"We're leaving," Jiraiya grumbled the moment he got up. The jovial man was replaced once more by a dedicated ninja that few could equal. His eyes were hard and focused. It was almost unnerving to see him like this.

"Hey Pervy Sage!" Naruto called bouncing up next to his sensei, "What'd you see in the nightmare mist stuff?"

"Tsunade's breasts shrunk." Jiraiya mumbled, making a beeline for the boat. "Other things too, but those aren't important." He kicked the boat back onto the water like it was made of paper. He jumped onto the boat unfurling the sails and preparing it for voyage. "Get on, we have a lot of training to do."

"Jiraiya?" Rin asked stepping forward, "Is everything okay?"

"No," Jiraiya shook his head. "Wasted to much time. I'll make up for it though."

Rin turned to look at Naruto who could do nothing but shrug. Just what had Jiraiya's nightmares been?

"Go children," Nahuatl nudged them with one of her flippers. "Your teacher will tell you in time what bothers him."

She heard something about toads being better from Jiraiya.

"Will we ever see you again Nana?" Naruto asked, smiling up at the turtle.

"That, my dear children, is up to you."

The sail was full of wind all the way out of the serene island. And they left behind that majestic place all too fast for Rin's taste. She would have loved to stay there forever, or at least a few days, just to relax. But that would go against who she was trying to be. A smile tugged onto Rin's lips as she looked at Naruto.

He really was something else, no matter what he didn't give up. To him tomorrow could always be better. And he was right.

"Alright brats." Jiraiya groaned once they were out of the maze of jagged rocks that seperated that island from the rest of the world. Looking back Rin couldn't so much as see a hint of that wonderful place. Jiraiya unrolled a map pointing at the coast line. "We're going to head to Port Ikomu, once there I'm going to drink and whore for one night, and that's it. No more until we get back to Konoha and neither of you are my problem. After that I'm going to make you wish that I was still drinking and whoring myself into an early grave."

"Does this have anything to do with your-" Rin began.

"Yes." Jiraiya finished. "I lived my life filled with failure, that's all I've ever been is live and fail. But," he let out a growl, his leg twitching. "That dream showed me what not trying would do. So I'm going to train you long and hard, got that brats?"

"Alright!" Naruto cheered. "You're finally going to take this serious!"

"I've always taken it serious," Jiraiya glared at Naruto. "From the first day I met you I've been treating your training like it was my last mission. I've been trying hard to bring out your potential Naruto. To build your base and fill in the gaps that you lack. I can't be the one to decide what kind of ninja you can be. That's on you and you alone. All I can do is help you along the way."

"So what are you going to be doing differently?" Rin asked. "You said it yourself teaching Naruto new jutsu wouldn't help." A sentiment she now agreed with. There was a beauty to the versatility of Naruto's two jutsu. Shame she didn't have anything like that.

Jiraiya gave them both a cold smile full of satisfaction. "You two are gonna eat, breathe, and shit chakra theory."

"You mean you're going to make us study!" Naruto whined.

XXXX

Moonlight reflected off placid ocean, low waves made the images of stars dance along its surface like a thousand fairies in revelry, migrant clouds moved as a herd of whales making their annual rounds consuming the stars like they were plankton. The summer air was cool this far at sea, feeling more like fall than the middle of summer.

Still all these were dulled to Naruto as Rin sat across from him, she leaned over the side of the boat stretching her arm to touch the water, her brown eyes absorbing the moonlight and somehow making it all the more beautiful. His chest felt funny whenever he looked at her, tightening up and beating faster and faster. It was worse when she looked at him, then his ears burned.

What the heck was he supposed to do? With Sakura it was easy, he liked her so he asked her out. With Rin it was different. He didn't just like her, there was so much more to it than that, but it was still kind of the same. What if he scared her? What if she didn't feel the same way? What if she did?

"Hey Naruto," Rin moved back into the nest of blankets she had made for herself between two of the benches near the front of the boat. Naruto had his own in a joint agreement to look at the stars. So far he had yet to look up. She smiled when she saw him looking at her. "I wanted to ask you about something Nahuatl said."

Crap! Stupid big mouthed turtle lady! She told Rin didn't she? Even after all that not going to interfere crap. He's never going to trust another turtle again. "It's not what you think Rin, I just umm."

"What's not what I think?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "I just wanted to ask if you knew what she meant when she called you an Uzumaki."

Oh. Oh, So it wasn't about his giant crush on her. That was good. Probably. Maybe? "Umm what about it?"

"Well, I used to know an Uzumaki, her name was Kushina and she was actually kind of like you." She rubbed the back of her head. The softness of her smile reminded him of so many others when they remembered the past, especially Jiraiya or the old man. It was kind weird seeing it on Rin's face.

"I didn't know being an Uzumaki was a thing. I just thought that I was Naruto Uzumaki, and that was all that mattered." That and history and stuff was so boring! He didn't need to know about who pissed off who hundreds of years ago to become the Hokage! The Hokage cared about the future not the past. "But who was Kushina? What was she like?"

Another Uzumaki. It was only because of that turtle lady that he had any idea that being an Uzumaki was a thing. Maybe there was more of them? He might have actually paid attention in class if someone had told him about them. Especially if it was a cute girl like Rin.

"Well," Rin shook her head laughing. "Like I said she was a lot like you. Loud, always trying to smile and a really nice person. She even tried to adopt me a few times. Went so far as to get the paperwork for it. She was also a great ninja. She was the one that taught Minato-sensei seals, and could fight with these Chakra Chains."

"Chakra Chains?"

"Yea, it was a really cool ability, she could make chains sprout out of her body, she didn't like to use them because they poked holes in her clothes, but one time she had Kakashi and Obito tied up while she lectured them on not over-doing it." Rin gave a sigh sinking further down into her nest eyes focused up on the stars. "She yelled a lot at them but that was just how she showed she cared. At least that's what Minato-sensei said."

Chakra chains. Wasn't there a chain in that weird dream he had on the island? "What." His throat felt dry. "What did she look like?"

"Most people knew her by her really long red hair…"

That woman. The one that saved him in his nightmare. He swallowed remembering her face as easily as he remembered the way to Ichiraku ramen. It was round, full of life and so kind, with purple eyes. "Did she have purple eyes?"

"Huh?" Rin asked, shaken from whatever story she had been telling. "Uhh, yea she did. How'd you know?"

"I umm, do you have a picture of her or something?" Naruto he leaned forward, walking on his knees to close the distance between him and Rin. His hands were shaking. And he felt like he could faint at any moment now.

"Umm, I don't think I do, but why?" Rin leaned back away from him the slightest bit. Was he really that intense?

"Man," Naruto fell back into his nest with the force of disappointment, causing the boat to rock ever so slightly. "I just feel like I need to see her is all."

"I see," Rin touched her finger to her lip wearing it like a mustache. "I might be able to use my mist."

"The Mist? Like what happened when you went to talk to the Sanbi?" Naruto asked, sitting up once more to look at Rin. "Don't those cause nightmares?"

"I don't know, but I should be able to control them, I might be able to show you a memory of Kushina." She shrugged holding up her hand with in moments a spiralling ball much like the Rasengan sat in her hand made completely of mist. "But it's worth a try don't you think?"

Naruto stared at the orb of mist, even in the moonlight it was filled with greens, purples, and every color in between. Would he see her in there again? That red haired lady that saved him? He nodded. "Yea."

"Okay, hold still and umm sorry if anything weird happens, I haven't actually tried to use this yet." Rin took in a breath and puffed out her cheeks. She let it out in a slow stream blowing on the mist, it snaked in the air drifting towards him like a column of smoke. "Just remain calm and breath."

The mist swirled around him, invading his senses like it was a head cold.

"You're just so cute!" It was her voice. That woman who saved him. The one he wanted to be his mother. "You are such a good girl Rin, ya'know?"

She pulled away from a hug, and Naruto saw her. The woman that had saved him. Kushina, Kushina Uzumaki. She was real. He didn't make her up. She had his last name.

"Naruto?" The illusion faded and Naruto saw Rin looking at him a hand rested on his shoulder. Tears were falling down his face. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I shouldn't have tried to do that without more practice I-"

"It's her." Naruto muttered staring up at Rin his mouth twitching into a smile. "I think that Kushina is my mom."

"No way," Rin froze her mouth dropping open, she blinked once, twice, then fell back into her spot. "I can't believe it," her lip twitched upwards into smile as the first hiccups of laughter began to bubble out. "I can't believe I didn't see it!" She squealed kicking her legs and face glowing red from laughter and sheer delight.

It was enough to drag him into it as well.

"Do you know what this means?" Rin, bounced back, leaning onto the bench that separated them, resting her elbows on it while her arms supported her head. He could see her smile from a mile away.

"That my mom was really pretty?"

"No!" Rin shouted, then frowned. "Well yes, but that's not the point." She held up a single finger in front of him. "Miss Kushina only had one boyfriend in her entire life, and they loved each other more than anybody I've ever seen. Naruto, your father." He leaned in close finding himself smiling. This was it, he was finally going to know where he came from. "Was my sensei, Minato! The Fourth Hokage."

The humor in him died. The excitement was replaced with. Something. Something that wasn't good. It made his stomach roil and his fists clench. "Why?"

"Huh?" Rin's smile didn't stop. "Why what?"

"If I'm his son then why did he put the Kyuubi into me? Wasn't it bad enough that my parents had to die too but then he went and sealed the stupid fox into me?" Fresh tears joined the ones he spilled for seeing his mother for the first time.

"Naruto," Rin's voice was as soft and soothing as ever, breaking him out of his spell long enough to look at her. She touched his cheek holding his gaze. "You're looking at it the wrong way. Do you remember what I asked you if you hated Minato for sealing the fox inside of you. I know it now more than ever. Minato-sensei chose you because he believed in you. They both did."

She was so pretty, so nice, and so important. Already he could feel her soothing him and he took deep even breaths that heralded the return of his smile. "I guess it is pretty awesome that he's my dad I guess."

"There you go," Rin stayed next to him, reaching down to grab his hand and squeezing it tight. "I know it sucks, and I'm sure if they were alive they would have been awesome parents. I actually don't know what I'm saying here, sorry."

Naruto shook his hand feeling the heat rush to his cheeks. Rin's hand was so soft and smooth, It was just so fun to touch. "No, I think I get what you're trying to say. There's a lot that happened that I'm not happy with, but I…" Naruto paused swallowing hard, what was he going to say? That he was happy all those horrible events happened so that she could be here with him? That kind of sounded bad, even if it might be true.

"If it helps you can think of having the Kyuubi sealed inside of you like it's an S-rank Mission given to you by the Fourth Hokage."

That got him to laugh. "Thank you Rin, for everything."

"I should be the one to thank you." She let his hand go sliding back into her spot, brown eyes still locked onto him. "If it was for you I'd probably be dead or trying to kill myself before Isobu could hurt anybody. But because of you, I'm still alive and I feel like I can make a difference. You really are an amazing person Naruto."

His cheeks felt hot, really hot. "You're the amazing one Rin, you managed to get the Three Tails under you control."

"Control is a relative term. He mostly just wanted me to leave him alone and keep him safe." She held up a hand conjuring another ball of mist. "I think I got it easy with Isobu, the Kyuubi sounds like he'd be stubborn."

"Do you have any advice?"

"Have you tried asking his name?"

XXXX

"You're pathetic."

Obito groaned peeking out from under his covers to see what magical bullshit entered his own private realm of existence. Ever since he had seen Rin, all of his deeds had been brought to light, all those deaths were on him. So much. He had wanted to bring the world to peace for Rin. Now he was steps away from bringing it to ruin.

Plus she had the three tailed beast sealed inside of her. A key he would have needed to bring about the world peace Madara preached. Bah, what a load of shit. With Rin here that peace was nothing more than a lie.

The sheets were ripped from his bed and he saw the intruder.

"Itachi," he groaned sitting up to glare at his, what was Itachi to him again? Cohort? Companion? Nothing? Clanmate. "How did you get here?"

Itachi matched his glare in a rare display of pure rage. But even that was contained like a storm in a bottle ready to be unleashed at any moment. "One girl says your name and you break."

"It's none of your business," Obito stood looking over the barren landscape of his realm. He had come here to be alone where he couldn't mess up anything ever again. Rin was alive and happy. He couldn't risk that a second time. "Leave, now."

"Why did we kill our clan Obito?" Itachi practically spat his name.

"Because we're fucking idiots." He rummaged through one of the boxes of food he stole pulling out a simple ration bar. Itachi smacked it out of his hand before he could take a bite. "Every Uchiha is, you, me, your brother, Madara, especially Madara. We're nothing but a bunch of idiots that try their hardest to stand in the way of making the world happy. Look back on it. Honestly the world would be better off without the Uchiha."

"Did we kill them all because of some girl?" The bottle was breaking.

"Technically I did." Obito shrugged grabbing another bar. He was pass the point of caring. All he wanted to do was sleep until he died here, alone like the monster he was. "You killed them because Danzo was inciting them to rebel all to sate his need for power and weird obsession with the Sharingan."

"Have you ever thought about it? Like what the hell is so great about these stupid eyes? Sure you can copy a few jutsu and do some magic eyeball shit." He took a bite of his bar chewing in Itachi's general direction. "Face it. The world is a better place without us."

Itachi continued to glare at him, nearly shaking with rage. His sharingan wasn't activated yet, but that could change in a heartbeat. He wouldn't try to stop him if itachi wanted to kill him. There was no point in it. Rin probably hated him right now anyways. Kakashi for sure, but Kakashi was a prick.

"Besides, isn't that basically why you killed your whole clan? To stop them from making Konoha worse?"

Itachi grabbed him by his throat lifting him off the ground, Sharingan activated. "Don't you-"

"What? Make you realize that you were manipulated into killing everybody that you loved? That I was foolish enough to believe some dying old idiot that caused two of the worst wars in history that he wanted true peace? That forcing everyone into a dream was the same as peace? That's just genocide. But hey, it's the family business." Itachi let him fall the storm vanishing without a fuss. "Face it Itachi, we were wrong."

"So, what do we do?"

Obito shrugged sitting back down on his bed. "Wait to die?"

"I've been doing that for eight years."

"Then try something else, just leave me alone."

AN: Fuck I love writing depressed Obito. Anyways, hey look they figured out who Naruto's parents are! (Please stop bothering me about it) Anyways, probably a small time skip next chapter? Depends if I want to do a pseudo date with Rina nd Naruto while Jiraiya has a one man stag party.

Please review!

Beta'd by xxTerror33xx