A bespectacled boy with grey hair entered the hospital room alongside Kushina's regular obstetrician-gynecologist, a woman with long, dark hair that reached the middle of her back. She smiled as she passed but the boy was silent, going to a corner to sift through folders and papers before handing one over to the doctor. She thanked him and then sat down in front of Kushina.
"Good to see you again, although I'm a bit surprised," she said.
Chuckling, Kushina nodded. "As am I."
"Well," the doctor started. "We did a quantitative blood test and measured it against your symptoms to get an estimate of how far along you are. We haven't quite yet gotten past the first trimester, but you're just about a week or so away. Your vitals are fine aside from a minor disruption in the flow of your chakra but that is normal for most kunoichi."
"That's a relief," Kushina replied, feigning a smile. In reality, it wasn't. She'd always had finely tuned chakra control, stemming from her childhood training. It had been a requirement to utilize the complex sealing techniques employed by the Uzumaki clan which she one day hoped to teach to Naruto and this new child growing inside of her. However, this disturbance to her flow of chakra could only mean that the Kyūbi was working hard to corrode the seal keeping it contained. And it was making quick progress.
"Considering your family and medical history, I don't think that we have much cause for concern with this pregnancy," the doctor continued. She looked through the folder and then turned to the boy. "Kobura, can you hand me Mrs. Uzumaki's other file, please. It should be in the stack."
"Yes, ma'am," the boy replied meekly. Kushina watched as he quickly retrieved the folder then walked it over to the doctor, keeping his eyes low. He looked almost nervous and it made the red-haired woman smile sympathetically.
"Thank you," the doctor replied as she flipped through. "So, I'm going to prescribe you some Akimichi-style chakra pills to boost your reserves since this disruption is causing a bit of a leak. You'll need to keep yourself and your baby sufficiently supplied throughout the pregnancy. Aside from that, regular prenatal vitamins will do. If you have any other complications, feel free to come down. I'll keep my books open for you to walk in at any time. Otherwise, I'll see you in about four weeks. Do you have any questions?"
Kushina thought for a moment. Minato had given her a list of things that the doctor should cover during the appointment, but she felt that everything had either been directly answered or she could infer a response. There was one that hadn't though. "I do. Considering the lessened chakra control I'm going through, I'm guessing that I can't use any jutsu for the time being?"
"It's not recommended," her doctor answered. "If by some terrible misfortune, you get into a situation where you have to defend yourself, then anything that doesn't cause significant strain on your body would be fine."
That doesn't really help, Kushina thought. Her naturally strong chakra reserves and life force meant that nothing short of her clan's most forbidden techniques would cause any issues for her body. But, with the seal corroding and leaking chakra already, she thought it would be best if she didn't chance anything at all. Besides, Minato will stick by my side as always. And the Uchiha will want to make sure the Kyūbi is tamed...
She gave the doctor a nod and watched as she retrieved the prescription for the chakra pills. "Just take this down to the pharmacy, and they'll service you there. Again, unless you have any complications or concerns, I'll see you in about four weeks."
Kushina headed down the hall, following the signs towards the pharmacy. The hospital was a bit busier than normal with multiple nurses and medic-nin darting around as they carried stacks of papers, files, and vials with them. Usually, during peaceful times, things were relatively quiet and calm but Kushina could see that something was going on. She just couldn't tell what. She'd had a severe sense of foreboding since discovering that she was pregnant. She was able to draw on the Kyūbi's ability to detect negative emotions and intentions near her, seeing a plume of darkness radiating around and within Konoha. Being able to feel so much made her increasingly anxious and Minato had done his best to calm her nerves.
The Kyūbi had worked harder to keep her unsettled.
Each night was filled with nightmares and the fox's voice haunting her every thought. She'd done the courtesy of directing more of her chakra to contain the beast, strengthening the binds that held it to the floating rock deep within her mind. Still, the Kyūbi was growing stronger with each passing day, even if it was incremental. She would have to tell Minato and ask if he could somehow strengthen the seal.
"I'll kill that filthy spawn growing inside of you if you even try it," The Kyūbi snarled in her head. Kushina stood in the pharmacy line. There were a few people in front of her so she took time to settle into a trance, bringing her within a few feet of the fox. Saliva dripped from its maw as its massive jaws snapped at her. Kushina raised two fingers and the chakra chains she'd employed tightened and pulled the Kyūbi back.
"Whether I have this seal reinforced or not, all you'll ever wish to do is kill and destroy. We both know that. But, if you so much as attempt to do anything to harm my child, I'll let the Uchiha have a word with you."
The fox growled but didn't say anything more, dropping his ears back in resignation. His scarlet eyes sparkled then narrowed. "Your overconfidence doesn't hide the stench of your weakness. Or your fear," the Kyūbi spoke, his voice a rumbling and subdued growl.
"Ma'am?"
Kushina blinked. The pharmacist was waving her forward. The line had disappeared, leaving her the lone person standing anywhere near the counter. Slightly blushing, she stepped forward and handed the young man her prescription paperwork. He returned a few moments later with a paper bag, the chakra pills clattering in the bag. Kushina thanked him and then headed towards the exit.
She walked through Konoha's streets, tucking her scarf beneath her chin and absently rubbing her stomach. There was a bitter bite of cold in the air and Kushina brushed her hair from her face as a gust of wind blew. I hope Minato made sure Naruto wore a coat, she thought before shaking her head. She worried too much and she knew it. Her husband told her as much, but she still felt as though she had every reason to. He carried within his veins the old blood of the Uzumaki clan and as far as Kushina knew, they were the last of their people. He was also the son of possibly the most famous shinobi in the world and shared his appearance, despite her wish that he'd have her crimson hair when he was born. She knew that there was only so much that she could do to protect him, especially considering...
Kushina felt a bristling cold chill travel up her spine and paused in the middle of the street. Initially, she thought it was the wind or maybe anxiety setting in or even something to do with the baby growing inside of her. But, it felt far more sinister than that. She could sense something creeping over her shoulder, some dark presence that made her heart sink into her stomach. She turned her head fractionally, following the feeling until it grew so strong that her head began to vibrate.
Then, she stopped.
In the midst of the crowd, there was a figure dressed in a dark blue hooded cloak standing still. Their face was mostly obscured by the shadow of their hood but the grey-white light of the overcast sky was reflected by two bright circles on their face. Glasses? Kushina tried to discern the negative energy radiating around them but simply couldn't. It was so confusing and jumbled that it was impossible for her to figure out the person's purpose or intent. But, there was one thing she did know as she continued to walk through the streets and the dark presence grew stronger behind her.
She was being followed.
Kushina tried her best not to panic or to alert the person that she knew they were there any more than she already had. As long as she was in public and could feel their presence, she could pretend. But, she had to find a way to either lose them or throw them off the trail. There were no alleys to slip into and even then, separating from the crowd could prove to be a detriment to her. Facing someone alone under her conditions would be foolish. She could chance using a jutsu out of her repertoire but the doctor's warning echoed in her ear. I could try to make it home or signal to Minato...
Her thought trailed off as she saw a familiar face flash in the crowd. The woman had long black hair and pale skin with a little boy walking behind her carrying bags in his hand. Kushina recognized them as they disappeared inside a store. Eyebrows furrowed in determination, the Uzumaki woman pressed forward through the crowd, maintaining a steady but nonplussed pace as she walked. She could feel the hooded figure drawing closer, like a tiger stalking a deer. Her eyes cut to the store, a small specialty grocery shop, as it approached to her right. At the last possible moment, Kushina cut towards, quickening her pace almost into a jog.
The jingling bells from the door were her victory anthem.
Quickly, she gathered herself and let out a quiet breath. Act natural.
"Mikoto?" she called, adding a healthy dose of pleasant surprise to her voice. She could feel her stalker behind her but paid it no mind as her old friend rounded the corner and a smile formed on her face.
"Kushina?" Mikoto Uchiha crossed the front of the store and pulled her into a hug. The warm embrace caused the negative energy outside to evaporate and Kushina let herself relax and laugh as she and her friend turned to the little boy sitting at the window. His onyx eyes went from her to his mother, almost searching.
"Ah, I should've known. I thought I recognized you. You've gotten so big, Sasuke," she said. She remembered when Mikoto had first revealed her newest baby boy to her and how he'd blushed when she spoke to him as an infant, something that was repeated now that she complimented him.
Sasuke Uchiha dipped his head and smiled shyly. "Thank you."
"And so proper," Kushina said. So different from Naruto, they may as well be the sun and the moon.
Mikoto rubbed her shoulder. "Sasuke, this is Kushina Uzumaki, one of my oldest friends. We went to the Academy together." The boy's eyes widened now, seemingly in realization. Did he remember her from when he was only a baby? No, Kushina thought. He realizes that I'm Naruto's mother.
Her son had filled her in on what had happened during the taijutsu assessment and how he'd been paired with Sasuke to spar. Naruto had described the match as close, which Kushina didn't doubt, but she wondered if it was Minato's lessons on humility creeping out of her son or if it had actually been a contest. Regardless, the way that Naruto had spoken about Sasuke made her curious. She'd never heard someone intrigue her son as much as this Uchiha boy did and it almost seemed like he wanted his approval, for whatever reason.
"How have you been?" Mikoto asked.
Kushina glanced over her shoulder to peer outside. She couldn't see the person who'd been following her or their focused negative energy. When she returned her attention to Mikoto, her friend had a concerned look on her face. "It's...nothing," Kushina replied.
"You can't lie to me," Mikoto said. "Your ears still turn red."
You can't even see them, Kushina thought. She quickly searched for an answer, a decent one that wouldn't make her seem crazy or paranoid. She opted for the truth. "I'm...pregnant again," she whispered.
Mikoto blinked. "Oh wow, congratulations," she said with a wide smile. "How far along?"
"About eight weeks or so. I just came from my appointment," Kushina replied. "I'm a little nervous. I think that..." C'mon! Just tell her, y'know! "Someone is following me."
Mikoto's face reminded Kushina of the protective friend she'd known in her youth. "Did you get a good look at them?"
"Barely." The two white circles of light on the person's face were the only things she could remember. She followed the assumption that they were glasses and racked her brain quickly to figure out who it may have been. Then, she kicked herself for not realizing the obvious. "Their face was hidden by a hood but I think they were wearing glasses or something. The sun was reflecting from them. While I was at my appointment, my doctor had a boy with her who wore glasses too. He was the only one that could've known enough to be interested."
"Did you catch his name?"
"Uh, Kabu...no, Kobura," Kushina replied. "He had grey hair that stopped at the bottom of his ears."
Mikoto nodded. "Ok. I'll let Fugaku know. In the meantime, please go straight home. It's the safest place for you." Kushina watched as her friend's face shifted from the protective girl she used to fight alongside to a soft mother. "Say goodbye to Mrs. Kushina, Sasuke." The little boy seemed to have been lost in thought because the hazy look in his eyes quickly faded at the sound of his mother's voice. He bowed respectfully and Kushina smiled.
She and Mikoto embraced then the Uchiha pair left the store. Kushina wandered around the store for a few moments, pretending to be an interested customer before she finally decided to make her exit. Her heart pounded when she went outside but the concentrated negativity she'd felt before was no longer there. Sighing, she followed Mikoto's suggestion and headed back towards her house, keeping a watchful eye over her shoulder until she was at her front door.
When she walked inside, the lights were on, and she could hear water running from the faucet. Minato looked back at her when she rounded the corner and the very sight of him put her heart at ease. She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss.
"I'm guessing everything went well," her husband said with a smile.
"It did," Kushina replied. "Is Naruto gone?"
"Yeah, he went down to the Academy building to train in the gym."
Kushina kissed Minato again, biting his lip. "Then we have a little alone time?"
There was a sparkle in the man's eyes. "We do." He flashed them both into the bedroom and Kushina giggled gleefully as she landed on the bed. She felt as if she was existing outside of herself during their lovemaking, the stress and fear washing out of her in waves from his touch and care. She returned the favor, looking down into his eyes as they glazed over in pleasure as he gripped her waist and released inside her.
They lay next to each other, kissing and touching like they were teenagers again. She felt in tune with her husband and connected in a way that made her feel safe and secure. He placed a hand on her stomach and kissed her forehead as she debriefed him on what the doctor had said. However, when she switched to speaking about how she had been followed, the look in his eyes changed and, he sat up in the bed.
"It's okay," Kushina said. "While I was on my way home, I ran into Mikoto and her son, Sasuke. I told her what was happening, and she said she'd tell Fugaku."
"He'll probably have the Military Police do a sweep of the village in search of this person," Minato said. "That won't do us any good if they already plan on hiding. What you need is somebody that can stay by your side and watch you."
Kushina was confused. "What do you mean? You're home now."
Her husband's face was grave. "I know, but I don't think that will be the case for long. Lord Fourth has been calling on me recently to discuss the larger political tensions between Kumo and our village. They've started positioning their forces within our neutral zone, and he believes that it's only a matter of time before they launch a full-scale attack. When that happens, he wants me on the front lines at his side."
No, Kushina thought. She had flashbacks to the previous world war and how she worried about his return. He was powerful, yes, but he was still her husband and the father of her children. He seemed to be able to read the worry on her face and kissed her.
"I know you're concerned but don't be. When I see him again, I'll ask for someone specific to look after you, whether I'm here or not."
"Who do you have in mind?" Kushina asked although she already knew the answer and felt her anxiety wane.
"Kakashi."