Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything associated with Naruto, though I wish I did.
By the time Arashi came back Naruto and Jiraiya had moved on to talking, in-depth, about the books Arashi had written. The seer had such an unfair advantage when it came to writing. He didn't have to actively search for research material; all he had to do was use his Sight or one of his other divining methods. So it came as no surprise that he would be able to write books based on couples he had never met or that had not gotten together, yet.
Gaara and Naruto's favorite was Sand and Silk, which was inspired by Gaara and himself. Paper Fans, Temari's absolute favorite, was inspired by her and Konan. Scorching Rain was inspired by Nagato and Itachi, both of whom loved the book. Artistic Passions was Sasori and Deidara's favorite as it was inspired by them. Kurenai and Anko had inspired Binding Illusions. Ibiki and Iruka had inspired Tempting Torture. The books that Arashi was writing at the moment were called Nursing the Heart, Doctoring the Soul, which was inspired by Tsunade and Shizune as well as one inspired by Kakuzu and Hidan called Immortal Worship.
It really did make Arashi warm inside to know that his father really did like the books that he had written. But he need to speak with Jiraiya because Naruto probably forgot to tell the older Sennin about the conference coming up. The combined efforts of Jiraiya's spy-network and Arashi and Naruto's might unearth what exactly Orochimaru would get up to at the conference. Because there was no way that slippery snake was going to honor the neutrality pact everyone would have to promise to uphold. The capital of Ame no Kuni was suppose to be neutral grounds but none who knew the old pedophile trusted him at all.
"As glad as I am that you both are enthusiastic about the books that I wrote Haku would like to speak with you Naruto. Ranmaru was allowed to run off somewhere with Kankuro and the meeting is going to end early. So I would go spend some time with Haku before Gaara comes looking for you. And I was right about why Kisame was alone."
Naruto nodded. The blond Jinchuuriki could see that Arashi wanted to speak with Jiraiya alone for a little while. Besides, it had been a long time since he had a decent conversation with Haku or Zabuza for that matter. Though it was a little worrying that Kisame's reason for being here alone, as in without Zetsu, was what they had feared it to be. The blond disappears in a burst of speed toward where he can feel Haku's chakra signature.
Arashi stands where he is for a moment, looking at his father sitting comfortably on the ground, before sitting down gracefully not too close to him or too far away. The seer was leaving the decision of whether he should close the gap or leave things as they were up to his father. Jiraiya notices and understands the significance. The Gama Sennin will not be deprived of the son he didn't know he had now that he knows. Arashi was a Jinchuuriki and that meant he did not judge Jiraiya. And it didn't take a genius to figure out that Arashi wanted to get to know Jiraiya.
So the older Sennin wrapped an arm around his smaller son and pulled him against his own larger frame, as if he sought to shelter the slender Jinchuuriki in his embrace. He would not toss away his son as Kushina had so callously done all with Naruto those years ago. Arashi was tense for a moment at the unexpected move before he relaxed and settled against his father trustingly. The seer knew that his father was sincere, he knew that Jiraiya would never hurt him and that was why he trusted the Gama Sennin when others would have been untrusting.
"Do you know of the conference that will be held in the capital of Ame no Kuni?"
"Only vague mentions through some of my connections. Why?"
"It is to establish some semblance of peace, or at least neutrality. All of the Daimyo and shinobi leaders will be attending."
Arashi didn't have to look into his father's dark eyes as he was at the moment to see the implications sink in and for realization to dawn. One name came to mind. Orochimaru.
"What is he planning?" Straight to the point his father was and very observant.
"Honestly? I have Seen that there will be a battle but not exactly when. The conference is in about seven months but there is no telling how long it will last. My Sight is not clear on what Orochimaru will do but he will do battle with someone and it will not have a pretty outcome. I feel a sense of... dread perhaps, no, despair and agony are closer and a vague sense of death or being close to death."
Jiraiya did not discount his son Arashi's words. Seers were very powerful and Arashi was a very special seer; his eyes and his role among the Jinchuuriki was a testament to that fact. He did not like the sound of Arashi's words or their implications at all. His damnable former teammate was going to make their lives more difficult than they had to be. But what was that sick bastard going to do? He would have to get his spy-network to look more in-depth into Orochimaru's dealings. As if reading his mind Arashi spoke.
"Information from the spy-network Naruto and I set up will be useful to you. If you pass along information I will do the same. I refuse and will not let Orochimaru hurt my precious people, not while there is life in my body. I so swear."
The hard determined look in Arashi's eyes makes him believe his son's words. Seeing that look in those eyes tells him where Naruto got it from because he had seen that look in sapphire eyes before. Who would have thought that the little blond would have picked up that look from haunted silver eyes.
"Why in Ame no Kuni?" Jiraiya asked, already expecting that Arashi knew the answer.
"Ame no Kuni has been rather closed off and isolationist since Hanzo was killed. The miserable excuse for a human did quite a bit of damage to the country."
"Hanzo's dead?" That surprised Jiraiya. That particular shinobi was powerful and not someone to scoff at. "Who is in charge then?" Jiraiya knew something was up when
Arashi allowed him to see the amusement dancing in those silver eyes.
"Nagato and Konan killed Hanzo and founded the Jinchuuriki organization Akatsuki. Nagato goes by the name Pein now, in public at least, and is the ruler of Amegakure."
Arashi finds the stunned look in his father's eyes amusing in the extreme. It did take some really shocking things to surprise shinobi of his father's caliber. Though there was some happiness in those eyes the color of a raven's wing at hearing that two of his first students are alive and so strong. It is even more amusing to watch his father realize that all of his strongest and most successful students are Jinchuuriki. It takes quite a bit of his self-control and self-restraint not to laugh at the pole axed expression on his father's face.
The silver-eyed seer promises himself that he will escort his father straight to Amegakure himself to reunite his father with his former students. It will prove to be an interesting reunion to say the least. Meeting the rest of the Akatsuki is just a bonus.
They talk quietly about their lives and the things they have done and the missions they have gone on. Arashi can see the look of curiosity and speculation in his father's eyes and in that still handsome face. He thinks he can guess what the curiosity and speculation is about as well. He is more than aware that Minato was, no is, a Jinchuuriki and that his father knows much more than most normal humans ever know. Being a Sennin is part of it and another is that his father has a mate that Fate is just waiting to give him in some unique circumstance. Arashi can See the line that connects their souls but says nothing of it.
It is not Arashi's place to interfere, not when it comes to mating, no matter how much he wants to always have his father in his life. It is a matter between mates, no matter what separates them, and it is their decision to pursue a mating bond between them, if they choose to after beating the obstacles in there path. It will always be their decision. If one refuses the bond, rejects it, then nothing can be done.
No one interferes, no one has ever thought to interfere. That could be because no one has ever wanted to reject their other half or wanted to subject themselves to that empty loneliness.
Sometimes necessity and duty come before all things, even when one's soul screams for it to be otherwise.
xxxxxxx
"What do you truly look like Arashi? I know that Jinchuuriki usually wear very strong genjutsu."
Arashi looked deeply into his father's eyes as if he were searching for something. Apparently he found it because he rose up from his place against Jiraiya so that he could kneel in front of his father. Then he just let the genjutsu fade.
It honored Jiraiya that Arashi would trust him this much to remove the genjutsu he wore in his presence. He very well knew how rare it was for one who was not a Jinchuuriki to see the real appearance of another Jinchuuriki.
Hair like moonlight tumbled in spiky disarray around Arashi's head from the high ponytail it was restrained in. Pointed and pierced ears were visible. The pointed tips were adorned by small silver hoops and from the delicate lobes dangled earrings that were composed of the kanji for the word port and field.
Another piercing adorns Arashi's body as well. There is a round silver stud in Arashi's nose that is identical to the one Jiraiya wears. Streaks as black as pitch go down Arashi's cheeks where Jiraiya's are a vibrant red. Equally black markings surround silver eyes like the ones Gaara bears but are a tad thinner and more delicately shaped, but thicker than the ones Naruto bears around his sapphire eyes.
Arashi is ethereal in the form he shows to the world. Without the mask he wears he is otherworldly, just like the other Jinchuuriki. Besides a few differences in coloring and body structure it is very plain that they are father and son. Arashi does not tell his father that he too will change when he either takes his mate or when he dies and is reborn. Jiraiya will be a Guardian for he is one of the Gifted. The Gifted change when they are reborn or take a Jinchuuriki or Gifted mate.
His father does not know this and Arashi will leave it that way. It is not his place to interfere and not his place to tell his father these things. It is his father's mate's responsibility. If his father asked he could say something but his father is clueless in this matter, or too pained. Though it will be interesting to watch his father's reaction to the news. Arashi still has it in him to hope, even against impossible odds, for others even if he no longer has it in him to hope for himself.
xxxxxxx
Naruto is rather content at the moment. Arashi got along quite well with his father which made him happy for them both. He had gotten to catch up with his friends and fellow Jinchuuriki, Haku, Kisame, and Ranmaru. It had been rather fun to tease Kankuro and Ranmaru when the two would exchange increasingly heated looks. The two were rather lucky that Raiga hadn't come along because he was very overprotective of his little precognitive brother. Thankfully the crazy swordsman was back in Kirigakure on assignment, meaning he was in charge of guarding the village walls and village security.
The meeting had ended a little early just as Arashi had said. It hadn't taken Gaara and Zabuza long to hunt down their mates and whisk them off for some private time, even if they could not indulge as much as they wished to.
Gaara and Naruto were laying in each other's embrace in their hotel bed. Naruto was telling Gaara about what he had done today and asking how Gaara's day had been. It didn't take long for the subject of Arashi and their concern for him to come up. The conference and Orochimaru's scheming were major concerns as well.
"Something is going to happen at that conference Gaara. I just know it. Arashi spoke to Jiraiya-sensei about it too. I'm sure about that."
"We can do nothing about Orochimaru until we have more information. Arashi did not See as much as he wished to meaning that there is something that must happen and can not be changed."
"I really hate it when things can't be changed. They usually end up involving very horrific things."
"You say that because our being Jinchuuriki is one of those unchangeable things."
Naruto did not even bother to deny his crimson-haired mate's words; they were more than true after all. Naruto really did not mind being a Jinchuuriki, none of them did, but they all could have done without the horrifying mockeries that they had to call childhoods, if they could be called that. If they were ever children in the first place.
"You love being right don't you?" Naruto was teasing Gaara gently. He liked to see and feel the emotions in his usually stoic mate and in their equally stoic brother Arashi.
Gaara looked at his mate knowing exactly what he was up to. How could he not? Naruto, Temari, and Kankuro did some of the most amusing things trying to get Gaara and Arashi to react. Though the three all knew not to go too far. A few extra hard training sessions with Arashi or several really tedious D-rank missions had told them without words where the boundaries were. They were all quick learners if nothing else.
Naruto seeing that Gaara wasn't going to rise to his bait let it drop. They were both in need of some relaxation. It really made Naruto wish that they were back at their mansion in Suna so that they could soak together in that large bathtub in their room. Though the feeling of Gaara's arms, Gaara's warmth, and Gaara's scent surrounding him was very comforting. Naruto was absolutely sure he would never tire of any of these feelings and it was very reassuring to know that nothing could separate them now. Not even Death itself.