Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all made me smile :) Which then prompted me to get this out ASAP. Please forgive any mistakes, I'm seeing double from reading this a billion times. Again, thanks to my reviewers, you make me keep writing! I hope the new readers, as well as the old, still enjoy this story! I really enjoy seeing what Kishi has created for my now-favorite couple. Such a sad love story, no? Anyhow, we are getting there, I promise. I need more angst!
Happy Reading! Please continue your wonderful reviews, peeps! :D Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just OCs created along the way. Booyah.
~OoOoO~
Kushina was on her eleventh bowl of ramen as Jiraiya finished his story. She glanced at the young man behind the counter while he prepared her twelfth bowl as she loudly slurped her noodles. She glanced into her bowl, noticing her reflection in the salty broth. She looked tired, mostly from the events that had occurred over the past few days. She sighed into the spent liquid; quickly trapping the remainder of her noodles between her chopsticks. She hadn't expected Jiraiya's story to be so long.
He had explained his childhood and genin team consisting of himself, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, which was led by none other than the current Hokage. Kushina took note of the sage's nostalgic expression as his voice resonated with a mixture of pride and longing. The red head found herself slightly disappointed that she hadn't known much about Hiruzen's days as leader of his genin team. Mostly, though, it was due to the subject matter never coming up, and of course Kushina would never think to discuss things that had taken place such a long time ago. She never wanted to dwell in the past, only living for the future and whatever it may hold...
"Sho...Shunade wash your fird teammate?" she mumbled with a mouth full of noodles.
Jiraiya looked disgusted as a fleck of noodle flew from between her lips and landed on the rim of his bowl. He pushed the bowl away, sighing in exasperation. His lips were pressed firmly together, as he stared off into the distance. Kushina suddenly felt very sorry for the sage. She knew that being on a team with two other people for a large number of years only brought you closer, so it was only natural that Jiraiya be disappointed in Orochimaru's life choices. And, it didn't help that Tsunade has practically fallen off the face of the earth.
"Sowwy," she reached over to retrieve the piece of noodle, hoping to lighten the mood. "Ooo gonna eath thish?"
"No, it's all yours," he inched the bowl closer to her, his face turning a slight shade of puce."And yes, Tsunade was our third teammate."
"So...what went wrong?" Kushina asked as she moved her own empty bowl away and began consuming Jiraiya's leftovers.
"What do you mean?" He seemed unaware of what she was asking, as if he hadn't thought that anything had gone wrong.
"Where did this...Orochimaru guy go crazy? I mean, he's killing people and using their bodies! That's crazy if you ask me!"
Jiraiya winced at her words, and Kushina was immediately regretful of her carelessness. The sage was silent for some time as he thought back on his happier genin days. He had been close to Orochimaru at one point, but somewhere in the war, their friendship had changed. Something in his friend had died, and a new fire had been alight in those coal black eyes. It was a fire like any Jiraiya had ever seen, and he remembered the ominous feeling Orochimaru's eyes held after the war.
"After the Second Ninja War," Jiraiya spoke, his voice suddenly hoarse—forcing him to clear his throat, "he was never the same. I didn't...didn't know him anymore."
"Somethin' happen to him?" Kushina's question was tentative as she eyed her approaching bowl of fresh, steaming ramen. She nodded at the boy who shakily walked it toward her, spilling some of the delicious broth. He had been serving her ramen for a couple of years, the eldest son of the stand's owner.
His name is Teuchi, she reminded herself, smiling as he drew near, despite her disappointment that he was spilling a good bit of her meal.
"Something happened to all of us during that war," Jiraiya murmured softly, his eyes far away. "We saw a lot of death, and that can have a toll on anyone. I suspect, somewhere in that giant mess, he became afraid of dying...wanted more power, I dunno. It was like I had never known him. Even sensei had no idea what to make of it."
"I see," Kushina replied as she tore into her fresh bowl or ramen.
She had been so distracted by her current task, she nearly missed the second bowl as it slid onto the counter top to her left. Her eyes caught the movement, and her head snapped up in confusion. She hadn't requested another bowl...
"What's this for?" Kushina blinked, looking at the offending object. It was oddly reminiscent of something, though she couldn't quite place it. The dish wasn't her first choice, but she would still gladly eat it...
"Isn't your..um, b-boyfriend c-c-oming?" the boy stammered, his cheeks reddening from her scrutiny.
"You have a boyfriend?" Jiraiya wriggled his eyebrows in amusement, taking note of Kushina's sudden, ashen complexion. "Why didn't you tell me this, Kushina-chan? Do spill the beans!"
She shot him a dark blue glare of hatred before her gaze returned to the younger lad. He was practically trembling as he nervously squeezed his fingers. Sweat was beading on his upper lip, and he removed his hat, wiping it along his hairline. She thought she could hear his teeth chattering as he averted his gaze.
"My boyfriend?" she spit the words from her mouth, her distaste on her tongue. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head as she glared at the boy. The noodles limply hung from her mouth as she did so. It would have been comical, had the boy not been so scared of her.
"Yes...the b-blonde one...Minato-san? He's here with you every night," Teuchi's nervously glanced at the bowl, fidgeting almost violently under Kushina's blue scrutiny, "Isn't h-he your b-b-boyfriend?"
"Woohoo!" Jiraiya whistled, "I knew you'd come around some day! To think that you see my student for the romantically illustrious lad that he is! Learned that all from me—"
Before the Toad Sage could finish his sentence, Kushina had landed a right hook in his left cheek. The violent reaction forcefully knocked him from his stool, his arms flailing from the jolt quaking through his body. He hit the floor with a loud thud, causing some stares from within the restaurant. Teuchi watched, his mouth ajar in shock and his eyes alight with a new fear for Kushina as he slowly began to back away from the scene. Jiraiya quickly recovered from the attack, sitting up and gently rubbing his sore and bruising cheek. He was caught off guard by Kushina's violent tantrum, but he couldn't deny that he was both surprised and impressed with the force behind it.
That's the kind of woman Minato needs, he cheekily told himself, deciding that his thought was best kept to himself. He didn't need another rage-fueled attack from the red-head. She was fired up, enough.
"What was that for, Kushina-chan?" Jiraiya whimpered, his voice filled with hurt and surprise as his eyes reinforced his feigned cluelessness as to what he had done to deserve such treatment.
"Namikaze. Minato. Is. Not. My. Boyfriend," she hissed, glaring down at him in anger and embarrassment.
She towered over him, her knuckles white as she clenched them. The small bones of her fists were red from where they met with Jiraiya's face. Her eyes flashed a murderous violet as her nostrils flared with each controlled breath. Red hair was in disarray, making her look both mystical and wild. For the first time in a while, Jiraiya actually felt a tiny surge of fear at Kushina's visible rage.
"That boy seems to think he is," Jiraiya smartly pointed out, nodding his head in Teuchi's direction. He nearly laughed when the poor boy yelped and hid behind the counter. Jiraiya decided against it, instead turning a suspicious eye on Kushina, "Now why would that be, Kushina-chan? Hmmm?"
Dammit! Kushina glanced at Teuchi, who hunkered at the violent gaze before deciding to silently scamper away. In doing so, he managed to take the proffered bowl of ramen with him—the one that had been Minato's favorite. Kushina could sense Jiraiya's smile from the corner of her eye, and her head snapped around so that she could glare at him.
"I don't know," she enunciated every word, maintaining a cold, steely gaze.
"Come on, Kushina! Tell your Uncle Jiraiya—OW!" he cried out as the toe of her boot connected with his tender ribs. To make it worse, she didn't kick him lightly.
"I told you that I don't know!" she yelled, her face turning bright red.
Jiraiya wondered if she was flushing out of anger, embarrassment, or realization. He suspected it was a combination of all three, though a majority could be attributed to the last concept. His side stung, and he was nearly convinced she had fractured a rib or two with her last blow. With Tsunade gone, he would have to heal on his own, and that prospect was not exciting. Still, he couldn't help but to goad the young woman. It was just too much fun.
"But they know his favorite dish!" the older man argued, giving himself a technical advantage.
Kushina's eyes grew wide as she opened her mouth to say something. She must have thought better of her next comment, as her eyes flashed dangerously as her jaw snapped shut. Jiraiya watched with muted amusement as her face went from bright red to a deep shade of crimson. She glared down at the sage, a hint of hurt hidden in her features. Jiraiya had to suppress a knowing smile, though her naivete did break his heart. He couldn't fathom any other reason why Teuchi seemed to think Minato was Kushina's boyfriend. On top of that, it was evident that Kushina was coming to the same conclusions, as to the basis of the boy's assumptions and perhaps something else that Jiraiya was unaware of—as her expression faded from anger to something akin to shock.
"Shit!" the air hissed as it hit her teeth as she groaned, "Oh no!" No no no no NO! Realization hit her!
How had she been that stupid? Of course it would look like he was her boyfriend—he had been there practically every day! She had let him pay for her meals under the guise that she had stuck him with the tab. While she thought it was harmless fun, she could see how Teuchi would make that mistake. But, more importantly, what did Minato think of all of this? Surely he couldn't think that she was his girlfriend, could he?
No, even Namikaze isn't that stupid, she eased her concerns. Besides, he wouldn't date other people if he thought that, right?
With the heavy guilt lifting from her conscience, Kushina's look grew more mischievous as she watched Jiraiya's smirk fade. The slow and intentional transition took the sage by surprise, and he found a sudden chill running down his spine. Kushina turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes falling on the huddling Teuchi.
"Teuchi?" she called sweetly, her demeanor devoid of her previous hostility. The boy peered from around the corner, his eyes wide with terror, despite the sugary sweetness of the kunoichi's voice.
"Y-Y-Yes?" the boy stuttered, smoothing his apron as he stepped out from where he was hiding.
"This old guy here?" Kushina pointed at Jiraiya, feeling a surge of naughtiness, "He'll be paying for my meal."
"WHAT? You ate eleven bowls of ramen, do you know how much that'll cost me?" Jiraiya was incredulous at Kushina's bold statement.
"Actually twelve," she smirked. "Thirteen if you count yours, though you were paying for that anyways, so I saved you some money, Pervert!"
"Pervert? Would you stop addressing me so informally, young woman—" Jiraiya began his tirade, but he found himself yelling at an empty stool as Teuchi hovered from behind the bar.
Kushina, it appeared, had quickly disappeared, leaving a soon-to-be-broke Jiraiya on the floor, foolishly screaming at no one in particular. Jiraiya pulled himself to his feet, returning to his stool. He removed his wallet from his robe, staring after Kushina as he fingered the coins that he hated to part with. He silently wondered if she would return to pay for her part of the meal. When it was apparent that she was not returning, he begrudgingly handed over the monies. Despite her horrid trickery, a knowing smile spread across his face as he shook his head.
Those two, he thought with a twinge of fatherly pride. Will make an excellent couple.
Both he and Hiruzen had predicted it would happen, even putting money down on when it would occur. So far, neither had lost, though Jiraiya's date was slowly approaching. The sage had to admit that he had assumed his student would be the clueless one when it came to seeing their feelings for one another. Therefore, Kushina's blindness surprised the sage. She had disliked the boy when they were children, but after Lady Sarutobi's death, it seemed as if she had thrown aside her scorned pride.
And look what is happening now, he smiled fondly, waving for Teuchi to bring him a fresh bowl of ramen.
"Sir? What was that all about?" Teuchi asked timidly as he nervously glanced in the direction Kushina had departed. Jiraiya could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed his anxiety.
"Oh, nothing much, boy. Just mark your calender," the sage smirked, " You've just witnessed what may very well be the beginning of a beautiful relationship."
Even if she doesn't realized it yet.
~OoOoO~
Kushina tossed and turned all night, worried about Hiruzen and the challenge he had to face in regards to his former student. From various sources, she had been fortunate to gleam some information about the intended interception of Orochimaru. She had learned that Orochimaru had managed to escape the village without harm, somehow slipping past Minato and the other jonin who had anticipated that the guilty shinobi would flee Konoha if he managed to get past Hiruzen and whatever ANBU he took with him. Though she was unsure of what happened during the confrontation of Hokage and student, Kushina was aware that Orochimaru had managed to flee Konoha without Minato so much as laying a finger on him. In the end, she learned that the Hokage had not been harmed, greatly alleviating her crushing anxieties. Though she was concerned for his physical well-being, Kushina was more worried about his emotional stability at the moment. There was also the comment made by Teuchi tonight, that bothered Kushina greatly, as well as a certain ANBU and best friend she had not heard from.
After a handful of hours in which she tossed and turned, Kushina decided that perhaps a walk was in order. Today, after all, was a horrible reminder of the loss of Lady Sarutobi. She lightly tiptoed out of bed, the cool floor sending a chill through her body as she quickly pulled on comfortable clothes. She tugged the black, sleeveless cowl-necked shirt over her head before slipping into her dark green cropped pants. She quickly brushed her hair, sighing as she realized just how long it had grown. She rarely wore it down, so its length was always lost on her until times such as these. She had always hated her hair as a child and young adult. It was the first, and only, thing she had wished to change about herself. With each loss in her life, her hair had been cut. It was the easiest way to take out her frustrations: by chopping off the one thing she hated. She ran her fingers through the silky reddish bronze locks, remembering the odd conversation she had with Minato one night at the ramen stand. He had commented on her unique hair and she had reminded him that he had spouted horrible criticisms about it during their youth.
"That's because I didn't know how to tell you I liked the color," he had shyly admitted, "And because I was an idiot who was more interested in making friends than shunning potential ones."
She had been taken aback by his oddly honest comment. It had been one of the few times that she had been utterly unable to spout a sarcastic remark. Before she could regain her voice and thought train, he had continued:
"I like your hair, and I think you should be proud of it. It's who you are, so don't ever try to hide that, Uzumaki," his face had turned pink with his pretty words, but he pushed on, "I, for one, like the color red. And I think it looks good on you."
She had never admitted it, but something about the kind words over her favorite meal put her at ease. She had instantly forgiven him for his childish indiscretions. They were kids, after all, so why hold grudges against false ways of thinking? Yes, it had been his words that had really touched her. All the times Ken or Lady Sarutobi had said they loved her long red hair, she still felt empty inside. It wasn't until someone else...Minato...had admitted that he, too, liked her hair, that she reaped some sense of pride in the unique trait she displayed.
She pulled the tiny headband from her bureau and secured her hair from her face. Her thick locks held a natural wave as it fell down her back. Kushina rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself as she lazily shoved her toes into her black slip-on shoes. She cast one last glance in the mirror, allowing her eyes to wander over her reflection. After all those years, the tomboy had finally turned into a woman. Her breasts weren't as big as she would prefer them to be, but she couldn't deny the womanly curves that accentuated her body. Her days as a kunoichi kept her in shape, her frame slim and lithe from the exercise. She touched the creamy skin of her neck, noting the contrast of her hair against her paleness. Her blue eyes looked more violet today, and she wondered if they reflected her sadness of this anniversary. Her eyes always appeared more purple when she was upset about something.
Kushina grabbed a few items, shoving them in her pockets as she left her apartment, leaping over the railing and landing on the ground. She slowly walked toward the Hokage Manor, knowing that the corner store would be open this early. She had a few things she wanted to purchase so she could make Hiruzen's favorite breakfast. She did this every year on the anniversary of Lady Sarutobi's death: she would quietly sneak into Hiruzen's home, cook, and leave before he awoke, allowing him to eat in peace. She knew that Asuma would sleep in much later, but she still packed a tiny box for when he woke.
Though she was no longer living in the Hokage Manor, her heart still resided there with the people she loved. The only family she had left.
~OoOoO~
"Kushina!" Asuma's voice cracked, more from the growth changes of manhood than his own emotions.
Kushina smiled to herself, her back to the pair approaching her from the gentle, curving slope of the hill. They always met like this, each year. She could hear Asuma's heavy footsteps as he ran toward her. She felt his arms encircle her waist as he hugged his adoptive sister.
"It's good to see you, too," she ruffled his hair.
"Hey!" he whined, smoothing it with his own hands, "I gotta look good for the ladies."
"You are too young for that crap!" Kushina teased, "And it's getting too long!"
"I'm a man, now!" Asuma puffed out his chest with almost-childish pride, "Right, dad?"
Hiruzen chuckled at his son's words. He had a feeling the young Sarutobi was on his way to becoming a womanizer. The adolescent showed promise to be a great shinobi, following the footsteps of his older brother as well as taking charge during his genin missions. The Chuunin Exams were fast approaching, and Asuma was adamant that he would be participating. Hiruzen wasn't so sure his son was ready, but, despite his hard demeanor, the kage would not deny the boy his chance to participate—especially not if his team leader thought he was capable. Though he wasn't always an active part of his son's life, Hiruzen made sure to stay updated on his Asuma's progress. At times, he felt guilty for not being the father he wanted to be, but he had made a promise to protect thousands of other lives as well, and thus the sacrifice of his fatherhood. This was where his wife had excelled: child-rearing.
The trio turned and lovingly stared at the tomb of Lady Sarutobi. The mauve roses were gently spreading their petals, soon to be in full bloom. Kushina couldn't deny that she was grateful to Inoichi's girlfriend for the suggestion to plant the beautiful rose bush.
"Your flowers are beautiful," Hiruzen murmured, "She would have loved him."
"She does love them," Asuma corrected, pain flashing across his face.
"Of course, how silly of me," he placed a hand on Asuma's shoulder. The boy was quickly growing, and would soon tower over his father. Hiruzen's heart ached as he thought about the day where he could no longer muss his son's hair.
"Did you enjoy breakfast?" Kushina whispered as Asuma examined the rose bush, laying his own hand-picked wildflowers on the grave.
"I did, thank you," Hiruzen smiled. "If I pretended, I would almost say she cooked it."
Kushina's heart swelled with pride from Hiruzen's praise, "That is an honor! Thank you."
"She had taught you well; you will make an excellent wife someday," Hiruzen offered, not missing the look of panic that had fleeted across her face.
Kushina quickly cleared her throat, "What are your plans for dinner? With Asuma?"
"The usual. Just another day, after all," Hiruzen replied wistfully, his voice filling with the usual melancholy that this day brought to him.
"Bah!" Kushina waved her hand dismissively, "I'll be over to make you two something. You can't just sit in the dark and be depressed all day."
"You worry too much, child," the kage replied, his eyes watering as he watched Asuma tuck the flowers into the ground.
"You took care of me when I needed it," Kushina replied softly, reaching out to squeeze Hiruzen's hand.
The older man did not pull away as his tears silently streaked his face. Asuma remained with his back to the pair, though Kushina could see the slight shaking of his shoulders and hear his stifled sniffles. She, too, felt her eyes well up as she silently mourned the woman who was like a mother to her.
~OoOoO~
Kushina was cleaning her katana when she heard the hesitant knock at her door. She was suddenly puzzled, wondering who would be knocking at this hour. She had left the Hokage mansion just after dusk, and could only think of a handful of people who would dare interrupt her this late. She nervously opened the door to find Ken standing there, a handful of flowers in the crook of one arm while his other hand nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at the ground, his chestnut hair messy and damp. His sweater looked tighter than Kushina could remember...
"Hiya, Kushina," he mumbled, shoving the flowers toward her, "I just wanted to give you these, since, well, uh...today and all..."
"Thank you," she replied, smiling softly. He always remembered the anniversary date. "Would you like to come in?"
He glanced at her before looking down again—it was as if he were having an internal debate, "I suppose I could, I guess."
"Want a drink?" she asked politely.
"Nah, I'm fine...whaddya up to?" his eyes fell on her katana, "Oh, nevermind."
Kushina sat on the edge of her frayed, over-stuffed chair, her stomach fluttering nervously as she watched Ken rub his upper arm, "So, uh, you still haven't told the Hokage you want to be in ANBU?"
"No..." she trailed off, thinking about Hiruzen's offer, "I just don't think it's me anymore. You know?"
He nodded, "I guess. Makes sense."
"Yeah..." she replied softly, playing with her fingernails.
"So...you, uh, wanted to talk?" he offered, looking away as if he already knew what she was going to say.
"Ken..."
"Don't. Just don't apologize! I'm tired of the 'I'm sorry' and the 'It won't happen again' bullshit, Kushina!" his voice was an octave higher as he clenched his fists, "I really don't want an apology."
"Then, what do you want?" she asked, blinking in sudden confusion. "How can I make this better between us? You're my best friend and—"
"I want you to love me like I love you!" he unexpectedly blurted, his face crimson as his eyes again darted to the floor. He took a deep breath to settle himself as he raised his eyes to meet her startled gaze.
She hadn't expected this. Not this. They had never said those words to one another...
Before she could say anything, Ken quickly continued, his words rushed, "I've cared about you ever since we were kids, Kushina! I've tried to deny it, and I've tried to just be friends, but I can't help the way I feel. You are my best friend and you are the person I love most in this world. I can't imagine my life without you, but I can't imagine staying with you if you don't feel that way about me!"
Kushina could feel her throat closing up as the tears stung her eyes. He was so adorable as he stood there, proclaiming his undying love to her. But, she couldn't return his feelings, and she was almost confident that she never would. He washer best friend and he was her brother. He was Ken. And, she did not love him in the way that Arashi had spoke of, despite her desperate desire to.
"You're my best friend, too, Kenny. You know that," she began, immediately being cut off by the pacing shinobi as he spun around to face her, his eyes filled with betrayal and anger.
"Don't. Just don't, Kushina! If you can't say it back, don't sugar coat it! I want the truth. I've done my part in all of this, and I've tried, but it just seems you don't really want to be with me..." His eyes were tortured as he looked at her, the dark irises pleading with her to say something—anything to prove him wrong.
"I..." she began, the tears falling freely as she dropped her head into her hands.
"It's him, isn't it?"
"What? Who?" her head snapped up as her eyes searched Ken's face.
"Namikaze! He's the reason you can't love me," Ken blurted, turning away from her.
"That's...that's ridiculous!" she trilled, shocked that he would even say such a thing, let alone think it.
"You have dinners with him, you grow your hair because of him—"
"Now wait a minute! It was just something he said in passing. I'm not growing my hair out because of something some stupid jonin said!" She suddenly wished she had never shared that conversation with her friend...
Ken laughed bitterly, "You don't even see it, do you? You're really that blind aren't you, Kushina? Even I can tell. Everyone else can tell...except you!"
"Tell what?" she cried, confused at his rambling.
"That you care about that prodigal Namikaze Minato!"
"I don't!" she protested, standing and pleading with him, wanting to prove him wrong. "Ken, I'm sorry! Just tell me what to do—"
"Tell me you love me. That you want to be with me. That you feel the same way about me as I do you. That you can't stand being apart. That you would die for me. Tell me, Kushina!" his brow was creased as he relived every emotion he had ever felt for her, the pain anew on his face as he took a step toward her.
Kushina felt her heart shatter as she watched her closest friend suffer through something she was only making worse. She only wanted to make it better, and she was failing miserably. Why couldn't she just fall in love with him and live happily ever after? He deserved happiness, so why couldn't she give that to him? Kushina's mind was running rampant with 'what ifs' as she weakly collapsed in the chair, tears streaking her cheeks as she sobbed into her hands.
"You can't, can you?" Ken whispered, his voice soft and filled with unbearable pain. Kushina said nothing as her heart raced and her shoulders shook. Why couldn't she love him?
"Forget it," Ken muttered miserably, "Just forget anything I said, Kushina."
"I'm sorry, Ken..." she whimpered, her heart aching to give him that part of her.
"Don't be. At least now I know. I wanted honesty, and now I got it! My own damned fault!" his laughter was bitter.
Kushina looked up with tear-filled eyes, hoping that she could say something that would magically make it better. Ken's eyes were filled with longing as he fought back tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ken quickly turned and exited her apartment. The door slammed loudly as Kushina rocked back and forth in her chair, clasping her knees to her chest. The only thing that could be heard in her apartment was the sounds of her soft sobbing as she mourned the loss of yet another person she loved.
~OoOoO~
Weeks had passed and Kushina still had not seen Ken. She had looked for him, but her searches proved to be failures. She felt like she were living in a dream and her entire life was moving in slow motion. She closed her door and collapsed on her bed after a short trip to visit Asuma at the manor. She drew her hands over her face, closing her eyes and silently telling herself that it would be alright.
The new presence in her room caused her to sit up with a start, her hand finding the kunai under her mattress.
"What do you want?" she asked coldly, her eyes puffy from crying and lack of sleep.
The masked ANBU stepped forward, his dragon-like mask covering his face as his curly silver hair blew about his head, "Lord Hokage requests your presence, Uzumaki-san."
"What about?" she yawned, releasing her kunai to its hiding spot.
"You are needed for a new assignment," he told her bluntly, "and are to come with me."
"How precious," she mused sarcastically, "but why send a masked twit to find me?"
The ANBU stiffened, "It's an S-ranked mission."
"Oh," she replied, her heart racing at the new information. She had never been summoned for an assignment before. "Fine, lead the way."
Hiruzen had been trying to get her to babysit some genin for a while, but she had successfully refused such a task. Children weren't her thing, so she preferred to avoid them at all costs. Hopefully, this wasn't another attempt to get her to babysit, under the guise of a really important mission. Though, something about the ANBU's body posture and the haste at which he led her to the Hokage's office made her think otherwise. She quietly leaped along the rooftops, settling on the veranda outside of the office as the masked soldier opened the sliding glass door. Inside were a handful of ANBU elite as well as the Hokage. Kushina's eyes trailed along each of the ANBU, hoping to see some sign of Ken but finding none. Her eyes returned to Hiruzen, and she spied two newcomers standing behind the kage. They were older individuals that Kushina faintly recalled as the village council or something equally boring.
"Uzumaki Kushina," Hiruzen nodded formally, waving to the seat in front of his desk.
"Lord Hokage," she bowed her head in return,"May I inquire what this is about?"
"Ah, yes," Hiruzen replied seriously, sliding the letter across the desk. The red, wax seal was broken, as Hiruzen had already read the contents.
Kushina scanned the document, uncomfortable that all eyes were on her as she did so. The writing, from what she could make of it, discussed the sudden disappearance of women from all over the Land of Fire. The suspicion was that they were being trafficked and sold somewhere deep within the Land of Earth. Further investigation was necessary in order to draw out the country's motives...
"What does this have to do with me?" she asked, dark blue eyes flickering over the people standing behind the Hokage.
The older woman stepped forward, "We have successfully infiltrated what we believe to be the ring of traffickers. But, none of our spies, thus far, have been able to get close enough to gain real intel."
"And?" Kushina raised an eyebrow, not sure she was following.
"And," the man answered, "that is why we need your help. If you are willing, we would like to send you in to gain said information."
Kushina narrowed her eyes, glancing at Hiruzen. He looked especially worried, though he was doing his best to hide it as he tapped his fingertips together, "Uzumaki-san, we need you to be 'trafficked', so to speak. If you agree to this, we will use our established connections to 'sell' you so that you may be able to convincingly infiltrate this ring. If you agree to it, that is."
"Why is a trafficking ring such an important deal?" Kushina asked warily.
"Important women have disappeared—women who are the wives, daughters, granddaughters of nobles in our allied villages, and, so far, we are the only village unscathed by these mongrels," the woman answered, her graying hair pulled tightly in a bun, away from her face.
"So it's to keep Konoha from becoming a suspect?" Kushina narrowed her eyes.
"Exactly," the older man answered gruffly, nodding in agreement as he cast a glance to the woman beside him.
"But, how do you know that selling me into this ring will allow me to get closer to the person or people behind this?" she couldn't deny her interest, but she felt as if they were leaving out a huge piece of the puzzle. Something wasn't quite right...
Her question was answered by unintelligible looks between the duo as Hiruzen squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. It was some time before anyone spoke. Finally, it was the Hokage who addressed the red-head's earlier question
"Because, my dear," Hiruzen answered, "You bring to us an advantage for which we had never anticipated."
"Huh?" Kushina replied unprofessionally, her mouth falling open in confusion.
"You see, Uzumaki-san," the kage's lips pressed together as his expression grew grim, "Our inside contacts tell us that he has a penchant for redheads."