Ero-Sennin - 5

Three days later, Jiraiya was about ready to kill himself.

Or at least kill Naruto.

He was becoming insufferable, while Gaara and Haku at least remained quiet. Still, Jiraiya wasn't the paragon of patience and understanding these days, nor was he a very nurturing parent-figure either. He was very out-of-practice with kids and it was beginning to show.

"Hey! Old man! Are we there yet?" Naruto walked alongside the sage while Gaara and Haku kept a safe distance away.

Jiraiya's explosion was imminent.

"Well? Hey old man! Are you listening?"

The Toad Hermit's brow twitched, 'I'm gonna strangle this kid!'

"Naruto," Haku tried to prevent the explosion, "I think Jiraiya-sama is a bit tired."

The blonde boy squinted his eyes, "Ya really think so?"

Jiraiya led them along in wrathful silence, trudging with heavy steps and bloodshot eyes.

"He looks fine to me." Naruto shrugged.

Gaara shook his head, "Haku means you're bothering Jiraiya-sama."

'Just stay calm; we're only a day's walk from Konoha-'

"Am I bothering you Toad-Sage-Guy?" Naruto couldn't restrain himself.

"Yes."

The Kyuubi's vessel smiled in satisfaction, "Good!"

PUNT

Naruto was booted into the tops of a nearby oak tree like a field goal.

Suddenly, Jiraiya felt much better, "Now, where were we?"

Haku watched as Naruto hurtled down through the branches, his face was red with indignation.

"What was that for, old man?" The boy squawked, "What do I look like? A football?"

Jiraiya paused and looked at him, "No, I just had to put some space between us. Now let's be on our way."

Gaara and Haku followed, but Naruto pounced on Gaara's gourd.

"Hey, wait a minute guys!" Naruto was still determined to get on the sage's nerves. "See, if he really is a legendary ninja he should be able to teach us some ninja techniques and stuff! I want to see him prove it!"

Haku and Gaara halted. Although their energetic friend went a bit overboard at times, they were interested in ninja skills as well.

Jiraiya groaned when he noticed he had lost the favor of his other two wards, "Aw, sheesh, not you too! I mean you guys were actually pleasant! Are you really going to listen to this blonde squirt?"

Haku nodded.

The sage slapped his forehead in frustration.

Naruto folded his arms across his chest triumphantly, "Well? Let's see it old man!"

"You brat! We're only a few hours from Konoha and you have to pull this crap?"

"We're not going anywhere until you teach us a ninja skill." The blonde confirmed.

Jiraiya cursed under his breath and then smiled devilishly at him, "Alright then, I'm sure this won't take long."

Gaara sighed to himself. Was Naruto the only one who didn't realize Jiraiya was going to give him a hard time?

"Of course it won't take long! I can take anything you dish out!"

Apparently yes.

Jiraiya shrugged, "Very well then. I'll test all three of you. We'll begin with the basics of chakra control. I believe that you have all heard this term at least once, correct?"

Gaara and Naruto nodded, while Haku stood uninformed.

"What's chakra?"

Naruto was quick to answer his question, "It's the energy that helps ninja do stuff!"

Could he be any vaguer?

Gaara mumbled a better definition into Haku's ear while Jiraiya continued to explain.

"To start, I want you each to select a tree; a tall one. And climb it." The sage stated simply.

Naruto laughed, "That's easy!"

"Is it? Well good for you, squirt, because there are few children your age I know who can get up a tree without using their hands." Jiraiya added.

Naruto was floored.

No hands? Run up a tree? No jumping?

Gaara frowned, he wasn't very well acquainted with trees…this wouldn't be an easy task for him either.

"So...I suppose we just…focus our chakra in our feet?" Haku once again proved he had brains.

"Aaaand the farm boy gets it!" Jiraiya hollered, "Now, get to work! Oh...and here."

He handed each of them a kunai, "Make a mark when you reach your limit. I doubt you'll get very high."

Jiraiya made himself comfortable on a nearby boulder and took out his newest volume of Icha Icha Paradise for editing.

Naruto still was adamant about impressing the sage, "No problem!"

He lunged for the oak tree while Gaara and Haku watched. He built a tremendous amount of speed, but lost focus when he began to travel in a vertical direction. Naruto tumbled backwards with a startled cry.

The record to beat: 4 inches.

The Toad Hermit glanced over at the boy who was bent double at the base of the oak.

"What's the problem squirt? You didn't have any trouble getting up into that tree before!"

Gaara turned to the sage, "...you helped him."

True: in a painful way. Jiraiya smirked, "Oh, that's right..."

Naruto stood up and brushed himself off, "Oh yeah? I'll show you!"

This time Gaara ran up a tree as well, although he didn't exceed Naruto's record by very much, he at least landed on his feet. Haku felt nervous; he had never used chakra before, at least, he hadn't noticed himself using it.

He got a better grip on the knife in his hand and concentrated. 'Okay, I need to focus my chakra...focus it to my feet...' He had made the educated guess that the force he drew upon to manipulate ice was what this "chakra" was. He did his best to feel it out intentionally.

The grass beneath his sandals bent away from the force of his chakra, though Haku didn't let the achievement get to his head. 'Now...how much do I need to use?'

That was the question of the day.

It seemed like Gaara and Naruto hadn't figured that out yet; neither of them had gone beyond ten feet as they dashed at their trees. 'I guess I'll have to take a chance...'

Haku got a running start while Gaara and Naruto both came back down to the ground. They paused to watch him.

The dark haired boy ran and then felt himself set foot on his chosen tree.

'Focus...my...chakra...'

His feet stuck to the tree.

So naturally he kept running.

And running.

And he felt no need to use his kunai, he was so focused, he knew that he wouldn't fall.

"Whoa, Haku!" Naruto gasped and Gaara watched in shock as the farm boy went up...and didn't come back down.

Suddenly, there was a thudding sound, and a few leaves floated down from the cedar tree. Jiraiya looked up and smirked.

"The farm boy really does get it..." He muttered, fascinated.

It was unprecedented. This was probably no ordinary farm-kid.

"I...I'm at the top Jiraiya-sama." Haku announced, still surprised over what he had accomplished.

The sage nodded, "I can see that. It appears you have perfect chakra control, Haku. Come back down and we'll try something a bit harder for you."

He then turned back to the other two boys, "Hey, did I say you could stop?"

Determined now more than ever, Gaara and Naruto began racing up their respective trees with twice the previous effort.

While Jiraiya led Haku to a nearby pond, he considered to himself that Gaara and Naruto had a difficult time with their tasks because of all the chakra they had to tame. They both had immense reserves.

He turned to the farm boy and pointed to the small pond behind him, "You did well, kid! Now, apply the same concept to the water. Focus your chakra to your feet, and you can walk across the surface."

Haku found it all too easy. Water? Water was completely at his command, although, that was something Jiraiya was unaware of thus far.

Haku nodded, "Yes."

Gaara watched from his tree as Haku strolled out onto the water's surface effortlessly. He gestured for Naruto to observe as well. They were both riddled with envy that it came so easily to him.

Haku walked back and forth over the pond, as if he were still on land. Even though he had the opportunity to brandish his power, he feared Jiraiya may not take it as well as Naruto had. So he hid it.

Jiraiya sighed, what next? Ask him to fly? 'I bet he can do it too…'

"Alright Haku, that's enough. Hiroshi was right about you; you have the makings of a great ninja, but that doesn't mean you can slack off, got it?" Jiraiya said as he left the water.

Haku nodded, "I understand."

The farm boy quickly rejoined his companions to give them a few tips.

A brilliant farm boy and two jinchuriki...

'I need a drink.'

With Haku's advice, Naruto and Gaara were able to make it half way up their trees. Yet after a short while, Jiraiya herded them on, assuring them they would have plenty of time to practice in Konoha.

By the end of that day, Naruto had deflated himself, reducing his insults to the sage once every 15 minutes instead of twice every five.

The three boys were overwhelmed at the sight of Konoha's gates. Even Naruto was relieved to have arrived back at his village, even though the people there may not be as happy to see him.

Jiraiya looked up to the guard standing watch.

"Hey! Open the gate will you?" His voice was gruff, "I need to speak with the Hokage."

"Of course, Jiraiya, sir," The guard answered respectfully and then looked to the sage's companions as the doors slowly swung open, "Um, you've brought children with you?"

The three boys looked at each other excitedly. Konoha at last!

The Toad Hermit sighed.

"I was trying to be a good person and bring them to a decent village, but they are making it really hard for me. You want 'em?"

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