Losing Control

by tiffywiffyfluffykitty

"Kushina Uzumaki really would like to say that she's gotten this whole Jinchuuriki thing under control. She really would. Right now, she'd even say she's doing a pretty good job. But a part of her knew it wouldn't last forever." The story of how Minato was inspired to create the Rasengan.

Oh my goodness, there is just so much about this story I just... I can't!

Okay first of all, this is the longest one-shot I've ever done: 35 and a half pages on Microsoft Word and a total of 14,197 words, guys! Second, this was a mix of two ideas that I've been thinking about writing. The first idea is when I noticed in Narutopedia that Minato created the Rasengan from observing a Tailed Beast Bomb and I was like well, the resident Jinchuuriki is Kushina so... maybe something happened? The second idea is that I've always wanted to have a fanfiction where Kushina loses control of the Kyuubi and because he and Kushina doesn't seem to have the best relationship I was thinking maybe it's pretty possible for her to lose control.

And so this monstrosity was born. I'm a little ashamed to say that I started it pretty strong and ended it a bit weak and rushed, but by that point I was already exhausted and I just couldn't wait for it to end so I can share it with you guys.

So I won't keep you from it any longer. Please drop a review on what you think and I hope I kept up with the proper facts and stuff!

Oh and one last thing, there was a bit in Narutopedia where it says that Minato's love helped Kushina overcome the Kyuubi or something and I decided to put that here, but I wasn't sure how to properly put it and I also wasn't sure how Jiraiya subdued Naruto's 4 Tailed Jinchuuriki Form in the anime/manga so... when you get to that part, don't hate me please. I really didn't know how else to put it.

Again, reviews would be greatly appreciated and if you can, please try not to flame me too harshly if you hated it! I worked really hard on this and if you see any errors at all, feel free to point them out!

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Losing Control

Kushina Uzumaki really would like to say that she's gotten this whole Jinchuuriki thing under control. She really would. It's been 3 years, after all, since the Kyuubi has been transferred from her predecessor, the late Mito Uzumaki, to her. Right now, she'd even say she's doing a pretty good job.

It usually isn't hard. Rumors of a third war were brewing in the village and more and more and more genin teams are being sent to do C-rank missions, or B-rank for those who are deemed proficient enough. There was almost never a dull moment in between all the coming and going and the working and the training for the demon fox's whispers to get through to her.

But it was the times… those times when she lies alone in her bed in the house Mito left her in a corner of Konoha by a grove of sakura trees inhabited only by a servant or two and maybe sometimes Lady Biwako, the wife of the Sandaime, who occasionally dropped by to see if she was taking care of herself for somebody had to after Mito died. Those times when she stares at the ceiling at the shifting shadows and remembers the carnage of Uzushio and how both her people and the enemy howled as they fought in a battle to the death. Those times when she remembers her parents forcing her into the shadows and kissing her on the forehead and telling her they loved her before leaving for battle and she never saw her beautiful mother or her strong, handsome father ever again. Those times when her fellow classmates would tease her relentlessly and belittle her about her hair, though she would never let them know just how much those words hurt her. Those times when she remembers Mito comforting her and stroking her hair only a week before she passed away on a stone altar while Kushina writhed and groaned, bound by her restraints as the Kyuubi's thick, heavy, wrong-feeling chakra seeped into her. Those times when she remembers the Kumo-nin attacking her in the halls of this very house, knocking her to the ground and tying her up with chakra-suppression seals on her wrists, marching her through a dark forest and forcing her up even when her legs gave out beneath her from exhaustion.

It was those times when the Kyuubi would whisper to her in its dark voice, promising enticing thoughts of revenge and vengeance upon those who tore apart her home and upon the Kumo-nin who dragged her through that godforsaken forest. Telling her how no one would love her, Minato and Mikoto and her teammates would run away screaming as soon as she reveals who she is, she'll never belong anywhere as long as she holds a Tailed Beast within her. Sarutobi was only keeping her in Konoha because she's a Jinchuuriki vessel and therefore is nothing more than a weapon for them to use at their disposal. She'll forever be alone and hated as long as she lived in this world.

She tries to tune him out, yelling mentally in her mind for it to shut up and let her sleep.

But it's there. It's always there.

She tries to conceal it. She tries to ignore it. Having lunch with her teammates and Mikoto Uchiha, her first female friend. Training with Sakumo Hatake, her jounin sensei.
Going out for ramen with him, Minato Namikaze, the boy she fell in love with after he saved her from the Kumo-nin.

Kushina always remembers Mito's words. She holds it close to her heart, repeating it like a mantra almost whenever she hears the Kyuubi's deep voice in her mind.

"We came here to be the vessels of the Nine-Tails… But before that, we must find love and fill the vessel with it."

Love… Kushina knew she found that night when Minato came after her, but whenever she came close to even telling him how she felt (for who would love the tomboyish, loud-mouthed, stubborn kunoichi from the lost village of Uzushiogakure? And a Jinchuuriki no less!) she felt a little part of her wilt inside and she would mask the hurt and hopelessness in front of him, pasting a bright smile on her face instead.

And then at night, the Kyuubi would mock her, repeating the same thoughts her betraying mind says to her whenever she sees those spiky sun-kissed locks.

But the Kyuubi's voice wasn't there all the time. Most nights she was too exhausted to pay attention to it and would drift off into sleep, ignoring the Kyuubi's presence. Sometimes the fox was quiet as well and she would cheer and spend the day in a far better mood than usual.

But a part of her knew it wouldn't last forever, this dancing around between the two. One day the Kyuubi would get to her. With all the stress and tension from the upcoming war—for now war has broken out— she knew one day, her control and would slip and she would give in to the Kyuubi's seductive words that promise her power and the so-called "respect" that was gained only from fear.

But she would hold on. Mito Uzumaki held on even longer than she did and she would not disappoint her predecessor. She and the damned fox could play this game of words and denial and rejection for as long as she lived.

One reason was because Mito believed in her. The second was that though Minato may not reciprocate her feelings, she would still love him as long as she had their friendship to sustain her. He, Mikoto, her sensei, her teammates, Mito's words, and maybe even Lady Biwako were all she needed.

And it was keeping this in mind that gave her the courage to get up one sunny and hot midsummer morning.

Kushina rolled out of bed with a moan, feeling her hair stick to her neck from the sweat. She grimaced and brushed the crimson strands away as she staggered to the bathroom to stand under the lukewarm shower, scrubbing at her hair with shampoo and conditioner and lathering herself with soap before washing all of it off and walking out dripping wet back to her room so that she could dress herself in her cream-colored kimono-style blouse with her black belt and her tights and shoes and shove part of her bangs up to the side with a thin barrette before tying her hitai-ate around her forehead and going to the kitchen.

The two servants, Saya and Akira, were waiting for her with her breakfast. The women placed the bowls in front of her with a polite smile and backed away, leaving her alone to eat. Kushina was always tempted to call them back when she was younger, but now she knew that it was because she was a Jinchuuriki that they were so wary of her and so she ignored them and finished her breakfast in silence. Afterwards, she tied her pouch around her, checked she had all her materials, and left.

She bounded towards one of Konoha's training fields, passing by the village as she did so. Being that she was a foreigner, a refugee, and a brash (occasional) prankster, not many wanted to associate themselves with her but those who did greeted her with a warm smile and a waved hand to which she responded to with a bright grin.

Kushina found that her team had grown in size as she leapt towards them. She could see Sakumo-sensei, and Jun and Daisuke, her commoner-born teammates… but was that Jiraiya? And Mikoto? And Gaku Inuzuka and his ninken, Shiromaru? And—

Kushina let out a yelp as she saw the blonde spikes, then cried out again as she missed a step and found herself falling out of the trees and crashing into the ground right in front of them, sending up a cloud of dust and leaves. "Oww…"

She could hear several muffled snickers and blushed as she picked herself off the ground. Looking up, a hand was extended in front of her, the face of a smiling azure-eyed boy behind it. "Good morning, Kushina," Minato said cheerfully.

Kill me. Kill me and bury my bones next to my mother and father, she thought vehemently as she grasped his hand, allowing him to help her up, and turned away quickly to hide her deep blush. "Th-thank you."

"That was quite a fall," Sakumo-sensei said mildly. "Are you alright?"

"Ah? Yeah, of course, 'ttebane!"

Mikoto sidled up to her and elbowed her with a grin, her eyes flickering to Minato, who had gone back to standing beside Jiraiya, oblivious to Mikoto's glance. Kushina made a face and shoved her friend away. "Shut up!" she hissed.

Jun and Daisuke sniggered as well and Kushina let out an annoyed humph. "Okay, I'm here! So why are they here?" She jabbed a thumb in Jiraiya's direction, taking care her gaze doesn't fall upon Minato again.

"Sandaime has a mission for us," Jiraiya said, grinning at her flustered expression. His eyes glinted knowingly. "He wants our two teams to pair up."

Kushina raised an eyebrow. "And what's so big and dangerous that two teams have to handle it together?"

"We've been getting reports that several enemy shinobi are making their way through Hi no Kuni's north-eastern side towards Konoha. We're going to stop them," Sakumo-sensei said.

"Isn't that what the front-liners are supposed to do?" Jun asked, frowning.

"Some have broken through. Reinforcements are being sent to the now weak point in our defenses, but they don't have the time to take care of the 13 Ame shinobi who're now heading towards Konoha. Sandaime didn't have anybody else, so he's sending us." Jiraiya now looked serious. "I know you're all genin— except for Minato—and I know you haven't done something like this ever, but remember that there can be no mistakes. We've kept you from the war as long as possible, but now it's time for you guys to get into the action. Konoha is counting on you on this."

Kushina, Jun, and Daisuke looked at each other. They knew Jiraiya's comment was directed towards them, since they were one of the few teams left who weren't ready enough to handle the more serious missions. Jiraiya was right when he mentioned they haven't ever done something like this before; the only time they've ever killed anyone was when they ran into just one enemy shinobi and Sakumo-sensei had taken care of him in a heartbeat. But now Konoha's at war. There's no time for them to be dawdling around like children.

"We're ready," Kushina said firmly, turning back around. Jun and Daisuke nodded as well.

Sakumo-sensei looked over them with a critical eye, lingering on Kushina most of all. He let out a sigh. "I believe in you," he said simply. He looked almost tiredly into Jiraiya's eyes. "They're ready to be sent out."

Jiraiya nodded. "We'll leave in an hour. Pack yur bags and meet us at the gates. Don't bring too much; we're not going far and it'll only slow us down."

"Hai!" they all chorused before disappearing.

As Kushina rushed back the way she came, she couldn't help but feel excited. Finally! They were finally being sent out! No more waiting at the gate for Minato and Mikoto to come back after some three-week mission! No more hearing about exciting missions that she couldn't take part in herself! This was her turn to shine!

She landed just outside the barrier surrounding Mito's house, fed her chakra to it, and walked through after it recognized her signature. The barrier was something the Sandaime set up from looking through one of Mito's private fuuinjutsu scrolls after Kushina was kidnapped. Whoever inside could leave whenever they wanted, but only a select few people could go in. It was a jutsu Mito invented herself, though the entire three-hour process was too complicated for Kushina to learn at the moment, though she vowed to master it in the future when she had the time.

She rushed to her room and repacked her pouch, putting in extra shuriken and kunai and a fuuinjutsu scroll or two as well as some explosive tags, ration bars, and a small water bottle that she filled in the kitchen before running to the servant's lounge and telling Saya and Akira that she would be out for a while on a mission before hurrying to the gates.

This time, she wasn't the last one there. Jiraiya's team was waiting with Sakumo-sensei as Kushina skidded to a stop in front of them. "I'm here!" she sang. "Where's Jun and Daisuke?"

"Not here yet," Sakumo-sensei said. He and Jiraiya exchanged a quick look before he turned back to her and said, "Kushina, can I talk to you?"

She tilted her head with confusion but followed as he walked to one side of the gates. "What is it, sensei?" she asked once they stopped.

He gave her a solemn gray-eyed stare. "It's about the Kyuubi." She winced slightly, but he continued on as if he hadn't seen it. "Sandaime didn't want you to go out, far from where he could easily access your seal should you lose control of it. But because the last three B-rank missions we did were successful, he entrusted us with this far more important mission. Originally, it was just supposed to be our team, but since this is the first time we're going straight into battle, he put Jiraiya's team here… so that Jiraiya can keep an eye on you."

Kushina's eyes widened, but Sakumo shook his head, warning her not to speak yet. "So what I'm saying is, Jiraiya is more of a last-minute resort if there ever came a point during this mission that you absolutely couldn't rein the beast in. But I trust you that you haven't given in yet."

"Three years and still counting, 'ttebane!"

He gave her a small smile. "Just be careful, alright? Only a select few know you're the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and Sandaime wants to keep it that way. Don't go berserk on us no matter what happens. Even…" He briefly glanced up over her head. "Even if any of us get cut down in front of you. I know rage and vengeance can release the Kyuubi in stressed situations."

Her eyes widened and he leaned closer. "Do you understand? Do not lose control of the Kyuubi no matter what!"

"Why are you telling me this?" she said, trying to keep her voice down. "I know this already!"

"Because the battlefield is a whole lot different from everything else we've done. You'll witness death. Your friends could be killed before your very eyes." Sakumo sighed. "I already know you've somewhat faced that before in Uzushio, but the situation is a lot more different when there's a Bijuu whispering in your ear the entire time."

"Oi, Sakumo-sensei! Kushina!" a voice called and the two turned to see that Jun and Daisuke have arrived. "Let's go!"

"Promise me you won't lose control," Sakumo hurriedly whispered.

"I promise sensei. No matter what, I won't let the fox get the better of me."

"Good. Let's go." He led the way back to the group.

"What was that all about?" Daisuke asked Kushina.

"I was just talking to him about a few things," she said casually. "Nothing really important?"

"Oh, really? Cause Jun thinks there's something going on between you and sensei even though I told him that's impossible and—"

"DAI, EWWW! THAT'S DISGUSTING!" Kushina shrieks. "Wait, Jun?!" She turns a murderous gaze onto the shaking boy. "You want me to turn you into a smashed tomato?" she hissed ominously.

"I-I'm sorry, Kushina!" the boy squeaks as he notices as her famous hair began to whip around her head. "I'm sorry! Dai started it!"

"What?! I did not! No, Kushina, I swear—"

"Your team sure is lively," Jiraiya said offhandedly to Sakumo as screams and fleshy cracks began to resound behind them as they walked out of Konoha. Behind their sensei, Mikoto and Gaku sniggered as they heard Jun begin to sob while Minato simply gave an amused smile.

After a while, the five genin began chatting amongst themselves as they traveled down the road. Kushina had calmed down significantly, although Daisuke sported a brilliant purplish-black eye and Jun had several reddish gray marks on his arm in the shape of fingers where Kushina had gripped him hard enough to bruise.

"We haven't really done many really good missions. Mostly really simple C-ranks like escort missions and stuff," Daisuke was saying to Gaku and Shiromaru. "We also get D-rank the most."

"Probably cause your chakra control sucks," Kushina says derisively.

"Oh yeah? You're worse than I am!"

"I am not! It was just the water walking that got to me and I still got it down faster than you two!"

"'Shina's right, you know," Jun said, smirking at Daisuke.

"Shut up!"

"I thought I was the only one who called her 'Shina," Mikoto said, pouting a little.

"She let us use it about a year ago, but we don't usually call her that. She still beats us up a lot," Jun said, wincing.

"Hell yeah, 'ttebane! I'm the Red-Hot Habanero, you know!" Kushina declared proudly, raising her fist.

"And don't we all know it," Gaku muttered. Next to him, Shiromaru whined. "I swear, that time you kicked me in my family treasure—"

"Oh get over it. I kicked you lightly."

"Light, my ass! I couldn't move for 15 minutes and then Tsume had to carry me home! And she never lets me hear the end of it!"

Kushina snickered. "I'm glad I made an impression."

They bantered back and forth while Minato, the only one who didn't speak, listened. It wasn't that he didn't have anything to say, oh no, for Mikoto and Gaku knew that when they were on missions, Minato had a ton of things to say. It was just that for some reason, Minato felt himself feeling more and more like he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Kushina and that led to him speaking less and less around her. (Not that she noticed. Whenever they hung out, it was mostly her who did the talking.) He was afraid of saying the wrong thing that would make her laugh for hours on end and tease him mercilessly for it days after (It did happen. Once.). And God forbid if he messed up anything in front of her like slop ramen down his shirt. He didn't think he'll be able to face her for weeks if he did.

It was weird, this feeling. He'd noticed it as soon as he first saw her beating up those boys (one of them was Jun) on her first day and it just grew and grew as time went on. Two years ago when he rescued her from the Kumo nin, he'd obsessed for hours over if he'd said the wrong thing to her or if he did anything inappropriate for the situation like when he picked her up in his arms. He'd almost beaten himself to death when he noticed Kushina acting weird around him for a week but when she went back to her loud, brash ways, he felt a feeling of overwhelming relief that he couldn't help but grin at her because they were friends and she didn't hate him for what he did. Being an 11 year old girl, Kushina had thought he was smirking at her and slapped him round across the head for it. Being an 11 year old boy, all he did was smile stupidly at her again. (Right now he was 13 and he knew that he'd just smile again anyway. For some reason, he liked smiling at her.)

"What's up?"

He blinked and jerked his head around. Kushina was looking at him inquisitively. "What?"

"You looked distracted," she commented lightly.

"Oh. Just thinking about the mission," he lied.

She let out a snort. "Oh lighten up. We're going to be fine." But there was something strangely off about her grin that he couldn't place. Did she look worried?

Minato almost let out a snort of his own. Of course she didn't. She was Kushina Uzumaki, the Red-Hot Habanero and the bane of almost every 13-15 year old male's existence in Konoha. Of course she didn't look worried.

But he was sure there was something off about her…

"Oi. Oi! Namikaze. Yoo-hoo, anybody home?" Someone rapped on his hitai-ate and he blinked. "Well, he's alive after all." Kushina looked into his eyes. "What's wrong? You've been getting distracted a lot."

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine."

She looked at him disbelievingly, but shrugged. "Oh well. If there's anything wrong, you can always talk to me, 'ttebane."

He gives her a weak grin. "Sure."

"Hey, brats!" Jiraiya yelled, stopping by the roadside where a small tea stand was situated between two trees. "Lunch!"

"Oh, finally!" Jun moaned. "I'm starving!"

As they feasted on cups of green tea and homemade onigiri from the stand, Jiraiya and Sakumo explained in between bites and swallows that once they reach the bend in the road a half mile from the stand, they'll be beginning their trek westward.

"We're going to have to pick up the pace. We've been going slower than expected," Sakumo said.

"No thanks to blondie here," Kushina said, pointing at Minato. "He's been daydreaming this entire time!"

"I was not!" Minato said indignantly.

"Yeah you were." She poked him on the shoulder. "What, were you thinking of somebody?"

He shrugged. "Something like that."

Kushina forced down the raging hurt and jealousy before they made her do something stupid she'll regret after and had no time to dwell on later. Clamping her mouth shut, she drew back and looked away. Minato blinked at the abrupt change in demeanor, but before he could ask, Jiraiya interrupted them.

"Alright, enough from you lovebirds." Kushina snarled at him and whoever (namely Jun, Daisuke, and Mikoto) laughed at his words. "As soon as we finish eating, we'll be going at a much faster pace than before. We might not encounter the shinobi today, but keep your eyes peeled."

"How can you be sure they won't be going by another route?" Jun asked skeptically, all traces of mirth gone.

"The enemies don't know the land as well as we do," Minato said logically. "Going in a straight line would be their safest bet."

"Exactly. And reports say that the direction we're taking is best for us to encounter them." Jiraiya swallowed the last of his lunch and stood. "Alright, everybody ready?"

They gulped down the rest of their food and stood as well. Sakumo led them down to the bend in the road before turning to them again. "Jiraiya and I have discussed some things and we decided it's better if we split to cover a wider range rather than a single, focused point."

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Daisuke asked, frowning.

"We couldn't decide earlier," Jiraiya said. "Though you should've known this tactic is almost standard procedure by now." He crossed his arms. "Okay, listen. We'll be going in a wide V-shaped formation. Gaku, Shiromaru, and Jun are a group. You'll be on the upper right tip of the V seventy feet ahead of Sakumo, who'll be at the bottom of the formation. Minato, you'll be going solo on the upper left, same distance from Sakumo but 300 feet from Gaku and Jun. Forty feet behind you to your right will be me and Kushina. That leaves Mikoto and Daisuke forty feet to the left behind Gaku and Jun and 200 feet from me and Kushina. We got it?"

Kushina turned her eyes downward to stifle the protests from having to stick close to Jiraiya, but didn't say anything. The others nodded with a, "You explained that weird," from Jun and Jiraiya passed out communication devices which they attached to themselves.

"Remember, these shinobi are labeled to be killed on sight," Sakumo said. "But we want to try to get at least one alive back for the T&I department, alright?"

"Right," Jun said, and there was now a trace of nervousness in his face. Gaku and Mikoto also looked apprehensive and Daisuke even more so, but Minato seemed calm, though that could just be a façade.

"Good. Everyone, get into position. Minato, Gaku, Jun, move out on my mark."

Kushina caught Minato's eye as they walked away and nodded, trying to convey a lot of things into one motion. He seemed to get it, for he nodded back and smiled briefly before walking even further down the road. Sakumo gave a signal and he was gone in a bright yellow flash of his hair.

A minute later, Sakumo flicked his hand and Kushina and Jiraiya jumped into the trees, flying through the branches. They traveled in silence except for the occasional huff of an exhaled breath, the whoosh of the wind, or the thud of footfalls on the trees. Time passed this way in the same slightly tense quiet. Every half hour, Sakumo's voice would sound through the earpiece.

"Status report."

"Minato. Doing fine. No sign of them yet."

"Jiraiya. Doing alright."

"Kushina. Not bad."

"Mikoto. I'm alright."

"Daisuke. Doing okay."

"Gaku and Shiromaru. We're good."

"Jun, here. I'm okay! Don't see them though."

"Good. I'm fine as well."

They fall into silence once again. Long minutes pass again and Kushina does not speak to Jiraiya, nor he to her. They knew any moment now Minato or Jun, as sensor types, could sound the alarm and they would be thrown straight into battle, assuming if the enemy manages get past Minato, Gaku, Shiromaru, or Jun.

3 hours pass by with barely a hitch. Several times, Sakumo called for a stop and they would spread out even further, trying to detect even a hint of the Ame shinobi.

Another two hours pass and Sakumo calls for a short break. Kushina and Jiraiya crouch the boughs of a tall oak and scan the surrounding forest as they sip water from their bottles.

"Do you think we could be off on our calculations?" Kushina asked worriedly. "What if they're miles to the left or something?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "I'm sure they're in this direction," he said, his voice serious. Kushina sometimes forgets that the usually perverted and comical Sannin could be so solemn. "But I'm just not sure when we'll—"

Minato's voice suddenly sounded over the earpiece, his voice urgent. "I've just sensed unfamiliar chakra north of us, heading our way and moving fast! They should be able to sense us by now!"

"Move out!" Sakumo shouted in their ears.

Kushina and Jiraiya launched themselves out of the tree and sprinted through the forest, bodies tense as they prepared for combat.

"Gaku and Shiromaru have engaged in combat with two enemy shinobi!" Jun suddenly shouted. "I'm being chased by another and 5 are heading in the direction of Mikoto and Daisuke. I'm not sure where the rest of them are!"

"I see them!" Mikoto shrilled over the earpiece. "Daisuke—"

"I sense two of them coming in my direction!" Minato yelled briefly. There were several muffled thuds coming from his end as well as a raspy sound like bark crumbling underfoot. "Three are coming your way, Jiraiya-sensei, Kushina!"

"Got it!" Kushina shouted. She removed her hand from her earpiece as a wave of water came flying at her from the left, fed by the small stream far below her. She flipped, dodging it, and landed on a lower branch. "Shit!" She quickly formed hand seals and a jet of sharp, slicing wind cut through the air. Branches fell as it passed, leaving a clean cut in the shape of a crescent moon in its wake. "Did I get him?" she mutters to herself.

"Nope," an unfamiliar voice said and she barely managed to dodge the kunai whistling at her, slicing her cheek. A drop of blood rolled down her skin like a tear.

She whipped out a kunai of her own and deflected the five shuriken thrown at her face. From the corner of her eye, she could see Jiraiya caught in the middle of a fierce taijutsu fight between two of the shinobi. She dodges another barrage of kunai and rushes to duck behind a tree 20 feet away, catching her breath.

When she senses the shinobi approaching, she quickly unleashes the same cutting wind as before.

"Is that all you can do?" he calls and she stifles a curse as she realizes she missed again.

"'Course not!" Kushina shouts back, unable to help herself. She throws herself to the side as another jet of water rushes at her, blasting the treetops away

"Kushina, don't get too far!" Jiraiya yells in her ear.

"I'll be fine!" she yells back briefly. Her eyes flicker as she realized the shinobi was gone. "Crap."

A staggering blow across her back forces the air from her lungs and propels her from the branch she was crouched on, throwing her through the air until she slams into a tree trunk and falls to the ground with a groan of pain.

With a little difficulty, Kushina rights herself again and manages to land safely, though her left leg buckled beneath her as a searing pain shot through her knee and she grabbed onto the tree trunk to steady herself. "OW!"

But she hardly has time to catch her breath. She hears a whoosh as a kunai speeds towards her and she runs away, busying her hands by wrapping an explosive tag around a kunai and throwing it back. The resounding boom and the yell of fury brings a smirk to her face.

Taking that moment that the shinobi was distracted, she forms hand seals and slams her hand on the ground. This was a fuuinjutsu technique she used only once, but hopefully it would be effective again this time.

Kushina stands back up, backing away from the ground and smirks at the rather frazzled shinobi landing in front of her. "Hah, bet you didn't think I'd put up such a challenge, huh 'ttebane?"

The man scowled at her. "Bitch," he muttered. "Like some fucking genin can best me."

"You can't speak like that in front of a lady," Kushina taunted. She needed him to step forward. Just one step.

"What lady? I don't see one." It was a lame comeback, but she gritted her teeth nonetheless.

"Me, dattebane!"

"You?" He snorted and started laughing and Kushina wanted to scream. If he didn't step forward… "You're just a—"

He finally took a step and the seal activated. Black lines spiraled out from under his foot and crawled up his leg, trapping him. "Wha—"

Kushina laughed mockingly. "Too late, you're caught in my seal."

"What the fuck is this?" he hissed, trying to pull his leg out. The lines began to encompass his other leg as well, immobilizing his legs.

"A seal," Kushina replied. "It's supposed to immobilize you then rip you apart from inside out." She cast a critical eye over it. "Yeah, it's gonna. Whew, I did it right this time!" She smirked at the shinobi. "How does it make you feel, knowing you got bested by a genin, 'ttebane?"

He snarled at her, but the seal had reached up to his neck and he couldn't use his vocal chords. His eyes spoke volumes, though, as the black marks covered his face and forced their way into his mouth. He gagged and his eyes rolled up. Kushina looked at him for a few seconds then sighed, suddenly feeling all the fight go out of her. She grimaced at him and bounded away back towards Jiraiya.

She didn't look back when she heard the explosion.

"This is Kushina. I'm alright. The other guy, not so much. Jiraiya, where are you?" she asked, pressing her finger to the button.

There were no replies from him, but Sakumo responded. "Kushina, I'm glad you're alright. Jiraiya's busy right now, since one of them is giving him a bit of trouble."

"Really? Even for a Sannin?" She stopped on a branch. "Want me to help him?"

"No. Go back up Minato. He might need help."

"Unlikely," Kushina muttered to herself. "Copy that, I'm on my way."

"I'm about 27 miles to the left of where you are right now, Kushina," Minato suddenly said. "I've already got one, but the other's eluding me so be careful when you approach; He might ambush you."

"Got it. Hold on, blondie."

She turned and sped off in his direction, ignoring the dull pain in her knee. It'll be fine soon anyway. The Kyuubi would take care of it.

Speaking of her prisoner, the demon fox was rather silent all throughout this mission. Whatever. She preferred his silence anyway.

The trees blurred as she rushed past and her hair whipped behind her. She longed to tie it up, but unfortunately forgot to bring a hair tie with her.

The miles passed by and she found herself holding her breath. Minato said he lost track of the other shinobi. What if—

Oh please. He's the flipping child prodigy/wonderboy of Konoha. The one who everybody thinks has the highest chance to be Hokage one day. Of course he's going to be alright!

He better be, or Kushina Uzumaki will beat him till he's a smashed tomato and he cries uncle.

A reluctant grin tugs at her lips at the thought and she was so preoccupied for the next few minutes she almost missed the hissed whisper of, "Kushina!"

She stops, landing on a thick branch, and looks around. "Minato?" she calls hesitatingly, wondering if it was a trap.

"Over here." And she suddenly sees his head sticking out at her from… a tree trunk?

"It's a genjutsu," his voice explains, seeing her eyes bulge from shock. "Just walk forward and you should see me soon." She nods and slowly walks forward until she suddenly finds herself standing in front of him as he leans against the real tree trunk.

"Nice," she comments, going to lean next to him.

"Yeah. Don't talk so loud. He can still hear us, but we should go find a new hiding place soon. He might've seen you."

She quiets and stares out at the forest. Minato chose a good vantage point; the tree was higher than most and they could overlook 3 sides of the forest around them. If the enemy sneaked up on them, they would most likely see it.

It was silent. Birds flew in the distance and the brown silhouettes of a herd of deer crossed the edge of a field a few miles to the east. Despite the current ongoing fights somewhere far from them, it was peaceful.

Kushina sucked in a deep breath, trying to control her racing heart, which was going haywire around Minato as he turned his head stared at her.

"You alright?"

The question startled her for a few seconds, but then she remembered her cut cheek. "Mhm. It's just a scratch."

"That's good." He sounded so sincere that her heart skipped a beat. "You have blood on your face though."

"Thanks." She brought up her hand to scrub it off with her wrist, but Minato reached out and gently wiped it away with his sleeve. Kushina froze as a blush blossomed across her face and he cleared his throat, looking away. Silence descended upon them and they found they couldn't look at each other.

"Minato! Is Kushina with you?" Jiraiya's voice suddenly blared in their ears. The two of them winced at the sudden noise and fumbled for their earpieces.

"Yeah, I am!" Kushina shouted back.

"Okay, good! I'm coming over. I went a little farther than I thought I would taking those guys out, but I'll be there as soon as I can. Just stay put."

"We can take care of ourselves, you know, 'ttebane!"

"Listen to what he says, Kushina," Sakumo said. "I'm with Mikoto and Daisuke. We're moving on to check up on Gaku and Jun."

"Okay, be careful," Kushina said. She removed her finger. "Should we stay and wait or should—"

Fire blasted right at them and they vaulted to the side, into the air. "Dammit!" Kushina yelled. "He got us while we're distracted."

Minato flipped in midair to dodge three kunai thrown at him by the enemy, a middle-aged man with short brown hair and a scar curving over his cheek. They landed in the trees, pausing for only a second to catch their breath. "Kushina, don't engage him alone!" But she was already in pursuit. He sighed at her brashness and landed in a tree before leaping back the way he came, pushing himself as fast as he could to catch up to the strong-willed kunoichi.

He found her standing upside down, looking around with an aggravated expression. "Where is he, 'ttebane?" she yelled, whipping her head from side to side. Her long waterfall of crimson hair reached to the ground and Minato had to prevent himself from reaching out and caressing it… like he always wanted to whenever he saw those long, beautiful locks back home.

"I told you not to go after him alone," he said instead in a mild, amused tone.

Kushina scowled at him and climbed back upright on her branch, leaving Minato to leap up next to her. "I told you I can take care of myself."

"You said we can take care of ourselves," he corrected.

"Same thing."

He shrugs, letting it go. He scans their surroundings. "I can't sense him," he mutters, speaking so low Kushina almost couldn't hear him.

"We should move. He's probably watching us."

Minato nods and they quickly rush away.

As they ran, their eyes kept darting from side to side for any hint of the Ame shinobi. They quietly debated between separating or staying together, but Minato thought it better if they stuck together, as 2 against 1 is far better than 1 against 1 and besides, if they were separated and one of them was attacked, how would the other reach them in time?

He doesn't include that a part of him wants her to stay close to him so she would be safe. Not that he doubted her ability or was overly confident of his, but it was just... a feeling. Out of many feelings when it came to Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina grudgingly accepted his logical reasoning and continued on. "At least let me put up a barrier so that he can't escape."

"Jiraiya-sensei's coming, you don't know where he is, and besides you need maneuverability."

She growled with frustration. "It's worth a try, 'ttebane."

"It is, but I'd rather you saved your chakra."

"Oh please, I've hardly expended it at all. I've got tons left. Uzumaki's have giant chakra reserves, remember? I told you before."

"I know." He smiles a bit at her. "Okay, once I've gotten hold of his position, make the barrier. I'll take care of the rest and hopefully I'll be able to take him down before Jiraiya-sensei arrives."

"Oh no, Minato. I'll be taking care of him." She gave him a broad grin.

"It's not a competition."

"I know it's not. But I'm still a better kunoichi than you, 'ttebane!"

"I'm not a kunoichi…"

"Ugh! You know what I mean, 'ttebane!"

"We really shouldn't get distracted like this." He held up a hand, halting their progress, and placed a hand on the ground, pausing for a second. "He's chasing after us, about 8 miles behind us and gaining. I think it's safe to put a barrier now."

"Okay. I'll need a few seconds though." Kushina crouched, putting her hands together and closing her eyes as she concentrated. Sweat beaded on her forehead as the air around her began to color a light gold as her chakra appeared and with a sharp huff, the chakra formed into spiked gold chains. She carefully calculated the area where the barrier would cover and with a metallic clank, the chains stabbed into the ground and shot up into the air, crossing in a grid pattern before the sharp, diamond-headed spikes stabbed into the ground again, forming a dome.

Kushina fell forward with a gasp, shaking from the effort. Minato immediately appeared next to her and held her up. "Good job," he praised. "You did great."

"Not… used to it. Gotta… practice more," she huffed. She swiped a hand over her brow and stood straight. "How does it look? The last time it looked like a blob…"

"It looks pretty sturdy." He nods after his inspection. "I'm guessing it's not easy to move around right now."

"With practice, in the future I might be able to but right now, no, I can't do much."

"Then we'll have to wait for him." Minato looked at her and opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it and looked away. "Get ready. He's coming."

Kushina pulled out a kunai and stood straight. "When we get home, I'll treat you to ramen." She sent him a grin and he smiled briefly right before the shinobi appeared in front of them.

"That's it? Two genin?" the shinobi scoffed, getting up from his stance. "That's all they send after me?"

"Oi, he's a chuunin, 'ttebane!" Kushina yelled, pointing to Minato.

The boy sighed, mostly from exasperation.

"Are you the one who set up the barrier?" the shinobi demanded, looking at him.

"I did!" Kushina declared, jutting her thumb at herself. "Me, Kushina Uzumaki!"

"Kushina!" Minato hissed warningly.

But the shinobi had paused. "Wait… Uzumaki?" A wicked grin had spread over his face. "Did you say… you are an Uzumaki? From Uzushiogakure?"

"That's right, 'ttebane!"

The shinobi threw back his head and roared with laughter. "I didn't think there were any left!" He tilted his head forward and grinned and Minato tensed, for there was something…disturbing about it. "Not after what happened all those years ago. Oh, I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was there, you know. I was there to watch your people and your village fall and burn to ashes."

As he spoke, Kushina's face had gone whiter and whiter. "Y…You…You were there?"

He smirked. "Not only was I there, I took part in it." He narrows his eyes contemplatively and tilts his head to the side. "You look old enough to remember it. Judging by your reaction, you were there, weren't you? You remember Uzushio's fall?"

She was silent.

The shinobi shook his head, looking off into the distance. "Oh it was glorious. We won a great victory that day, you know. With Uzushio's fall, Konoha has one less ally. I still remember how everything went, you know. Do you remember it, Uzumaki? How we came in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep and slaughtered your children and your villagers and murdered your Kage before he even had a chance to rouse all the shinobi together?"

"Kushina, don't listen to him," Minato futilely whispered in an attempt to distract her. "Kushina!"

The girl had gone completely still, not noticing that her barrier had now disintegrated in her shock. Tears glimmered in her eyes, but they did not fall. The air was absolutely quiet— the calm before the storm.

The shinobi continued to talk, his voice condescending. "Shall I tell you how your clansmen fell before us like cut grass? Oh they fought, but they were nothing before Iwa and Ame and Kiri and Suna."

Kushina's fists clenched. By her side, Minato quickly analyzed his options and the possible outcomes. He could subdue the shinobi himself, using Kushina as cover, or step back and let Kushina beat him up herself. God knows she's close to snapping any moment now and he knew from firsthand experience that dealing with her while she's furious can be hazardous from ones health and right now, Minato doesn't exactly want to take the brunt of it. Or, he could just wait for Jiraiya to arrive.

Could he take the chance to contact Sakumo and Jiraiya-sensei right now while both of them are distracted? He could slip away… No! What if the shinobi attacked her? Minato had to stay close in case.

His hand inched towards the kunai in his pouch. He might as well stay and keep watch over the situation and wait for Jiraiya-sensei. Besides, he was confident that if the shinobi attacked, he would be fast enough to defend Kushina and subdue the enemy.

"I killed plenty myself, you know," the shinobi bragged and Minato winced. He knew death would be a welcome release for him after Kushina was through with him. "They were hardly a challenge. Sure, they had that fancy fuuinjutsu, but that was nothing. Besides that, they had nothing. I can't see how the Kages even thought the Uzushio shinobi were even a threat. A small, pathetic little village who just invented a few fancy ink marks shouldn't even be considered shinobi."

"Shut up," Minato muttered, partly to himself. He was watching Kushina and was noticing with curiosity and an amount of alarm that now instead of her fists clenching and her body tense and her hair flying, she was relaxed and her hands hung limp by her side with her hair still the same red river down her back. The only indication of emotion was the tiny almost imperceptible tremors running through her.

Somehow, it seemed even more painful to watch Kushina when was so heartbroken that it seemed her very spirit was broken within her.

Or was it something else? Minato narrowed his eyes when he noticed… something. His heartbeat picked up and his palms were slick with sweat. He noticed that the air was even stiller than before and that nothing moved, not even the wildlife or the wind. It was like the entire world was taking in one deep breath.

"Of course, the Uzumaki were even easier to dispose of. Yeah, they had their fancy chakra and all that like the chains you had before, but it's so easy to predict their movements and besides, they grew so arrogant over their supposed power—"

"Are you going to let him talk to you this way?" the Kyuubi's deep, growling voice sounded in the recesses of Kushina's blank mind; pouncing upon this moment of weakness when all her guards are down, lost to grief and fury.

"—after a while, it was like a contest among us to see who could kill the most, especially when it came to the genin and the chuunin. I remembered some of the Iwa liked to cut off that bright, disgustingly red hair like yours and wave it around like a trophy—"

"He mocks you and your fallen comrades. He spits on their memories. Will you let him do this?" He shifts and his bright crimson eye stares at her as she stands slumped before his staked form, her eyes dull and glassy with tears. "We can make him pay for his words. We can make him suffer until he begs for death."

Make him suffer…

"I will lend you my power. All you have to do is loose these accursed chains and stakes. We will be unstoppable. We can avenge your fallen village."

Avenge…

"Starting… with this arrogant fool before you. Rip him apart. Tear him to shreds and hear his cries. He is nothing before our combined might." The Kyuubi gave her a feral grin. "Accept my offer, little jailor, and make up your mind quickly. I do not like to be kept waiting."

The tears fell. She bowed her head in resignation.

"Good…"

It was like a shockwave of pure energy had torn through the world. Minato cried out as he was thrown back, his arms crossed before him to block his face from the debris at him flying through the air. His eardrums threatened to burst from the pressure and the noise.

A heavy, dense chakra filled the air, stifling him. He choked at the feel of it. This chakra… what the hell is it?! It's like… It's like a monster's!

He gasped as he slammed into a tree and slid to the ground, choking for breath from the blow and from the thick chakra pulsing around him. Suddenly, there were voices in his ear.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

"Jiraiya-sensei, what is that?!"

But one voice roared above the rest.

"MINATO! WHAT HAPPENED TO KUSHINA?!" Jiraiya bellowed through the earpiece.

"Kushina?"

"Kushina?!"

"What does this have to do with Kushina?"

"Is Kushina alright?"

"Minato, answer!"

Sakumo's sharp voice cut through them. "Minato Namikaze! Answer me! What. Happened. To. Kushina?"

But Minato couldn't reply. He didn't even seem to hear. He was staring in front of him, eyes wide and mouth dropped open as he sat slumped against the roots of the tree.

A giant circle of trees flattened by the shockwave rested in a near-perfect circle nearly 300 feet across. In the center of the circle, the trees have been stripped from the ground, leaving torn holes in the ragged soil and crouched in the midst of the ragged earth is Kushina.

But it didn't seem like Kushina. It couldn't be. Kushina didn't have dark orange chakra bubbling and shaping around her like some sort of infernal cloak. Kushina didn't have what seemed to be four translucent orange tails formed from the chakra sticking out from her rear. Kushina didn't have two ear-shaped protrusions from the top of her head. Kushina didn't have fangs coming out of her mouth.

And Kushina most definitely didn't have bloody crimson eyes with slit pupils like a feline's.

But that scarlet hair was hers, and so were the clothes and the same furious expression, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like Kushina.

Minato flinched as Jiraiya roared in his ear again. He lifted a hand to his earpiece and pressed the button. "I-I don't know. Jiraiya-sensei, what is that? It looks like orange chakra is around her."

Jiraiya swore loudly. "How many tails?!"

"Tails?"

"HOW MANY?!"

"Uh… Four!"

"Shit. Sakumo! Keep them away! Minato, fall back! I'll handle it."

"What's going on?" Mikoto's frightened voice sounded. "What's happening to Kushina?"

"This is classified information," Sakumo said. "Minato, listen. Let Jiraiya take over and join me with the others. I'll explain… as much as I can."

Just then, Kushina roared and Minato watched, horrified, as her skin began to peel away. Blood began to mix with the chakra, turning it red and underneath her skin, dark reddish-black chakra began to show.

"Jiraiya-sensei! What's happening to her?!" he shouted, though he knew it was futile. Jiraiya wasn't even there to see it yet. "Her skin looks like it's peeling off—"

"Jiraiya! We're running out of time! You need to subdue her now before she kills us all!" Sakumo yelled.

"I know! I'm almost there!"

Kushina let out a pained howl and Minato watched with horror as the patches of red-black chakra grew larger and larger and a fifth tail began to protrude until she was completely covered in it. Her waving hair blended in with the chakra until it almost looked like she had a few more tails. She let out a snarl.

He tore his gaze away, searching desperately for Jiraiya. Where was he?!

A scream made him whip his head back around. The Ame shinobi who was mocking Kushina was sprawled on the ground before her. His leg was crushed beneath Kushina's right hand and he was writhing in pain, his forehead beaded with sweat and his eyes wild with fear.

"What are you?!" he screamed.

Kushina roared and flicked her tails. A shockwave boomed through the air and Minato flinched as the air and the ground cracked. The Ame shinobi screamed in pain from the force of it.

"Minato!" He turned to see Jiraiya landing next to him, panting and sweating. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Minato jumped up. "Jiraiya-sensei, what's happening to Kushina—?"

"There's no time for me to explain. Listen, Sakumo is 20 miles north of where we are. Go to him. He'll explain everything there as much as he can." Jiraiya began to stride towards Kushina and the Ame shinobi.

Disobeying him, Minato jogged to keep up and blurted out a question before Jiraiya could throw him a displeased scowl. "What are you going to do to her?"

Jiraiya didn't respond so Minato threw himself in his sensei's tracks and stared pleadingly into the Sannin's eyes. "Sensei, please. I need to know. What's happening to her?" His eyes told Jiraiya everything his mouth couldn't say.

The man hesitated, an anguished look in his eyes. He and Sakumo never intended to let Kushina's friends and teammates know about the Kyuubi. They knew that the fear would cloud their vision and draw away from her. Even worse, they could accidentally let slip that Konoha had the Kyuubi in their possession and that would be very dangerous. Kumo already knew they had an Uzumaki and thank goodness Minato was there to prevent them from completely taking Kushina or the situation—

"Jiraiya-sensei."

He blinked, realizing he'd drifted off in his thoughts. "Ah, right." He cleared his throat. "Listen, Minato, what I'm about to tell you is classified information known to only Sandaime, the Elders, a few of the senior shinobi, me, and Sakumo. You cannot under any circumstances tell anyone this information without permission, understood?"

The boy hesitated only a second. "I understand."

Jiraiya sucked in a breath. Forgive me, Sensei. "Kushina is the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

A beat passed. "WHAT?!"

Jiraiya winced. "It's a long story and we don't have time to tell it yet." He put a hand to his earpiece and said in a heavy, resigned voice, "Sakumo, don't tell them yet. We have to explain to them together."

"…Okay."

Minato's eyes were still blank with shock as he looked between his sensei and Kushina. "A… Jinchuuriki? Kyuubi? Wait, she's been one all this time?!"

"No time, Minato," Jiraiya reminded him. "Listen, right now Kushina has lost herself to the Kyuubi. That chakra is his. We have to force him back or she'll do a lot of damage to herself and the people around her. Can you tell me how she lost control?"

He thought for a while, the shock of his discovery affecting him. "The Ame shinobi was there during the fall of Uzushio. He said some things and I guess that's how it happened."

Jiraiya scowled. "That was a low blow." He surveyed the scene before him. In the precious few minutes in which they had talked, Kushina had been fending off the jutsu attacks from the desperate shinobi before her. Scorched earth smoked on the ground and the shinobi had scrabbled back, face pale as Kushina snarled and advanced towards him with slow, menacing steps.

Minato was quietly watching as well. His expression was troubled, but he stood still. "What should we do, Jiraiya-sensei?"

His sensei shook his head. "I don't have much experience dealing with Bijuu, but I do know that Kushina has a seal on her stomach where she sealed the Kyuubi in her. I'm going to have to close it. Your job—" He clapped Minato on the shoulder. "—is to stay out of her way."

The boy opened his mouth, as if to protest, then sobered and nodded. "Yes, sensei."

Jiraiya nodded. "Go hide somewhere and don't come out no matter what happens. In this state, Kushina can kill you in a heartbeat. Got it?"

Minato nodded. "Yes." He hesitated, then touched Jiraiya on the arm and said, "Good luck." With a flash of his yellow hair, he leaped away and went to hide himself behind a large mound of upturned earth. His thoughts were whirling as he watched a giant toad appear in a cloud of smoke.

A Jinchuuriki. A Jinchuuriki! Why didn't Kushina ever tell me? Well, it is classified information so she probably wasn't allowed but— is that why Kumo kidnapped her? Thank God I got there in time then! When did she even become a Jinchuuriki? I know she used to live with an old lady in the outskirts of Konoha. Was that her predecessor? Is that why Kushina didn't like anyone visiting her? I'm so confused… so many things add up and yet they don't!

He looked up and around as someone called his name, as if from a distance. "What?"

And Mikoto, Jun, and Daisuke landed in a cloud of dust next to him. "We figured something happened to Kushina and we came as fast as we could," Mikoto said, panting. "But Sakumo told us—"

"Get out of here!" Minato hissed, glaring.

The three genin stared at him with shocked and somewhat offended expressions. "Look, we know you're a chuunin and all that, but that doesn't mean—" Jun started hotly.

"I don't mean that! Didn't Sakumo tell you anything?!"

"Nope. So that's why we came and—" Daisuke's mouth dropped. "What is THAT?!"

They all whipped their heads around to see that Jiraiya's enormous toad had spit slime at Kushina, who roared and batted it away with a flip of her tails.

"Where's Kushina?" Mikoto asked, fearful. "And what is that thing Jiraiya is fighting?!"

With a whirl of leaves, Sakumo appeared next to them, his eyes blazing. "I told you to stay away and you don't listen!" he snarled. A moment later, Gaku and Shiromaru appeared next to them. Minato groaned. "Sakumo-sensei, we should all go. Kushina—"

"What happened to Kushina?!" Mikoto yelled, losing her temper. Her eyes flickered red as she grabbed the front of Minato's jacket. "And where the hell is she?!"

Sakumo glanced at Minato. Something unspoken passed between them and Sakumo sighed. "Kushina's over there," he said simply, pointing at the reddish figure roaring at Jiraiya's toad.

The genins looked at Kushina, then at Sakumo and Minato, then back to Kushina, and then to Sakumo and Minato. "No way," Jun dead-panned.

"Way," Minato said grimly. "Kushina's the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

Gaku's mouth dropped and Shiromaru let out a whine. "The Kyuubi?!"

Sakumo sighed and nodded. "Yes. The Kyuubi. Listen, this is classified information known to only a select few people. You must promise me that you will not speak of this at all once we get back to Konoha."

Daisuke and Jun looked a bit confused. "The Kyuubi no Kitsune is one of those Bijuu, right? I thought they didn't exist."

"They are very much real. The Kyuubi is the Nine Tailed Demon Fox and had been caged inside Mito Uzumaki, the wife of Shodaime Hashirama Senju, until the responsibility had passed on to Kushina 3 years ago." Sakumo's eyes met Minato's. "That is why two years ago when Kushina was kidnapped, Konoha had been in a higher state of panic than usual. If Kumo had learned Kushina was both an Uzumaki and a Jinchuuriki, it would give them a great advantage."

"Why is it so important that she's an Uzumaki?" Jun asked. He and Daisuke seemed much more calmer than Mikoto or Gaku, who were still silent.

"Uzumaki's are blessed with huge chakra reserves and longevity. Their chakra is also unique in that of their chains. You and Daisuke have seen them before." Sakumo glanced up as a particularly loud crash sounded from the battlefield. Jiraiya's toad had jumped up and landed on Kushina.

Minato jumped up. "Oi, Jiraiya-sensei! You're supposed to subdue her, not kill her!"

"Get down," Sakumo said, grasping Minato's head and pushing him down to the ground again. He let out a long sigh. "Minato, Mikoto, Gaku, Jun, Daisuke… I can't force you to be friends with Kushina or to continue to tolerate her after learning about this, but understand that Jinchuuriki's live very lonely lives. Most of the time they're ostracized and isolated, even by their own people. Sandaime, wishing both to spare her from this fate and to protect her and Konoha's secret, did not reveal that we had the Kyuubi. I'm sure most of the villages knew, but since Mito Uzumaki lived such a long time I'm sure they don't know that the role passed to Kushina.

"She's still young and thus vulnerable to influences both positive and negative. She already has few friends as she is a refugee who came to Konoha a stranger and an orphan. I want you all to try to see it from her point of view: see her as a teenage girl holding a malicious demon inside her, afraid to let anyone know that she's its jailor and fearing that once people knew, they would only see her as a weapon or the beast itself, not for who she is." Sakumo paused, looking a bit self-conscious. "The best thing I can say is that all she wants is friendship and affection."

The genin and Minato looked among themselves. Daisuke and Jun didn't quite seem to understand the full depth of the severity of Kushina's predicament, but they seemed surer than Mikoto and Gaku, who were staring at the ground. The two were from important clans in Konoha and they knew slightly better than others about the Bijuu and Jinchuuriki and have learned to fear the great Tailed Beasts.

Minato himself felt nothing but sympathy for Kushina. At first, the thought had horrified him a bit, but it was just a reflex after remembering what he heard about the story of Hashirama Senju's fight against Madara and the Kyuubi.

And then his heart had suddenly rebelled against the negative feeling and he suddenly felt he couldn't hate her.

Not when… Not when—

"SAKUMO! GET THEM OUT!" Jiraiya suddenly yelled and they whipped their heads around to see that orbs of red-black and white-blue had burst from her body with more of the former floating around her. Kushina was snarling as she sat, mouth gaping as she growled. Her five tails reached up, the tips pointing together as the orbs began to move towards her, forming into a dense black ball.

"What is that?" Mikoto whispered worriedly.

Sakumo was pale. "I think it's a Bijuudama. It's a ball of condensed positive black energy and negative white energy capable of causing major damage. If we get caught in it, we would not survive." He grasped Daisuke and Mikoto and began to drag them away. "Everyone get back. Get as far as you can. Now! Go!"

Gaku and Jun turned and began to follow but Minato continued to watch, entranced, as the ball finished and shrunk to the size of a baby's fist. Kushina's mouth opened even wider and she swallowed the ball, much to his alarm.

"Minato! Get away from there!" Sakumo yelled.

Kushina swelled up, bloating up to almost twice her size. She opened her mouth and with a blast, the black ball shot out of her mouth at enormous speeds and erupted alarmingly close to Jiraiya. The resulting explosion seemed like a great dome of red-hot energy. The shockwave rushed through the air and knocked into them like a massive wind.

Minato flew back once again and was flattened to the ground. He could dimly hear Mikoto and Jun or Daisuke screaming and Shiromaru howling as they were tossed back by the shockwave, debris and smoke flying around.

What massive power, Minato thought dazedly as he gazed at the sky from where he lay, spread-eagle on the ground. Wonder if Jiraiya— "Jiraiya-sensei!" he shouted, getting up with a little difficulty from the ground. He was cut in several places but they didn't hinder him as he searched around the wreckage of the battleground for his sensei and Kushina.

A great poof of smoke showed that the giant toad had gone back to Mount Myoboku, the home of the toads, and Jiraiya was crouched on the ground, breathing heavily. Kushina herself was crouched, snarling as her five tails menacingly whipped the air.

"Kushina!" Jiraiya called, his voice exhausted. "Enough! He's gone! The shinobi who mocked you! He's dead! Stop already!"

Kushina shrieked in response.

One attack from that Bijuudama and Jiraiya-sensei's already exhausted. At this rate, we might not be able to stop her, Minato thought frantically. He glanced behind him to see Sakumo helping the genin up. What should we do? What can we do?

Kunai and shuriken would definitely not work on her and normal jutsu couldn't either. Besides, he was loath to hurt her more than the pain she most likely is already in. He bit his lip, mind wracking for ideas.

Jiraiya had staggered to his feet. Minato knew that though his sensei was skilled— he was a Sannin, for crying out loud— there wasn't much he could do when it came to the raw power of a Bijuu. Even Hashirama Senju needed help when going against the Kyuubi.

But what can he, a lowly chuunin, do against a Bijuu? It'll be like trying to put out a bonfire with a cup of water!

But this was also Kushina, not just the Bijuu. Minato guessed that if they really were going against the Kyuubi in its full power, they wouldn't have lasted this long.

But what to do? What to do?

Think, Minato, think! He screwed his eyes shut, wracking his memories. Let me see, Jiraiya-sensei said something about a trigger… that's right, that Ame shinobi antagonized Kushina! Maybe that's how the Kyuubi took over. But, if negative emotions were enough to set the Kyuubi off, what about positive emotions? And earlier, Jiraiya-sensei was trying to plead with her. That didn't work though… But what if we try again?

He looked around. Kushina had paused, her head tilted to the side as she watched Jiraiya as if waiting to see what he would do next. Sakumo and the genin had disappeared; most likely, the jounin was getting them to safety before he came back for Minato.

And he definitely wasn't going to let him go try this crazy idea.

But it's worth a shot, right?

After all, this was Kushina. One of the few people he'd die in a heartbeat for.

His mind made up, Minato took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Jiraiya had started to make hand seals again and Kushina had shifted, growling warningly. Now was the time to act.

Minato bent his knees and shifted his feet and leapt into the air high above them before landing with a thud not three feet away from Kushina's chakra-covered face.

Behind him, Jiraiya let out a dismayed cry. "Minato, get out of here! Are you crazy, gaki?!"

"I'll be fine," the boy said, turning his head partially back in Jiraiya's direction while keeping his eyes trained on Kushina's white, glowing ones. "Just trust me." He turned his face back to Kushina and spread his hands out in a gesture of peace. "Kushina."

She growled, but didn't attack. He stayed still, body tense in case she suddenly rushed at him. He'd seen her incredible speed and he knew that it would be almost futile for him to get away when he's this close to her, but his muscles tensed anyway.

"Kushina don't do this," he whispered. "Don't fight anymore. Just calm down and come home, ne?"

Jiraiya groaned behind him. "Minato, it's useless," he said. "Nothing can get through to her. Trust me on that."

"I'll pay for all the ramen you want to eat for a whole week," Minato said, ignoring Jiraiya. "Just stop and calm down."

Kushina snarled and he swallowed and forced himself to relax his body. "We all know what you are, 'Shina, and none of us care. We just want you to be safe and to stop and come home. I just want you to stop and come home. So please don't do this anymore."

There was a beat of silence, then Kushina rushed forward and knocked him back. The Kyuubi's chakra burned past his clothes and seared against his skin, making him cry out. He found himself lying on the ground, his face inches from Kushina's as she crouched over him, her hands on either side of his head. In any other situation, it would be a rather compromising position but right now, all Minato could feel was pure, instinctual fear.

"Minato!" Jiraiya shouted.

Kushina tilted her head up and roared, making Minato cringe as his ears rang from the force of it. She turned her glowing eyes back to him and opened her mouth, as if to swallow him up and Minato thought, this is it… this is the end, but something made her pause. Her entire body began to shudder and without warning, she jumped back and crouched on the ground, shaking and snarling.

The red-black chakra shifted and suddenly began to recede. Minato watched as Kushina— the real, human Kushina— began to appear. Her expression was strained, her face red from the lack of skin except for the little patches left. She let out a groan as she continued to shake.

"Kushina!" Minato exclaimed. He got to his feet and was about to rush to her side, but Jiraiya's hand was suddenly there to hold him back.

"Not yet, it's not safe yet," Jiraiya muttered, but his voice was awestruck. "I never knew it would work." He cast a speculative look over Minato.

Kushina's head and neck were now free and her hands and feet were beginning to show as well. The two watching winced to see her skinless body, knowing she must be in a tremendous amount of pain from it.

She let out a strained noise, writhing as the chakra receded back to the center of her body at an increasingly faster pace. The cries grew louder and as the last of the chakra disappeared, Kushina let out a scream that seemed to pierce the heavens above before she collapsed, unconscious, into the dirt.

Minato was by her side in a heartbeat, rolling her over. "Kushina!" When he saw she was still breathing, he let out a relieved sigh. "She's alright." He looked up at Jiraiya, an exhausted smile on his face. "She's alright."

Jiraiya nodded. "But we're not certain if we're completely safe yet." He hesitated, then said in a guilty voice, "I have to see her stomach."

"What?"

"The seal is marked on the skin of her stomach. I have to see if it's completely closed yet before we can take her back to Konoha for medical treatment. She's already beginning to heal, but at this rate she could still die." Jiraiya crouched next to them and looked up to see Sakumo and the genin approaching them. "Mikoto, I need your help."

The Uchiha girl hung back, unsure. "Is… Is she alright?"

"We have to check. Mikoto, can you undo Kushina's shirt so that I can see her stomach?" He glanced at Minato's murderous expression. "I'll have to borrow something to keep her chest covered as well."

It took a few seconds, then the girl approached and deftly undid Kushina's belt and peeled back the flaps of her shirt before gesturing at Minato. "Give me your jacket."

He took it off and Mikoto covered Kushina's chest with it before exposing her stomach. A black seal was clearly showing and Jiraiya examined it carefully, brows furrowed. "It looks good. The Kyuubi's sealed." He looked up at Sakumo. "I guess you told them?"

The White Fang nodded. "Let's just get back to Konoha. Kushina needs a medic and the Sandime needs to know what happened, if he hasn't heard the explosions already." He waited for Mikoto to redo Kushina's shirt before picking the girl up. "Everyone set?"

They quickly nodded and followed as Sakumo took to the trees, rushing back towards Konoha through the now sunset sky. Along the way, Jiraiya congratulated Minato on stopping Kushina's rampage and reminded everyone about keeping Kushina's status as a Jinchuuriki a secret. They all agreed and the rest of the journey was spent in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Once the gates of Konoha came to view, they were surrounded by ANBU, who took Sakumo and Kushina to the hospital and escorted the rest of them to the Sandaime's office, where Jiraiya recounted everything that happened.

The Hokage's eyes were tired. He turned to the genin and Minato. "All of you did well defending Konoha today. Of course, your encounter with the Kyuubi wasn't ever supposed to happen and I hope you all will think carefully tonight about what has occurred. Your loyalties to your friends and teammates should overcome even the greatest of differences. Please don't forget the bonds you've created with her and don't let it cloud your vision of her. Now, go home and get some rest. You deserve it."

Mikoto, Gaku, Jun, and Daisuke nodded and bowed before trudging out the door, but Minato stayed.

"What is it, Minato?" Sandaime asked, not unkindly.

"Hokage-sama, I just wanted to know how Kushina's doing," Minato said, a little nervously. "And I would like to know when I can see her."

He didn't miss the knowing look between Jiraiya and the Hokage. "There have been no reports to me from the medic-nin yet, but I'll let you know as soon as possible," Sandaime assured him, a small smile on his wrinkled face. "Go and rest now."

Minato nodded to Jiraiya and bowed to the Hokage before leaving. His eyes and feet suddenly felt leaden and he felt himself longing for his bed.

Mikoto and the others were waiting for him outside in the street. The five of them looked at each other for a long moment before they all headed in different directions without speaking. Gaku and Shiromaru went towards the Inuzuka Compound, Mikoto to the Uchiha's, Jun and Daisuke deeper into the marketplace and Minato to his small apartment in a quiet corner of the village.

His neighbors greeted him and he gave them a weary smile in return before he trudged into the dark rooms and fumbled to lock the door and tug off his shoes before he stumbled to the bedroom before he plopped face-first into the soft sheets and fell into a dreamless sleep.

---

She felt so tired…

Her body felt like it was being smothered under a thick blanket. She felt like she could open her eyes if she wanted to, but something just wouldn't let her do it. It both frustrated and frightened her, but then she felt too tired and sore to be scared and just drifted, half-conscious, in that state of dullness.

Sometimes the Kyuubi liked to talk to her.

"You should've killed him," he snarled, glaring at her. "He was getting in the way of your revenge."

"Who?" she asked, momentarily confused.

"That Namikaze boy, of course! We could've done so much more… if only you didn't succumb to your foolish girlishness and pushed me back!"

"You wanted me to go insane!" she accused him. "You wanted me to hurt and kill my friends and murder more people!"

"They are nothing," the Kyuubi sniffed.

"They're people!" she screamed. "They're my friends! I could've killed Mikoto or Jun or Daisuke or Gaku or Sakumo-sensei or Jiraiya-sensei! I could've killed Minato!"

"Like I was supposed to care," he scoffed.

She let out a yell of frustration. "You're impossible!" And then she receded from him and went back to waiting for herself to awaken, wallowing in guilt and misery over discovering what she had done. The Kyuubi had taken great pleasure in filling her in what had happened and though she was relieved to find out Minato and Jiraiya had survived, her heart was filled with fear that after witnessing her moment of weakness, they— Mikoto, Jun, Daisuke, Sakumo-sensei, Gaku, Jiraiya, Minato— would despise her, if they already didn't despise her for what she is.

Especially Minato… Oh God, Minato…

If she could, she would be crying right now. Out of all of them, his rejection would hurt the most.

After all, who would love a monster?

The Kyuubi chuckled darkly, sensing the negativity of her emotions and she forced him away. She wouldn't think like that right now. Right now, she'll simply focus on recovering and waking up.

---

Time passed for what could've been seconds, minutes, hours, or days. But eventually, something shifted and her body began to grow heavier as beyond the blackness, gray and red began to show in splotches and blurs.

Finally… the remainder of her consciousness sighed.

Then there was a sort of shift again and Kushina felt herself fully within her body, though groggy and confused. Her eyes remained closed and she was still, continuing to breathe in a steady rhythm.

She smelled dust and disinfectant and sunshine, felt hot warmth on her skin and the soft roughness of cotton robes and sheets, and heard birds twittering and the soft murmurs of people far away.

She twitched as she felt a soft hand touch her head. "Kushina?" someone whispered and her breath hitched. Could it be…?

Kushina cracked open her eyes to find Minato's face hovering over hers, a concerned expression marring his fine features. For a moment, they stared at each other until Kushina dragged in a deep breath. "Um… Hi, 'ttebane," she whispered, feeling nervous.

"Hi," Minato said, just as quietly. Another moment passed and a relieved smile spread over his face. "It's good to see you awake." He removed his hand and stepped back and Kushina found herself missing his touch almost immediately. "You've been asleep for a week."

"A week?" she repeated, astonished. She watched as Minato poured her a cup of water and helped her into a sitting position so he could press the rim of the cup to her lips. She blushed. "I can do it myself, 'ttebane." She wrapped her slightly shaking hands around it and sipped.

"Sorry," Minato said, laughing a little. He waited for her to finish before going to pour another cup for her, but she refused. He sat back down. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really," Kushina said, pressing a hand to her stomach. "I'm sure I will be later, though." She swallowed as they fell into silence and her hands gripped her sheets as she waited for Minato or her to break it. She knew they were both avoiding discussing the elephant in the room and she knew circumventing it couldn't go on for much longer between them, but a part of her was frightened to know what he thought of her after witnessing what had happened.

Finally, he stirred. "Jun and Daisuke visited several times. They're working on a D-rank right now since they're feeling a bit restless. They should be back this evening to check on you again."

Shock crossed her features, but a trace of uncertainty still lingered. "What about Gaku and… Mikoto?" It took her a couple of tries to get her name out through the lump in her throat.

"I'm not sure," Minato said. He looked at Kushina, who'd turned her head away and said softly, "Mikoto's visited you as well and Gaku dropped by, but they both couldn't stay for long. They had several clan duties to do. Sakumo and Jiraiya-sensei couldn't stay for long either, but they try to drop by once a day." He paused. "I… I stayed here almost every day, waiting for you to wake up."

Kushina bit her lower lip as a rush of emotions roared through her. Relief, happiness, worry, hope, and excitement swirled in her chest. She found couldn't speak.

Minato let out a long exhale, as if trying to release some pent-up tension. "What I'm trying to say is, I know you're feeling guilty about the whole Jinchuuriki thing—" He watched as Kushina flinched at the sound of the word. "—but it really doesn't matter to us," he finished. "To us, you're still Kushina Uzumaki: hot-blooded and fiery and stubborn and—" He cut himself off again, now seeming embarrassed. "We don't hate you for who you are. And we don't want you to be ashamed of yourself because of the Kyuubi. All of us are still willing to be your friends and comrades."

The world began to blur and she began to shake. She dimly felt someone wrap their arms around her and tuck her against something warm that smelled like Minato. "I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely. "I didn't mean to lose control…"

He pressed his cheek to the top of her head and hummed his acceptance of her apology. Hot wetness began to streak down her face and she realized she was crying. "I didn't mean to hurt you and Mikoto and Jiraiya-sensei and Gaku and Daisuke and Jun and Sakumo-sensei. I didn't mean to let the Kyuubi influence me like that." She sniffled. "I promised Sakumo-sensei I wouldn't let it get the better of me and it did and I'm so sorry, 'ttebane…" She mopped at her eyes with her sleeve. "I didn't… hurt anyone, right?"

"Jiraiya-sensei got a little roughed up, but we were all fine," he assured her. "A few cuts and bruises from the debris though."

Kushina swallowed and nodded. Her eyes were still downcast though and Minato decided to cheer her up and to distract her from her unhappiness by sharing a thought he'd had while he waited at her bedside the entire week.

"You know, I couldn't help but remember that Bijuudama you released," he started. "Three days ago, I asked Sakumo-sensei more about it and he said that the positive black energy and the negative white energy had to be at a precise 8:2 ratio or it won't work and I kept remembering how it all condensed into a ball of chakra and the sheer power it releases… so then I started getting an idea. I have no idea what to do or how to do it but—"

"What is it?" Kushina asked, looking at whatever part of him she could see from being tucked under his arm. She welcomed the distraction and a part of her was genuinely curious at what new idea Minato came up with now.

He drew back to sit himself more comfortably next to her on her hospital bed. "I had this idea that if a Bijuu can condense a ball of chakra together, why can't I? I mean, think about it! Nothing but pure chakra just sitting there on your hand. Imagine the power! Well, I'm not sure if it's even possible cause not everyone has chakra like yours, 'Shina, but maybe—"

Kushina watched him ramble on and on about his ideas on how to create it and how it would look like and if he did it, maybe he could add his wind element to it to see how it could develop even further and watching him talk, she felt for the first time how truly blessed she was to be friends with someone like Minato.

He had the ability to see the good in others no matter the obstacle or the situation and his loyalty to his close friends is something unparalleled in most others. He would go to the ends of the earth if it meant he would save and protect those near and dear to his heart. And he had the capability of taking one situation and changing it into something else that could possibly be done for the greater good.

She could feel herself choking up again. She was rather emotional today, wasn't she? But this time, these tears were of happiness and gratitude and something else she couldn't describe but felt like it would burst out of her chest any moment. The tears rolled down her cheeks.

Minato stopped mid-sentence. "Kushina?" he asked, worried and frantic. "Is anything wrong? What happened? Are you hurt?"

She let out a choked laugh and shook her head, grinning broadly. "Nope, nothing's wrong, 'ttebane." She looked at him and gave him a stunning smile. "Nothing's wrong at all."

---

It wasn't 3 years later when a sweaty, exhausted, triumphant Minato showed up on her doorstep and dragged her off to the training grounds to proudly show off the bright, swirling blue ball he named the Rasengan that Kushina thought if she felt she loved him before, it was nothing compared to now as she stared into his deep azure eyes lighted up by the glow of the orb in his hand.

And by God, it had been 3 years since she'd lost control of the Kyuubi that one fateful day and 5 years since he'd held her for the first time in a treetop high above the forest underneath a giant full moon and Kushina knew it was long overdue for something she should've done a long time ago.

So she launched herself at him, to his surprise and initial fear, and threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in a full lusty kiss; fears of unrequited love be damned.

And judging from the way Minato responded, her love might not be so unreciprocated after all.