8 Mars meets the Legendary Toad Sage
Chapter 8
"So, what's your name" Mars says after introducing himself. The man smiles as he begins to do some kind of dance while saying "Glad you asked, I'm the Legendary Toad Sage Jiraiya." as he finishes with his arms out shaking posing. Mars smile at the man's antics but then frowns when he is reminded of Rais antics. "And why are you here?" Mars asks while looking at Jiraiya. "Well I heard about some kind of massacre and came to investigate. It seems to be true." Jiraiya says, a bit disappointed at the boy's dull reaction to his introduction. "You have family from another town, I can take you to them." Jiraiya says looking down at the Mars. "All my family were here, so unless they got away, I can only assume they are dead." Mars says as he starts to tear up. Jiraiya watches Mars and then looks around him and sighs, feeling for the boy's life. "Well, you got somewhere to go for the night?" Jiraiya ask looking down at the boy. "Ah, what's with all the questions old man, sheesh." Mars says as he starts to get annoyed from all the questions. Jiraiya gets a tick mark on his head as he says "I'm not old, my hair is naturally white ok." to which Mars replies "Sure old man." and then begins to walk out of the village heading for the previous town he was at.
"Tch" Jiraiya clicks his tongue and walks a couple of feet behind Mars, seeming to be following him. "Why are you following me." Mars stops and ask as he turns around. "I'm not, mi heading in this direction as well ill have you know, for my novel research." Jiraiya replies as he takes out his notebook poiting at the pages fool of scribbles. "Sure whatever, calling chicken scratch notes my foot." Mars mumble as he walks on. After 9 hours of walking nightfall comes as Mars starts a fire by the road side. Jiraiya watches the boy and notices he doesn't have any accommodations and is going to sleep on the ground. "A kid, you can sleep in my tent" Jiraiya says trying to help the kid out. Mars turns to Jiraiya with a weird eye and says "You're a pedo?" as he slowly back away from him. "NO IM NOT I LOVE WOMEN, its common courtesy to help kids out in need, I don't need a tent for I'm the Legendary Toad Sage." Jiraiya replies angrily as he does his little dance. Mars sighs and ignores Jiraiya as he sits next to the fire leaning his back on a tree.
Jiraiya watches Mars stare at the fire for a while then sighs as he sits on the opposite side as he takes out a book and tosses it to Mars. "There proof that I'm a novelist, brat. Behold my greatness." Jiraya says tossing his first book at Mars. Mars catches it confused and reads the title "the Gutsy Shinobi". Mars sighs as he looks at the fire than opens the book, knowing he couldn't go to sleep with everything that was on his mind. After an hour of silence Mars closes the book and looks at Jiraiya across from him, laying in the grass snoring. "Not too bad old man." Mars says as he places the book on his side in the grass then lays down. He reminisces about is young days and then sees the picture of the burned down town in his head. It keeps going back in forth till he drifts off to sleep.
Mars wakes up first thing in the morning, around 6:30 and gets up to train. He looks over to see Jiraiya still sleeping and shakes his head as he begins to do his stretches. He then trains in each style for half an hour then takes a break. He comes back to the fire to see Jiraiya cooking two fish on sticks, near the fire. "Ah kid, got us lunch, Here this one yours." Jiraiya says as he hands Mars a stick. Mars stains a smile while nodding at Jiraiya before taking the stick and eating the fish. Afterwards they set off to the town. On their way they find the horse Mars was riding grazing on the grass near the road. Mars quickly runs to it and grabs its lead and then pulls it to the road. "Why you grabbing the horse, you going to leave me already. Ah, that so hurtful." Jiraiya says as he begins to fake cry. "I kind stole the horse from a guy, I was going to return it back in the village for your information." Mars replies as he leads the horse down the path.
Jiraiya quickly follows before he's left behind. At noon they finally reach the town and are rushed by a guy screaming while pointing at Mars "Damn brat, how dare you steal my horse, why I aughta have you...." as he gets close. Jiraiya gets ready to defend Mars but is surprised when Mars just puts the lead on the man's hand then walks past him, ignoring his tirade. The man gets angry at being ignored and rushes at Mars planning to punch him in the back of the head. Mars feels the man's intent and dodges the fist while grabbing the man's arm and tossing him over his shoulder onto the ground. Mars then looks at the man and sneers as he walks by, the crowd that was forming splits as he walks through them. Jiraiya snickers at the man on the ground as he runs through the crowd to follow Mars.
"You know old man, I can take care of myself, you can stop following me you know.�� Mars says as he keeps on walking. "I can tell, I'm just wondering what you have planned, just want to make sure you'll be alight." Jiraiya says as he follows Mars. Mars stops and looks to Jiraiya and says "Ok fine, I plan to head to the leaf village, one of my teacher's friends live there, he said they would take me in, there satisfied." as he looks at Jiraiya in annoyance, as he had no time to truly grieve with this old man around. "Ah, the leaf village huh, well I'm heading there too, let's go together what do you say huh." Jiraiya says with a smile. "I haven't known you long, but I'm sure you'd follow me even if I said no, ahhhhh fine." Mars say as he gives up on losing Jiraiya as he walks into the inn he was checked into and heads to the counter to ask for his stuff. He is given his bag, tent, bow, wallet, and quiver. Mars nods at the innkeeper and walks out while putting his backpack on, as well as the quiver and bow. He then slips his wallet into his pocket as he walks out of the inn. He then looks at the sky turning dark and then looks back into the inn and sighs 'Ah, I should've just asked for another night, ahh can't go back its embarrassing.' Mars think to himself as he walks onto the street and heads for a nearby diner.
"Kid, if you're looking for a diner, I know just the place." Jiraiya says while holing up an okay sign with his hands as he takes the lead. Mars follows him, seeing he knew the town best. After eating at a diner, and paying for it, Mars makes his way out of town a way then sets up his tent. He looks next to him and sees Jiraiya doing the same. 'Well, a least I won't be lonely.' Mars thinks with a smile as he finishes setting his tent and heads inside, and struggles to fall asleep for a time, seeing the burned down village in his mind, before shaking his head telling himself 'i will find them one day, the people who destroyed my family, but first I must live to that day. So, for that to happen, I have to get stronger, a lot stronger.' as he drifts off to sleep with a smile.
A month later, Mars and Jiraiya are walking side by side each reading a book. Mars is reading a book he got from the previous town about the history of the shinobi nations, tho there were no real details, it was good to know. And by him is the giggling Jiraiya as he reads his notes that he got from his research at the last towns hot spring. "Should've known he was a pervert." Mars mumbles to himself. "Ay, I'm not a pervert. I'm a mega pervert." Jiraiya exclaims proudly. Mars sighs and face palms while shaking his head. Mars and Jiraiya then stop at the same time and look ahead both looking serious as a group of five men with swords come from the bushes on the sides of the street.
"Ay give us your things and we will maybe let you go unharmed." the leader of the group steps forwards and says while pointing his sword at Jiraiya and Mars. Mars just stares at the man for a while with a dead pan face, while Jiraiya picks his nose and flicks it towards the man acting like it isn't his problem. The leader gets angry as neither the old man or the kid seemed scared of him as he huffs then runs forwards and makes a downward swing at Mars. Mars side steps the blade then chops the man's wrist making him drop the blade and then grabs his wrist and turn the man around, holding the wrist behind the man's back making him immobile. "Well aren't you guys unlucky, you hit quite the jackpot of unluck today, of all people you try to rob us, ah I feel for you I really do." Mars says as he kicks the man's knee making him kneel. He then places his foot on the arm at the mand back and pushes him to the ground while standing on his arm.
"Shoo stop bothering us, since he attacked us, he has to pay for his crimes." Mars says waving the other 4 off. They all look at each other and nod then they brandish their sword and charge at Mars. "Great, more clowns." Mars mumbles as he jumps off the leader then rushes the four men. He passes by them all seemingly dodging through them as he stops on the other side of the last man. "Not bad."Jiraiya mumbles nodding his approval as Mars sheathes his blade he mumbles "Sharp Style, Quickdraw" as he turns to watch the 4 men's clothes turn to strips leaving only their underwear. They all drop their sword and run off while trying to cover themselves. "So, seeing as you delayed us this call for PUNISHMENT." mars says as he sways over to the leader of the group who was on the ground shaking. Mars then puts his hand out to Jiraiya and says "rope." to which Jiraiya takes a rope out of his backpack and tosses it to Mars. Mars then ties up the man's ankles with one side of the rope and then tosses the other side over a nearby branch of a tree. He then hangs the man upside down about 4 feet from the ground, Mars then grabs a nearby sword and stabs it into the ground making it just out of reach for the man then nods at his accomplishment. His face then brightens as an idea pops in his head as he begins to spin the man around a bit then tosses him one good time watch the man twirl and swing while screaming profanities.
Mars wipes off nonexistent sweat as he says to himself "All in days' work." as he walks back to the road where Jiraiya was laughing his head off. After waiting for Jiraiya to finish laughing they both head off down the road heading towards the village hidden in the leaves.
