White Dragon Hidden in The Leaves

I trudged along the dusty road, trying my best to ignore the ache deep in my chest. I was learning to keep moving forward, one step at a time. Naruto walked beside me, muttering under his breath about how Jiraiya never explains things right. "Pervy Sage should just come out and say it," he grumbled. 

We walked in silence for a while, the rhythm of our sandals on the dirt road oddly calming. I couldn't help but notice how Naruto kept stealing glances at my stomach, at the place where my seal lay hidden under my shirt. 

Eventually, he blurted out, "Hey, Ayumi, about Moonhydra—"

Before he could finish, Jiraiya stopped short, whirling around to face us. "You two want the truth about that seal, right?" he asked, his eyes serious for once. "Fine. I'll spill."

Naruto perked up. "Yeah! You told me you recognized the style of that seal. You said it looked like the Fourth Hokage's work, Right?"

I folded my arms. "Exactly. You said the Fourth was your student. So if anyone can undo or fix what he did, it's you."

Jiraiya frowned, shifting from one foot to the other. "I can," he admitted. "But I won't."

I felt a spark of anger flutter in my chest. "Why not?" I tried to keep my voice level, but it cracked just a bit. it seemed he had lied about the part of me dying if he undid it. "I told you, I want this seal gone. Moonhydra and I never had it before that fight with Edo Tensei Lord Fourth. That seal forced her to go dormant. And I hate it."

"You sure hate everything these days," Jiraiya muttered. "Look, kid, messing with a beast's seal is dangerous. Even if Moonhydra has been with you since birth, she's still a powerful entity. I know you want full access to her chakra, but have you thought about what might happen if she goes berserk again?"

I scoffed. "She only took over because that was the only way I'd survive. And guess what? I'm standing here, alive."

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Yeah, kind of like how Gaara's got his sand demon, or… or I have the Nine-Tails. Except I only found out about the fox not too long ago." He paused, face scrunching. "Actually, I never even thought about that. Ayumi you promised to help me with that, to understand him."

I shifted on my feet. "Yes Naruto I promised and I will, just need to get this done first. I want to fix what the Fourth did."

Jiraiya's gaze softened a fraction. "I'm sorry about your grandfather. Really, I am. He must've been a brave man."

"He was," I murmured, remembering the way Grandpa's face looked right before he vanished. "He was the one who taught me not to be afraid of the power inside me."

Naruto kicked another rock, sending it flying into a bush. "When Orochimaru messed with my seal during the Chuunin Exams, Pervy Sage undid it for me. So maybe… can't you just do the same for Ayumi?"

The white-haired Sannin grimaced. "The difference is that Orochimaru's tampering was superficial. He threw a Five-Pronged Seal on top of your Eight Trigrams. But this is something else entirely. The Fourth set it up during his Edo Tensei. We're talking top-level jutsu. If I remove it, there's no net. No fallback. Moonhydra's chakra might overwhelm her or worse."

I clenched my fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms. "I'm not a scared little girl, Jiraiya. I can handle it. Moonhydra's and I grew up together. We've known each other since I was born. You think I can't control my own partner's power?" which was partly true, cause I knew I had her before I got sent here to this world.

He studied me for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "I believe you can try. But that doesn't mean I have to help you do something I think is reckless."

"Reckless? Or do you just like having me on a leash?" I shot back.

"Don't be ridiculous," he snapped, brows furrowing. "I'm trying to keep you from destroying yourself!"

Before I could argue, Naruto stepped between us, hands raised. "Okay, okay, calm down, both of you. Sheesh, you fight like a married couple."

My cheeks burned, but I swallowed back a retort. "Just… keep an eye on him, Naruto," I mumbled, jerking a thumb at Jiraiya. "He's stubborn."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "If you think I'm stubborn, you should meet my old teammates. Anyway, enough talk for now. We need to find Tsunade, remember? She might have insights even I don't."

Naruto shrugged. "Whatever you say, Pervy Sage. You'd better not go running off to chase pretty ladies and forget about this."

"Listen, brat," Jiraiya said, looking truly offended. "I'm a legendary Sannin. I have priorities."

"Right," Naruto deadpanned. "Priorities like peeping on bathhouses."

Jiraiya whirled on him. "No one wants a kid like you scolding them! Men, real men want beautiful mature women! That's research."

I snorted. "Sure, keep telling yourself that." Despite the tension between me and Jiraiya, something about the two of them bickering was too ridiculous not to laugh at. It felt good to lighten up, even if just for a minute.

As we continued down the winding road, I took a deep breath, letting the cool breeze wash over me. Sure, I was still angry that Jiraiya wouldn't remove the seal. But at least I knew why. And maybe Tsunade could meet me halfway, and adjust it so Moonhydra and I could be fully in sync again. Even if Jiraiya disagreed, I was done feeling powerless.

We arrived at a bustling little city around midday, rows of quaint shops, noisy vendors calling out deals, and bright lanterns hanging overhead. I never did catch the town's name, and if Jiraiya mentioned it, I must've missed it. There was so much going on: people weaving through narrow streets, the clatter of carts rumbling by, the aroma of fresh rice and grilled fish wafting from roadside stands.

Naruto inhaled deeply, his eyes lighting up like he'd just discovered paradise. "Yes! Finally, some real food!" he exclaimed, practically drooling at the sight of a ramen stall.

But before he could sprint over, Jiraiya grabbed the back of his jacket. "Hold it, kid. We have to be smart with our money."

Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. "Uh, I have my own wallet, remember?"

Then, right on cue, Naruto pulled out his trusty frog wallet, bulging at the seams from all the coins he'd been hoarding. I felt bad for him but I wasn't going to step in and save him, cause this was important for him to end up learning his spamming skill. He flipped it open with a flourish.

Jiraiya snatched it away so fast, my eyes barely registered the movement. "Yep, I'll handle the finances." I was smart enough not to pull out my own snake wallet.

"PERVY SAGE!" Naruto shrieked. "That's my money!"

"Correction," Jiraiya said, "This is our travel fund. You want to eat tonight, don't you?"

Naruto sputtered. "But— That's my savings from all my missions! Give it back!"

I stood there, trying not to laugh, although the corners of my mouth twitched. "Naruto, he has a point. You blow through cash on only food."

Naruto glared at me. "Don't you start, Ayumi."

Jiraiya jingled the frog wallet. "You can keep… this much." He picked out a few coins and bills and plopped them on Naruto's hand, then tucked the rest of the money into his robe. "Now, that should be enough for you to go have fun today. The rest is for important stuff like finding our target. We need to gather information about Tsunade's whereabouts."

Naruto and I exchanged exasperated looks. "Right," I muttered. 

Despite being annoyed, I had to admit I was a little jealous of how carefree they seemed. But watching Jiraiya and Naruto bicker was like watching a pair of bumbling comedians.

As we made our way deeper into town, people milled around us, and the chatter grew louder. Bright signs advertising hot springs and gambling parlors lined the street. A group of kids ran by, giggling and chasing each other with wooden swords. 

Finally, Jiraiya stopped in front of a bustling intersection. "Alright," he announced, "we'll split up here. I'm going to find us a place to stay and do some, uh, investigating."

"What about me?" I asked.

Jiraiya gave a casual shrug. "You do what you want, kid. Just don't make any trouble, and keep a low profile. No sense in drawing unwanted attention."

Naruto turned to me, his frown relaxing a bit. "Wanna come grab ramen with me? There's a place just around the corner with a giant bowl sign can't miss it!"

 I patted my pouch, feeling the kunai and training scrolls inside. "I'll pass, Naruto," I said, attempting a smile. "I need to blow off some steam. I'm gonna do some training."

He opened his mouth like he was about to argue, but then he closed it, nodding instead. "Alright. Don't push yourself too hard," he said quietly. "And let me know if you find a good spot, I might join you later."

"Sure," I replied, waving him off. "I'll find you guys back at the inn or something. Just don't let that old man blow all your cash."

Naruto's cheeks puffed out. "He already took most of it!"

Jiraiya offered us a parting grin, looking way too happy with Naruto's frog wallet jingling at his belt, before he sauntered off down a side street. Naruto made a disgusted noise in his throat, then headed in the opposite direction, presumably tracking down that ramen joint.

I turned, scanning the rooftops. The buildings here weren't tall, maybe two or three stories max, but they looked sturdy enough to climb. Spotting a row of wooden lattice boxes leading up to a second-floor balcony, I hopped up and made my way to the top of a nearby shop, ignoring the odd stares from a few passersby. Shinobi were a common enough sight, but a white-haired girl leaping onto roofs might still surprise people.

Reaching the top, I gazed out at the city's skyline. The wind ruffled my hair, offering a small respite from the midday heat. Training, huh? I thought. I'm not exactly sure what I need to work on. 

The memory of Edo Tensei Lord Fourth flashed through my mind: that unstoppable speed, the flash of yellow hair…. Focus on right now.

I hopped across a couple more rooftops until I made my way to the outskirts of the city. Dropping down, I glanced around. It was deserted, nobody to bother me, and no one to see me train. Perfect.

"Alright," I muttered. "Time to blow off some steam."

I took a deep breath, gathering chakra at my feet, running through a quick warm-up. A few leaps, a few spins, focusing on controlling my landing silently. Each time I touched the ground, dust kicked up around my sandals.

Next, I drew out a kunai. Target practice. I flung it at the nearest tree, nailing it dead center. That felt good but too easy. So I tossed three at once, quickly weaving a small sign to spin them midair. They thunked into the wood in a tight cluster. Better.

I tried to recall some wind-style techniques I'd learned, forming the familiar hand signs. My chakra buzzed under my skin, a tingling hum. I launched a small gust of wind at a different tree. It was decent, splitting one tree in half.

Frustration knotted in my throat. Jiraiya thinks he's protecting me. But I know what I'm capable of, I've been with Moonhydra my whole life. Shaking my head, I tried the same jutsu again, channeling more chakra. This time, it carved through two trees, sending splinters flying. Not bad… but still not enough.

Despite my anger, the physical exertion helped clear my head. Sure, I was resentful of Jiraiya's decision, but I wasn't helpless. If I had to train twice as hard to overcome this restriction, then that's what I'd do.

Between bouts of practice, I glimpsed the distant spire of a tall building, maybe an inn or a lookout tower. I thought about Naruto, probably stuffing his face with ramen and complaining about how broke he was. Pervy Sage was likely chatting up some barmaid for "information," or maybe blowing Naruto's money at a gambling den. The thought made me roll my eyes, but it also made me… almost smile. They were idiots, but at least they were my idiots.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, stepping back to inspect the destruction I'd left behind. Three trees stood slashed open, their trunks split clean through from my repeated wind-style strikes. A few kunai were still embedded in the bark, some slightly off-center. 

I rolled my shoulders, about to try another set of techniques when something caught my eye, a pair of familiar figures making their way toward me.

Pervy Sage had a giant bag slung over his shoulder, the contents shifting inside as he walked. Naruto trailed behind him, looking as frustrated as ever. "Come on, Pervy Sage, just tell me already!" Naruto huffed, stomping after him.

Jiraiya waved him off. "Patience, kid. You wanna learn the Rasengan or not?"

My ears perked up. Rasengan?

I narrowed my eyes, activating my Sharingan just enough to catch the details without being obvious about it. If Naruto was going to be trained in the Fourth's signature technique, then I'd be damned if I didn't pick up something along the way.

Jiraiya stopped in a small clearing and dropped the bag with a loud thud. Water balloons spilled out onto the grass.

Naruto blinked. "Huh? What's with the balloons?"

Jiraiya smirked. "Your first step in learning the Rasengan."

Naruto frowned. "Uh, pretty sure the Rasengan doesn't use balloons, old man."

"Shows what you know," Jiraiya said, picking up one of the balloons. He held it in his palm, and without even forming a seal, the water inside started swirling violently until the entire balloon burst. The water splashed against his hand, dripping onto the ground.

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Whoa, what the heck?!"

Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Step one: Learn to spin the water inside the balloon, It's all chakra control."

Naruto picked up a balloon, staring at it like it might attack him. "How hard could it be?"

I let out a quiet snort. He's gonna struggle.

Naruto squeezed the balloon, pouring chakra into it. At first, nothing happened. Then it bulged on one side, then the other, but instead of swirling like Jiraiya's had, it just wobbled a little before sagging back into shape.

Naruto scowled. "Ugh, this is stupid. Why doesn't it move right?!"

Jiraiya plucked the balloon from his hands. "You need to focus on moving your chakra in multiple directions at once. Right now, you're trying to push it all in one way. That's not how the Rasengan works."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just keep trying."

I smirked. "He means you're doing it wrong, Naruto."

Naruto shot me a glare. "Well, if you're so smart, why don't you do it?!"

I shrugged, twirling a kunai between my fingers. "I could, but I've got my own training to do."

And I meant that. While I watched them from a distance, my own clones were already hard at work. I had four of them practicing Chidori and Gale Palm. I was already pretty good at both techniques, but I wanted to push them further, and make them sharper, and more refined.

Jiraiya's eyes flicked toward me, and I knew he was catching on. "You're awfully quiet over there, Ayumi."

I arched a brow. "What, I'm not allowed to train too?"

He let out a low chuckle. "You're up to something."

I smirked. "I'm always up to something."

Truth was, I wasn't just refining my techniques. I was watching every movement Jiraiya made. The way he controlled the chakra in his palm, how he manipulated it into that perfect spiraling shape. I didn't need to be formally taught to learn, I could steal it for myself.

Naruto struggled with his balloon, growling in frustration every time it refused to spin correctly. I hid my amusement and turned back to my clones. Alright, focus.

One of them charged forward, Chidori crackling in its palm. The air buzzed with static as it slammed into a tree, leaving a deep gash in the bark. Another clone followed up with Gale Palm, sending a burst of compressed wind to widen the damage.

I dispelled my clones, absorbing their experiences instantly. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes, but I ignored it. The progress was worth it.

From the corner of my vision, I saw Naruto nearly trip over himself as his balloon wobbled violently before popping in his hand. He looked so damn proud of himself, grinning like an idiot. well given all the time we spent together as kids Id hope he was better than his original self and it seemed like he was.

"I did it!" he cheered.

Jiraiya nodded approvingly. "Not bad, kid. But you've got two more steps to go."

Naruto's face fell. "Wait....TWO MORE?!"

I chuckled under my breath and turned back to my own training, letting their banter fade into background noise. My Sharingan had already picked up what I needed. Now it was just a matter of applying it.

I held out my hand, visualizing the Rasengan in my mind's eye. The spiraling, uncontrolled chakra. The raw energy condensed into a single point.

I poured my chakra into my palm.

At first, nothing happened.

Then, slowly, the energy began to swirl...not perfectly, not controlled, but there. I clenched my fist, feeling the way it pulsed. I can do this.

Jiraiya's voice rang out. "Alright, Naruto, keep at it. You've got a long way to go."