Chapter 66
'Mina….'
She was floating.
Something…important…had happened. However, she was…so very tired.
'Mina!'
She knew that voice…it was…who? Who was that again? She didn't know….Did she care? She was just so very tired.
Minashi stumbled on her way to the kitchen. She'd stopped at home for lunch since it was better than listening to Chuunin whine about their bratty students.
"Minashi?" Kushina called, little Karin in her arms as Mariko worked at the stove.
Minashi didn't know what was wrong. She slammed into the wall as she lost her balance and Kushina's panicked voice was like trying to hear something under water.
"Get Tsunade!" She thought she heard. Minashi didn't know anymore. Her chakra….something…something was wrong. Was boss okay? She tried reaching out, but there was nothing. Boss was too far from range. But….she could practically hear it.
Thump….buthump….thump…
She needed to get away from Kushina…Oh…when did Tsunade get here? Blue eyes were focused on Tsunade's lips…but she couldn't process anything….She could only hear an echo of her own heartbeat.
Then a whisper through her connection with her original.
Zetsu….has half.
"Attack." Minashi whispered. "Konoha's gonna be attacked." Minashi choked out between her gasping breaths. "Alarms. Raise'm." She mumbled before focusing on that bond to her original…was…was she dying? Heh…Naruto was going to be so upset with her…oh…oh she hoped Tsunade wouldn't leave again.
Wait….when had she been moved to the hospital? Was that Minato Holding back a hysterical Kushina?
She scented Sakumo too….her blurry and spotty vision suddenly focused when white chakra entered her system, calmed the chaotic mess that her chakra was currently thrown into.
"Focus Minashi." Sakumo ordered firmly. Dark eyes intent on her. Eyes that were like her once kakashi's but so much deeper. "Focus!" He snapped.
She blinked and tsunade was there…was that Jiraiya and Oro-chan too? She might have giggled at the craziness of everything. She got to call him Oro-chan and live.
"Uzumaki Minashi, you will focus!" Blue eyes snapped back to Sakumo as that white chakra not only shot into her head, but over her Core, the same place the eighth Gate would rest on a human.
"Sakumo." She murmured.
"What is going on? You told Tsunade the village was going to be attacked."
"Kurama." Minashi said slowly as her brain tried to stay latched onto the chakra keeping her 'alive' and 'balanced'. "Zetsu….has…half of….Kurama."
Sakumo paled.
"He'll….attack…." Minashi murmured as she couldn't fight the chaos of her imbalanced chakra anymore. Eyes rolling back in her head, the Blood Clone had a seizure that threw the room into terrified chaos. Kushina screamed, Tsunade barked orders to her assistants, Minato held kushina back, frozen in place. Sakumo stormed out the room, Barking for the village to be evacuated and for every able bodied shinobi above chuunin to prepare for combat!
Tsunade's hands wanted to shake as she hovered iryo jutsu over the Blood Clone's head. Jiraiya and Orochimaru took over keeping the blood clone supplied with chakra so it wouldn't pop. They could only pray that in doing so, it would give the original the chakra she needed to heal and push through.
It was so warm where she floated. She didn't want to wake up.
Something important…was going to happen if she didn't though. But she liked the comfortable warmth.
'You need to wake Mina.'
No…no she didn't.
'Yes, you do. Wake up Imouto.'
Zetsu grinned as he and his back up host arrived at the gates of Konoha. Madara's original puppet was so easily woken from the stasis he'd been put in. The Host was too weak to fight him off. Hidan wouldn't have been able to do what Zetsu and Madara needed him to do. But the back up would do until Zetsu could get his hands on that half breed boy.
They disappeared into a swirl, reappearing within Konoha.
This would teach that annoying masked human and her jinchuriki apprentice from sticking their noses where it didn't belong.
Summoning Jutsu. Zetsu controlled his convenient little Uchiha host into pulling the Kyuubi from where they'd stored it away after wiping it of all of it's freedom with the handy sharingan in the Uchiha's left eye.
The massive cloud of summoning smoke was swept away with a roar as the kyuubi no kitsune appeared. Around its neck was a spiked collar made of some white Zetsu, Black Zetsu had made to only enhance the Mangekyou effect. The Kyuubi let out a second roar before it's paws and tails were smashing Konoha to pieces.
He felt the rising despair of his current host, but didn't care. Forcing him to teleport away so they could watch from afar, but not too far. He did have a new puppet to snag.
She liked this warm floaty place. There was no pain. There were no duties. There was nothing to worry about.
Something important was happening.
It is time you awoke child.
She was confused, but, something woke her up. She was still in…nothing…but she was no longer alone.
Before her, floating with her in the nothing was a man that fit…that fit the stories she remembered from kurama….KURAMA!
Minashi jolted as the hazy warmth was replaced with freezing dread.
Ah, good you remember now? The Floating man with horns hummed patiently.
"Yes…where are we? I need to get back! Konoha is in danger. Zetsu got half of Kurama-"
The old man lifted a hand and Minashi had no choice but to be silent.
Calm Protector, You will be returned to the mortal plain momentarily. First, i wanted to speak with the child that defied fate and turned back the clock. I admit, i was too late in approaching Ashura and Indra's reincarnations in the time you knew. But never in my wildest dreams, did i expect that their sister would reincarnate with them and have the brilliant idea to mess with the time stream.
Minashi stared at the…the Rikudo Sennin. She….whaaaat?
Hagoromo smirked at his daughter's baffled reincarnation. Kurama has told you of my Daughter Kamera, yes?
Minashi could respond with only a tiny nod.
Did he forget to also mention that she was the peace keeper between her two brothers long before Indra started straying from the light?
Minashi once more shook her head.
I bet he also didn't talk about how she was the one there with me, raising the bijuu and pampering them between my teachings. Hagoromo huffed, fondness in his tone.
The blonde could only just stare at the floating Sage.
Well, I didn't realize it until you defied all laws of physics and leapt back in time without leaving your own timeline. During that brief time you were in the void between times, I was able to peek at your lives, and sure enough you are Kamera's reincarnation. That girl had the habit of always doing the unexpected. I should have noticed you were her's sooner.
Minashi felt the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. The old man was rambling.
"Your point?" She snapped.
Hagoromo's eyes that had shut at one point while reminiscing, peaked only one open before both opened and were dead serious.
Minashi Namikaze-Uzumaki, reincarnation of Kamera, sister of Indra and Ashura, I pulled you from the brink of death to pass on knowledge you and your brothers were lacking in the future you once knew.
Minashi would have sat straighter if she knew what was up from down.
You and yours were correct. Hagoromo said gravely. Zetsu's plans differ from Madara's. Madara is just Zetsu's puppet. I am ashamed to realize that zetsu must have been planning this since Mother was first sealed. Having been paying close attention to you this life, I was able to get a sense of the creature when he stole a part of Kurama from you. In doing so, i have come to the conclusion of what the creature is.
Living Will.
Minashi stared at Hagoromo feeling not as surprised as she thought she'd be. Or maybe she was just still too floaty to really care or react to such terrifying news.
My mother's Living Will, to be exact. It seems she left a piece of herself on earth to free her from her moon prison via the infinite Tsukuyomi. The Infinite Tsukuyomi is a technique of the God Tree, the final transformation of the Juubi you know. Yet, Madara it seems would be the human sacrificed once the tree had enough power, to use as a vessel to house Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Oni Princess, my Mother, and the Princess who ate the fruit from the first God Tree.
Minashi processed what she was told as she was told. She could believe it. If not for the circumstances, Madara could have possibly been used until he wasn't needed anymore, and then her world really would have known hell on earth. No one would have escaped. She knew that much.
"How can I fight against such a creature?" She asked first.
You already have a leg up on him. Hagoromo hummed. Seals. Zetsu, like mother, can be sealed away. The floating man then lowered and showed her his two palms. One with a white sun, the other with a black crescent moon. These are the Yin and Yang Seals used once upon a time to seal Kaguya away. They are destined for Ashura and Indra so the brothers can break the cycle upon them.
He suddenly clapped his hands together and as he pulled them apart, a black ball appeared.
This is a truth Seeking Orb. Very versatile. With a little manipulation…. Hagoromo trailed off and Minashi watched the orb shrink in diameter, all while it expanded length wise. One end of the Shakujo shaped itself as a half moon. The other stretched and became a circle…until Nine rings appeared.
You shall be the holder of this Shakujo. This will be able to keep Zetsu from running away as you seal him.
Minashi took the staff and as soon as her hands touched it, the odd metal hummed before suddenly melding back into a ball and then curling down her right hand, around her wrist, and up her bicep like some sort of snake. She felt the chakra hum once more before the thing sunk into her skin. Blue eyes looked up to the Sage confused. Hagoromo just smiled pleased.
She likes you. It has been a while since I made a powerful tool, one with some sentience as well. Wield her well Kamera, Minashi. Shinjitsu Mamoru is yours and will only respond to you and whatever you will her to be. Now, I believe there is a young man that wishes to speak to you.
Minashi's eyes widened when from behind the Sage, Naruto poked his head out with a pout.
"Geeze, imouto, you wouldn't wake for me, but you woke for this jiji-" Naruto was cut off as he was tackled by his baby sister. Minashi shook in the Blonde teen's arms. Naruto smiled fondly and held his baby sister closer.
Takeshi shivered as he felt Malicious chakra suddenly appear in the direction he was headed. He absently cursed and shifted his burden higher in his arms, but didn't stop running. He'd made a promise….Even if he was too late.
Sakumo stared up at the Kyuubi with a deep worried frown. He sent to any Kami that was listening that Minashi was alright. The status of her Blood Clone was extremely worrisome. It could only mean something was very wrong with the original.
Before the Fox had just suddenly arrived, most of the village had already been evacuated. Genin and Tokubetsu Chuunin were still finishing up with the Konoha Police assisting. Every other able bodied shinobi was doing their best to shove the fox out of the village. The Sandaime especially. Sakumo wanted to send the Sannin out, but if they did that, they'd lose the Blood Clone, and that wasn't possible with Minato and Kushina watching her like hawks.
The rest of his shinobi were doing what they could to protect the routes to the bunkers.
Sakumo…Sakumo didn't know what to do. He couldn't ask Mariko-san to give up her daughter to be a jinchuriki. Minashi was MIA. Kushina wasn't due for Weeks.
Was all their hard work…was all of Minashi's sacrifices for nothing?
"I'm so proud of you Mina." Naruto beamed as he pet Minashi's hair. "Look at what you've done! The Uchiha are social, the hyuuga walk Konoha without acting like royalty. Sakumo is alive and running Konoha. All our friends are safe and happy! Danzo is dead, Tsunade-ba-chan is happy and even Orochimaru is happy! Neither will let Ero-sennin run off and die without a fight, and the third war was so very short!"
Minashi giggled as she pushed down her tears. "It's because of-"
"You." Naruto said helping her to her feet. "Yeah, I gave you my crazy idea, but that's because i had…I'd given up Mina. I could see where that fight was going, even if you had given me your Kurama. Add with a Moon Goddess we didn't even know about? Without both of us working together with Sasuke and Sakura and Sensei and everyone else? We would have failed." He smiled so very sadly. "I'm not so knuckleheaded to not have come to that conclusion. That's why we needed You to pull a hail mary out of nothing."
"But….but Kurama's been torn in half!" She choked out feeling like a failure still. "I'm dead or dying, and Konoha is going to be destroyed. There isn't a child to seal him into."
"Yes there is." Naruto said firmly. "Just as you did for Gaara, the same can be done for this new Naruto."
Minashi looked at him wide eyed. Her brother just sent her his famous grin.
"I wasn't just sitting back in the seal doing nothin' Dattebayo! I made sure to study that Seal ya put on Gaara! Together, we can seal Kurama away safely and save konoha! Just like old times!" Naruto grinned brightly, Sticking his fist out for his imouto. "Ne?" He beamed determination oozing from every piece of him.
"Un!" Minashi bumped his fist with her own.
I can assist. Hagoromo hummed. One Hour Ashura, Kamera. That is all my power can lend for this task.
Both twins bowed to the Rikudo Sennin.
"That is more than I could ever ask for." Minashi smiled at the Sage before grabbing Naruto's hand in her own.
Takeshi panted as he arrived at Konoha and saw the kyuubi's rampage. Cursing he raced forward until he could get a better picture, hoping a higher advantage would allow him to find someone to point him in the Hokage's direction.
Skidding to a stop at the top of the Hokage Mountain, Takeshi finally…gently laid Kitsune down. The sounds of battle and roars echoed but Takeshi still couldn't really focus on that. Instead his eyes were drawn to Kitsune…Minashi…Her torso was still resting against his own. If…If he laid her down completely, then she'd…she'd really be gone. He-he couldn't accept that yet.
The Iwa Jounin didn't even realize he was cradling and rocking the younger woman, tears silently falling down his face, even as he watched the kyuubi raze Konoha.
The Jounin only paused in his thoughts and movements when new chakra appeared on his senses, extremely close, along with a golden light.
Gray eyes looked down and watched as a stream of golden chakra left from Kitsune's stomach. He watched as part of that Chakra, encompassed Kitsune as well and suddenly…
Thump, thump-thump, thump, thump
Kitsune's form sucked in a deep breath, and brilliant Cerulean eyes snapped open. Takeshi would have dropped her in shock, if he wasn't already frozen with it instead.
Kitsune groaned, but slowly sat up until a tanned hand was held out to her.
Takeshi just blinked and stared at the whiskered teen before him that had a very striking resemblance to the Yellow Flash, if only rounder in face.
"Imouto."
"Nii-chan." Kitsune's voice was softer, younger, but that smile was the same.
Kitsune, no Minashi was pulled to her feet by the new blonde teen.
"What did that henge of yours look like again?" The boy smirked.
Minashi rolled her eyes but in a pop of smoke Minashi Namikaze was gone, and in her place Kitsune was returned.
The other blonde stared before nodding and then just shimmered until he matched her in appearance down to the black lines falling from their eyes to their jaw lines.
It was then that Kitsune turned back and smiled softly at Takeshi….Takeshi who could finally breathe. Tears streamed down his cheeks with relief and joy. He fell forward to his hands as his body slumped.
He felt warm hands on his shoulder and jaw and he was brought to face Kitsune's profile once more.
"Thank you Takeshi-kun." She whispered. "I can explain later. For now, find the Hokage and let him know I'm okay now."
Takeshi could only nod and take the offered hand to start to stand up. He'd barely gotten a foot under himself when he felt warmth on his cheek. He jerked and looked at Kitsune who had that beautiful kind smile upon her lips once more.
"Take care." She whispered in that voice he was more familiar with from Kitsune.
"I will." Takeshi whispered and stood to watch the two now raven haired siblings walk for the edge of the mountain.
"Ne, Naruto-Nii….How do you feel about some good old wrestling?" Kitsune grinned foxily at Naruto who grinned back.
"Sounds like fun. You calling up those foxes of yours? I can't access Tou-san's Toads like this."
"Yeeep~" She cheered, stretched and bit her thumb. "You'll love Riku-sensei Naruto-nii."
Naruto chuckled as he stretched his shoulders out. "Probably best if you don't call me Naruto Dattebayo."
"Okay…Aniki!" She shot back even as she leapt off the mountain, the other teen following her with a laugh. Summoning seals spread out in the air beneath them. In a massive pop of smoke, four almost bijuu sized Summons appeared.
An Eight tailed Silver Fox, marked only by the red fur looking painted on. Two Black Foxes with Seven tails each, but only one had silver tipping it's tails, paws, and belly. The fourth Fox a brilliant white Fox, also with seven tails.
Konoha Shinobi all turned at the sound of the summoning smoke. Were the Sannin finally- Four Foxes just shy of the Kyuubi were standing in front of their Hokage Mountain. Atop the Eight tailed Fox was someone they all knew. Kitsune-sama.
Sakumo felt a part of his chest calm and uncoil at the sight of those foxes, knowing who had called them to Konoha.
The Hokage did startle when he saw on one of the black foxes, a second raven haired individual with short hair.
Minashi could finally think, could finally see, breathe, and understand. Calm eyes looked up to meet Tsunade's hovering over her head. Her hands lifted and grabbed Jiraiya's and Orochimaru's hovering over her core.
"I'm stable." She stated. "Konoha needs you." She continued meeting Tsunade's teary gaze. "Protect our home."
The chakra slowly pulled away and Minashi took a moment to let her senses spread out as her Original's chakra stabilized within her own coils.
"Go."
"Minashi-" Jiraiya whispered.
"Go!" She barked, sitting up slowly. The three Senju shared looks before leaping out the window. It was only moments later more pops of summoning smoke appeared within Konoha.
The Battle Cries of Gamabunta and hiss of Manda mixed in with the howls of the Azamuki Kitsunes. The kyuubi's roar of anger followed, but the earth shook as the Kyuubi was forced out of Konoha.
Calm collected blue eyes looked up to the two people still in her room. She met her Nii-san's eyes and physically saw him collect himself. She turned to Kushina who still looked frazzled and wild in the eye.
"Nee-san." She called softly with a hand. Kushina let out a cry of relief and moved to sit on the bed with Minashi, practically crushing her to the elder Uzumaki.
Minashi sighed into Kushina's familiar scent. She let the comfort last for only a few moments. Glancing over the redhead's shoulder when a trembling hand rested on her head, she met Cerulean that matched her own.
"You scared us." Minato whispered, blue eyes finally tearing up.
Minashi sighed. "Gomen."
Kushina's arms tightened on her. "You're okay now."
"Hm." Minashi hummed as Minato joined in the hug and the younger blonde enjoyed it for just another moment, steeling herself to ask them what her original had sent only moments ago.
"Nii-san, Nee-san." Minashi said firmly, pushing both away to look in their eyes. "Naruto….Naruto needs to be a jinchuriki. I know this is a lot-"
"Okay." Kushina answered, interrupting her baby sister from actually asking the full question.
Minashi's eyes snapped to Kushina's relieved violets that were slowly calming and filling with steeled determination.
"Just like that?"
Kushina finally smiled. "Just like that. Minato and I could trust no other to aid our baby sister in containing and one day further befriending that grumpy old fox."
Minashi blinked, startled and looked up at her Nii-san to see that the same answer rested in his gaze.
"What do you need?" Minato asked calmly.
"We need to prepare a sealing sight. Asako-sama is working with Kitsune-sama to pin Kurama. Kushina and Naruto will need to be ready."
Minato nodded and held out a hand to his Imouto, his other already wrapped around Kushina's shoulder. "I have a safe place."
The younger blonde gripped his hand and in a blink later they were out of main Konoha and just outside of a safe house not too far from Konoha itself.
Together the three Seal Masters went to work.
Naruto whooped from atop Riku's head as they were able to get a bite onto the Kyuubi's neck and then body slam him down, followed by Gamabunta's sword coming down on the collar around the Kyuubi's neck Shattering it.
The kyuubi froze before roaring with renewed struggles.
Kitsune and Asako were next to grapple with the fox as Masumi and Tamotsu worked on pinning his tails, until Kitsune could run to the kyuubi's nose.
Gamabunta deflected any bijuu bombs before Manda's assistance finally succeeded in coiling over the fox's snout to prevent the deadly bombs.
The Kyuubi roared muffled, flailed in their hold, but Kitsune and her Aniki were quick to finally land on the fox's snout and together they pressed their hands onto Kurama's head sending chakra into the Kyuubi's system. Enough to erase the Mangekyou sharingan from their friend's gaze.
Kurama slumped, panting, when the nightmare ended. The ones holding him prisoner didn't release him yet.
"Yo! Furrball!" Naruto cheered.
Vermillion eyes crossed and the bijuu's body relaxed even further at the sight of a male Kitsune beside the one he knew.
Brat. he huffed exhausted. Thank Sage. Kurama sighed looking at his Host, sensing half of himself within her still.
"Are you quite finished being difficult old man?" Tamotsu leaned forward grinning.
Kurama tensed and glared at the Reynard. A silver tail smacked Tamotsu's head and slowly the Kyuubi was released so Asako could slowly help the kyuubi back to his feet, despite his exhaustion.
Kurama grumbled wordlessly but leaned on the vixen as his favorite hosts moved to sit atop his head as they headed for where they sensed Kushina and Minato out of the village. His tails practically dragging behind him if not for Asako's assistance.
The remaining summons took that moment to leave, except Riku who shrunk and headed for the village to update the Hokage at Kitsune's signed request. Not to mention checking on Obito.
Kakashi stood over his injured friend's body, Gifted Red eye locked onto the disturbingly grinning thing attached to an Uchiha he didn't recognize. Rin was doing her best to Heal obito who'd been fighting alone until Kakashi's had felt his chakra flaring in distress.
Across from him on the attacker's other side was Kenji and Ryouta. Both were also just as tired as Kakashi was from defending against the attacker.
A part of Kakashi's mind had already been frazzled with worry over Minashi. She was the jinchuriki….if the fox was out, was she okay? He hadn't been on guard shift for Kushina today. He was regretting it now because obviously something had happened for Kurama to be attacking.
In a blur of speed, the thing was attacking them again. It was clear who it's target was. Kenji and Ryouta moved in ways that showed they'd been teamed together during the war. Kakashi moved like a young man protecting his best friend from dying.
Until just as they were all knocked down and thought beaten, a black and silver blur appeared, snapping at the Thing's head.
Snarling and standing over obito protectively was a seven tailed kitsune. The black thing over the human hissed in annoyance.
"Your Master is dead. How?" it hissed.
Riku snarled. "Kitsune is stubborn like that. Run along Zetsu. Kitsune removed your control over Kurama-sama. Her and Asako-sama are pissed off with you. Knowing my first student like I do, she will not take your attempt on her life and village, sitting down."
Hissing Zetsu started sinking into the ground. "I will make sure that pesky human female is dead one day. Then she'll no longer interfere with my plans."
Rikua snarled and lunged for it, but the creature finished disappearing into the ground. The Kits around him let out relieved sighs. Moving to the unconscious obito, Riku aided his summoner's precious people towards the hospital where Tsunade and her own summons had spread out to heal the injured.
Minato was shaken from his pinpoint focus on getting the new and improved jinchuriki seal prepared for his son when Massive chakra was moving for them.
He looked up from the stone they'd made with Earth Jutsu to see the Kyuubi no kitsune walking for them…while leaning heavily upon a Fox he'd only seen a handful of times while visiting Minashi on Mt. Azamuki.
Asako-sama helped the kyuubi lie down just shy of the Seals before her Red eyes gazed down upon two of her summoners.
Walking down the Kyuubi's nose though were two figures walking hand in hand. Minato's eyes widened on the young man that looked remarkably like Kitsune-sama.
"Kitsune!" Kushina called from the stone altar she was sitting on, waiting for the final touches of the seal.
Minashi's own head popped up and in a blur of yellow, she tackled Kitsune who had a massive hole in her shirt on either side, not to mention how she was coated in her own blood.
Kitsune smiled and patted the blonde hair of her teenage self.
"I'm okay…now. We need to see the seal." The Ravenette sighed and squeezed her brother's hand. His blue eyes twinkled at her before moving to look down at the seal that had already been laid. Kitsune released her worried blood clone and followed her brother to observe what the three seal masters had laid down.
"Looks good. The tamper prevention is in place." The male Kitsune called out. "This way Zetsu can't mindfuck Kurama again."
That would be nice to not experience again. Said fox commented dryly, making Kushina and Minato jump at the sudden deep voice.
'Do you need my assistance further?' Asako called, gaining three summoners' attention.
Kitsune glanced over her shoulder. "Thank you for you and yours' aid Asako-sama. You may return. Aniki and I have it from here."
The Silver vixen nodded and was gone in a pop of smoke.
The male Kitsune then approached Kushina and just stared at her, much to her own and Minato's own discomfort.
Kitsune noticed but didn't stop him. She finished checking over the seal before going to Kurama and attaching the seal to another matrix Kurama could place his paw on, to make the transfer smoother. She scratched at his nose in passing, earning a low hum. Returning to the altar, she wacked the back of her brother's head. He yelped and cursed as he pouted at her.
"Imouto!" he whined.
"You're making Kushina uncomfortable. Minato was about to punch you." She deadpanned her knuckleheaded brother.
Naruto just blinked before shrugging. "It was interesting. I've never been near a pregnant woman before. Plus it's different from what i had been able to sense from within you."
Kitsune grunted but grabbed his hand and then turned to the Uzumaki and Namikaze couple.
"If you are ready, we'll do the sealing process this time."
Minato's earlier displeasure was replaced with a grimace. Kushina's own replaced with determination. The red head nodded and laid back. Minato aided in pulling her shirt up to expose her large belly.
"This won't throw her into early labor will it? Or Harm our son?" Minato worried aloud.
"Dunno, and Nope." The male Kitsune shrugged only to dodge a punch from his imouto, all while smirking.
"I'm the Seal Master Aniki! Stop saying shit you don't understand." Kitsune growled, yet there was fondness in her smile and eyes.
Naruto laughed but shooed Minato away from the seal. "Yeah, yeah, I know. So, let's get to sealing the furrball away before Zetsu finds his way over here."
Kitsune sighed and shook her head at her Aniki, but got into place over Kushina's belly. Her brother's hands hovered over hers as the Seal came to mind, and when his Chakra connected with her own…Kitsune closed her eyes at the feel of that hole in her chest being filled as their bond snapped into place one last time.
She swallowed hard. "Baby Naruto is in a good position. We can put it on his back like little Gaara." She choked out.
Her Aniki's hands gripped her, pausing her focus on her mental seal. Cerulean met their match across from Kushina's belly.
"You already know this seal still isn't strong enough." Naruto said softly. "I'm no seal master, but we both know it needs to be the strongest seal. Combine them, Imouto."
Kitsune's eyes widened.
"Use my Soul as the price needed to be paid." He smiled at her. "After all, It is why I've stuck around all this time."
"No." Kitsune whispered.
"Yes." Naruto said firmly and pulled his hand away. "I studied your jinchuriki seals for this reason imouto. You do your half, use your genius brain to combine them, and I'll do my part."
"Nii-chan." She whispered, but stopped at the resolve in those blue eyes she so dearly loved.
A sharp nod and Kitsune settled into place and called upon her chakra and popped one of her clones she'd left on the way over. Blue eyes turned violet, and the black ink around them lit up in a soft white light.
Naruto across from her went through the Shiki Fuuin ritual and with a grimace, the four Sages could feel the presence of the Death God, if only Kitsune and Naruto could see him.
With a final shared glance, the twins nodded and poured their chakra into the seal, pulling Kurama's from the activation seal he was connected to. The Kyuubi grunted but didn't fight the pull and turned into a mass of chakra, slithering through the seal with the aid of the Shinigami's hand until it then shoved the chakra down into the seal appearing on unborn Naruto's back. The Jinchuriki seal changed and shifted to accommodate the protective qualities of the Shiki Fuuin.
In moments, the sealing was done and Kitsune pulled her hands away from Kushina only to rush around the altar and hug her brother. Naruto held her tightly even as his form began to turn intangible. Kitsune only held him tighter.
"I miss you Nii-chan." She choked through her tears.
Naruto held her just as tightly back. "I will always love you Imouto."
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry. We fought and didn't get-" Naruto's husky chuckle filled her ears and he pushed her back enough to wipe away her tears. His hand losing it's temporary warmth as the Shinigami took its price, but fought against the Rikudo's Chakra holding Naruto there.
"You know I forgive easily, Imouto. Thus why there was no hesitation in leaving you with such a big task." He brushed away some of her bangs before kissing her forehead. "I'm…going to be gone for good this time, Imouto. There will be no Old man to save my soul again. So…Protect them."
"Hai!" Kitsune exclaimed, knowing that Naruto meant that there was no chance that the unborn Naruto would be like him. His soul sacrificed to the Shinigami. His memories along with him.
"You are not allowed to join me until you are old and have at least great grandkids. Understood?" He grinned, wiping away a stray tear beneath teary blue eyes. Naruto's own soft and fond.
"Un!" Kitsune beamed for her brother. The twins pressed their foreheads together one last time as the fading of their bond was…softer this time.
"I know you will feel that black hole in your chest again Imouto." He hummed. "But you forget, just because our bond will be gone, doesn't mean others cannot fill it in once more. So live, love, and be happy Imouto." He met her eyes one last time as his temporary body lost the fight between the Death God and the Rikudo Sennin. He reached up and kissed her forehead once more. "I will always believe in you." He whispered before exploding in a soft shower of golden sparkles of chakra before they too disappeared, along with the presence of the Shinigami.
Kitsune stood there as she felt that hole in her chest once more, but instead of the unending pain of her Twin's absence, this parting…was gentle. The wound had been ripped open, bled of the infection, and it was now ready to be healed by those she loved.
Smiling Kitsune looked up into the stars just peeking out from the sunset, tears gently falling from her eyes, but a smile upon her lips. It wasn't her normal grins or smirks, but one full of love.
Kitsune turned and found two of her precious people watching her from the altar. Minato was helping Kushina sit up even as they'd apparently watched her. She smiled at them and knew what her Aniki meant. Not only as Kitsune, but as Minashi, these two had helped her heal.
A warm hand slipped into her own and Kitsune glanced down at her slightly shorter Blood clone. The tears were falling from the Clone's eyes. Kitsune reached up and wiped them away.
"Are you okay?" Minashi asked and Kitsune realized that she could speak honestly for the first time since her hurtle through time.
"Yes." Kitsune smiled and watched her blood clone also relax. She ruffled the Clone's hair and turned to face the oncoming couple. "Yes, we're all okay." Minato and Kushina's looks were relieved. "Let's go home." The four shinobi disappeared into a swirl to reappear atop the Hokage Tower where it was controlled chaos.
Those in charge snapped around at the flare of chakra. Sakumo and the Sandaime were the two to move first. Kitsune was pulled into Sakumo's and Hiruzen's arms in a tight hug. The Ravenette squeaked before humming and accepting their hold.
Kushina was quickly seen to by Tsunade at Minato's signed request. The redheaded Uzumaki moved to a chair nearby so the Medic could observe the health of mother and Child.
Shikaku slid up to Minato and placed a reassuring hand on his best friend's shoulder. Minato's own slumped and took the offered shoulder to relax against. Kami he was exhausted, not fully physically, but mentally and emotionally.
Minashi's yelp echoed in the air as Kakashi and Kenji tackled her with worried exclamations and how no one had told them she had a seizure earlier and where the hell has she been, was she okay, what had happened? But Minashi just smiled and hugged her two best friends tight. Tears burning her eyes, shutting up the Hatake and Uchiha as they'd never seen her cry since she left for training as a kid. Their questions quieted and instead they enjoyed holding their teammate close.
Hiruzen stepped back from the hug first, even as Sakumo held Kitsune tighter.
"You're covered in your own blood." He practically growled before holding her at arms length. "Your Iwa friend told me you'd DIED Kitsune!" Sakumo's voice rose as he tried to resist the urge to shake her. "Died!" He repeated louder. "Do you know what it was like to hear that!? You are practically my sister! I've already lost all but my Pup! I cannot lose another member of my family!" Sakumo's coal eyes were glassy with grief/ pain/ relief. "You…You Can't do that to me again Kitsune. I'm not strong enough."
Kitsune's body relaxed as she brought Sakumo's forehead to her own in a similar move she'd done with her blood brother only minutes beforehand. Taking slow steady breaths, Sakumo's soon copied hers and the tension in his shoulders relaxed.
"I am Safe. I am alive." She said softly as their eyes stayed locked. "You know I don't go down without a fight. I have too much to protect to give up so easily."
Sakumo let out a wet laugh before pulling her into another firm hug and finally letting her go.
"You'll tell me what happened later. The situation with the kyuubi is handled then?"
Kitsune raised a brow. "Of course."
Sakumo nodded and stepped back. Spinning he pulled Hiruzen and Shikaku back into getting their shinobi organized, rescued, and civilians that hadn't escaped seen to.
Kitsune sighed as she watched her Blood Clone dragged to Tsunade by a worried Kakashi and kenji. She couldn't help but smile fondly at both the Hatake and Uchiha. It didn't escape her notice when the only non-Konoha Shinobi slid up to her side, slightly wild Gray eyes looking her torso up and down, Hands twitching to check-
The Ravenette reached out and took both his hands and placed them on either sides of her ribcage where she'd been impaled through and through. The Skin wasn't as smooth as the rest of her, but it only ever happened with life threatening injuries. Kurama would focus on healing her internally, the external scars were the price.
Those callous roughed hands grazed her bare skin, gray eyes confirming what he could feel. Scarred but healed. No longer bleeding out between his trembling fingers.
Takeshi looked up when Kitsune's own callous rough hands cupped his jaw to make him meet her gaze…there was something different about the look in her eyes.
"I owe you an explanation." She whispered, only a tiny flare of chakra signaling a privacy bubble around them. "I cannot do it here and now. It must also be done with the Hokage present, but you will be told since you've seen past my Blood Henge."
Takeshi swallowed. "Okay." he whispered back. "i…I can wait….just never…never do that to me again Kitsune."
Kitsune blinked before chuckling all while nodding. "I can only promise to try." She smirked and Takeshi snorted despite everything. Moving his hands from her scars, he instead pulled the Ravenette to his taller frame and held her tightly. Kitsune didn't fight him off like she normally would when the Jounin tried to get handsy. Instead she let him regain his composure as even she could still smell him covered in the scent of her blood.
Pulling on her drained reserves, Kitsune made a few hand signs calling water to encase both hers and Takeshi's bodies. The once clear water quickly turned red before the technique was released and Takeshi stepped back to look down at his drenched form. A very tiny glare at his companion pulled a smirk from kitsune. She flicked another few one handed signs and a warm breeze danced around them quickly, drying them of the impromptu bath she'd just given them.
"Sorry, but i was tired of smelling my own blood coating us both." The Ravenette shrugged unrepentant.
Takeshi snorted before chuckling softly as all the fear, grief, and tension released from his body.
"Yeah…Yeah, but the memories are not going to wash away as quickly." He said and didn't say anything when Kitsune took his hand and pulled him away to sit somewhere quiet and out of the way.
"Hmm." Kitsune agreed and made her friend sit, before joining him, resting her head against his shoulder. "I'll allow you to hold my hand until you have to return to Iwa. You should probably also see my friend Inojiro. He helped me a lot with my own traumas. This isn't something to easily push aside or down into a box to forget. So, until Hokage-sama has time to talk about the final treaty, you can recover with me."
Takeshi snorted and rested his head against the top of her own, his own exhaustion from the emotional toll, and physical exertion of rushing to Konoha caught up with him. The soothing presence of Kitsune's chakra beside him, and her hand in his own, settled the Jounin.
"As you wish." He murmured, eyes getting heavy before losing the fight with sleep.
Kitsune felt Takeshi's body get heavier against her own and didn't protest getting some rest herself. Things weren't okay with the physical state of Konoha, but…Kurama was safely sealed away and Tsunade was in Konoha. The injured would be seen too and hopefully the death count would be low.
Kitsune woke partially when warm fur brushed against her face. Blue eyes peeking open, she found Riku-sensei scenting her for pain. Golden eyes met her blues. With just that look, Riku-sensei knew Kitsune was okay.
Humming the fox, chose to then lay across the napping duo, his own jutsu coming up around to muffle sounds and allow the two to rest. If he also acted as a blanket during the chilled October air, that was only a benefit to being a fox.
Kitsune made sure to reward her Sensei with a scratch behind his ear, just where he liked it. Riku let out a pleased sigh and also settled in to meditate as he played guard.