A Hero's Tale

Yahiko watched the long mane of white hair bob away from him. He felt a deep sense of sorrow to watch a man he had come to call his father walk away from him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his red-haired companion Nagato, for once in better control of himself than Yahiko. Yahiko looked to his left to see his other friend, downcast, only her vivid blue hair looking toward him. He took a deep breath.

"Sensei!"

Jiraiya stopped, and looked back in puzzlement, as the boy ran up to him. "Sensei, please take us back with you!" exclaimed Yahiko, bowing his head and clasping his hands in front of him. "We have nowhere to go, this land has nothing for us. We'd love to have a fresh start in a new land. Not only that, but.." he hesitated

"You're the only one we have to call Father," finished Nagato in a low voice, walking up to Yahiko and, likewise, bowing his head. Konan joined the boys and simply nodded in agreement.

Jiraiya stared, surprised at the trio's humility, particularly Yahiko, known for being boisterous and proud. Then he smiled. "Trust me, guys, I'd like nothing more than to bring you back with me. But migrating to a foreign land, particularly a military state like Konoha, hoping to join the shinobi forces… There's a very good chance you won't be accepted by the people."

"Then screw the people!" Yahiko shouted, eyes glistening with tears but hard with determination. "Even if they think we're outsiders, we'll MAKE them see us for who we are, and we'll show them all that we're the best there is."

"Mm, yeah, that's right!" Konan, finding her voice, sided with the groups 'leader'. Nagato smiled politely. "I'm sorry Sensei, but you aren't going to be able to get rid of us that easily."

Jiraiya, taken aback, was at a loss for words. Then he smiled. 'This kid,' he thought, 'so young and yet can get people to rally behind him. He'll be something, that's for sure.'

"Alright, kids!" the Sannin announced. "You're officially part of my travel luggage."

The trio's faces broke out into wide grins, "You really mean it Sensei?"

"Yeah, sure. If anyone questions, I'll just say I brought back some priceless souvenirs. After all," he said, ruffling Nagato and Yahiko's hair affectionately, "you three were trained by a Sannin. And not just any, but THE Sannin. No doubt you'll become the best ninja in the whole village." And he meant it. He laughed as the happy cheers rose towards the skies.

"Prepare yourselves. The journey to the village is a long and tiring one. But you'll have to get used to it if you want to be ninja."

"I can handle anything," stated Yahiko, ever eager to prove himself. "Watch!" and he scampered on ahead. Nagato and Konan walked calmly.

Nagato eyed Konan, who was looking around her. "Are you going to miss this land?"

Konan looked down at her hands. She gazed at the origami flower she had made as a goodbye gift for their Sensei, which now she guessed would be more of a thank-you present. "Not really, this land is desolate, there's nothing for me here. But.." She looked up into her friend's red eyes. "This is where we first met. You, me, and Yahiko… where we became friends. And even though this land is a miserable old place, I'll miss the times we had together." Nagato smiled and embraced his foster-sister. "No need to worry, Konan. We'll still be together. And you'll always have me and Yahiko to rely on."

Konan smiled up at him.

A couple of hours later, the traveling party caught up with Yahiko, who in his excitement had overdone it, and now lay panting and spent on the path. "Hehe, you never learn, kid, do you?" chuckled Jiraiya. "You could do with some stamina training, just look at these two… uh…" He looked in exasperation as Nagato and Konan stood doubled over, hands on their knees, panting and completely out of breath. "Sensei… can we stop now…" asked Nagato in a groggy voice. Jiraiya facepalmed. "Really, what am I going to do with you. Want to be the best ninja and you can't even make a small journey without resting every few minutes." He sighed, looking up at the sky. "Oh well, can't be helped. It's getting dark anyway. Yahiko!" He barked. "Move your lazy ass! Help me set up these tents!" Yahiko scrambled to his feet and saluted. "Yes Sensei!"

Nagato lay staring up at the cloth ceiling of his tent, hands behind his head. He could hear the fire crackling and the crickets chirping. He tried to sleep, but his heart and mind were racing with nervousness and excitement. Konoha? What would their Sensei's home country be like, he wondered. Were the people nice? How was the food? How were the ninja? He hoped they wouldn't get into troubled. He frowned as immediately after that thought, a certain orange-haired rascal popped into his head. So much for that thought.

He was startled by a "Psst!" and looked around to see said orange-haired rascal climbing into his tent. "Yo Nagato, you up?" Yahiko whispered, noisily clambering down to sit next to Nagato's sleeping bag. "Sssh! You'll wake Sensei and Konan!" hissed Nagato.

"Simmer down, willya? I just wanted to chat."

Nagato looked back at his friend sternly. "Now is not the time."

"You were thinking about Konoha weren't you?" said Yahiko abruptly, surprising the stern expression off Nagato's face. His friend certainly knew him well. He sighed and lay back onto his pillow. "Yeah.. what do you think it'll be like?"

"I imagine it to be this big place full of powerful Shinobi, full of great restaurants, hotspots and beautiful women." He sighed, snorting slightly, a perverted look crossing his face. "Ah the city life! I bet Sensei could introduce me to a lot of hot women. After all, he's iraiya of the Sannin! I bet the chicks just fawn over him!"

"Yahiko.." Nagato cautioned, but there was no stopping the exuberant Yahiko's train of thought.

"Oh yeah, its gonna be awesome! I wonder what it'd be like to have a girlfriend! I could do all sorts of stuff with her… first kiss, first love, first.. other things.." Yahiko was almost cackling, a small hint of blood just visible under his nose, unaware of the monster creeping up to him.

"Yahiko!" warned Nagato more urgently.

"Yeah, I'll be a heartbreaker! You just watch, the ladies will be dying for a piece of me. "Oh Yahiko-san"" he began to mimic a high-pitched girly voice, a supposedly rosy-cheeked and smitten feminine look on his face." Please notice me Yahiko-san! Please come to me! Please let me service your…"

A vein popped.

*SMASH* and Yahiko lay on the ground, seeing stars dance around his head. Above him stood blue-haired Konan, cracking her knuckles. "Say another word, I dare you!" A demonic look in her eyes. Nagato, laughed nervously. Well, I did warn him.

After several minutes of profuse apology by a kneeling Yahiko, finally Konan was satisfied and forgave him. She looked at Nagato. "What do YOU think Konoha is like?"

"I don't know… I hope it nice."

"It's gotta be better than that dump, Amegakure. And hey! It doesn't matter where we are, we'll be together. And we'll have Sensei with us." The two orphans looked up at their ringleader, whose eyes were shining bright, fist clenched, looking up toward the heavens. "We'll train, become strong, and one day we'll return and free our homeland from that bastard Hanzou.. and we'll make a place worth living. You, me, Konan.. We'll own this place." He looked at them with fervour. "I'll protect you with my life, because we share the dream. Will you help me?"

Both gazed at him with a mixture or derision and admiration. Nagato looked at his two friends, the only family he had. No matter what, I will stick by these two.

Yahiko stuck his fist out. Nagato placed his beside it. Konan, hesitantly, followed suit. "We will be Shinobi. We will be heroes."