Yo say Ho! This is the one and only mighty Kirabi telling you that Master Digi doesn't own the Jinchuuriki of ol' Kyuubi, Naruto Uzumaki, ya fool!
Sage
"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace." – Buddha
The trio would have been an odd one to most who passed by, not that any did Naruto noticed; in fact many people got one look at Roushi and immediately backtracked, or at least moved to the other side of the street. It didn't last long as they were soon passing the outskirts of the town but it made Naruto wonder. They weren't like the looks of scorn and hatred he remembered from his time in Konoha but more along the looks of slight fear or unease; as if they didn't mind the man but still wouldn't prefer to be near him.
Naruto didn't see anything immediately wrong with Roushi apart from the obvious fact he was a Shinobi, an undoubtedly powerful one given his Chakra levels. There was also his rather outlandish appearance; he wasn't exactly wearing the standard Iwagakure uniform despite donning their headband. In fact his clothing looked more like it belonged on somebody who had fought before the First Shinobi War.
He also noticed the occasional raised eyebrow he got when he tried to get a read on the man through the moisture in the air. His range was much lower when he moved, only around a hundred feet, but with Roushi walking right next to him that wasn't much of an issue. There was something about the man's Chakra he found strange, almost familiar; yet he still couldn't place it. He noticed Fuu giving the man a few discreet looks as well but most of the time her face was unreadable so he had no idea if she felt the same or she was just naturally suspicious; he was inclined to believe the latter.
Finally they reached a small campsite set up in a clearing quite a way out of the town. It was fairly simple, a small tent that looked like it could house two people at the most and a small but cosy fire enclosed by a ring of rocks. He could hear a stream not too far off which would explain the pot of stew hanging over the fire, happily boiling away. In all it looked like the kind of camp you could tear down or set up on a few minutes' notice; faster if you were a ninja.
"Eh, it's not much but make yourself at home." Naruto looked up at the man as he walked to the other end of the fire, peering into the pot to check on what was probably his dinner. The blonde wasn't sure what to think but he was anything but rude so quickly made himself comfortable on a small log that seemed to be there for the express purpose of sitting, Fuu quickly joining him in the spot besides him. His cheeks flushed a slightly darker hue at how close her body was pressed up against his but he said nothing.
"So, how can we help you Roushi-san?" The red-haired man smiled congenially at the pair as he leaned back from the pot of simmering stew.
"Eh, don't bother with the whole honorific crap, you'll make me feel like that old bastard." With that he smiled pleasantly, seemingly satisfied with the stew as he ladled it out into three bowls he procured from seemingly nowhere. Of course Naruto's eyes had seen him unseal them from a pouch beneath his purple kimono but it was almost so fast he missed it, impressive indeed.
"Alright then Roushi." The redhead just nodded once happily before handing the two the bowls of stew, quickly digging into his own like he hadn't eaten in weeks; given his bulky frame though Naruto found that unlikely. He was already finished before Naruto had finished his first mouthful, smacking his lips appreciatively in a way that told Naruto he wasn't exactly used to company.
"Ah, nothing like some warm stew at night to keep the chill away." Naruto just nodded his quiet agreement as he continued to sip at the admittedly delicious meaty broth. Somehow Fuu managed to keep her expression completely blank even as she ate, although a healthy colour had invaded her cheeks as her body unconsciously reacted to the warm meal.
"So, what are two Jinchuuriki doing wandering in this part of Tsuchi no Kuni?" Naruto swore if he hadn't had years of training in a monk's temple he might have immediately spit out a good portion of the stew he had just taken into his mouth. He envied Fuu for her ability to never show any emotion if she didn't want to; she merely continued to demurely sip at her own meal, the only indication she heard anything being her hands tightening slightly. The redhead had to chuckle at their reactions even though he had hoped for something more along the lines of shock.
"Eh, don't worry about it, we're all in good company here." He said it so nonchalantly as he reached for the ladle to the pot again, obviously going for seconds; it made Naruto wonder how much he normally ate or if he was expecting visitors before returning his thoughts to the right track. Suddenly it clicked as his eyes widened slightly; not enough to reveal his Rinnegan but enough that people who knew him well enough would know meant he had a revelation.
"Which one?" Roushi looked up from his second serving with humour glinting in his eyes, a small smirk playing at his lips behind the bowl.
"Eh, I guess as the host it's only fair." He stood up with an extravagant and over the top bow that somehow didn't spill a single drop of his meal. "I'm Roushi, Jinchuuriki of the Yonbi no Saru." He smiled as his hand did a small flourish that wouldn't have looked out of place in a royal court. Naruto was about to answer in kind when the redhead simply raised a hand, looking at them appraisingly. "No need, let me guess." His hand moved to his chin as he stroked his beard thoughtfully, eyes flickering over the pair like an auctioneer might treat an antique.
"Nanabi, correct?" He made sure to look directly at Fuu as he talked, so as not to miss the slightly surprised look that entered her eyes, her posture not shifting in the slightest. However when he looked at Naruto a frown overcame his features, his gaze becoming more penetrating even as his eyes darted off occasionally, as if his mind was elsewhere. "The Kyuubi, right?" His voice seemed more hesitant at that, lacking the confidence of his statement to Fuu.
"So how does Iwa know so much about us?" Naruto kept his tone light but he was already slowly shifting his Chakra about in case he had to rapidly leave with Fuu. There weren't exactly many ninja who could react before he had a chance to raise his arm. However his concerns were unfounded as the heavy-set redhead leaned back, letting out a jovial chuckle before quickly returning to his stew as if the tension in the air wasn't palpable.
"Eh, don't get so worked up kid. I know because that's what the big guy in my gut's telling me, my connections with Iwagakure are pretty loose. Hell, I'd probably leave if it weren't for Han..." His eyes drifted for a moment in thought before he shook himself out of it, returning to his meal to cover up his small hesitation. Naruto just watched him with a critical eye, cautiously eating his food; from the way Roushi was eating it couldn't be poisoned, not that there were many poisons that could actually work on a Jinchuuriki anyway.
"So what's your interest in us?" Roushi looked up, only briefly pausing with the bowl at his lips with a decidedly amused expression.
"Eh, me? Nothing; I only watched that little brawl you had in the alleyway because I was bored. I might have stepped in if they had gone too far..." A smirk alighted on his face as he drained the last of his dinner in a loud slurp. "... but that wasn't necessary in the end was it?" He made a pointed look at Naruto who simply shrugged, a congenial look of his own on his tempered features as he drank at the stew more sedately.
"Eh, it was a stupid reason to fight anyway." The man leaned back on his log, placing the bowl to one side as he looked up, a wistful expression marring his features. "Not that there are any good reasons to fight." Naruto said nothing at that but the smallest of frowns appeared over his brow. "I mean sure you look like the Yondaime Hokage but it's hardly grounds to lynch you." Naruto simply shrugged off-handedly , he had made that exact same point only half an hour ago.
"So you don't hate the Yondaime Hokage?" Roushi looked down from his sky-gazing, catching the blonde's eye as the man looked at him with that same piercing gaze. It made Naruto wonder if it was something all veteran Shinobi could do; it certainly felt like those times with Ao.
"Probably not, most people in Iwa forget that the old bastard probably killed just as many Konoha Shinobi; the Flash just happened to do all of his in one go." At seeing Naruto's raised eyebrow the redhead clarified. "I mean the Sandaime Tsuchikage, Ryoutenbin no Oonoki ." He followed up with a few muttered phrases that Naruto couldn't hear and felt he didn't particularly want to. "But nah, I guess I don't hate him; if anything I respect the man." Naruto looked up at him in surprise; he may have been pretty ignorant of a child but the fact that Iwa and Konoha hated each other with a passion was not lost on him even then.
"Eh, don't look so surprised, the man had a flee on sight order for a reason, even us Jinchuuriki weren't exempt. Hell, the only one who could probably have stood against him was the old bastard himself." He sighed wearily, returning his gaze to the sky as his mind obviously drifted back to older, but not necessarily pleasant, memories. "I'm just glad that the war ended before that could have happened, two people like that fighting..." He whistled appreciatively as he absently threw a piece of wood onto the dwindling fire. "... they would have re-modeled the landscape." Roushi wasn't even exaggerating, with the destruction caused by Jinton and the speed of the Hiraishin, no battlefield would have been the same after a conflict of that proportion.
"I actually saw him once, Minato Namikaze." The redhead stared wistfully into the fire, none of the previous mirth in his eyes or voice as he watched the flames dance beneath the hanging pot. It was like Naruto and Fuu weren't even there any more and he was lost in his memories; it was strange because Naruto wouldn't have placed him over forty yet he spoke like an old man. "Right after he slaughtered an entire battalion of troops in a few seconds. I was part of the re-enforcements but when we got there the entire battlefield was covered in blood and bodies." His eyes gained a haunted look as he remembered that sight that would never leave him.
"He stood there in the middle of it all, one of those kunai he was so famous for clasped in one hand. He just turned to look at me, his eyes were so full of sadness. It might have been a trick of the light, or my own shock at the time, after all the man was pretty famous at the time but this was the event that solidified his reputation, but I could have sworn I saw his hands tremble." Suddenly his head snapped up, as if he had just remembered that he had company. The haunted, wistful look on his face vanished without a trace as it was replaced by a softer smile.
"Eh, but you don't need to listen to my ramblings, little Kuro-chan tells me often enough that they're boring." He looked up, almost amused, as his fingers came up to absently stroke his beard. "Huh, I guess she probably isn't so little anymore." Just a brief flash of sadness flickered across his features at that before it was gone. "I guess I just need an outlet for all the stories I've got pent up in my head, what with me having no family to bore with them." He smiled sadly at the pair who simply returned it with a sympathetic smile and a more neutral, but understanding look.
"Actually, that was very interesting; it must be rare to hear the first-hand accounts of a veteran." Naruto smiled amicably as he finished his bowl of stew, gently placing it down beside him. "I feel honoured." At that Roushi just chortled, leaning down to rest his hands on his knees.
"Kid, the less you hear about war the better, especially with the shit I've been through." Naruto's smile took on a sad twinge at that but he covered it remarkably well; it didn't escape Roushi's notice though bringing the whole campsite into a stifling silence. Fuu could only sit there quietly, her gaze drifting between her blonde companion and the other Jinchuuriki. She had no idea what to do in situations like these to break the tension and just sat there, quietly eating her stew as the awkward silence prevailed. Finally though, Roushi straightened up, fixing Naruto with a still warm, but more curious look.
"So kid, want to tell me why your Chakra signature is so confusing? I can feel Son Goku having a small fit inside me as he tried to figure you out. He keeps telling me he can feel more than two of his kind in you two, but that's impossible and I can't sense anybody but us nearby." Naruto's eyebrow rose slightly as he wondered by what means Roushi could sense people.
"So you talk with your tenant? You have a good relationship then?" The red haired man's eyes narrowed slightly as the blonde re-directed the question but answered nevertheless.
"Eh, I can't boast perfect control like the Kumo Jinchuuriki can, but yeah me and Son Goku have a dialogue at least. He's not exactly the easiest guy to get along with and he's prideful as all hell but in the end, you live with somebody for over fifty years you learn to either hate them completely or at least tolerate them." Naruto chuckled at that, he could certainly relate in that sense; it seemed the Yonbi, or Son Goku, was quite similar to the Kyuubi in a way. However Roushi's gaze was now firmly fixed on Naruto as the younger blonde struggled for an answer.
"Well I guess you could say I'm special, you see-" he was cut off as Roushi raised an hand, waving it dismissively as he rubbed his beard with his other hand.
"Actually, I've got a better way, come on, your girlfriend can join in too." With that hi simply raised a fist out in a way Naruto recognised from Kirabi and the blonde looked at it confusedly. Roushi just looked at the two of them expectantly before Naruto hesitantly raised his own hand to complete the fist bump, Fuu gently nudging her own hand in from the side. Naruto was about to comment about what they were doing when he suddenly felt a tug in his consciousness like the times when he meditated to enter his seal.
When Naruto opened his eyes again, not remembering closing them, he found himself in a large white expanse with no discernible edges or landmarks. The only notable thing was the fact it seemed to get darker the further away he looked. Suddenly he realised he wasn't alone; it was a strange sensation as he understood that the others had been there all along but it was like he hadn't been able to notice them before now. He found out soon enough when he heard a deep and decidedly ominous growl reverberate beneath him.
"I suggest you remove yourself from my head Ningen before I decided to simply swallow you, as much as it would degrade me to eat one of your wretched kind again." Naruto looked down only to see an expanse of orange fur that was surprisingly course for how soft it appeared from afar. Quickly jumping down off the Kyuubi's head he noticed that it wasn't just the two of them; Shukaku, Matatabi, and Isobu were also there, although the latter was still somehow unconscious.
"Where are we?" Naruto found his voice surprisingly calm given that there were no bars between him and the Kyuubi and the giant fox didn't look to be all that pleasant today. The fox grunted as he looked around, seemingly looking for something as his shrewd red eyes pierced through the blank, monotonous world.
"It would appear Son Goku's container has drawn us into the Seishin Sekai." It was Matatabi who spoke, sounding as sleepy as a giant beast of cerulean flame could, languidly stretching out while eyeing the Kyuubi carefully. Luckily the fox didn't seem to be in a mood to move or attack his fellow Bijuu, content for now to simply lie there and glare angrily at nothing. "It is kind of shared world we Bijuu, and by extension our Jinchuuriki, can enter to communicate" The Kyuubi snorted at that but didn't look in their direction. "Although we haven't used it in centuries, it requires us to be relatively close or, in the case of the Jinchuuriki, to be touching." Naruto noticed Shukaku seemed surprisingly quiet; in fact he had been as of late but he didn't question it.
"Naruto!" Naruto turned towards the voice he knew to be Fuu's; it appeared from nowhere accompanied by a loud and rather obnoxious buzzing. Suddenly, as if they had walked through some invisible doorway, Fuu and the Nanabi melted into existence near them, giving Naruto his first glimpse of the Nanabi no Kabutomushi. It wasn't quite what Naruto would have expected from a Bijuu, mainly due to the fact it didn't actually have seven tails.
It was an oddly mismatched creature, reminding him of a cross between a rhinoceros beetle and a glow worm with its blue visor-like face and bright yellow abdomen. The most noticeable thing though were the six large, bright yellow wings that fanned out behind it, emerging from the base of its body in a way that you wouldn't immediately think would allow it to fly. The final 'tail' actually was one, a long and thin, spindly appendage that flailed behind it as it hovered, buzzing almost excitedly.
"It's been a long time brothers, sister." The Nanabi's voice had a distinctly buzzing quality, as if it was trying to speak through a fan; yet at the same time, in that same strange way as Matatabi, Naruto couldn't help but think its voice sounded somewhat feminine. Also strangely, the giant insect had a strange, uplifting lilt to its voice, far more cheerful than he had seen any of the other Bijuu, except maybe Shukaku but the Nanabi definitely lacked his insane qualities, probably for the better.
"Yes, so many of us have not gathered together since the passing of Father." A new deep booming voice that was intimidating, but not on the level the Kyuubi could muster, made itself heard. Everybody besides the fox, who was more content to simply glare at everything as if he would rather be anywhere but here, turned to look at the newcomers. Riding in on an enormous red-furred gorilla with four thick tails was Roushi, seemingly perfectly at ease as he casually stood atop a Bijuu's head.
"Greetings again Naruto, Fuu." The older Iwa-nin inclined his head politely at the two as they ddid the same, Naruto taking the opportunity to notice that Fuu was also riding atop the head of her respective Bijuu, although she did not look nearly as comfortable doing so.
"So would anybody care to tell me why I was dragged into this horrendous meeting of some of my least favourite beings on this earth?" The Kyuubi seemed to make an effort to keep his voice decidedly bored and apathetic but it still carried an edge of irritation. All of the Bijuu simply stared at the fox and he gladly glared back at each and every one of them, even Isobu, even though he was still unconscious.
"Please, you hate everybody." Again Naruto noted the strange distorted affect the Nanabi's voice had; in a way it was oddly calming; it helped its tone was very upbeat.
"I fail to see your point insect." The Nanabi huffed irritably at that, although it came out more of an agitated buzz, like when you disturb a hornets' nest.
"Still arrogant as ever Kyuubi?" Son Goku's voice had an incredible booming quality, catching everybody's attention instantly; except the Kyuubi's of course but that was to be expected. Naruto also took notice that none of the Bijuu would refer to the Kyuubi by his real name, whatever it was. Although from the intense glares the great fox kept sending everybody and the way his tails swayed ominously behind him, he couldn't blame them.
"And you all are just as pitiful as I remember." With that the fox lay his head down on his paws, apparently done with the conversation and his fellow Bijuu in general. He must not have had a choice in being within the shared plane or Naruto had the feeling he would have left already.
"You are insufferable fox! Just because you have more tails does not make you superior to us!" At that the Kyuubi cracked open one very large and very irritated red eye, making sure to point it directly at Son Goku. He had successfully gotten Matatabi and to a lesser extent Shukaku to stop talking to him in any manner out of fear; he could do the same to the giant monkey.
"Do you wish to challenge me Yonbi?" Strangely his voice held no immediate anger but it still had a deep, growling, menacing quality that made everybody else tremor slightly, besides Naruto who was used to it and the Nanabi due to it being the closest in terms of power to the Kyuubi. Bravely, or foolishly the Yonbi held its ground, obviously not very appreciative of the name the Kyuubi had chosen to call him.
"Are you so full of pride that you believe you could defeat all four of us?" Naruto felt the large simian was purposefully leaving out the Sanbi due to its incapacitated state. The Kyuubi merely snorted, closing his eye dismissively as he continued to ignore everybody.
"You are right, it would not even be worth my time; you would be crushed like the paltry beings you are beneath my tails." A low growl emerged from Son Goku's throat but he made no move to do anything; he may have been an arrogant and prideful being but that in no way meant the Kyuubi could not back up his words. There was a reason the great fox was seen as a being comparable to a walking natural disaster; its power eclipsed even the next strongest of the Bijuu. Even now he was the largest thing in this strange white world by a great margin, even the Nanabi just couldn't compare.
"Maybe it would be best to simply leave the Kyuubi to his rest?" For the first time since coming into this world Matatabi spoke up, her voice oddly timid for a being of such immense power. She realised that she had provoked the Kyuubi plenty during their meetings lately and now there were no bars between the two of them. It wasn't like the other Bijuu would readily come to her aid, except the Nanabi who was a sort of peace maker in the group, and possibly Shukaku if Naruto told him to. However even their combined power paled in comparison to the fox.
"Ah, so you never did manage to grow a spine then Matatabi?" The flaming cat hissed slightly at Son Goku but ultimately looked submissive. Unlike others she knew what her place was; with Shukaku too insane to notice or care she might as well have been the weakest of the Bijuu. Sometimes even Shukaku made up for his lesser Chakra with his sheer difficulty to be hurt and the way he would madly rush into combat like a berserker
"Anyway, I assume there is more to this gathering than simply catching up?" The Nanabi's voice suddenly cut in, always the peacemaker, despite her hating the position due to the arguments between such powerful beings it put her in. The worst had been an argument between the Hachibi and the Kyuubi that she thought she was actually going to be destroyed in. Luckily not long after that the Bijuu had gone their separate ways in the world and they had never come to an actual fight.
"Speaking of which, where are the containers of Shukaku, Matatabi, and Isobu? I do not detect them anywhere nearby." Son Goku's voice had calmed slightly but he was still sending venomous looks towards the currently placid fox.
"That would be me." Suddenly Naruto found everybody's gaze squarely on him; it was a little unnerving given that besides Roushi and Fuu, the others were all beings of incomprehensible power. He weathered the critical stares of the Nanabi and Yonbi though until both gasped as he opened his eyes.
"How is this possible? How does this Ningen have Father's eyes!" Surprisingly this came from the Nanabi who had immediately hovered closer to Naruto, trying to peer closer into his eyes despite their rather large scale difference. To help he hovered a little ways off the ground, only adding to the large insect's wonder. "He even possesses Father's powers!" For a moment the Nanabi's voice sounded almost childlike in her awe, her visored face continuing to stare at Naruto rather invasively. The growl emanating from the Kyuubi's throat went mostly ignored, although Isobu stirred slightly.
"Hi, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." The great insect Bijuu nodded slowly, still entranced by the swirling ripple pattern that had been such an important focus in her young life.
"I am Choumei." Finally the Nanabi seemed to snap out of her self-induced trance as she leaned back, forcing Fuu to grab the horn on her head to stop herself being thrown off. "But you can call me lucky number seven if you want!" Naruto blinked at that, wondering just who had called Choumei that... ever.
"A pleasure to meet you Choumei, Son Goku." The large insect bristled at that, a shudder running down her wings; she hadn't been called by her name in far too long. A loud huff echoed from behind them as eyes turned to Son Goku, staring at the much smaller blonde appraisingly.
"So you go around wielding the eyes of our father, the most powerful Ningen to ever live? What makes you worthy of such an honour?" Naruto smiled in what he hoped was a placating manner; he could see this was a rather touchy subject for the large primate.
"Nothing, I do not deserve to have such power nor have I earned the right to wield these eyes." Many of the Bijuu blinked in surprise at the brutally honest and at the same time incredibly humble answer, even the Kyuubi cracked open a single eye in interest for a brief moment. "But hopefully I can use their power for something that will make me worthy." He smiled brightly as he floated higher into the air until he was eye level with most of the Chakra creatures. "Because my dream, my goal is to bring peace to the world, and that includes the Bijuu. I wish to take the hate that has been placed on you over the years and help you find freedom." Silence resonated through the blank space as everybody stared at him. His voice sounded powerful, echoing through the empty plane as everybody's eye were firmly fixed on him.
"And this is why you have made yourself the Jinchuuriki of four of us? A feat that would have seen any other Ningen burned from the inside out? How do we know you aren't simply like the rest of your deceitful kind, using us for our power to fill that insatiable hole all humans have in their heart for power?" Naruto smiled softly at the Yonbi, it seemed the Kyuubi wasn't the only Bijuu with a deep-seated resentment towards Humanity.
"You can't know, and nothing I say now could prove you wrong anyway. But I promise you that I will do everything in my power to lift the hatred from this world. And I never go back on my promises!" Again his voice rang out strongly, captivating even the other Jinchuuriki in the shared mental space. Finally it was Nanabi who broke the silence that had overcome the area again.
"You are an interesting Ningen; from what brief glimpses of the world I get through Fuu-Chan I see you are kind and strong." Then the Nanabi, the third strongest being in perhaps the entire world, did something nobody expected. The enormous winged beetle bowed its head forward subserviently, if it had a mouth then a small smile would be playing across it; instead it released a happy but anxious hum. "I am willing to place my faith in humanity one last time, in remembrance of our father whose dream so closely matched your own." Naruto just blinked in shock, suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious of the enormous weight that had placed itself upon his shoulders with her words.
"As do I." Matatabi adopted a similar pose, bowing her flaming head towards Naruto, only increasing that feeling of weight pressing down on him.
"Yeah, Shukaku will help Father because Shukaku wants Father's dream to come true!" Naruto felt himself breathing faster as the large sand construct also bowed his head, although it appeared to unbalance the Ichibi slightly making the gesture seem rather clumsy. His eyes flickered to the Yonbi, not quite knowing what to expect from the giant ape as it stared at him with the same appraising look Roushi had before.
"I will never bow to a mere child." Naruto felt himself deflate slightly at the words but it appeared So Goku was not finished. "However I have never seen one move my siblings in such a way since our father's passing. You are certainly an interesting Ningen and for now I will place what little faith I have in your measly race upon your shoulders." With that it huffed in a manner reminiscent of the Kyuubi whenever he had to salvage his pride after saying something not completely hostile or malicious.
"It was nice to meet you Naruto-kun, take care of Fuu-chan for me!" Naruto watched as the Nanabi faded away, waving one of her spindly arms at him rather happily. The Yonbi soon faded as well, just leaving Naruto with the four Bijuu he knew so intimately until they too vanished. Naruto sighed wistfully as he looked around, he suddenly felt very heavy as he dropped to the floor. His eyes were wide with wonder, not quite believing all of that had just happened. Eventually though his vision started to fade away as his consciousness slipped from the shared realm.