Naruto 405

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Naruto
#405: Those Left Behind
[side text: The sun lost. The town, the boy, as though tracing that light's memory...]

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[insert text: The message that Jiraiya left behind...]
Fukasaku: Jiraiya-chan's throat was crushed in his battle with Pain... / ...but before he fell, he left me one final message. // And this is that message!
Shizune: A code...

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Fukasaku: Clearly, he did it this way to avoid attracting Pain's notice. // ...This was all Jiraiya-chan could manage to leave us.
Naruto: ......... // Old lady... did you give him permission to...? // .........
Tsunade: I did.
Naruto: Why did you let him do a crazy thing like that?!! // You know as well as anyone how Ero-sennin is! / Going to a dangerous place like that, all by himself......
Kakashi: Stop this, Naruto.

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Kakashi: Surely you can appreciate how the Fifth must feel about this.
Flashback!Tsunade: That's too dangerous for you to attempt alone...!
Flashback!Jiraiya: I am one of Konoha's Sannin. / You should understand what that entails. // You were so beautiful back then, and now you're an old woman of fifty... // I guess you're packing all your feelings towards those you've lost inside that huge chest of yours... / And there are only going to be more from now on... // But that doesn't mean we should get all miserable. // Our job is to provide good role models for the next generation, and lend them our help. // For their sake, we can smile as we put our lives on the line.

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Sakura: !
Naruto: ......Shit!
Sakura: Naruto! Where are you going?!
Naruto: If Ero-sennin had been the one to become the Fifth Hokage! // He'd never have let Old Lady Tsunade do a crazy thing like this... Never...
Sakura: Naruto!
Tsunade: Sakura... leave him. / He needs some time to himself.

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Sakura: But...
Kakashi: My apologies, Fukasaku-sama. // It seems that Naruto is still not...
Fukasaku: Yes... worry not. // Regarding the "child of prophecy" I spoke of a little while ago... // I can see now that that child truly and fiercely loved Jiraiya-chan. // I find myself unable to keep myself from hoping... / ...from wishing that he truly is the one.

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[no text just memories]

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Iruka: Hey! Naruto.
Naruto: !
Iruka: You've been pretty busy with your missions recently, huh? // There are rumours flying all about the village. // You want to go have a little chat, like we always used to? // We could go to Ichiraku, hey? Get some ramen! // .........

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Naruto: No, thanks...

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Naruto: .........

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[no text just crying]

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Iruka: Naruto...
Naruto: ...!
Iruka: ...I heard about what happened to Jiraiya-sama.
Naruto: ......... // I wanted him... to always be there watching me... / I wanted him to see me finally become Hokage... // But in the end, I guess he only ever got to see me making an idiot of myself and stuff... / I just...

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Iruka: Jiraiya-sama never spoke anything but the best of you, you know. // He spoke of you with such pride, it was as though you were his own grandson. // He always believed that you would be the one to carry on his own will. / He believed without a shred of doubt that you would one day become a fine Hokage. // Jiraiya-sama is always watching over you... / Maybe even now, somewhere. // But if he's watching you right now, even he's not going to praise you for being all down like this. / So...... // I'd say you should try to be like you always have been... the same Naruto he always spoke well of. / You can't just mope about forever!
Naruto: !

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Iruka: You're a fine apprentice who was acknowledged by the great Sannin, Jiraiya-sama, after all!
Naruto: ......... // Thank you... Iruka-sensei.

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Tsunade: You take that, and get on it right away.
Shikamaru: What?! You mean right now? // The codebreakers certainly won't be working at this hour...
Tsunade: Just call them out; say it's an order from me. / At any rate, I'm leaving this matter to you. // Hey... where are you going? // I came here about a different mission, you know...

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Sakura: Shikamaru!
Shikamaru: But, y'know...
Sakura: Tsunade-sama hasn't had a minute of rest since the early hours of this morning.
Shikamaru: But I haven't either -
Sakura: Shikamaru. / Please...
Shikamaru: ?
Sakura: .........

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Flashback!Jiraiya: Pleased to meet'cha... my name's Jiraiya! // Don't worry, you can send me the love letter later - I can wait!
Tsunade: Stupid fool......
[side text: Hidden away amongst the bustle of her everyday activities... her feelings finally burst forth. Just for this tiny moment...]
[bottom text: Shikamaru gets to work on solving Jiraiya's code! Next issue, "Key"...!!]