Inside the dimly lit bedroom, Jiraiya tossed and turned, unable to find sleep.
He glanced at Tsunade beside him. She was sleeping soundly, but her usual restless sleep habits were amplified since she was a kid.
Her leg was draped heavily across his chest, her arms tightly clutching a pillow, and her thumb nestled between her lips, a childhood habit she had never quite relinquished.
A fond smile touched Jiraiya's lips.
"Tsunade always did know how to sleep when she was young,"
He mused, his voice barely above a whisper. His thoughts drifted to his stay in Konoha and the tasks that awaited him.
His life had always been a nomadic one, a perpetual journey from one place to another, gathering intelligence as a master spy.
But now, his carefully cultivated network of informants was gone, wiped away by his regression. He would need to rebuild it from the ground up.
A flicker of optimism sparked within him. This time, the task might be easier.
He knew where to find the people he could trust, the individuals who would be willing to work with him. But a sobering realization tempered his enthusiasm.
"I can't do it until I'm older,"
He thought.
"They won't work for a kid."
He considered using transformation ninjutsu to disguise himself as an adult, but he knew it wouldn't fool his potential recruits for long.
They were too perceptive, too experienced to be deceived by a suspicious child from a prominent clan.
'In fact,' he realized, 'my clan affiliation might be a hindrance. They resent ninjas from the big clans, the ones who have oppressed them for so long.'
Jiraiya sighed, things might not be as smooth as he wanted it to.
The following morning, Tsunade woke up late as usual, and when she did, Jiraiya was nowhere to be found.
Panic surged through her as she frantically searched the compound, fearing that the previous day's events had been nothing more than a vivid dream.
The thought of her first true friend being merely a figment of her imagination was too painful to bear.
"Hey, Tsunade. Why are you running around like a headless Chicken?"
Jiraiya's voice called out, startling her.
He had just emerged from the training ground, his morning workout already completed.
It had become a daily ritual for him, a way to start his day.
Relief washed over Tsunade at the sight of him, but pride prevented her from admitting that she had been searching for him, fearing that he had vanished.
"I-I'm just doing my morning exercise,"
She stammered, trying to maintain her composure.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. He knew her better than anyone.
Tsunade had always been lazy as a child, and there was no reason for her to suddenly start doing morning exercise unless her grandparents had forced her to.
They doted on her, after all, as she was their grandchild and had come along quite late in their lives.
"Morning exercise, huh?"
He chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Since when did you become so enthusiastic about fitness?"
Tsunade's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She forgot that he just knew her for a day and shouldn't have known her habit.
"Since... since now,"
She retorted, crossing her arms defensively.
"Can't a person change?"
Jiraiya's smile softened.
"Of course they can,"
He replied gently.
"I'm just surprised, that's all."
He paused, then added,
"It's good to see you taking care of yourself, though."
Tsunade's heart skipped a beat. Why was he suddenly talking like that? It was like she had done something bad to herself before.
Jiraiya changed the subject and with enthusiasm, pulled Tsunade towards the dining room.
"Let's go and get our breakfast. I am so hungry after my training. My mother is the one who cooks the food this time. I tell you my mother's cooking is legendary,"
He boasted, his voice laced with warmth.
"You'll see, there's nothing quite like it."
Tsunade, despite the lingering unease from her disturbing dream, allowed herself to be led by Jiraiya.
His touch was familiar, comforting, a stark contrast to the chilling premonition that had haunted her sleep.
The dream had been vivid, a chilling tableau of Jiraiya's demise. They had been engaged in a frivolous bet, a wager on his very life, fueled by her notorious lack of luck at gambling.
In the dream, her ill-fated bet had been tragically accurate, and Jiraiya had met a gruesome end.
The memory of his death, the unbearable weight of guilt and self-recrimination that followed, still clung to her, a chilling reminder of the fragility of life.
"Jiraiya,"
She began, her voice barely above a whisper,
"Promise me something."
He looked at her, his usual carefree expression replaced by a flicker of concern.
"What is it?"
"In the future,"
She continued, her voice thick with unshed tears,
"Don't ever let me bet on your life."
Jiraiya was taken aback by her unusual request.
"What do you mean by that?"
Tsunade hesitated, struggling to articulate the haunting vision that had plagued her.
"It's nothing,"
She lied, but the tears that welled up in her eyes betrayed her.
Jiraiya, ever perceptive, gently wiped away her tears.
"I won't die, I promise you,"
He reassured her, his voice gentle and firm.
"So you don't have to worry."
His promise brought a flicker of warmth to her heart. She would not forgive him if he lied to her. She would wake him up from death and kill him herself.
...
Craze: 2/2 for those who could not wait or give me review and powerstone. Go to my page www.p@treon.com/phelio. There you will be able to read five to six chapter a day.