⠀⠀"You really need to slow down on your training, Minato," Kushina continued to fuss as she watched him eat. Minato didn't say anything and focused on his meal. "You're going to hurt yourself. Again, you know? I don't want to find you passed out again!"

⠀⠀"I know. I'm taking a break tomorrow," Minato offered, but Kushina puffed her cheeks at him. "I'll be watching Hikigaeru-kun. We're not even leaving the house. I promise," Minato vowed.

⠀⠀"Didn't you say you were going to go shopping with her?" the blood-redhead interjected.

⠀⠀"We'll do that after you get back from studying," Minato countered. "And it was supposed to be a surprise."

⠀⠀"Sorry..."

⠀⠀"It's fine. Hikigaeru-kun doesn't know what I'm getting her," Minato tiredly chuckled while giving me a side-eye.

⠀⠀"Probably clothes, living essentials, ninja tools, or something to do with training," I dismissed him.

⠀⠀"Nevermind. She does," Minato restated as a yawn attached itself to his question. It lasted for only a second before fading. "Don't worry, Kushina. I promise I'll be relaxing this week. Sensei wants me to evaluate her skills, and I can't go training with her around. It's too—"

⠀⠀A yawn cut Minato off, and while it was cute to listen to their conversation, the last of my curry vanished. Its flavor had been mute against their chakra, even if its spice remained. It cleared my sinuses and scorched my tongue and throat but was otherwise a 'polite fine.' In truth, it was almost a disappointment.

⠀⠀"Thank you for the meal, Minato-san," I interrupted.

⠀⠀"You're welcome, Hikigaeru-kun." He then gave Kushina a devious smile. "I was planning on spoiling you two tomorrow."

⠀⠀"Spoiling?" Kushina snorted with delight. "Wait, all you can eat?"

⠀⠀"Within reason," Minato motioned with a hand at the bowls in front of her. "I don't want you to go — overboard."

⠀⠀"I think I can go for some more Ichiraku Ramen," she hummed happily.

⠀⠀"Well, don't go getting sick, like last time. Six bowls at most," Minato chuckled.

⠀⠀"What?! I can easily eat eight!" Kushina gasped in an almost angered voice. Her chakra was even in shock.

⠀⠀"You know you can't," Minato chuckled.

⠀⠀"Please?"

⠀⠀"No. You'll get sick."

⠀⠀"...fine," she accepted.

⠀⠀To not smile, I forced my 'student teacher parent conference face' on and enjoyed the show internally. With a quick step, I retreated to my room, where a spacious emptiness awaited me. As the sliding door clicked behind me, I felt Kushina's heart pound in anticipation, only to go off-beat as Minato gave another sly reply. She'd tap her foot in a rhythm, only to pause when she rebutted him.

⠀⠀"Those two... How cute," I cooed in a near-mute voice when Minato continued to eat. The rhythm returned, only for another sign to arise as the conversation developed. It all culminated in young love. Something I had seen dozens of times.

⠀⠀With a sigh, more motion than noise, I turned my focus to my room. My furniture wasn't 'me' sized and were things I could continuously use as I got older. There was a bed, a dresser, and a desk. All of which only took up less than a quarter of the room and seemed larger since I was still only five.

⠀⠀It seemed almost too much, but I ignored that feeling and turned my attention to Minato's and Kushina's conversation: training. Knowing I had to practice, it couldn't be helped. I grabbed a box from my desk. With it, I sat on the floor near a window and focused on my chakra.

⠀⠀It was dense, distasteful, and, like a wall of clay, sloshed against my will as I gripped it. Almost unmoving, like a paradox debunked, it was a puzzle that I had to toy with. The seal made it feel less than what it had been, and there was overall less to use. However, still overwhelmed by my company's flavor, my own was tolerable.

⠀⠀I prodded it. Trying to skim its surface, to draw out but a drop. When it finally gave, that drop moved like thick molasses. Slowly slugging its way at my demand. It did not flow like a river, burst like a damn, or explode with a shockwave. It simply 'was' and moved with an unwillingness that reminded me of spite.

⠀⠀Even then, it was a sense of power, a bastion of energy. Invigorating and motivating, even if it curdled against me. Then it passed my ribcage, and something akin to an acid-like reflex hit. Compared to what I felt from others, every itch, every groan of their body, the way their chest raised and lowered, and worst of all, the cold, I could ignore it.

⠀⠀Then the weight of my power passed my throat, and my chakra's flavor blossomed. It being so like Mama's chakra made me clench my eyes. Even with the faint tells of Papa's seasoning and the lack of foul vegetables and raw dough, it was unwelcomed. A need to run even arose alongside it, but I held my breath. I endured until my chakra reached my temple. Thankfully, it all took seconds, even if the process felt so damn tedious.

⠀⠀Then opened the box with a gentle hand. Fallen leaves looked back at me with rot and decay. I picked a lively brown that held a faint hint of green. It was a brittle thing, but time had yet to blacken its edge. Still, enough time had passed to make it smell musky and sweet. The box was the same. Then I raised it to my forehead and tried to push my chakra to it.

⠀⠀My power bled through my skin, almost like sweat, and crawled forth to touch it. In my mind, I imagined it seeping into the leaf. Like a dry sponge, only to stitch its way back to me. Then my chakra finally entered it. For a moment, nothing happened until the leaf popped. The sound it made was like the crumping of paper.

⠀⠀I coughed at the sudden irritant that splashed against my face and opened my eyes to see my mistake. Immediately, I realized I shouldn't, as what remained of the leaf filled the air in front of me. Like a cloud of rust and regret, I rolled away and swung one hand in the air, trying to disperse it. With my other hand, I swatted at my face as I spat and choked.

⠀⠀"Too much chakra," I heard Minato needlessly from behind me.

⠀⠀"You think?" I stifled my breath, only to groan as I retook control over my senses. Minato could only chuckle.

⠀⠀"Was that your first time trying?"

⠀⠀"You should know it's not," I reminded him.

⠀⠀"Language, Hikigaeru-kun," he chuckled, eyes looking off to the side, right at Kushina. I caught the warning behind his words and mouthed sorry. "It's okay, Hikigaeru-kun. Just don't do it again. No, what I meant was, 'was the first time trying with a dried leaf?"' he corrected himself. At my nod, he continued, "That's normal, then. If it was healthy, it would have blown away. I'll — help you work on broader chakra control exercises tomorrow."

⠀⠀"Thank you," I sighed. "You'd think using explosives would be easier than sticking a leaf to my forehead."

⠀⠀"You used too much chakra for that, too. Overloaded paper bombs have smaller, often unpredictable, yields. You still got the kidnappers, but you need work," he murmured. "If they were above Chunin level, they might have survived. You got lucky, Hikigaeru-kun. If they were just injured, you might not have gotten away."

⠀⠀"At least I don't have Mama's luck," I offered a silver lining.

⠀⠀"That's not a good excuse, Hikigaeru-kun." His chakra almost hardened, like it had when we first met and when his tone shifted. However, it slurried on itself, then relaxed as exhaustion pushed back. "Look, I'm too tired to explain. Tomorrow, I will. For now, Lady Tsunade sent you a letter."

⠀⠀My instinct was to ask, 'And?' but I held my tough. Instead, with a slow nod, I stated, "I'll read it later, Minato-san."

⠀⠀"That's fine. It's on the counter. Read it today and reply politely. Genin will deliver it for you tomorrow morning." His chakra stirred again, more in thought than hesitation, yet it still held worry. "While I want you to be honest with Lady Tsunade, I know you might not want to. But it'll help her," he instructed, and while he had to yawn, a fire identical to Hiruzen's, kept him focused.

⠀⠀"We'll see, Minato-san."

⠀⠀"Just be polite," he reminded me. "You're a big girl. Any words of encouragement will—" Fatigue won against the flame, and he was cut off by a yawn. It was long, drawn out, and more infectious than ever due to my senses. I couldn't help but join him.

⠀⠀"Will do?" I finished for him. At his slow nod, I asked, "What'll we be working on?"

⠀⠀Minato's answer came with a sly tone. "You know. This and that, Hikigaeru-kun. Good night, Hikigaeru-kun."

⠀⠀"Goodnight, Minato-san." He then turned and stumbled off, leaving me and the vast space of my room alone. "I look forward to it," I then said to myself.

⠀⠀After another look at my box, I closed it and left my room. As instructed, the letter waited for me on the counter. I had to stand on my toes to see the simple thing. It was a folded piece of pale beige paper tied with a red ribbon. 'Mom' was signed in a familiar writing, and beside it was everything I needed to reply.

⠀⠀"Need help?" Kushina asked behind me.

⠀⠀I turned back to see the smiling Uzumaki. Curiosity held her like it had each time she watched me. There was a keenness in her eyes that was vexing. It was similar to how I used to watch my students: astute and perceptive. A hope to see greatness, but aligned by an apprehension of the unknown. I didn't bother speculating why too distracted by Minato.

⠀⠀"No, thank you, Kushina-san."

⠀⠀"You sure? Do you need help writing Lady Tsunade back?"

⠀⠀"No, Kushina-san. I can read and write."

⠀⠀There was a pause in Kushina's chakra. It was a soft but unsure rigidness, stiffened by resolve. "Alright," she agreed. "Let me know if you need help."

⠀⠀"I will." I stepped towards my room, stopped, and gave the blood-redhead a double take. "Kushina-san, I'm sorry for what happened."

⠀⠀"It's okay, Hikigaeru. I know it was an accident. You didn't know," Kushina dismissed. Kushina's answer still made me frown. Even if she was nonchalant, her tone was even, and her chakra agreed.

⠀⠀"I'll still make it up to you," I said in an even inflection, more to myself than Kushina.

⠀⠀I then returned to my room, reminded of the chilling fear Kurama gripped my heart with. It made my hand shake as I unknotted the ribbon around the letter, only to go still as I read the parchment. It was short, with no flare. Drops of ink dotted the bottom right of the paper as if Mama hovered her pen there long enough to stain the paper. The stains didn't transfer when folded. Worse, the letter smelled of saki. It was faint, almost akin to a haunting, and it was hard to tell if I was imagining it.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Hikigaeru

⠀⠀You've always been a smart cookie. I always saw you read things, but I never knew how smart you were. I don't know how I didn't see it. I don't know how I drove you away. All I wanted was what was best for you, but I put my needs before yours. I needed you to grow up safe and away from the life of a ninja. I didn't want you to be a Kunoichi, but neither of us has that choice now. Please, train hard. Never let anyone slow you down. Not me, not your father, not even the Hokage. I love you. I'll always love you.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Your mother, Tsunade~

Author's Note

⠀⠀I hope you enjoyed this. Follow and favorite if you did, and leave a review. Your words, kind or not, do help me write this story. Ideas and suggestions are always welcomed, too.