Naruto's POV
Who the hell was this figure? My vision was getting sharper, and the figure was a woman maybe in her thirties. She had distinguishable long red hair, wore a green dress, blue eyes, and a black hair clip that parted her hair to the left. I'd never seen such a woman before. It was so absurd, plus she was glowing and almost transparent. Just who was she?
"Hello, Naruto," the woman greeted me.
"Who are you?" I asked angrily. Damn, she was getting on my frickin' nerves! "Hey! Answer me!"
"Oh? You don't know who I am? That's a real shame. Wanna guess first, Naruto?" the woman asked cheerfully with a hint of mystery in her voice.
"Fine then. Wait, I got it! You are...the Kyuubi's true form!" I yelled victoriously, only to get hit on the head by the woman. "What?"
"How dare you mistaken me for that fox-demon, dattebane ((だってばね)!" Fire danced in her eyes, and the sight wasn't pretty. She calmed down later and spoke in a patient voice. "Sorry for that outburst, I really hope I didn't pass down that trait to you. You see, I was born impatient and hot-headed, so don't mind my short temper. I say "dattebane" when I get excited, so don't mind me. So I take it that Minato hasn't introduced me to you yet? Shame on him for not mentioning me."
"Huh?! Dattebane? Nope, he didn't. Wait, how do you know Lord Fourth?" I asked curiously. I knew my dad was famous, but I didn't know that he still would be after he died.
"He didn't even tell you that? So hopeless that man is. Let's start off like this, shall we? Minato is- or was- my husband. That alone should be enough hints for you, because I believe that you are a smart boy. I believe that you don't need anymore hints. Now then, who am I?"
"Hmm...wait a sec. If you're Lord Fourth's wife, and I'm his son... that makes you... My mom!" I pieced the puzzle together, overjoyed that I had finally met both of my parents. I ran to her and hugged her so hard, she began wheezing.
"Okay okay okay, Naruto. You're squashing me, even though I'm just a hologram of chakra," my mom choked out.
"Gomenasai mom," I apologized. It was just shocking, and my mind wasn't ready to receive all the information.
"Heh heh, no worries son. I'm so glad I finally got to meet you in your teen years! Last time I saw you was when you were only a little baby, Naruto," Mom said tearfully. "But before we can chat any further, we must do something about the Kyuubi, right? I'll hold him down for with my chakra chains for a brief moment so that we can talk."
Magic golden chains shot up from the ground, and held the Kyuubi very still, despite of its fail attempts to struggle free.
"Ahh, wait... I reconize this chakra very well. And these chakra chains...There's only one person who I know that possesses this ability. Don't tell me that Kushina is here?! Didn't I kill you sixteen years ago along with Lord Fourth? If I recall properly, I remember stabbing you two in the chest as you were protecting this child, Naruto. Then, why are you here?" the Kyuubi called out, clearly surprised.
"Let's leave the Kyuubi here for awhile, shall we? There's a lot of things I have to tell you, Naruto. I'll find a quiet spot, come on!" Mom beckoned me. After finding a quiet place within my conscience, she spoke again, "I know there's alot of things you'd like to ask me, since this is your first time meeting your mom."
"Um... to start off...what's your name, mom?" I asked sheepishly, ashamed that I didn't even know her name at all.
My mom smiled and laughed softly, "Oh Naruto. It was about time you asked that. It's Kushina Uzumaki. Or formally known as "Tomato", and "The Red Hot-Blooded Hananero". I'll get to that later. Now that I look at it, you've inherited quite a bit of characteristics from me, such as dattebayo, and your facial features. Your hair colour is from Minato, as well as your eyes, as I can see."
"Yeah! Mom, you're so beautiful! Man, if only I'd inherited your hair as well, I would be popular with the ladies!" I yelled with much enthusiasm.
Mom smiled genuinely, and laughed. Her laugh was like little bells chiming on top of the church. "Why thank you! That makes you the second man to compliment my hair!"
"Who was the first?"
"Your father of course!"
"Oh right!"
"Say, how DID you and Dad fall in love in the first place?" I wondered aloud.
Mom turned red, and she laughed uncertainly, "It all happened with the Kyuubi."
-Flashback-
It was Kushina's first day at the Hidden Leaf Village, because she transferred from the Hidden Eddy Village a few days ago because it was demolished. She was enrolled in Konoha Academy, and was introduced to the class. They made fun of Kushina's red hair, stating she must've been from another world to have hair colour like that. Immediately, she cried out that she wanted to be the next Hokage. Everyone laughed and insulted her, saying that a woman could never be a Hokage, nonetheless a girl who just transferred from a village that no longer existed. In the crowd, Minato stood up and declared that he would be the village's Hokage who would be acknowledged by everyone around him. Kushina immediately pointed him out as a "wimp" with an empty dream.
After school, the boys in Kushina's class started teasing her red hair, and calling her "Tomato" because of her round face, and suitable red hair. Kushina didn't like the name, leading her to loathe her hair colour. At first, she didn't care, but after staring at Minato's smiling face, she had enough. She beat up the bullies and threatened them if they ever called her "Tomato". That earned her one more nickname, "The Red Hot Habareno", which suited her very well.
One day, she was challenged by a Genin ninja, the brother of the boy whom she always beat up to a pulp. After being tricked with a Substitution Jutsu, she was at mercy before the Genin ninja. However, she broke free of the Genin's hold and continued to punch him continuously. The Genin admitted defeated, but not before he shouted in Kushina's face that she was a loner, and an outsider. Unbeknownst to the red-headed girl that Minato was spying on her on a tree.
A few years later, when Kushina finally became a Genin herself, she was strolling through her home, when she was dismissed from the academy. Several high-level ninja from the Hidden Cloud popped up in front of her, and arrested her to an isolated cave outside the village. She was abducted because she had a special kind of chakra. She was also the Kyuubi's second jinchuriki, so that was precious to the Cloud ninjas. To leave behind some sort of trail, Kushina plucked a few strands of her bright red hair, and left them on the ground while she was walking with her hands tied behind her back. Of course, being the outsider she was, she highly doubted that anyone actually cared and noticed her trail. Just when she was just at the border of Konoha, and all hope was lost, the Hidden Cloud ninjas were taken out one by one by an unknown ninja. The moonlight revealed Kushina's saviour to be... none other than Minato himself.
He told Kushina straight out that her hair was beautiful, so he noticed it right away. He reasoned with her that she was not an outsider, since she lived in Konoha, so she was one of them. He also mentioned to her that he didn't want to lose her, since she was precious to him.
-End of flashback-
"So, that's why my perception of my hair changed drastically. It became the "red thread of fate", since it brought me to the man of my dreams. I began to love my hair; it reminded me of that fateful night. That was basically how we fell in love. So... only men who compliment my hair get to hear these precious words from me," Mom ended.
I sat there, waiting patiently.
"Naruto, do you accept them?"
I nodded vigorously.
"I love you."
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but before that happened, Mom poked me on the arm.
"When you put the Yellow Flash of the Leaf and the Red-Hot Habereno together..." she started off.
"...You'll get the Leaf's Orange Hokage!" I finished with a big grin on my face.
"Hokage... Your dream is the continuation of Minato's and my dream. I really hope you'll become the 7th Hokage one day!" Mom encouraged me with a smile.
"Yeah! Don't worry Ma, I won't let down your dreams!" I pumped my fist in the air. "But first, let's deal with the Kyuubi."
I awoke, and I was in the pit with the Kyuubi again. With a tug, he ripped out the chakra chains that were restraining him on his belly. Now, while Ma's chakra was still intact! Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu! RASENGAN SUPER BARRAGE! Damn, the Nine-Tails knocked again my Shadow Clones with a slap.
"I can keep on going, dattebane!" Ma shouted. The chakra chains on the Kyuubi's right hind leg tightened, making him trip and fall over. Sage Mode, here we go! One more time! Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu! SAGE ART! MASSIVE RASENGAN BARRAGE! YES! Bull's eye! I wasn't finished yet! WIND RELEASE! RASEN-SHURIKEN! My shuriken hit my target, and the Kyuubi was pushed far back. Now, his chakra was mine!
"Pull!" I insructed to my Shadow Clones. "Let's do this!"
Minute after minute, slowly the Kyuubi's chakra was sucked out of him, and his size shrunk drastically.
Now, after all that hard work, I was immediately rewarded with the Nine-Tails' chakra. I glowed orange-yellow with strange markings on my neck, and abdomen, the place where the seal was first placed by Pa. No no, the Kyuubi still had some energy left, he could still battle me!
"NARUTO! You have infuriated me so much! To take my chakra...UNFORGIVABLE!" he roared at me, and creating a huge Tailed Beast Ball. Unfortunately for him, I'd already sealed him away before he had a chance to fire that at me. He was finally sealed away, but before he admitted defeat inside his cage, he growled one last empty threat. "Naruto...you better watch out now... You'll never know when we'll meet again. This is not the last you've seen of me yet! Next time we meet will be the last time... I will be prepared to rip you to shreds, NARUTO!"
I turned to my mom, only to see her outline fade away slowly.
"Naruto, my chakra is running out. I really hope you'll grow to be a Hokage one day. Remember, eat your vegetables instead of ramen! Also, you're getting to that age where you'll start to notice girls. Choose a girl like me, not those snobby, stuck-up ones. Pick one that is worthy of your time. Now, I really have to join Minato now. We'll be forever with you; always watching and protecting you, Naruto," Mom concluded before she disappeared completely.
"Uh huh Ma, yeah I'll eat more vegetables, I'll sleep more too. Yeah Mom, I know. Um.. it was really nice knowing you and Pa. I'm so glad I'm your child!" I embraced my mom with tears streaming out of my face. "I love you too, Ma, ya know!"
And with that final comment, she vanished.
Now, with all that I've been through, with my newly obtained Biju power, I was finally ready to face Sasuke once and for all.
Hey guys! I didn't update lately because I was on hiatus, so please forgive me. Anyways, the chapter's here and published (at last)! Don't forget to do the most important thing...REVIEW!
~Shiro Shiryuu
