Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor do I own any of the characters from the series. I'm not making any money off of this story and all rights belong solely to it owners.
Memory wipe and moving on.
Sitting in the Hokage office, Sarutobi Hiruzen sipped on some tea as he went through the mounts of paper work that never seen to end with a tire expression on his face. Many of the Civilian section of the clan leaders been coming to him back and forth trying to get him to sigh off on the killing of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, it was something that was starting to get on his nervous. But he deal with it like always and just denied their requests. It was at that point Yamanakai Inoichi walk in.
"Ah, Inoichi. How did the visit with Kushina go." he ask as Inoichi walk up to his desk with a sigh.
"Well... I have good news and bad news." Inoichi said as Sarutobi pick up some paper work.
"Bad news first." Sarutobi said, looking over the papers.
"The bad news is... based off of everything I found or rather didn't find. The earliest memory I could she has is that of her talking with Mikoto-san before being taken away by Biwako, everything after that is a huge blank in her mind." Inoichi stated sourly causing Sarutobi to up to him with narrow eye's.
"I thought as much, can they be recovered?" Sarutobi ask, he already had a good idea of the answer but was hoping for at least a maybe.
"No Hokage-sama, they were completely remove, not block out or bury. I can't recover things that is no longer there." Inoichi told him as Sarutobi sigh and sagged in his chair for a moment. This had only reminded him how old he actually was, and how he'd been enjoying his retirement up until his successor was forced to sacrifice his life to seal the Kyuubi.
"I see, and the good new?" this was something Sarutobi could really needed to hear as with everything that been happening it'd be nice to hear of something going right.
"Well the good new is that other than her memory's remove, nothing else was done. It seem like the one who attack her didn't have enough to do anymore harm." Inoichi stated and Sarutobi nodded, that was good to hear, (So that murder succeeded in concealing his self for now, but some day he or she will pay for what has been done.) the Hokage thought before looking up to Inoich.
"Thank for all you've done Inoich, however everything you've heard and done is to stay top Secret, do you understand?" Sarutobi said not wanting it to get out that rather than the seal failing someone had in fact been responsible for this attack as that would only cause more chaos if known which was something they didn't need right now.
"Say no more Hokage-sama, my lip's are seal." Inoich replied knowing this matter could very easily throw the village into havoc, bowing his head to the Hokage, Inoich take his leave. As inoich left, Sarutobi sigh and inter lock his finger before placing his chin on top of them
"Now what should be my next move..."
"You really should still be resting, ya know." Tsunade repeated looking at Kushina, it had been three days since the surgery and now that she was a bit more calm down Tsunade had been able to tell Kushina what had happen these last few weeks and to say the red-haired woman was shock was an understatement was like saying that the sky was only a little blue.
"So you keep saying but I still can't get over everything that happen. The Kyuubi is no longer in me, it's attack on the village, and... my husband's have been." Kushina couldn't finish that last one, her eye's were than draw to the baby in her arm's.
"And that damn fox is... now in my child?" Kushina really didn't want to believe it but the facts were right there in her face, and yet she couldn't remember any thing about what happen...
"Hahah... It's all most too much to take." Kushina said with a humorless laugh, Tsunade on the other hand had a nervousness expression. There was something she needed to tell her but was she afraid of how she would react, however Tsunade knew it wasn't something she couldn't keep from Kushina forever, best to get it out-of-the-way as soon as possible.
"Kushina, there something else you should know about your body." Tsunade said, looking at her Kushina notice the hesitation on her face and gave an empty chuckle causing her to gain a confuse look from Tsunade.
"You don't have to say it, I've already notice." Kushina said as Tsunade raise an eye brow at the red-head who look away.
"I've had that thing in me since I was kid, did you really think I wouldn't know about the trace's of it's... chakras are still in my system?" turning to her Kushina's eye's were blood red with slit's in the center's! Tsunade first look quite shock at this, but she frowned and level a parental glare at her.
"Cute, now return back to normal before you do anymore harm to your body." Tsunade growl Kushina merely smile and closed her eye's, reopening them they were once again violet in color.
"That was a pretty good expression just now, you would make a great parent with a look like that, dattebane." Kushina grinned getting a deeper frown out of her.
"Well you seem to be in a good mood but don't go doing things that could be harmful to your body like using that power when we don't know all its side effects yet." Tsunade scowled but on the inside was pleased that Kushina hadn't fallen into a deep depression over everything that happen.
"Sorry, sorry. But I don't have time to be down on myself, got to get back in shape or you might be the one to have to raise my little Naruto." Kushina said with a shrug but Tsunade upon hearing that last statement looked at her in panic.
"ME! WHY!? Shouldn't something like go to the god parent if anything happens to you?" Tsunade ask as Kushina look at her like a confuse puppy.
"Eh? But you are the godmother, dattebane. Guess we never told you that, huh." Kushina said looking thoughtful as Tsunade eye twitch, (A moment ago wasn't she a little more ya know, and now she's like-) Tsunade couldn't really put it into words but was clearly annoyed by the sudden mood change.
"Whatever, for now just don't use that chakra until you've recover enough to move on your own at the very least." Tsunade said then a knock came from the door before, it open with out a word showing Jiraiya who came in.
"Yo, how it going?" Jiraiya grinned walking up to them, while carrying note pad and pen and writing... Kushina and Tsunade's face fault when they saw it and realize he must have just come from the hot springs.
"What is it you old pevy?" Tsunade grumble as he put the writing wear away.
"Well I thought you'd like to know that the contractor's have already began building your new home which for some reason is shaping up to look more like a temple than anything else." Jiraiya told them, folding his arm's taking on a more serious expression causing them to tense.
"What wrong?" Tsunade ask knowing what every he was about to say would be bad.
"Well though Sarutobi try to hide it from us, I just found out that doing the last meeting, that old war hawk and sensei's bitch of a teammate try to have Kushina's life ended to hide who her son's father was."
"They what!?" Kushina gasp as her and Tsunade were shock to hear this.
"Yeah, sensei and Homer quickly shot it down but this might not be the end of it... surprisingly enough it was little Hiashi that gave me the heads up to be on guard in case those two try something."
Tsunade frown, she and Koharu had never gotten along but even she never thought the old bat would go that far, at the very least this action might limit the damage she can do now that the old monkey and Homer no longer trusted her.
"I see, well I never really like those two anyway, thanks for the heads up. If you don't have anything else to say than you can head back to your peeping." Kushina said coldly looking away, Tsunade was surprise to hear her say something like that to him, Jiraiya however sigh knowing she was still mad at him, and for good reason too.
"Not yet, I wanted to know how long Tsunade plan on sticking around?" Jiraiya ask wanting to know when he should pick up the slack, Tsunade raise an eye brow at this.
"What nonsense are you talking about, I'm not leaving until I'm sure Kushina is back to 100% which from my calculations will be any where from a year and a half to two years, so I'm not going anywhere." Tsunade stated surprising Jiraiya and bringing a smile to Kushina's face.
"Ha, I'd of thought you want to get back to your gambling as soon as possible." Jiraiya joke and Tsunade roll her eye's at the man.
"Please, I can do that anytime, looking after Kushina is more in important... heh, hell if I'd had known she was pregnant I'd have come back running in a heart beat." Tsunade laugh but Jiraiya wince at how Kushina's eye's lite up at Tsunade's words, his old teammate didn't realize it but she just put him deeper in the dog house with Kushina.
"Nice to know I can count on someone." Kushina said pulling Tsunade into a one arm hug who chuckle at the younger woman not catching the hint she just sent Jiraiya but said person did and realize this was going to be a long stay for him.
Four months later.
"Hey Tsunade let trade for a little while..." Jiraiya said carrying several large scrolls and sweating as Tsunade push Kushina in a wheel chair who was holding her baby in a blue blanket, it wasn't that they were super heave but rather that carrying nine scrolls that were the same size as the one he had on his back prove to be a bit difficult.
"It fine, I'm sure the great sage can handle carrying a few things." Kushina said dryly, causing Jiraiya to sigh and Tsunade look down at her slightly, it only take her a week to realize Kushine was mad at Jiraiya for something. Tsunade didn't know what as beside a pervert of the so call holy sage Kushine was always fond of him. But now she been rather cold to the old pervs.
"Right, right. So with this temple finish, will you be staying there as well Tsunade or maybe at the old man's?" Jiraiya ask her.
"No, I'll be staying with Kushine. It been pretty awkward for me and the old monkey for a while now, beside..." Tsunade trail off looking at the people watching them as they went though the market place, many of which were glaring at Kushine and her baby... and some of them were shinobi.
"Until I'm sure she can can protect herself, I'm not going anywhere." Jiraiya easily understood her meaning, no telling when one of them might try to aim for Naruto's life, Kushine was in no shape to defend herself so she'd likely die trying to protect her child. Kushina smile softly at hearing that. "Thank you Tsunade." Kushine spoke and said person simply smile, they continue to walk in silents for some time before finally reaching the large stone wall to the new Uzumaki manor. Walking up to it, Jiraiya manage to slip one of the scroll to the side so he could open the door letting Kushina and Tsunade go inside.
"You were right Jiraiya, this really does look like a freaking temple." Tsunade stated with a raise eye brow as she wheel Kushine to a stop, Kushina's eye twitch at see just looking at it, the grounds alone was so vast that river was flowing pass the front of it with a small red bridge leading to the mansion. The main hall of mansion is situated in the middle of the whole complex it look to be two stores tall and made into three section, the middle which look the part of a temple had two other temple like construction connected on each side. Two pavilions were placed on the sides at the front. The shaped setting encloses an open mediating space in front of the main hall.
"Gees I told him I didn't want anythings real fancy and yet Sarutobi-san still went all out on this place." Kushina mutter, she really didn't want anything over the top like this. Just a nice size building, something to keep herself busy with but this was more then she knew what to do with. But now she hadn't the slightish clue as to what she was going to do with a building this big.
"That sensei for ya, let go inside." Tsunade said wheeling Kushina up to the small red bridge and over it, reaching the door Tsunade open it and move onto the inside. "Wow!" was all either of them could said at how big the hall was on the inside.
"I take it back, Sarutobi-sensei went way over." Tsunade mumble as Jiraiya finally caught up to them but upon coming inside he nearly drop all the scroll he was carrying at seeing how large this place was... only one thing came to mind. "It's going to take a while to get the layout on this place down.
Nine months later
It had been thirteen months since the kyuubi attack, Kushina was now able to move around on her own but needed to use a crane to walk around. Kushina had ask Tsunade why it was taking so long for her to completely recover, Tsunade had told her it was because the removal of the Nine tail had left her chakra system had been nearly ruin. Removal of the tail beast had not only severely weakened her, but due to the use of her chakra chains Kushina's body had been put into a critical state.
It was only thanks to Sarutobi's immediate medical attention that she live long enough for Tsunade to return and save her. Now as of today Kushina was dress in a green set of pants and a green long sleeve shirt. Now able to move on her own even though she needed a crane Kushina was making way to one of the few places that brought her enjoy nowadays... Ichiraku's.
"Hey old man!" Kushina call out, Teuchi see her wave her over, the red head quickly take a seat but she could once again feel the glare of the people behind her drilling into her head, it seems not everybody was happy about her son being left alive but thankfully none of them have been foolish enough to try and take his life, (Then again, having two Sannin's around all the time might have something to do with that.) she thought ruefully, Kushina had long since gotten use to the glares but hated the thought that her child would have to go through this as well.
"Good morning Kushina, what will it be?" Teuchi ask coming up to her while looking at the baby on her back, Kushina had little Naruto in a carrier on her back shifting around Kushina pull her child out so she was holding him in her arms.
"A large miso bowl please." Kushina replied and Teuchi nodded, on the inside he was happy Kushina was moving around on her own now and hope she be back to full hearth soon.
"Coming right up." Teuchi said walking away, no more than a few seconds later a small brown hair girl about five or six race up to the chair next to Kushina.
"Kushina-san! How are you feeling today." Ayame, Teuchi's daughter ask, Kushina smile down at the little girl please to see her this morning.
"Fine, I'm doing much better, but I'll be even better when I no longer need this crane to walk around with." Kushina told her, Teuchi at that point brought her bowl of ramen and just as she was about ask for one for Ayame when she felt a killing intent and turn to her right to see many of the people who were glaring at her hastily make themselves scares, (There only one person I know who would do this.) Kushina thought and heard a mutter of simpletons behind her.
"I take one as well." a woman said, Kushina turn to see her best friend Uchiha Mikoto, a fair-skinned woman with long, black hair with bangs hanging on either side of her face to framing not just her cheeks but also reaching just before her chest and black eyes Mikoto hate how the villagers look at Kushina and her son and always made a point of making her self when she saw it. Taking a seat next to her Kushina who notice she was also carrying around her baby as well. Sasuke.
"Mikoto! It's great to see you, we haven't talk in almost two months now." Kushina exclaimed the dark hair lady smile at her childish friend.
"Yes, I've been busy with clan business a lot lately," Mikoto replied before leaning a bit to see Ayame, "Ayame-chan, why don't you run along and go help your father while Kushina and I speak about boring grown up stuff." Ayame nodded knowing the last time she try to listen into them she nearly fall asleep. Hopping down Ayame made her way to the back of the stand, after she left Kushina sigh.
"Don't tell me all you came here to do is talk about your clan stuff again?" Kushina groan not wanting to do that, Mikoto merely gave a faint smile as she move just a little closer to Kushine and put her face next to Kushina's ear.
"Actually, the Hokage corner me out side the market place, again... can you guess why?" Mikoto ask in a whisper and Kushina laugh nervously at the dark tone her friend was using.
"Did he now, well look at the time I got to go." Kushina said moving to get up but a hand was place on her shoulder to keep her in place.
"Oh no, you're not getting away this time." Mikoto spoke with eye's that dare the red hair lady to try to run, (Damn you Sarutobi...) Kushina thought with anime tears falling down her face.
Else where Tsunade could be seen at the hospital with Sarutobi as they use medical treatment and medical-oriented techniques to heal to heal and bring back to life recently dead fishes.
"Well what do you think, Tsunade?" Sarutobi ask while smoking a pipe like always, Tsunade rub her chin in thought as she over aw their work.
"Well I can say this from just looking at them, their chakra control needs some work and their missing a number points in the exercise that making harder on them then it needs to be." Tsunade replied then place her hands o her hips.
"Nothing that can't be fix by the time I leave." Tsunade stated and Sarutobi turn to his old student and motion for her to follow him, the two then made their way out of the medical practice room and down the hall.
"So your still planning on leaving?" Sarutobi ask and Tsunade roll her eye's at him.
"Yeah, I plan on leaving, I've always made it pretty clear the only reason I even stuck around was to look after Kushina." Tsunade told him, it had been already past a year now and Kushina was able to move around with only needing a crane for help, If Tsunade had to guess the red head would be at mostly recover in six more months than two more after that she will have completely recover.
If Tsunade was to be truthfully, Kushina should have recover in a few week after the attack even with having the Kyuubi remove from her, but add in her the violent way it was removed along with her continue use of chakra chains to the point that several of her organs ruptured and she started coughing up blood then you have an already aggravated and stressed out body push way past it limit and a women left on her deaths bed. Tsunade may have save her but too much damage had been done and it had taken time for her body to recover.
"Tsunade, I understand a lot has happen to you but there is still much good you can do." Sarutobi started but Tsunade sigh tiredly and cut him off with a wave of the hand.
"Sensei stop," she began. "I understand what you mean, really I do but look at me I'm still a mess."
"Since coming back to Konoha I've gotten somewhat better with my fear of blood but I still have sleepless night. You have no idea how many nights I've woken up in cold sweat from nightmares and wanted to go out and get drunk or gamble. Everyday I'm here is another reminder of what I lost... I still need some more time to myself."
"Are you sure Tsunade?" Sarutobi ask feeling that there had to be some way to make her stay but Tsunade nodded but then gave a faint smile.
"Yes I am, but it won't be forever. I still want to see how Kushina's cute little baby turn out, so I'll come back someday." Sarutobi smile a little at that, he'd rather have her stay all together but this was good enough he suppose... though that wouldn't stop him from trying to make her stay while she was still here.
Back at the ramen bar Kushina and Mikoto the latter of whom had been given her ramen bowl were still sitting at the bar, and Mikoto was waiting for Kushina to speak but said person just nervously enjoyed her meal causing Mikoto to sigh.
"Come on Kushina, say something already." Mikoto said looking tiredly at her friend.
"Well... this is some good ramen." Kushina said nervously and Mikoto look at her now very annoyed now.
"Yes it is but that not what I meant." Mikoto growl just a little and Kushina look down and groan.
"I know, I know, but that damn old man really doesn't know how to play fair, getting you involve in this." Kushina replied as Mikoto just look at her.
"I don't really see the problem, I mean what the Hokage is asking of you benefits both you and the village doesn't it... I mean don't you want to rebuild your clan and family?" Mikoto ask and Kushina sigh, when she was given the large temple slash mansion as a home she hadn't a clue why until Sarutobi told her, he wanted Kushina to revive the Uzumaki clan in Konoha.
"Yes you would think that, I do understand his way of thinking, if I announce the resurrection of the clan here in Konoha then other hidden members might come here as well." Kushina stated looking down at her son who was sleeping quietly.
"But I know little to nothing about running a clan, if other's do indeed come which something tells me they will. It will be a difficult matter for me to not only run the clan but also make up a new clan structure." Mikoto listen to this and nodded her head, it was good reasoning on Kushina's part but Mikoto knew that while everything she said was true this was all just an excuse. Mikoto had known Kushina long enough to no that her red hair best friend wouldn't be stop by something like this so there had to be more.
"And?" she ask making Kushina turn to her, "There has to be more to it then that, for as long as I've known you, you've always jump head first into matters without a second thought. That you'd be nervous is one thing that normal but to be so against it that you'd make up so many excuse's just doesn't seem right to me."
"So tell me Kushina, what the real reason your trying to get out of reforming your clan." it wasn't a request, it was a demand, Kushina also knew Mikoto well enough to know she wouldn't let this go.
"Hahahah, okay you got me..." Kushina laugh dryly while looking down at her little Naruto.
"It my son, Naruto." Kushina said slowly rocking him back and front.
"Mikoto, I'm sure you already know the real reason why I was sent to Konoha. It was to help with relationship between Konohagakure and Uzushiogakure but I still felt that I was being used as a tool." Mikoto was quite noticing Kushina never take her eye's off her child.
"Even though this is place I came to love and mat my husband and had my first child... I still only came to this village as a tool to better things for Uzushio... for all this good it did them." Kushina pointed out grimly, Uzushio was dead now, dead and gone, but as horrible as it may have sounded, when Kushina realize she was going to have a child she was somewhat happy about the village being no more. No Uzushiogakure or clan meant her son wouldn't have to go through the politics of clans, but now...
"I do not want my son going through the same thing as I went through, I understand about the betterment of the clan and all that but I don't want it at the cost of my son freedom of choice." Kushina explain, Mikoto listen to all of this and now understood why she didn't want the clan to reform, if she was ever place in a position where she had to be sent off against her will she gain some form of hate to the people who did as well! Even more so if that ever happen to Sasuke, however.
"You really are a moron, huh?" Kushina look startled but Mikoto who lean on the count and place her jaw in her hand just roll her eye's at the lady next to her.
"If you don't want to worry about that then simply build the clan up as how you want it to be." Mikoto said in a bore tone but when she look at Kushina her friend saw she had a small smile on her face.
"Encase you forgot, the clan head is going to be you, so make the new Uzumaki clan in your own image then you won't have to worry about that." Kushina huff at her friend annoyed at how she was bushing her worry's off as nothing.
"You make it sound so ease but do you really think it will be that ease? What about-" before Kushina could finish she was pull into a one arm hug by Mikoto.
"Stop worrying, it not like you." Mikoto told her with her eye's close. "I'm not saying it'll be ease but has that really ever stop you from before?"
"Just do as you always do, just head first into this and make a big mess! Look like the moron that you are then somehow make it all work out in the end by thinking on the fly." Mikoto was smirking at the tick marks on Kushina's face as the red head really, really wanted to yell but didn't simply because Naruto and Sasuke were still sleeping.
"Listen here you raven hair prick, not everything I did in life ended up in a mess. I'll have you know I'm perfectly cable of getting this right the first." Kushina growl lowly at Mikoto who just kept smirking.
"Sure you are, and 'not even thing you did in life ended up a mess'? So you're admitting you're a block head that rushes into matters without thinking first?" Kushina's teeth look razor-sharp as she glare death at Mikoto for her remark, Teuchi walk out to see how the two were doing but stop at seeing the static zapping between them and back up... as much as he care for the two of them, Mikoto and Kushina together tin to be bad for business. Kushina suddenly sigh.
"Your so mean Mikoto, can't you cheer me up like a normal person?" Kushina said with a pout but Mikoto just return it a feint smile.
"Alright, alright, Sorry for making fun of you... but Kushina, you know this is going to happen sooner or later right." again she wasn't asking a question and Kushina knew Mikoto was right.
"Yeah, I do..." Kushina sight tiredly then was pull into a one arm hug again by Mikoto.
"Relax, you got me to turn to when you need help. You'll make this work, I just know it." Kushina look to Mikoto and smile softly glad she wasn't alone.
Eleventh months
On a bright and shining day in Konoha Tsunade lean on a tree sipping a glass of lemonade as she watch Kushina do push up with one arm and her leg's in the air, "2973, 2974, 2975," Tsunade just stare at the younger woman go to work with sweat dripping down her face, (She certainly fully recover, only thing left is to get back in shape she'll be good to go.) Tsunade thought with a smile.
"2993, 2994, 2995, 2996, 2997, 2998, 2999, 3000! Done, finally!" Kushina shouted flipping to her feet, her arm really ache and she was truly out of breath.
"Kami I'm so out of shape!" Kushina exclaimed as she use to be able to do that and move onto the next exercise pause but now she needed to take a break after every two she did.
That what happens when you don't train for such a long time, " Tsunade point out walking up to her, Kushina turn to the Sannin lady but the saw Shizune running up to them with a large bag... like the one Tsunade was carrying.
"So I notice." Kushina replied as Tsunade and Shizune reach her.
"Tsunade-same, I'm all pack and ready to go- Oh! Hello Kushina-san." Shizune said with a blush of embarrassed at just now noting her here.
"Good to see you Shizune-chan... So Tsunade. I take you two are finally leaving." Kushina said with a sad smile and Tsunade nodded but then began to look around the training grounds.
"Yeah but don't be too sad, you and Naruto are not alone anymore, right?" Tsunade looking off to the side at the red hair girl training not far from them. she was small not older than 12 or 13 years old wearing a white robe and was practicing throwing shuriken at a target. Six months ago Kushina had finally announce the reformation of the Uzumaki clan in Konoha... and less than a month and a half after that, researchers from a remote island call Kuchiyose no Shima came to Konoha with a girl name Honoka.
She was an orphan and a survivor of the Uzumaki clan massacre, the researchers had found her dying and save her, raising the girl as their own but now that Konoha was building a new clan they thought it best she return to her real family and by doing this it would also bring good ties with Kunoha to Kuchiyose no Shima.
"Loosen your grip a little, your holding on too tight and that's what making your throw go off target." a man said from behind her, his name was Uzumaki Cozanra, and he was wearing black pants and a green robe over it with short red hair. Cozanra, his little sister Himeko, and his wife Shishi who was seven months pregnant now came to Konoha three months ago with another family that was also in hiding. Ren Uzumaki, his wife Koko Uzumaki and their one year old son Torra Uzumaki and two-year old daughter Sileen Uzumaki.
"Yeah, your right about that. But I still didn't think that in less than a year we'd have this many members pop up here so soon." Kushina spoke, after making sure that they were truly from the Uzumaki clan by means of checking to see if they had the clan chakra, Cozanra was given the rank of Chūnin and was for the time being working on training up Honoka, his sister Himeko was made a genin due to her low-level skills and was place on a team under a Jonin. As for Honoka, for now she was just going to the Academy.
"Well that's life, things never turn out how you think they will, I know that better than anyone." Tsunade with a sad smile, Kushina look down at understanding her meaning.
"Yeah but still, do you really have to leave? I could really use your help in running the clan." Kushina said looking away and Tsunade nodded.
"Yes, I still need time to think about what to do with myself, but I will come back someday... until then, take care of yourself and your new family." Tsunade said giving her one last hug before turning to Shizune who wave good-bye. Watching them go Kushina sigh wondering what the future would be like for her but she would face it no matter what it was... Together with her family and son.
To be continue