Naruto and Hinata: Stories After "The Last"! (Bi-weekly Updates)

Back to the Past: Part Four

Jiraiya instructed Naruto to sit upon a boulder, cross-legged and meditating quietly – though, as always, he was becoming a bit impatient, as he'd already been sitting there for what seemed like forever. His face scrunched indecently, and his eyelid fluttered as if it threatened to open for a peek as to what exactly his master was doing, or getting at in the end.

"And what does this," Naruto began finally breaking the silence, his voice raspy and nearly foreign to his own ears, "have to do with anything again?" he had to admit, though impatient, his body felt relaxed like jelly – almost as if his form would crush his legs beneath him if he stood from his position.

"It's tip number one, kid. 'Get in touch with your masculine side'." Jiraiya assured, once again sounding as though he were quoting it verbatim from one of his books, which he probably was. His eyebrows wriggled in satisfaction of himself, as if he were as right as the opposite of left. It was as if he was expecting mannishness to pop from Naruto's inner being by just forcing it out with a little bit of force, like meditating until the silence drove him mad. Well, Naruto was feeling frustrated. Was that manliness...?

"I am a man!" the shinobi protested to the sannin, especially keeping his future self in mind. "Trapped inside of a boy's bodddyyyy!" he called out in annoyance, totally losing balance in that moment as he plopped onto the ground back first. His blue eyes opened to see Jiraiya hovering over his body, arms crossed. Well, from this Naruto's own time, he was well above what would be expected to be considered an adult; and living most of his youth as a child soldier forced him to grow up quicker than a traditional teenager. Still, it seemed he may have taken on some mannerisms of his former, less mature self.

"Listen kid. Learning the art of wooing a woman is probably the second most important training you'll ever go through, next to controlling that ninetails. Are you going to take this seriously, or not?" his tone was slightly impatient, as if it should be obvious of the gravity of these teachings as his hands shifted to his hips.

Oh yeah....Kurama...

Naruto remembered....this was before he'd befriended the beast inside of him – he couldn't even feel his presence; it had been blocked with a seal. His hand drifted to his stomach, touching it lightly in thought.

"Alright, alright." He finally gave in. "Well, can we move on to something else at least?" Naruto sat up. He still wasn't sure why he couldn't just walk right up to her and pour his heart out – what was the big deal?

"Okay, then. Tip number two to winning over a bashful babe is this; small interactions first."

"Will you stop calling her that?" the belligerent Naruto snapped. Jiraiya simply laughed.

"Let's go." He began walking away with those parting words, expecting Naruto to catch up if he so pleased. In que, the blonde-haired ninja scrambled to his feet to go after him, his intrigue heightened by the fact that he seemed to be headed for the village.

--

Jiraiya hadn't stopped, indeed, until he'd gotten to town. The pair remained fairly undercover, scaling the fence as they went along for what seemed to be nothing more than dramatic effect. Eventually, the master stopped, Naruto crashing into his sagely back. "Look right over there." Jiraiya pointed, to which Naruto brought his eyeline just to about that point. His blue eyes shimmered...

It was Hinata, along with her friends Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru eating at a small table outside of the dango shop.

"That's your target." Jiraiya instructed in a low whisper toward Naruto's face, which seemed entranced.