Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Training for the Job ❯ Volume 2 Chapter 4 ( Chapter 7 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: David_A._Tatum 
Naruto goes to a brothel for his birthday, but doesn't really want their services.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.04.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 4.0K | Status: Work In Progress
Naruto goes to a brothel for his birthday, but doesn't really want their services.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.04.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 4.0K | Status: Work In Progress
Volume 2
Notes: Okay, some of the concepts expressed in this chapter might get a bit... ah, sick, for some of you, given that there are hints of underaged sexual activity (just casual mentions of such occurances, nothing actually taking place in-prose). Keep in mind that Naruto is set in a sort of mixed fuedal japan\modern world, and that in feudal Japan the ages given here were actually OLD to start with sexual activity. Don't believe me? Read one of the 'classics' of Japanese fuedal-era literature, the Tale of Genji. (The references here aren't even as bad as the censored forms of ToG I had to read in class a couple times. If it's good enough for school, I shouldn't have to rate it worse then PG-13... uh, I mean K+) Just remember, Naruto had to learn his improved 'perverted techniques' somewhere... wouldn't you rather it be from a girl then Jiraiya, anyway? Besides, maybe this'll spark up some conversation, since the reviews have been slowing down lately... (eh, I'm not one of those whiny sorts of people who says 'give me a thousand reviews or I won't ever post again,' but the sudden drop in reviews makes me wonder if people think I'm venturing off into the wrong track or something)
Chapter 4
"Let me get this straight," Naruto groaned. "For the next month, I can only use the kawarimi no jutsu, a basic bushin no jutsu, and the henge?"
"Those are the only ninjitsu you may use, yes... outside of what I'm going to teach you today," Jiraiya acknowledged. "We're travelling as homeless nin who were part of a village that had allied itself with the Mist. That means you can learn water-based techniques today, and use them as much as you want. Any wind element techniques would be okay as well, as well as any lightning based techniques -- but I don't know many of those and I don't think you do either."
"No," Naruto admitted. "But I'm worse off now then I was the day I left the academy! I already had kage bushin by then!"
"Stop shouting, Naruto -- if there's one thing I'm going to teach you before this training trip is all over, it's not to give yourself away by shouting all the time," Jiraiya complained. "That's why I'm teaching you a water technique to make up for it. It's one you should be familiar with -- I understand Kakashi himself learned it with his sharingan on your first c-class mission."
"Am I going to learn water clones?" Naruto asked, not sounding quite as enthusiastic as he usually did when learning a new technique. "I suppose they could substitute for the kage bushin, but I don't think they'd be a real improvement. Isn't the point of this trip for me to get better techniques, not to learn a thousand different ways to do exactly the same thing?"
Heh. The boy has a point, but I can't let him off too easy. At least I know he'll never have the same silly ambition as Orochimaru. Learn every ninja technique, indeed! Even if he is immortal, techniques will disappear before he can learn them, and others will be created in their place faster then he can absorb them. But this one time, Naruto, it's important. I hope you will understand that... "I might teach you water clones while we're in one of the nearby villages, since it's the sort of technique a homeless jounin might teach a homeless genin," Jiraiya admitted. "But it's either that or nothing when we're likely to be spotted by agents of the Rock nin -- I can't be teaching you techniques that they would expect you to already know by virtue of having lived in the town we'll be claiming to come from, nor can I teach you techniques you aren't expected to learn until you become a jounin for the same reason. So... it's water clones or nothing."
Naruto grimmaced. "What about things like kunai training and building chakra?"
"I suppose shuriken training would work," Jiraiya admitted. "But it cannot be kunai. While every hidden village uses kunai, each village has its own tendencies. The one we are claiming to be from uses this one." He pulled out a four-point shuriken that wasn't quite like any that Naruto had ever used. He'd used similar, but they were usually larger and heavier then this one -- it was a midsized blade, quite different from the usual oversized fuuma shuriken or undersized kunai. Naruto took it from the master ninja and felt its wieght in his hand.
"I like this," he said with a grin. "I like the idea of using this in my taijutsu and ninjitsu training."
Jiraiya decided that he'd made enough of a breakthrough -- for now -- and nodded. Maybe they could work on meditation, too -- Naruto seemed to have trouble with it, always turning it into a chakra-building exercise instead of basic meditation. He was only able to relax enough to enter the first stage of meditation when he was 'training,' since he seemed to believe he was wasting time doing anything else. "Okay. Now, let's talk about a jounin-level water element technique you can learn while we're still here. It has limitations -- it can only be used near water, for example -- but I think you'll find it quite powerful. You might possibly manage to use it as a counter to some of the less powerful Uchiha fire element techniques...."
Naruto's enthusiasm seemed to return as he grinned. "Okay! Now we're getting somewhere! What technique is it?"
"The water dragon technique. Now, let's head on over to that lake and I'll demonstrate it -- I'm sure you've seen it, before, but pay close attention to which seals I use."
"Okay!" Naruto agreed.
Going very slowly, and using the minimum possible amount of chakra to perform the technique, Jiraiya formed the seals. "Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!"
Looking rather lethargic due to the low power put into it, a moderately-sized dragon formed out of the water and started thrashing around. It lasted for only a few seconds before collapsing.
Naruto scratched his head. "Looks pretty weak," he said.
"That's as weak as it can get," Jiraiya agreed. "To be effective, you need to use about the same amount of chakra as you use to form ten kage bushin clones, though you can produce a weak one like that with just six kage bushin's worth of power. I didn't want to use full power for the demonstration -- it might have distracted you from the seals. Now, did you see all of them?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I think I got it. Looks easy enough -- I might even manage to get this technique down by my birthday!"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Birthday?"
"I turn fourteen in four days," Naruto explained casually, forming seals. "Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!"
There was a large splash, but little else. Jiraiya huffed. "You need to consciously shape the water into a dragon, and then control it the same way you control a bushin or kage bushin. Fourteen, eh? Interesting time in a boys life."
"Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!" This time, the water recognizably turned into a dragon, but it fell apart before it could finish the transformation. "Why do you say that? I'm really just going to be a few days older then I am today."
"Close, but you have to hold it better. Ah, yes, but the age of fourteen is when a lot of your friends will be married," Jiraiya explained. "That Hyuuga boy you fought in the Chuunin exam -- Neji, I think it was -- would have been married already if he wasn't a member of the branch family who was constantly away on missions as a shinobi. Unless she's out on a mission right now, that Hinata girl will probably be married when she turns fourteen, too. Also, had Sasuke's clan survived, he would be getting married around this age, as well... and don't be surprised if you find that several other of your friends are married before you get back."
Naruto's eyes wided. "Sakura-chan! She--"
"Isn't getting married anytime soon, don't worry," Jiraiya snorted. "Nowadays, it's mostly a clan thing, and the Haruno clan has never been one for arranged marriages. The reason why those people get married so early is obsolete, nowadays -- about fourty years ago, fourteen years old was the age at which kunoichi would begin training as courtesans, since their missions often involved posing as prostitutes." A wistful look appeared on his face. "I wish I'd had a chance to face puberty in a time like that, when all of the kunoichi would... ahem! Anyway, nowadays it is forbidden for courtesan training to begin until twenty, so most kunoichi are already married by then. The law now only forces any unmarried kunoichi still chuunin rank or lower into courtesan training. Most parents of kunoichi nowadays allow their children some freedom to make their own decisions before they start trying to force the issue, but a number of the more powerful clans in Konoha have kept the 'marry by fourteen' tradition going."
"Huh. Well, I'm not going to have to worry about that." He looked down briefly, hiding his eyes from view. "It's not as if any of the other villagers would want to arrange me in marriage to anyone, anyway."
Jiraiya sighed, fearing he had touched too sore a subject. I have to boost this boys spirits, somehow -- he's already forgetting how many people he has managed to win the friendship and respect of. Oh, I know -- the perfect thing for a boy about to turn fourteen. He grinned. "Tell you what, Naruto -- if you can master this technique by tomorrow, I'll get you the best birthday present you'll ever have gotten!"
Naruto's eyes widened. "A birthday present? I've never had a birthday present, before! All right, let's get this thing mastered: Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!"
The largest, most powerful water dragon Jiraiya had ever seen leapt out of the lake -- or rather, since just about all the water had been drained into the dragon, the once-lake -- and did a few backflips of joy before returning to the pond. "That was... decent," he commented, trying to keep the boys ego from swelling up too much.
"Yahoo! All right -- now, what's my birthday present? Huh? Huh?"
Jiraiya swallowed. "Um, Naruto... you don't get your present until your birthday, you know. That's why it's called a birthday present."
* * * * *
"A brothel? You're taking me to a brothel for my birthday?" Naruto snorted. "Geeze -- I shouldn't have gotten so worked up! I'm just fourteen -- what do I care about a brothel, anyway? Besides--"
"Shut up, kid. I'm paying a lot for you -- this is a very high class place," Jiraiya countered. "Fourteen is old enough in Konoha. I would have loved being sent to a place like this when I was your age!"
"You're a pervert, though," Naruto pointed out.
"I'm the greatest pervert of all time, and don't you forget it!" Jiraiya, uh, bragged. "But that's not the point. Kid, it's better for a guy to be more experienced then the girl, anyway, first-time. Otherwise--"
"Shut up! I don't want this 'birthday present,' after all, ero-sennin, so--"
"Too late," Jiraiya grinned. "I've already paid for it. You might as well take it -- really, it's okay."
A lovely young woman, who looked to be about five years older than Naruto, approached them. "Is this the client?" she asked the perverted hermit.
"That's him. He's a bit reluctant, but it'll be good for him."
The woman grinned. "Okay, I understand. The younger ones are always a little nervous, the first time, and they all react differently to the situation." She placed a surprisingly firm grip on Naruto's shoulder and gently said, "Come on, young man. I promise, you will enjoy this very much."
"But-- hey!" Naruto tried to resist, but he couldn't escape from being dragged into a room by the girl without hurting her. He didn't want to hurt anyone -- except perhaps a certain perverted master of his -- and the girl was just doing what she had been paid to do, after all. Finally, she closed the door behind her and sat the two of them on a bed.
"Relax -- I've been trained for breaking in virgins. It's no big deal," the prostitute said soothingly, reaching out and pulling down the zipper of Naruto's jacket before his hand came up and caught it half-way.
"I don't want to do this," he said.
The girl was surprised at his strength, but not by too much. She knew he was a homeless genin ninja, so he obviously must have had some training in fighting. She had her own skills, however, and she had been paid well to use them.
"I understand. You're nervous," she cooed. "But don't worry about it. I promise, you'll really enjoy what I can do for you."
"How many times do I have to say it?" Naruto growled. "I do not want to do this. I want to stay loyal to Sakura-chan!"
That stopped the woman cold. "To... to who?"
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted. Then he calmed down, realizing that just maybe he had found a way to escape this problem without having to hurt anybody. Except Jiraiya -- the perverted hermit was still getting a huge beat-down as soon as he was able to get away from this place. "Back h-home," he began, trying desperately to figure out how to talk about this without blowing any secrets. "There's a girl who I know from... back home. I... well, she was back home last time I was there, anyway. I'm not even sure she's alive, now."
That much was true -- he'd been having nightmares the past several nights of her going after Orochimaru alone, and various unspeakable things happening to her. He was very worried, largely because he couldn't keep in contact with her thanks to the mail blackout, and so he couldn't dismiss his nightmares so easily.
"Was she your girlfriend?" the prostitute asked kindly.
"I... I wish she had been," Naruto sighed. "But no. She was interested in my best friend and rival -- a boy who, uh, went missing. I made the promise of a lifetime that I would get the boy back for her, and that's why I'm here."
The girl's eyes widened. "So... why do you remain loyal to her? If she wants another, and you know this, then why--"
"Because she's Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. "Don't you understand that? She's... she's...." For reasons he didn't know, Naruto felt a small teardrop go down the corner of his cheek and sniffed. "I couldn't do that. I can't. I won't."
Closing her eyes, the young woman took a deep, purifying breath. In most males, what that did to her robes would turn heads and possibly cause nosebleeds, but the boy in front of her didn't react at all. A small, bitter smile reached her lips before she said anything else.
"Why did that man think you need to come here? Who is he?"
"He is my... uh, sensei, I suppose," Naruto explained. "He's a big pervert, too. Usually, all that means is he makes me do all the work while he hangs out a places like this, but he really knows his stuff. I can learn a lot from him. And really, I have nothing against perverts -- they just have a big weakness, that's all."
"A weakness?" the prostitute echoed, confused.
"Yeah," Naruto snorted. Forming a seal, he called, "Henge! Sexy no Jutsu!"
The girl's eyes widened as the sweet little boy in front of her transformed into a foxy blond, totally nude... except for a bunch of clouds covering up certain strategic places on the body. "Oh, my."
"Yeah. That's enough to knock most of them out," Naruto went on before changing back. "I call it a 'perverted ninjitsu,' since it's intended for use against perverts. I haven't found much use for it since I became a real genin, though."
The girl grinned. "Well, maybe I could give you some pointers which will make your 'perverted ninjitsu' more useful to someone of your, ah, experience. But first... take off your shirt and jacket, and lie face-down on the bed."
Suddenly, Naruto's eyes got wary again, and he bundled up even further into his jacket, looking almost too modest to be the same ninja who had just changed into a nude woman a second before. "I thought I said no. I want to remain loyal to Sakura-chan, dammit, and I won't--"
"Relax," the woman said, waving him off. "I know. I won't make you betray S-sakura-chan, don't worry. I was paid for a full night of service, however, and I cannot refund your teacher his money. I feel as if I must do something for all of the money he has put down for you. But please, take off your shirt and lie down, anyway -- a gentle massage won't be a betrayal of your girl back home. And then, well, maybe we can talk about some things. I think maybe I can give you some ideas for your 'perverted ninjitsu,' and then... I'd like you to tell me more about this 'Sakura-chan.'"
* * * * *
As Naruto was experiencing his second massage this evening -- for after trying out some of the things he did while perfecting his new 'perverted ninjitsu' he discovered all of the lady's work was undone -- he found himself considering whether this training trip had really been worth it. Might he have been better off, staying at or near the village to train? He would have been close to his friends, and better capable of keeping a better eye on Sakura. Also, he wouldn't have had to hide the fact he was from Konoha, and would have been able to practice better, stronger, faster techniques instead of a few neat ones when no-one was looking and a bunch of useless ones the rest of the time. And he wouldn't be stuck in a brothel all night.
Although he had to admit it wasn't that bad. The girl was right -- she was able to ply her trade with massages and a comforting ear (and wicked tongue, as he discovered while they conjured perverted ninjitsu ideas) without making him feel like he was betraying Sakura, or asking for more activity then he was comfortable with. If he wasn't so devoted to Sakura, he realized, he might have actually let the woman take his virginity after all. She made him that comfortable.
She'd be a poor mate for you, something inside him said. It took Naruto a moment to realize who it was.
Kyuubi? Naruto mentally exclaimed, tensing up. Since when could you talk to me?
"Did I do something wrong?" the girl asked.
"Uh, no -- I just thought of something I'd forgotten to do. It doesn't matter, though," Naruto explained, hoping that didn't sound too lame.
"Okay," she answered. "But it looks like I'll have to start over... again. You must learn to relax, Naruto-kun. Surely you wouldn't be this tense if Sakura-chan was doing this for you, would you?"
Naruto tried to imagine Sakura giving him a massage. Now that's a girl who might be worthy, the Kyuubi purred. Her bloodline would be good for the both of us.
"Er... Sakura-chan wouldn't be doing this for me. If she was, I'd be worried she was an imposter about to stab me in the back," was his comeback line.
A sad chuckle answered him. "And yet you remain loyal to this girl? I pity you. It must be something about you being a ninja that gives you such determination."
"I swore an oath," Naruto stated fiercely. "I want her happy, regardless of what becomes of me." And to become hokage... but I can't say anything about that. In this land, perhaps that is my reward: I can tell people of my other goal in life without worry that someone would hurt her for being someone I care for. He had often worried, now that he was winning over some friends, that the people who hated him would start to punish those who recognized and respected who he was. Sakura was who he worried for the most, and he couldn't be there to protect her. Damn.
Relax, kid. It will be all right.
"Relax, kid," the prostitute said, unknowingly echoing what the Kyuubi was telling him. "I was teasing. I won't question your devotion again."
Naruto tried to follow their advice, releasing the tension he felt. Still, he needed assurance... and who was there to reassure him she would be okay?
I will, kid, Kyuubi snorted. I wish I could be free of the prison that is you, but I am giving up hope of that ever happening. Instead, I look to my future... and see it in your children. Your children will carry the powers I grant you, and become the most powerful 'bloodline ability,' as you call it, in the world. That shall be my legacy, and I finally accept it. But that means my concerns are now for your future mate, whoever she will be. Keep your options open, boy, but that 'Sakura' girl would be a good choice for the both of us. Her bloodline would be well complimented with my own powers and the powers that have come from when we fight as one. These are not the same thing, boy, so don't forget it -- whoever we mate with, when pups come, will have the powers I have granted you: Near limitless chakra, the ability to call forth a projection of myself to overlay and strengthen your own, faster reflexes, and rapid growth in strength if not in skill. But those things, alone, while they would make our descendents great, would not make them known as the greatest. Your mate must bring something to the table, as well, kid, and this whore holds no interest for me in that regard.
I will remain loyal to Sakura-chan, Naruto thought back. And she is in love with Sasuke. So I will have no 'descendents' for you to worry about.
Naruto felt oil being applied to his back. It started off cool, but then got very hot like it was on fire. Normally, such a sensation might be painful. Now, however, it was quite soothing.
You're too young for that decision to be final, Kyuubi noted. And even if it is, she may not have made a final decision as yet. I like the Sakura woman, kid, and so I make you this pledge: If you ever take her -- or another who I approve of -- to be your mate, then you and yours will always be under my protection... even if I am somehow released from my prison.
Naruto wondered at that. I... thank you. But you had better hope Sakura-chan will one day be willing to be my girl, because as I said before... I will have no other.
That said, he drifted to sleep under the skilled hands of the prostitute-turned-masseuse, for once at peace with himself and the world.
* * * * *
Jiraiya was in the waiting room of the brothel he and the boy had hired for the night, waiting for his charge to come in. He had a lazy smile on his face, knowing he had done good -- that boy had needed a stress reliever, and what better way then this? Maybe now he'd lay off all those 'ero-sennin' cracks, what with him knowing just how delightful the pleasures of the flesh could be. And maybe, if he enjoyed it enough, he could convince the lad to help him peep in on women's bath-houses from time to time.
Naruto entered the room on the arm of the lady he had been with the night before as they whispered softly to each other. He heard a quiet, "Go to the lady over there, and tell her I said for you to have the number three special package for departing customers -- and make sure you include the last bit, or else you'll get something you don't want. I want to talk with your companion here in private for a bit."
Naruto nodded, running off to see the madam in charge of the brothel. A number three special, eh? The boy must have really been something. Maybe he could give me some tips.
"You," the woman said, pulling him aside -- rather roughly, too. "You are in disguise, I know -- it's easy enough to see who you are in the daylight. If you want to remain hidden, I suggest you never go near another brothel. We've all heard about you, and all know who you are... Jiraiya-sama."
He puffed up. "I guess my reputation is pretty good."
"You're one of the most important clients the brothel industry has," she answered wryly. "But I want to speak with you about that boy. If anything -- and I mean anything -- ever happens to him under your care, I don't care how important you are to my trade -- you will never find another whore willing to even look at you again, no matter how much money you may be willing to pay. That boy... that boy is special."
The perverted hermit could only think of one reason why this woman was so defensive of him. "He was that good, huh?"
"He never touched me," the lady said. "And I did nothing to dishonor him. He is loyal, you creep, to another girl -- so loyal, he has left on a wild goose chase to recover the boy she loves, thinking he'll never have her. He swore an oath to keep that girl happy, and he doesn't care what it means to him -- he will be loyal to her. Don't torture him by subjecting him to a place like this, again."
Jiraiya was understandably confused as he lead Naruto away -- just what would make a common whore so adamant about keeping a boy she didn't even know safe? What had happened the previous night, anyway?
The madam walked over to the girl as she watched them go. "What was that all about? You really let the boy have a number three?"
"Yeah," the prostitute confirmed, still watching the road where the two ninjas were walking.
"You do know that'll come out of your cut for his services, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, why did you give it to him? He's a fourteen year old boy -- he couldn't have been that good."
"No," the girl admitted, returning to her room once the pair were out of sight. "But he will be, some day."
The madam shook her head. "You're a strange one, Sakura-chan."
* * * * *
Notes: I hope no-one was too freaked out by this chapter. That's right -- Jiraiya's banned from brothels until the stay in Rock country is over. Expect him to be a bit cranky next time you see him. Next chapter we get to see Sakura with the family scrolls, her an Ino training together, and (if I can squeeze it in -- if not, it'll be a couple chapters after that) Sakura's promotion to chuunin. Until then, ja!
Chapter 4
"Let me get this straight," Naruto groaned. "For the next month, I can only use the kawarimi no jutsu, a basic bushin no jutsu, and the henge?"
"Those are the only ninjitsu you may use, yes... outside of what I'm going to teach you today," Jiraiya acknowledged. "We're travelling as homeless nin who were part of a village that had allied itself with the Mist. That means you can learn water-based techniques today, and use them as much as you want. Any wind element techniques would be okay as well, as well as any lightning based techniques -- but I don't know many of those and I don't think you do either."
"No," Naruto admitted. "But I'm worse off now then I was the day I left the academy! I already had kage bushin by then!"
"Stop shouting, Naruto -- if there's one thing I'm going to teach you before this training trip is all over, it's not to give yourself away by shouting all the time," Jiraiya complained. "That's why I'm teaching you a water technique to make up for it. It's one you should be familiar with -- I understand Kakashi himself learned it with his sharingan on your first c-class mission."
"Am I going to learn water clones?" Naruto asked, not sounding quite as enthusiastic as he usually did when learning a new technique. "I suppose they could substitute for the kage bushin, but I don't think they'd be a real improvement. Isn't the point of this trip for me to get better techniques, not to learn a thousand different ways to do exactly the same thing?"
Heh. The boy has a point, but I can't let him off too easy. At least I know he'll never have the same silly ambition as Orochimaru. Learn every ninja technique, indeed! Even if he is immortal, techniques will disappear before he can learn them, and others will be created in their place faster then he can absorb them. But this one time, Naruto, it's important. I hope you will understand that... "I might teach you water clones while we're in one of the nearby villages, since it's the sort of technique a homeless jounin might teach a homeless genin," Jiraiya admitted. "But it's either that or nothing when we're likely to be spotted by agents of the Rock nin -- I can't be teaching you techniques that they would expect you to already know by virtue of having lived in the town we'll be claiming to come from, nor can I teach you techniques you aren't expected to learn until you become a jounin for the same reason. So... it's water clones or nothing."
Naruto grimmaced. "What about things like kunai training and building chakra?"
"I suppose shuriken training would work," Jiraiya admitted. "But it cannot be kunai. While every hidden village uses kunai, each village has its own tendencies. The one we are claiming to be from uses this one." He pulled out a four-point shuriken that wasn't quite like any that Naruto had ever used. He'd used similar, but they were usually larger and heavier then this one -- it was a midsized blade, quite different from the usual oversized fuuma shuriken or undersized kunai. Naruto took it from the master ninja and felt its wieght in his hand.
"I like this," he said with a grin. "I like the idea of using this in my taijutsu and ninjitsu training."
Jiraiya decided that he'd made enough of a breakthrough -- for now -- and nodded. Maybe they could work on meditation, too -- Naruto seemed to have trouble with it, always turning it into a chakra-building exercise instead of basic meditation. He was only able to relax enough to enter the first stage of meditation when he was 'training,' since he seemed to believe he was wasting time doing anything else. "Okay. Now, let's talk about a jounin-level water element technique you can learn while we're still here. It has limitations -- it can only be used near water, for example -- but I think you'll find it quite powerful. You might possibly manage to use it as a counter to some of the less powerful Uchiha fire element techniques...."
Naruto's enthusiasm seemed to return as he grinned. "Okay! Now we're getting somewhere! What technique is it?"
"The water dragon technique. Now, let's head on over to that lake and I'll demonstrate it -- I'm sure you've seen it, before, but pay close attention to which seals I use."
"Okay!" Naruto agreed.
Going very slowly, and using the minimum possible amount of chakra to perform the technique, Jiraiya formed the seals. "Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!"
Looking rather lethargic due to the low power put into it, a moderately-sized dragon formed out of the water and started thrashing around. It lasted for only a few seconds before collapsing.
Naruto scratched his head. "Looks pretty weak," he said.
"That's as weak as it can get," Jiraiya agreed. "To be effective, you need to use about the same amount of chakra as you use to form ten kage bushin clones, though you can produce a weak one like that with just six kage bushin's worth of power. I didn't want to use full power for the demonstration -- it might have distracted you from the seals. Now, did you see all of them?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I think I got it. Looks easy enough -- I might even manage to get this technique down by my birthday!"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Birthday?"
"I turn fourteen in four days," Naruto explained casually, forming seals. "Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!"
There was a large splash, but little else. Jiraiya huffed. "You need to consciously shape the water into a dragon, and then control it the same way you control a bushin or kage bushin. Fourteen, eh? Interesting time in a boys life."
"Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!" This time, the water recognizably turned into a dragon, but it fell apart before it could finish the transformation. "Why do you say that? I'm really just going to be a few days older then I am today."
"Close, but you have to hold it better. Ah, yes, but the age of fourteen is when a lot of your friends will be married," Jiraiya explained. "That Hyuuga boy you fought in the Chuunin exam -- Neji, I think it was -- would have been married already if he wasn't a member of the branch family who was constantly away on missions as a shinobi. Unless she's out on a mission right now, that Hinata girl will probably be married when she turns fourteen, too. Also, had Sasuke's clan survived, he would be getting married around this age, as well... and don't be surprised if you find that several other of your friends are married before you get back."
Naruto's eyes wided. "Sakura-chan! She--"
"Isn't getting married anytime soon, don't worry," Jiraiya snorted. "Nowadays, it's mostly a clan thing, and the Haruno clan has never been one for arranged marriages. The reason why those people get married so early is obsolete, nowadays -- about fourty years ago, fourteen years old was the age at which kunoichi would begin training as courtesans, since their missions often involved posing as prostitutes." A wistful look appeared on his face. "I wish I'd had a chance to face puberty in a time like that, when all of the kunoichi would... ahem! Anyway, nowadays it is forbidden for courtesan training to begin until twenty, so most kunoichi are already married by then. The law now only forces any unmarried kunoichi still chuunin rank or lower into courtesan training. Most parents of kunoichi nowadays allow their children some freedom to make their own decisions before they start trying to force the issue, but a number of the more powerful clans in Konoha have kept the 'marry by fourteen' tradition going."
"Huh. Well, I'm not going to have to worry about that." He looked down briefly, hiding his eyes from view. "It's not as if any of the other villagers would want to arrange me in marriage to anyone, anyway."
Jiraiya sighed, fearing he had touched too sore a subject. I have to boost this boys spirits, somehow -- he's already forgetting how many people he has managed to win the friendship and respect of. Oh, I know -- the perfect thing for a boy about to turn fourteen. He grinned. "Tell you what, Naruto -- if you can master this technique by tomorrow, I'll get you the best birthday present you'll ever have gotten!"
Naruto's eyes widened. "A birthday present? I've never had a birthday present, before! All right, let's get this thing mastered: Suiton -- Suiryuudan no jutsu!"
The largest, most powerful water dragon Jiraiya had ever seen leapt out of the lake -- or rather, since just about all the water had been drained into the dragon, the once-lake -- and did a few backflips of joy before returning to the pond. "That was... decent," he commented, trying to keep the boys ego from swelling up too much.
"Yahoo! All right -- now, what's my birthday present? Huh? Huh?"
Jiraiya swallowed. "Um, Naruto... you don't get your present until your birthday, you know. That's why it's called a birthday present."
* * * * *
"A brothel? You're taking me to a brothel for my birthday?" Naruto snorted. "Geeze -- I shouldn't have gotten so worked up! I'm just fourteen -- what do I care about a brothel, anyway? Besides--"
"Shut up, kid. I'm paying a lot for you -- this is a very high class place," Jiraiya countered. "Fourteen is old enough in Konoha. I would have loved being sent to a place like this when I was your age!"
"You're a pervert, though," Naruto pointed out.
"I'm the greatest pervert of all time, and don't you forget it!" Jiraiya, uh, bragged. "But that's not the point. Kid, it's better for a guy to be more experienced then the girl, anyway, first-time. Otherwise--"
"Shut up! I don't want this 'birthday present,' after all, ero-sennin, so--"
"Too late," Jiraiya grinned. "I've already paid for it. You might as well take it -- really, it's okay."
A lovely young woman, who looked to be about five years older than Naruto, approached them. "Is this the client?" she asked the perverted hermit.
"That's him. He's a bit reluctant, but it'll be good for him."
The woman grinned. "Okay, I understand. The younger ones are always a little nervous, the first time, and they all react differently to the situation." She placed a surprisingly firm grip on Naruto's shoulder and gently said, "Come on, young man. I promise, you will enjoy this very much."
"But-- hey!" Naruto tried to resist, but he couldn't escape from being dragged into a room by the girl without hurting her. He didn't want to hurt anyone -- except perhaps a certain perverted master of his -- and the girl was just doing what she had been paid to do, after all. Finally, she closed the door behind her and sat the two of them on a bed.
"Relax -- I've been trained for breaking in virgins. It's no big deal," the prostitute said soothingly, reaching out and pulling down the zipper of Naruto's jacket before his hand came up and caught it half-way.
"I don't want to do this," he said.
The girl was surprised at his strength, but not by too much. She knew he was a homeless genin ninja, so he obviously must have had some training in fighting. She had her own skills, however, and she had been paid well to use them.
"I understand. You're nervous," she cooed. "But don't worry about it. I promise, you'll really enjoy what I can do for you."
"How many times do I have to say it?" Naruto growled. "I do not want to do this. I want to stay loyal to Sakura-chan!"
That stopped the woman cold. "To... to who?"
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted. Then he calmed down, realizing that just maybe he had found a way to escape this problem without having to hurt anybody. Except Jiraiya -- the perverted hermit was still getting a huge beat-down as soon as he was able to get away from this place. "Back h-home," he began, trying desperately to figure out how to talk about this without blowing any secrets. "There's a girl who I know from... back home. I... well, she was back home last time I was there, anyway. I'm not even sure she's alive, now."
That much was true -- he'd been having nightmares the past several nights of her going after Orochimaru alone, and various unspeakable things happening to her. He was very worried, largely because he couldn't keep in contact with her thanks to the mail blackout, and so he couldn't dismiss his nightmares so easily.
"Was she your girlfriend?" the prostitute asked kindly.
"I... I wish she had been," Naruto sighed. "But no. She was interested in my best friend and rival -- a boy who, uh, went missing. I made the promise of a lifetime that I would get the boy back for her, and that's why I'm here."
The girl's eyes widened. "So... why do you remain loyal to her? If she wants another, and you know this, then why--"
"Because she's Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. "Don't you understand that? She's... she's...." For reasons he didn't know, Naruto felt a small teardrop go down the corner of his cheek and sniffed. "I couldn't do that. I can't. I won't."
Closing her eyes, the young woman took a deep, purifying breath. In most males, what that did to her robes would turn heads and possibly cause nosebleeds, but the boy in front of her didn't react at all. A small, bitter smile reached her lips before she said anything else.
"Why did that man think you need to come here? Who is he?"
"He is my... uh, sensei, I suppose," Naruto explained. "He's a big pervert, too. Usually, all that means is he makes me do all the work while he hangs out a places like this, but he really knows his stuff. I can learn a lot from him. And really, I have nothing against perverts -- they just have a big weakness, that's all."
"A weakness?" the prostitute echoed, confused.
"Yeah," Naruto snorted. Forming a seal, he called, "Henge! Sexy no Jutsu!"
The girl's eyes widened as the sweet little boy in front of her transformed into a foxy blond, totally nude... except for a bunch of clouds covering up certain strategic places on the body. "Oh, my."
"Yeah. That's enough to knock most of them out," Naruto went on before changing back. "I call it a 'perverted ninjitsu,' since it's intended for use against perverts. I haven't found much use for it since I became a real genin, though."
The girl grinned. "Well, maybe I could give you some pointers which will make your 'perverted ninjitsu' more useful to someone of your, ah, experience. But first... take off your shirt and jacket, and lie face-down on the bed."
Suddenly, Naruto's eyes got wary again, and he bundled up even further into his jacket, looking almost too modest to be the same ninja who had just changed into a nude woman a second before. "I thought I said no. I want to remain loyal to Sakura-chan, dammit, and I won't--"
"Relax," the woman said, waving him off. "I know. I won't make you betray S-sakura-chan, don't worry. I was paid for a full night of service, however, and I cannot refund your teacher his money. I feel as if I must do something for all of the money he has put down for you. But please, take off your shirt and lie down, anyway -- a gentle massage won't be a betrayal of your girl back home. And then, well, maybe we can talk about some things. I think maybe I can give you some ideas for your 'perverted ninjitsu,' and then... I'd like you to tell me more about this 'Sakura-chan.'"
* * * * *
As Naruto was experiencing his second massage this evening -- for after trying out some of the things he did while perfecting his new 'perverted ninjitsu' he discovered all of the lady's work was undone -- he found himself considering whether this training trip had really been worth it. Might he have been better off, staying at or near the village to train? He would have been close to his friends, and better capable of keeping a better eye on Sakura. Also, he wouldn't have had to hide the fact he was from Konoha, and would have been able to practice better, stronger, faster techniques instead of a few neat ones when no-one was looking and a bunch of useless ones the rest of the time. And he wouldn't be stuck in a brothel all night.
Although he had to admit it wasn't that bad. The girl was right -- she was able to ply her trade with massages and a comforting ear (and wicked tongue, as he discovered while they conjured perverted ninjitsu ideas) without making him feel like he was betraying Sakura, or asking for more activity then he was comfortable with. If he wasn't so devoted to Sakura, he realized, he might have actually let the woman take his virginity after all. She made him that comfortable.
She'd be a poor mate for you, something inside him said. It took Naruto a moment to realize who it was.
Kyuubi? Naruto mentally exclaimed, tensing up. Since when could you talk to me?
"Did I do something wrong?" the girl asked.
"Uh, no -- I just thought of something I'd forgotten to do. It doesn't matter, though," Naruto explained, hoping that didn't sound too lame.
"Okay," she answered. "But it looks like I'll have to start over... again. You must learn to relax, Naruto-kun. Surely you wouldn't be this tense if Sakura-chan was doing this for you, would you?"
Naruto tried to imagine Sakura giving him a massage. Now that's a girl who might be worthy, the Kyuubi purred. Her bloodline would be good for the both of us.
"Er... Sakura-chan wouldn't be doing this for me. If she was, I'd be worried she was an imposter about to stab me in the back," was his comeback line.
A sad chuckle answered him. "And yet you remain loyal to this girl? I pity you. It must be something about you being a ninja that gives you such determination."
"I swore an oath," Naruto stated fiercely. "I want her happy, regardless of what becomes of me." And to become hokage... but I can't say anything about that. In this land, perhaps that is my reward: I can tell people of my other goal in life without worry that someone would hurt her for being someone I care for. He had often worried, now that he was winning over some friends, that the people who hated him would start to punish those who recognized and respected who he was. Sakura was who he worried for the most, and he couldn't be there to protect her. Damn.
Relax, kid. It will be all right.
"Relax, kid," the prostitute said, unknowingly echoing what the Kyuubi was telling him. "I was teasing. I won't question your devotion again."
Naruto tried to follow their advice, releasing the tension he felt. Still, he needed assurance... and who was there to reassure him she would be okay?
I will, kid, Kyuubi snorted. I wish I could be free of the prison that is you, but I am giving up hope of that ever happening. Instead, I look to my future... and see it in your children. Your children will carry the powers I grant you, and become the most powerful 'bloodline ability,' as you call it, in the world. That shall be my legacy, and I finally accept it. But that means my concerns are now for your future mate, whoever she will be. Keep your options open, boy, but that 'Sakura' girl would be a good choice for the both of us. Her bloodline would be well complimented with my own powers and the powers that have come from when we fight as one. These are not the same thing, boy, so don't forget it -- whoever we mate with, when pups come, will have the powers I have granted you: Near limitless chakra, the ability to call forth a projection of myself to overlay and strengthen your own, faster reflexes, and rapid growth in strength if not in skill. But those things, alone, while they would make our descendents great, would not make them known as the greatest. Your mate must bring something to the table, as well, kid, and this whore holds no interest for me in that regard.
I will remain loyal to Sakura-chan, Naruto thought back. And she is in love with Sasuke. So I will have no 'descendents' for you to worry about.
Naruto felt oil being applied to his back. It started off cool, but then got very hot like it was on fire. Normally, such a sensation might be painful. Now, however, it was quite soothing.
You're too young for that decision to be final, Kyuubi noted. And even if it is, she may not have made a final decision as yet. I like the Sakura woman, kid, and so I make you this pledge: If you ever take her -- or another who I approve of -- to be your mate, then you and yours will always be under my protection... even if I am somehow released from my prison.
Naruto wondered at that. I... thank you. But you had better hope Sakura-chan will one day be willing to be my girl, because as I said before... I will have no other.
That said, he drifted to sleep under the skilled hands of the prostitute-turned-masseuse, for once at peace with himself and the world.
* * * * *
Jiraiya was in the waiting room of the brothel he and the boy had hired for the night, waiting for his charge to come in. He had a lazy smile on his face, knowing he had done good -- that boy had needed a stress reliever, and what better way then this? Maybe now he'd lay off all those 'ero-sennin' cracks, what with him knowing just how delightful the pleasures of the flesh could be. And maybe, if he enjoyed it enough, he could convince the lad to help him peep in on women's bath-houses from time to time.
Naruto entered the room on the arm of the lady he had been with the night before as they whispered softly to each other. He heard a quiet, "Go to the lady over there, and tell her I said for you to have the number three special package for departing customers -- and make sure you include the last bit, or else you'll get something you don't want. I want to talk with your companion here in private for a bit."
Naruto nodded, running off to see the madam in charge of the brothel. A number three special, eh? The boy must have really been something. Maybe he could give me some tips.
"You," the woman said, pulling him aside -- rather roughly, too. "You are in disguise, I know -- it's easy enough to see who you are in the daylight. If you want to remain hidden, I suggest you never go near another brothel. We've all heard about you, and all know who you are... Jiraiya-sama."
He puffed up. "I guess my reputation is pretty good."
"You're one of the most important clients the brothel industry has," she answered wryly. "But I want to speak with you about that boy. If anything -- and I mean anything -- ever happens to him under your care, I don't care how important you are to my trade -- you will never find another whore willing to even look at you again, no matter how much money you may be willing to pay. That boy... that boy is special."
The perverted hermit could only think of one reason why this woman was so defensive of him. "He was that good, huh?"
"He never touched me," the lady said. "And I did nothing to dishonor him. He is loyal, you creep, to another girl -- so loyal, he has left on a wild goose chase to recover the boy she loves, thinking he'll never have her. He swore an oath to keep that girl happy, and he doesn't care what it means to him -- he will be loyal to her. Don't torture him by subjecting him to a place like this, again."
Jiraiya was understandably confused as he lead Naruto away -- just what would make a common whore so adamant about keeping a boy she didn't even know safe? What had happened the previous night, anyway?
The madam walked over to the girl as she watched them go. "What was that all about? You really let the boy have a number three?"
"Yeah," the prostitute confirmed, still watching the road where the two ninjas were walking.
"You do know that'll come out of your cut for his services, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, why did you give it to him? He's a fourteen year old boy -- he couldn't have been that good."
"No," the girl admitted, returning to her room once the pair were out of sight. "But he will be, some day."
The madam shook her head. "You're a strange one, Sakura-chan."
* * * * *
Notes: I hope no-one was too freaked out by this chapter. That's right -- Jiraiya's banned from brothels until the stay in Rock country is over. Expect him to be a bit cranky next time you see him. Next chapter we get to see Sakura with the family scrolls, her an Ino training together, and (if I can squeeze it in -- if not, it'll be a couple chapters after that) Sakura's promotion to chuunin. Until then, ja!