Ocean Spirit
Minato, at age sixteen found himself on a small paddle boat heading far from his home. He was on this journey with two others. The age-old oarsman and Jiraiya, his much loved mentor and father figure. His two companion's were both drunk and singing merrily, without a care in the world.
Fifteen men on a dead man's chest!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum... hic!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rummm!
The words echoed out onto the empty coastal waters in an eerie whisper that made Minato unwillingly shiver.
They made their way through the darkening waters of whirlpool country as the oarsman swayed in a drunken stupor. Minato had reached out to prevent him from falling into the dark waters but the man had merely pushed his hand away and told the blonde, he had 'fine ol' sea legs'. So Minato sat, and he watched mutely. After countless songs, the afternoon had turned to evening. Minato spotted land not far from where they were and soon enough they were almost at Whirlpool.
His eyes averted to the numerous dock's and boat's dotted around the island. As they got closer Jiraiya spoke out towards one of the more isolated docks "Oi there be a pretty lass!" he mumbled in what he believed was a pirate's accent. Minato and the oarsman looked to see a silent figure of a woman, eye's closed as if asleep. She was sitting at the edge of the dock, her feet in the icy water.
This was the only free dock and as they passed the woman, her eye's darted open, the evening hue casting a red glow to her glistening eyes and concrete face.
It was a young woman, with eyes the colour of ocean spray. Her hair was a vibrant shade of vermilion, the exact colour of the dark evening sky. It hung low, down to her hips like straight glossy, red ribbon. She was, as Jiraiya had said, extremely pretty. No, pretty was an understatement. She looked like what Minato imagined a Goddess of the surrounding sea's would look like in human form. The sound of waves hitting the old, wooden, boat stirred Minato from his trance. He snapped his head away from the direction of the lone woman, who now stared far into the horizon.
He left the boat and made his way to his soon to be residence with his drunken room mate, Jiraiya, whom was giving eyes to the few island women out enjoying the evening's summer air. At some point Jiraiya had gone off when Minato wasn't looking. He sighed and continued to where they decided they would be staying, leaving the lecherous mid-aged man to himself.
Minato looked to the horizon, then to the steep island cliff's in the distance and the mist that surrounded them. He looked in awe at the dimly lit shops and bars that were open at this time. He took in the voices of the evening island dwellers, the sound of seagulls and of waves hitting a far off shore. The smell of sea salt and fresh air woke him up along with the cool breeze tickling his exposed neck. Minato wondered to himself, how long would he and Jiraiya stay at this place?
As the thought crossed his mind, a woman walked by. The woman he had seen on the dock, not ten minutes ago. She glanced at him without stopping in her brisk strides. Her face was solemn and looked several years older than his from what he could tell from a glance. And then she was gone, lost in the evening crowds.
A/N: Setting is just before the Shinobi War, Kushina has recently had the Kyuubi placed in her. And some changes have been made from canon.
Kushina will be a few years older, but the gap doesn't matter due to -CENSORED- so they will be the same age eventually :3
