As Kushina walked to the training grounds clutching her backpack fearing her new sensei wouldn't get to the fun part of training till later.
"Ah my favorite student." Sakumo said with a teasing smile his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm your only student."
"Exactly. I don't pick favorites so it's gonna suck if you ever get any teammates."
"Geh, what are we gonna do anyways Sakumo-sensei?" Kushina's temper was slowly growing as Sakumo teased her.
"Well I figure we could just get know each other better since yesterday all you did was assault and insult me and my friend,"
"That perv is your friend? I thought you weren't into peeping,"
"Kushina you're getting off track, let's just go get something to eat." Sakumo had heard about her from some of the academy teachers, and was actually excited to teach her. But he was worried she would have trouble understanding the mental aspect of being a shinobi.
As they walked torwards the more crowded streets Kushina noticed that she hadn't recieved a single glare or insult. Instead she was ignored as people mostly women walked up to her sensei and tryed to start up a conversation with him.
"Hi Hatake-san have you been on any cool missions lately?"
"Yeah we can help you relax if you want."
Kushina wanted to drag her sensei out of there as soon as possible, she couldn't stand people like them.
"Um, well that's very kind of you ladies but I'm a bit busy teaching my new student." Sakumo ushered there stares to Kushina which quickly turned from infatuation to hatred.
"You're teaching her?"
Sakumo didn't know how to respond to the question filled with disbelief.
"That's not right you should be teaching some prodigy not some foriegner." Sakumo glanced down to Kushina's sneering face and noticed the sadness in her eyes.
As someone who is always the center of positive attention Sakumo never got to see the more dark side of the villagers, and was very shocked to see his fangirls quick judge of hate to his new student.
"Well you see she's actually very valuable to the village and is not only my student but my dear comrade who I am very protective of," Kushina looked up at her sensei who put his hand on her head. "I'm sorry but if you think lowly of her I don't really want to talk to again."
Kushina smiled at her sensei's defendance of her and the look of shock on the ladies faces.
"Sensei, do you mean that?"
"Of course I do, you're my student. Now what do you feel like eating." Sakumo stared at his student as she went into a rant about wanting ramen and how delicious and amazing it is. She really was very interesting and he decided than and there that he would do his best to protect her whether or not his loyal fan girls approved or not.
"Okay so have you learned about chakra and all that junk they force feed your brain in the academy?"
"Mhmmm," Kushina slurped up a mouth full of noodles "Yeah they taught us all about catchra chukra...eh whatever." Kushina quickly went back to eating her ramen. Sakumo chuckled at his students behavior.
"Well since you can barely pronounce the word I'm guessing you're not to good at controlling it."
"Pft, I got tons of chukra anyways so who cares if I can control it or even pronounce it."
"Well I too have lots of 'chakra' and I find it's very important to control it, but hey who knows I'm only a legend feared throughout the ninja world."
"Mmm... fine what do I gotta do to learn this stuff." Sakumo studied Kushina's expression that was filled with discomfort.
"Well mostly people learn by climbing trees, so we can start off with that."
"Climbing trees I can do that easy."
"Without hands?"
"Well after my legendary sensei teaches me I can do anything right." Sakumo chuckled at the statement.
"Of course now you go get ready to climb trees."
"Hells yeah!"
Kushina's eyes rolled as she listened to her sensei once again get stopped on the road by a kunoichi who was also wondering if Sakumo needed help 'relaxing' after any previous missions. This time her sensei flirted back. After Sakumo got his afternoon plans finished he apologetically looked at his red headed student.
"Sorry about that." Sakumo scratched the back of his head, hoping his student wouldn't kick him in the shin or anything.
"It's fine, I'm kinda used to being set aside, ya know." Kushina pouted making sure to ignore her sensei's questioning stares.
After they reached the training grounds Sakumo quickly demonstrated how to walk up the tree than instructed Kushina on what to do.
Sakumo watched as Kushina ran up splintering the tree and fell back.
"What happened?!" Kushina shouted in frustration.
"Don't put to much chakra in your feet, you need to find the perfect balance."
Kushina stood up, running at the tree again she fell back this time from not enough chakra. The process of Kushina yelling in frustration continued for awhile.
Sakumo stared at his student wondering how he could relate to his student. He used to have to deal with being ignored, but after quickly rising through the ranks he forgot how lonely his childhood had been. The White Fang figured if he just focused on his student, the red head would realise someone cared about her.
After some time passed Kushina collapsed exhausted. Sakumo strode over carefully picking her up and brought her to the post he was sitting by.
"Sensei, I'm hungry again." Kushina mumbled barely awake.
"Hmm, I can't buy you ramen again you'll make me go broke." Sakumo smiled and pulled out two bento boxes. "Here I packed a snack just in case I had to deal with a stubborn gennin."
Kushina took the bento box and started eating slowly.
"Yeah right, you're going out to eat tonight with whats-her-face. I think you're just cheap."
"Haha, how do you know that. Maybe I was just getting mission information."
"I don't think jounin blush when getting handed information."
"True sorry about that, I have known her awhile though." Sakumo chewed on his cheek trying to find the right words to use, "Kushina, I haven't known you very long but I want you to know that I really do mean to protect you, your my subordinate and I always take care of my subordinates."
"Yeah, yeah people say that all the time they don't really mean it." Kushina stared off distancing herself from her sensei.
"Really like who."
"Hmm, the hokage." Sakumo gave Kushina a look questioning her reasoning. "I mean all the other villages think we are soft, so he's kinda been letting people get off with being jerks, ya know."
Sakumo studied Kushina wondering where this information was coming from.
Naturally Sakumo wanted to defend his leader, but knew that some of the Hokage's decisions were questionable. But most of those decisions came from his sensei and the counselors as well.
"Well, I kind of have to agree with you on that. Having so many subordinates does mean you can't focus on every single individual, but dividing those responsibilaties makes it completely possible." Sakumo rested his hand on Kushina's bright red hair. "Some just don't always do their job, or they forget where they come from. Luckily for you I never forgot and promise that I'll always take care of you as long as I can."
Kushina smiled at her sensei and rested her head against him before speaking.
"Pinky promise." Kushina put her smallest finger out as Sakumo entwined his pinky.
"Now, part of this promise does require I make you a strong kunoichi. Keep practicing for a little longer and we'll call it a day alright."
"Yessir!" Kushina jumped up and ran to the tree making it up just a quarter of the way before landing on the ground to repeat the process.
"Okay well I guess I'll meet you here tomorrow morning at ten o'clock."
"Don't ninja have to get up really early in the morning to train." Kushina questioned.
"Hmm, I didn't think you'd be one to complain about time to sleep in. I just wanted my little student to be all rested up from her hard work today, but if you want to wake up early and rush here be my guest." Kushina blinked before quickly walking away.
"YUP! Ten o'clock it is! I'll see ya in the mornin' Sensei." Sakumo smiled at his red headed student before walking in the opposite direction to the barbecue restraunt.