Here's chapter 2: Habanero
A civilian trying to match Kakashi is, on its basis, farcical. However she isn't trying to match him in his skillset.
Inohana will not be a Ninjutsu spewing monster. It will be illusions, and other fun tricks and cheats that she'll find on her way to S-rank.
Frankly, Ninjutsu for all its power is boring to write. Give me some subterfuge, poisons and hallucinations, mess with the mind of your opponent. Drive them mad. Now that's a way to fight interestingly.
Of course she'll have to find more, as fighting on the level of the Akatsuki requires a bit extra.
As usual I do not own, make money off, or in any way have a right to the characters of Naruto or its world. I'm just a lowly fanfiction writer.
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Money definitely talked. My father hasn't gone cheap. He's paid out for a continuous B-rank mission - Not something many civilians would afford for such a long period - for someone to tutor me. He doesn't know who they'll choose, but he spent a lot of money, and with the clan having been in Konoha for a long while and now producing its first potential ninja, I would assume it would be taken into account. And equally we're letting go of our no ninja policy. I have hopes I would not get a complete reject, some deadbeat Chuunin or the like. While I doubted I would get anyone actually famous, even a new Jounin would be able to bring me to a level where I could attempt to at least equal Hatake Kakashi. Not in the same field of course. I'll never be a Ninjutsu specialist.
Still as I wait at training ground 9, a mixed-use ground with a small lake, a forested area and a flat dirt area for sparring. I worry whether I should have pushed my father to pay even more. With my small chakra stores, training early and correctly, would be important for my path forward…
A simple note had been delivered to the clan compound from the Hokage's office, asking for my attendance at this particular training ground, one often used by Sarutobi clansmen who didn't want to use their compound, so perhaps a Sarutobi? Whoever is supposed to be my teacher is 30 minutes late. It makes me think of Kakashi, but it couldn't be him of course as he was currently shocking the academy, speeding through the curriculum. Set to graduate within a year.
Also set to lose his father and see the start of the third war. So I have much to look forward to. I would have preferred getting stronger in peace, although probably not as quick of a rise in the ranks, I'd at least not fight enemies while I couldn't reach their waist yet.
I fidget nervously in my simple shorts and t-shirt combo, not having any ninja clothes as of yet and figuring I needed something I wouldn't mind getting dirty. I could feel a chakra presence approaching, my strange chakra sense having grown stronger the more I used it. The chakra was different then anything I've ever felt before. It feels like a deep warm ocean just surrounding and dwarfing me, making me feel small, utterly miniscule in comparison.I was a drop compared to this massive feeling. Yet there was a weird feeling buried deep somewhere in there, a malevolent feeling. I freeze, surely they wouldn't. My eyes are glued to the path into the training ground as a kunoichi with long red hair enters sedately, wearing a standard Konoha flak jacket. Cheerful violet eyes zeroing in on me.
I gape astonished. Uzumaki Kushina is my tutor! Way to go father! I think, the kunoichi in question, coming closer and waving at me with a beaming smile.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm late, Dattebane." She says loudly, gesturing with her hands, "I was eating ramen and I kinda got into an eating competition with Akimichi Chouza and lost track of time." Well that's on brand!
I stare at her, well, I can't complain, no matter how late she will ever be, I will never complain. I am honestly fangirling a little. "Did you win?" Apparently when I'm nervous I ask the truly important questions.
Kushina laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "Almost! I'll get him next time for sure, Dattebane!"
I smile, her verbal tick is adorable and did I mention I might be fangirling a little. Despite having almost no presence in canon, she'd been one of my favorites. The tragedy of her life resonated with me. Losing her home, her family, she was then used as a human sacrifice and still fought on. And in the end died such a sad unfair death. While being kickass to the end. With everything I lost, it really resonated deeply with me. I would have given my life for my nieces and nephews as well. Instead they were taken before me. If only I could have switched places…
It broke me more than I can even explain. Perhaps with Kushina, I can feel more like me again. Not this shattered old soul.
Kushina plops down on the ground in front of me. "Uwaa, you're so cute!" She squeaks, still beaming. "I'm your tutor, Dattebane! Uzumaki Kushina!" She flexes her arm proudly, "You can call me the gorgeous, powerful, awesome Kushina-sensei!" Sounds exactly like something Naruto would say to introduce himself, they really are alike then! I can't wait!
She eyes my awestruck face and her beaming grin becomes even brighter. I start getting Maito Gai flashbacks. "Now let's do proper introductions!" She suddenly jumps up, bouncing on her feet. "As I said, I'm Kushina-sensei! I just got promoted to Jounin. My hobbies are gardening and playing with new seals. My favorite food is ramen and my dream for the future is to become Hokage!"
She looks at me expectantly and I stand up as well, I look up at her and have to fight to stop a blush on my cheeks as she looks at me encouragingly with a big smile. It's the way she just somehow shines. I feel small and grubby and just unworthy to be here. I'm… Not a nice person. Not like her.
"Ah…My name is Tsubuki Inohana, I am 4 years old and planning to take the test for advanced admission to the academy in a year. My hobbies are reading… And calligraphy I guess." I say, unsure if training would be an appropriate answer for a hobby. "I don't really have a favorite food, I've never had Ramen." I continue and stumble a bit over my words as Kushina lets out a loud dramatic gasp, looking utterly shocked that I've never had Ramen. It figures. She's alot like Naruto. "And my dream for the future…" I trail off slightly. Before looking up at her with a determined face. "Is to be the strongest ninja in Konoha and protect all the people in my clan and the village." A bit hyperbolic, but I can hardly tell her I don't give a shit about my clan and only want to get stronger. I like Konoha though, if I have to work as an assassin in one village this is definitely it.
Kushina claps her hands excitedly. "That's awesome, Dattebane! And don't worry I'll definitely fix your ramen deficiency." She promises with a glint in her eyes.
I shrug, figuring it's not worth arguing over Ramen.
Kushina plops down again, waving for me to take a seat on the ground as well. "So, squirt, I'll be available three days a week from now on. I'll get you a pass for the academy library for all the boring reading and stuff for the other days." She looks almost sick at the thought. Making me smile a little, she really brings back memories of Naruto. I had really liked the little retard back when I watched the show.
"Hai, Kushina-sensei." I respond politely.
"Sooo, cute!" She chirps at me, reaching over and ruffling my hair as I sigh, I really couldn't wait until I wasn't a little child. "On our three days," Kushina continues, "I'll work with you on stretches and the beginning of taijutsu and shurikenjutsu practices." She seems lost in thought for a moment before shrugging, "And whatever else fun we can think of, Dattebane!"
"Thank you for your help, Kushina-sensei!" I say seriously. This was literally everything I wanted. Access to the academy library was exactly what I needed to fly through the academy once I joined. Sure they didn't have jutsu. What they did have was everything else I needed. Geography, basics of poisons, first aid, tactics, Konoha basic sign language and everything else children learn over 6 years of theoretical work. And then Kushina-sensei would hone my body. I was practically vibrating on the spot in excitement.
Kushina laughs at my excitement, "Seeing as it's one of the three days right now…" she says with a glint in her eyes. "Run around the training ground." She finishes, grinning at me.
"Hai, sensei!" I answer crisply, before tilting my head questioningly, "Ah, sensei? How many times?"
Kushina smiles at me with her eyes closed, an aura of something heavy pressing down on me, "Until you fall down!" She chirps at me cheerfully.
I blink, taking that in for a second, before simply nodding and starting to run. This is what I want anyway. Someone to push me to my limits. Then make me break them. I hadn't expected Kushina to be the type. She honestly seemed too nice. I wouldn't complain. This was Honestly ideal. I had about 12 months before I would sit the academy advanced entrance exam. I intended to ensure that Hatake Kakashi wasn't the only special one. A civilian girl coming the year behind him and achieving the same feat. I grin determinedly as I keep running, my feet pounding the ground. I was going to become the best kunoichi anyone had ever seen!
Would I have stopped? If I knew the mountain of bodies I'd climb over to get to the top?
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When Kushina had been promoted to Jounin she had kind of expected things to be different. Get some kickass missions, lead all her cute kohai on super missions and show them what an amazing kunoichi she was. Yeah, Minato had gotten his promotion first, but she'd show him, she'd be way more kickass and be the first to Hokage, Dattebane!
Even if secretly, only in her head. And only when she was alone. She might, maybe. Perhaps. On occasion. Think Minato would make an awesome Hokage. And she was a healthy woman, so fantasies about Hokage robes and activities on the Hokage's desk were perfectly normal thank you very much!
Except with rumors of war on the horizon, old man Sarutobi refused to send her out, so there were no risky missions, no impressing her Kohai's. It was too risky, the Hokage said, Konoha can't lose their jinchuuriki at this stage, he said. Kushina was so sick of the furball in her belly screwing her over, and now Kushina was stuck in the village, working on seals, which, yeah she was awesome at, and loved messing with. It just got boring after a while, and Minato kept getting sent out for missions so she couldn't bug him.
Couple that with Mikoto almost constantly being gone too, getting as many missions in as possible before she'd be forced to marry Fugu-face and retire to be a housewife. It made for a very bored and lonely Uzumaki. Kushina made a face as she walked the hallway to the Hokage's office. She wasn't fond of Fugu-face to begin with, but forcing a kickass kunoichi like Mikoto to retire was just bullshit. If Minato tried that with her, she'd castrate him, show him who's boss. Maybe she'd let him keep them as a necklace. If she was feeling charitable.
She nodded at the Shinobi manning the secretary desk outside the Hokage's office. She had an appointment so she walked on through, he would have stopped her if the old man had someone important in there and had postponed her appointment. And if it was a meeting with the elders then he'd pretend he didn't see her walk in. His selective blindness was why the Sandaime had kept the same secretary for the past decade.
"Got a mission for me?" She called out as she walked in, just as she had everyday for the past two weeks. Although usually she was interrupting some boring elder meetings when she did. She was pretty sure the Sandaime secretly was happy about her doing it too, because he'd never reprimanded her for it yet. Also he was like, really old, so maybe he just liked having a cute girl come by everyday.
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled at her genially. He was starting to get super old, Kushina thought. His face getting more wrinkly and his hair whiter, "You should make me Hokage already." She said casually, while leaning against his desk.
The Sandaime chuckled, "Konoha's budget would never survive the switch to a Ramen only diet." He teased her, Kushina blowing up her cheeks childishly. She probably wouldn't do that. Like, she was fifty percent sure, Dattebane!
Maybe thirty…
The Sandaime reached for a scroll, sitting by itself on his desk, the wrinkles around his eyes smoothening out as he smiled at her. "I do actually have a mission for you. B-rank."
Kushina felt her heart begin to race. A B-rank! That sounded like an out of village mission to her. Not many in village missions were B-rank unless you worked for the Torture and intelligence division."Gimme!" She shouted fiercely, leaning over the desk. Snorting in annoyance as she could feel the old man's ANBU guard shift in the rafters. Like she'd ever harm the old man. He could probably kick her ass six ways to Sunday still.
The Sandaime tossed her the scroll and she eagerly unrolled it and started reading it. Eyebrows raised as she realized it wasn't an out of village mission. It was a teaching mission. She looked back at the Sandaime skeptically. "Teaching is a B-rank now?" She waved the scroll irritably in the air, "And like, me? A teacher, Dattebane!?"
The Sandaime chuckled, "I thought you were bored and in need of something else to do a couple days a week, Kushina-chan, and then we received this mission, the Tsubuki clan is paying a very large sum to train their heiress to be ready for the academy."
Never heard of them. So it's a clan brat?" Kushina sighed, already dreading this. Clan kids were just the worst sometimes. She already had enough of them when she went through the academy. She really didn't want to train some stuck up brat who was all, my clan says this, my clan invented that, my clan, blah, blah, blah. "At least it isn't an Uchiha like Fugu-face." She muttered.
Who cares anyway about their pretty eyeballs when the sticks up their asses are so heavily lodged in there.
The Sandaime coughed, as he tried to stifle a chuckle. "Hrm, no it's a civilian clan of merchants. This is actually the first time they've ever offered one of their children for the academy. And they've been here since shortly after the founding." The Sandaime had a thoughtful look in his eyes, Kushina couldn't quite decipher it.
Kushina tapped the scroll against her hip, "That's weird, and they're paying B-rank mission pay for it? And for practically a year?" Inwardly she despaired at the idea of being stuck in the village for that long.
The Sandaime lit his pipe with a casual flare of fire Chakra, Braggart, Kushina thought making a face, "They can certainly afford it. And having never had Shinobi married into the clan the girl has no previous blood, it's likely they paid to ensure she would actually pass the academy and not embarrass the clan." Kushina thought there was more to it. The Sandaime looked squirrelly, she squinted at him suspiciously, he just smiled at her genially. Definitely squirrely.
"You're really selling me on this mission." Kushina complained lightly.
"You wanted something to do."
"Alright, when am I supposed to meet her?" Kushina gave in with a pout.
"About twenty five minutes ago at training ground 9." The Sandaime said with amusement laced in his voice.
"What!? I'm late!?" Kushina shrieked, what a horrible way to start as a sensei, what would the kid think of her!?
"Maybe next time be on time for your appointment and don't stop for ramen." The Sandaime suggests mildly, shuffling his paperwork with a tiny grin on his face.
Kushina didn't answer, already body flickering away, a bit frazzled, she reaches the training ground quick enough, but decides to take a minute to quickly read the full details of the mission scroll before walking into the training ground.
During their introduction she had to resist very hard to just pick up the tiny kid and hug the stuffing out of her. She was just so cute. Like a little porcelain doll with the most amazing dark forest green eyes and gorgeous eyelashes. Maybe this teaching thing wouldn't be so bad. The kid seemed really smart. And seemed to idolize her, which she tried to hide, and wasn't that just adorable. She didn't know she was that famous amongst the civilians.
She had to stop herself from coughing out a nerd comment, when the girl lit up at the access to the academy library. Technically a non academy student shouldn't have access. But there was no way Kushina was going to spend time teaching out of books and scrolls on what plants to eat and basic nerd stuff like that. The only book reading she could stand was on seals. And well she certainly couldn't teach that to an untrained civilian kid.
She chuckled evilly internally. No the best thing she could teach was physical stuff that a civilian would be way behind on compared to clan kids. She smiled at the kid and told her to run laps.
When the kid ran until she dropped and then tried to get up and run some more, Kushina felt proud. She was already thinking of training regimens, running training plans through her head. If she couldn't kick Minato's ass on missions, she'd get a cute little disciple and shove that into his face.
Plus it would almost be like practice for when she'd have his babies! Not that she thought of that often or anything…
She picked up the exhausted girl and gave her some tips on what foods and drinks would help with recovery and to keep her energy for training. Inohana gave her directions to her clan compound which was pretty central in the middle of the civilian district.
It was pretty impressive for a civilian compound. It had nothing on the Hyuuga or Uchiha in size and pompousness of course. Yet it was very… Purple? Civilians sure liked weird colors.
Her father met them at the gates and Kushina handed her little cutie student over and talked with the man for a bit. Explaining she'd need to eat more to make up for how much she'd be training, the energy requirements for ninja being much different then civilians.
As she left she shuddered, how could such a cute little girl come from such a creepy man. She'd be keeping an eye on that situation. She always trusted her gut. And it had nothing good to say about that man. She'd met men that tortured people for a living that were less creepy.
She'd have to carefully interrogate Inohana over the next few training sessions. Make sure she's being treated okay. Kushina might not have a lot of precious people. If this girl made the cut. She'd protect her from everything!
Kushina went home with a pep to her step. The dread she had felt at the prospect of teaching completely vanquished.
Thank Ramen that she'd finally found someone or something to spend her time on!
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A month and some change later.
I absolutely love my new routine. Every morning I'll get up at 5am, perform my morning rituals, then arrive at training ground 9 for around 6am. Practice chakra control for the two hours I have before Kushina-sensei will show up at 8am, on Mondays, Wednesday's and Saturday's.
Then my sensei would run me through exercises geared towards increasing flexibility and building stamina. Usually this would last for two-three hours until Kushina-sensei decided it was lunch break. So far we have been eating bentos at the training ground, Kushina-sensei strangely excited to spend time with me. And she obviously pegged my father the minute she met him, because her probing questions about my family really weren't all that subtle.
I have a feeling subtlety will never be something she'll teach.
After lunch Kushina-sensei has me practice throwing Kunai and Shuriken, although annoyingly, she doesn't give me the weapons for my own use. Instead she brings a pouch and lets me use the sharp weapons, and then takes them away after our session. Also annoyingly, I'd obviously need the practice as I miss every target Kushina-sensei sets up. She just ruffles my hair and chuckles and says I had the coordination of a toddler. I do not appreciate her sense of humor.
For the last few hours she'll run me into the ground with push-ups and squats and exercises to push my body to my limit. Leaving me a sweaty bruised mess by the time 6pm rolls around, generally leading to Kushina-sensei carrying me back to my clan compound. Babbling excitedly about how well I have done. It is hard to remain stoic when someone keeps praising you, I don't feel I was doing that well yet, but obviously Kushina-sensei saw it differently.
The mood in the clan… I was going to get more questions from sensei with how many dirty looks I was getting. My father's decision to make me a ninja - not that it was really his, per say - Not going over well with the rest of the clan. Except for my cousin who was now poised to become clan heir of course. Of also adding to the tempers was my tight fisted father suddenly spending money on me. This was not seen as a good thing either. Especially as in the clan's view he was wasting money on cannon fodder who'd be dead in a few years at the latest. There was also an undercurrent of something else. But no one was sharing with me, for obvious reasons.
Other than growing dissatisfaction in the clan everything about my routine was going well. Luckily I couldn't care less about dirty looks from my relatives. It's not like they were really family. Not in any meaningful way. And they all know what kind of man my father is. And so far not a single soul has stepped in to protect me in any way. So honestly. Fuck them!
On the days where Kushina-sensei was not training me, I still go to the training ground in the morning at 6am, although instead of chakra control I concentrate on doing the physical reps she has me doing on her training days. I do not have the weapons to practice shurikenjutsu so I concentrate solely on my physical training, aiming everyday to do one more rep then what I have done during Kushina-sensei's last training session.
Once I am fully drained and covered in sweat and dirt. I'll eat my lunch, take a dip in the lake to wash off, change into clean clothes and then head towards the academy library. The Chuunin at the desk very grudgingly lets me pass through, although he still, everyday checks the pass Kushina-sensei gave me, as if it had changed from the previous day. Then I'll spend the entire day reading through the information, finding a quiet corner to study. I walk up walls as I read to practice chakra control and increase my capacity at the same time. It only takes me a couple days of practice to get used to reading this way. When my chakra starts to wane, I'll get off the wall and perform push ups while reading, switching to one armed push ups when I need to turn a page.
I am a motivated girl. And I know there is no other way forward than strength. Power, real power, is not found on an easy journey.
While there are no Ninjutsu in the academy library, as storing Ninjutsu like this would be beyond moronic. like seriously, a Ninjutsu library would be infiltrated so often you might as well hand it over. It does however have a bevy of information on all the elemental nations.
On what plants were safe to eat, which were poisonous, what could be used to make natural dyes for your hair or skin, what could put a target to sleep, paralyze them. Make them mad. It is fascinating. Of course there is also history, geography, the basic Konoha signs, genin use as well as the hand seals for chakra that all ninja know. The basics on infiltration and creating a cover and all the other basics of ninja training. With the way I was devouring the library I have no doubt I will master the theoretical curriculum before I even join the academy.
I have also gained a fascination for the possibilities in poisons. If I am going to have a Genjutsu focus, then poisons would be a very useful secondary. Just a nick of a senbon with a hallucinogen on it could make it easier for a Genjutsu to stick. Not to mention how deadly it could be on a massive level. You just have to look at Sasori of the red sands. If with his poisons all he needs is one tiny nick. Then honestly the rest of his arsenal is just overkill. Keep firing senbon like he can, and he'll get you in the end. No ninja can dodge that forever.
Well the yellow flash can, but how many ninja are that fast or has that useful of a teleportation technique?
Although I still have a long way to go to be a powerful kunoichi, I am constantly thinking on how I'll achieve that goal. I already have a way to introduce Genjutsu without hand seals, add in poisons into my repertoire and I will be a dangerous subtle fighter. Able to shut down people quickly, at least most normal people. I'll still have to refine my skills to the extreme and find other ways to get ahead. It would be a long way to compare to the likes of Hoshigaki Kisame for example, an example of a very dangerous S-rank ninja.
I'll never have those reserves or born abilities, likewise for the super sword. So I'll have to hone what I have. Hone it to a ridiculous level.
Today I am waiting at the clan compound gates for Kushina-sensei, having asked for her assistance during our last training session. We have been training for two months now and I can feel my progress, the academy will be a cakewalk. A time for me to continue to hone my skills while learning the three academy jutsu. No hard thing to accomplish for one year I believe. I'll match Kakashi's record for sure.
"Inohana-chan!" Cue tussle to my hair as I turn my eyes up, an annoyed pout on my face. Ever since Kushina-sensei figured out I could sense chakra, she's been somehow hiding it randomly and keeps continuously surprising me by appearing in front of me. I have a feeling she is only doing it because she knows exactly how annoying I find it.
"Sensei." I say with a small nod. Refusing to complain about my mussed up hair. Again. Have I ever mentioned I really dislike being a small child. People keep assuming they can touch me and it is slightly aggravating.
"Don't be like that, Inohana-chan! Your awesome sensei is here to help you, Dattebane!" Kushina cries out loudly, proceeding to pick me up in her arms and carrying me inside my own compound. Ignoring my loud sigh and disgruntled face with the aplomb of a kunoichi who regularly ignores such small things as personal space or boundaries.
"Take a left, we're heading to the very back of the compound, the north west side." I instruct, as I am carried along like a teddy bear. Those of my clan that encounter us give us dirty looks as we pass. Not an uncommon sight. I doubt I have seen a single smile directed my way for the last two months in my home.
"Your clan isn't very friendly." Kushina-sensei comments offhandedly, sending glares at those who make eye contact with us. People quickly find somewhere else in the compound to be. Kushina-sensei can be pretty scary when she sets her mind to it.
"They don't like that I'm going to become a ninja, or that my Father is wasting money on me for doing so." I explain quietly, ensconced in her arms as I was. "We've always been a civilian clan, no exceptions." Which is weird, we do live in a Shinobi village.
Kushina huffs, her arms tightening slightly around me. "You're not a waste of money, Dattebane! And you're just a little girl, they shouldn't treat you like this because your father decided you should become a ninja." She seems rather upset on my behalf. I wonder what she'd feel like if she knew I'd Genjutsu'd my father into doing this.
Probably still on my side, to be honest. One word from me, on the things he's done, and she would kill him. Of that I have no doubt.
"It's alright, it doesn't bother me, sensei." I say, and it was true, I couldn't care less what they think of me, and so far none of them has dared to go against my father. They certainly never did to protect me, so why would they know to harm me.
"Your mother at least should be protecting you." Kushina mutters mulishly. Glaring daggers at an elderly clan member who is sneering at me. I hide a smile as the elder trips into a bush trying to turn away from Kushina-sensei too fast.
"I haven't seen her for years." I say with a shrug, not thinking much of it. Looking up as sensei stops in the middle of the path looking down at me with big concerned eyes. Shit, I probably shouldn't have sounded so casual about my mother basically abandoning me. I think, seeing Kushina-sensei look upset, her brows furrowed and her expressive eyes glistening.
"If your father is keeping her from you …" She starts threateningly. I lay a hand on her arm to stop her right there. I definitely can not afford to have an angry kunoichi go after my Father.
"No, according to Father, she abandoned her responsibilities to me years ago, she couldn't stand the sight of me or something, called me a demon child." I say bluntly, wanting to get her attention off my father. My mother was a non-entity, I was fine with her going and yelling at her if needed.
Kushina-sensei looks heartbroken, and she hugs me even tighter to herself, forcing my face in-between her breasts. "Your mother is wrong, Dattebane! You're amazing Inohana-chan!" She cries out, shaking me back and forth. "And your father shouldn't have said something like that to a 4 year old…" She mutters angrily at a quieter level.
I tap her arm consolingly. "It's okay sensei," just wanting this conversation to be over. And the excessive hugging.
It was starting to scare me how quickly I started wanting these hugs. I needed to make them stop. I can't be that kind of person.
"You shouldn't be trying to console me, I should be consoling you, Dattebane!" Kushina-sensei scolds me lightly. But she lightens up on her grasp, although she doesn't put me down to my annoyance, continuing to carry me.
Perhaps mentioning my mother has been good after all. Although the clinginess was annoying. I still adore Kushina as my sensei. And if she has more reasons to become emotionally attached or see me as a pseudo daughter, the more chances there were she'd continue our association after the mission ended. The demon child mention was a nice touch in hindsight, considering the Bijuu in her gut.
"It's decided!" She declares loudly, suddenly. A flock of birds screeching as they take flight from a nearby tree at the loud exclamation. "I'm taking you for ramen after this! Ramen cures everything, Dattebane!"
I roll my eyes, "Ramen is just salt and starch with nothing nutritious to it." I complain, having forced the clan cooks to completely change my diet to a more meat heavy energy rich one. Following academy guidelines I have found in the library, ramen was not part of the diet. Ramen wasn't part of any diet. Except maybe poor people and cup ramen.
Kushina-sensei smiles down at me, her chakra suddenly heavy in the air. I sweat drop slightly at the pressure, is she using light killing intent over ramen? "Inohana-chan…" She says sweetly. "I will convert you to the wonders of ramen, Dattebane!"
It wasn't a fight worth having even though I doubt I'll particularly enjoy ramen. She'd definitely meant that as a threat. And I have a feeling she'll shove different flavors of Ichiraku's down my throat until I give in and declare ramen delicious. "I'll give it a try, sensei." I acknowledge. Hoping that will be the end of it.
It isn't. For the next few minutes as I guide her to the location for my request, she extolls the virtues of ramen to me in the exalted voice of a true believer. Either the food at Ichiraku's is really amazing or Kushina-sensei has suffered brain damage during her career. Because she sounds more passionate about ramen, than any preacher I had ever encountered in my previous life had ever been about religion.
Soon we arrive at my newly built greenhouse, the size of a two story building and the length of a soccer field. It cost my father a fortune and was the real reason behind the complete disgust my clan members showed to me lately. Or so I assume. I don't really talk with any of them.
"I know I said I enjoyed gardening Inohana-chan, but that might be a bit too big of a garden for me." Kushina-sensei tells me, slightly bemused. At least she finally lets me go and allows me to enter on my own two feet. I lead her inside, eagerly pointing out the different parts of the green house.
"See that partition? That's like a greenhouse inside the greenhouse. I have 5 different ones like that in here, for different biomes so I can keep plants from as far away as Wind and Snow country." I explain excitedly. I lead an amused Kushina-sensei by hand through the already filling up plant life around us.
I lead her to the first such smaller partition, waving a hand at it. "This kind of stuff is where I need your help Kushina-sensei! The plants and mushrooms in here are from swamp country, and I figure you'll be able to use seals to make it humid and swampy in here."
Kushina pats my head with a quick giggle, "I'm glad to finally see you excited about something other then training Inohana-chan!" She gives me a sly look, "Even if you're taking advantage of your poor sensei to get free sealwork."
I hadn't thought of that, I look up at her, biting my lip, "I'm sorry sensei, I didn't think of that, I was just so excited when the plants from swamp country arrived."
Kushina-sensei squishes my cheeks together to my obvious embarrassment, "I'm just teasing you Inohana-chan, of course I'll help."
She looks around at the massive greenhouse and runs a hand through her hair, the atmosphere in here already leaving it damp. "I'll add sealing to your lessons I suppose, you're definitely smart enough, Dattebane." She grins down at me and winks, "And there's no way I'm doing all the work for this massive place."
Bonus! I think excitedly. I decide to not tell Kushina-sensei that the greenhouse would be used to allow me to grow hundreds of kinds of poisons, paralytics and hallucinogens. So in one way it was definitely for my own training. Lessons in sealing was something I hadn't even dared to ask for. Figuring with only a few months of us working together I wasn't anywhere near close enough to be allowed actual fuinjutsu training.
Kushina hums in thought as she unseals a brush and a pot of ink from a seal on her arm, and - oh boy did I want to learn how to do that! - Kushina notices my greedy look and chuckles, reaching over to ruffle my hair yet again to my consternation. "You're years off being able to do that." She teases, "If you're good, maybe sensei will place a storage seal for you before you start the academy." She continues with a smirk, her smirk widening as my eyes practically sparkle and I put my hands together in a silent plea. "Maybe, I said, Dattebane." She teases me, giving me a pat on the cheek as I pout.
Seeing her work with a brush and some ink and turning my partitioned area into a perfect environment for a swamp in just thirty minutes leaves me slightly awe struck. Silently I add Fuinjutsu to Genjutsu and Poisons, on my plans for my future skillset.
"Alright, Ramen time!" Kushina-sensei declares, pumping an arm into the air as soon as we have tested her seals and ensure they are functioning properly. Kushina-sensei taught me how to recharge them on my own from now on while she worked.
"Ramen time." I agree, watching with satisfaction as my deadly plants seem more vibrant in the quickly changing environment. For all that Kushina-sensei was doing for me, I could pretend to enjoy ramen for her.
I sigh in annoyance as she picks me up again in her arms, although, as she takes to the rooftops and travels in speed towards Ichiraku's, it does beat walking there. I just hate being small enough that I can be picked up and cuddled like a doll or baby.
Suddenly she drops down on the street and with a screech of "Mikoto-chan!" I am crushed In-between Kushina-sensei's breasts and this other woman's. I am glad I am far, far, away from puberty. Or this would be more embarrassing then it already was.
I'm pulled right out of Kushina-sensei's arms by a black haired classically beautiful woman, in a worn Konoha flak jacket, mud, blood and dirt staining it. I grimace as I realize it's now staining me as well. The woman tries to brush me off with little success, while staring down a blushing Kushina-sensei. "Really, Kushina, someone entrusted you with a child?" Mikoto teases her, a warm smile on her pretty face.
"I'm trustworthy, Dattebane!" Kushina-sensei protests. Her cheeks are red and puffed out. I refrain from pointing out she looks like a chipmunk. Barely.
"With explosions and chaos, maybe. Children, not so much. Point in fact." She replies dryly gesturing to my soiled appearance from my brief squish between the two kunoichi.
I glare up at who I realize is Uchiha Mikoto. "Kushina-sensei is great!" I say loyally. No Uchiha was going to mock Uzumaki Kushina in my presence. Only I got to do that.
Mikoto looks at me blankly, before looking back at Kushina-sensei. "Kushina… She's adorable." She suddenly gushes. Surprising me, I thought Uchiha were supposed to be stoic.
"I know, right? She's so cute, and she's my little student and she's already so kickass and she'll totally demolish the academy, Dattebane!" Kushina gushes right back grabbing Mikoto's hands. Both of them make high pitched sounds as I stare up at them in disbelief.
"What clan is she from?" A stern stoic voice interrupts the gush fest. Mikoto immediately settles down into a more placid mien. Like a shutter drawing down over her face. That's the Uchiha way I remember and dislike! I think seeing her face go blank.
Kushina-sensei makes a rude face. "Fugu-face." She says mockingly.
"Uzumaki." The stern-faced man who could only be Uchiha Fugaku replies, with only a slight twitch at the rude nickname. The Uchiha clan head and future father of Itachi and Sasuke, not a person I'd want to antagonize, especially as he looked as bedraggled as Mikoto, both obviously back from a mission. Kushina-sensei has no such compunctions to my mortification.
"She's a civilian, Fugu-face, how does it feel knowing a little girl is going to beat in all the faces of your little Uchiha clan brats!" Kushina taunts the motherfucking Uchiha clan head, and I can't deal with this, I sooo do not want a bounty on my head from every Uchiha kid in the academy on day one.
I bow to Uchiha Fugaku quickly, "I apologize for my sensei, Uchiha-Sama, she means nothing by it, just some friendly teasing." I rush out in one breath.
Kushina loudly protests this, but Mikoto lays a hand on her arm quieting her down, "Your student is trying to keep you out of trouble Kushina, it's so cute and adorable." She has a tiny smirk on her face that I just catch as I finish my bow, "She obviously hasn't been around very long or she'd known it's pointless to try."
Kushina pouts, but puts a hand on my head, "She's a good kid." She agrees, turning unapologetic eyes on the stoic Uchiha clan head. "And I meant every word I said." She finishes, showing her teeth to the exasperated Fugaku. Mikoto shakes her head and looks up to the sky as if asking for divine assistance.
"Always a pleasure, Uzumaki." Fugaku says dryly. Face set in stone as he touches Mikoto on the arm lightly, making the Uchiha woman sigh and send Kushina an apologetic look as they walk around them and on their way. Fugaku has completely ignored me from the moment he heard I was from a civilian clan. Not even answering my apologies. Elitist prick.
Kushina stands in the middle of the road chewing her lip angrily for a few minutes, before she remembers where we are going and picks me up and double times it.
Kushina-sensei flies through the flaps of Ichiraku's soon after, like a whirlwind on a mission, shouting, "Teuchi, ramen, now, Dattebane! My cute little student has never eaten ramen!"
As I am placed on a stool I don't know what is more amusing. The way the other customers immediately turn away and ignore us, upon realization that the excitement is just Kushina-sensei, so nothing unusual. Or the way that Teuchi, the proprietor, looks down at me seriously and states in a grave voice. "Truly an emergency, you did the right thing bringing her here Kushina!"
As he turns to go prepare ramen, without either of us actually ordering any, mind you. Kushina-sensei sits down next to me on another stool and wraps an arm around me and drags me into her side. I have a feeling she is lonely, because the amount of skinship this woman craves is over the top for a girl she barely knows, and I never hear her talking about other people. Obviously there was stuff going on with the Uchiha that meant she couldn't hang out with Mikoto often from what I just saw. We sit in companionable silence as we wait for the ramen.
This woman is my idol and she was making me so much stronger and assisting me so much. I make a vow right there as the ramen arrives. I would not let Kushina die in the Kyuubi attack. She was too awesome and too critical to my own progress and to be honest, my own mental well being, as aside from carrying me around, she didn't treat me like a 4 year old. You don't realize how much you miss honest conversation, until you spend 4 years listening to baby talk. My father was different, but then… Yeah… I don't really like talking to him for other reasons.
Although I'll never be able to live down the pleased surprise on my face when it turns out Ichiraku's ramen is actually really amazing. Kushina-sensei vows to tease me forever over my cute surprised face. I really hadn't expected the depth of flavor or variety of ingredients. Maybe Naruto hadn't been addicted only because they treated him well after all. I suppose a ramen addiction isn't that bad of a vice for a ninja.
I totally intended to add sex and alcohol if I survived long enough to be of an age where that was actually fun.
Kushina-sensei's betrayed yelp as I steal her bowl of ramen is worth the headlock she puts me into. And the promises of doubling my physical training for daring to touch her sacred ramen.
Doubling training doesn't sound like a punishment to me.
I might not ever be able to emotionally be on her level or appreciate her the same way she does me. But she deserves to live, and I'll make sure of it.
Even if I have to kill Uchiha Obito before that mission to ensure it.
＊＊＊
Authors Note:
Idol worship sets in quickly when you're faced with a bubbly warm personality after growing up in an abusive cold environment. Older mind or not.
If you have questions, opinions, want to know more about anything. Feel free to ask, and I'll try and answer if it isn't too spoiler-ish.