Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 17 Gone

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On the outskirts of town, a lonely man stood in front of the Memorial Stone. He had been there for hours and as usual he had lost track of time.
Kakashi sighed. “I’m a Jounin now,” he spoke, “I teach and tutor. But things haven’t really changed. I have so many regrets… even with this eye… I still don’t know what the future holds.” He closed his eyes. “I wonder what you’d say to me now… if you could… hm? Obito?” “Don’t blame yourself Kakashi.”
Kakashi looked over his shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”
Taryn walked up to him. “Probably,” she answered him, “but since when do I listen to advise anyway?” She gave him a sad smile. “It’s not your fault.”
“I should have intervened sooner. Sasuke’s been on edge ever since the Chuunin Exams.” Taryn shook her head. “No. He’s been on edge ever since Itachi killed his family. There was nothing you could have done. He would have left either way. Orochimaru only sped things up. I told you this.”
“He was still my student. He was my responsibility.”
“In the end we are all responsible for our own actions,” Taryn said. She placed a hand on is arm. “No one died today.”
“Still… someone was lost.”
“There is still time,” Taryn told him, “Orochimaru can’t use him as a vessel yet.”
Kakashi looked at her. “What do you mean?”
Taryn sighed. “It takes three years before his soul can be transferred again and he recently changed hosts.” She looked away. The thought of Orochimaru using her father’s body as a vessel made her sick.
“Are you sure?”
Taryn nodded.

“How do you know that?” Naruto asked Jiraya. 
"I have a reliable source,” Jiraya told him, “the art of immortality demands a buffer of at least three years… before he can retransfer. He already transferred himself to a new body, so that gives us three years before he takes Sasuke. We have time.”
“For real?” Naruto asked hopeful.
“Yeah,” Jiraya answered, “but listen. Forget about Sasuke.”
Naruto stared at him in shock. “What?”
Jiraya turned to the window. His voice was sad when he spoke. “Sasuke went to Orochimaru willingly. It doesn’t matter what you do for him. He will not change. I know this. I’ve seen shinobi come and go. Forget bringing him back. It’s the tragic path of self-righteous fools.”
“He may be nothing to you,” Naruto growled, “but Sasuke is my friend.”
“You call him a friend?!” Jiraya barked, “look at what he’s done to you!”
Naruto dropped his gaze and Jiraya sighed. Orochimaru had been his friend once and he hadn’t been able to stop him. He still felt regret over that and he didn’t want the same thing happening to Naruto. “If you’re determined to chase after Sasuke then forget training,” he said, “I’ll stick the ANBU on you and you’ll be forbidden to set foot outside of Konoha.” Naruto gasped. “You’re no ordinary kid, Naruto,” Jiraya continued, “you have the ninetails inside of you. This is serious business. If you disregard my words… if you’re determined to do what you please… I have no choice. Someday you will face an enemy even greater than Orochimaru. You must forget Sasuke. Understood? He was destined to leave sooner or later. Don’t blame yourself. You must forget him. To be a shinobi you need more than strength and jutsu. You must learn to weigh your options and make the right decisions. If you want to live as a shinobi, you must be smarter. This world… is no place for a fool.”
“I understand,” Naruto said, “if being smart means what you say… I’ll remain a fool all my life.” Jiraya stared at him stunned. “Even if I have to do it alone,” Naruto continued, “I’m gonna spin some incredible jutsu and I’m gonna rescue Sasuke. No matter what! And, and… I’m gonna smack down Akatsuki.”
Jiraya’s eyes saddened for a moment. Then he climbed on the windowsill. “If you try this on your own, “ he said, “you will return with nothing. If you return at all.” He jumped outside and landed on the head of his toad. “But you are a certain kind of fool that is true. And a fool as great as you may be able to handle this. When you’re discharged from the hospital… be ready foolish one.”
“Okay!” Naruto saluted.