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Prologue
Sayōnara Konohagakure
"KAA-SAN, WHEWE AWE WE goin'?" The sweet, innocent voice of her four year old son, Menma, made Uzumaki Kushina blink her brilliant steel blue eyes before glancing down at the toddler. A small, tired, but no less joy filled smile crept onto her face as the twenty-eight year old kunoichi knelt down, mindful of the sleeping nine month old in her arms. Shifting her precious burden into a more comforting grip, she reached out and placed a tanned hand on the little boy's midnight red locks, causing the little boy to giggle.
"We're going to go and visit Kaa-san's home village, remember Men-chan?" Kushina said. Light blue eyes blinked up at the woman, before the toddler smiled widely, showing off his pearly white teeth, his whisker-like scars crinkling from the force of the smile.
"Will we be able ta 'ave Wamen thewe Kaa-san?" the four year old asked seriously, looking slightly concerned at the thought of not eating the delicious wonders of Ramen. Kushina laughed, ruffling her only son's hair as she nodded, though it wasn't her that replied.
"Of course we'll be able to eat Ramen Menma!" her eldest son proclaimed, leaping to his feet from where sat playing with his little sisters. "Do you really think that Kaa-san would take us to a place with no ramen?"
The four year old pursed his lips in thought, before rapidly shaking his head. "Iie, I don' sink so, Ren-nii-san." he said. Ren grinned, pleased with himself, as he turned violet orbs onto his mother's amused steel blue.
"Right, Kaa-san? You would NEVER take us somewhere with no Ramen!" the eight year old questioned, and Kushina just barely swallowed her chuckle as she nodded.
"Hai hai, we'll be able to have ramen in Uzu." Kushina said, grinning when her sons cheered. She leaned forward, exaggeratedly glancing around them, before beckoning her sons closer. They leaned in, eyes wide as their mother began to conspiratorially whispered in their ears. "In fact, Ichiraku-san's Otou-san lives in Uzu, so we can still have Ramen Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday and every other Sunday, dattebane!" The little boys stared wide eyed at their mother, before letting out shouts of joy, throwing their hands into the air. In her arms, her nine month old stirred, a frown pulling on the edges of her innocent face.
"Shh Ren-chan, Men-chan!" Kushina quickly motioned with her finger, "you have to be quiet, or else you'll wake up 'Sumi-chan, Nami-chan, and Naru-chan!"
Immediately the little boys quieted down, placing their hands over their mouths tightly as they glanced at their sleeping sisters. Kasumi and Nami, the oldest girls, were a pair of two year old twins, with Kasumi being only seventeen minutes older Nami.
The girls were identical in every way; vibrant reddish-yellow hair splayed across their heads to rest above their shoulders; Kushina suspected that their hair would eventually mellow into mikan orange as they grew older. Crimson brown orbs, full of innocence and wonder, though was now covered by lightly tanned eyelids, usually stared at anything and everything that they saw.
Kushina knew that, had they been awake, both girls would have been glaring at their older brothers for their loud noises.
"G-Gomen Kaa-san," Menma murmured his face downcast. He and his Ren-nii-sama had almost woke their precious baby sisters! That was a definite no-no, an act so unforgivable, that even Time-Out would seem more pleasant. Kushina chuckled and patted her sons on their heads, drawing them nearer to her.
"That's alright Men-chan, so long as you remember to keep it down. Remember what...what Tou-san always said?" Kushina swallowed thickly, her grip unconsciously tightening on her nine month old daughters still body at the mention of her deceased husband. Menma nodded, though his expression turned to one of longing at the mention of his Tou-san. Ren flinched and looked away, tears welling up into his eyes, causing Kushina to sigh and place a gentle hand onto the back of her eldest sons back.
The loss of their father had been hard on them all, though was harder on Ren. He was the eldest, and had spent the most time with their Otou-san. Kushina knew that, as time went on, only she and Ren would be able to clearly remember Minato.
Kasumi and Nami would only remember a blonde haired figure, while Naruto...Naruto would never know the warmth of her Otou-san's arms. Kushina slapped her face with a forceful mental slap, scolding herself for letting her mind wander.
It was no time to be dwelling in the past right now; now, she had to continue moving forward, if not for herself, but for Minato and her precious children.
"Tou-san always said, 'cwanky babies is no fun; day make da 'Okage wun away in feaw'," the child replied with such solemnity, that Kushina had to bit her lip to keep from bursting into laughter. Damn it, Menma was just so cute, with his violet orbs and chubby cheeks!
"Hai, very good Men-chan," Kushina praised, ruffling the younger's head. Menma giggled, eyes shining brightly, and she felt her eldest son's body tremble as he gazed fondly down at his otouto. A pang of wistfulness rang through out her body; Ren was growing up so fast. Could it really have been eight years ago, nine in a few days, that Kushina had gone up to Minato, her hair flying behind her as she punched him in the face? Since she had announced, to basically the entire village that, because of a drunken one night stand, the great Yellow Flash of Konoha was going to be a father?
It was almost unbelievable, and almost seemed like she was dreaming; that, at any moment, Mikoto would come barging through her window, followed by the much more confident Hinako, demanding that she got up before they were late for their next mission? But then, she would look at her children as they played together, as they laid in small piles in front of the heater when it got too cold, gently cuddling one another as they slept, and think 'If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.'
Even though her beloved husband, her mate, her soul, was now passed, she would never give it up for the world.
A flare of chakra caught her attention from outside, and she peered out of the corner of her eye at the silhouetted figure began to lazily walk towards her home – no, not her home; not anymore. A grin was smothered when she saw Ren blink and look around curiously, before returning to playing with Menma; his chakra sensitivity was getting better.
"Ne, Ren-chan, Men-chan, why don't you go and see if Kakashi-kun is here, alright, dattebane?" Ren and Menma's eyes light up as they nodded, quickly running to the front door. Together they peeked through the curtains to see outside, Ren's body unconsciously shielding his otouto's in case of an attack. Once again, Kushina stiffed a giggle; Ren was a good nii-san, though she knew that, eventually, his younger siblings would become frustrated with Ren's 'mother henning'.
The boys let out a small exclamations of delight, only remembering at the last second to keep quiet, before they stumbled over each other, both wanting to pull off the protective seal first.
It was only after a minor scuffle, in which she gently, but firmly scolded the two, before the door was flung open and two blurs; one midnight red, the other, blood red, flew three to immediately latch onto the silver haired teen's clothed leg. Hatake Kakashi, fourteen year old jōnin, grinned down at the little boys, his one eye crinkling at the edges as he leaned down and patted them on the heads.
"Ohayou Ren-chan, Men-chan, Genki nishitetaka? (You been doing good?)" Kakashi asked kindly.
"Genki dayo, Kashi-nii-san! (Yeam, I'm good!)" Menma said, grinning up at the teen.
"Ah, omaewa? (Yeah, you?)" Ren said politely, grinning up at his 'nii-san'. Kakashi chuckled, and nodded.
"Maa, maa, genki, Ren-chan. (Maa, maa, I'm good)" Kakashi said, stepping lightly into the hallway. His lips pursed a little when he noticed that he had begun to take of his sandles, having been so used to it. "Where's Kushina-nee-san?" he questioned, single eye sadly gazing at the bare walls; walls that once held pictures of the Namikaze-Uzumaki family, along with himself and his nakama.
"Kaa-san is waiting for you with 'Sumi-chan, Nami-chan and Naru-chan in the living room, Kashi-nii-san!" Ren replied, grasping the older teen's glove covered hand in his own, Menma copying his actions. Together, the two pulled Kakashi forward, determined to bring their nii-san to their kaa-san. Kakashi rolled his eye, using his foot to close the door, before dutifully following the two younger boys.
"Ohayou, Kushina-nee-san," Kakashi said brightly, smiling when his sensei's wife waved at him
"Ohayou, Kakashi-kun; Genki nishitetaka?" Kushina asked brightly, gently placing Naruto in Ren's arms before she stood. Both watched the two boys as the began to talk to their little sister, Menma's hands gently petting her vibrant blonde hair as they walked towards Kasumi and Nami.
"Genki, genki Kushina-nee-san. Omaewa?"
Kushina snorted as she walked towards two large scrolls, almost as tall as she was, leaning against a bare wall. "I've been better, Kashi-kun." A tired hand ran down her face, before she brought her hands together in an all to familiar sign. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The young women said, and immediately, two Bunshin's appeared next to Kushina, who just pursed her lips.
"The council is demanding that I turn Naru-chan in to Danzo." Kushina said angrily, helping strap the large scroll to her Bunshin's back. Kakashi growled, his eye flickering over to look at Naruto, before returning to his Aneki's face.
"When will they learn that you would never do that?" Kakashi asked, slightly rhetorically. Kushina snorted and replied with a bitter, "Never." before strapping the other scroll to her second Bunshin.
Kakashi walked over to Kushina and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face just below her ample breasts. "Anata ga inakute sabisii desu, Kushina-nee-san. (I'll feel lonely because you are not here/I will miss you)." Kushina's eyes turned sad, as she wrapped her arms around the teen's shoulders.
"And I, you, Kakashi-kun."
They stood like that, basking in each others presence, knowing that this would be the last time in a while before they saw one another again, before they separated.
Kushina leaned down and rested her forehead against the teens, her bare skin touching the cold metal of the headband.
"There's nothing I can do to convince you to change your mind, is there?" there was depressed resignation in his tone, causing Kushina to sigh and frown softly as she stared into his dark silver eye, that was, at most times, mistaken as black.
"Iie, Kakashi-kun, there is nothing you can say, or do, to change my mind. I never wanted Naru-chan to be the Jinchūriki of Kurama; I didn't want any of my children to become a Jinchūriki, though I knew that I would have to choose one day. I especially didn't want any of them to become a Jinchūriki at birth."
She sighed, her eyes closing in pain. "I know how it is for Jinchūriki in this village; in any village, though Konoha will be the worst right now. If we were to stay here, Naru-chan would be destroyed. The villagers will treat my poor little girl like she is scum, calling out hurtful names, throwing things at her, abusing her. They would treat her as a monster, when she is not. I-I can't subject her to that; I can't, dattebane!" Her eyes snapped open, showing the tortured steel blue to her husband's nakama. "Naru-chan's just a baby; she hasn't had the time that Mito-oba-san and I had to prepare to become a living jailer to Kurama; I had twelve years to prepare my mind, body, and soul. Mito-oba-san had thirteen, dattebane! We had a decades worth of preparation to face the scorn and hate of the villagers; the fear and madness of those who view the jailers as the jailed.
"I can't keep her isolated in our house, because she is both mine and Minato's musume (daughter); if she is anything like her older siblings, Naru-chan will have both of our stubbornness, Kashi-kun. If I kept her locked up, I'd be doing more harm then good for my Naru-chan, even for Ren-chan, Men-chan, 'Sumi-chan and Nami-chan, dattebane!" A single, crystalline tear slipped down her cheek, her voice fading into a broken whisper. "I can't do that to my babies. I can't do that to Minato or myself."
Kakashi gazed sadly into Kushina's eyes, a saddened look upon his own face, before he nodded. "I understand Kushina-nee-san." He leaned up and placed a cloth covered kiss onto her cheek, smiling when the older woman smiled.
A gentle tugging on the edges of her Shinobi regulated pants caused her to look down into the concerned face of her eight year old.
Ren hadn't seen his kaa-san cry since tou-san had gone to Nirvana after protecting the village from the evil masked man who had threatened Naru-chan and released Kurama-sama. With his hand, so small and delicate, but already with traces of scars from kunai accidents, clasped into his kaa-san's long trench coat that tou-san had given her for her birthday, he frowned up at her.
"Kaa-san, why are you crying?"
Kushina blinked and sniffled, kneeling down and bringing her son into a one-armed hug. "Gomen Ren-chan. Kaa-san was just thinking of my Mito-oba-san. Did I scare you, -ttebane?" Ren studied the red haired woman's face intently, bright blues flickering as he took in the sight, before smiling widely.
"Iie, Kaa-san; I'm fine!" the eight year old declared, before yawning loudly. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly, scowling when Kakashi chuckled. "Kaa-san, are we ready to go yet? You said that I could sleep when we left."
Kushina nodded and placed a kiss atop her son's shaggy hair. "Hai, we're ready to go Ren-chan. Go get Naru-chan and Men-chan for me, dattebane?
"Hai, Kaa-san!" the eight year old said, quicky running over to where his ototou was holding Naruto in his small arms, eagerly chatting away about something or another to the sleeping blonde.
"Men-chan, it's time to go!" Ren said, kneeling down to gently cradle Naruto into his own arms. The younger boy grinned and shot to his feet, toddling his way over to his Kaa-san and his Kashi-nii-san.
"Up, pwease!" he said to Kakashi, who snorted but complied.
"Ophm; your getting heavy Men-chan, what has your Kaa-san been feeding you?" Kakashi teased, gently poking the younger boy's stomach. Menma giggled and exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air, "Ramen!"
Kakashin snorted and rolled his eye. "Honestly, I don't know why I asked." He yelped when Kushina slapped him upside the head, scowling at the laughing toddler in his arms.
"Urusai, Kashi-kun (Shut up)."
Kakashi whined, but complied, moving into a corner to sulk with Menma laughing away. Kushina rolled her eyes, before turning to Ren, who was clutching his imouto tightly to his chest. "Give me Naru-chan please, Ren-chan, and then go grab 'Sumi-chan and Nami-chan for the Bunshin's, -ttebane." Ren nodded.
"Hai, Kaa-san."
The little boy's hair fluttered behind him as he bent down and gently grabbed Kasumi from the floor, placing her into his Kaa-san's Bunshin's arms. "Arigato, Ren-chan!" the Bunshin said, and Ren grinned as he handed Nami to the other one.
"Come on Ren-chan!" Kushina called, squating down so that her eldest could climb onto her back, Naruto secured tightly to her kaa-san's chest with a baby blue sash. Ren's eyes light up as he ran towards his kaa-san, jumping onto her back and wrapping his legs around her waist.
"Are we gonna fly, Kaa-san?" The boy asked in childish glee, casuing the two Jōnin to laugh. "Hai, Ren-chan, we're going to fly, -ttebane."
After double checkig to make sure that she hadn't dropped anything, and that her now five sleeping children were secured properly, they left.
"Are Jiji and Ero-sennin-"
"At the gate? Hai, I escorted Hokage-sama down myself." Kakashi said, absently hefting the three year old further up his back before softly closing the door to his sensei's house. Together, Sharingan no Kakashi and the Chishio no Habanero of Konoha walked away from the small, but roomy house, located in the center of the Namikaze Clan Compound. Their footsteps echoed almost eerily, only interrupted by the rustling of the sakura trees.
Kushina gazed sadly at the compound, memories of her chasing Minato and Ren around, her hair raising in a mockery of Kurama's tails as she yelled at them. The echoes of their laughter rang around them; the screams of delight when Kushina had found out that she was pregnant again; the yells of fond anger at her two idiotic boys, soon to be joined by a third.
The gathering of Minato's genin team and her own team as the celebrated a successful mission. The utter joy – and disgust – when Ero-sennin brought his new book to show off to his students.
So many memories of Minato and their family; memories that would forever be held in her heart.
And as the gate rang closed, the Namikaze Seal, entwined with the Uzumaki's, glowed, before a the compound faded from sight, Uzumaki Kushina closed her eyes tightly, resting a gentle hand on the invisible gate.
"Sayōnara, Mina-kun." she whispered, her eyes gazing lovingly at the blank field, before her face became determined. She spun on her heel, crimson red locks splaying out behind her, and, with a sharp nod to Kakashi, they took off.
Absently, she felt her musuko wave his hand, his small words ringing in her ears as a smile flickered across her face. "Sayōnara, Otou-san; I'll take good care of them, okay?"
They traveled in silence, only interrupted by Ren's quiet laughter as they leapt from rooftop to rooftop, heading to the Eastern Gates of the village she had come to love. Every now and then, they saw a brief flash of white as an ANBU would go past them, though neither of the groups stopped. They were all on a mission; and even though it saddened both parties to not say goodbye, they knew it was for the best.
Several minutes later, they arrived at the large gates that were closed for the night; only the smaller door was open, showing the almost hauntingly dark forest that they were to travel. Kushina gave a small grunt as she dropped to the ground, her stomach twinging in protest, before she stood. Her steely blue gaze rose to the still figures of the Sandaime Hokage and the Toad Sage stood, or in the case of the Sage, leaned against the side of the cart, both quietly talking to one another.
They glanced up when Kushina arrived, moving forward almost as one to get a better view of the Hokage's wife.
Kushina knew that she looked different; nine months of almost no training, as well as the extraction of the Kyūbi, had taken its toll on her body. It was only thanks to Rin, who had sacrificed her life to save the dying ex-Jinchūriki, that she was here now.
"Sarutobi-jii, Ero-sennin," Kushina said, grinning at the mock annoyed looks the two sent her as Kakashi bowed at the waist to his Hokage.
Gama Sennin no Jiraiya grinned, pushing himself off of the cart to walk over to his genin's wife, wrapping his arms around her a gentle hug, ruffling his eldest godson's hair as he did so. "Gaki (brat)," he said fondly, pushing back so that she was at arms length. "Genki nishitetaka?"
Kushina rolled her eyes, squatting when she felt her musuko wiggle on her back, a silent demand to be let down. "Genki, Ero-sennin. Omaewa? And you, Sarutobi-jiji?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sandiame Hokage, rolled his eyes as he took a puff of his pipe, before replying with a fond, if slightly exasperated,"Genki dayo, Kushina-chan", Jiraiya echoing his statement.
Kushina looked down when her pants were tugged, gazing into Ren's bright blues. "Kaa-san, can I hold Naru-chan?" he asked, and Kushina smiled.
"Hai, Ren-chan; just let Ero-sennin hold her for a moment, ne? Why don't you go take Nami-chan from my Bunshin, so that they can load the cart, -ttebane?" Ren beamed up at his kaa-san, nodding rapidly, before running off to help. He only offered a quiet 'hello' to Sarutobi, sticking his tongue out at Jiraiya as he ran past.
"Tch, what have you been teaching that gaki, Kushina?" Jiraiya demanded, gently taking his youngest goddaughter out of Kushina's arms. Kushina gave him a deadpanned look.
"To not be wooed by your hentai ways." she said, her face straight, while Sarutobi chuckled. Jiraiya began to shed crocodile tears, turning his head to gaze at his goddaughter.
"Do you see how mean your Kaa-san is to me Naru-chan?" He whined. "She's so mean! So called me a regular old hentai! Iie! I am Mount Myobokugama's Holy Master Sennin, also known as Gama Sennin! I am Jiraiya, the Super Pervert!"
A ringing slap echoed around the path as Kushina slapped Jiraiya, her Killing Intent leaking from their confines.
"URUSAI!" she shouted, eye twitching, Naruto once again in her arms as Jiraiya went flying. Sarutobi sighed in embarrasment; even after all these years, his student was still a hentai.
Kakashi watched in horrified awe as Kushina, after placing Naruto into his arms, proceded to beat the Sannin. He startled when a wrinkled hand landed on his shoulder, and dark silver leaped up to gaze into his Hokage's old, wizened onyx orbs.
"Though she might be small, Kushina-chan is a powerhouse." Sarutobi said, flinching at the high pitched squeal that left his student's throat. He noticed the ANBU in the corner of his eye shuffle lightly on his feet, though he made no other movement. "Especially against hentai. Now; let me hold my mago (Granddaughter)."
Kakashi felt a bead of sweat trickle down his mask as he handed the cheerful old Hokage Naruto, who continued to sleep on, despite the squeals. 'Kushina-nee-san is scary...'
"Sugoi Kaa-san!" Ren said from besides him, Nami resting against his shoulder, a patch of drool forming on the forest green yukata. Kakashi began to cry crocodile tears as he gazed at the eight year old.
'He's going to be just like Kushina-nee-san...a monster...' Kakashi thought fearfully, already dreading to see the destruction the boy would cause. Unbidden, an image of a much older Ren popped into his head, sadistic laughter echoing around him as he beat random perverts into a pulp.
Sarutobi seemed to have much the same thought, as the old Hokage began to sweat nervously.
'Oh Kami-sama...the paperwork...'
"Ne, Ren-chan!" Kushina said, suddenly popping up from behind the Hokage and Jōnin to both jump. They turned their heads to gaze at the steaming, bloody mess of Jiraiya, then back at the beaming Kushina, who held Kasumi in her arms. Both Bunshin's had been dispelled, as the scrolls were already placed into the back of the cart, were a pile of blankets and pillows lay, along with a crate of food and some other things that Jiraiya was bringing. "Did you still want to hold Naru-chan?"
"Iie, Kaa-san; I'm fine with holding Sumi-chan right now." the young boy said, squeezing his imouto tight. The little girl let out a displeased grumble, though made no other movement. Kushina beamed and nodded. "Okay, dattebane. Kashi-kun, can you put Men-chan into the cart please?"
"H-hai, Kushina-nee-san." Kakashi said weakly, quickly scurrying off to put the sleeping boy down. "Arigato, Kashi-kun!"
Kushina snorted at the pale visage of her husband's student, before turning back to Sarutobi. The old Hokage gave the young woman a gentle smile as he ran a finger down Naruto's face.
"She's gotten big." he remarked, and Kushina nodded.
"Hai; it's...it's almost hard to believe that it's been nine months since she was born, -ttebane." Kushina said, pressing a kiss to Kasumi's forehead. Sarutobi gazed sadly at his predeccesor's wife.
"Tell me Kushina-chan; ogenki desuka?"
Kushina sighed and looked down at Ren, who gave her a toothy smile before walking towards Kakashi. The silver haired teen leaned down and gently took Kasumi out of his arms, placing her by her nii-san, before picking the boy up and tossing him into the air.
"I've...I've been better, Sarutobi-jiji. Every day, Ren becomes more and more like him and...and it hurts. It hurts so bad. I...I miss him. I miss Minato so much." Kushina turned tearful eyes onto Sarutobi and Jiraiya, who had long since recovered and come to stand by the two. The white haired male leaned over and placed a hand on the woman's cheek, a sad smile crossing her face when she just burrowed further.
"Menma asked me the other day when his Tou-san was coming back from Nirvana; he...he doesn't understand that he's not coming back, -ttebane"
Sarutobi sighed and said, "And he probably won't for a while."
Kushina gave him a teary smile. "I know. I know that, but I wish he did." Jiraiya dropped his hand, only to gently take Naruto out of her kaa-san's arms.
"And how's everything else? Are you still having pain from where the seal was?" he questioned, eyes running critically over her form.
Kushina shrugged, an arm wrapping around her stomach. "Every now and then, when I exert myself to much, though I have been careful. The pain's not nearly as bad as it was nine months ago, -ttebane." She gave a frustrated sigh of annoyance. "I just wish that I did't have to relearn chakra control though."
Sarutobi snorted, but nodded in agreement. "Chakra control is always one of the hardest things to master." Kushina leveled a glare onto the older male, a deadpan expression on her face.
"Gee, thanks Sarutobi-jiji; not like I didn't know that, -ttebane." Sarutobi felt a bead of sweat run down his face.
"H-hai..."
Kushina sighed and ran a hand through her long red hair. "We should be heading out now," she remarked, warily watching the skies that had already begun to lighten. "I don't want to be within a ten mile radius once the Council finds out I've left."
Sarutobi grimaced, but nodded in consent. "I wouldn't either." Kushina patted the old man on his back as they walked over to the cart, a grin stretching across her face when she saw Kakashi holding Ren in his arms, leaning against the side of the cart. Kasumi and Menma were on either side of the boys, softly snoring away.
"Are you sure I can't keep him, dattebane?" Kushina asked, turning wide blue onto the old man. Sarutobi snorted and shook his head, causing Kushina to pout, before a wicked smile crept onto her face.
Gently, she touched her left arm, pouring a bit of chakra into a seal that appeared suddenly. With reflexes trained by years of practice, she snatched the camera out of the air before it had even started to fall. Her grin widening, she moved so that she was in front of the group, and snapped a photo, laughing when the silver haired teen jolted out of his slumber.
Dark silver instantly locked onto the fox grin on Kushina's face, and instantly groaned.
"Come on, Kakashi; it's time for them to go." Sarutobi said, and Kakashi complied, gentlhy slipping out from under the sleeping eight year old. He helped place Nami and Naruto into the cart, with Naruto placed directly in the middle, a twin on either side of her, with a brother on either side of them.
Kushina again snapped a photo of the adorable sight, before lowering the camera onto her arm. Just as she was about to seal it, Sarutobi stopped her.
"A moment please, Kushina-chan." Kushina blinked, but stopped, looking curiously at the Hokage. The Hokage just smiled as he created a Bunshin, who took the camera from Kushina.
"One last picture; for old times sake, ne?" Jiraiya explained with a grin, and Kushina nodded, a wide smile on her face.
And as they moved into position – Jiraiya on her left, Sarutobi on her right, with Kakashi standing directly in front of her, soft silver hair tickling her chin – she wrapped her arms around the older male's waist, leaning forward so that her chin rested directly atop Kakashi's head.
Bunshin-Sarutobi grinned and raised the camera. "Say 'Cheese!'"
"Cheese!" the all said, and the picture was snapped. The Bunshin handed the camera back to Kushina before dispelling.
Kushina turned around and hugged Sarutobi. "Sayōnara Sarutobi-jii; Anata ga inakute sabisii desu; never forget that, -ttebane." Kushina whispered, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Sarutobi wrapped his arms around the young woman's waist. "Sayōnara, Kushina-chan. Anata ga inakute sabisii desu."
They released each other and smiled. "I'll make sure to send you a letter once we reach Uzu, okay, dattebane?"
Sarutobi nodded, uttering a quiet "Arigato." before taking a step back. Kushina wiped her eyes as she turned to Kakashi, wrapping her arms around the teen.
"You protect this village Kakashi-kun; Minato, Rin-chan, and Obito-kun all sacrificed their lives for this village, so you while I'm away, you better take care of it, ya here 'ttebane? Saigo made akiramenai, Kashi-kun, (Don't give up until the very end). Don't ever forget that." Kakashi nodded wordlessly, dark silver suspiciously wet as he hugged the older woman he considered his nee-san.
Releasing the silver haired teen, Kushina turned to the Gama Sennin, who grinned at her and opened his arms widely. Rolling her eyes, the Uzumaki heiress gave the man a hug, her eyes widening when she felt a hand grope her butt. Growling, she pulled back and punched him in the face, sending him flying as she let out an indgent scream of "Hentai!" before proceding to beat the Sannin; again.
Sarutobi and Kakashi rolled there eyes at the pair; they would never change.
"Alright you two, stop acting like Men-chan!" Kakashi drawled lazily, a bead of sweat falling down the side of his face at the withering glares he received from the two.
Kushina sighed, smacking Jiraiya once more for good measure, before hopping up onto the cart, gently petting the large horses as she did so. "Come on Ero-sennin, get it." She said, glaring at the man who immediately hopped up in the front and took the reigns from her.
"Don't give me that look Kushina-san. You need to rest for a while," the white haired Gama Sennin said. Kushina released an indingant huff, but nodded reluctantly, making her way into the back with her children.
"Keep them safe Jiraiya," Sarutobi said, absently lighting his pipe once more. Kakashi nodded in agreement, gently petting all of the children's hair before stepping back.
"I will Sarutobi-sensei." With that said, Jiraiya flicked the reigns and called the brown steeds to go forward. Kushina turned and waved at the two people that she cared about; one as a father, the other as a brother.
"Sayōnara Sarutobi-jii, Kashi-kun." she called softly. Under her breath, where no one but her sleeping babies could have heard her, she whispered, her tone sorrowful; "Sayōnara, Konohagakure; we'll be back."
x-(-X-X-)-x
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Ciao!
The Homunculi Twins