"Who you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say"

"I've never seen so many geese in my life, why are there so many in Uzushio?" Minato called out to the beautiful but fiery woman in front of him in an attempt to make conversation. It seemed as though she would ignore him as usual, but this time she turned to where he was looking.

"The farmers breed them for their fat" She said as if he was a slow child.

"Oh" He said as though he was the slow child she made him out to be. It fell into an uneasy silence again, which Minato didn't like.

After he had met Jinzuk he was introduced to the woman he had seen on the dock when venturing to this far away island. Her name was Kushina. Jinzuk had said she was outspoken and tomboyish but Minato had seen nothing to prove Jinzuk right. She was slight with long hair and had a pretty face with fair skin and almost always ignored his questions or greetings. She was odd.

Unfortunately for him the woman would be his mentor for the entire time he was learning Fuinjustu while Jiraiya scampered off to Uzushio's inside spa's to peak on unsuspecting women. Not that Minato would rather be doing either.

Word had gotten round on the island that the 'Yellow Flash' was on the island and Minato had accidentally accumulated a number of fan girls after chatting with them outside the Uzumaki residence while waiting for Kushina each morning. Whenever Kushina came out she would have a scowl on her face and walk briskly for Minato catch up. The woman was quite difficult to be around to say the least and it seemed not many of the island dweller's liked her.

Minato decided he would get to know her before assuming anything "Why are the geese in a 'V' shape?" He queried, wondering if she would answer this as well.

She sighed almost wearily and then a touch of a smile came to her face. "As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own." She turned to face him, arm's crossed. "People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another."

Minato's mouth was slightly agape, that was the most word's she'd ever said to him in a single sentence. He had been training with her for several day's now and it seemed she was wiser than her arrogant demeanour let on.

Kushina took his silence as a opportunity to tell him more. "And, did you know when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of the formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own." Her voice had turned sour and she looked to the floor with a grimace."If people had the sense of a goose, we would be able to stand by each other like that."

Minato popped the question that he had been wondering since she began. "Why do you know so much about geese?" It came curtly without thought. He wished he could have re-worded it better but it was too late. Her eyes narrowed at him ever so slightly and then she made a 'hmpt' sound.

"When I was young I used to run away from home alot, I would always go to the goose farm. Minato made an unconvincingly 'ah' sound, so she elaborated, if only slightly "I just picked it up O.K!" The corners of Minato's lips lifted up at her attitude.
"I see." He didn't see why the people in the village gave her wary and mean looks, she seemed fun albeit her temperament was a tad short. She whipped her head away from his direction and walked onwards, faster than what was considered 'walking' leaving her student to catch up.

"Minato, if I'm going to teach you properly then you'll have to deal with my temper and outbursts. No complaining" she said so quietly it was almost lost in the wind.

"Jinzuk said you were outspoken but I haven't heard much in regard to that... Only you're fiery temperament" he added quickly, the last bit as an afterthought. She shrugged her shoulder then tossed a lock of her blood red hair over her shoulder.

"A lot of people don't like me because of the things I say, I can be quite mean and rude to those I don't trust. Well only to those that think I'm a ..." She trailed abruptly with a sad face adorning her features, then it was gone and her face was set to stone again.

"Think you're what?" Minato questioned with raised eyebrows. "Nothing" She cut the conversation off and tossed more strands of hair over her shoulder to busy herself. "We need to start training, C'mon Sunshine. Here's a good place." Minato frowned at the nickname with hands in pockets and a scowl on his face.

Minato was a fair person and he treated everyone the same. If he met a noble man or a King he would most likely be banished from their lands for not treating them as a superior. It was just ingrained in his nature. It didn't matter how everyone else viewed that person, he would find out about them himself and make his own choices on what level of respect they could get from him.

"Hey Kushina-san"

"What is it, runt?"

"Who you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say."