Chapter 15
It had now been three years since Jiraiya first started to teach them. Many things had changed. Now, Yahiko and the others were ten years old. Well, today was Nagato's tenth birthday.
Yahiko didn't know when his birthday was, so Konan decided it was on the same day as hers. Yahiko didn't know how to feel about it, but since Konan decided that, there was nothing he could do. Especially when she didn't want to be the oldest one of them.
"Make a wish," Yahiko said, putting down a chocolate cake that he himself had made on the table with ten candles burning on top. "Just don't say it aloud, or it won't come true."
"Quickly, or the candles will go out by themselves," Konan urged Nagato.
"Alright, I got it." Nagato closed his eyes before blowing out the candles.
"Well, let's dig in." Jiraiya was impatient, practically salivating over it.
"No, Nagato is the first to get a bite," Yahiko shot down Jiraiya and urged Nagato to quickly take out the candles.
He did so with a smile, and just as the last candle was picked up, Yahiko, standing by his side, quickly shoved Nagato's face into the cake. He laughed his ass off as Nagato's face was now covered in cake, before he himself got a handful of cake to the face.
"Seriously? And it looked so good," Jiraiya complained as Yahiko and Nagato fought with the food, before Konan sneakily threw a handful of it at Jiraiya's face.
Just for today, Yahiko didn't care that they were wasting food, as it was a special day. Soon it descended into madness as all of them were covered in chocolate cake, laughing and enjoying their time, taking bites from their own faces.
"Leave it to you lot to ruin a perfectly fine cake," Jiraiya wiped his face as he complained.
"Don't worry, I have another cake prepared," Yahiko replied, picking pieces from his face and eating them.
Today wasn't only Nagato's birthday, it was also the day Jiraiya would leave, and this time for good. He tried to hide it, and probably only stayed with them until today to celebrate Nagato's tenth birthday. But Yahiko saw how Jiraiya had looked at them in the past few days.
He had forced them to use everything they had to fight him. Showing their true skills and everything they had learned. There was no training, just sparring, as he checked their strength and abilities.
Yahiko knew that Jiraiya didn't want to leave. In the past two years, he had been taking his teaching job very seriously. Teaching them not only taijutsu and ninjutsu, but also everything they would ever need. History, science, geography, and even politics.
It had been a peaceful time, and at most, Jiraiya left for a week or two before returning to them. They could fully concentrate on learning from him. But like with everything, it had to come to an end.
So, Yahiko wanted Jiraiya to leave with a smile on his face rather than a worried mind. In the last few spars, Yahiko and the others did their best to show Jiraiya that they were strong now. That they had learned everything he could teach them, and there was nothing for him to worry about.
It was a wonderful time learning from Jiraiya. For all his faults, he was a good man who only wanted the best for them. Yahiko grew to respect him for that and only wanted the best for him, too.
"I have something to say," Jiraiya announced after they had finished the feast Yahiko prepared. "I will be leaving today."
"For how long, sensei?" Konan was the first to ask.
"This time, I won't be coming back."
As Yahiko expected, neither Konan nor Nagato could say anything as they looked up at Jiraiya. The man who had taken care of them, taught them, and been like a father figure to them. They knew this day was coming, but it had still come too soon.
"Thank you," Yahiko knew exactly what he wanted to say. "For everything. For being here for us. For teaching us. I will always be thankful for what you did for us."
"Don't make it so dramatic," Jiraiya laughed awkwardly. "I should be thanking you kids for being such great students. There is simply nothing left for me to teach you. It is time for you to find your own path, and it is my time to continue on mine. A day might come when our paths cross again. By then, I only ask of you, do not regret your choices, no matter what they were."
"Sensei," Nagato was the first to cry as he went to hug Jiraiya. "I will never forget what you taught me."
"I'll miss you," Konan joined in.
"Good luck," Yahiko joined the hug last. "Don't go and die in some ditch, or I'm going to kill you."
Yahiko knew very well this day was coming, and he had a long time to prepare for it. And yet, it didn't make it any easier for him to accept it. Jiraiya was something he never had in either of his lives, something that couldn't be described in words, so it was hard to part with him.
"You kids…" As hard as it was for them, it was probably just as hard for him to say goodbye, too.
But that was just how life was. They had a lot of fun times together, and now it was time to part ways and make new memories. Time didn't wait for anyone, and all they could do was move on and make sure never to forget what they had.
…
"Take care of yourselves," Jiraiya said as he looked at them for the last time.
Yahiko looked at his teacher, waiting for him to say what he had on his mind. But he was surprised when Jiraiya instead only smiled and ruffled their heads before turning away from them and leaving.
A smile formed on Yahiko's lips as he watched that giant back walk farther and farther away. It had been quite an interesting couple of years, to say the least. It was fun, and it had been warm to rely on that back, no matter what happened, which was now leaving them, probably for good.
"Let's go," Yahiko was the first one to turn away.
It was only them once again. It was almost funny how lost he felt right now. He had learned everything he could from Jiraiya. He had trained himself to the bone every day, and now he had no idea what to do.
So, he just went through his days as usual. Doing exercises, cooking, cleaning, and checking their supplies. Konan and Nagato did the same, training, studying, and helping Yahiko around their home. They didn't even speak until the day ended.
Normalcy soon followed as days passed. Even without Jiraiya, they trained and sparred together, testing what they had learned on each other. They were so used to each other that they didn't need to hold back. So most of the time, they ended up injured.
Not too badly, but things happened. Konan and Yahiko had learned medical jutsu and knew how to dress and patch up any wound. Konan was far better at it than Yahiko. Still, with the two of them, they were always fine.
At first, it was hard, even for Yahiko, not to wait for Jiraiya to return. Before, no matter how long Jiraiya would be gone, they knew he would come back. But now, they knew that wasn't happening. So, they had to get used to it.
And they got used to it by training even harder. Using every waking moment to study the many books Jiraiya had left behind, or working around their home. But there was just that emptiness that never left. Their home didn't feel like home anymore.
Nobody said anything about it, but they felt like maybe it was time for them to leave, too. Yahiko just didn't know where to go. There was no war, at least for now. The town next to them had grown quite peaceful, so much so that he didn't even need to worry about kids over there.
And winter was coming. As strong as they were right now, as no normal adult could even match their strength, they still couldn't fight against the cold. So Yahiko continued to meditate and do physical training as Jiraiya had instructed him.
He had said it would still take at least a couple more years of intense physical training for Yahiko's Yang energy to match his Yin energy. Only then would he be able to achieve perfect chakra control and use more powerful ninjutsu with ease.
"It's quite quiet," Nagato commented one day. "I don't like it."
"Me neither," Yahiko replied. "That damn old pervert was such a loudmouth, full of energy to the point it was annoying."
"You miss him, don't you?" Konan asked.
"Of course I do, but it's fine. I'll miss him even more from now on, so when we see him again, I will be that much happier."
"But he isn't coming back," Konan said.
"And?" Yahiko asked. They were still kids, ignorant and oblivious. "It doesn't mean we can't see him again. Maybe not any time soon, but what's stopping us from visiting him for once? I'm curious to see what kind of place Konohagakure is. So, when the time is right, let's see it for ourselves."
"Let's do that." Nagato and Konan both looked like they couldn't understand why they hadn't thought of it sooner.
In the end, they were still kids. And it was up to Yahiko to look after them and tell them the most obvious things. But that was fine; he had no objection to watching over them, no matter how much time passed.
…
One day, Konan and Nagato followed Yahiko to the town. By now, they visited the town every week, not just to buy supplies and food, but to socialize with the locals, especially the kids who were once abandoned and alone, with no one to rely on.
Most of them were older, but to them, Yahiko and Nagato were still big brothers, and Konan, the pretty big sister who took care of them. As always, they brought candy with them, but this time Yahiko had something to show.
Finally, after so long, he could use his chakra to create something useful. As the kids gathered around, Yahiko let out sparks from his hands while changing their color. It was always the simplest things that were the most complicated. It took a lot of hard work and practice to finally be able to do this.
"Wow!"
"So cool!"
"Make it red! Now blue! Now yellow!"
Yahiko only smiled as he showed off his skills until Konan started making paper birds that flew into the air, and the children's attention was quickly stolen, making Yahiko a bit disappointed with his fifteen seconds of fame.
"Don't show off, Konan, it isn't polite or mature," Yahiko said, definitely not because he didn't like how Konan had cooler jutsu to show off than him. "Let's go, Nagato. I suddenly want some dango."
"What about me?" Konan asked, hearing her favorite snack mentioned.
"What, are you going to disappoint your fans and leave them?" Yahiko asked.
"No, don't leave, big sis."
"Make a bear first."
"No, a dog!"
"A cat!"
Konan looked at the kids, then at Yahiko, back to the kids, and in the end decided to stay while Yahiko and Nagato left. Of course, Yahiko was only joking. There was no way he wouldn't buy snacks for Konan, too, and definitely not because Konan would get angry with him, but because he was just a nice guy.
Sitting by the store, in the warm autumn air, drinking tea and snacking on sweets, looking out over a busy but peaceful street, it was quite surreal. It was everything he had ever really wanted. And he hoped it would be like this for a long time.
He felt that it was time for them to repay the kindness Jiraiya had extended to them. Though Yahiko had no idea where to start, he thought it wouldn't be so bad to just watch over this town. To see the kids grow up and make a home of this once-unfamiliar place.
If nothing else, he hoped he could protect at least this piece of paradise from the next war. Then he would have no regrets, even if he failed in everything else.
A.N. As always. Thanks for reading and supporting me. If you want 7 more chapters of this story and 42 chapters in total with all my current stories, please consider supporting me on pa treon ironworlf852. Thanks in advance.