A/N: Updated as of 2020-08-16
"Alright Brat, get up. We don't have a whole lot of time for you to come to your senses." My eyes snap up at the familiar, patronizing tone. The voice that I heard solely in my mind is now echoing around me. My eyesight clears, and the sight astounds me. Standing – or rather, crouching – in front of me is an enormous red fox with nine tails. The Kyuubi. Staring down at me are the two glowing embers that are his slitted eyes, and his smirking mouth of sharp teeth stops me cold.
"Oh," I say. Wait, what? "Hello, there." My body falls back down, and my eyes flutter closed once more. I feel as heavy as a sack of bricks, and my eyes burn with exhaustion.
"None of that human weakness, kit. You have a job to do, and as astonishing as it is, we Bijuu are depending on you." The Kyuubi's rumbling voice soothes my nerves, as it's something I've had with me for years. "Listen up. So, I've pulled you from another dimension. You were the perfect human for the job. The fact is, we want to change things. We don't live in a completely linear way like you humans normally do, and so we've had a lot of time to change our ways of thinking. I know you've come from a place where our world is all written down, and I know that you know it all. So, you've been voluntold to fix things for us."
My mind swirls, leaving me unresponsive. I try to make sense of this insanity – but I mean, come on! The Kyuubi is right in front of me, giving a monologue on how he has pulled me from my universe to fix his! Anger pricks at my insides. I feel used. I slowly get to my feet, fighting against my fatigue.
"What right do you have, just to snatch me out of my life? Things had finally gotten good, I had a home and my Naruto–" I freeze, and my eyes widen. My chest constricts, leaving me breathless, and my knees buckle. Something big and fluffy catches me before I hit the grass. The blank scenery has changed to a large forest with enormous trees, and I find myself cradled in two of the Kyuubi's tails. I barely notice as my breathing evens out, completely absorbed by the soft rumbling coming out of the Fox's chest.
"I know, kit. That's why I took you. Listen, now, this is the important part." I numbly look up and meet Kyuubi's eyes, generally not caring what he says. The hole in my chest has been made obvious once more, leaving me empty.
"Right now, I'm fighting with the Fourth and Kushina. My body is still being controlled by that infernal Uchiha." My eyes widen, a bit of life coming back to them.
"But, that means–" A satisfied sound echoes throughout our surroundings.
"That's right. Baby Naruto is out there right now, and his parents are about to be killed to protect him from me." My heart skips a few beats. "I'm giving you a second chance. I'm sealing my Yin, my spiritual chakra, inside you. As soon as I put you out there, the other Bijuu's and by extension their Jinchuuriki's will know you exist. You have a bit of each of us inside you, and you'll be able to figure out what that means yourself. As you grow older and stronger, they will be able to find you.
"You're gonna feel a bit of pain, and a connection to the Fourth and Kushina. Prepare yourself, kit. Good luck." I do as he says, and brace myself for pain.
My vision is filled with the Uzumaki spiral, and when it disappears everything starts.
There is an explosion of agony in my head and in my stomach and my whole body seems to stretch then squeeze and shrink. There is a flash of light and then I feel the ground beneath my feet.
I look up and, to my horror, not two meters away Minato and Kushina get struck by the Kyuubi's claw from behind in order to stop it - by inches - from reaching the baby lying on an altar. The blond, whiskered child cries out as he is sprayed with his parent's blood, squeezing his eyes shut tight. My heart reaches out to them, and my mind flashes back to my conflict with Zetsu. They feel the same for their Naruto that I felt for mine... As though triggered by my thoughts, a pain blazes through my body at seeing the blond and red-head heroes be impaled. My eyes burn. Why are my cheeks wet?
The two blood-covered parents look over at me in confusion, having seen the flash of light. When our gazes connect, their eyes widen. A bright cord of light suddenly links each of them to me, and their eyes momentarily glaze over. My whole-body glows, and when the light fades, they are both looking at me with kindness and love as though oblivious to their own pain.
"Ha, look at that, Minato. I'm a mother of two!" My breathing hitches, and an unfamiliar warmth blossoms in my chest. Am I crying?
"Hey, we saw everything. We know what you're here to do, and as Naruto's father, I ask you to take care of him. I believe in you." I nod frantically, unable to get a word out. "Love him like your own. Though, considering your looks, perhaps a big sister is a better role than a mom." Minato laughs a bit, before wincing in agony. "It was nice to meet you, kid."
I try to speak – instead, I begin to wail. Ugly, high pitched sobs spill forth from my mouth. My heart feels ripped in two. It feels like, my – my mummy and daddy are so hurt and I just can't – I just lost my baby and now my mummy and daddy – What? Why am I so attached to them so fast? Why does this hurt so much!?
'Kit, go get the brat.' Kurama's voice jolts me out of my hysterics.
I run to baby Naruto, and carefully pick him up. I fumble slightly, as my hands – and my arms, and the rest of my body – seem to have shrunk to that of a child's. At the sound of a wet cough, I swing my head up to look at the two adults. I'm still crying.
"Sorry, we don't have time to think of a real, creative name. Will Mishina do, sweetheart?" A motherly smile spans across Kushina's face, causing the blood coming from her mouth to be that much more painful to see. Why? Why do I love her already? I nod, accepting the name. I will bear it with pride. I am the daughter of Minato and Kushina, the bravest people I know. "Minato, do it now! Seal the Yang into Naruto!" Minato's hands fly into action, and I look away. I can't stand to see him do the Jutsu that takes his life. I lie on the altar, curled around the quiet baby Naruto.
A flash of chakra, several screams of pain and a no-longer quiet baby later, the Kyuubi is gone. An Uzumaki seal is emblazoned on the bare stomach of the screaming infant, and Minato and Kushina have fallen to the ground with empty holes in their chest. Minato doesn't make a sound, but Kushina still breathes.
"Mishina, bring me him..." Kushina gasps out, and I scramble to comply. I curl around Naruto and lie on the ground next to Kushina. I scoot in close, and she places her hands on both of our heads. "My little kids..." She says, smiling. "As your mother... I have some advice to give you... Naruto, Mishina... Don't be picky... Eat lots and grow strong... Make sure that you bathe every day and stay warm... Also... Don't stay up late... You need lots of sleep... And make friends... You don't need a lot of friends... Just a few... Ones you can really, really trust..." Kushina curls her arms around the two of us, and I press my tear-stained face into her fiery hair. Choking sobs rack my body, hearing her heartfelt words in person and directed towards me.
"I wasn't very good at it, but keep up with your studies and practice your ninjutsu hard... Remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses... So don't get too depressed if you can't do something well... Respect your teachers and upperclassmen at the Academy... Oh, and this is important... It's about the Three Prohibitions for a shinobi... Be extra careful about lending and borrowing money... Put your mission wages into your savings account...
"No alcohol until you're twenty... Too much can ruin your health, so drink in moderation... Naruto, another Prohibition is women... I'm a woman, and so is your Onee-chan, so I don't know too much about this but... All you need to remember is that this world is made up of men and women... So it's only natural to take an interest in them at some point... and Mishina, Naruto... Just don't get hooked on bad men or women... Find someone just like me and your Dad..." I laugh a bit, the wet kind of laugh that just makes you choke on the tears and snot you've been crying.
"Speaking of the Three Prohibitions, be wary of Jiraiya Sensei, you know... Both of you, from now on, you're going to face lots of pain and hardship... Be true to yourself... Have a dream and have the confidence to make that dream come true... There's so much... Oh, so much more that I want to pass on to you... I wish I could stay with you longer... I love you both..." Naruto has stopped crying, curling into Kushina. She uses the last bit of her strength to tighten our hug, and then she goes limp with a gasp.
I look up at her face and see love.
"I love you, Kaa-chan! I promise I'll do as you say! I love you!" I clutch Naruto and press him to my chest. Kushina gives us a pained smile before her face goes slack. I start to cry even harder.
"Yondaime-sama! Uzumaki-san!" I flinch at the foreign voice, and I gather Naruto up in my arms before jumping to my feet. I crouch in front of my mom and dad, and a vicious growl coming forth that belies my tiny body. Naruto's crying instantly stops, and he stares up at me with his wide blue eyes before immediately curling closer to the sound. Red and black chakra rises in a haze around me, halting the two approaching ninja in their tracks. Tears are still streaking down my face, and I can barely see the newcomers.
"Sarutobi-sama, is that..." They both eye me warily, looking between the bodies on either side of me and the baby in my arms. My gaze focuses in on the one who was called Sarutobi. "By the Sage, she's the Demon Fox incarnate!" I flinch. My eyes connect with Sarutobi's.
"My…" I gasp, choking off a cry of grief. "My name… is Mishina. Daughter of Kushina Uzumaki. Big sister of Naruto." I look down at myself and see I am wearing the same clothes from before I was killed by Zetsu. It seems I now have the body of a child, however, so the clothes are practically falling off of me they are so big. Through the enormous hole in my blood-stained shirt, I see the famous black spiral. "Are you... the San… daime?" I ask, looking pointedly at Sarutobi while ignoring the man who called me a Demon.
"Yes, child. I am. Are those the bodies of Minato and Kushina?" I press my lips together tightly, fighting the trembling of my mouth. I nod jerkily, and the black chakra seeps back into my body. I lift my shirt up to show the seal on my stomach and manoeuvre Naruto so the seal on his is visible as well.
"We each have half of the Kyuubi," I say simply, knowing the Sandaime Hokage will understand. A look of sorrow overtakes him, but he nods.
"Very well. Shinobi-san, please take care of Konohagakure's heroes. I will escort the children to receive medical attention." The shinobi jumps in protest, looking between the Sandaime and me.
"But, Sarutobi-sama! We ought to remove the Demon–" The Sandaime's expression hardens.
"Shinobi-san. The children are the jailers of the Kyuubi. Not the Kyuubi itself. You have your orders." The clearly unconvinced nin stiffens up but complies.
"Hai!" With one more glance at me, he disappears in a blur with the two bodies of my precious people. My eyes ache. I push back my tears – I have done quite enough crying. I've got a baby to take care of. Naruto. The tiny little boy is staring up at me, his newborn head limp against my arm. My little boy. I promise. Everything will be okay. I peek at the Sandaime, my eyes scared.
"You can't take him away from me. I won't let you. Dad asked me to take care of him. He is mine." The tall man smiles at me and shakes his head slightly.
"Do not fret, Mishina-chan. You will not be separated." He crouches down and holds out his arms. "You look like you are about to collapse, child. Might I carry you to the medic-nins?" Feeling the shaking in my knees, I hesitantly nod. I slowly walk to him, cradling Naruto with my small arms. The Sandaime slowly picks me up, holding me like a baby, and helps me adjust Naruto so he is lying lengthwise on me and thus also held against the Sandaime's chest. I feel my eyelids drooping, and my body relaxes at the back and forth motion of walking. I fight against it, not wanting to leave my little Naruto alone and vulnerable.
"Sleep, I will not leave you alone. I swear to keep the two of you safe." I want to protest, but my body disobeys my mind and releases all of its tension.
"Thank you," I mutter, before falling asleep.