blond teen looked away from the herd of deers he was watching, sighed before speeding up to catch his teacher before he left.

“I'm sorry sensei.” the teen said. “I was just watching the deers in the clearing.”

Jiraya shook his head. We can do that later, right now we are in a hurry after all. The Nara clan keeps a patch of deers by the village, why don't you ask your friend Shikaku to take you there instead?”

The blond teen stared at him. “Him?” he said with a sigh. “He more cares about sniffing his flowers than his animals, guess why he gets along so well with his teammates. He and his team are such weirdos.” he commented having seen Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chouza having a staring competition over something so stupid as a riceball that Hyuuga Hizashi stole later claiming it was his, since his dear twin brother had stolen his own earlier.

They continued walking silently as the blond teen, who we should mention was known as Kazama Arashi by name, was watching a couple of squirrels chase each other around.

“By the way.” Jiraya said right into the open air. “How is that new technique of yours going? You know, I haven't seen you since the Chuunin Exam, you are too busy for your own good it was with a miracle we have time to talk again.”

Arashi smiled warmly. “Great, it's getting better and better. I still haven't reached a powerful level enough, though it has been two years, but technicality, this technique will be better than the Sandaime's Diamond pole. You know, my dream is to succeed the old man once he retires. I want to become the best Hokage there has ever been.”

“Well, so far so good then. You passed the Chuunin Exam on your first try and you are equal to many Jounin already. Sometimes I can't believe you scored so low in the Academy, seeing you are quite sharp minded when you feel like it.”

Arashi looked as if he had swallowed something bitter. “I couldn't stand listening to old Taro-sensei's boring lectures, normally I kept my ears from listening.”

Jiraya laughed. “You're funny.” he said ruffling the blond hair.

Arashi fought the two larger hands from his head. “I'm not!” he said complaining.

“It was meant as a compliment.”

“Do you think Tsukiko-chan will think the same?” the blond asked, with enthusiasm. They proceeded by staring into each other's eyes before breaking out in a loud laugh. That until Arashi interrupted again.

“But honestly, Jiraya-sensei, do you think I can become the Hokage one day? Perhaps Tsukiko will like me more if I do, after all the popular guys seem to get more attention than the usual amount.”

“Better you than me, then. But don't tell Tsunade-hime about it, or she'll probably try to dislocate your ribs until you get better and more rational ideas. That woman, she's been like it for a long time and will probably never stop. Poor Sarutobi will have to stay in his position for a long time, with her in charge over the hospital.”

“But, what about Orochimaru-sama?” Arashi asked sounding bewildered. He had never thought of the head of the hospital as such an anti-Hokage person.

“No idea, but he us a choice. Not the best though, he sometimes lets his own ingeniousness take the better of him. Only last week did I find him with his hand in a snake's nest. He's lucky he didn't get his eyes poked out.”

Arashi nodded, though he had never truly liked Orochimaru, but he respected the man's vast knowledge in methods that he couldn't help but to agree at this statement of being a pure genius. He had, after all, a feeling he wasn't on Orochimaru's best side as well, seeing those poisonous gazes. He liked his new student though, Mitarashi Anko. Compared to her sensei she knew how to relax and enjoy life, she knew how to laugh and crack jokes. Sadistic ones perhaps, but still jokes.

“Jiraya-sensei, can I ask you something?” Arashi asked slowly.

“Sure, sure... go ahead.”

“Do you believe in fate?” the blond asked, looking curiously at his teacher.

Jiraya looked at him. “What do you mean?” he wondered back.

“You know, during one of the fights in the Chuunin Exam, I fought Hyuuga Hizashi. He said that it is fate that decides our future, and lately...”

“Now, don't go listening to them boy!” Jiraya said before the teen could continue. “Though they are one of the village's strongest clans, but most are kind of weird. Their eyes have probably damaged their way of thinking.”

Arashi looked stunned at him. Jiraya looked back, smiled and started to laugh wildly again.

“You are so dumb!” he said ruffling the teen's hair. “I was only joking. I know why Hizashi said what he said, and he has his reasons.”

“But...”

“Another time perhaps, another time.”

Arashi stared at his teacher before ge started to laugh as well. The blond teen clutched his stomach laughing as his teacher continued down the road, without his student even noticing it. The white haired man looked back, noticing that his student had once again stopped walking.

“Hurry up, will you! We haven't got all day!” he shouted.

“Yes” he heard his student answer before five seconds later, in which he stood beside him. The white haired man, who would one day be known as the Frog Hermit Jiraya, ruffled hi student's hair for the last time that day, a boy who would one day become Konoha's Yellow Flash and the Yondaime Hokage. Neither knew that within the next coming years their lives would be a great influence for their village, and their achievements archived in gold.

-End Flashback-

Jiraya chuckled watching Naruto chase a squirrel from his small package of food he carried with him. This teen was the last living evidence of a long history of ninjas and the son of his beloved student Arashi, though he did not know. Jiraya could still remember the years afterwards when Arashi and the girl he loved, Tsukiko, had married after many arguments between the clans, which resulted in a tragic fact that Naruto was all alone. All of his relatives had been slain, thanks to an unwanted marriage that was well unknown to most since it would prove a scandal beyond scandals. The reason for this was because it had been uncertain if Tsukiko could bear an heir to the two clans, which caused an uproar.

It had taken years before Tsunade had been able to help them to solve the problem, and Tsukiko became pregnant the year, three years after her husband became the Hokage so the news became extraordinary.

Ironically enough, if Naruto would have been born the day they had predicted his birth tom he would have been raised as a spoilt brat knowing who he was and he would probably had a much easier life. But his father was more careful than that and had sealed a protector within his child.

Arashi had died with the seal, and Tsukiko had died in labour. In the end, few knew who he was. Jiraya quietly laid his hand on Naruto's shoulder. The blond teen tensed, wondering what was going on. Jiraya said:

“Let's sit down for a while, Naruto. There is something you need to know.”

A few minutes passed as they sat down on top of some boulders, a few metres from the road, facing each other. The fire was burning with some teawater. The white haired Sanning picked two Bamboo cups which he filled with the steaming liquid, giving one of the cups to his student.

Both took a deep gulp of the warm liquid, feeling utterly refreshed.

“When are you born, brat?” Jiraya asked suddenly.

“October 10” Naruto said in bewilderment.

“And it was the same day as when Kyuubi no Kitsune was sealed into your stomach and Konoha's Yondaime died, wasn't it?”

Naruto nodded.

“I am going to tell you why, the real reason why and why only you would be the one.”

Naruto's lower lip trembled slightly. He was listening, licking down all the words like a ct cleaned her bowl of milk.

“But before I start, I must warn you. If you spread this to someone else you will not only put the village in danger, but also yourself. If worse I will be forced to kill you, because this is one of the best kept secrets in the village. Only me, Tsunade and the Council know of it, no one else.”

Naruto nodded slowly. “I won't say anything, Ero-sennin.” he said. “That's my ninja way.” he added.

And Jiraya told him, told him everything late into the night. About the two clans, about his parents and about their sacrifice. As he spoke Naruto's hands started to tremble and unknowingly tears had started to trickle down from his eyes. When the blond teen had finally, after many more tears, fallen to sleep that night, Jiraya smiled. An image lay abode the blond's features and it amazed him how someone could be so much alike Him.

He really is your son, Arashi. He truly is, my dear friend.

The End