You know how it goes: RxR. You also know how awesome you are, everyone! Best wishes for a wonderful Easter if I don't post before then. I'll be flying home, so I miss yummy food/crazy family! Happy Reading! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: don't own Naruto.

~OoOoO~

"As is protocol, I have to ask: is the mission within the scope of your team's capabilities?" Hiruzen spoke the familiar words just as he had a hundred times over to many shinobi before.

"They are, Hokage-sama," Kushina bowed her head, red hair falling over her shoulder. She was wearing her usual jacket, now faded and nearly golden yellow with wear. Her short dark black boots were hidden under her blue pants. Her physique was no longer boyish, her lanky frame now boasting womanly curves that many of men in the village had come to appreciate.

He raised an eyebrow as he rested his chin on a fist, his elbow propped on his expansive desk now littered with paperwork. "It's a rag-tag bunch, but they want both the money and the mission completion on their score cards," he explained quickly, "I'm hoping they work well enough to dig a well."

"I'm hoping so, too, sir," she murmured easily. "I'd prefer to not spend a whole two weeks or more digging a hole in the ground."

Hiruzen chuckled, "I'd say, knowing my son, you're going to spend more."

The redhead sighed, "Then I'll dig it myself."

"Make sure you get compensated for that, then," he leaned back in his chair, tugging at his beard as he studied her. "The third one...the oddling—Might Gai—he is hard-working lad. Very diligent and, er, enthusiastic, you could say."

"I can handle that," she met his gaze, her own eyes flickering away after a few moments. Over the years, her eyes had become such a deep blue that they looked purple.

"Very well," the kage sighed, suddenly wearied. He hadn't slept well the night before. "If you have no further questions, then you are dismissed."

Kushina bowed again, turning on her heel and striding from the room. As she was about to reach for the door handle, it opened unexpectedly. She turned back toward the Hokage when she heard his voice, "Kushina?"

"Yes, sir?" her brow drew together by his interruption, her attention pulled away from the newcomer standing in the doorway.

"You aren't planning to send three of my willing genin-one being my son-on a mission with a clone of yours, are you?"

The kunoichi's eyes grew round as Hiruzen's words reached her ears. Her mouth fell open as she immediately began to deny his claims, "N-No, s-s-sir-"

"You see," the kage waved his hand airily as the woman stared at him in horror, "Kushina never so formally addresses me when we are alone. It was an easy way to deduce that you were indeed a clone."

"Tsk tsk, such a poor attempt. I'm disappointed, Kushina," came the smooth taunting voice from behind the redhead. She spun around to see Jiraiya in the doorway, leaning against the frame as his body blocked the way from the room. She saw his hand ready to strike.

"Shit," the clone groaned, "She's gonna be pissed about this."

With a soft plop, the clone disappeared with Jiraiya's blow, and the Toad Sage easily strode into the room. "What was your real tip off, Sensei?" he grinned.

Hiruzen laughed aloud, his voice dry and crackling with fatigue, "Oh, maybe the fact that one of my most prodigious jonin returned from a mission with you, hours ago, and has yet to report for debriefing."

"Ah, my student is avoiding you?" Jiraiya shook his head knowingly. "He has other...distractions, Hiruzen. He's a young man with needs, you know."

Hiruzen stiffened like a protective father, a knowing smile on his aging face. His hair was nearly completely gray, the stress of his occupation wearing on him. "He may be late with his own team, but Minato is never a minute late for the Hokage."

"Never?"

"Never."

"Until now," Jiraiya seated himself, eyebrows raised in amusement. The two men looked at one another for a few moments before sharing each other's mirth. "Love will do that to a man."

"So it will," Hiruzen stared out his window, distant, faded memories haunting him as his voice was barely more than a whisper, "So it will..."

"Shit," Kushina groaned under her breath, pulling away from her heated embrace with Minato.

She dropped her forehead onto his chest, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to catch her breath and calm her beating heart. She could feel his racing pulse against her forehead, smooth and bounding with excitement of the new boundaries they were crossing with one another. His jacket was at the foot of her bed, her own doing. He was shirtless, though she spared his pants and boots. His hair was a royal mess of blonde strands standing in every direction. Again, her doing. She licked her lips, her face hot from their eagerness. She could hear his soft chuckling, and she clenched her eyes shut even more.

"He figured you out, huh?"

"Yeah...that old bas-"

"Kushina," he softly warned her. He was right, she knew. He was the Hokage, and he demanded her respect, even if she had practically grown up with the man.

"He even took the liberty of letting Jiraiya destroy my clone," she looked up, her words careful despite the annoyance on her features.

She drew back in surprise when she realized Minato was laughing at her. She hit him in the shoulder with her fist, though not as hard as she would have liked to, due to the fact that her own jacket, while still fastened part of the way, was tugged down to her elbows and her undershirt was pushed up from his wandering hands. He smiled at her, his eyes lingering on her own messy hair—though he was sure it looked much better than his.

"You should go."

"I should," she whispered, nodding as she smoothed her clothes, doing her best not to stare at him in his partially undressed state.

She was still straddling his waist as he was pushed back into her futon. She realized that her hands were resting on his stomach, and she could feel his awareness of her close proximity as well as his lingering excitement. He looked uncomfortable as he tried to straighten himself so that he wasn't so obvious. She raised her leg, turning herself so that she was seated next to him. Her heart hammered in her ears as she tried to calm the squirming fullness that burned deep in her belly. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but she had, despite his protests (which were quite weak), practically attacked him. She had no idea where that carnal ferocity had come from, but she had allowed it to take over her as she pressed him into futon, seating herself on his thighs as their hands and mouths explored one another and their hips ground together. She closed her eyes, attempting to relive the experiences his fingers had elicited on her flesh.

"Kushina?" he drawled from next to her.

"Hmm?"

"You're smiling like a dummy. You have a mission."

"Don't remind me," she groaned, her eyelids snapping open as she glared at him through heavy lids.

He was leaning back, his arms folded behind his head as he watched her in amusement. Her eyes flickered over his chest, and she wanted very much to kiss him again. Perhaps it was a good thing they were interrupted, as she wasn't sure how much restraint she would show if they were left to their own devices. His touch, taste, and smell was beyond anything she had ever experienced, and she couldn't get enough of it. From the way he was looking at her, she knew that he felt it, too. He exuded an experience that made her feel naïve and impish. She blushed furiously at how difficult it had been for her to remove his jacket and shirt. The shirt she had opted to cut with a kunai. His response was to merely raise an eyebrow before he quickly reached up and pulled her into him with a soft groan of excitement. Maybe she didn't come off as inexperienced as she felt.

She could hear him moving to gather his clothes, and she pouted in frustration. "I hate this."

"It's only a short mission. Much better than going to the borders and spying," he pointed out, completely misinterpreting the meaning of her words.

"I didn't mean the mission..."

"Oh," he stopped what he was doing, his jacket dangling from his fingertips as his eyes told her he understood and shared her frustration. He lowered himself before her. "It won't always be this way."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She tore her eyes away from his, her stomach twisting from the intensity of his gaze. He straightened, unsure of what to make of her moodiness.

He sighed, looking at the time, "If Jiraiya-sensei has returned, then I had better make my presence known. There aren't too many places they could come looking for me." A bemused smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He would have to fend off their inquiries, he knew.

"Not a bad idea, Namikaze," Kushina stood, groaning as she looked at her travel bag. It was going to be a long couple of weeks, and she felt like throwing a royal fit.

Minato grinned at her, scratching the back of his head and further mussing his hair, "Sounds like you have a good team, Kushina. Should be an easy mission."

"It better be," her eyes narrowed dangerously as her hands found her hips, "Or I'll bury them in that damned well."

Kushina had spoken very little, running ahead of the three genin at speeds they couldn't maintain. The fact that she had to check herself only made her more glum. The one in green—Gai—had somehow managed to be a bigger chatterbox than her. She could practically hear the concerned glances being passed between the Yuhi girl and Asuma.

"Don't." Asuma warned the dark-haired kunoichi running next to him. "She's in a foul mood, I wouldn't recommend saying anything when she's like this."

"Is she normally like this?" the girl's dark eyes widened. The crimson ring in them became more noticeable when she did that.

"No," Asuma admitted, "Something must have pissed her off."

Kushina appeared behind them, surprising both genin. "It's not nice to talk about someone behind their back. How about telling me to my face what's so secretive?"

Kurenai's eyes were still wide as she looked ahead, shooting concerned sideways glances at Asuma. The youngest Sarutobi inwardly cringed. She had hearing like a cave creature. "I was just tellin' Kurenai that you're not always in such a shitty mood."

Kushina said nothing as she continued to run. She hadn't expected him to be so honest. "No," she murmured. "I'm not. Must've woke up on the wrong side of my bed." She quickly leaped past the two, reclaiming her position ahead of them, but not first without slapping Asuma in the back of the head.

She could hear him utter profanities behind her, and she felt oddly satisfied by her display of physical violence, though it was quite tame, given her target. She wasn't sure why she was in such a poor mood, but she had noticed that they were more frequent and much more difficult to remove herself from since she became the kyuubi's container. She remembered Mito's warnings of the nine-tails' hatred.

Happy thoughts, she repeated to herself over and over. She wondered if the kyuubi could hear her thoughts and feel her emotions. She slowed her pace so that she was next to the green-clad shinobi with the hideous bowl haircut.

"Might Gai?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes, Uzumaki-san." His dark hair skimmed his thick bushy eyebrows as his gaze remained ahead.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you look ridiculous in that outfit?" she smiled at her wicked inquiry.

"All the time," he admitted, still not meeting her eyes. He wordlessly wiped sweat from his brow.

"And yet you still dress like a goblin?"

"It is not the attire that makes a shinobi, Uzumaki-san. It is the heart within the man and his youth's springtime that makes him strong," he quickly replied, his expression adamant regarding his admission.

She was taken aback momentarily by his elaborate way of speaking. Not only did he dress oddly, but he spoke like a love-stricken poet. She didn't sense any dishonesty within him, and his words were surprisingly uplifting. "You use only taijutsu?"

"Yes, Uzumaki-san." His words were slow as a look of pain or disappointment flickered across his face.

"You defeated one of Minato's genin. One that I helped train personally." She referred to the Chuunin Exams, where he had defeated Obito.

"I'm sorry about that. It was an exam, and I needed to prove myself."

"Well, Might Gai, I think that, for solely using taijutsu, you're going to become one hell of a Leaf-nin."

"You really think so?" he asked, blinking as his eyes suddenly became adoring. He turned to look at her, as if for more praise.

"Watch out for that—" she yelled, quickly diving to the right. It was too late for him, and he was struck across the neck and under the chin by the thick tree limb. He flipped backwards as a choked squawk slipped from between his lips and his arms flailed as his body plummeted to the ground.

"...branch," Kushina completed her warning moments too late. She cringed as he hit the forest floor with a loud crash. She could hear him moaning below as the trio stopped to see how badly the boy had injured himself.

"Gai!" Kurenai was the first to reach him. His eyes were closed and his face pale. Kushina was certain he had snapped his neck.

Kurenai quickly knelt beside him, her hands cupping his face as she screamed his name again. This time, his eyes fluttered open. He had the eyelashes that any woman would envy, and Kushina was certain he was batting them at the Yuhi girl as he moaned, "Kurenai...are you a beautiful angel...coming to take me away and teach me...the many passions..."

Kushina rolled her eyes at his flamboyant display as Kurenai's expression flickered confusion, at first, then eventually disgust as she released her grip on his face. He cried out as his head hit the ground and she stood up, glaring at him.

"Might Gai...you're a little pervert, aren't you?" Kushina softly chuckled to herself as she shook her head. She was grateful he hadn't been seriously injured. "You OK, kid?"

"Yes, Uzumaki-san," he winced as he tried to rise onto unsteady feet.

"You need carried?" she quickly examined him, squeezing his shoulders and tilting his chin left then right. He had a large knot on the back of his head and an angry red abrasion across his neck. It oozed a serosanguinous fluid—a combination of blood and other viscous fluid from tissue damage. His eyes widened as he registered her question.

"A man should always deny it, but I am feeling dizzy-" he began, the thick eyelashes fluttering flirtatiously.

"OK, Sarutobi—" she jerked her thumb toward Asuma, who stumbled backward in confusion and aversion.

"What?" both boys cried out. Kushina felt her mood lighten at the chaos she was creating.

"I'm suddenly feeling better, Uzumaki-san. I can run. There is no need to be carried on another man's back." Gai was frantically waving his hands in the air, his face ashen with shame.

"No way in hell am I carrying him," Asuma shook his head in defiance as Kurenai met Kushina's eyes. The girl lowered her head, doing her best to suppress her giggles as her ponytail bounced with each heave of her shoulders.

"Alright then, Team," Kushina straightened, looking toward their destination, "Then let's get this mission started. The sooner we can do that, the sooner we can go home." She saw all three nod in agreement, and, within minutes, they were once again on the move.

The sleepy village was nestled in the rolling hills boasted by the Land of Fire. Despite being midday, the town was quite still as the shinobi deftly moved through the streets. Kushina was all too aware of the stares they were receiving, and she had quickly waved for her team to remove their hitai'ites. Something struck her as odd, and she didn't feel as if every pair of eyes on them belonged to a civilian. She had no reason to believe otherwise, but something felt off.

They quickly found the requester of their assignment, and were ushered to their accommodations. By mid-afternoon, the team had begun their task.

For days they worked from dusk until dawn, and the well was progressing nicely. Kushina had decided that a few shadow clones would help expedite their task, and was pleasantly surprised by their progress in only ten days. She was also shocked by how well the three young people worked together, despite not being on the same team. She noticed a few men standing in the shadows of a sakura tree, far removed from their working space. She carefully and keenly observed them from the corner of her eye, her glimpses masked and retrieving.

Maybe they haven't seen shinobi before, she told herself as she saw them eventually file away. After a few days they no longer were present, but she still felt uneasy—as if they were being secretly watched. By the end of Day Thirteen, the team had completed its task. They were paid in full, accepting another night's room and board before setting out the next morning. The gnawing feeling had crept back upon Kushina, and she quietly awoke the trio in the early hours of the morning, while darkness remained settled on the tiny village. They were groggy but functional as they silently traveled through the forest after slipping from their hospitable accommodations. At midday, they stopped for a quick lunch, and she avoided fully disclosing her suspicions to the team.

"Kushina," Kurenai paused, still uncomfortable with addressing the redhead so informally, a requested by Kushina, herself, "Why didn't we wait until sunrise to disembark?"

Kushina chewed thoughtfully, torn by how much she should share. "Eh, you can never be too careful. Besides, we will arrive back to Konoha by midday tomorrow, and you three can still enjoy the entire afternoon."

The genin exchanged glances, none of which were filled with a belief in the jonin's words, but she didn't care, as it kept them from asking more questions. The team continued to run throughout the afternoon and into the evening. The sun slowly began its descent into the far horizon, giving them a few more hours of light as they traveled toward Konoha. Kushina was traveling ahead of them, her mind occupied by thoughts of seeing Minato again. She caught a brief fluttering from the corner of her eye, and her deep blue gaze flickered to it. Quickly, she removed a kunai, throwing it with ease at the target. It was knocked away before it hit its destination, and Kushina raised her defenses.

"Team!" she called out, "Formation!"

The three suddenly halted. "Right, Uzumaki-san!" Gai bellowed as the three genin quickly stopped in place, their backs to one another and weapons brandished so that they could see the enemy from every direction.

Kushina tried to retreat, but was blocked as a blur of brown intercepted her course. She froze, her eyes narrowing with suspicion and recognition. "You were watching us in the village."

A deep chuckle behind her caused her to turn around, her attention drawn to the man between her and her team. "What gave us away?"

"There are no other trees like that in this forest," she answered cautiously, looking between men. On her own, she may be able to handle them, but with three kids to protect as well, she knew they may have some difficulty. She could see no detectable symbol that would tell her the men's village of origin. Their skin was dark, similar to that of the Kumo-nin she had encountered numerous times during exams in Konoha. Her eyes flickered to the swords they carried on their backs.

"Awaiting your words," Gai called out, his voice wavering slightly as he stood stiffly.

"Hold," she commanded, her gaze flickering between the two men, "What do you want?"

"Red hair," the one man mused, his kunai flickering in the light that spilled between the tree branches. His eye darted to his comrade. "How unique to Konoha. As he said. She's young, though..."

"What business is it of yours?" Kushina felt an odd prickly premonition rake the back of her neck as her fingers drew closer to the chakra blades at her hips. Hadn't there been more than two in the village? And who is 'he'?

"She's not the First's wife. She would be far too old," the second responded airily. Confidently. "But the brothers would know if the demon were destroyed. They share the chakra."

Kushina narrowed her eyes, an overwhelming urge to vomit consuming her. How would they have such knowledge of Mito? Did that mean they knew she was the nine-tails' container as well? And who are these brothers?

"What business of it is yours? You are not Konoha-nin," she replied through gritted teeth. She did not want to broach her questions in front of her genin. She watched the trio from the corner of her eye.

"Feisty, this one. As we had heard," the second replied, taking a step back, closer to the genin.

"Stay away from them!" the redhead hissed, her ears catching the crunching of leaves behind her.

"Stay calm, missy," the one behind her sneered. "We may have trouble sedating this one," he told his companion. "If you come with us, we'll spare the kids."

Kushina's eyes grew wide at his words as she quickly understood their intentions to take her. She heard the man behind her lunge for her, and she knew their promise was empty. She quickly parried his blow, kicking him forcefully in the stomach. He managed to absorb most of the impact, returning with one of his own. Instantly, the red-head exploded in a cloud of raindrops, the moisture quickly returning to the damp forest floor.

"What the—" the shinobi replied, "A water clone?"

Before he realized what was happening, Kushina had dropped down from the tree above, her chakra blade driving deep into his neck. Blood spurted from the severed artery, pulsating with each beat of his heart. He reached up to staunch the flow, but she sliced the blade across the tender flesh of his knuckles, the blade digging deep into the bones of his hands. He screamed in pain as his knees buckled and the blood loss became too much. His body spasmed as Kushina landed next to him, her furious gaze on the remaining man. He began to back toward the genin trio, and Kushina quickly reacted.

"Asuma, here!" she shouted, throwing the blades in the air as she charged at the shinobi before her. The man released a cloud of shuriken, and Kushina deflected with her two kunai as she saw Asuma deftly catch the blades. The sound of more feet hitting the soft earth caused her heart to race.

Just how many are there? Enough to capture a jinchuuriki, she knew. There was no mistaking their cryptic exchange.

"Tread carefully, team!" she warned as she leaped high, her hands going through the seals as she tried to dispel her current enemy in order to protect the three genin. The chakra engulfed her fist as she forced the water to swirl in deadly sickles as she pushed a punch into the man's chest. She immediately regretted the move, as her body convulsed from the shockwave that shuddered through her body. In her haste, she had forgotten that Kumo-nin were adept with lightning elemental jutsu.

Shit, careless, Kushina!

"Lightning-based attacks," Kurenai murmured as her eyes showed her horror as Asuma yelled, "Kushina!"

In her paralysis, Kushina fell to her knees, her eyes detecting the subtle electrical current running over the man's dark skin. He grabbed her wrist with his thick fingers, pulling her closer.

"Water plus lightning is such a lovely thing," he smugly informed her, his breath hot on her face, "A deadly combination, no?"

"Who are you—" she began, her eyes flickering over to the genin fighting behind him as she tried to force the words from her mouth. She saw the swift blur of green as Gai maneuvered around his enemy's attacks. As genin, the three were unevenly matched for the shinobi who faced them. They were not ready for combat. She had been careless, and they my very well pay with their lives.

"Huh?" she looked up as the man before her slackened his grip on her hand, his body becoming rigid.

She was startled as the man screamed, blood gurgling from his mouth as he slumped forward, falling inches from where she was kneeling on the ground. A blade jutted from his back, and Kurenai stood behind him, her hands trembling as she held the hilt of the sword. A dark pool of blood began to spread through his jacket, and he twitched as spittle foamed at the corner of his mouth.

"He will bleed to death before he wakes up," the girl insisted, her eye wide. Kushina suddenly remembered that the Yuhi Clan were renown for their impeccable and deadly genjutsu. "Are you OK, Kushina?" she asked, concerned as she glanced at her two fighting teammates.

Kushina nodded, forcing herself to stand on her numb legs as Kurenai assisted her. Both women turned around as Gai screamed in agony. Asuma was doing his best to fight off three men at the same time, his wind-attacks sloppy and mistimed.

"Get rid of the kids," one of the other shinobi ordered, most of his face concealed by the odd accoutrement on his head. She saw a scar along his jaw. Asuma quickly became overwhelmed by his opponents, who were easily closing in.

"No!" Kushina screamed as she saw the deadly glint in the attacking shinobi's eyes. She tried to intercept the blow, but she was too slow. A short blade sank into Asuma's flesh, his eyes growing wide with pain and shock as he was stabbed in the abdomen.

"NO!" Kurenai and Kushina screamed together as blood dripped from the wound in Asuma's side. The chakra blades fell silently to the ground as the dark-haired Leaf-nin turned to look at them in confusion.

"That blade is poisoned, so even if he survives the attack, he'll die," the swathed shinobi smugly informed her.

"You will pay for this!" Kushina screeched in fury as Kurenai reached his side, her hands trying to staunch the bleeding. Gai staggered, his face bloodied and swollen as their four opponents drew back.

"We can help him," the man rasped in amusement. "If you come with us, we'll give the girl the antidote."

"No, Kushina," Asuma hissed in pain. "Don't do it. They're liars."

Kushina stood, rage filling her as she had never felt before. "How dare you attack kids. How dare you try to bargain with me for his life! He's the Hokage's son!"

"Even more of a reason to agree to our stipulations," the man smirked. "Spare the Hokage more pain."

"What's happening?" Gai asked as a new, powerful chakra began to crush them.

Kushina's eyes were no longer blue, instead taking on a deep red color as she fell forward on her hands and knees. An odd cloak of chakra began to envelope her as her fury sizzled within her. Concerned glances passed between the Kumo-nin. "I'll kill you, I'll kill all of you," Kushina vehemently hissed, her blood curdling. "Then I'll take the antidote from your cold dead fingers—" The chakra around her began to stretch outward, waving as if it were tendrils of hair.

Kurenai drew back, noticing Kushina's slitted pupils and sharp canine teeth. She caught Asuma in her arms, pulling him with her as Gai finally collapsed from exhaustion.

"We found them," someone suddenly called from behind her, but she didn't turn to see who had arrived. She heard their feet sink into the earth as they landed, but her eyes were on the treacherous shinobi before her. The rage filling her was delicious, and the power surging through her was amazingly enticing. She would crush them all with her bare hands. She would paint the forest with their blood...

"Sarutobi's been poisoned," she heard someone else murmur, followed by the familiar click of a two-way radio. Five masked ANBU landed behind the enemies, and swords glinted as the four were quickly and deftly murdered, their bodies heading back to Konoha before they had hit the ground.

"Get Asuma back to Konoha, as well as the girl and the other boy, too."

"What is going on with Uzumaki-san, sir?"

"I'll take care of her, just get the kids back to Konoha. That's a direct order, Agent!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Roger that, sir."

She saw the ANBU fly past her, Kurenai staring at her with wide eyes as a bleeding Asuma and unconscious Gai were in tow as well.

"Uzumaki!" came the familiar voice. Kushina turned her head slightly, her anger still consuming her. She saw him stiffen.

"You're turning," he informed her. "Control yourself."

"I'm what?" she hissed, her voice more guttural. She looked at her fingers, startled by the shape of her nails. They were more triangular, not like her own. "Shit, what's happening?"

"I arrived in time, it seems," Ken quickly strode toward her as Kushina looked up, wild fury in her eyes. His hand was buried in his vest, and she only had a moment of recognition as the tag was slammed into her forehead, and she fell into a vast darkness.