Second update today because I wanted to get this chapter out, especially given the ending of the last chapter lol! Be prepared for emotion in this one.
Also to the person who mentioned Obito knowing the truth of Rin's death during the war, I get your point but we were never told when he found out the truth so in this he hadn't found out yet.
Naruto stayed there for some time before she headed to the memorial stone, finally letting herself actually consider the situation. She'd been so tense and worried she hadn't let herself fully think about the fact that the fake Madara was Obito.
It made a sort of sense, explained his obsession with the name, his anger.
He'd seen it-she imagined how she'd feel if she'd seen something like that happen to Sasuke and Sakura-if Sasuke had done that to Sakura. She'd be angry, lash out but... but she'd long ago had to learn how to control herself so that she didn't risk hurting people, even with Kurama on her side if she got angry and seized his chakra it could end badly.
Sure she still sometimes lost control-she had when Orochimaru had cut her off from Kurama, but she was better at holding it in.
Now though... she stared at the stone, at the names carved into it, her eyes flicking through them until she landed on two familiar names.
Namikae Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.
She stepped forward, reaching out to brush her fingers over the two names, letting her eyes fill with tears.
She'd never meet them, never hear her fathers voice or see her mother smile.
She had her mom of course, and she wouldn't give her up for the world but... she'd never really felt the sense of loss before, not like this.
He'd taken them away from her the day she was born, he'd stolen them from her because-why? Why did he do it? Because he was angry at them for not saving Rin? She'd been a shinobi, her mom had never even considered blaming them for what happened to her. It was all a part of the risk of the life of a shinobi and she'd made her choices.
How dare Obito act as if she had no say in her own life? How dare he blame everyone else for what had happened?
Even if she'd died it still wouldn't make anything that he did even slightly okay.
Naruto could feel the tears pouring down her cheeks-and then before she even realized what she was doing her fists were pounding the stone of the memorial, hitting the smooth rock next to the names over and over again, until she was pretty sure her knuckles were broken-radiating pain and
slick with blood where she'd broken the skin.
She let out a scream, punching it again, ignoring the pain as she tugged the sleeve of her kimono up and swiped the back of her hand over the seal on her wrist, pulling out a Hirashin Kunai and gripping it tight as her eyes scanned the list of names, landing on Obito's after a moment.
Then she pressed the point of the kunai into the stone next to the name before jerking it along, and then she did it again and again until she was frantically scratching a line though the name, screaming her fury as she did so, ignoring the blood dripping from her hands and getting on the stone as she did it over and over again, hand slipping on the kunai, the blade slicing her skin as she kept going until the kunai slipped from her grip and she dropped to her knees, leaning forward and letting her head rest on the cool stone, thumping her fist against it again, ignoring the pain radiating from her hands-her undoubtedly broken knuckles, tears pouring down her cheeks-and then she was being yanked into the familiar mindscape, slumping against the bars of Kurama's cell.
He looked better than he had been looking lately-he'd regrown one full tail and a second was over half way through regrowing, and one of the tails slipped through the bars slightly to try and curl around Naruto carefully, though he couldn't get it through all the way.
"It's okay." his voice was soft, "I'm here kit it's okay."
"He-he-"
"I know, I saw." Kurama let out a huff, "We'll handle it Naruto, I don't know how but we'll find a way. The Uchiha brat..."
"It'll kill them." Naruto closed her eyes, "Mom and Kakashi-sensei. It'll break them to find out what he did."
"I know." Kurama let out a heavy sigh. "I know."
"He killed my parents. He... Kakashi and mom were both so close to my mother and my dad there was no way he wasn't close to them." Naruto curled in on herself, "He... he tore me away from my mom he literally told me that."
"I know."
"I-I should have killed him I should-"
"That's not you brat. You don't kill unless you have to. You handled the situation really well."
"I hate him. I hate him so much."
"Of course."
"He... he was my dads student he... he was my dads student and-"
"I know."
Naruto was crying, and Kurama shifted so that he was pressed against the bars of his cell, the warmth of his body was comforting but he couldn't curl around her quite as well as Naruto wished he could.
She was on her feet suddenly, turning and grabbing at the single flimsy piece of paper that was the seal.
"Naruto-chan what are you doing?"
"I- I need you right now-"
"I thought you were waiting until Jiraiya-"
"I don't care." Naruto was shaking. "I need you right now. You shouldn't be locked in a cage because of that bastard of a Uchiha." she snarled the words.
"Kit..." Kurama's voice was soft, "I can wait a bit longer until the new seal's ready-"
"You shouldn't have to. I can protect you until I've resealed you. I... I don't wanna wait anymore I'm done waiting I..."
"Naruto-"
Naruto gripped the seal tightly, yanking down-then a hand was on her wrist, and her head snapped to the side, her heart almost stopping at the sight
that met her eyes.
Tall, spiked blonde hair the same shade as hers, blue eyes the same shade as hers, a white coat with flames around the bottom.
She felt shock rip through her, and then she was releasing her grip on the seal and throwing herself at the man, and his grip on her arm loosened and his arms wrapped around her as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck and sobbed.
"You." Kurama groaned rather loudly. "You have perfect timing don't you?"
"Kyubi." Minato's voice was sharp, "I won't allow you to manipulate a child into-"
"I wasn't manipulating her." Kurama cut Minato off, rolling his eyes, though his expression was softer than usual, "I was telling her she didn't have to, that she could wait."
"What?" Minato's voice was surprised, "What are you talking about?"
"Shockingly enough, Namikaze, I'm not some bloodthirsty monster wanting to break free and destroy your pathetic little village-that would kill the brat and I don't actually want that.
"You-" Minato frowned, "I feel like I need a bit of an explanation." he shifted slightly, hands resting on Naruto's shoulders as he pulled back very slightly and the blonde girl lifted her head, sniffling.
"Kurama's my friend."
"Kurama?"
"It's my name Namikaze, not that you or the Uzumaki ever thought to ask me if I even had one." the words were growled, and Naruto turned her head to look at the giant fox as he spoke. "Naruto-chan on the other hand did ask me if I had a name the third time we met. She asked me if I had a name-not that I told her it right away mind you-"
"No you waited until the next day." Naruto shot back a faint smile on her lips, "And you were all pouty when you did it."
"Shut up brat." Kurama huffed the words, "Have I ever mentioned that I wish I could eat you."
"Like I told you that first time I don't think I'd taste good."
"You were always impertinent."
"You love me for it."
"Do I though?"
"If you didn't love me you wouldn't have been willing to lose three tails to give me a chance-"
"Hush now I don't want your dad to think I'm soft."
"You are soft-a giant fluffy teddy bear."
"I will maim you."
"Yeah, yeah sure you will." Naruto poked her tongue out at the giant fox, who simply gave her a dirty look.
"Listen here brat-"
"You love me. You were comforting me, don't deny it-"
"Slander." Kurama's voice was deadpan, and Naruto giggled as Minato's eyes flicked between the demon and the girl, raising an eyebrow.
"You were comforting her?"
"He was." Naruto ducked her head, "It... is complicated. I..." she lifted her head, giving a weak smile, "I... I haven't even asked, how are you here dad?"
"You know who I am then."
"Yeah, I do."
"Good. That's good." Minato kissed the top of her head, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face, "Kami look at you... you're so grown up. I put a failsafe in your seal, so that if the Kyu-" he saw the look on his face and corrected himself, "If Kurama tried to manipulate you into opening the seal."
"I would have done that." Kurama's voice was unashamed, "Back when we first met-but you were immune to my manipulation."
"You didn't even try." Naruto shot back, rolling her eyes."
"I was shocked at your impertinence."
"This is surreal." Minato shook his head, "So... I just want to be very clear here, I don't need to worry that Kurama's manipulating you into unsealing him?"
"Not at all." Naruto's voice was firm, "I... I was gonna unseal him because I was upset and angry and I wanted... I wanted Kurama." she gave a small shrug, "He's been like, my best friend since I was maybe six or seven?"
"You learned to reach him that young?" Minato's brows furrowed, his expression becoming worried, "I don't know if I like that-Hiruzen shouldn't have put s-"
"It wasn't him."
"What? Minato frowned, "Who trained you in how to talk to Kurama then?"
"My mom-adoptive." Naruto smiled slightly, "I guess you wouldn't know huh?"
"Know what?" My mom is the Sanbi Jinchuriki." the blonde girl was grinning.
"Oh? I didn't know the Sanbi had a Jinchuriki."
"Oh yeah. Some Kiri shinobi sealed it into her to try and set it loose on Konoha-it backfired when she jumped in front of her teammates Chidori." she saw Minato's eyes widen in realization.
"Wait-"
"Isobu healed her and she ran off because she knew they were trying to do something bad even if she didn't know what."
"Kami." Minato looked stunned, "We had no idea."
"She managed to meet him and sort of befriend him so she decided to come home and found I wasn't being looked after right-when she figured out who and what I was she kinda kidnapped me." Naruto grinned unashamedly, "Took me out of Konoha and raised me as her own-"
"She did?" Minato hesitated, "Were you happy?"
"Yeah, yeah I was." Naruto nodded, a soft little smile on her lips. "She was a good mom. A really good mom-and she knew you could befriend a Bijuu so-"
"So you decided to at a much younger age than you would otherwise." Minato nodded slowly. "And you somehow befriended him."
"I did." Naruto nodded, "Maybe it sounds crazy but... Kurama is honestly one of my best friends."
"I'm so proud of you." Minato's voice was soft, "Kami look at you now. Rin... Rin did such a good job. I only wish I could thank her for being there for you." he cupped Naruto's cheek in his hand, "I don't know how long I have left Naruto-chan. I wish I could stay forever but the Chakra imprint I left
won't last for that much longer."
"I... at least I got to meet you. I... I always wanted to. And mom."
"You'll meet her too, though I'm not sure when hers will activate. I sealed a part of her Chakra into you just as I sealed a part of mine. I wanted you to have something of us left to be with you."
"I-I'll look forward to meeting her." Naruto blinked back tears, sniffling as she grabbed her dads hand, squeezing tightly, "I love you daddy."
"I love you too... you're everything I ever dreamed that you would be."
"I hope so. I'm gonna be Hokage one day."
The laugh that Minato let out was slightly damp-he was crying. "Following your fathers footsteps?"
"Yeah." Naruto nodded, "Sandaime-sama said I'd be ready in four to six years and Tsunade-sama only stepped up as Godaime as long as she knew that it was only for a few years."
"Wow." Minato laughed, "You must be super strong."
"Well I've fought Orochimaru and kicked butt-oh and I managed to complete the Rasengan!"
"You did?" Minato's eyes were filled with pride. "You finished it."
"It's epic." Naruto laughed brilliantly, "The most awesome attack I could ever use-but it hurts me to use it so I'm not allowed to-Kurama would get annoyed-"
"Don't make me sound so soft-"
"You are soft!" Naruto called back, poking her tongue out at him again, and Minato laughed, shaking his head.
"Now when I sealed the Kyubi inside of you I didn't expect this. Your mother never even really used his Chakra."
"Well she didn't ask nicely." snarked the fox, giving Minato a dirty look, "I might tolerate-"
"That means love."
"Your daughter, but that doesn't mean I have any fondness for you or your wife."
"I can accept that." Minato paused, "What made you so upset by the way?"
"I-" Naruto hesitated.
She didn't know how long she had with her dad, she'd lose him soon, did she really want to spend the time she had with him telling him how one of his beloved students was responsible for his death? No. No she didn't.
"It's nothing." she gave a sunny smile, "It's better now, I got to meet you 'cause of it after all."
"Just remember how much I love you Naruto-chan." Minato cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand, "I'd do anything for you."
"I know."
"I wish I could stay longer."
"I know." Naruto felt her eyes filling with tears again, "I'll miss you daddy."
"I'm always with you." Minato promised quickly, "And so is your mother-we love you so much-"
"Oh for-" Kurama growled the words, and suddenly his tail was lashing out through the bars of the cage and wrapping around Minato's ankle.
The man let out a shocked cry-and then the tail was glowing red with Chakra and dissolving, sinking into Minato's leg as the man cried out in shock.
"What the-"
"If you thank me I will take it back-"
"Kurama what did you do?" Naruto gasped the words, her eyes wide.
"I reinforced his Chakra with a tails worth of mine. Don't say a word brat, just don't-"
"You-"
"He'll last longer now but don't push it. It's probably best for you to let yourself fade away now so you don't waste the Chakra I gave you and you can speak to each other again someday in the future."
"You-" Minato's mouth was gaping in shock, "You just-"
"Don't make a big thing of it. And with the reinforcing Naruto should be able to put you into a Shadow clone some day. She'll get to have her dad there to witness the important things like her Inauguration when the time comes, maybe her wedding day too if anyone's ever insane enough to decide to take on that responsibility."
"Kurama." Naruto breathed out the foxes name, her eyes wide, "You just gave up a tail-that hurts you."
"I just said don't make a big deal of it." Kurama grumbled the words, "After you were so protective of me when Orochimaru used that seal to block us from each other... it's the least I can do."
"I love you." Naruto's voice was fierce "I love you so much Kurama."
"Thank you." Minato's voice was awed, "Thank you so much I-"
"I didn't do it for you. I don't want a thank you from you." Kurama snapped. "Now go away, the brats cousin is on her way up to find her so she should go back to the real world anyway."
"Right." Naruto nodded quickly, giving a brilliant smile, "I love you Kurama. And you dad. I'll see you again some day soon."
"Right." Minato nodded and smiled back, "I'll see you again Naruto-chan. I promise." then he was fading-but if Naruto really focused she could sense his Chakra, still there in the seal, intertwined with a tail worth of Kurama's Chakra.
Then she looked at Kurama again, and he gave her an unimpressed look, "Shoo brat, your cousin's probably worried out of her mind, it wouldn't be like you to leave her to worry."
"Right." Naruto nodded, "I... thank you Kurama. Thank you so much-"
"Stop thanking me." Kurama huffed the words, "You know better than that." and with that he was shoving her out of their mindscape and she was jerking into a sitting position at the memorial stone, hands still bloody but they were healed now, and she turned her head just in time to see Karin rushing towards her looking frantic.
