Chapter 5

Kakashi stumbled when they landed. He groaned when his stomach revolted the meager breakfast he had. Stumbling to the side, he lost his breakfast into the trashcan he spotted off to the side.

Jiraiya felt his head spinning, but used to Minato even after twelve years since his death, he felt proud when he only turned a few shades of green. The rolling of his stomach was ten times worse than anytime he traveled with Minato.

Sandaime blinked at his two Shinobi surprised before looking up into slitted blue eyes smirking at the effects of her jutsu. She had dumped them right in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Ah, that never gets old." she smirked. Blue eyes finally moved to Hiruzen. "Hiruzen." She gave a small tilt of her head as a bow. He stood and gave a deeper one.

"Uzumaki-sama. Thank you for answering my request."

Juko hummed even as she took a seat and ignored when Jiraiya moaned and slid to the floor, giving up the fight.

"I am here because Konoha is my home just as much as Uzushio is." Hiruzen contemplated her use of words. Last he knew, Uzushio had been wiped out.

Hiruzen took his seat back and let out a sigh. "I'm glad to hear that. The Uzumaki compound should still be in working order. With the seals protecting it, I can't confirm that as only Uzumaki are allowed in."

Juko snorted. "They are my seals. Stasis, preservation, and protection seals. It's still standing. I can feel the seals from here." she tilted her head and frowned. "I also feel Uzumaki chakra."

Hiruzen stiffened.

Her frown eased and a small smile lifted her lips. "Ah, I see that the Uzumaki are still protecting Kurama."

Hiruzen blinked. Kakashi and Jiraiya- resting against a wall recovering, shared a confused look. The ANBU sat confused in their shadowed spots.

"Who?"

Juko blinked and looked at Hiruzen. "Ah, sorry, only the Hosts know the names. I believe the general term is Kyuubi."

Hiruzen lit his pipe and stared at Juko as dread filled his stomach. One of his sensei's stories popping back in his head about this woman and her relationship with the Bijuu. He forced his body not to tremble.

"Yes. Our last Uzumaki holds the fox."

Juko smiled. "When can I meet her?"

Hiruzen cleared his throat. "Him. Young Naruto just made Genin. Kakashi there is his sensei. I'm sure you two can get more acquainted after we have talked more. There are a few things you need to be informed of since your last visit."

Juko just sat there staring at Hiruzen even as her eyes glazed over and she looked to the silent fox sitting up and glaring as he wouldn't meet her eyes. But she saw the twinkle of mirth in their red depths.

Kurama suddenly burst out laughing with his siblings in her mindscape. Juko pouted at them.

'Seriously? This is the cost of me coming back? My counterpart is a boy?' she moans to them. They all continue to laugh at her expense.

Well, you haven't physically visited our hosts in decades. Just checked with us instead of them to make sure we had returned to our previous hosts. Matatabi smiled at her.

Juko pouted at the cat and ignored the other eight Bijuu laughing at her to return to the present.

"What do i need to be informed of?" She asked.

Hiruzen hummed but decided he'd try to put it off as long as possible.

"Nothing that can't wait a few days. Our first priority will be getting you settled in first and then we can get you introduced to the other Shinobi and Kunoichi."

Juko hummed suspiciously. She'd backed off from the Bijuu hosts for a reason. She wanted to see how history would play out. While the Bijuu hadn't reported any horrible abuse on their hosts, there had still been some hiccups. She sent Kurama a look in her mind and he turned away. Her suspicions grew.

Maybe hiding away on her island for so long hadn't been such a good idea. She tended to lose track of time there.

"Whatever you are keeping from me Hiruzen-" Juko said softly, but the warning was clear in her tone and eyes. "Know that i will find out."

Hiruzen sighed and nodded. Instead of speaking, he handed her paperwork for her Shinobi status and citizenship. Once complete, he handed her a hitai-ate. Her eyes softened as she looked at it and ran her fingers over the engraved leaf. She still had her original one from Iruka, her Uzushio one, and now she had her new one. She tied the headband around her neck, took her copies of her paperwork and vanished.

Jiraiya took the seat she emptied and stared holes into his Sensei. "You are avoiding talking to her about something. Why sensei?"

Hiruzen lifted his pipe back to his mouth, but Jiraiya saw his hand shaking.

"Kakashi, you are dismissed. Thank you for your hard work. Return to your team."

"Hai." Kakashi said slowly, but left Jiraiya and the Hokage to talk.

Hiruzen dismissed his ANBU as well and sealed the room. Weary brown eyes locked on Jiraiya.

"I fear that we might incur her anger once she learns how Naruto has been treated."

"What? Why? I mean i know the boy has been treated like an outcast-"

"He's been physically and mentally abused as well. Myself and his ANBU guard have done their best to stop most of it, but he'd still been treated horribly."

Jiraiya felt unease curling in him. "Why, other than being another Uzumaki, would Juko-sama be that angry?"

Hiruzen looked at his student. "I recall a story Tobirama sensei told me once. How the first war was ended by the sharing of the tailed beast power. History says that Hashirama and Mito split them between the villages, but only passed by voice was the truth ever known and only by clan heads and the Jinchuriki's that were part of the original group."

"It is said that the successor of the Rokusannin possessed all nine and split their chakra into hosts chosen by them. The firsts hosts were personally picked by the Rokusannin Successor, and even trained by them until all nine hosts and Bijuu were in sync. It was then the Hosts responsibility to train a suitable host when their time came to an end. As far as i know, only two Jinchuriki are still the originals. The Yonbi and the Gobi. The others have all changed hands or were stolen from their chosen Hosts and put into others by the Kage's choosing in some cases."

"I fear Juko's reactions because I found a Journal with Kushina's things. It was Mito-sama's journal. While she didn't speak much of Juko at her cousin's apparent request, she did speak of her partnership with Kurama. How the tailed beasts loved her cousin. How she was the one that split them to bring peace."

Jiraiya paled. "Kami. She's the Successor of the Roku-Sannin?"

Hiruzen nodded. "I'm sure her wrath will be taken on to any village that has treated the bijuu and their hosts negatively."

"She's a ticking time bomb then."

Hiruzen could only sigh. "Let's hope then that she loves this village like she said she does. Hopefully she wont react too horribly."

Jiraiya deadpanned him. "She's an Uzumaki. Don't let the blonde fool you old man."