Disclaimer: Do Not Own.
Chapter 4: When Leaves Set
"Kushina, I'm coming in," Minato called early in the morning the next day, before sliding the door open and stepping into the room. The red head peered blearily at him from under the covers. Evidently he had woken her up.
"You do realize this isn't your house, right?" she said slowly.
He shrugged. "I said I'd be here in the morning. The housekeeper from yesterday let me in." He grinned. "She likes me."
Kushina's brow furrowed. "Which one?"
"Uh, graying brown hair, gray eyes, a scar shaped like an X on her left hand..."
Her eyes widened. Hisoka-baa-chan? She didn't like anybody.
Great, my household is turning against me.
"If my mother catches you –" she started to threaten.
"Passed her in the hall. Acted like she didn't even know I was there, which we both know she did, despite my henge (1)."
My family, too, apparently.
"How would you know?" she retorted anyway.
Minato's grin stretched wider. "Met her yesterday. Don't worry, she technically, though half-heartedly, told me to go home."
Kushina groaned and pulled the covers back over her head. "Maybe you should listen to her and go home, Namikaze," she said through the fabric. "I keep telling you – leave me alone 'ttebane."
She could practically hear him frown. "Not unless you tell me you hate me, or at least what's going on."
The lump under the covers stayed silent.
"Then you might as well eat the dango (2) I brought."
Kushina heard a rustling, and peaked from under the blankets to see the blonde boy dangling a plastic bag enticingly in front of her. Her stomach growled traitorously. She sighed and flipped the covers off of her, reaching for the bag.
"You must think I'm a pig to be constantly bribing me with food," she muttered as she lifted out the container.
He ignored her. Lips pulled down in a scowl, he said, "How much sleep did you get?"
Kushina flushed slightly. She must look like a mess, having never left the room yesterday. Not to mention her sleep last night was plagued with nightmares of fire, destruction, and monsters with red hair. "I slept enough," she said shortly.
"No you didn't," Minato insisted, "You have bags under your eyes."
"Way to make a girl feel pretty," she mumbled.
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"No, that's exactly what you should mean," she snapped, "I'm not like the other girls who hang off you, Namikaze. I'm not pretty or girly, I don't know how to flirt, or sew, or embroider, or whatever. I'm violent, rude, crass, and – and basically a brute. You shouldn't be around me." I might hurt you.
His frown deepened. "Not a single word of that was true. Well, maybe you don't know how to sew or embroider - I wouldn't really know. But I think you are just as pretty as any other girl, and you are definitely not a brute. But you're right – you're not like others. You're Kushina. You're a clever, skilled, loyal kunoichi that isn't afraid to whack me on the head and doesn't put silly flowers in her hair." Huh?
Regardless, Kushina flushed and turned away, unused to any sort of compliments.
Cautiously, Minato kneeled in front of her and said gently, "You know I never agreed with those kids that tried to bully you back at the Academy, right?"
She stiffened.
"Even when I didn't know you, I never thought you looked like a tomato or anything like that," he elaborated, "And I've told you, I like your red hair." She still refused to look at him, and he sighed. "I've got to go to a training session with my team. I'll see you later, Kushina. Make sure you eat all the dango." With that, he silently slipped out of the room.
"What are you, my mother?" Kushina muttered after him, before slowly pulling one of the sweet rice balls off the stick. "Stupid Minato." Tears began to gather at the corner of her eyes. Why do you always seem to know what to say? Why are you making this harder than it already is? I'm not worth your time.
As she ate silently in the middle of the dim room, loneliness crept over her, suffocating and devastating.
I'm a monster.
"You brats are late!" a fearsome woman roared when Kahoko, Borome, and Minato arrived at the training grounds.
His teammates gaped at her, wide-eyed, as Minato simply observed her with a look of growing comprehension on his face. He internally sighed. A little warning would have been nice, sensei.
"E-excuse me, Tsunade-sama, but may I ask why you are here? Where's Jiraiya-sensei?" Kahoko bravely asked.
"Your sensei is out on a mission, and foolishly asked me to train you three while he's away. Now, I'll say it again – you are late." she demanded shortly.
"B-but we were only late by five minutes!" Borome protested.
The kunoichi arched a brow. "Only five minutes, you say? We're shinobi. Anything can happen in five minutes. Whole armies could be killed in five minutes."
The boy's eyes grew even wider. "Th-that's ridiculous!" he stuttered, before quailing under the sannin's glare.
"W-we'll be five minutes early next time, Tsunade-sama," Kahoko tried to placate.
"That's no good either!" she shouted, "Shinobi are on time. Never early. Never late. Either could get you killed, or worse, compromise the mission."
The two seemed to have nothing to say to that, so the medic switched targets. "You," she snapped at Minato, causing his teammates to take a small step away from him, "You're awfully quiet. Left your spine in bed?"
Minato met her gaze head on. "No, Tsunade-hime. Jiraiya-sensei merely informed me that it's best to let you 'get it out of your system' when you work yourself up like this. He says he ends up with half as many broken bones than usual when he does."
Borome and Kahoko gaped at him, before fearfully turning to watch the woman's reaction. They were too late, however, to see how the corner of Tsunade's lip twitched.
"Alright, boy. For your cheek, you get an extra training session from me after this," she told him threateningly. Kahoko and Borome threw him sympathetic looks. Minato knew better though – he was supposed to have a one-on-one session with Jiraiya today anyway. The sage probably also asked Tsunade to fill in for that too.
"Hai (3), Tsuande-sama."
"Now what are you kids waiting for? Hurry up and get to the lake!"
The genin wasted no time following her command. Once they reached the edge of the water, they looked back questioningly at her. She merely stalked up behind them and shoved Borome forward. "H-hey!" he protested as he stumbled onto the surface of the water.
Tsunade ignored him. "Good, seems he's already taught you water-walking." She nodded at the remaining two. "Go on. You too."
Minato and Kahoko quickly joined their teammate on the water.
"To the middle," their substitute sensei ordered. They complied. As soon as they reached the center, however, the sannin made a fist and released an enormous punch on to the surface of the lake, sending a massive wave toward them. It disrupted the genin's chakra control, sending the three plunging into the lake as the wave crashed over them. Minato was the first to surface, then the other two.
"What was that for?!" Kahoko exclaimed as she tread water.
"You think all water battles happen on a nice, calm lake like this? Or even a smooth river?" Tsunade calmly explained to them, "This is the next step in chakra control – holding yourself up even in turbulent conditions. Master this, and you'll be able to battle on virtually any surface. Now get up!"
They did as they were told, climbing onto the surface of the water, and as soon as their weight shifted unsteadily to their feet, the fearsome kunoichi unleashed another tremendous wave on them. It sent Borome and Kahoko plunging, but Minato managed to keep himself above water, though he did sink a little.
"Oh ho," she arched a brow, "Maybe you actually are the prodigy everyone keeps talking about." Then she shot forward and gave Minato a hard, open-palmed shove, sending him flying across the lake before he dropped into the pool. "Or maybe not." Standing calmly over the water, she rested her hands on her hips. "Come on, you lot! Get up! Or I'll make you train through lunch!"
Minato let himself calmly float back to the surface on his back. Yes, Jiraiya-sensei. A little warning would have been very nice. At least then I would have gotten some dango for myself, too.
The two blondes stood across from each other, gaze calculating. The boy's hair and clothes were still a little damp, but otherwise he looked outwardly none worse for wear. But if one looked very, very closely, one could see that he was at least a little tired. His breathing was slightly faster than normal, and the tiniest drop of sweat rand down his jaw. The woman, however, looked as fresh as daisy, and ready to unleash more torture.
"Alright, kid. We're going to spar," Tsunade informed him. It was sometime in the afternoon, and as she had promised, she had kept them training for lunch. Only after all three of them could do some light sparring on the surface of turbulent water did she let Kahoko and Borome go, making Minato stay for his 'extra training'. "Just you and me, so I can see if Jiraiya was exaggerating. You'd better not hold back or you'll die."
Minato frowned, but nodded.
She held up her right index finger. "To make this a little more interesting, I'll limit myself to this one finger. No other appendages will be used. If you can land a single hit on me, or get me to use more than this finger, you win. Though I doubt that will happen – one finger will be more than enough. Anyway, sound good?"
Minato knew better than to rise up to her baiting. So he simply nodded again and sank into position.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. Brat. "Then begin!"
The boy disappeared.
Well, not really. When he glided behind her, Tsunade tilted her head at exactly the right moment, dodging his kick, before neatly jumping to avoid his other leg. Minato continued to aim precise, calculated blows, and although none of them landed, Tsunade couldn't help but be very slightly impressed.
His taijutsu (4) style is very refined, she observed as she hopped lightly away from another punch, No unnecessary or fancy movements. He's trained himself so that he uses his natural speed to its full advantage. Cerulean eyes pierced at her, sharp gaze never leaving her form even as she tapped his knee with her finger, unbalancing him and forcing him to retreat to compose himself. That only took a fraction of a second, however, and immediately he resumed his attacks.
She took another step back to avoid a kick to the face, and felt a small chakra spike from the ground.
Looking down, she had just enough time to note glowing spots in the dirt, before jumping high in the air to avoid the subsequent explosion. He's trying to be clever, huh? Tsunade smirked as she gracefully touched down and waited for the debris and dust to settle. When the now-desecrated meadow came back into view, though, the blond had actually disappeared from sight.
Hm, alright little brat. Let's play some hide-and-seek. Her eyes and senses roamed the clearing. She grudgingly had to hand it to the kid – he was good. She couldn't feel his chakra at all. She was no sensor, but it was still a feat – especially for an eleven year-old genin. However, she didn't need to sense him to figure out where he was.
Smirking, she bent forward and plunged her index finger into the untouched ground, created large chasms that fractured and branched until most of the land in front of her was uprooted and sunken in. Minato's intense blue stare was waiting for her when the chunks of earth fell away. "Nice try, kid," she called, "But you'll have to do better than that."
The boy hopped onto one of the broken pieces of earth and charged at her again, once more attempting to make his taijutsu work. Maybe he isn't all Jiraiya says he is, Tsunade mused, if he's being as stubborn as this.
Just as she was losing her patience with his futile kicks and punches, though, he suddenly retreated to the edge of the clearing, forming a hand sign as he went. Tsunade narrowed her eyes. What's he up t—.
Wires shot up from the ground, crisscrossing in every which way to utterly surround her from all sides. Each wire had multitudes of explosive tags hanging from them, and Tsunade could tell that the slightest movement on her part would set all of them off.
"Hm, you do realize, kid, that this is not nearly enough to kill me or even injure me?"
From some branch of a tree, Minato shrugged. "Of course I realize, but the objective you laid out for me was to either strike you or get you to use more than one finger. Any hand sign requires more than one finger."
Tsunade nodded in approval."I'll admit, you came up with good strategy. Getting a feel for my movements by engaging me with taijutsu. Distracting me with that explosion so that you could hide out underground and set up this little trap. Finally, using what you learned from our initial confrontation to drive me to the right position. However, you forget…"
With that she suddenly appeared right behind him, her nail to his throat. At her previous position in the clearing laid the harmless log.
"Not all ninja need hand signs."
Minato sighed, Tsunade smirked. "You lose, kid."
"Isn't there something inherently wrong about a fully grown adult mooching a meal off of an eleven year-old?" Minato wondered as they sat in Ichiraku's Ramen stand.
Tsunade flicked this cheek. "Don't be cheeky, brat. To the victor go the spoils." She went back to her ramen.
"Well, I guess that's alright then," he shrugged, before taking a bite of his own ramen.
Tsunade frowned. "You know, kid, you're far too nice."
"I was just resigning to your argument," he pointed out.
She ignored him. "Girls don't like pushovers, you know."
Minato smiled. "That's up to them, isn't it?"
The older woman narrowed her eyes. "Are you really Jiraiya's student?"
Minato only laughed and popped a fishcake into his mouth. "Sensei's not that bad."
Tsunade arched a brow, smirking. "Did he ever tell you about the one time he almost died?"
The boy gazed at her questioningly, his blue eyes innocently wide, a sharp contrast to the intensity and piercing quality Tsunade had seen as they had battled. "No, although I am getting the feeling this isn't simply a matter of a very difficult mission."
The female sannin scoffed. "Hmph, not at all. I caught him trying to peep on me while in the women's baths."
Understanding grew on the boy's face. "I see."
Tsunade gave him a dark look. "Would you like to know what I did to him?"
Minato felt a drop of sweat trickle down his hairline. "Er…no?" he said hesitantly.
She ignored him. "I broke both his arms, six of his ribs, and ruptured several internal organs. He was in the hospital for months."
There was a long, heavy pause.
Tsunade suddenly smacked a hand onto his head, making the boy hunch under the weight. "But you would never follow in your sensei's footsteps, right boy?"
"…Yes, ma'am." Minato had to resist the urge to inch away as he was hit with a sudden but important realization. Females are scary…Still, eventually a smile crept onto his face.
The kunoichi eyed him suspiciously, removing her hand. "Does anything about this seem funny to you?"
"No, no, it's just…it reminds me of someone I know."
Her brow arched. "Oh?"
Minato lifted the bowl to his lips to drink the rest of his broth. "Mmhm." Setting the bowl down once he was done, he stood up. "Teuchi-san, is that other order ready?"
"Here you go, son," the man plopped the carry-out bag on the counter. "You tell her I said hello, and that we miss seeing her around."
"It's only been a couple days," the boy pointed out.
The ramen chef gave a throaty chortle, "Exactly."
Minato laughed, taking the bag. "Thanks, Teuchi-san."
"No problem, son. You're a good kid."
Minato ducked his head, embarrassed. "Thanks again. I'll just get going, now. I'll see you tomorrow, Tsunade-sama," he addressed the woman who had been watching the exchange with a sharp eye.
"Don't be late, brat."
He nodded. "Yes, ma'am," he said, before departing.
"And don't call me 'ma'am'," she muttered, before turning to the ramen chef. "What was that about, if you don't mind me asking?"
Teuchi grinned as he wiped a recently washed bowl. "Oh, he's bringing some ramen to Kushina-chan. Apparently she hasn't been feeling well, lately."
"Kushina?"
"Uzumaki Kushina. She's from Whirlpool, but has been a regular here since we opened. She calls herself a tomboy, and apparently used to beat up all the bullies back at the Academy. She's a softie at heart, though." His grin turned mischievous. "Especially when she's around Minato-kun, though she'll never admit it."
Hmm… She must be the girl Jiraiya had talked about briefly. An Uzumaki, huh? He could do worse. At least it sounds like she has guts.
Speaking of, I should probably visit baa-chan soon…
"Nothing? You brought me back nothing?!" the Sandaime Tsuchikage raged, slamming his hands on his desk as he hovered over the floor.
The ninja in front of him kneeled, quivering. "F-forgive me, Sandaime-sama. I-I don't remember anything. I don't even remember going to Konoha at all."
"N-nor I," echoed his teammates.
"Do you know what that means?" Oonoki growled. He didn't wait for an answer. "It means you were caught! You were taken to Konoha's T&I department, wrung for every bit of information you had, had your memories wiped, and then had your useless behinds left on my doorstep! Konoha's laughing at me!"
The squad sank lower to the floor. "F-forgive us, Tsuchikage-sama…"
Oonoki plopped sharply onto his chair. "Leave me. You three are suspended from active duty until further notice. I will also rethink your recent promotions."
"H-hai, Tsuchikage-sama." They fled.
Oonoki suppressed a sigh, and closed his eyes in thought. Idiots. And people wonder why I haven't chosen a successor yet? Still, the three had come back basically unscathed. Their reports had only stopped three days ago. That was not enough time to recover from any serious injury, which meant they hadn't been much of a challenge for whoever had apprehended them.
I should have sent someone more skilled.
But this was only supposed to be a reconnaissance mission. They were not supposed to engage the enemy. Just observe the genin teams. Even before their failure, though, they hadn't provided any useful information. They had been stupid enough to start with the fresh genin teams. It wasn't until Oonoki had pointed out to them in a…strongly-worded missive that fresh genin teams would not be promoted to chuunin anytime soon did they start looking at other squads. The Tsuchikage still didn't understand, though, how they had been detected and captured so easily. Had they been taken by surprise? That made no sense – they were supposed to be watching them.
Oonoki grimaced. They must have been stupid enough to pick the squad with Jiraiya or Hatake Sakumo as the sensei. Yes that was it.
At least one piece of information had been interesting.
"An Uzumaki in Konoha. I can think of only a few reasons why she'd be there," Oonoki mused, fingers steepled. "Not to mention why Kumo would want her. Now, what to do…"
And so, the Sandaime Tsuchikage plotted, never noticing the small amphibian that hopped off the windowsill.
"Kushina!" a voice called through her room door.
The girl growled from her nest of covers. "Go away Namikaze!"
The screen slid open. "Now, is that anyway to speak to your mother?"
Kushina's back straightened. "Kaa-chan?" She turned her head away. "I'd like to be left alone," she mumbled.
"And I've left you alone, all of yesterday and for the better part of today. Now, though, it's time you come with me." Yuuhiko walk into the room and threw open the shutters, letting fresh air in.
Her daughter curled in her knees. "I don't want to."
"I'm not giving you an option," she said sternly. She knelt gently in front of her and brushed the lank, red strands away from her face. "Little one, I can't even imagine what you are going through right now, but I need you to trust me." Yuuhiko's heart clenched at seeing the somber look in her daughter's normally lively eyes. "Please? For your kaa-chan."
Slowly, Kushina nodded, and stood. Her legs shook, and when she teetered, Yuuhiko gently steadied her.
"Hisoka-san!" Yuuhiko called.
The housekeeper stepped in, head bowed. "Yes, Yuuhiko-sama?"
"Please take Kushina to the baths. I will be by in fifteen minutes to pick her up."
"Understood." The woman gently led Kushina away, and Yuuhiko watched as she left, observing the slump in the child's shoulders and the defeated aura around her.
I hope this works…
If Kushina was expecting anything when her mother told her she was taking her somewhere, it definitely wasn't this.
"Come here, child." The elderly lady sat on the edge of her large bed, beckoning to her. Her hair was a dull red that had probably been as vivid as hers in her youth, with parts of it tied into two buns on either side of her head. Wrinkles lined a kind face and a violet diamond marked her forehead.
Uzumaki Mito…
Kushina walked slowly to her, and Mito immediately took her hand in both of hers. There was a warm, soft, reassuring air about her, like a real grandmother. Kushina immediately felt herself relaxing the presence of the current Kyuubi jinchuuriki, and her walls began to fall.
"I know, child. I know what you must be thinking, feeling. I know." Her frail fingers stroked hand. "But it won't do to push everyone you care about away."
Kushina felt tears that she had though had long dried up begin to form in the corners of her eyes. Her lungs began heaving, and she whimpered. "I d-don't – I don't understand. Why me?"
The retired kunoichi regarded her somberly. "It's true, Kushina-chan, that you were chosen because of your special chakra. But that's not all." She stroke the hair that framed the girl's face. "Tell me, child, what do you think it means to be an Uzumaki?"
She sniffed. "S-seals…longevity…r-red hair…"
Mito chuckled. "Yes, all true, but you are missing the most important part. We are a strong clan, yes, with considerable skill in sealing. But we have no kekkei genkai (5). Other clans may grow to protect their clan secrets. We grow to protect our precious people."
The girl regarded her with wide eyes.
"It is for the sake of those we love that we train so hard. Develop new seals. It was for the sake of someone I loved that I sealed the Kyuubi into me." She placed a hand on her belly. "Now, do you have someone? For whom you'd be willing to sacrifice your life in order to protect?"
Kushina nodded. "K-kaa-chan."
Mito shook her head. "That won't do. It is the parent's duty to protect the child. Your mother would die before she let you die for her."
Kushina bit her lip. Even if that were true, she didn't like it.
"Is there someone else? Someone just as precious?"
You're hair is beautiful, so I noticed right away.
The smallest blush rose in the girl's cheek, making Mito chuckle. "Yes, there is," she answered for her. "That's why it has to be you, Kushina-chan. The Kyuubi is created from hate. Only someone who loves could ever keep it at bay. The most important thing we Uzumaki do, and your mother believes you do, is love. Do you understand?"
The girl blinked back her tears, and nodded.
"Come, child." Mito gently tugged on her hand, and Kushina obligingly knelt onto the floor, placing her head in the elder woman's lap. Stroking her hair, Mito continued. "But you know, child, there is one more thing."
She looked up at her questioningly.
"We are the vessels of the Kyuubi, but only that. Vessels. We are not the Kyuubi itself," Mito explained, "And before we fill the vessels with a tailed beast, we must fill them with love. That must come first. Fill yourself with love, child, and then you will live a life of happiness, jinchuuriki or not."
"Fill myself…with love?"
Mito nodded. "That's right. Meaning you can't push your precious people away. Forge stronger bonds. Believe in the ones that care about you. Love and be loved."
Kushina closed her eyes, and rested her head against Mito's lap again, subjecting herself to the woman's comforting touch. Love and be loved…Protect…
I do have people I want to protect. And who can protect them from the Kyuubi better than I can?
To protect, you have to be strong, a voice inside her pointed out.
And I am. I will be. I will be strong. I will protect.
A face with cerulean eyes and shocking yellow hair grinned at her.
I will love.
(1) Henge = Tranformation jutsu
(2) Dango: A sweet, rice ball-type thing on a stick. Anko was seen eating them constantly.
(3) Hai: A very formal way of saying "Yes" in Japanese. Think military "Sir, yes sir!"
(4) Taijutsu: Physical technique. Basically, martial arts as we think of it.
(5) Kekkei genkai: blood line trait
A/N: Sorry for the wait. Finals time. Yikes.
