The Great Sasuke Bridge spanned a much longer distance than Team 7 thought at first glance. Building it section by section was an entirely different experience than walking the entire length in one go. A film of fog kept them company, thinning the further they walked. Several minutes of wading through said fog dulled the group's concentration. Even Kakashi found himself daydreaming after a time. Eager to have something else to busy himself with, he clutched the slipping strap of his backpack, returning it to his shoulder. This momentary distraction gave way to still more excruciating silence. Pressure in Kakashi's side kept him from falling into a daze again; Naruto was poking him in the ribs. The interruption might have been annoying if he weren't so bored out of his mind.
"Hm?" The Jonin leaned closer, doing his best to hide his latent gratitude.
"Sensei, sensei!" the excitable Genin said. "I've got a question."
"What is it, Naruto?"
"How did you know you could trust Zabuza and his gang? I mean, they were trying to kill us one second, and the next…" The blond rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "This could've all been a trick, you know? Like how we read at the academy about war strategies where the enemy pretends to be on your side."
"To this day I'm still surprised you did the reading," Sasuke butted in with a smirk, "let alone that you retained any of the stuff we learned."
"Hey, I do read," Naruto defended, turning red at the accusation. "I may not like it much, but I still do."
Kakashi chuckled. "Now, now. No need to antagonize him, Sasuke. We should be encouraging Naruto's intellectual curiosity, not embarrassing him."
Sasuke gave a resigned "Hmph" and nodded, saying nothing further.
Naruto was about to make a face at Sasuke, but Kakashi placed a hand atop his head and turned him the other way.
"So," the Jonin exhaled, "to answer your question, I wasn't one-hundred percent certain Zabuza wouldn't try something, but there's one thing that made me decide to trust him."
Sakura looked toward the silver-haired ninja with wide, inquisitive eyes. "What was it, sensei?"
"The day after our battle, and every day until joining up with us...Zabuza was there. He hid in the forest just outside of Tazuna's village. Even on bed rest, during my lucid moments I sensed him there. He didn't move in to strike while you three were alone. Instead, he and Haku just watched us. I don't know why, but what I do know is those weren't the actions of the cold-hearted killer his reputation makes him out to be. The Demon of the Hidden Mist would have cut us down and murdered Tazuna in front of his daughter and grandchild without a second thought."
Sakura nodded, listening to her sensei with rapt attention. The surroundings cleared up as moisture in the air thinned out. "So you think Zabuza's changed?"
"There's no way," Sasuke said, his usual blank expression replaced by one of genuine interest in the topic. He looked to Kakashi for confirmation. "Do you think people like him really can?"
Kakashi sighed. "To be honest, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe they can." He shot Sasuke a knowing look before continuing, realizing the parallels the boy must have drawn between Zabuza and Itachi Uchiha. "If I'm being honest, I thought Zabuza was waiting for the right moment to attack at first. So I kept a kunai under the covers just in case, but now…"
Naruto nudged him in the side. "But now what, huh? Huh?"
"Looking back on things, part of me wonders if he might've been watching over Tazuna for us. I can't say whether this new phase in his life will stick, but I didn't sense one ounce of malice in my dealings with Zabuza on the bridge. In fact, if I had to describe it, he was completely calm, as if his purpose had shifted somewhere else. His eyes were just as intense as ever, but the bloodlust in them was gone. When we spoke, it was like he wasn't looking at me anymore. He was seeing far beyond me, reaching for some new goal."
"And helping us build the bridge was a step toward that goal?" Sasuke probed. "But how?"
"Who knows?" Kakashi shrugged. "For now, let's just be happy we made it out of our first away mission in one piece, even though it was a far more difficult task than expected."
"Yeahhhhhh!" Naruto cried, throwing up a fist as they reached the end of the bridge. A few heads turned his way, but he didn't care about the extra attention. "Ichiraku, here I come!"
"Speaking of which, it's time, everyone," Kakashi said, waving his students toward him. They formed a huddle and, at his instruction, placed their hands on top of one another. "Naruto, would you like to do the honors?"
"You bet, sensei!" Naruto grinned, then went still while he gathered his chakra. In the blink of an eye, he took the group home, leaving a handful of stunned travelers to marvel at the disappearing act.
❖ ❖ ❖
Kushina rubbed her belly, looking down at the mark on her stomach that had lingered as a dark reminder of the past for 12 years. Apart from the small scar, and a new seal invisible to the untrained eye, there was almost no trace of the injuries she sustained — no physical trace, anyway. Her memories of that incident, on the other hand, were as fresh in her mind as if it happened yesterday. While painful to recall, the tragedy reminded her just how important every moment was, and how lucky she was to still be alive and well.
The redhead scooted back onto the edge of the hospital bed where she'd been instructed to wait, humming a tune to keep herself occupied. She reflected on her plans for the next few days and felt joy swell up in her, producing an involuntary smile.
They're coming home today. My boys are coming home!
Kushina squealed and danced in her seat like a giddy little girl, composing herself just in time before someone opened the door and slipped inside.
"Good morning, Lady Kushina," Shizune said as she walked into the room, a small pig hugged close to her chest.
"Hello Shizune," Kushina replied, putting on a smile. She nodded toward the pig. "Tonton."
"Oink!" cried the energetic pig, its pearl necklace jangling as it wiggled a hoof in response.
Next to enter was Tsunade, her blonde pigtails trailing in behind her. She was the embodiment of confidence, a stark contrast to the shivering mess she became in the face of even a drop of blood. If Kushina were honest, she thought it was a wonder the Sannin reached the point of being able to come near the hospital at all. A few years prior, Tsunade hadn't been able to look in the direction of the building without her hands starting to tremble.
"Kushina," Tsunade said with a glowing smile, "it's good to see you."
"It's so nice to see you too, Miss Tsunade. Thanks for coming to see me on short notice. Are you sure you're not too busy?" Kushina asked. "I know you've got a lot to do, ya know."
Tsunade shrugged, in the process popping her neck and knuckles in an effort to loosen up. "It's no big deal. I was already in the area to check in on another patient."
"Oh really?" That eased Kushina's hesitance, and she let out a breath. "Good, then."
"So what seems to be the problem?" Tsunade asked. She approached Kushina and slipped on a pair of gloves from a dispenser on the wall. "Shizune," she whispered.
Without a word, her assistant set Tonton down, then gathered a tray of tools and disinfectant.
Kushina clutched her stomach and sighed. "So, I've been feeling a bit of dizziness lately. Nothing too bad, just whenever I-"
Tsunade's eyes flitted toward Kushina's with palpable concern. "Whenever you?"
"Any time I think back to the night the Nine Tails was stolen from me, I get so sick, like I could pass out. I try to play it off sometimes so Minato won't worry, but I've been experiencing it a lot more often now. Some days, it's hard to even get through breakfast without breaking down."
"And how long has this been going on, Kushina?" Shizune said. "Not just the dizziness, but the feeling sick and ruminating on that night."
Tsunade looked from her assistant to her suffering patient, awaiting an answer.
"It's been off and on. It started a few weeks after Miss Tsunade saved my life. At first it was just a deep sadness and some shaking, ya know. I thought that was normal after a tragedy like the one The Leaf went through and it would pass, so I ignored it. Actually, for a while I felt like I was okay. Then once Naruto got a little older and I had more time to relax, my thoughts went back there. Back to that dark place I tried never to revisit." She took a deep breath. "What really scares me is that sometimes, I can feel his chakra just beneath the surface, and I'm worried it could leak out if whatever's going on destabilizes Minato's seal."
Tsunade gulped, the seriousness of Kushina's words setting in. "I see."
"So," Kushina ventured with a shaky voice, "can you help?"
"No promises, but I can try something," Tsunade said, her eyes flashing with inspiration. "Shizune, get her comfortable. Kushina, could you lay back on the bed and let me take a look?"
The nervous patient complied, laying back while Shizune depressed a foot pedal to recline the hospital bed to an appropriate angle.
"Need anything?" the attentive assistant asked. "Water? Some blankets?"
"No, no. Thank you." The Uzumaki attempted a smile that was overshadowed by her obvious anxiety.
Kushina lifted her top above her belly button, tension coursing through her. She put her hands at her sides and winced.
"You can rest easy, Kushina," Tsunade said as if in tune with her patient's emotions. "Nothing I'm about to do will hurt." Her words brought some small measure of peace to the redhead's troubled mind.
Kushina nodded, closed her eyes, and tried not to imagine the worst. Tsunade infused chakra into both palms and placed them over the former location of The Nine Tails' tetragram seal. In its place was a new seal, this one housing a small amount of raw tailed beast chakra. Tsunade's medical ninjutsu gave off a warm aura that could be felt even without direct contact. The process was not at all painful, as promised, filling Kushina with relief. She drifted into a state of half-sleep before worry had the chance to consume her again.
❖ ❖ ❖
When she opened her eyes, Kushina saw the blonde Sannin, to whom she entrusted her care, smiling down at her.
"All done," she announced. "Shizune, if you please?"
"Yes, ma'am!" the aide blurted out, hurrying to Kushina's side to adjust the bed to its original position.
Once that was done, Kushina fixed her top and sat at the edge of the bed. She placed a clammy hand on the spot where the scar from that day was etched into her skin. Tsunade cleared her throat, drawing attention to herself.
"So, Kushina," she said, pausing to let Shizune take the tray of tools away, "how are you feeling?"
Kushina rubbed the back of her head and laughed. "Fine, I guess. Just a little lightheaded, ya know?"
"Right. Well, that's normal in cases like this. You should feel better in no time."
She gave a slow nod. "So, what did you find?"
The blonde pursed her lips and glanced at the site of Kushina's trauma. "When you had the seal broken, and The Nine Tails taken from you, it almost killed you. But more than that, it took a toll on your body. The chakra Minato returned to you saved you, but after going through something that harrowing, it isn't uncommon for people to experience negative effects weeks, months, or even years later." Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Based on the symptoms you described, I figured most of the damage was psychological. Just in case, I checked your body for injuries, weakening of the new seal, or any other abnormalities."
Shizune looked from one woman to the other, and Tonton let out a subdued whine.
"And?" Kushina asked with bated breath.
"And I found that there was a fair amount of scar tissue. After the Nine Tails Incident, I was able to restore you almost to perfect health, but that's mostly due to you being an Uzumaki. No one could've come out of that ordeal unscathed. It looks like even after I revived you, the strain on your body prevented some of the scar tissue from fully regenerating. Either that, or fluctuations in your chakra exposed you to some of the fox's chakra, creating a type of ulceration."
Seeing Kushina's expression darken, she held up a hand. "Nothing to worry about for now. I've already healed you and mended the seal's leak. If any of what you're experiencing was caused solely by physical damage, then that should take care of things."
"And if not?" Kushina said in a small voice.
Tsunade sighed. Neither of them wanted to get around to this part of the conversation, but it was unavoidable.
"If not, then that means it's more than likely a psychological trauma issue. Unfortunately, I can only heal the body. The mind is...well, a different beast." Tsunade looked down at her hands, then shared a glance with Kushina, whose eyes twinkled with compassion. In that instant, both women realized they were in similar predicaments.
Disrupting a long stretch of silence, Kushina spoke. "In that case, what would you suggest I do?"
The accomplished medic pinched her forehead, taking a moment to formulate a response. "To be honest, I'm the last person to ask about something like this. But I…" Tsunade broke off to glance at Shizune, who was giving her a concerned frown. "I have to admit, trying to get over my fear of blood hasn't been easy. Ever since he passed, I've had to ease my way back into treating patients. Into not breaking down when I see even a single drop."
Cupping her hands, Kushina looked at tiles on the floor while the troubled Senju gathered herself. "Sorry about Dan, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade grimaced, forcing a swallow. She nodded in acknowledgement of her patient's supportive words. "If our issues are anything alike, then I'm sorry to say that there may not be any other way past your problems than through them, Kushina."
The bitter message sank in as the redhead lowered her gaze. She was silent at first, then said, "Healing the mind? That's the only way?"
"Yes, in the event your symptoms come back. Kushina...if you need some direction, then consider exposing yourself to whatever conditions bring out these feelings in safer, smaller doses. Build up a resistance. Learn to tell yourself it's okay."
Kushina tilted her head, curious. "Is that what you've been doing, too? I mean, for the hemophobia."
"That's right," Shizune chimed in with a smile. "I've been trying to help Lady Tsunade ease back into her role as a medic through controlled exposure to small amounts of blood." Tonton whined, prompting Shizune to add, "It hasn't been a miracle cure, but I've noticed improvement."
Tsunade slammed her fist against the wall, drawing attention her way. A small crack spiderwebbed outward from the point of impact, but it wasn't enough to threaten the wall's integrity. The Sannin cursed, her ochre eyes shimmering as she held back building emotion.
"So damn humiliating," she said. "I'm known as one of the strongest ninja in the world, but look at me. Reduced to being a pathetic mess over something like blood. I'm a medic, for goodness sake!" Catching herself, Tsunade schooled her expression and turned away. "Sorry. I know this can't be putting you at ease one bit, Kushina."
Saying nothing, Kushina hopped down from the hospital bed and walked closer to the woman who treated her. She grabbed Tsunade's trembling hand, pulling it into a gentle embrace. The medic froze and stared at her patient for an indeterminate amount of time. Everything around them seemed to stop as the doting mother's warmth melted away her frustration.
"You're going to get through this, ya know," Kushina said. She smiled, delivering a refreshing dose of her usual optimism. "We both will."
Tsunade softened, let out a sigh, and pulled back. "Thank you, Kushina. I'll be around for a couple more days if you need me. I still have work to do in the village."
Everyone exited the room and the two medical ninja took their leave. Tsunade held her head high. Kushina noted she was unusually curt with her goodbye. It didn't take a genius to infer that the Senju woman was desperate to preserve whatever scraps of dignity remained after such an unprofessional display.
Left to pick up the pieces, Shizune apologized for her master's bad manners with a nervous laugh. Then she scooped Tonton up and rushed down the hall after Tsunade. Kushina rubbed her belly, frowning once both medics disappeared around the corner.
Just how am I supposed to deal with something like this? Lady Mito, what would you do now?
❖ ❖ ❖
The guards positioned on either side of Minato's doorway stepped aside to allow his visitor entry. He tapped his pen on the desk, giving one last look at the paperwork in front of him before rising to approach the foreign Jonin. The man bowed and took a step past the threshold. He wore a standard Sand Jonin uniform and a cloth headdress that draped over half of his face. The outsider's stern expression softened to a slight smile, which took visible effort. He gave Minato a firm handshake.
"Welcome to The Leaf, Baki," Minato said. They stood a comfortable distance apart at the center of the room. Two lower ranking ninja shuffled in behind Baki and stood in silence. "I trust your trip was without incident?"
"None whatsoever, Lord Hokage." He cleared his throat. "The Kazekage sends his thanks. He also asks that I apologize on his behalf for his delayed arrival."
Minato shook his head. "Oh, don't worry about it. So long as he's here before everything gets underway, it shouldn't matter much." He plucked a rolled up scroll from his desk and offered it to Baki. "Here's all that you'll need while you're in the village. Genma here will escort you to your quarters."
Genma bowed, then exited the room and waited outside. Another Jonin stood by to take his place guarding the door. Baki exchanged some words with Minato before heading out. However, just as he and his subordinates turned to leave, a raucous noise from inside the office drew everyone's attention. The Fourth Hokage spun to face the unexpected disruption. He was a half-second away from drawing a kunai when he recognized four chakra signatures that appeared out of nowhere. His stunned expression narrowed into a stern gaze as Naruto and his team walked around the side of his desk and faced him with a mixture of expressions.
"Naruto…" he muttered with notable exasperation.
"M-Minato-sensei?" Kakashi said, taking a moment to register what happened. The flustered Jonin whirled on Naruto. "Naruto, when I said teleport us home, I didn't mean here. Why would you choose this location?"
Sakura and Sasuke shrank back from the sudden influx of attention. Naruto held up his hands in a defensive gesture.
"Eheheheh," he chuckled, looking around the room at the multitude of either confused or unhappy expressions. "Hey everyone. So uh, Kakashi-sensei, I just figured I'd take us to Dad's kunai that I marked so we could give him our mission update right away."
Minato let out a breath. "All of you, wait outside. I need to finish seeing our visitors from The Sand off." He looked to Baki while Team 7 filed out of the room without making eye contact. The Hokage bowed his head. "I deeply apologize for this disturbance, Baki. My son will be appropriately disciplined and something like this will never happen again."
Baki's eyes widened. "Please, Lord Hokage, raise your head. There's no need to bow to me."
Minato did not budge. "I insist."
The Sand emissary relented, holding out a hand for a quick handshake. "Very well, but it's of no consequence. We'll be on our way now. The Sand thanks you for your hospitality."
Minato stepped into the doorway to watch as the Sand Ninja and Genma disappeared down the hall. Then he leveled a serious stare onto the members of Team 7, reserving the brunt of his intensity for Naruto.
"In my office," he commanded in a flat tone.
❖ ❖ ❖
The air was still. Tension saturated the endless silence. Naruto and his comrades hung their heads, stiff as boards. The suspense while they waited to be scolded for their transgression almost became too much for the three Genin. Minato cleared his throat at last, snapping to pull attention toward his desk.
"Just so we're clear, tell me why you're being reprimanded right now," Minato said, resting his chin on clasped hands.
The young trio exchanged uncertain looks, wondering which of them should answer. Kakashi took the guesswork out of the equation by speaking first.
"We are being reprimanded for interrupting your daily duties; to be more specific, a private meeting with an envoy from The Hidden Sand. Lord Hokage, I take full responsibility for this offense."
Naruto gasped. "But wait, sensei! I-"
"I was the one who allowed Naruto to pick our point of arrival on our way home from the Land of Waves," Kakashi continued, raising an arm in front of Naruto. "Please. If you punish anyone, it should be me."
Minato stared off into the distance, deep in thought. "While I appreciate your leadership and willingness to fall on the sword for your students, I'll speak with candor, Kakashi. Naruto is primarily responsible for this and it's a matter that could set a bad precedent if you cover for him now." The Hokage's ocean-blue gaze pivoted to his son, who was cowed into a withdrawn posture. "Naruto, I know your intent wasn't to make a bad impression on other villages, but listen to me."
Saying nothing, Naruto looked up.
"You have to think more before taking an action. If there's anything I wish you'd inherited from me instead of your mother, it's being less rash and more logical. So, you decided to jump to my kunai. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, except that you didn't have enough information. What if I was out of the village engaged in a battle? Or using the restroom with the marked kunai in my pocket? Or in the middle of a meeting?" Minato flared his eyes for emphasis.
Naruto nodded, swallowing hard. "Yeah, I get the point. I'm sorry, Dad. I'll be smarter about it next time."
"Good." Minato leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Now, as for the rest of you; Kakashi, Sakura…" Pausing to make eye contact with his other son, Minato finished, "Sasuke."
They braced to hear his next words. His sudden burst of laughter surprised the Genin, who each joined in with nervous chuckles. Kakashi remained stock still, other than his furrowed brow.
"Who thought letting Naruto pick where you'd arrive was a good idea?" the Hokage chastised through stifled chuckles. "Don't get me wrong, it's no laughing matter. Still, I can't help but be amused." Minato composed himself. Naruto shriveled as his teammates glanced at him. "Anyway, look. I understand that you feel comfortable around my office, boys, but you can't just drop in like that at all hours of the day."
Sasuke nodded. "Understood, Minato. We're sorry." He gave Naruto a sidelong glance.
Clapping his hands in finality, the mentally exhausted village leader rested his legs on his desk. "Let's make a new rule. No teleportation directly into my office unless it's an immediate emergency. That means sensing for where the mark you want to jump to is before you make the jump. If you're still not confident doing that, we'll practice it together until you're better at it. Okay?"
Both boys nodded in agreement.
"Speaking of which," he went on, "Kakashi, Baki was here as a stand-in for the Kazekage. It's about that time. Have you told them yet?"
Sakura looked at her sensei with eyes full of curiosity. She raised a shaky hand. "Excuse me. Told us what exactly?"
Kakashi turned to her. "In a few weeks, our village will be hosting the Chunin Exams."
"The-the Chunin Exams?" she echoed.
"That's correct," Minato said.
Kakashi smiled at her. "After some discussion with Lord Fourth, I decided to nominate you three for entry. I mean, if you'd like to participate."
Minato spun his chair and stood up while it was still in motion, walking around his desk to close the distance between himself and his guests. "Naruto, Sasuke, you've seen a couple of the past years' events. Sakura, what about you?"
"Well, sir, I know a little about the Chunin Exams from what we learned in class. Sometimes my parents talk about the exams from back when they were active ninja, but other than that…" She broke off, embarrassed to admit an — albeit rare — lack of knowledge.
The Hokage smiled at her. "Right. Makes sense that you wouldn't have heard much about it. Word's been going around the village about the upcoming exams during the time you four were on your mission. I've arranged for every Jonin to speak with their students about this year's exams." He turned to Kakashi, who locked eyes with him in silent understanding. "I'll have you do the same once you've finished submitting your mission report."
Kakashi nodded. "Yes, sir." He gestured to Minato, who paused as he was about to dismiss everyone. "Actually, sensei, I'd like to talk over the finer details of our mission with you before I hand in the paperwork, if you have a moment."
Minato cast a thoughtful glance at Kakashi and the rest of Team 7. "Oh, sure. Everyone else is free to go, provided we're clear on the new rules for jumping to me." He dropped his stony gaze after Naruto and Sasuke confirmed their mutual agreement. "Okay." Warmth returned to his expression at last as he said goodbye to his sons. "Welcome home, you two. Kushina and I have missed you." He gave them a quick hug, then waved as the Genin teammates left.
The sound of Naruto and his friends chatting amongst themselves died out. One of the guards at the door pulled it closed. Minato refocused onto Kakashi, who stood with his hands in his pockets. Instead of sitting behind his desk, Minato leaned back so he was halfway seated on the edge.
"So, tell me," he said, "what's this news you have for me, Kakashi?"
Kakashi uttered a heavy sigh and looked away for a moment, intriguing his former teacher. Noting the wrinkling of Minato's forehead, he explained, "There's nothing to worry about. It's actually…well, I wanted to ask something of you, sensei."
Minato tilted his head. "Hm? What is it?"
"As you know from the messenger birds I sent, on our mission, we ran into an A-Ranked threat in the bingo book."
Both of their gazes flitted to the opened letters at the edge of Minato's desk.
"Right," the Hokage said, slipping into a vacant stare as he thought back on the mission details. "Zabuza Momochi. It's a relief you all survived! I still find it hard to believe that he actually worked with you on the bridge construction."
"You and I both." Kakashi blew out a breath. "Anyway, about Zabuza and his gang, I was wondering if you could do something for me. It's a little unorthodox, to say the least." His sensei's eyes opened as big as saucers, eager to hear the request. "Is there any chance you could…not report my decision to let him go free to the Mizukage?"
"What? Why?"
"Believe it or not, I sensed something back then. That man's darkness seems to have lifted and turned into something else. I think we can trust him."
Minato narrowed his eyes and rose from his seat. "Kakashi-"
"He could have killed me." Kakashi's words were powerful — spoken softly, but full of conviction. Interested to hear more, Minato relaxed back onto his desk. "Zabuza and the boy I mentioned, Haku, had every opportunity to storm the house and finish what they started. I was bedridden, and the students were all alone. But they didn't. Everything I saw from the moment of our truce onward looked to me like the actions of a changed man, not a wanted criminal. He even joined Haku to see us off before we left for home. I know this sounds crazy, but sensei, you weren't there. Something happened that day at Gato's hideout. Something not even I can explain."
His words were met with a long stretch of quiet contemplation. Once Minato had chewed on the information enough, he stared Kakashi square in the face. "Kakashi, because of my respect for you and our history, I'm going to be frank with you. I think this is a very dangerous idea to entertain. However, as much as common sense is screaming at me to say no, there's another important factor."
"What's that?"
"I trust your judgment more than any other ninja under my command. Well, other than Shikaku, but that man's in a class of his own."
"Ah! You wound me, sensei," Kakashi teased, putting a hand over his heart.
The two veteran ninja laughed at the gentle snub. Minato appreciated how at ease he felt around the last surviving member of his team. They could throw casual jokes or insults back and forth without it threatening their closeness. The Fourth Hokage had the opportunity to watch Kakashi mature from a brat with insane potential and a troubled past into an exemplary ninja. The man standing before him today had walked through the metaphorical fire and emerged stronger in every way.
I've never been prouder to call someone my student.
"Consider it done, Kakashi. I'll leave the matter of sparing Zabuza out of my message to the Mizukage." Minato sighed. Stopping the Jonin mid-reply, he added, "Don't thank me for this. I hope you made the right choice."
"Me too," Kakashi exhaled. "So, have you decided when the exams are starting this year?"
"Yeah," Minato said while turning to his desk to write some notes. "In a little over a month. That should give everyone from other villages time to arrive and settle in before the first round begins." He blew out a breath and wiped his brow. "To be honest, I'm kind of nervous about hosting for the first time this year."
"Don't be. You'll do a great job." A thoughtful hum prefaced Kakashi's next words. "If what you've done with Naruto and Sasuke is any indication, you know exactly what this village needs to produce competent ninja. Bring that same quality of leadership to running the Chunin Exam and it should go off without a hitch, sensei."
"Thanks," Minato said, smirking, "but I can't take all of the credit. Naruto and Sasuke learned a lot on their own. I just gave them the tools to develop their styles."
Kakashi eyed the floor. "As Guy would say, we're still in our 'springtime of youth,' and yet I already feel like an old man. These kids are gonna surpass us before we know it, huh?"
Minato looked up from his papers with a proud smile. "They just might."
❖ ❖ ❖
Deep within a dim and secluded cave, Obito Uchiha's shadowy figure lurked. He pulled on his cloak and affixed an orange mask to hide his face. While he did this, a strange substance arose from the cave floor as if from below the surface of stagnant water. The manifestation took the form of a vaguely humanoid creature. A green, plantlike shell encased its two-toned head; one side was white, the other black. Obito turned to acknowledge the being.
"Zetsu. Any news?"
"The sage is drawing nearer every day," said Zetsu, the top half of his body protruding from the earth. "It probably won't be long before he finds this place."
Two other individuals entered the cave and walked further into the darkness, joining Obito and Zetsu. The newcomers wore high-collared black cloaks accented with a red cloud pattern.
"Ah, you two finally made it," Obito noted. "Zetsu, assemble the other members for a meeting. The Akatsuki will need to move up its schedule if we're to accomplish our goals."
"On it," the loyal spy affirmed, melting back into the cavern floor to carry out his new orders.
The visitors standing by at the entrance to the cave stepped closer, awaiting instruction. One was a man with orange, spiky hair and numerous facial piercings. The woman beside him wore a distinctive blue paper flower clipped to her shoulder length periwinkle hair, which was tied up in a bun. She sported a single piercing below her lips.
"Nagato, Konan, take a message back to the rest of the organization for me."
The orange-haired man maintained a neutral expression as he asked, "What's happened?"
Obito smashed a fist into the rock wall beside him, sending a tremor through the vast cave. "That damned Toad Sage! Jiraiya has been a thorn in the side of our plans for the longest time. This is the third headquarters relocation in the past couple of years, and still, he's on our trail."
"Shall we eliminate him?" Konan deadpanned. She looked to the man known as Nagato, who gave no reaction.
"No," Obito whispered. Then, louder… "No. We will never succeed as an organization if we keep uprooting ourselves at the slightest disturbance. Tell the rest of our members that we're changing tactics from this point forward."
'Nagato' nodded and replied, "What do you have in mind?"
Obito smirked beneath his mask.
❖ ❖ ❖
Kushina sat on her couch at home, reflecting on the medical advice she received in solitude. She clutched at the soft futon mattress underneath her. Its comfort would soothe her nerves under ordinary circumstances; today was different. A click of the latch on the front door jarred her back into focus. She forgot all about her personal woes when a familiar voice announced, "We're hoooooome!"
Naruto?
"Yeah. I'm tellin' ya, Sasuke, it's true!"
The unimpressed scoff he received in response had Sasuke's personality written all over it, and Kushina giggled to herself. She bounded up from the bed and rushed straight for the living room.
"You're an idiot," Sasuke finished saying just before she appeared. "There's no way that-" He went silent at the sight of her coming at them with open arms. Curious, Naruto turned along with him.
A broad smile came to her lips as their eyes met. Kushina's vision swam. The proud mother flung herself at her dear boys, pulling them close in a tender embrace. They stiffened in surprise, then relaxed into her arms.
"Hey, Ma," Naruto said in a muffled voice. He was buried in the crook of her neck.
"Welcome home," she whispered with a loving smile. "I missed you both so much!"
Sasuke grunted. "Can't…breathe, Kushina," he wheezed.
"Oh!" She laughed and loosened her hold on the boys. "Sorry. I'm just so happy, ya know!" She wiped her tears, then gave Sasuke a quizzical look.
He looked himself over, confused. "What is it?"
"I don't remember you leaving with that." She pointed to the bow strapped across his shoulder.
"Because I didn't." Sasuke unburdened himself of his backpack and laid the bow against the wall. Naruto followed suit with his belongings, letting out a loud sigh of relief. "Came back to grab it for training."
"I see. Still, I never realized you picked up the habit again."
Sasuke shrugged. "It was a spur of the moment thing."
Kushina nodded and looked from Sasuke to Naruto. "So, how'd it go? Did you enjoy seeing The Land of Waves?"
Sasuke's "I guess" was drowned out by Naruto's passionate, "It. Was. Awesome!!!!!" The latter's outburst made his mother giggle.
"It was, huh?" She snatched up their bags and started for their shared bedroom, ignoring protests. "Alright, well you have to tell me one thing first. Was the mission successful?"
"Yup!" Naruto said, beaming as he followed.
Sasuke walked alongside Naruto with his bow in hand and added, "We learned how to waterwalk."
"Really? That's great!" Kushina said over her shoulder. "I'd been meaning to teach you two if Minato couldn't get around to it soon."
"We figured it out in no time," Naruto went on, "and Kakashi-sensei's really proud of us!"
"Most of us," Sasuke teased under his breath. Naruto groaned, his eyes silently pleading with his brother not to 'go there.'
Kushina deposited the luggage and turned to face her sons. "What is he talking about, Naruto?" she demanded to know. Naruto rubbed the back of his head. Anyone could tell by looking that his mind was racing to come up with an excuse. Sasuke chuckled, then went for the kill.
"He got in trouble with Minato."
Naruto's head snapped in Sasuke's direction, an exaggerated look of pure betrayal on his face.
"Well," the blond cut in, trying to lessen the blow, "he wasn't that ma-"
"He was pretty mad."
Kushina put her hands on her hips. "What did you do?"
In spite of her anger, by the end of Naruto's retelling of the ordeal, she was almost in stitches. Kushina did her best to keep a stern expression, admonishing Naruto for his actions. Deep down, the boys must have known her scolding was forced; their postures were far more relaxed than when they feared The Red Hot Habanero might unleash her wrath. Having done her parental duty, Kushina gave them privacy so they could unwind from their trip.
In her bedroom, she all but slammed the door behind her. Kushina dove for the mattress and slid across it to the opposite end. The pillow closest to her was the unfortunate victim of an extended fit of laughter. She took a moment to recover, weak chuckles escaping even as her lungs burned from the lack of air supply. Something about the mental image of Team 7 crash landing on Minato's desk in the middle of a business meeting sounded so hilarious to her. Maybe she was still a kid inside, but it was hard to be angry at Naruto right now.
When she could breathe again, Kushina went into the kitchen and put on a meal. She threw together a rich soup with a few ingredients she had left over. In no time, her random blend of herbs and spices filled the house with its mouthwatering smell. Deciding she was comfortable leaving the stove to do its work, Kushina paid Naruto and Sasuke another visit. The door was open, but she knocked anyway. Sasuke was first to appear. He stepped aside and let her in.
"What is it, Mom?" Naruto stuck his head out from inside the closet, where he was busy rummaging around. "Ooh, whatever you're making smells delicious!"
"Thanks, Naruto." The redhead strode inside and plopped down onto the bottom mattress of the bunk bed. She patted either side of her. "Both of you, come sit. You've got to tell me what happened out there! It's cruel to leave your mother in suspense, ya know."
Naruto nodded. "Alright. One second. Where was that darn thing again…?" He disappeared back into the closet.
Sasuke sat down. Kushina took one of his hands in hers.
"Okay, you first," she said with stars in her eyes. "Go through it with me from the beginning. Oh! Did anyone get hurt? How are you and Kakashi getting along? Were you able to eat healthy foods there? Have you learned any new jutsu?"
"Whoa, whoa," Sasuke said, pulling back. "One question at a time, please."
"Right. Sorry."
Sasuke spent the next fifteen minutes bringing her up to speed. Naruto jumped in with excitement, tooting his own horn more than his brother felt was fair. However, the blond did take time to highlight Sasuke's contributions as well, which was a welcome change that brought a small smile to his face. Kushina could tell something must have happened between them that they chose not to share. Out of respect, she didn't pry. Regardless of what they weren't saying, Kushina was just happy to see her boys getting along even better than before they left.
"Did you hear we were nominated for the Chunin Exams?" Naruto said once they were done with the mission recap.
Kushina nodded with enthusiasm. "Yep! Your father came home all smiles a few days ago and showed me the letter he got from Kakashi. I just know your team is going to shine." She cocked her head in curiosity. "Well, if you've decided to enter?"
"Of course we will, Ma!" Naruto stressed, splaying his arms. "Why wouldn't we?"
"It's optional, but I think it's the best way we can measure our progress," Sasuke said. "But we need all three teammates' approval before we can accept the offer to participate. Right?"
"That's right," Kushina said. "Have either of you talked to Sakura about it yet?"
Naruto looked away. "Uh…not exactly, but I guess I just kind of assumed she was onboard. We're a team, after all."
"I hadn't given it much thought yet, honestly," Sasuke said while adjusting one of his leg wrappings. "We're supposed to let sensei know within the next two weeks. I'll bring it up to Sakura tomorrow."
"Good!" Kushina got up from the bed, then stumbled. The room spun. If not for Naruto and Sasuke, she would have tripped.
"Mom!" Naruto cried, hoisting her up on one side. "You alright?"
"What's wrong?" Sasuke's eyes were full of worry. "Are you sick?"
"I'll be alright," Kushina assured them as she disentangled their arms and headed for the door. "I just need to get some rest. I'll take the soup off of the stove for you, then I'm gonna go lay down."
"O-okay…" Naruto exchanged glances with Sasuke.
She closed the door behind her and grimaced. She had done a poor job of playing off almost fainting a moment ago. Until now, her hope was that Tsunade healing her would mean these kinds of incidents were a thing of the past. That didn't appear to be the case.
Kushina shuddered. A sinking feeling stayed with her all the way to the kitchen and back. Like it or not, Tsunade's worst fear may have come true after all.
❖ ❖ ❖
The grass beneath Minato's feet was wet from a recent sprinkling of rain. He heard his sandals squeak as he landed in the middle of the secluded section of forest he chose for a clandestine meeting. The Fourth Hokage turned to see none other than Itachi Uchiha staring back at him. He wore the standard black and red garb of an Akatsuki member. No matter how many times they met up, seeing Itachi in that outfit caused a wave of guilt to ripple through Minato. He tried not to let this show and gave Itachi a casual wave. Uncharacteristic of the stoic youth, he attempted a smile in response.
"Hello, Itachi."
The young man knelt at Minato's feet. "Lord Fourth."
"Please, don't bow to me. You know how I feel about that."
Itachi rose. "It's an honor to do so, no matter how unnecessary. So, you wanted to see me?"
Minato nodded. "I did. Sorry, I know those sensations in the mark on your scalp don't feel great, but at least this way we can lower the risk to you."
"It's no inconvenience. So, what was it you wanted to tell me?"
"Just the usual. I wanted to give you an update on Sasuke, the village, and vice versa with you and the Akatsuki."
"Of course."
Flipping a marked kunai through the air, Minato caught it with a flourish and winked. "I was thinking we could also get a sparring session in, if that's alright with you?"
Words unspoken hung in the air, threatening to crack the illusion of Minato's smile. Both ninja knew this challenge was nothing more than an excuse to add much-needed levity to their interactions. Facing the grim reality of why they were in this situation held far less appeal. Resigned to the proposal, Itachi put some distance between the two of them, shrugging off his Akatsuki cloak as he went. He turned back to Minato and bowed.
"I accept."
❖ ❖ ❖
The two contenders zipped around the grassy field at high speeds, going blow for blow as they either crossed weapons or deflected each other's attacks. Just when it seemed the stalemate would last forever, Itachi changed tactics and unsheathed a sword, approaching from Minato's blind spot. Minato parried with a kunai, sending the boy skidding backwards across the grass. They watched one another under the dim moonlight for the slightest openings. Minato feigned a sidestep motion by digging his ankle into the dirt. Itachi honed in on this movement, overlooking a sleight of hand trick while he was distracted. A smoke bomb erupted at The Hokage's feet, blurring visibility. Strafing left, Minato made a hand sign and passively molded chakra. He flung a shuriken toward the spot he was anticipating Itachi would move to, and heard a sharp clink!
Smirking at the confirmation of Itachi's location, Minato dashed toward the direction of the sound. He cut across the space in front of him with his marked kunai. Its sharp end tore through what sounded like thick fabric. A swift kick skyrocketed his foe out of the smokescreen. Minato landed beside the fallen Itachi and looked him over. He had suffered a minor wound to the stomach, and his shirt was ripped at the point of contact. A layer of mesh underneath absorbed some of the damage, preventing lethal injury.
Not fooled in the slightest, Minato ignored the Shadow Clone decoy and scanned for the real Itachi, only to perk up when he heard a quiet sizzling nearby. Wary of imminent danger, he rolled away seconds before a paper bomb went off, scattering what should have been the fake Itachi's remains everywhere. Instead, black feathers rained down around Minato. A few of the feathers parted, blown aside by a fast approaching figure. The Fourth Hokage turned to meet his attacker head on, grabbing his wrist and twisting to relieve him of his sword. Itachi was quick to react, pulling out a kunai to replace his lost weapon.
Their kunai clanged together. The two ninja remained locked in a tense struggle. In truth, Minato was pulling his punches. Still, he couldn't help but be impressed by Itachi's speed and the amount of pressure he was exerting with a simple kunai. He really was worthy of the prodigy status bestowed upon him.
"Getting tired yet?" the blond teased for the sake of competition.
"No, not at all," Itachi stated flatly, continuing to add pressure.
Minato decided to match him for the fun of it, forcing the boy to redirect his momentum rather than be overpowered. This gave The Hokage a chance to move in closer. Itachi was quick enough to adjust, catching the knee that rose to strike him in the chest. He activated his Sharingan at point blank range, forcing his adversary to look away rather than fall into a Genjutsu trap. An arm arced toward Minato's face, but he blocked without looking, simultaneously planting his free hand squarely on Itachi's chest. Itachi flinched as chakra spasmed through him.
"You're good," Minato admitted with a grin, "but I'm not The Fourth Hokage for show."
Itachi trembled, looking down at his hands. His Sharingan flashed off and on a few times thanks to the disturbance in his chakra network. He smirked. "I'd expect nothing less." Itachi took a stance, making a hand sign and stabilizing his chakra.
"Have you noticed anything concerning within the organization so far?" Minato rolled his shoulder while Itachi recovered.
"I sense something big may be coming soon, but as of now, no. Ever since Orochimaru left us, the Akatsuki has been a bit more cautious."
Minato frowned down at the grass. "Mr. Orochimaru…"
He snapped to attention and ducked under an incoming punch from Itachi. A leg sweep proved ineffective; Itachi jumped clear of the attack and laid into Minato with more taijutsu. Putting in just enough effort to avoid taking direct hits, the Kage responded in kind. Caught up in the heat of battle, he chuckled while they traded punches and kicks. They crashed together in a rigid grapple, knuckles interlocked. The sparring partners stared one another down, fired up and panting in equal measure.
"How is Sasuke?" Itachi asked, a warm smile reaching his face.
"He's well. He's grown faster than I expected. Since coming back from The Land of Waves on a mission, Kushina tells me he's able to water walk and use his Sharingan, and he even got back into archery." Mention of the latter caused emotion to flash in Itachi's eyes, but the expression disappeared in an instant. "Oh, and get this. He was such a big help to the people there, they named their new bridge to the mainland after him!"
"Really?" Itachi said with a pensive stare. "Interesting. I'm glad he's safe."
"I kept my promise. I wasn't going to let you down again."
"Lord Minato…" Itachi trailed off, unable to find the words at first. "I don't blame you. What happened is my burden to carry."
"We'll probably always disagree there." Minato broke their hold and slid out of range, leveling a kunai in front of his face. He buried his sadness and adopted a confident smile. "By the way, I know you're a clone."
The Yellow Flash vanished from sight. Itachi's clone found a kunai lodged into its stomach before it could react. Rather than turn into a log, the clone looked into Minato's eyes with a sly smirk. Its entire body lit up from the inside.
The Shadow Clone Explosion Jutsu?!
Minato backflipped, but the clone detonated before he could retreat to a safe distance. He was blasted backward and had to use Flying Thunder God to avoid slamming into a tree. He rolled into a crouched position, his fingers digging into the dirt to slow his momentum. Once he was back on his feet, Minato examined his surroundings. The real Itachi was nowhere in sight. Searching for his chakra signature proved fruitless. Minato glanced up at the sky; what he saw rendered him speechless. Staring down at him were a pair of stark red Sharingan eyes with a unique design around the pupils. A design he knew well after so much time bonding with Itachi. The Mangekyo Sharingan eyes were larger than life. They dominated the sky, blurring the line between reality and fantasy.
"Lord Minato, you're already under my Genjutsu," a voice boomed from the heavens.
Minato may have been shocked, but he was by no means afraid. He formed the appropriate hand seal and shouted, "Release!"
❖ ❖ ❖
Itachi stared back at Minato, who was unscathed, but a little winded from breaking the Genjutsu.
"I didn't expect you to go that far, Itachi."
"I knew ordinary tactics with the base level Sharingan were meaningless against someone of your caliber." Itachi gave him a small smile. "I took a chance."
"Is that so?" Minato sighed. "Then don't treat me like I'm just any opponent."
The fabric of their reality cracked like brittle glass and broke apart. Minato opened his eyes once again in the real world, pleased to be free of the double-layered Genjutsu.
Realizing he'd been found out, Itachi gasped and dashed backward, keeping his eyes on his foe. However, the image of Minato in front of him faded to nothing. Itachi turned with eyes widened to see a figure descending from above. Minato swooped down from a tree and gathered chakra in his palm, producing a bright blue ball of condensed chakra. It spun at an insane speed within the contained space, letting off a shrill thrum. Throughout the village, the Rasengan, an A-ranked jutsu invented by The Yellow Flash himself, was held in high repute. Minato's Rasengan dissipated a moment before making impact with Itachi's face.
"Enough of these games, Itachi," Minato said. He stood in front of the young man, who had fallen to his knees. A kunai pressed itself to Itachi's throat, effectively ending the match. "Nice try, but looks like I got you again. We haven't done this in a while."
Itachi exhaled and reached for Minato's outstretched hand. The victor of the match helped him up and patted him on the back.
"Before we part ways," Minato said, "there are a couple more things I want to talk to you about. Do you need to head back soon?"
Itachi nodded. "Yeah. I don't want anyone getting suspicious. With all due respect, Sir, we ought to make this quick."
"You got it. Speed is what I'm known for, after all." Minato winked at his friend before diving into the discussion.
❖ ❖ ❖
Two weeks after the Nine Tailed Fox Spirit laid waste to a large portion of The Hidden Leaf Village, Jiraiya The Toad Sage trekked through a dense forest overgrown with brambles. A tall cliffside overlooked the edge of the treeline. Dangling vines defied nature, growing from the cracks in the wall. Even from this far off, a sizable hollowed out hole stood out against the flat rock face.
Jiraiya gritted his teeth. Although the climb was going to be rough, there was no helping the situation. Every piece of intel from the past few days pointed to the one he was tracking residing somewhere nearby. Leaving no stone unturned meant he had to go up there and check it out.
"Well," he breathed, pulling at the straps of his large backpack, "here goes, I guess."
Later, inside the tiny hollow, Jiraiya felt for traces of chakra, clasping his hands together into the appropriate sign. Just as predicted, this place was drenched in a strange chakra similar to that of The Leaf's recent intruder. Vestiges of the latter's chakra signature remained in the floors and walls—even the ceiling reeked of the stuff.
The Toad Sage scrunched his nose up in confusion. Somehow, the culprit seemed to have touched the inside of the ceiling, walls and floor. Perhaps this was due to the time-space ninjustu the cloaked enemy used during the attack? Jiraiya stepped further into the cave. A discolored lump of something stood out against the darkness. The material was charred, but retained some of its former white color. He poked it, making sure to coat his finger in a layer of chakra first.
When touched, the surface depressed at the point of contact and then returned to its original shape. Almost like clay, this substance was somewhat firm, yet malleable. He scooped it up and took it to the edge of the cave. Its features were much easier to examine in the sunlight.
"What?" Jiraiya spat before he could stop himself.
The lump appeared to be some form of discarded flesh. Traces of dried blood clung to it on the side facing Jiraiya. The stuff wasn't alive, yet it gave off a unique chakra signature. His vague memory of the Uchiha intruder's chakra seemed a near-match for…whatever this was in his hand. Turning the misshapen mound over, Jiraiya gasped at the symbols on its underside. Despite a great deal of burn damage, part of Minato's Flying Thunder God formula remained legible.
That was the last thing he expected to find. However, the more he thought about it, the more this filled in the blanks for Jiraiya. All of the pieces fell into place and he let out an audible gasp. Minato tried, on several occasions since the night of the attack, to teleport to its perpetrator with a kill squad prepared to strike. None of his attempts worked. Everyone wanted to believe that meant the intruder Minato marked was dead—that his body had been destroyed somehow. Nobody bought this wishful thinking, but they clung to the sliver of hope it offered. Hope that Jiraiya's discovery just shattered into a million pieces.
I need to get this information to Minato.
❖ ❖ ❖
Itachi walked along a mud-stained path, hands tucked inside of his Akatsuki uniform for warmth. He stopped and turned toward a section of forest that led to a shallow coast. Sensing the familiar chakra he was searching for, he forged ahead.
A lone individual seated on the sand didn't look up when Itachi approached from behind. Kisame Hoshigaki was leaned casually against a massive, tightly wrapped sword dug deep into the dirt. In all honesty, his so-called sword's wide, unorthodox shape and scaly body hardly qualified it as such. The weapon trembled when Itachi was within an arm's reach of Kisame; a subtle sign that he, and it, were on alert despite appearances.
Itachi's partner in the Akatsuki was by no means weak. Nevertheless, the rogue Uchiha considered the bigger obstacle to be Kisame's massive companion. Samehada, or Shark Skin, was a sword with a life of its own. The sword was intuitive and capable of independent thought and action, albeit limited in scope. Watching Kisame's beloved pet snuff out life after life like they were nothing more than flies taught Itachi long ago not to underestimate its abilities.
"You've been gone longer than usual," the blue-skinned man noted, turning to give him a sideways glance. Rows of gleaming, serrated teeth decorated his haunting smile. Gills on the visible side of his face flared.
The Uchiha didn't respond, instead opting to sit beside Kisame and look out at the water. Neither man spoke for a long moment, each wrapped up in private thoughts.
"You really are a cold one, aren't you, Itachi?" his inhuman ally ribbed, smacking his lips when his efforts at conversation were met with more silence.
Itachi closed his eyes. The knowledge that Sasuke was doing so well back home brought him a brief reprieve from his somber existence. He relaxed as a pervasive wave of contentment ran through him. Kisame shifted, almost as if he sensed the change.
"You're not low on chakra, are you?" he prodded, not giving up on needling some words out of his aloof partner.
"No. I was just reminiscing." He got to his feet and wiped sand from his cloak, then turned toward the path that cut through the forest.
Kisame chuckled halfheartedly and jostled his blade free from the dense sand. Grains of sand and pebbles scattered across the beach. He lifted the weighty object over his head.
"Ah, interesting. I never pegged you as the sentimental type."
"Let's go, Kisame."
Their journey commenced in silence. Without warning, Zetsu poked his head out of a tree along the dirt path, stopping them in their tracks. His two-toned appearance should have been unsettling, but neither of the criminals budged.
"Itachi, Kisame, I'm here to summon you both to headquarters," Zetsu almost hissed. His voice had a vacant quality to it, in keeping with his fleeting permanence. "You're requested to come in person and halt any current activities."
"Another meeting, eh?" Kisame said. His eerie smile returned. "What could be the matter now?" He looked at Itachi. "Do you know anything about this?"
Itachi held Kisame's gaze. "No, nothing," he deadpanned. The Uchiha turned to ask about the details of the summons, but Zetsu was gone.
Kisame narrowed his eyes. "I really hate it when he does that."
❖ ❖ ❖
Kushina rolled onto her back, looking up at the ceiling from the mattress where she all but fell out cold earlier. Using the meager amount of energy left within her, she had dragged her heavy body just within reach of the bed and thrown herself down to rest. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times to adjust her vision to the ceiling light. Panicked, she pulled herself upright. A quick glance toward the window revealed it was still bright out. That was good.
Wait, how long have I been out?
Kushina's gaze drifted to a prominent wall-mounted clock. She sighed.
Phew. Only about an hour.
Halfway into pushing up onto her feet, she paused. She looked herself over and thought back to Tsunade's earlier advice.
"Expose myself to the conditions," she whispered, her voice brittle. "Build up…resistance."
On a whim, Kushina switched to a cross-legged pose on the mattress and shut her eyes. She distributed her weight evenly and stabilized her breathing. She'd drawn inspiration for this idea from her husband. Minato habitually meditated when tapping into nature energy to activate Sage Mode. So Kushina was hopeful that entering her subconscious would be easier if she adopted a similar process. Less than a minute later, her gamble paid off.
Weightlessness overtook her. Blinking the world into focus, the Uzumaki found herself no longer in her bedroom. Instead, she was somewhere vast, dark and murky. Ankle-deep water licked at her shins and weighed her feet down. Every resonant splash echoed against drab-colored walls. Pipes lining the walls disappeared around the corners of multiple intersecting corridors.
Kushina knew this place well, only now it looked very different. The resident captive whose hateful glare typically greeted her was nowhere to be seen. Somehow, without the Nine Tailed Fox's presence, the place seemed dimmer and more lifeless. Its emptiness in turn left a hollow feeling inside of her. That is, until a faint light shone from afar, beckoning Kushina to come closer.
When she did, she saw a floating mass of red chakra surrounded by two layers of reinforced gates. The entity trapped inside looked almost like it was pulsing, frequently changing shape as portions of it broke off into ribbon-like strands. These stray bits of chakra hovered around the central cloud, rolling and twisting in hypnotic helical motions within the confines of the gates.
Although she knew the spectacle before her was just formless chakra wandering without direction, Kushina marveled at its lifelike movements. Most fascinating of all was that the strands around the central core appeared to be attempting to form tails like they would under normal circumstances. If not for the fact it originated as part of a rampaging giant fox demon's chakra pool, she might have gone as far as to call the phenomenon 'pretty.'
Returning to the point of her visit, Kushina stared down the cloud of chakra, mustering all of the willpower available to her. She clenched her fists to keep from breaking down.
This is silly, she thought absently, almost losing my nerve over a cloud of energy!
Logic did not change the fact that she still ached to be anywhere else but here. However, giving up here wasn't an option. The Red Hot Habanero could handle anything!
Speaking from the depths of her being, Kushina declared, "All right. It's time you and I set some things straight."