Chapter 36

Later that night we all arrived at our hotel. None of us had drunk anything alcoholic, the fact that we are still in a different village has not been forgotten. It was late and all six of us wanted to go to bed, especially Jiraiya.

However, Tsunade hasn't forgotten what I have told her after my fight against Jiraiya and was knocking on the door of my room with Orochimaru standing next to her. "You said we had to talk?" She asked, her tone was the most insecure I have ever heard from her.

"Yes, please come in," I said and waved both inside. Ariha and Sakumo were almost ready for bed and looked at me with questioning eyes.

"Guys, could you give us a few minutes? I have to tell them something," I said to the two of them. They somewhat already know about what I want to speak with Orochimaru and Tsunade, which is why they grabbed a deck of cards and walked into the group room for our teams.

Only Tsunade's and my team were left in Kiri, the rest will depart tomorrow. No Genin from the other teams has proceeded to the next round and as such wasn't allowed to stay. Jiraiya was also only allowed to stay because some of his teammates were in the finals.

Tsunade sat down on my bed while Orochimaru decided to take a chair. I too sat down on a chair.

"What did you want to speak with us about that needed for us to be alone Kenshiro-san?" Started Orochimaru. Tsunade was worriedly biting her lower lip.

"You two need to step back on the bullying of Jiraiya," I said bluntly. Orochimaru was looking at me without any expression, but Tsunade was openly gaping at me. I think both, irrespective of their expressions, were not understanding why I had said that.

"Why? He's an idiot," questioned Tsunade and I really got the expression that she was truly believing her own words.

"Does that have to do with your strange friendliness towards him during your fight? You've allowed him quite some leeway. Some you would never have allowed during the training we have done together," inquired Orochimaru.

For the very first time, I was truly disappointed in Tsunade for not seeing it. It was as if everything related to Jiraiya was under a mental block that would prevent her from thinking. "You don't get it, do you? Jiraiya needed it. Tsu-chan, he is craving praise, your and Orochimaru's constant insults, the beat downs, the nagging. All of this is unfair to him," I tried again.

"Yeah, sure, but he deserves it with his constant perverse jokes, behaviour and thinking. Do you know how often he tries to touch my ass during sparring?" Defended Tsunade herself. For a brief moment, I contemplated not helping Jiraiya, for that alone. But then I would do the same as these two. I also realized that I hadn't made myself clear enough.

I tried to explain again, hopefully, to guide them towards what I meant. "I don't mean that. You can beat him down for that, no problem on my side. What I mean is telling him that he is an idiot. That he is stupid and can't do anything. Have you two seen him fighting today?"

"He showed more skill than what I would have believed for him to be possible," agreed Orochimaru. Seems that he still did not get it. Which shouldn't have been so surprising for me, Orochimaru is even more of a social cripple than I.

From her expression, I could see that Tsunade was agreeing with Orochimaru, but also not understanding what I was saying. Her sight was blinded by Jiraiya's perverseness, rather than by her social skills.

This maieutic teaching method can be quite bothersome. I would be more direct if it weren't so effective. "Okay, let me ask you something. What would have happened if you four were in a fight against Ninja from a different Village? Let's say a group of one Jonin and three Chunin. The Chunin are all relatively strong and have already made a name for themselves.

Now you four get split up. Naturally, your Sensei will fight the Jonin and you three will most likely each take on one of the remaining Chunin. You all don't know how strong the Chunin are exactly, but you do know that they can or should be stronger than you.

What will happen?"

"Of course we fight them with all we have and then help one of the others," answered Tsunade instantly.

I applauded her, to which she smiled. "Right answer, if it were you. What would Jiraiya do?" I asked. Her smile dropped and she began to think. Orochimaru was also thinking, he had agreed with Tsunade's answer.

"He would probably fuck something up and we would have to save him, or Sensei would," she then said after a long pause.

Orochimaru nodded along. Seems as if that already did happen, but they still did not get what I wanted to say. "Sigh, maybe. But whose fault is that?"

"Well, his, for being stupid and fucking up," she answered again as if it was obvious.

"No, it is your fault." Both looked shocked, not understanding why Jiraiya's mistake was their fault. Okay, Tsunade looked shocked, Orochimaru has raised an eyebrow. Tsunade was about to protest, but I cut her off before she could start. "Damn, Tsu-chan, have you seen him when he saw that he had to fight me? He was devastated, scared and not able to think clearly.

I had to bribe him to even give him the will to fight. You two have conditioned Jiraiya to always doubt himself. I could almost see his thoughts.

He knew that I am stronger, so why bothering? 'I'm an idiot anyway, why should I try something futile?' This self-doubt is deadly. You can't doubt yourself in a fight to the death. Every single attack will become weaker.

For me, it is a wonder that he is still trying to become stronger. Most would have given up by now."

"But he is weak, he is the weakest of us," protested Tsunade again. This time I showed how disappointed I was in her.

She visibly recoiled and looked extremely sad. I almost apologized, but then stopped myself. If they don't change that behaviour it might kill them later. I can't expect them to have a main character plot armour, this is the real world and I have already changed too much.

"Yes, he is the weakest of us six. But that is understandable. Tell me, what is Orochimaru? I mean how is he seen by the teachers in the academy?"

"A genius, not as good as you, but still one of the best?" Her answer was instant. Orochimaru did not visibly react to her praise, but I think he was pleased.

"Good, now what are we? Senju Tsunade, Senju Kenshiro, Uchiha Ariha and Sakumo Hatake?" I hope they get it soon, how blind can these two be? Is Jiraiya truly such a loudmouth that they can not see the main difference between him and us?

"You are clan kids," said Orochimaru, he was starting to look as if he understood. "And Jiraiya, he is not. He is an orphan, always was." Finally, at least Orochimaru understood.

Tsunade was also almost there, but she was still linking Orochimaru with Jiraiya. For her, both are clanless orphans. "Tsu-chan, Orochimaru had his parents for the first few years. They have shown him how to train, how to have a regular schedule. They raised him as it is normal." Orochimaru did not like me mentioning his parents, but it was needed.

"Jiraiya did not. He was living in an orphanage, overcrowded from the First Shinobi War and with too little personal to help every child. He had to teach himself, no clan to help him understand his schoolwork, no mother to tell him to stand up in the morning, no father that would praise him for things he has done well.

He has had to teach all of his first skills himself. Only recently was it that he became better in his behaviour. And I strongly suspect it has something to do with his summons. There must be one or two of them that are now acting like parents." Tsunade was silently mumbling Ma and Pa.

"It is no wonder that he is as he is. He probably tried very hard in the beginning but was overshadowed by the clan kids. Understandably so, only a real genius can keep up with a clan kid. At least in the academy. He couldn't keep up with them in the academy and so he switched to jokes and pranks. They too gave him the craved attention.

The problem was, no one told him that this is the wrong kind of attention. He has no family to tell him that it was wrong to do." Tsunade was now fully understanding what I was trying to tell them. She looked apologetic, maybe even remembering the time's Mom and Dad have praised us for our training results. Still, I had to drive it home that they need to change.

"And now he becomes Genin. He has shown that he was still better than many other civilians and orphans, even some clan kids. The test was not hard for us, but it is for those who only have the Academy for help.

And what happens? He gets put into a team with a genius and the Senju-princess. Two children his age, yet better in everything he does. Of course, they will also get all the attention, which is why he goes back to the only way for him to knowingly also gain some of it. By behaving goofy, perverted and by doing pranks.

And instead of telling him what he should do you beat him down, mock him and show him at every opportunity how weak he is compared to you.

Were I in his shoes I would have given up long ago. I honestly admire his unyielding will to show the world that he too can be strong. Seriously, I have nothing but respect for him for that."

Now even Orochimaru had the decency to look embarrassed. "Okay, you now know why he acts as he acts and I already skirted around the results. You two should also be knowledgeable enough to know that Chakra is somewhat intent-based. The more we want something the easier it is for us to force our Chakra into moving as we want.

This, however, is a double-edged sword. While it works good in times of anger, desperation and such, it also has the same effect when you doubt yourself. Chakra will be slower to mould, weaker, simply not as good as it could be.

I think I have demonstrated it in today's match. Jiraiya wanted to win so that I would teach him a Jutsu. It made his Chakra channelling faster, his thinking quicker and his overall performance better."

"Something that doesn't happen often because we keep his self-worth down." Finally, Tsunade understood. But now she understood fully, she has realized what she has unknowingly done to her teammate.

"I don't want you to ignore his perverseness. Beat him down for it all you want. However, it might help if you explain to him why you are beating him up. Not shout it at him, but sit down with him and explain. Maybe he isn't seeing how it makes you feel when he says his stuff.

Again, how should he? He had no mother that told him how to behave in the presence of a woman. And let me remind you, the orphanage he was living in was close to the red light district. He must have often seen drunkards and hookers behaving exactly like that."

The more I was speaking about it, the more sense his behaviour was making. And how he saw himself in Naruto. Jiraiya is basically Naruto, with the exception of not having a Bijuu inside himself and not having the whole village hating him.

"And you think he will change if we were to behave differently?" Orochimaru was clearly doubting my words. He saw the reason, but not how his doing could change Jiraiya.

"Not instantly. And also not when you aren't telling him what he was doing wrong and what you two want of him. Again, you have to sit down with him and tell him without shouting, hitting or insulting him. Jiraiya is not stupid, he will understand that something is wrong, if you two would do that. However, you have to explain it to him in a completely different way than you usually do. It forces him to see that something is wrong."

Surprisingly, Orochimaru was the first to agree. "I understand... I will try to better myself and give him a chance."

Tsunade followed, right after seeing my waiting expression. "Yeah, we can, I don't know. Speak tomorrow with him, he won't be able to move much anyway. The Chakra exhaustion won't be fully gone."

I smiled at her, which she returned. "I don't want you to force yourself. Give him an honest chance and some time to change. But this is something that needs more than his own input, you two have to help as well.

Tell him calmly what he is doing wrong. Give him at least a month to change. And don't use the month we now have for training, start once we are back in Konoha. You two will be too preoccupied with your training to also act this differently towards Jiraiya.

Maybe tell him what you have learned today, it would help if you were to apologize to him. Then tell him what you two expect of him. Allow him to think over your words and his own behaviour.

If he's clever, which I hope he is, he will use the month to reflect on himself. Maybe tell him to ask Sarutobi or me if he has questions. I don't mind helping him clearing some stuff up.

Then, once we are back in Konoha, you can sit down again and remind him about it. I think, with a willingness on both sides, his behaviour will change."

Both nodded, at least silently promising to try. "Good, that's what I wanted to say. Is there something you want to ask?"

Neither of them said anything. And both understood that it was also kinda the end of this conversation, so they stood up to leave. "Tsu-chan, could you please stay a moment longer?" I requested before she could leave.

Orochimaru said nothing and left, while I stood up and sat down next to my sister. I gave her a one-armed hug. "What I have said today does not change how I think of you, you know that, do you?"

I knew that my words and how I acted towards her today could be seen as me being disappointed in her. But that wasn't the case fully the case. It annoyed me that she couldn't understand what she was doing, but her behaviour itself wasn't troubling me. For all I care she can bully people as much as she wants. However, that changes when her bullying can harm her at a later time.

"Hmm." It wasn't formulated in words, but I could hear how relieved she was. I know that it is important for Tsunade to know how I feel about her and it would sadden her were I to think bad of her.

"Good, you are my little sister, I don't care about Jiraiya as much as I do about you, by far. All I hope is for you to try because I don't want you to die because he was insecure. If he does not change we will just have to do something else." I kissed the crown of her head and hugged her a bit stronger, before pulling her up from my bed.

At the door she gave me one strong hug and then left, I closed the door behind her. "And, spied enough?" I then asked the air.

For a moment nothing happened, but then the air in a corner shimmered and Sarutobi came out from under a camouflage Jutsu. "How have you known I was present?" He asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"You may have missed the bullying of Jiraiya, but you did not miss my words at today's exam. I knew that you would want to know what I wanted to speak with Orochimaru and Tsu-chan about. And my room has the same anti-spying seals as the living room. Which means that you need to be present when I speak to your Genin.

I could have been wrong, but then I would only have asked the air in an empty room," I explained. Left unsaid was that I then would be extremely disappointed in him and that I also felt him with my sensor abilities. The first he understood by reading in between the lines, the second he did not need to know.

He chuckled awkwardly, maybe because he has easily been seen through by a Genin. "Hehe, well, yes. Listen Kenshiro-san, I want to thank you for what you have done today. Not only what you've told Orochimaru-kun and Tsunade-chan, but also for helping Jiraiya-kun during the fight."

"No problem, it concerned Tsu-chan's safety, of course, I would help." I waved his thanks off but noted how he was addressing me with -san, instead of -kun. I must have impressed him.

"I promise I will take more care from now on," he said and then reactivated his Jutsu, before leaving the room. Ariha and Sakumo came back a moment later.

"And?" Asked Ariha-chan once the door was closed again.

"It is hard to be a good older brother," I complained and threw myself on my bed. Both chuckled at my expense.

Now I only have to worry about a tournament against the best Genin of the world with a Jinchuriki taking part in it as well. Hooray! Maybe I can influence her? Jinchuriki are notorious for being starved of attention, but also for being hated or bullied. It will need time, however, a Jinchuriki that is my friend can only be good.

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Sarutobi Hiruzen's POV;

"And?" Asked Kagami the moment I stepped into our shared room. We could have a room for ourselves, but we weren't so stupid as to do so inside a village that was not friendly to us.

"Your Genin is scary," I answered and filled myself a glass of sake. I need that now.

"Yeah, he can do that to you," chuckled Kagami while watching me falling down into an armchair.

I took a sip from my drink and sighed. "How could I have not seen all this? It was so obvious." I am embarrassed that I needed a Genin to tell me about the many mistakes I have done with my team.

"Sometimes we don't want to see the most obvious," he preached. I'd really like to throw my glass at him now, but then I would no longer have my drink.

"How come you never speak about troubles with your Genin? I always speak about those of mine," I lamented and took another sip.

"Because there are none, my Genin are perfect. You've seen it yourself, all three of mine are in the finals, you only have two," laughed Kagami. That bastard doesn't know how good he has it with a Genin like Kenshiro. The kid was planning ahead for a lot of things, almost on the level of a new Jonin.

"Come on, that can't be true. At least Hatake and your niece should make trouble sometimes. There should at least be some jealousy. You can't tell me that the daughter of the clan head from the Uchiha is not jealous of the Senju heir." Senju and Uchiha are like oil and water, they don't get along, even now.

Kagami crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling before replying. "Hmm, not really. It's true that I had to sit down with Ariha-chan at the start and explain to her that she shouldn't focus too much on the differences between Kenshiro-kun and her.

That was a few weeks after the graduation, but since their first C-Rank, she has stopped thinking like that. And Sakumo-kun is really laid back, he has no problem with someone being stronger than him if its an ally. He can be competitive if it comes to swordsmanship, but Kenshiro is not much of a sword fighter. He likes to use other weapons."

"What kind of weapon does Kenshiro-san even use? He only used a Kunai in his fight against Jiraiya-kun." It shows the difference between his Genin and mine. Jiraiya-kun used everything in his arsenal and still wasn't able to even scratch him. I know that Jiraiya-kun is not the strongest of our six Genin, but he is not weak for a Genin.

"Hmm? Weapons? He uses this and that," answered Kagami slyly. "Tsk." Could have worked. Orochimaru-kun will have to find out himself.

Kagami laughed loudly, having seen right through my weak ploy. "Anyway, what do you think about the competition?"

"Not much of one is there? Other than the Kaguya they are all weaker than our Genin. I'm sure that they won't have trouble. More importantly, do you want to bet on whom will win, Tsunade-chan or Ariha-chan?"

After being found out by our Genin I wasn't much in the mood of betting. Especially, when it was a fight between each other. "Nah, I'll pass. The better one will win, as long as they give a good show of their skills and don't do something stupid I am fine."

Kagami grunted and then turned around to sleep. I'm going to have the first shift, he'll take the second. I hate it when we are forced to stay inside other villages.