Chapter 13: My End Of The Deal

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Sorry for the long wait. I just couldn't figure out how to bring Jiraiya in without it being choppy and predictable.

Thanks for all those that waited!

Flashback:

Jiraiya and I were sitting on a bench at a park in Konoha. He was about to walk away to fight Pain when my voice stopped him.

"Come back alive." I said to him as I looked the other way, refusing to face him.

Jiraiya looked back at me in shock at my words.

"If I were to lose you, too, I would..." I continued, but I couldn't finish that sentence. I didn't know how.

He suddenly let out a big smile, like he wasn't going off to his grave. "You would cry for me? I'm so happy! But not as much when Dan died, right?"

"Idiot!" I shouted out at him.

He saw that I was still looking away. "Well, then let's gamble on it, shall we?"

I finally looked at him, confused as to where he was going with this.

"You should bet that I'm going to die because knowing your luck, you'll definitely lose." He said as I have a shocked expression at his words.

"Then, if I come back alive...you'll go on a date with me!" He finished with a smile.

My mouth opened and my eyes widened as I kept looking at him.

He suddenly laughed loudly. "It's a joke! A joke! I'm really grateful to you."

Flashback end...

I turned to Hal. "Hey, Hal? There's something I need to do. Could I bail on you for a bit while you wait back at my house?"

Hal looked at me with concern in his eyes. "What's going on? Is everything alright?"

I bit my lip. "Everything's fine. It's just...I need to check on something. And please don't follow me."

Hal hesitated as I guessed his intentions to trail me. "Okay, fine, but the minute you get home, you have to tell me what's going on, got it?"

I nodded in agreement. "Got it." I turned around and started running towards the source, leaving behind a very confused and slightly worried Hal.

Jiraiya...is that really you?

I turned around the street and I stopped. Oh my god.

In front of me, there was a younger version of my teammate, who was just walking down the sidewalk. He looked about a year or two older than me. In a trance, I walked up to him.

"J-Jiraiya?" I asked in a soft, but hopeful tone. "Is that you?"

He looked at me weirdly. "Um...I'm sorry, do I know you, cute stranger?"

I felt my heart stop as there was no recognition in his eyes or voice. Why?! I know it's him! It's his chakra!

But...why doesn't he recognize me? He was a spy master and a better sensor than I was! At the very least, he should be able to recognize my chakra!

Unless...he doesn't remember anything...

But why? I got my memories the day I was born! Why is our situations so different?!

Then he put a finger on his chin. "You know, you feel really familiar, but I just can't seem to place it. It's weird...I'm usually pretty good with faces. Especially if it was someone as cute as you."

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