The Jinchuriki Alliance: A New Dream

Chapter 37: The Rasengan

After the tense arrival of the Sage, they finally found themselves sitting by the now put out fire, Gaara sitting by his side and Jiraiya on the opposite side of them. He could tell that Gaara is still cautious of Jiraiya, but his blatant distrust was a step up from 'one wrong move and I'll kill you'.

"You really had me going there kid, pretty clever using your clone to distract me like that...can't believe I fell for it though.." Jiraiya says with his eyebrow raised, deciding to be the one to start up the conversation instead of letting the silence fester awkwardly.

"Heh..yeah..sorry about that...everything my clone told you is true though..." he says softly.

"Yeah I know kid..." Jiraiya says as he looks between Gaara and him "I just hope you believe me when I say that the Hokage didn't have anything to do with your confinement...he would never do that to you Naruto...I know you- or well your clone, said that it doesn't change anything...but I just hope that you don't come to hate the village...I know that your life wasn't easy, and let me tell you...I'm pissed, I'm pissed at all of them, and I can't help but think that if I had been there for you sooner than things might have been different..but I wasn't. Maybe thats why I have come to the decision of helping you instead of bringing you back..I just want you to be safe...and as long as you are aware of what you two are getting into...and I do mean you as well Gaara..." Jiraiya says gesturing towards the redhead next to him "then I will do what I can for you..." he finally finishes.

Gaara remains quiet, not even acknowledging the fact that Jiraiya had spoken towards him, but he knows he had listened though...Gaara was a very good listener after all. As for him, he let's the Sage's words sink into him, did he hate the Leaf Village? If he was being honest he wasn't quite sure, he had gone through some pretty traumatic things because of the villagers and knowing that he was lied to his entire life....well he probably wouldn't be able to forgive them for that, or Lord Third...but hate??

Now that he thinks about it, no, he doesn't hate the village, not everyone in the village was all bad, he still has Kakashi sensei, Sakura, Sasuke, Iruka...even though he was still in the process of forgiving him, and he had Tsuechi and Ayame from Ichiraku...even some of the other genin weren't that bad, like Shikamaru and Choji.

He sighs as he finally gives the Sage an answer "No....I don't hate the village...but that doesn't mean I'm ever going to forgive them..." he explains..

"You don't have to forgive them kid...frankly I don't think I'll be able to either, but Konoha has been my home for a long time, long before your parents were even born" Jiraiya says. He stiffens, as realisation dawns on him...this man knew his parents, well enough for them to apparently make him his Godfather...curiosity nagged at his brain like a parasite.

"You okay Naruto? You look like you want to ask something?.." Jiraiya asks. He peeks awkwardly between Jiraiya and Gaara, who was still seated next to him, his head slightly tilted and his pale green eyes assessing him somewhat curiously.

"You...you knew my parents...right?? like..really well?" Naruto asks awkwardly, fisting his hands tightly against the ground by his sides. To his surprise, the Sage just laughs and then he watches as the man in front of them sends him a broad smile as he thumbs towards his own chest, he suddenly found his body relaxing.

"I'm your Godfather kid! Of course I knew your parents well! In fact...who do you think your old man was calling sensei when he was your age??" Jiraiya asks with an amused yet proud smirk, this caught his attention.

"What!? Seriously!?" he cries out shocked, did this pervert really train his father?? the Fourth Hokage?? "You're telling me that you trained the Fourth Hokage!??" he adds.

However, this makes the man in front of him stiffen and he watches as the mans face goes slack "I..don't believe I mentioned who your father was yet Naruto..." Jiraiya says calmly...a bit too calmly...