Jiraiya's Second Chance

Finding Aikiko

Jiraiya went home to an empty house and it's been two days and there seemed to be no sign of Aikiko anywhere.  This is almost putting him to the point of madness.  The village was put in high alert for intruders but they found nobody suspicious enough. Teams were sent out to the borders and every nook and crannies were checked.

Jiraiya was walking pass the market when he walked pass an entourage of high officials.  These were just visiting representatives from the village of falls near the village of mist.  Jiraiya paid them no mind but as the entourage passes by he felt a familiar chakra in the close carriage.  Aikiko.

Jiraiya jumped in front of the carriage and violently opened it.  A sword was suddenly pointed at his throat.  "What is the meaning of this?" Said the man in the carriage.

"Who is she beside you? Is she not Aikiko my wife?" Jiraiya said looking at the woman with a face cover. Her eyes were blue.

"What madness are you saying? This is Lady Yuri my wife and I'm Lord Ryu from the village of falls."

Jiraiya grab hold of the face cover and when he pulled it, he saw a terrified Aikiko looking at him.

"Don't touch me!" She said.

Jiraiya looked at her and shouted "What are you playing at right now Aikiko?"

"I am not Aikiko, my name is Lady Yuri and I'm with my husband."

At this time, the anbu came already to stop the commotion.  But to Jiraiya's surprise, he was the one apprehended and not the noble man nor his men.

"We apologized for the misunderstanding.  Jiraiya's wife just suddenly disappeared two days ago. He must have been drinking and mistake Lady Yuri as Aikiko." Tsunade said.

"What madness are you talking about? Look at her that is Aikiko!" Shouted Jiraiya.

"Master Jiraiya.. You are obviously hallucinating, that woman doesn't even look anything like Aikiko san at all.  I know you've been tirelessly looking for her but we don't need any international conflict just because you can't find your wife." said Sakura.

Jiraiya, looked at everyone in the room bewildered, is he the only one seeing this?  This woman is Aikiko.

Then this Aikiko turn to him and said.  "I'm sorry for your loss Master Jiraiya.  I'm sure your comrades will find her soon." She looked at him gently, sincerely, making all this madness seemingly truer. 

"I will not demand payment for the damages this mad man has done to our carriage and to my men.  I only request for a new carriage and a peaceful exit from this village." said the noble man.

Jiraiya looked helplessly.  Is he really out of his mind? Are his eyes playing a trick on him?

Jiraiya was slump drunk in one of the bars.  His world has crumbled and now he cannot even trust his eyes.  Aikiko is gone and no one can find her.  Except that he is pretty sure she is the same woman standing in front of him with those fancy clothes early this afternoon at the Hokage's office.

Argg.. did she exchange him for a rich man? But Tsunade and the others would not take that outrage lightly.  They all seemed to be seeing a different person and not her.

All of the sudden, he saw Aikiko, or Lady Yuri or whatever she calls herself enter the restaurant and sat in a corner table.  She was only with one lady companion. 

Without thinking Jiraiya, walked towards her and slipped on the bench in front of her.

She looked frightened and so was her companion.

"Don't be scared, I won't hurt you. I just want to talk." Jiraiya said slurring.

Lady Yuri gave her companion a signal to leave.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Said Lady Yuri.

"So how long have you been Lady Yuri?" Jiraiya asked.

"What kind of question is that? That has been my name all my life." Said Lady Yuri.

"You sure are a very good liar or there is a very good genjutsu cast that even the likes of Lady Tsunade are tricked by the likes of you?  So tell me, why are you going out with that guy, his money? He' better looking? Ha!" Jiraiya said bitterly barely keeping himself up.

"I was betrothed to Lord Ryu since I'm very young. We are on our way to the Village of Falls where our wedding will be held."

"Lies" Jiraiya snarled and grip her wrist tightly.  "Looked at me and tell me if you don't recognize me. Tell me the truth" He gnarled as he looked at her big blue eyes.

"Gomen, I don't know you." She said calmly.  Then Jiraiya's grip weakened and he let her go.

"Although... in my dreams, I seemed to have seen you... like this.  I somehow feel I met you before." Then she stood up and left.

The wine took over and unconsciousness followed.  Jiraiya  woke up the following day when the bar keeper nudged him.

"Wake up Jiraiya sama! We are closing."  Jiraiya just gave him a grunt.

"Give me some water or tea I'm having a headache." Jiraiya requested slurring.

"Just because your wife is missing, you shouldn't be messing around with a brown eyed beauty." The bar keeper said while placing a tea in front of him.

"What did you say?" asked Jiraiya confused.

"The lady you were chatting last night.  The one with light brown hair and luminous brown eyes.  She looks like a noble woman.  You were harassing her, but she seemed patient with you so I left you both be.  I was worried I need to request for the police to stop you Jiraiya Sama." The bar keeper said.

"Brown eyes?!"  Those eyes he was looking at were blue not brown.  He was sure of it.

As if his drunkenness lifted, Jiraiya made a mad rush to the border.  It was genjutsu after all.