The Child Of Prophecy (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 7

Minato was sitting in his office going over papers when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in!" He called out to whoever it was and continued to look over the mountain of paperwork he still had left to do.

"Well, look who's working so hard!" The jovial voice made Minato freeze. He hadn't heard that voice in a long time and it made him happy to hear it again.

"Jiraiya-sensei! I didn't know that you were coming back!" Minato stopped working as he stood up to greet his old master. "You should have sent a message."

"Now why would I do that when showing up unannounced is so much more fun?" Jiraiya laughed at the unamused face Minato had, but he quickly continued talking. "So where is Naruto at these days? You guys still keeping him locked up?" The normally lighthearted voice turned cold and serious as he questioned Minato.

Minato flinched as he heard the cold tone in Jiraiya's voice. You could tell he was deeply serious whenever he spoke like that. "You know I had no choice in that Jiraiya-sensei."

"You barely even tried, Minato. Those stupid council fools told you what to do and you gave in like a scared puppy. If I was Naruto, I would be upset with you too." Jiraiya suddenly stopped as he realized what he said. Oops...that was supposed to be a secret between me and Naruto...

"What did you just say?" Minato was dumbfounded as he looked at Jiraiya. "Naruto is upset with me about that? That was seven years ago and I told him I was sorry! I–"

"Minato, that's enough!" Jiraiya cut Minato off before he could say anything else. "After finally letting him make a friend, after just one misfortune, you gave in to ridiculous ideas about keeping a young boy, your own son at that, caged without even trying to fight it! In addition, you work so much that you are barely home! Naruto has basically had to raise himself because his dad is too busy!"

Minato was speechless as he stared at Jiraiya. He would try and say something but the words just wouldn't come. After opening and closing his mouth many times, and after a long silence, he was finally able to get some measly words out, "Did Naruto tell you that?"

Jiraiya was amazed that Minato wasn't able to say anything else. He was normally happy and lighthearted, not taking things seriously because he would rather everyone have a good time, but he couldn't help the anger that he felt at that moment. "That's all you can say? Yeah, Naruto sent me a letter explaining everything. How Kakashi spends time with him whenever he isn't busy and how no one else in this village will give him the time of day. Even if he is your son, they are either afraid of him, or hate what he holds inside of him. He is completely alone! But even through all that, he loves you because you are his dad! That boy is the kindest person I have ever met and he tries harder than anyone! You would know that if you paid attention!"

Minato couldn't even say anything back because he knew that Jiraiya was right. He didn't have the right to say anything, but he knew that he had to. "I am trying to make this world safe for him. I almost lost him seven years ago, I will not lose him again." His voice was small and timid compared to Jiraiya, but he wasn't going to back down.

"We are shinobi, Minato. He is going to run into situations where he could get hurt, but if he gets stronger, he will be able to fight back. He isn't a little helpless kid anymore. I know he passed the test this time and that he finally got a mission. That's why I'm here, because I want to see him. You need to stop treating your son like glass. He holds the nine-tails inside of him and I can tell he has the potential to become the strongest shinobi in the world. He needs you to believe in him too." Jiraiya didn't say any more as he left Minato alone in his office to think about what he had said. Don't make the same mistake twice, Minato...