‘A true man…’

In her room, Tsunade let out a deep sigh, her tightly closed eyes leaking a few tears. Her hands were trembling as she held both her own and Dan's Hiati-ate… semi composing herself she set them back down into the ornate box, Tsunade's hurriedly wiped her tears before disappearing leaving a few leaves dancing in the air behind.

Hizuren looked up from his paperwork, with his expression softening slightly he set the paper work aside trying to hide the small smile and the excitement in his eyes… "Tsunade, what have you come to see this old man for?"

Tsunade glared at the monkey trying to understand why he was so happy. Her eyes landed on the stack of paperwork that touched the ceiling. "I'd like to retire." She kept it short as she stared into Hizuren's eyes, Hizuren lowered his head slightly as regret flashed through his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse "Tsunade Senju… As Hokage I order you," Tsunade opened her mouth to argue but Hizuren continued with his expression softly "Leave the village… and don't return until you can get your problems handled," Hizuren let out a self-deprecating chuckle as he picked up his paperwork "Just take it… Alright?" "Yeah…"

Hizuren collapsed in his chair, he rubbed his temples as he slowly shook his head wishing for some relief… As he leans back in his chair he makes a gesture, every Anbu present left leaving him with complete privacy one catching a few whispers on his way out "Sensei… I've failed you."

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Shirohi stretched as he woke up, rolling out of bed he landed on the floor "Ah—*bang*," he groaned as he stood up rubbing his wrist slowly he took a quick look at the room, outside the window he saw Shizune falling from a tree. As he hurriedly threw on a pair of pants taking the socks, shirt, and shoes before bolting out of the room.

As Shirohi got outside somehow fully dressed and out of breath, Shizune was gone he turned his head up to find Jirayia up in the trees with a frowning Shizune, as she saw him her eyes lit up as the frown disappeared giving him a small wave.

Shirohi waved back but had a questioning expression, he turned his gaze towards the truck of the tree and began running right at it.

Jirayia let out a small whisper "No way…" he seemed to have disbelief as he watched the young boy plant his foot on the tree. Shirohi kicked off the tree grabbing a branch, swinging himself on top of it, Jirayia let out a sigh of relief earning a curious glare from Shizune to which he ignored with a chuckle, Shirohi climbed the tree with some expertise. As Shiro reached Shizune he called out "Are you okay, I saw you fall from the tree,"

Shizune let out a giggle as she did a few hand seals 'Clone Jutsu'

Shirohi watched as the near perfect clone fell, bursting the moment it hit a branch. Shizune spoke "Jirayia was helping me with some jutsu." Shirohi looked like he wanted to say something but instead averted his eyes, Jirayia laughed "Kid eh, Shirohi? I'll teach you something cool if you stop treating me so coldly, it was only a prank…"

Jirayia sounded almost like he was pleading, Shizune gave a smirk, Shirohi spoke "Then teach me how to do a certain jutsu…" Jirayia caressed his beard "Which one?" Shirohi shook his head "I don't know I'd have to explain it… It was something from my mom… I-I know the hand seals just.. just nothing happens…"

Before Shirohi realized he was on the ground, a wave of nausea washing over him for a split second Jirayia's voice reached his ears ``You'll get used to that feeling… now here sit down and cycle your chakra.``

Shirohi sat down like a lotus near instantly calming as he did, after concentrating for nearly twenty minutes Jirayia seemed stumped "But you used chakra the other night… how… oh…" Jirayia jogged his way over placing a hand on Shirohi's lower back "Just follow my chakra…" Jirayia's hand lit up with a faint green chakra, he wasn't nearly as proficient as Tsunade but he was good enough to do this. With a smirk growing on his face, Jirayia slowly cycled the green chakra through Shirohi's chakra network slowly explaining various things along the way…

Off in the distance Tsunade watched the trio, she turned around and made a change of plans…

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"Now, move your chakra just like I showed you" Jirayia took a step back, curious to find out how Shirohi will surprise him. Shirohi gave a nod, Shizune was crouched off to the side watching with interest… Whenever Shirohi would focus and get 'that' look on his face she just felt drawn towards him…

Thin white arcs of lightning started to come to life however instead of just his hair they would follow the movements of his chakra network on his skin, Shizune nearly ran to him him worry but Jirayia's hand landing on her shoulder stopped her "He'll be fine… it's his chakra he needs to understand it, even if we don't…"

Slowly the lightning spread rapidly arcing around his body, sometimes grounding out towards the ground leaving scorched marks throughout the immediate area. Jirayia was starting to worry, what would happen if he lost control? Tsunade would kill him!

As for Shirohi, he felt alive, he could feel it! His chakra flowing through his veins the unending shock that coursed through his body this was what he was missing in life, he felt oddly complete as his chakra ran laps around his chakra network. Maybe due to his quick success or maybe just overconfidence he started doing hand seals…

'Snake, Dragon, Boar, Snake'

Shirohi softly spoke, his voice barely carried by the wind "Raiton: Little Moon"… Jirayia was shocked, it was like music to his ears… no he recognized it, it was a song to a bedtime story… He looked up at Shirohi watching as the lightning surrounding him arced, split, coiled, and faded making various notes but as he watched Shirohi's head slowly bob with a single tear running down his cheek. Jirayia was speechless… Normally kids want to hurry and graduate only to learn powerful jutsu to make a name for themselves on the battlefield but Shirohi who had a chance to do just that gave it all up for this… for a memory of his mother…

Jirayia couldn't stifle the mutter "A true man…"