"You want to leave don't you?"
Kushina settled herself into a comfy position on her student and Minato plopped his heavy head back on top of hers lazily. She began her history lesson, for Minato's ears only. She would tell him of the Uzumaki's origin before her own.
"The Uzumaki's are related to the God of the ocean, Ebisu and his wife, a red haired, water nymph. Having such powerful ancestors was a blessing as much as a curse. Ebisu's children were cruel, disobedient and uncontrollable." Kushina paused to recall her memory of what Oba-san had told her as a child.
"He cursed them all to mortality, created an island in the middle of the ocean and placed them there as punishment for their ungodly behaviour. Today we know the island as Whirlpool country. To make sure they never left, he stripped their ability to swim. If they tried their bodies would grow heavier and heavier until they would sink like a rock."
So Uzumaki's couldn't swim? That explained why Tsuri had to be sent to hospital Minato thought to himself.
"Many people tried to get off the island and drowned not even halfway to land, other's built boats but the tides of Ebisu would take them under to the depths of the ocea-"
"Kushina" Minato interrupted and she frowned angrily then gave a curt 'what?'
"That Tsuri girl fell into a river earlier, she's in hospital now. I hadn't realised it was so life threatening..." Minato felt bad for not telling Kushina earlier now.
Kushina gasped then nodded slightly, it was something that happened occasionally. "...She's a snob but one of the few people I don't mind."
"Many Uzumaki's have died by accident near that river, I'm glad she lived... Why didn't you tell me earlier!" She jabbed her elbow very hard into his side.
"My apologies." He said sincerely. Kushina thought about Tsuri and how she didn't mind her despite the girl always being rude to her as a child, she had a hard life like Kushina albeit she was better off and always would be.
Minato snuggled his cheek into Kushina's hair. "Tell me more." He said like a child who was listening to a new bed time story.
"Like I said, Uzumaki's are related to the God of the ocean and will always have a long lifespan despite their mortality. They can't swim and fear water so much that most won't go near it anymore. Hence the reason we have never moved from this island and continue to learn fuinjutsu, so that one day we might be able to live freely."
"What does fuinjutsu have to do with it?" Minato asked quizzically.
"The Uzumaki people were so obsessed and fearful of water that they decided they would get rid of it. That they would find a way to seal all of the water in the oceans and sea's in a scroll. So they have continued to learn sealing to this very day, though master's of it, we still haven't found a way to seal it."
"You want to leave don't you?"
Minato had seen it when she said 'we'. Kushina was the best fuinjutsu master on the island. She smiled at his knowledge. Of course she wanted to leave this wretched island, but she as well was scared of the water. Many Uzumaki had left by boat, saying Ebisu was gone and would not send waves to tip the boats but many would not leave. Tsuri was one of the few who did not fear water and look what happened to her.
"Why don't you go by boat?" He asked her softly
"Ebisu may tip my boat and besides were would I go? I want to learn to seal the ocean away and that way my family can come with me... Also, then they will respect me." She confided in the sunshine blonde. Respect? Minato knew respect, he craved it himself. His dream was to become Hokage one day, but he felt Kushina's crave for respect far exceeded his.
"Don't you know the nine Gods of this world no longer exist?" Minato changed the subject slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"The God's were killed by a ninja, this ninja placed the tailed beast's inside their bodies. The God of the ocean, Ebisu, is dead, in his place is a tailed beast, or rather a demon sea turtle." Minato finished off lamely.
"The Kyuubi no Kitsune body was once the God of the forests." He added.
"Whaa?" The Kyuubi was placed in Mito at birth one hundred and thirty-two years ago, meaning Ebisu must have died around that time. Sure the Uzumaki were still cursed with drowning but at least they could leave by boat with out the meddling God's interference. They had been able to for around one hundred and thirty-two years but the people were so fearful they never took the chance.
"How did you know that Minato-kun?" She asked slightly excited by the news.
"I have great sensei, like you and Jiraiya that tell me secrets they aren't supposed to." He dead panned. Kushina looked away at this.
"You still haven't told me the story of why you're an evil sea monster." Minato whined while swaying his head side to side. Kushina told him she was joking about that but it had some truth to it. She was in no way 'human'.
"Okay, I'll tell my story..."