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Chapter Text

The smell of blood and ash was thick in the air as the battlefield burned around them. It was eerily silent, save for the hiccuping sobs of the boy who contained Kurama’s essence. In his many centuries of life, the fox had accumulated vast amounts of knowledge on nearly every subject imaginable. Unfortunately, that didn’t include how to comfort a crying teenage human at the end of the world. And really, what could Kurama say, anyway? Nothing could bring the boy’s friends back, or undo the mess Kaguya and her mutated progeny had made. And apparently, nothing could stop them. Not the united front of the entire ninja world, not the bijuu, not even the Sage of the Six Paths. They had put up a valiant fight, but the world was crumbling around them and only Kurama and his host remained. 

Well, that was only partially true. Most of humanity was safely locked away in an infinite slumber, their life force being slowly siphoned away. They would never awaken from their slumber, not now that their assault against the goddess had failed. Truthfully, Kurama thought they had the better end of the bargain. The sleeping humans had no idea that they were slowly dying. Their lives would fade away while they lived in their perfect dream worlds. Compared to the gruesome fates of Naruto’s friends, a quiet, peaceful end sounded more preferable. 

He knew Naruto would never agree. He would fight to his last breath, which was likely coming sooner than either of them cared for. 

Not for a lack of caring, but for a lack of ideas on what the hell else to do, Kurama nudged the boy’s consciousness with his own. They had to move on. “Come on, runt. We can’t stay here.” He did his best to let his chakra coat the boy in a mockery of a warm embrace. 

Naruto held onto the still figure in front of him. His knees were becoming soaked with mud and blood as he knelt on the ground. Kurama had never seen him look so defeated. Even when the odds were against the boy, he always seemed to find the strength to keep fighting. But now, Kurama could feel the exhaustion deep in the boy’s bones, and the threat of a darkness that whispered to just give in. 

“We need to move,” the Kyuubi tried again. “We’re sitting ducks here.” Not that it really mattered at this point. Kaguya had proven she could defeat them no matter where or how they positioned themselves. 

Still, the boy didn’t budge. Kurama sighed, staring through his host’s eyes at the shredded corpse in front of them. The Uchiha brat had put up a good fight, but he’d fallen just like all the others. First, their teacher. The Copy Ninja had thrown himself in front of an attack aimed at Naruto’s neck. He slipped into the afterlife muttering the name of his foolish friend that had started this mess. Even the reanimated Hokage had been devoured by the moving shadows, leaving not even a trace of their essence behind. Kurama didn’t count the other Uchiha’s death as significant, even though he knew Naruto had. The boy was far too trusting for his own good. 

And then the pink haired girl. Kurama had been impressed at how long she’d lasted. He’d never cared much for her, particularly in the early days when all she would do was fawn over the Uchiha brat, but he found himself respecting her after her death. Her mastery of medicine had proven invaluable, and she’d gone down dragging at least two dozen of Kaguya’s pawns with her. 

Each death had been hard on Naruto, chipping away more and more of his resolve. But the fall of his friend/rival was hitting him the hardest now. There was not much left of the boy, but Naruto still clung to him all the same. The hole in his face where the Rinnegan once sat stared up into nothingness. 

They’d been winning for a while, and they had been so close to banishing the goddess and her spawn for good. The reincarnations of the Sage’s sons had been about to deliver the finishing blow, when the remnants of Black Zetsu exploded into a writhing mass of limbs and teeth. It split into shadowy forms that devoured the battlefield, and everything in their path. That’s when things went wrong. No matter how many they killed, more just erupted from the splattered remains of the creature. Their group lost their advantage, and they were picked off one by one. Now it was just Kurama and Naruto. 

They were out of options, and out of time. “Naruto.” The Kyuubi’s voice was firmer this time. Using the boy’s real name seemed to finally catch his attention. “We need to find a better place to make our last stand.”

Naruto nodded numbly. He glanced down at his fallen comrade one last time, before rising to his feet and racing away from the oncoming wave of black. They both knew this was a futile effort, but they were also both too proud to give up and die without a fight. They would lose, and the world would end, but no one could ever say they didn’t give it their all. 

The Kyuubi’s power surrounded Naruto once more as he activated tailed beast mode for the last time. They found a cliff overlooking the battlefield, which was slowly being engulfed by a writhing sea of black. Kaguya’s light stood out in the middle of it all, burning like a beacon. The shadowy figures of her progeny curled around her, cackling and hissing with malice as they surrounded Naruto and Kurama from every side. 

Tears still dripped down the boy’s face, but he stood his ground. “Thanks for everything, Kurama. I’m sorry I couldn’t save us.” 

“It’s been an honor to fight alongside you, Naruto Uzumaki . ” The fox replied, releasing any remaining hold on his power to let the boy use it. 

Together, they stood tall, the fox’s form towering over the ruins of their battle. Kurama wasn’t foolish or conceited enough to think he’d never die. No, all things must end, even the bijuu. However, he’d expected that end to come many millenia down the line. And he’d never imagined he would die fighting side by side with a human. 

No, not just a human. A friend. His first, and now his last. 

Kurama would fight to his last breath, as would the boy. But with that last breath, he would make sure his partner’s passing was as quick and painless as possible. It was the only remaining mercy he could offer his friend. 

The tidal wave of shadows was almost upon them, somehow still growing impossibly taller. The unnatural red glow coming from the moon was completely blocked out, but Kurama’s chakra radiated enough light to bathe the battlefield around them in orange. Misshapen figures clawed toward them out of the living shadows, snarling and slobbering like feral beasts. No trace of Black Zetsu’s wit was among them. These were mindless creatures of death, with no purpose other than devouring their mother’s enemies. 

The duo tensed, preparing to strike. The integration of their chakra was seamless, with no distinction between bijuu and jinchuuriki. There was no more time for doubt, or holding back. This may be their last stand, with no hope, but they would make the goddess remember them. 

“There will always be hope, so long as those who remain to draw breath believe it.” 

Naruto startled at the sudden intrusion, but Kurama just grinned. “Father, have you come to join us at the end of the world?”

In their shared consciousness, the Sage appeared before Kurama and Naruto. Outside Naruto’s body, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Hagoromo looked like he’d aged even more since he’d bestowed his power to Naruto and the Uchiha boy. The lines in his face ran deeper than Kurama remembered, and his skin held an unnatural pallor. 

“I’ve come to offer an alternative,” the Sage replied. He looked out onto the battlefield through Naruto’s eyes, reflecting a deep sadness. “It is clear that mother is too powerful to be defeated.” 

“If that’s true, then what kind of alternative is there?” Naruto questioned. He too seemed to have aged greatly in such a short period of time. Kurama had become used to the boy’s carefree smile and infectious optimism, but very little of those remained. 

The Sage looked weary. “There may be a chance to stop this, or rather to prevent this. But it is a slim chance.” 

Kurama and Naruto glanced at each other, neither one sure of what the Sage was getting at. Naruto turned back to him. “What do you mean?” 

“What if,” the Sage continued, “you could go back and stop the events that lead to Kaguya’s rise from happening?”

Kurama snorted. “Father, are you serious? That’s impossible.” 

“What’s impossible?” Naruto frowned. “Kurama, what is he talking about?” 

“He’s talking about something foolish. Changing the past.” 

Naruto’s face scrunched up. “What, like time travel? Is that actually possible?” 

At the same time Kurama was grunting, “No” , the Sage muttered, “Maybe.” 

Both Naruto and Kurama looked at him, wearing equally shocked expressions. They looked at him expectantly, waiting for further explanation. Kurama knew the Sage wasn’t one to joke about such matters, particularly at a time like this, but surely that was the only explanation for what he was proposing. 

The Sage cleared his throat. “While you have been fighting Kaguya, I have not been idle. Gathering energy, and gathering my thoughts. We know there are powers that can bend space,” he explained, referring to Obito’s kamui, “so it is entirely possible that there are powers that can bend time. I just had to figure out how to tap into it.” 

“And did you?” Kurama asked curiously. 

The Sage nodded. “Yes, or at least, I believe so. It is…complicated. I won’t know for sure until I try it, unfortunately. Nothing like this has ever been attempted so a lot of my knowledge is theoretical.” 

“That’s so cool!” Naruto grinned. Some of his normal jovial attitude seemed to leak through. “So you can send me and Kurama back to kick some butt? And then we can save everyone and keep Kaguya from ever being revived?” 

Hagoromo’s expression fell. “Not quite. A tangible body will not survive the journey, but I believe chakra can.” 

Kurama nodded in understanding, but Naruto was rubbing the back of his neck like he did when he was confused. Still, he seemed to understand that this wasn’t the time for asking a lot of questions, so he kept it to himself. 

“Well, that will be no problem for me,” Kurama huffed. After all, he was a being of pure chakra, so he didn’t really have a body to worry about anyway. “But how will that affect the boy?” 

“My understanding, which again, is quite theoretical, is that I could move chakra from this time to another. But only if a receptacle for that chakra already exists,” The Sage explained. “I believe I could put compatible chakra into its host at a different point on the timeline.” 

Naruto’s frown returned. “So that means…we couldn’t go back and stop Obito from getting taken by Madara. Because I wasn’t alive then.” 

“Correct,” the Sage confirmed. “And I don’t think I could send you back that far, anyway. If my calculations are correct, the amount of chakra I’ll need to use will grow exponentially for every small step backwards. I believe I could give you 10, maybe 15 or so years.” 

“Well, that’s still a lot of time to fix things!” Naruto insisted. The Sage still looked grim. 

“There is one other problem.” He sighed as both Naruto and Kurama stared intently at him. “I can only send one of you.” 

Both of them started protesting. 

“I can’t leave Kurama behind!” 

“The runt can’t do this without me!” 

Hagoromo waved his hand. “I’m sorry. But I can’t manage it. I went through every possible scenario in my head, and adding a second chakra signature throws everything off. It won’t work. If I had more time I could possibly send you separately, but…” he looked out onto the battlefield. The shadow wave was still moving toward them in slow motion, gaining ground with every second. 

Kurama understood. They were out of time. 

“Send the boy,” Kurama said immediately. “I can try to hold them off long enough for you to get the energy you need to send me after him.” 

The sage looked at him neutrally, but Kurama could read the expression hidden on the old man’s face. Kurama would not last long enough for that to happen. Only one of them would be able to make this journey. 

“No way!” Naruto protested. “I won’t go without you!” 

The boy had tears in his eyes again, and he was staring up at the fox definitely. It made Kurama laugh, a deep, warm rumble. Here they were at the end of everything, and Naruto still wouldn’t abandon a friend. Kurama bent his neck, letting himself drop his head to be face level with his jinchuuriki. 

“You must,” Kurama insisted. “You’re the hero, not me. You’ve already proven your strength and your resolve, so I know you are more than capable.” 

Naruto shook his head vehemently. “No. I won’t leave you here!” 

The fox’s expression was softer than he ever remembered it being. It was touching to see how much the boy actually cared for him. “It will be alright, Naruto. I’ll still be with you, and now you know the way to an old fox’s heart.” The previous version of himself would still give Naruto trouble, but now the boy had plenty of cards to play. Kurama knew how angry and lonely he’d been. Naruto would have no problem convincing his former self to his side now that he knew the fox. 

“Kurama…” Naruto was tearing up again. 

The Kyuubi lowered his massive head even more, so Naruto could lean forward and grab the fur on his snout. He let the boy hug him and cry, not even minding the snot and tears being dropped onto his muzzle. This was the last time he’d ever see his friend, so he wasn’t about to push the boy away. 

When Naruto finally stepped back, his expression hardened. He wiped at the tear tracks on his cheeks. “Ok, I understand what I need to do.” He nodded at the Sage.

The Sage nodded in return. “Alright, first I’ll need to separate you two. I’m going to break the seal and pull your chakras apart to separate them completely.” 

Naruto took a shuddering breath, while Kurama just nodded silently. He felt strangely calm about the fact that he was close to death. At least he could leave this world knowing that its fate would be in good hands. If anyone could fix this mess, it was Naruto. 

“Do you know when you want to go back to?” The Sage questioned. 

Shrugging, Naruto replied, “I think so. I don’t want to be so young that I can’t do anything, but not so old that nothing changes either.” He glanced back in the direction that they’d come from, where his last friend had fallen. “And I want to stop the Uchiha massacre. I want to save them. I want to save everyone.” 

Kurama wasn’t surprised. He’d always been too soft for the Uchiha brat. “Perhaps when you first entered the academy,” he suggested. 

Naruto nodded in approval. “Yeah, that should work. I’ll stop a lot of bad things from happening, and I’ll save a lot of people too.”

“Is your mind made up, then?” The Sage questioned. He gestured to the battlefield around them, where the mass of shadows was nearly at their throat. “We’re out of time.” 

“Yeah, my mind’s made up,” Naruto replied, staring at Kurama with a firm resolve. 

Without another word, the Sage got to work. Kurama felt the tug on his chakra, and Naruto’s pained expression made it clear the boy did as well. He felt a ripping sensation as he was dragged from his host. Their chakra had become so entangled that it seemed impossible, but Hagoromo persisted. He managed to separate them down to a final thread, barely hanging on to each other. Kurama’s deep orange, and Naruto’s bright blue. 

The Sage prepared to separate them, ready to grab hold of Naruto’s chakra the moment he was free. It would be just in time, as Kaguya’s spawn were just inches from tearing them to pieces. Kurama braced himself for his last battle. 

The last thread started to snap, and Kurama was ready to launch himself forward at the enemy. Except, he never got the chance. 

At the last moment, Naruto grabbed hold of their connection, which was now no stronger than a piece of hair. He ripped his chakra from Kurama’s, separating them completely. The Sage reached out, but Naruto was already out of his reach. Kurama’s cloak faded from Naruto, and he started plunging into the waiting claws of the creatures below. 

“What have you done?! Idiot boy!” Kurama tried to rush forward to catch his jinchuuriki, but the Sage clamped down on his own chakra. 

“Kurama, I’m sorry. But all will be lost if you don’t go now,” The Sage urged. 

It still felt like everything was moving in slow motion around them. Kurama roared, and Naruto offered one of his characteristic toothy grins as the first black claws pierced his body. Blood started trickling from his mouth. “Sorry, cranky old fox. Go save the world.” 

“You stupid, foolish human! Why would you do such a thing?” Kurama felt himself being tugged backwards. The Sage was behind him, where a void of crackling energy was opening. 

More claws and teeth grabbed at Naruto, tearing flesh from bone. He closed his eyes against the pain, but his smile remained. “You know, you’re pretty dense for a centuries old chakra being.”

Kurama tried reaching forward again, but he knew it was too late. The wave of shadows was devouring the boy. It didn’t make sense. Why sacrifice himself for Kurama? He was obviously the better choice to deal with their past mistakes. Naruto was likable, and had a way of turning people to his side. Kurama was a demon of chakra and malice. He wasn’t meant to protect anyone. 

“Why?” The fox asked again, as he lost the battle of wills against the Sage’s pull. The cold, empty void was starting to surround him as Naruto was lost beneath the black swarm. 

The answer, which seemed so obvious after the fact, echoed around him. “Because you’re my friend, you dumb fox.” 

Kurama let go, watching the ruins of the world fade from his vision. The idiot boy had sacrificed himself to save Kurama. Of course he did. It was a poor tactical choice, and completely foolish. But it was exactly what the fox had come to expect from the boy. 

The Kyuubi wouldn’t let his sacrifice be for nothing. He wasn’t a hero, not by any means. But he could be a guiding voice for a young Naruto. He could warn his siblings of the Akatsuki before it was too late, and keep them out of Obito’s clutches. And maybe…

An idea struck him.

“Father, can you send me to a different time?” 

The Sage was fading, but still holding tight to Kurama’s chakra. “Possibly, if we act fast. When were you thinking?” 

Kurama glanced one last time at the chaos in front of him, almost pretending he could see a flash of blonde hair. It was a stupid idea. Really, Uzumaki level of stupid. But if he could pull it off, he could save everyone the boy cared about. It would never repay Naruto for giving his life for Kurama, but if he could keep the boy from suffering, it would be a start. 

He relayed his plan to the Sage, who smiled softly and nodded in agreement. In front of him, the future blinked out of his vision. Would it still exist, in its own dimension? Or had his actions already erased that horrible future? Kurama suspected he’d never find out, but he could make sure none of it came to pass. He wasn’t a hero, dammit, but he could make sure Naruto still became one. 

As time and space became tangled around him, Kurama could hear a whisper in his ear, like a mantra urging him forward. 

“Because you’re my friend, you dumb fox.” 

—------------------------------

Kushina was dying. That was the cost of ripping a bijuu from its jinchuuriki, even if she was persisting far beyond what most humans could bear. The only drive keeping her going was to protect her family, and her village. If she could stop the Kyuubi and save her son, she could die and be at peace. That very thought was what kept her fighting, her chakra chains sprouting from her ruined body to pin the beast. 

The Kyuubi roared, its fury shaking the foundations of the earth around them. Kushina’s vision was becoming blurred, but she could see Minato still fighting. His plan was terrible, truth be told. But she was in no position to argue. And he was acting not only as a father, but as Hokage. She understood, even if she didn’t want to sacrifice her son to this monster. She’d lived with the Kyuubi since she was a child, plugging her ears against the beast’s toxic words and corrosive chakra. He’d tried on many occasions to take advantage of her weaknesses, and had promised a swift and terrible vengeance upon her clan, her family, and her village. She really hated that demon fox, yet she was about to seal half of it inside her infant son. 

She could see Minato starting the signs for the Reaper Death Seal, and she held her breath. She had to trust him, and trust Naruto. He was an Uzumaki after all; the blood of Uzushio pumped through his veins. 

The Kyuubi was still struggling, feral and angry as her chains tightened around it. The demon spat curses and promises of revenge, roaring with a bitter fury. Its snarls became frantic as its chakra surged. Kushina grit her teeth, feeling her strength fading. Impossibly, the fox had become more frantic, letting out a horrific wail that almost made her lose her concentration. The beast struggled, foaming at the mouth and slitted eyes rapidly dilating and constricting. And then just as the beast was about to break free, it stopped struggling. 

The demon was breathing heavily, but had stilled. It glanced around frantically, jerking in surprise as her chains held against its bulk. 

“It worked…” 

Kushina didn’t know what to make of that phrase, but it was getting too difficult to think clearly anyway. All her concentration was going into keeping the fox chained down long enough for Minato to seal it. 

If she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought the fox followed her train of thought. Its slitted eyes flicked over to Minato, and then to Naruto, who was wailing miserably from all the commotion. She wanted to run to her son, to comfort him, but her legs would collapse the second she moved. The Kyuubi’s eye settled on her husband, who was moments away from finishing the signs for the Reaper Death Seal. 

“That is not necessary, Minato Namikaze. I will cooperate.” 

The shock of the fox’s words startled both of them, making Minato lose his concentration. He swore, starting the sequence again. Kushina narrowed her eyes. The Kyuubi liked to play games, though she’d never heard it manage to say anything quite so non-threatening. Clearly, it had the intended result of distracting them from their task.

Seeing that its ploy didn’t work, the great fox rolled its eyes. “I see. We’re going to play this way, then?” 

Without warning, the fox pulled against its chains. Kushina had not been ready, and the surge of power seemed to come out of nowhere. She was an idiot! It had obviously been waiting for her to let her guard down, and she had. Now the beast was ripping her chains with a mighty flare of its chakra, all nine of its tails extended. The beast stood at full height, glaring down at her with a cold gaze. 

She didn’t have any strength left to fight. Kushina collapsed, her muscles weak and her chakra exhausted. She could hear Minato yelling her name, but all she could do was turn her head to face her husband and child. At least the last thing she would see would be her family. 

“This won’t do.” 

Darkness was just starting to overtake her vision, when a warm presence wrapped around her body. All at once, she felt fire flowing through her. She cried out, not in pain, but in surprise from the sudden invasion. Despite the intense heat surrounding her, she did not feel burned. In fact, she felt reinvigorated. Her strength was rapidly returning, and the blurred edges of her vision sharpened. 

“What are you doing to her?! Release her, you monster!” 

Kushina could hear Minato yelling as her awareness returned. She realized she was in the fox’s grip, held tight by one of its tails. She recognized the red-orange chakra around her, but surprisingly, it didn’t feel as corrosive as it normally did. The other times the fox had let its chakra loose on her, it had felt like her skin was being peeled off. This felt strangely warm and inviting, but there was a dangerous edge to it. 

The fox dropped Kushina without a second thought, the chakra flow cutting off. She managed to land on her feet, even though she wobbled a bit. It was jarring, to go from almost dead to suddenly full of strength and energy. What was the fox thinking? 

“Calm down, Namikaze. I’m saving her life.” The fox replied nonchalantly. “A jinchuuriki cannot live if their bijuu is removed, so I gave her enough of my chakra to keep her alive.” 

Her immediate thought was to shout some very choice curse words at the fox, because of course that was a lie. The Kyuubi had no reason to help her, and it never would. But strangely enough, the demon’s words made sense. She could still feel the familiar thrum of the fox’s chakra under her skin, but obviously the fox was still free. And she was still alive. 

Minato looked ready to skin the fox where it stood, but Kushina held out a hand. “Wait. I do feel better,” she confirmed. Her husband paused, looking between her and the Kyuubi with confusion. “What game are you playing?” She addressed the fox. 

Snorting, the Kyuubi sat back on its haunches. “No games, Tomato Head. I simply wish to have a civilized conversation. Or,” the beast grinned darkly, “would you rather we go back to trying to kill one another?” 

“What are you talking about?” Kushina pressed. Every instinct was telling her to chain the fox down again, but her curiosity was overwhelming. Nothing about the fox’s body language was indicating any hostility. That alone was a shock. It was sitting in a neutral position, head tilted slightly with a bored expression on its face. 

The fox glanced behind her and flicked its tails. The barrier they’d put up was suddenly infused with a dense shield of orange and black chakra, obscuring their view to the outside. Both Kushina and Minato tensed again, but the fox remained neutral. 

“Can’t have any pesky eavesdroppers,” it offered as an explanation. Instead of attacking, the fox relaxed even further, laying down like a dog in front of a fireplace. Its eyes flitted back to Kushina and Minato. “Care to listen to what I have to say?” 

“We’re not interested in your lies,” Minato spat. 

The fox’s ear twitched but it did not move from its neutral position. “I have no lies to tell you, only difficult truths.” 

This time, Kushina was ready with a rebuttal. A curse was on the tip of her tongue, when Naruto’s wails picked up to a particularly high octave. The infant’s cries caught the demon’s attention, and his massive head turned to face the child. Both Kushina and Minato rushed to protect their son, but the fox had a head start. One of its tails curled around, reaching toward the helpless baby. Kushina was ready to throw herself in front of the monster, to let herself be devoured by the demon itself if it meant saving her son. 

But the Kyuubi never struck. Instead, it laughed. No, it chuckled. The sound was so unexpected she actually stumbled. The fox dangled one of its tails above Naruto, wiggling it back and forth. It wore a shockingly soft grin as it looked at the boy.

“Heh. You are going to be such a pain in my tails.” 

Minato reached their son, snatching him away from the fox and leaping out of harm’s way. Kushina breathed a sigh of relief. Naruto, on the other hand, did not seem pleased. His cries had momentarily softened as he became entranced by the Kyuubi’s lone tail, but now he was back to screaming his head off. 

“Don’t you dare touch my son you demon!” Kushina snarled. “I don’t care if you’re the Kyuubi, I will flay you alive if you hurt him!” 

At Kushina’s outburst, the fox laughed heartily. “Ah, there’s that famous Uzumaki spirit.” He waved a massive paw. “Relax, Tomato Head, I will not harm the boy. In fact, he is why I’m here.” 

Kushina frowned at that. “What are you talking about? Why are you doing this?” 

The fox scoffed. “I was imprisoned within you for most of your life and you don’t even notice the difference? How pathetic.” 

“Enough games,” Minato snapped, still protectively cradling Naruto against his chest. “I’m ending this.” 

Without thinking, Kushina held up her hand. “Wait.” The request surprised Minato, and it surprised herself. 

The fox’s words were rattling around in her mind. Something wasn’t right with this whole situation, and it was making her uneasy. The Kyuubi was no stranger to mind games, but it had never shown the kind of patience needed for something like this. It was acting oddly docile, not attacking despite numerous openings, and its insults were more like good-natured jabs than cutting remarks. Kushina dared to close her eyes for a moment, reaching deep to feel the fox’s chakra that had been implanted in her. And that was another thing. Why had the fox done that? It had spent enough time telling Kushina all the ways it wanted her to die for her to know that it did not carry any positive feelings for its jinchuuriki. 

The fox’s chakra was easy to find, since she’d had a lifetime of knowing where to look. It was as searing as ever, but something was a little different. Normally, the fox’s very essence oozed malice. It was suffocating, how much the fox hated . There was still the usual unease associated with the demon’s chakra, but it was surprisingly…subdued. In fact, she’d almost call the pulsing chakra’s heat pleasant. 

Kushina opened her eyes, staring up the fox with a frown on her face. The Kyuubi was still laying in the same spot, its legs kicked out to the side lazily. It was almost as if it was trying to appear non-threatening. But why? 

“Your chakra is different,” she said finally. 

The fox hummed, flicking a few of its tails. “Yes, a few decades of perspective, plus the end of the world, will change even the most stubborn bijuu.” 

Once again, Kushina was lost. She tried to search for any genjutsu, but found none. She even pinched herself to see if she was dreaming. “Ugh, just give me a straight answer, you stupid fox! You’re being purposefully vague!” 

The Kyuubi snorted in amusement. “Perhaps. Are you ready to listen now?” 

Kushina crossed her arms. Minato was shouting a warning to not let her guard down, but she just glared at him. She could handle herself. She’d been dealing with the demon fox for most of her life. “Just say what you want to say.” 

Nodding, the fox addressed them both. “Listen well, if you want to prevent the end of the world.” It ignored the skeptical look that Kushina shot it. “I am not the Kyuubi that you know. I…” The fox paused to gather its thoughts. “I came here from the end of all things to stop certain events from coming to pass.” 

This time, Kushina was the one that laughed. She doubled over, clutching her stomach and ignoring the fox’s angry grumbling. It was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. The Kyuubi? Here to save the world? Ridiculous. 

When Kushina managed to get ahold of herself, the fox’s ears were pressed back and it was scowling down at her. Minato remained quiet, hushing Naruto but never taking his eyes off the Kyuubi. 

“So,” Kushina chuckled again, “you’re trying to tell me that you, what, time traveled? To stop the world from ending?” She still couldn’t contain her laughter. 

“You wouldn’t laugh if you’d seen the fate that awaits this world!” The fox stood, its hackles rising. Both Minato and Kushina took up a defensive stance. “Both human and bijuu, cut down as if they were nothing but insects! You think your petty human squabbles are war? No, they are nothing like the horrors that I have faced.” The Kyuubi snarled. “You can’t imagine the sacrifices, and the pain!” 

The fox’s rising voice made Naruto wail again. Surprisingly, the sound made the fox flinch. Its fur fell flat, and it sat back on its haunches again as it looked over at the infant with an unreadable expression.

When it spoke again, its voice was soft. “This is why it should have been you. Why did you have to be such a self sacrificing fool?” The fox shook its head. “I’m not suited for this.” 

It sounded almost…sad? Why was the Kyuubi staring at her infant son and looking like a kicked puppy? Granted, a very large kicked puppy, but its face was pure misery. 

Kushina was an idiot, probably, but something in her gut was urging her on. “Ok, fox. Tell me your story.” 

Minato gave her a curious look, and she shrugged in response. The Kyuubi was staring at her with narrowed eyes, waiting for an insult or a trick. Kushina held up her hands in surrender, indicating that she wasn’t going to interrupt. 

Finally, the fox sighed. “Let me try this another way. In the life I’ve lived, you,” he gestured to Minato, “seal half of me inside the boy and take the other half with you into the Reaper Death Seal. And I kill you both as you stop me from killing the boy.” 

Both parents tensed at the explanation, and Minato instinctively angled his son away from the fox. If the Kyuubi was bothered, it didn’t react. It kept speaking, spinning a tale of a lonely boy cursed with a demon inside of him. It spoke of loss, of love, and of sacrifice. It spoke of an ancient evil that would consume everything in its path, and a vengeful goddess that would strike down even the combined powers of the Tailed Beasts. 

“You sealed half of me in the boy hoping he would use my power for the good of the village, for the world.” The fox looked back at the infant in Minato’s arms, who had finally fallen into a peaceful slumber. “And he did, but not in the way you expected. That boy,” it pointed toward the infant with a massive claw, “will unite not only the entire shinobi world, but the nine bijuu, and the samurai against a threat that will cause the destruction of this world and everything in it. He will grow up hated, and alone, but still become an unfailingly, obnoxiously , kindhearted human with a propensity to befriend anything that breathes. Including,” it gestured to itself, “ancient demons of chakra and anger.”  

When the Kyuubi finished speaking, there was a heavy silence that fell over them all. It was insane, but it seemed more insane that the fox could have made up such a story. 

Minato was the first to break the silence. “If what you’re saying is true,” he sounded disbelieving but curious, “why send you back? You had to have known we wouldn’t trust you.” 

The fox grimaced. “Oh, I would have not chosen myself for this job either. But unfortunately for all of us, your son is a self-sacrificing idiot.” It glanced at the infant again, the same worn expression on its face. 

Kushina considered the Kyuubi’s words. As absolutely crazy as it was, she believed it. Maybe not all of it, but enough. The idea of time travel was preposterous, but it was hard to ignore what was in front of her. Even if the Kyuubi had wanted to toy with them, it had plenty of opportunities to catch them off guard. And it didn’t. It had their infant son in its grasp and left him unharmed. Even if not all of the fox’s story was truthful, it did seem genuine. 

“So, what do you want then?” Kushina wanted to know. Because if the fox demanded freedom, or something unreasonable, it would be easier to decide that it was lying about everything.

“Didn’t you hear me? I want to stop the end of the world!” 

Kushina crossed her arms. “No, I mean, what do you want from us? You’ve got our attention, what now?” 

The fox waved a massive paw. “Seal me in the boy, just as you planned. But don’t split my chakra.” 

“Absolutely not!” Minato responded immediately. “Your full chakra is too much for an infant to hold back. You just want the chance to escape.” 

Tilting its head, the fox huffed at Minato. “If my goal was escape, don’t you think I would’ve tried by now? Or at least tried to kill you or the boy?” Its tails flicked irritably. “If you would prefer, you can take half my chakra with you to your death, and we can go back to fighting. But I would think you’d rather be around to raise your son.” 

Minato glanced back her way, looking skeptical but thinking hard. They didn’t have a lot of good choices here, and they both knew it. Both of them would readily sacrifice themselves for their son if it came down to it, that wasn’t the problem. The issue was that the fox was offering a way for them to stay together as a family. It might be a trick. Actually, it probably was a trick, but it would be a trick they could face together as opposed to one or both of them dying now. 

“Are you saying you will willingly let yourself be re-sealed?” Kushina questioned. When the fox nodded, albeit reluctantly, she continued, “We should re-seal you into me, then. It makes more sense than putting you into Naruto. That was only the plan when we thought we had no other choice.” 

The fox’s expression turned sour. “No, that is not the deal. I will only cooperate if you seal me in Naruto. If you try anything else, I will fight you tooth and claw until the world ends again.” 

“You can’t seriously think we’ll go along with this,” Kushina pressed. 

“You were ready to seal me in the boy just a few minutes ago,” the fox countered. 

“Only because we didn’t have another option!” She snapped. “Give me a reason to trust you. Because my entire life, you’ve done nothing but torment me. You tried to feed my anger and hatred, and made sure that any use of your power resulted in extreme pain on my part. You better have a damn good reason for me to put that burden on my own son.” 

There was a momentary quiet as the fox considered her words. It stared at her, unblinkingly, and she stared back. She’d seen those eyes in every nightmare she’d ever had, and she’d be damned if she let them get to her now. The fox growled, its pointed fangs bared. 

“Would you have me thank you for keeping me in chains? Should I praise your ancestors that turned me and my siblings into prisoners and weapons?” The Kyuubi laughed dryly. “You call me a monster, but your kind is solely responsible for the wars and ruin of this world. I may cause destruction, but I am a cynical, centuries old chakra construct of fire and rage; what’s your excuse?” 

The fox didn’t stop its tirade, its voice rising enough to shake the earth once more. “I will accept no other host. I watched that boy,” it gestured to the sleeping infant, “grow up ostracized from your village, blamed for my sins. I made every effort to feed into his anger and use him to exact my revenge. At every turn I was vile, and cruel. And do you know how he responded in turn?” It didn’t wait for either of them to respond. “He gave me the chance to be better.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you had a change of heart because, in the future, my son asks to be your friend?” Kushina scoffed in disbelief. 

To her immense surprise, the fox nodded. “Yes. I didn’t make it easy for him, but he’s a stubborn fool.”

The story was getting more and more ridiculous, but Kushina found herself becoming even more convinced that the fox was not completely full of shit. It looked almost…fond as it stared at her infant son. Its voice had dropped, becoming soft and almost gentle as it continued speaking.

“You would have been proud of him,” It said absentmindedly. “When enemies raised their fists, I watched your son extend his hand. It was idiotic,” the fox grunted, “but worthy of respect.” 

Kushina wanted to believe every word. Hearing that her son could become a hero like that made every motherly instinct inside her warm with pride. She realized that she wanted the Kyuubi’s words to be true. The picture it had painted of the end of the world was grim, but she couldn’t deny that she was soaking in every detail about her son’s future. Minutes prior, she was on the verge of dying, burdened by the knowledge that she was leaving her precious son alone in the world. She wasn’t going to see him grow, or see him fall in love. And now the Kyuubi was offering an alternative. Who could blame her for wanting to take it? One glance at her husband made it clear that he was having a similar struggle. 

Cautiously, Kushina crossed the battlefield to stand with her family. The Kyuubi didn’t  move, letting her approach her husband and son without protest. She placed a hand on the sleeping infant’s cheek, trying to imagine the young man the fox had described.  

“What’s going through your head?” Minato whispered. He glanced cautiously up at the fox, never really taking his eyes off of it. 

“It sounds insane, and I’m probably insane for considering listening,” she admitted, “but I don’t think it’s lying. At least, not completely.” 

Minato was frowning, but he offered a single nod in response. “You know the Kyuubi better than I do, so I trust your judgment. But can we really trust it enough to seal all of it inside Naruto?” 

Sighing, Kushina replied, “I don’t know. My brain says we shouldn’t, but my gut says it will be ok.” 

He chuckled. “Well, your gut is usually right. Except when it comes to creating new ramen flavors.” 

Kushina smacked her husband’s arm playfully. “Hey, pregnancy cravings make you weird, y’know?” 

Their banter died down as they both stared at the fragile life in front of them. No matter what they decided, it seemed that Naruto was going to be involved one way or another. She didn’t want to leave her family, of course, and the fox’s story about Naruto being shunned made her want to put a few heads through a wall. If she could prevent that, then shouldn’t she? Wasn’t that her duty as a mother? If only her duty didn’t involve putting her trust in a malicious fox demon. 

She turned to look at the Kyuubi, who was watching them impassively. “Let’s say we agree to this. What happens next?” 

The fox shrugged. “You’re the kid’s parents, that’s mostly up to you.” It looked thoughtful. “As for me, I will likely sleep for a few years. I don’t recall enjoying the diaper phase.” Its nose wrinkled in displeasure. “After that, I’ll guide him when I can and teach him to use my powers.”

“I don’t like the idea of the Kyuubi talking to our still-maturing son,” Minato replied with a frown. “You could tell him anything, any lies.” 

“I suppose I could,” the fox admitted. “I have no way to make you trust me, but I swear on the name of my father that I have no ill intentions toward the boy. That courtesy extends to those closest to him, so long as you don’t do anything stupid to make me angry.” 

Minato looked like he wanted to say something else, but Kushina jumped in first. “Wait, you have a father?” 

The Kyuubi scoffed. “Of course I do. The Sage of the Six Paths. Don’t you know your history, Tomato Head?” 

That sounded vaguely familiar…maybe. “What else don’t I know about you?” 

At that, the fox laughed. “So much. It’s not like you ever bothered to ask me anything about myself. You don’t even know my name.” 

Again, Kushina was shocked. “You have a name? Other than Kyuubi?” 

The fox’s tails twitched. “Yes.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me?” 

“No.” 

Kushina gave the Kyuubi a flat look. “Why not? You’re the one throwing a fit about me not asking you questions about yourself.” Of course she hadn’t; she was too busy trying not to let the demon poison her mind. Why would she have ever thought to ask such a simple question?

“An exchange of names would imply mutual respect. You don’t trust me, and I’ve barely convinced myself not to eat you.” The fox grinned darkly. 

Kushina rolled her eyes. “Fine, be that way.” She glanced back at her husband, who raised his eyebrows at her. Their son was sleeping peacefully in his father’s arms, drooling a little on his shirt. “Well?” She prompted. 

Minato sighed. “I can’t come up with a better alternative. At least, not one that guarantees we all make it.” He scowled. “But I still don’t trust it.” 

“I don’t think I ever will,” Kushina admitted, “but I still think it’s being at least somewhat truthful. My gut still says we should do it.” 

“Considering a few minutes ago you were arguing against me sealing the beast in our son, I’d say your mind’s pretty made up,” Minato quipped. 

Kushina snorted in response. “Well, I am always right, y’know?” 

They took each other's hands and turned to face the Kyuubi, together. “Ok,” Minato said firmly, “we’re going to do it. But,” his expression darkened, “if you do anything to hurt Naruto, or the village, I’ll drag you to hell myself.” 

The fox huffed, not the least bit phased by the threat. “As you say, human. Now, I do have a few conditions before we continue.” 

Kushina scowled. “I suppose you want us to loosen the seal when we put you in?” 

With a single chuckle, the fox shook its massive head. “I’m not foolish enough to make such a request. No, my demands are far more simple.” It held up one clawed finger. “First, do not lie to the boy about my identity. I have no intention of doing so, and it will only cause unnecessary confusion if his parents tell him anything different.” 

That was…surprisingly reasonable. Both parents nodded. They motioned for the demon to continue.

A second finger joined the first. “Second, keep the information I have revealed to yourselves. Whether or not you want to tell Naruto about the future is up to you, but you will not bring in any outside parties.” 

“What? Seriously?” Kushina scoffed. “You expect us to go along with that? That will just make it easier to trick us!” 

The fox growled, low and threatening. “Use your brain, Tomato Head! Do you think that revealing the future is wise?”

Ok, the fox had a point. But still, isolating the knowledge made them too vulnerable to deception. She glanced at her husband, who seemed to be thinking hard. He was likely coming to the same conclusion she was. 

“Can we compromise? Is there anyone we can tell?” Minato asked. “If this enemy you told us about is so powerful and clever, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a few more people aware of what’s going on in case something happens to us?” 

The Kyuubi considered this, humming deeply. “Alright.” He cocked his head as he thought. “You may tell the Slug Princess. She is trustworthy…when she’s not drinking.” 

Kushina raised an eyebrow. Tsunade the Legendary Sannin? That was a surprise. She never would’ve guessed the fox would’ve picked her. 

“If we can inform Lady Tsunade, what about one of the other Sannin? My master?” Minato questioned. “Master Jiraiya is trustworthy as well.” 

“Yes, you may tell the Toad Sage.” It was grumbling, but did not outwardly protest. Kushina thought she heard some muttering about “disgusting frogs”, but it was hard to tell. 

“We should probably keep the Sandaime in the loop too,” Minato reasoned. 

Surprisingly, that suggestion set the fox off. It stomped its massive paw into the dirt and bared its teeth. “Absolutely not! I will not have that incompetent fool involved!” 

Instinctively, Minato angled their son away from the fox, and Kushina took a step back. This was the angriest the Kyuubi had been since its bizarre personality shift. It snarled at them, anger radiating off its gigantic form. The crackling chakra in the air disturbed Naruto, who whimpered in his sleep. The fox’s eyes shot over to the infant, and its temper started to cool. Its hackles were still raised, but it looked away with an irritated glare. 

“Hiruzen Sarutobi is a dealbreaker,” it said simply. 

“Why?” They both questioned in unison. 

The fox turned back to them. “Perhaps some day I will tell you. But for now, be wary of the company he keeps,” it said ominously. “I have given you two outsiders to share this information with, is that not sufficient?” 

The two of them shared a glance. Kushina wanted to argue, but it wasn’t worth breaking the fragile truce between all of them. They shared a nod, then relayed their confirmation to the Kyuubi. It looked pleased, then held up three fingers. 

“Seriously, more demands?” Kushina scolded. 

“Calm down, Tomato Head. This is the last one.” 

She really didn’t appreciate the nickname, but she grit her teeth and let the fox keep talking. What else would the fox ask for? So far the demands had been surprisingly reasonable, but she wouldn’t put it past the Kyuubi to push its luck. Would it ask for something crazy like a blood sacrifice to prove their loyalty? Or what if it wanted to give their son a bushy tail? 

“My final condition,” the fox rumbled, “will not be met immediately. But I expect you to honor it all the same.” 

Ugh, she swore the beast was dragging this out on purpose, just to make her nervous. “We got it, now just tell us what you want.” 

The fox pointed a claw at Naruto. “In time, when the boy comes to the proper age,” the Kyuubi continued, “I pick his genin team. And his jounin instructor.” 

Kushina froze in shock. She actually picked at her ear, to make sure she heard right. “Can you repeat that?” 

The fox scoffed. “You heard me. I will tell you who will be on the boy’s team, and who will instruct him.” 

Even Minato, the genius, looked confused. “Why would you care about something like that?” His eyes were searching, looking for whatever trick the fox was pulling. 

The Kyuubi looked away, almost grimacing. “Well, since I’m from the future, I just know who he works well with. That’s all.” 

A lie, and not a very convincing one. At the very least, she now had more confirmation that the fox had been truthful before. “I’m not buying it. If you want us to agree, be up front with us.” 

“Fine!” The fox snapped. “Naruto, from my time,” it grimaced again, “would be…displeased to be separated from his friends.” 

The fox’s strange behavior made sense. It was being nice. How odd. It cared enough about her son, at least the one from its own time, to remember who he was friends with. This was certainly an interesting development, and one look on her husband’s face confirmed he was thinking the same thing. They looked at each other, and she shrugged. It seemed like a relatively harmless request anyway. 

“Are we really about to do this?” Minato questioned. “Make a deal with the Kyuubi?” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Kushina sighed. “Looks like we are.” She glanced at their son. Please let this be the truth, for Naruto’s sake. 

The two of them shared another nod, before turning back to the Kyuubi. “Alright,” Minato said after a prolonged silence, “we will accept your conditions. But we have some of our own.” 

She glanced at her husband, eyebrows raised in surprise. It was a smart thing to say, but they hadn’t discussed anything! The fox just nodded, not looking the least bit surprised itself. 

“First, you will not use Naruto to harm the village or its allies in any way.”

The Kyuubi rolled its eyes. “And if his life were in danger?” 

Kushina jumped in. “If his life depends on it, you may step in.” She recalled the Kyuubi’s power flowing into her on multiple occasions when everything else seemed lost. It may have been to save its own hide, but it had still kept her alive. 

Minato looked a little skeptical, but deferred to her judgment before continuing. “Second, you will not try to escape.”

“Given how easily solitary bijuu and jinchuuriki were captured during my time, I am far safer here anyway.” The fox waved a hand, indicating for Minato to keep talking. 

Minato glanced at his wife, giving her the chance to add in. She stepped forward. “The third condition is that you will keep Naruto safe. You will not do anything to harm him, and you will protect him to the best of your abilities.” 

The Yondaime looked surprised, but his expression softened when he saw Kushina’s resolve. He offered a small smile and nodded gratefully, his arm unconsciously curling a bit tighter around the bundle he was holding. 

With their final condition, the fox lowered its head. Both of them braced themselves for an attack, but the beast remained neutral. Its eyes flitted between all three of them. “I will protect the boy to my last breath.” The fox’s head tilted slightly as it looked at the infant. “I will not fail you again.” 

Something about the fox’s tone struck her deep in her core. It sounded so genuine in that moment she could almost forget the death and destruction it had wrought. Almost. With all of them in agreement, the world seemed to hold its breath as they waited for what would happen next. No one made a move. 

Finally, Minato stepped forward. “We will need a cover story,” he explained. “It won’t make sense for me to seal you in Naruto instead of Kushina.” He gestured behind him. “Plus, I can feel a whole bunch of chakra signatures out there, who will be wondering why they can’t see anything.” 

Kushina nodded, as did the fox. “What do you have in mind?” She asked. 

Again, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Well, if I weren’t able to reach you to seal the Kyuubi, and they were to see it happen…” 

She understood. Kushina looked up at the fox, taking a few steps toward it with a confidence she didn’t quite feel. She was a powerful shinobi in her own right, but she wasn’t an idiot. This was the Kyuubi they were talking about! One of the most powerful beings in all of existence, towering over her and her family. It was perfectly reasonable to be a little anxious, wasn’t it? All things considered, she thought she was handling it quite well. 

Kushina jabbed a finger at the fox. “Listen up, fox.” The beast’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll let you pin me down, but you better not actually hurt me.”

The Kyuubi offered a sharp grin. “Oh, I won’t hurt you. Much.” It laughed. “But it would be a little suspicious if you didn’t have any injuries after this battle, wouldn’t it?” 

“Just don’t try anything, you mangy beast!” 

The fox growled, but didn’t offer any protests. “If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have given you some of my chakra,” it reminded her. 

She rolled her eyes, taking a few more steps toward the beast. Kushina looked over her shoulder at Minato, who looked torn. Neither of them were completely sure that they were doing the right thing, but they didn’t want to be the one to say it. She grinned, and offered her husband a thumbs up. Minato laughed, and grabbed Naruto’s tiny hand to make him wave at her. Oh she was going to snuggle that baby so much once this mess was finished. She hadn’t gotten the chance to properly bond with her son. Kushina looked back at the Kyuubi, and offered a single nod. She was ready.

The Kyuubi stood, returning to its full height. It grinned, and its chakra rippled around it. “Let’s give our audience a show, shall we?” It laughed darkly as the visual barrier collapsed around them. The protective dome remained, but the orange chakra fizzled out. 

Just before it vanished completely, Kushina felt herself pinned to the ground by a massive weight. The breath was knocked out of her, and for a few moments, she panicked. She was so sure the Kyuubi had betrayed them, and that she was going to die. It held her to the ground, roaring and snarling at Minato across the battlefield. All of its tails were lashing, and its chakra was filling the air with a dry heat. 

Fortunately, Kushina’s wits came back to her. Even though the Kyuubi held her, she quickly realized that the grip was not binding. If she had wanted to, it wouldn’t have been too hard to break free. It hadn’t even hit her that hard, just bruised her, probably. She’d likely lost her healing abilities now that the beast was free, but nothing felt broken. Apparently the fox was keeping up its end of the bargain, so she would too. She put on a show of struggling and cursing, pretending to be crushed by the Kyuubi’s weight. Her exhaustion wasn’t just for show, though. Even though she’d been reinvigorated by the fox’s chakra, she still felt like absolute hell. Giving birth and having a demon ripped out of you on the same night would probably have that effect on a girl. Once the adrenaline came down she might even pass out without having to put on an act. 

From the corner of her eye, Kushina watched the Kyuubi swipe at her family. Her heart raced, even though it was obvious from her vantage point that the fox wasn’t really trying to hit them. She hoped it looked convincing enough to their onlookers. The Sandaime and the assembly behind him had clearly been trying to breach the barrier, and now their efforts seemed to have doubled as the battlefield became clear again. 

Minato was putting on a show of rolling away from sharp claws and lashing tails, holding the infant protectively against his chest. Naruto had stirred again and was wailing at the sudden activity and noise. She silently apologized to her son for the rough start he had in the world, and for what they were about to put him through. 

The Kyuubi let out a breath of fire that got a little too close to her family, singing the edge of Minato’s cloak. Kushina glared up at the fox. “Be careful, you stupid fox!” she hissed under her breath. Evidently, the fox’s massive ears picked up the words, because its grip tightened ever so slightly in response. She spat a few more curses at it, not even needing to pretend that she was pissed off. 

As the fox raised its head, as if to deliver a final blow, Kushina could see Minato performing a series of familiar hand signs. She couldn’t hear what he was saying over the fox’s roars, but she saw the swirling pattern form on her infant son’s abdomen. She swallowed hard against the guilt and fear. 

Light erupted from the seal and engulfed the fox. It made a show of clawing at the dirt, although she swore she saw the beast grin at her before it was pulled into the seal. She held her breath as the massive power of the Kyuubi was locked away in the fragile body of her infant son. Minato held him, bracing the boy against the backlash of the Kyuubi’s power. The light was blinding, and the whoosh of air was loud enough to drown out even the boy’s terrified wailing. 

And then, it was silent. Kushina was still on the ground, laying on her back and breathing hard, while Minato was hunched over their son’s form. Their son, who had become eerily silent. Cold dread ran down her spine, and she tried to stand and run to them, but her body finally gave out. The pain and exhaustion caught up to her, and she felt her muscles failing. Minato seemed to notice, and he was rushing forward, yelling something she couldn’t hear. She was vaguely aware that the barrier had come down, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was getting to her son, and holding him in her arms. She needed to know that he was ok. She needed to know that she hadn’t just killed him. Kushina reached out toward her husband’s approaching figure, but her vision went dark before he reached her. The last thing she heard as she slipped into unconsciousness was a low, rumbling growl.

Chapter Text

One moment there was darkness, and then there were flashes of the village. She could see a child’s hands in front of her, and the occasional wisp of blond hair. Instinctively, she knew this was her son. Kushina could feel his pain and see through his eyes. He cried, and yelled, and scowled at the people around him. Most of them were strangers, but every so often she’d recognize a face or two. Familiar shopkeepers with more wrinkles than they had now, or a nameless shinobi she recognized from around the village but didn’t know personally. None of them stopped to help Naruto when he was thrown out of a shop, or pushed into the dirt. 

Since Kushina was seeing the world through her son’s eyes, she didn’t know how old he was. But based on his vantage point and the high-pitched tone of his voice, Kushina knew he was young. He was a child, wandering alone on the streets, and people were turning their backs on him. They sneered, and spat insults at him. Calling him “monster” or “demon”. She saw him scramble up the stairs to a lonely apartment, which had little more than secondhand furniture and a mostly empty fridge. She watched as her precious son sat alone, munching on some chips and playing with a raggedy old stuffed toy. No one came to check on him. No one came to feed him. 

Kushina’s heart ached. She tried to reach out, to hold her son, but she couldn’t. She could only watch his loneliness grow. Anger churned deep within her. She wanted to scream, to pummel anyone foolish enough to harm her son. And she would. She’d tear them to pieces if she ever got her hands on them. 

She continued to watch through her son’s eyes, seeing the same thing repeated over and over. Day in and day out, alone. Demonized, ostracized, neglected. She wished she could cry and scream, to do something to release the now building rage. It was like torture, watching her son suffer without being able to do anything about it. Was this some kind of divine punishment?

And then as quickly as they appeared, Kushina’s surroundings faded back to dark. She felt a vague awareness of the world around her, and whispered voices. Her body was heavy and aching, and it felt like there was a gaping hole in her gut. She tried to put a hand over her abdomen to confirm, but she couldn’t move. She was stuck in some kind of darkness, between wake and sleep. At least it was better than watching her son suffer. 

Her son…

Panic made Kushina’s senses rush back to her. It took effort, like she was being held down by something heavy but she managed to crack her eyes open. She immediately closed them again as bright light overwhelmed her. Kushina groaned in pain, and heard a rustling sound next to her, followed by a warmth on her face. 

“It’s alright, take it slow.”

She knew that voice. Hearing Minato speak softly to her helped her relax for a few moments, but then her memories rushed back to her. The Kyuubi being ripped from her body. Fighting the beast. Its strange change of heart and proposal of cooperation. Sealing the beast in Naruto. 

Naruto! 

This time, when her eyes opened, she forced them to stay open. She hissed as pain built behind her eyes, but her focus slowly returned. She was, unsurprisingly, in a hospital room. There were scratchy sheets pulled up to her chin and an IV drip in her arm. With great effort, she turned her head. It felt like there was cotton stuffed in her brain. 

Kushina found her husband’s worried face. He had one hand on her cheek, the other cradled around a small bundle of blankets. He was murmuring something soothing, but Kushina couldn’t make it out. She had to know if Naruto was ok. The last thing she remembered seeing was her baby looking far too still. 

“Naruto,” she rasped, “is he…?” 

With a gentle smile, Minato angled the bundle in his arms toward Kushina. Their son’s small face was peaceful, his eyes closed, and a little bit of drool at the corner of his mouth. Asleep. And full of life. 

The relief hit her so hard it felt like a physical weight was removed from her body. She returned a weak smile to her family, wishing she had the strength to reach out. She wanted to hold her son, to feel his heartbeat and warmth. But for now, she couldn’t move. She slipped back into unconsciousness, the release of adrenaline easing her back into her slumber. 

From there, she was in and out for a while. Medic nin came to check on her, and she had a vague awareness of the world around her but it was a while before she was able to keep her eyes open long enough to hold a conversation. Every time she opened her eyes, her family was by her side. Each time she saw them alive, and unharmed (save for some bandages on Minato’s face and hands), she felt relieved all over again. 

Finally, her awareness remained long enough to demand the chance to hold her son. Minato had to help support the infant’s weight, because she was so weak, but it was honestly better that way. They sat together in the tiny hospital bed, cradling their son between them. Kushina could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady. He was ok. They were all ok. 

“I can’t believe all that actually happened,” Kushina rasped. Her throat was dry and her voice croaked from disuse. 

“Neither can I,” Minato admitted. He leaned down to press a kiss onto Kushina’s forehead, then did the same to Naruto. “But I’m so relieved that you’re both ok.” 

Kushina hummed in agreement. Her eyes raked over both her husband and her son, checking for injuries. Naruto looked content, and appeared unharmed. “How bad are your injuries?” 

Minato shrugged nonchalantly. “Not bad, all things considered.” 

She nodded, but didn’t feel like she could say the same about herself. If the fox’s words had been true, she’d escaped certain death. Hell, she’d felt moments from death just before the fox shared its chakra with her. So really, she was lucky. But it was hard to feel lucky when her insides felt like they’d been ripped out of her. Was this a normal consequence of childbirth, or related to the Kyuubi’s extraction? 

As if reading her mind, Minato told her, “You’ll be on bed rest for a while, but none of your injuries should cause lasting damage.”

“That’s good, because I don’t think an entire army could convince me to get out of bed right now,” she joked. “And Naruto?” 

The Yondaime smiled warmly. “A perfect, healthy baby.” 

Kushina released the breath she didn’t know she was holding, leaning back onto her pillow. She absentmindedly rubbed her thumb on the sleeping infant’s cheek. His skin was soft and warm, and full of life. She didn’t want to think about how close she’d been to losing him. How close she’d been to losing both of them, or how Naruto almost had to grow up without them. The contents of her dream were still fresh in her mind, and it was making her clench her jaw irritably. She didn’t want to think about Naruto being treated like that, or being left so alone. She’d have to be careful if she ran into anyone from her dream, because she might do something stupid and take her anger out on them. She had to carefully remind herself that it wasn’t real. The Kyuubi’s words probably just got in her head and influenced her dreams. Speaking of the Kyuubi…

“How’s the seal?” She asked next. 

“Holding,” Minato confirmed. “The fox has been…quiet.” 

Another sigh of relief. “Do you think we did the right thing?” 

“I don’t know,” Minato admitted. “But I think we did the best we could given the circumstances.” 

She nodded in agreement. It was likely that only time would tell if the Kyuubi was true to its word, or if they’d made a terrible mistake. “So, what do we think about its mysterious prophecies?” 

A shrug. “I don’t know that either.” He groaned. “I should’ve asked it about the masked man that controlled it. Do you think it would’ve told me?” 

If Kushina had been asked a question like this a few days ago, she would’ve laughed at the thought of the Kyuubi cooperating in any way, shape, or form. But now? “Maybe. It seemed willing enough to give us information, but only on its own terms.” 

Out of habit, Kushina reached for the fox’s chakra within her. She tried to pull herself into the mindscape with the fox, but nothing happened. It took her a few beats to realize that she’d never be able to go into the mindscape again. The fox’s prison was gone, because the fox was gone. It was both a relief and a source of anxiety. The Kyuubi was gone because she’d put it into her son. She really hadn’t stopped to think about what would happen after the Kyuubi had been removed from her permanently. She could still feel the chakra that the fox had given her to keep her from dying, making her wonder if it was now a permanent part of her own chakra system. It was subtle, at least compared to the fox’s previous presence, but she could still reach for the threads and tug them into her own chakra. It didn’t resist like the Kyuubi did, but it did seem to have a natural stubbornness that didn’t surprise her in the least, considering the source of the chakra. 

“I’m so used to having access to the Kyuubi that I didn’t even think about what would happen after. We don’t really have any way of talking to it,” she explained. 

Minato sighed. “I thought as much. Well,” he smiled softly, “at least we’re still both here. Since we weren’t alive in the Kyuubi’s future, that means we’ve already managed to change things.” 

She nodded, her heart clenching again at the thought of Naruto growing up alone. Her arms tightened around the infant. Now, it was just a bad dream. He would never have to face a future like that. If anyone dared to call him names or put him down, Kushina would absolutely destroy them. Naruto would never be alone, not in this new future. 

Truthfully, she did want to ask the Kyuubi more questions, but not about the end of the world. She wanted to know why none of their friends or comrades looked out for their son. She hoped the Kyuubi had been exaggerating to get them on its side, but she couldn’t shake the vision of Naruto alone in that empty apartment from her dream. 

“Kushina?” 

Kushina snapped out of her thoughts. Minato was looking at her with a heavy frown, not masking his concern. She made a show of grinning, nudging him with her elbow. “Don’t worry about me, just got lost in thought, y’know? So,” she changed the subject, “what have you been telling everyone?” 

Minato gave her a look, but didn’t push. He knew it would be useless to get her to talk if she didn’t want to. “I told them about the masked man, and a manhunt is currently underway to find him. I also told them about the Kyuubi being ripped out of you, but I may have made something up about you managing to hold on to some of its chakra to stay alive.”

“Makes sense.” Kushina nodded in approval. “And are they asking questions about sealing it in Naruto?” 

“No,” Minato confirmed. “Fortunately, they’re trusting the story.” He shook his head in disbelief. “To be fair, the alternative is crazy. No one would ever believe that the Kyuubi was working with us.” 

“True.” She tried to glance out the window, but the curtain was drawn. “How bad is it out there?” 

Minato’s face fell. “Bad. We lost a lot of good shinobi, and many buildings were destroyed. If another village tries to take advantage of the chaos, we won’t stand a chance.” 

“Is it possible another village caused the attack?” Kushina asked. “It obviously wasn’t random.” 

“I don’t know. Whoever that guy was, he had a Sharingan. I don’t know if it’s worse to think about someone outside the village controlling the Kyuubi, or someone within,” Minato admitted. 

“But it couldn’t have been any of the Uchiha,” Kushina insisted. “What motive would they have?” Minato tried to keep his face neutral, but Kushina wasn’t fooled. She could read him like an open book. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll just ask Mikoto,” she threatened. 

Minato gave in immediately, rolling his eyes at her. “There’s been a lot of tension with the clan lately, and I’m afraid everything is going to be much worse now.” Seeing Kushina’s confusion, he explained, “The fact that a Sharingan user was controlling the Kyuubi puts the entire clan under suspicion. On top of that, apparently they were ordered to keep away from the battle and protect the civilians because of that suspicion. They’re not happy, and the rest of the village is questioning why they didn’t help fight.” 

“Who ordered them to do that?” 

Minato gave her a flat look. “I’ll give you one guess.” 

Kushina swore. “It was that slimy bastard Danzo, wasn’t it? He always has it out for the Uchiha clan. Why do you keep him around?” 

“I can’t exactly send him away,” Minato sighed. “He’s been on the council longer than either of us have even been shinobi, and the rest of the council trusts him. I don’t have the power to remove someone from the council without the majority support.” He groaned. “Trust me, I’d love to get rid of him.” 

Kushina scowled. “What’s the point of being Hokage if you can’t even pluck out a few weeds?” 

Sensing she was getting riled up, Minato nudged her with his shoulder. “Normally it’s a good thing that the Hokage doesn’t have all the power. Otherwise I could just get rid of the entire council and appoint whoever I want to get things done without any opposition.” 

“Are you trying to make this sound like a bad thing? Because you’re not doing a very good job,” Kushina joked. 

Her husband grinned at her. “You know that if I had the choice, I’d put you on the council in a heartbeat. You could really shake things up.” 

Kushina snorted. “Oh, there are a few of those old geezers that I’d like to have words with, y’know?” 

Minato laughed. “I would pay money to see that confrontation.” 

They both chuckled, but the somber mood returned quickly. Kushina was digesting the new information. She knew Minato wouldn’t go along with Danzo’s witch hunt, but she couldn’t help but worry for Mikoto and her family. They’d been friends for so long, Kushina couldn’t even imagine that she could have a part in anything as horrible as the Kyuubi attack. 

“So what happens now?” 

Minato sighed. “Well, I’m about to be very busy for a while. There’s a lot of cleanup to coordinate, barriers to reinforce, and so many meetings.” He groaned, a pained expression crossing his face. “You wouldn’t believe how many I’ve had to sit through already. The Sandaime has been picking up a lot of the slack so I could stay with you, but there’s some things I’ve had to be a part of.” 

It made sense, that Minato hadn’t been able to stay with her the whole time, but she was still surprised at that information. Every time she’d woken up he’d been there, so she just made an assumption. “Who was watching Naruto when you weren’t here?” She was curious, not accusatory. 

“Oh, I had Kakashi watching over the both of you.” He laughed. “One time I came in and he was frantically trying to figure out how to change a diaper. I’ve never seen him look so frazzled before.” 

Kushina snorted in amusement. “I guess you finally found something he’s not good at,” she joked. 

“Mhm. I don’t think he has the best parenting instincts,” he chuckled, “but he cares. It was very sweet watching him hold Naruto.” 

Kushina smiled at that. She knew Minato’s student was lonely, and she’d been trying for ages to get him to spend more time with their little family. He always seemed to think he was some kind of burden, but she hoped that would change. “That’s good. I hoped they would bond.” 

Minato nodded. “I think he’s really shaken by this whole thing. I thought he would be throwing a fit about not being out in the village, but he’s been uncharacteristically clingy. I’ve had to practically chase him away a few times.” He smiled sadly. “I think he was genuinely afraid we didn’t make it.” 

“Well, you’re probably the closest thing to family he has left,” Kushina reasoned. “It’s easy to forget, but he’s really still a kid, y’know?” 

“Yeah, it is too easy to forget,” Minato said sadly. “I hope by the time Naruto is his age we won’t still be sending kids off to war. I don’t want to ever have to do that.” 

Kushina agreed completely. “Well, you’ve at least increased the minimum graduation age for the academy, and added in some non-combat related topics to the curriculum.” 

Minato shrugged. “It’s not much, really. The council is pushing back so hard.” He shook his head. “It’s only going to get worse now. I’m sure they’ll use this attack as an excuse to try and push more young graduates through way too fast.” 

Kushina scowled at that, but she knew it was the truth. She didn’t want to even think about having to send her son off to war. “What other updates do you have?” She carefully changed the subject.

The topic switched back to the happenings outside of Kushina’s hospital room. Apparently Minato had been in and out a lot, coordinating rescue efforts and meeting with each clan head to assess losses and damages. It was a very difficult, and tense situation. They didn’t have anyone they could spare from rescue and repair efforts to patrol their borders, but they had to pull people anyway. Relations with the other villages were still too tense and letting their guard down would only leave them vulnerable. There wasn’t an official count yet of how many were dead or missing, but the number was already too high. 

“Which clans do you still have to check in with?” Kushina asked. 

“The Hyuga and the Uchiha,” he responded. 

Kushina rolled her eyes. “Did you purposefully leave the two most stubborn, bullheaded clan leaders for last?” 

Minato laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe.” He sighed. “I’m not particularly looking forward to meeting with either of them, but it can’t wait any longer.” 

Nodding, Kushina responded, “I get it. Well, it’s been nice knowing you,” she joked. “I’ll make sure Naruto remembers his father fondly when one of them skins you alive for making them wait.” 

“Hey!” 

They laughed, and then Kushina found herself yawning again. Considering how long she’d been asleep, she was surprised at how much more rest her body wanted. But she knew she needed to heal, even if she didn’t want to miss any time with her family. These first precious moments with the three of them weren’t supposed to be like this. They were supposed to be safe at home, bickering over whose turn it was to change diapers. They weren’t supposed to be dealing with a horrible tragedy like this. 

With her eyes getting heavy, Kushina felt another kiss placed on the top of her head. She mumbled a weak protest, saying she would stay awake, but it was obviously a losing battle. She slid back into unconsciousness, once again dreaming about Naruto being left all alone. Even in her dreams it made her heart ache. 

—------------------------------

When the time came for Kushina to finally leave the hospital, she was so sick of being there that she almost cursed out the poor nurse doing her final check over, despite knowing they were just doing their job. She didn’t like being stuck in the sterile room, or eating the bland hospital food. She didn’t like being out of the loop with everything happening in the village, and she didn’t like feeling useless and weak. Minato kept assuring her that her job right now was to heal and spend time with their son, but it was difficult to convince a battle-hardened shinobi to sit out from a fight. Even if her muscles still protested when she sat up too fast, or if she needed someone to support her weight to walk to the bathroom. She couldn’t recall ever being so dependent on someone else’s care. Kushina would have a long recovery time, and she’d been told she was damn lucky to be alive. She’d almost burst out laughing at that, because they had absolutely no idea. 

Finally, the last of the paperwork was signed that freed her from the room that smelled too much like alcohol and bleach. Other than her small window, which had a very unfortunate view consisting of only a few damaged buildings, she hadn’t seen the outside world since she’d been brought in almost a week ago. Her only exercise had been slow, heavily supported walks up and down the hall, and her only stimulation had been snapping at the ANBU stationed outside her room out of sheer frustration. 

A wheelchair was rolled up to the bed, and as much as Kushina wanted to say she could walk herself out of the hospital, she knew she couldn’t. At least, not without spending half the day limping through the maze of a building. Even if it wasn’t hospital policy, she probably would’ve asked for one anyway. Plus, she’d be able to hold Naruto like this. She couldn’t do that if she was leaning on every wall and handrail that they passed by.

To make matters worse, Minato wasn’t here. She’d barely seen him since she woke up a few days ago, and they hadn’t really had a chance to have any more long conversations. From what he told her, things with the Uchiha clan had gotten significantly worse since he met with the clan heads. He hadn’t given her the details, partly due to their lack of privacy here, but also partly due to lack of time. She could tell from how hunched his shoulders looked and how dark the circles under his eyes were that her husband was struggling with the weight of it all. She hated that she couldn’t bear some of that burden for him, like she’d promised when he’d agreed to take the hat. 

Both of them knew that Kushina’s pregnancy would be risky, with her status as a jinchuuriki, but they’d never imagined something like this would happen. She knew Minato wanted to be here, and had tried to be here, but Kakashi had whispered to her that things were possibly bad enough to turn to civil war if he left his office right now. Kushina wasn’t so selfish that she would prioritize herself over the entire village, even though she definitely wanted to. If she hadn’t been injured she would probably be by his side, their infant son bundled safely in her arms. She could picture the three of them together, facing whatever threats came from outside of the village, or from within. 

Instead of Minato, Kushina had his student to accompany her. Kakashi was apparently taking his role as her guard very seriously. She knew he’d been keeping an eye on her during her pregnancy, because there was no way in hell Minato would order such a thing without asking her first, but apparently he’d insisted on continuing this particular assignment after Kushina was admitted to the hospital. Minato was probably right about him being shaken, because she’d never known her husband’s student to willingly choose such a low-risk assignment like this. He was always far too willing and eager to jump straight into danger. 

It was almost comical, watching Kakashi skulk around like a guard dog. Literally, in some cases, when he called his ninken to aid him on his patrol. She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t really necessary, but she held her tongue. Considering that the masked man had taken out her ANBU guard like it was nothing, and even gone toe-to-toe with Minato, she couldn’t brush off the potential danger. She was proud, but not so proud that she’d risk leaving her infant son vulnerable while she couldn’t defend him. Kakashi was practically family anyway, so it wasn’t particularly a burden to have him around so much. Plus, Minato’s goal had been to try and get Kakashi to do something other than ANBU assassination and infiltration missions, right? It seemed like a win-win concerning Minato’s only remaining student. 

Once Kushina was comfortably settled into the wheelchair, Kakashi gently slipped Naruto into her arms. Tension that she hadn’t even noticed started to melt away as she smiled down at her son. Once again, she was filled with so much relief that she got to be by his side. She’d had more dreams about Naruto being bullied and alone, and it always left her feeling on edge when she woke up. That damn fox had really gotten in her head, apparently. 

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, and Kushina glanced over her shoulder at him as he pushed the chair out of her hospital room. “What’s that look for?” She asked playfully, seeing the telltale crinkles at the corner of his eye that indicated he was smiling under his mask. 

“I was just looking at you and Naruto together,” he explained, “and I realized how much he looks like you. Everyone sees his hair and eyes and says he looks like Sensei, but his face is all you.” 

Kushina grinned. “Fortunately, he got my good looks! I’d hate to think about if he looked too much like his dad,” she joked. 

Kakashi laughed at that. “I’m sure Sensei would be greatly offended if he heard that.” 

“But you’re not denying it,” she pressed. 

The teen shrugged, but his visible eye was shining with mirth. “I’m not going to get involved in this kind of debate.” 

Kushina rolled her eyes fondly. She glanced down again at Naruto, tracing the shape of his face with her fingers. Right now he kind of just looked like a chubby potato (albeit a very cute chubby potato), but Kakashi was right. She could see echoes of her own features on her son’s face. It made her heart feel impossibly full. She wondered if she’d ever stop being amazed that she and Minato brought this little life into the world. 

“Oh,” Kakashi said suddenly, “Mikoto Uchiha has been asking about you.” 

Kushina perked up at the mention of her friend. “Is everything alright?” 

Nodding, Kakashi continued, “Yes, she was just worried, I think. She wanted to come visit you but…” he trailed off awkwardly. 

It wasn’t too difficult to fill in the gaps. Her clan was currently under a lot of suspicion, and Kushina was married to the Hokage. Stupid village politics probably kept her from visiting, and that made Kushina furious. 

Apparently, her temper was obvious, as personnel gave them a wide berth as she was wheeled by. Kakashi seemed to pick up on her irritation as well. “Ah, don’t worry. Once you’re out of here, no one can really say anything about how you spend your time.” 

They both knew that wasn’t quite true. Certain village leaders would absolutely butt in and protest about how Kushina spent her time. She’d already been lectured multiple times by one of the elders about how the Kyuubi’s jinchuuriki shouldn’t be so cozy with a Sharingan user. Not that she gave two shits. Mikoto was one of her closest friends, and the two of them already decided their sons were going to be friends as well. 

“I don’t care about village politics,” she finally responded. “No one will stop me from making sure my friend and her family are ok.” 

Kakashi huffed in amusement. “You know, she said the same thing. That’s why she’s waiting for you at your place.” 

That made Kushina smile. “Good. I gave her a spare key for a reason.” 

“She insisted on prepping some meals and,” he waved a hand vaguely, “doing some baby stuff.” 

Kushina laughed. “Baby stuff?” 

“I don’t know about that sort of thing,” Kakashi mumbled awkwardly. 

Reaching a hand back, Kushina patted Kakashi’s arm soothingly. “There, there. I’m sure someday Minato can tell you all about the birds and the bees–”

“Ah, not that kind of baby stuff!” Kakashi stuttered. 

Kushina threw her head back in laughter. Even Naruto seemed to pick up on the good mood, gurgling happily. Teenagers might be a pain in the ass, but oh they were so easy to tease. She couldn’t wait to embarrass Naruto in front of his friends. 

The light mood faded as Kushina was wheeled out of the hospital doors. She gasped as soon as she saw the scale of the destruction from the Kyuubi’s rampage. The village was in shambles. Buildings were crumbling down to the foundation, and there were craters where homes and businesses used to be. A glance behind her also made her realize how busy the hospital must be. The waiting room was packed with makeshift triage and treatment areas. She’d probably only managed to get a room because of who she was and how critical her injuries were. Fortunately, the hospital’s foundation seemed solid, and the building had remained relatively unscathed. There were some shattered windows and a few rooms were likely too damaged to be used, but overall it was one of the few buildings that remained standing in the area. She shuddered as she thought about how much worse things would’ve been if the hospital had been destroyed. 

Their journey home was solemn, and silent. Kushina took in the destruction around her. A restaurant where she and Minato had one of their first dates. Demolished. The tea shop where she always met up with Mikoto. Reduced to rubble. And Ichiraku! The shop had collapsed in on itself and was completely unrecognizable. Fortunately, Kushina spotted Teuchi and his daughter, and she breathed a sigh of relief. 

Clean up had clearly been underway while she was in the hospital, but it would obviously be a slow process. There were piles of rubble and debris that had been collected, and ninken were sniffling over the ruins of buildings. Kushina’s stomach dropped as she realized they’d be looking for corpses at this point. The thought made her sick. The realization that it was the Kyuubi’s extraction from her made her feel even sicker. Was this her fault? Could she have done something to prevent this? How many lives were lost so she could bring one into the world?

No, she couldn’t think about it like that. Kushina clutched Naruto closer to her chest, chasing away that particular train of thought. She was going to love her son, and give him the life he deserved. Both of his parents would. She didn’t understand the complexities of time travel, but she wondered if the other Naruto, the Kyuubi’s Naruto, was out there somewhere. Did he exist in another timeline, or other dimension? Or had he been lost as soon as the Kyuubi traveled back to their time? Her heart ached for him. Alternate timeline or not, that was her son. Her baby that had sacrificed so much, and apparently grown into such a fine young man. She looked down at the infant in her arms and wondered what kind of person he would be. Would this Naruto still become a hero, or had the future already been changed too much because he was going to be raised by his parents? 

Kushina liked to think that she and Minato would do a fine job raising Naruto to be just as kind and selfless as the Kyuubi had described, but she really didn’t know. How much of who he was had been shaped by his experiences? Ugh, her head was starting to hurt thinking too much about this time travel bullshit. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter if things were different. She would love her son enough for this timeline and any others. 

When they reached Kushina and Minato’s home, she let out a sigh of relief as she realized this area had been mostly spared from the attack. Their home and the ones surrounding them had smashed windows that were boarded up, but only minor structural damage. She wasn’t a religious woman, but part of her believed that the only way they could have gotten this lucky was because of divine intervention.

She smiled down at the sleeping baby in her arms. “Welcome home, Naruto.” Kushina’s soft smile turned to a frown as she realized a very important flaw in their home’s design. “I’m regretting picking a house with so many stairs.” She’d never even thought about it, but damn this village had a problem with accessibility, didn’t it? She would have to tell Minato about that, particularly since they were rebuilding so much right now.  

“Ah, that’s alright, I can carry you.” Kakashi offered. 

Kushina gave him a flat look. There was no way in hell her dignity would remain intact if she was carried into her own home by her husband’s teenage student. “Absolutely not. You carry Naruto, and I’ll manage on my own.” 

“But Sensei said–” 

“You better worry less about what Minato said and more about what I am going to say if you don’t listen,” she grumbled. 

Kakashi held up his hands in surrender. Kushina smiled victoriously, then kissed Naruto’s chubby cheeks before handing him off to Kakashi. The teen took him carefully, holding him like he might disappear at any moment. His grip was gentle, but protective, and it warmed Kushina’s heart. Her son would be safe with Kakashi, and they would have a chance to bond. All of them, as a family. She wondered if the Kakashi in the Kyuubi’s timeline had gotten to know Naruto. He was so young, she wasn’t going to blame him if he wasn’t involved in raising a baby. But others in the village? Oh, she wished she could know who all was responsible for leaving her perfect baby all alone. She’d throttle them within an inch of their life, and make them beg for her son’s forgiveness. 

Slowly, and painfully, Kushina pulled herself up the stairs, one by one. Kakashi hovered close by, but he was too busy making sure Naruto was safe to interfere. He even gripped the safety rail in one hand, with Naruto carefully tucked under his other arm, and he took very purposeful steps. He was obviously making every effort to be as safe as possible while carrying the infant, and it was both adorable and hilarious. 

It took an embarrassingly long time, and Kushina had to make multiple stops to catch her breath, but she managed to make it up the stairs by herself. Kakashi seemed to be about to make a sympathetic comment, but a single glare had him looking away very pointedly with his only visible eye. Kushina leaned against the railing, breathing heavily as all her muscles shook from exhaustion. She felt like she was about to collapse and couldn’t wait to get back into her own bed. 

Kakashi had just started to reach for the door, when it was slowly pulled open. They both blinked in surprise for a moment, because there didn’t seem to be anyone there. Then, Kushina glanced down to the small child that was hovering in her doorway, staring up at her curiously. 

A very familiar voice called from inside, “Itachi, help Kushina inside!” 

Kushina recognized Mikoto’s oldest son. He nodded, quiet as always, and reached up to grab her hand to do as his mother instructed. Really, she needed to lean on someone, but she wasn’t going to tell a kid that he was doing a bad job so she grit her teeth and let the boy lead her into her home with his tiny hand gripping her own. Her home was warm, and something in the kitchen smelled absolutely divine. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of eating something other than gross hospital food. Mikoto turned to her as she limped into the living room following behind Itachi. Her face went from smiling to concerned, and she swept across the room in an instant to catch her friend before she fell. 

“I had no idea you were in such rough shape!” She fussed, ushering Kushina over to the couch and helping her lay down. She had her own baby in a sling around her body, which she carefully unwrapped and gently passed the infant to Itachi, who clutched at his little brother like a lifeline. 

The soft cushions were a relief to Kushina’s aching muscles. “Oh, I’m alright,” she promised. “Just need a little time to heal.” 

Mikoto didn’t look convinced, but her entire demeanor changed as she spotted Kakashi holding Naruto. Her smile was warm as she strode over and took her time fussing over the baby, saying how cute and healthy he looked. Kakashi looked incredibly uncomfortable during the whole ordeal. He probably didn’t know how to react when someone was cooing over the baby in his arms, plus he wasn’t exactly on the best terms with the Uchiha clan after the incident with his teammate’s eye. Mikoto was not one of those that held it against him, and Kushina had told him that, but Kakashi had this horrible tendency to believe people only saw the worst in him. 

Kushina smiled at the sight. If Minato was here, things would be perfect. But he wasn’t, because he was dealing with the fallout from the Kyuubi’s attack. He was trying to prevent tensions from rising even more with the Uchiha and the other clans. He’d barely been able to spend time with his family. 

Something on her face must have reflected her thoughts, because both Kakashi and Mikoto were giving her concerned looks. “Do you need your pain meds?” Kakashi asked. “I can get them for you.” 

“No,” Kushina insisted. “I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed, y’know?” She sighed heavily.

Both of them nodded. Mikoto returned to her side, kneeling next to the couch. “I get it. Having a newborn to care for is hard enough, let alone everything else that happened.” 

With her friend’s familiar presence, so many of her worries started pouring out. “I feel like this is my fault,” she admitted. “The Kyuubi was pulled out of me, and I was too weak to do anything about it. Now so many people are dead, and the village is barely standing.” 

“Kushina,” Mikoto chided, “you were in the middle of childbirth, you couldn’t exactly be expected to fight off the Kyuubi single handedly.” 

“I know,” Kushina insisted, “but I just feel like I could’ve done something different, y’know? That masked guy, you know about him, right?” A nod of confirmation. “He was ready for everything. He knew where we were, how to get to us, and when to break the seal. He almost–” she barely held back tears as she remembered how close Naruto had come to dying at the stranger’s hands. 

A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. “You took so many precautions, I know you did.” Mikoto sighed in relief. “I’m just so glad you’re all ok. When I heard what happened I thought–” she shook her head, willing the thought away.

Kushina reached back to squeeze her friend’s hand. “And what about you? Are you all ok?” 

Mikoto’s face fell, “The clan didn’t suffer any losses, so we should be grateful.”

“But?” 

“But,” Mikoto continued, “it’s apparently suspicious that we didn’t.” Her face hardened. “As if we weren’t asking to be put on the front lines to help! We were ordered to stay with the civilians, away from the battle.” 

“Minato told me,” Kushina replied with a nod. “Neither of us believe that the Uchiha clan had anything to do with the attack, you know that right?” 

Shrugging, Mikoto replied, “I know. But the rest of the council doesn’t necessarily see it that way. Whoever the masked man that attacked you was, he had a Sharingan, and he controlled the Kyuubi. It doesn’t exactly make us look good.” 

From the otherside of the room, Kakashi coughed awkwardly. Kushina assumed it was his attempt at dissuading the discussion of classified information with a member of the clan that was currently under investigation. Not that Kushina cared. She shot Kakashi a glare, raising her eyebrow to challenge him to say something. He immediately looked away, choosing instead to focus on a very interesting spot on the floor. 

Kushina glanced back up at her friend. “How is Fugaku handling it all?” 

Mikoto shook her head sadly. “About as well as Minato, I’d imagine. I’ve barely seen him since the attack, and whenever I do he’s just cranky and exhausted.” Her face hardened. “I should be at these meetings too, but you know how the elders are.” 

Kushina scoffed. “Yeah, I do. Damn misogynistic bastards. I don’t suppose any of them died in the attack?” 

Mikoto snorted in amusement, but Kakashi made a concerned noise. Kushina rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t worry, Kakashi, we’re not discussing anything treasonous over here…yet.” She laughed darkly, and Mikoto joined in immediately. It reminded her of missions they’d done together in their younger days, when they’d become friends. They worked perfectly as a team, which was why they managed to keep getting paired up despite how much trouble they’d get into together. 

Their laughter died down, and the pressing weight of reality hit both of them again. “The compound was destroyed,” Mikoto said quietly. 

Kushina gasped. “What? Where are you staying then?” 

“Most of the clan is in pop up tents, because there’s just no space available anywhere. We’ve got a hotel room because, you know, clan head and all that.” 

That made Kushina frown. “You should stay here. No friend of mine is going to be stuck in a dingy hotel room!” 

Mikoto smiled gratefully. “I appreciate it, but I don’t think it’s a good idea, considering everything happening with the clan right now. You know how the council is. They would say it’s special treatment or something.” 

“It is special treatment,” Kushina snorted. “Because you’re my friend. And you’ve got your two boys to worry about! I’m sure you’d be more comfortable here.” She looked around, finding both of Mikoto’s sons. Itachi was holding his younger brother, murmuring some kind of nonsensical story. It made both women smile. 

“I’m lucky, really,” Mikoto insisted. “The fact that we have a hotel room, and the fact that our movement hasn’t been restricted.” 

Kushina frowned again. “What do you mean?” 

“Most of the clan has been functionally placed on lockdown. They can’t go anywhere.” 

“What?!” Kushina sat up, grimacing in pain. “Minato wouldn’t order something like that!” 

“He didn’t,” Mikoto replied. “That’s the problem. The order was given when the Sandaime had temporary authority. While you were in critical condition and Minato was in the hospital with you.” 

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kushina grumbled, “I think I can guess where, or rather who, the order came from.” 

A memory of the Kyuubi’s rumbling voice came to her unbidden: 

For now, beware the company he keeps.

Is it possible that the fox was talking about Danzo? She opened her mouth to tell Mikoto her theory, before remembering that no one besides her and Minato knew about the Kyuubi’s time travel story. Plus, they had promised that other than the two approved Sannin, they wouldn’t tell anyone. Kushina should have thought to include her friend on that list too. Mikoto was her closest confidant, and it would hurt to not be able to bounce ideas off of her, and to have to lie to her. But she wouldn’t break her word. That would only give the fox a reason to break its word too, and she didn’t want to think about what that would look like. 

Fortunately Mikoto didn’t notice her internal struggle. “Most likely,” she confirmed bitterly. 

“Well, you know we’re on your side,” she insisted. “And if Minato does or says anything stupid, just tell me and I’ll set him straight.” Kushina grinned. 

Mikoto laughed. “Of course. Now,” she changed the subject, “I’m guessing you probably want some real food, and maybe a hot bath?” 

“That sounds heavenly,” Kushina groaned. She turned to Kakashi with a shit-eating grin. “Don’t worry, Kakashi, Mikoto can help me with the bathing part,” she teased. 

Predictably, the teen’s face reddened. Both women laughed at his discomfort. “Oh,” Mikoto added, “but you can watch the boys, can’t you Kakashi?” Her tone was deceptively innocent. 

“Uh,” Kakashi replied intelligibly. He glanced between the baby still in his arms, and Mikoto’s two boys. “I don’t really know much about kids…” As if on cue, Naruto started fussing in his arms, prompting a look of alarm from Kakashi. Kushina hoped that her son was going to enjoy jokes and pranks as much as she did. 

Kakashi was looking increasingly frantic as Naruto’s fussing worsened. As much as Kushina wanted to mess with Kakashi, every instinct in her body was protesting against hearing her baby uncomfortable. She was about to tell Kakashi to bring him over, but she didn’t have a chance to. 

Mikoto’s oldest had marched straight up to Kakashi and declared, “It’s because you’re holding him wrong.” 

Kakashi looked taken aback at having a 4 year old tell him off. “What?” 

“You’re holding him all crooked,” Itachi insisted. He demonstrated how he was holding his younger brother. 

Sure enough, when Kakashi adjusted his grip, Naruto quieted. Kushina laughed at the scene. “Wow, you’re a really good big brother, aren’t you Itachi?” 

The boy nodded, taking the compliment very seriously. Mikoto leaned down and whispered to her, “He’s barely put Sasuke down since the attack. The two of them were alone at the house when it happened. Itachi had to carry him all over the village, and I think he’s afraid something is going to happen again.” She looked sad, but also proud of how well her oldest had taken charge. 

None of them missed how Kakashi knelt down and tried to subtly whisper, “Got any other tips, kid?” 

With Kakashi kneeling, both infants were almost level with each other. From his brother’s arms, little Sasuke’s eyes seemed to fix on Naruto. He made some kind of garbled sound, and Kushina almost swore he looked like he was trying to scowl. Immediately, Naruto burst into tears and started wailing. 

Kushina finally took pity on Kakashi and held her arms out. With all the swiftness of his ANBU training, Kakashi crossed the room and deposited the screaming infant in his mother’s arms, looking relieved. Kushina chuckled, gently shushing and rocking Naruto. 

“Well,” Mikoto laughed, “hopefully that isn’t an indication of how their relationship is going to be.” Both of them chuckled warmly at that, enjoying the brief respite from the harsh realities of the outside world.

Chapter Text

It had always been obvious that caring for an infant wouldn’t be easy, but Kushina always thought she and Minato would tag team everything that they could. They knew it would be hard with his duties as Hokage, but they’d come up with so many plans and power shifts to allow them to share their parenting responsibilities as much as possible. Unfortunately, all of those plans had gone straight out the window as soon as the Kyuubi attacked the village. 

She barely saw Minato, and when she did, it was usually when he was stumbling into the house well after dark and passing out without bothering to change out of his clothes. More than once, she’d had to rouse him from a deep sleep to make sure that he ate, and bathed. Sometimes it felt like she had two infants to care for, and it was exhausting. 

Kushina didn’t blame him. She knew that Minato was trying his best to balance the chaotic aftermath of the Kyuubi’s rampage with his newfound parental responsibilities, but unfortunately the balance was not in his family’s favor. He was barely home to help, and when he was, he was usually passed out from exhaustion. He was even starting to look a little pale and sickly from all the stress. Kushina tried to help, organizing fundraisers and rebuilding efforts from their home, but there was only so much she could do. She was still recovering herself, although she’d regained a significant amount of independence. Still, she was far from her previous battle-ready self, and there were plenty of simple tasks that still caused her trouble. 

It didn’t help that she was barely getting any sleep. Part of it was the inevitable late night baby crying fits, but more so than that, it was the stressful, vivid dreams she kept having. Ever since that night in the hospital, she’d been having these strange dreams, all from Naruto’s perspective. She’d assumed they’d stop once she got Naruto settled in and she stopped worrying so much, but they only shifted. The dreams seemed to respond to whatever, or whoever, was taking up a lot of her life. Since Kakashi had stepped up his guard duty and functionally moved in, she found herself dreaming about an older, but still recognizable version of the teen. She dreamt about oddly specific scenarios, like him running training exercises while reading Master Jiraiya’s porn books. She dreamt about him fighting too, alongside the dream-version of Naruto against enemies she didn’t recognize. All in all, she thought her subconscious did a pretty good job imagining what Kakashi would probably be like when he was older. Except, for some reason, her subconscious liked to picture Kakashi as a jounin instructor. 

The thought of Kakashi in charge of a group of kids was laughable. He’d proven to have absolutely zero parental instincts, and still didn’t know what to do when any of the kids started crying. Once, and only once, Kushina and Mikoto had left Kakashi in charge of the boys so they could step out. When they came back, the house had been in absolute shambles, because for some reason, Kakashi thought it was a good idea to give a 4 year old unrestricted access to the kitchen and all the cooking appliances. Something in the oven was on fire, all 4 of them were covered in flour and egg yolks, and Kakashi was trying to wrestle a nearly empty bag of chocolate chips from Itachi, who promptly threw up everywhere after eating so much sugar. That was the last time either of them left Kakashi in charge of the kids. 

Kakashi wasn’t the only familiar face she saw in her dreams. Mikoto’s boys, especially Sasuke, featured in a lot of them too. She’d figured out quickly who they were supposed to be, but she didn’t understand why her subconscious was making them so adversarial. They seemed to either be fighting each other, or Naruto, in every dream. She’d actually woke up with a start after a particularly nasty dream that involved what appeared to be a pre-teen aged Sasuke aiming lightning at Naruto’s chest. That had been one of the worst, closely tied with a very vivid and confusing dream involving Naruto and Master Jiraiya watching as Mikoto’s boys tried to kill each other. 

On the occasions when she dreamt about the Kyuubi, she was actually grateful. It was ridiculous to think that her dreams about the Kyuubi were the most normal and least stressful, but it was the truth. It was probably because they were the most boring and predictable. The fox was always asleep in its cage, curled up with its tails over its nose. It never stirred. Aside from its heaving chest and the occasional twitch from an ear or tail, it didn’t move at all. In those dreams, Kushina just stared at the sleeping fox until she woke up, grateful that she at least wasn’t having another nightmare about her son being lonely or fighting for his life. 

Kushina didn’t dare tell anyone about her bizarre dreams. They’d either think she was crazy, or creepy. There wasn’t exactly a protocol for telling someone that she was having recurring dreams about their grown children trying to kill each other. She didn’t even tell Minato, mostly because he was already stressed enough. He had enough on his plate without worrying about her weird stress dreams. 

Naruto, at least, was thriving. He was growing steadily, and hitting his milestones on time. He was starting to smile and make happy babbling noises. The only problem was that he seemed to recognize Kakashi more than Minato. He’d been so absent because of his Hokage duties that Naruto wasn’t responding to him as readily as Kushina or Kakashi. That seemed to distress Minato more than any of the problems in the village. 

“Come on, Naruto, smile! You can do it!” Minato was making increasingly ridiculous faces at his son, on one of the rare occasions that he’d made it home at a reasonable time. Naruto remained unimpressed, staring blankly at his father. Minato sighed in defeat, leaning back against the couch behind him.

Kushina chuckled. “Wow. The infamous Yellow Flash, subdued by a baby.” 

“It’s not that,” Minato whined. He picked up Naruto and held him so he could see Kakashi sitting at the table, where he was sharpening a kunai. Immediately, the infant started making a series of happy gurgling sounds. When Minato turned the boy back toward him, the sounds stopped. “He doesn’t like me.” 

From her spot curled up on the couch, Kushina reached down so she could run her fingers through her husband’s hair to comfort him. “You’ve been gone a lot these past couple of months. He just spends more time with me and Kakashi, that’s all.” 

Minato was sitting cross legged on the floor with Naruto in his lap, pouting at the infant. “He smiled at Teuchi yesterday. It was the first time they’d met,” he reminded her. 

“Well, Teuchi does make the best ramen in the village. You can’t blame Naruto for sucking up a bit,” she joked. “He did end up getting us a discount because he was being so cute.” The memory made her grin. She couldn’t wait until Naruto was eating solid foods, so she could introduce him to Ichiraku. Hopefully by then it would be completely rebuilt, and not the half-destroyed stand that was being utilized now. Not that Teuchi needed anything fancy to make delicious ramen. 

Once again, Minato tried making silly faces to get Naruto to smile at him. He even started making nonsensical sounds and blowing raspberries. From the table, Kakashi didn’t bother to hide his laughter. Neither did Kushina as she watched her husband, who she remembered was listed as a “flee on sight” for enemy villages, puff his cheeks and stick his tongue out. Still, Naruto just blinked up at his father. 

“Why are you so hard to impress?” he groaned. 

“You’re trying too hard,” Kakashi chided. “He’s a really outgoing baby, he’ll come around if you just let it happen naturally. Although,” he chuckled, “I definitely enjoyed that display.”  

Minato glared at his student. “Don’t you have training or something to do?” 

“Hm, I seem to recall being assigned as a long-term guard for the Hokage’s wife and son.” Even with his mask on, Kushina could tell he was grinning like a fool. “So I’d say I’m doing exactly what I should be.” 

Kushina shook her head fondly as the two of them kept bickering. It wasn’t what she’d expected when their son was born, but at least some things seemed to be working out alright. Kakashi seemed to be slowly losing some of the sharp edges that kept everyone else at bay. And if nothing else, they were all alive in this reality, unlike the one the Kyuubi had told them about.

The fact that they were all together, and all alive was enough, right? It should be. Even if she was basically stuck at home, functionally playing the role of doting housewife while her hard working husband barely had time for his family. It was fine. It was temporary. Forget that she’d spent her entire life either two seconds away from being sent to war, or watching over her shoulder for enemies that might try to kidnap Konoha’s jinchuuriki. Forget that every muscle in her body, every instinct was chomping at the bit to get back to training. She could handle it. She could be a housewife for a little while, until the tensions in the village calmed down enough for Minato to step back a bit, just like they’d originally planned. Except, how long would that be? How old would Naruto be by then? Minato had already missed his first smile and the first time his eyes started to track one of them across the room. He didn’t respond to his father the same way he responded to Kushina or even Kakashi. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. He was supposed to be here. 

“Kushina?” 

She hadn’t realized she’d started frowning until Minato’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She grinned back at him, although she knew her smile was strained. “I zoned out a bit, sorry. Guess I’m pretty tired today.” 

Minato smiled gently at her. “You can sleep if you want.” 

Tempting as it was, she really couldn’t. “I’ve got bottles to prep, baby laundry to do, and a million other baby-related things that need to get done, y’know?” 

“I can do it,” Minato insisted. “Just go nap.” 

The gesture was appreciated, but useless. Kushina tried to tell him so. “No you can’t. You don’t know how to do any of this.” He should know how. He should be here pulling his weight. It had become part of Kushina’s daily mantra to remind herself that Minato couldn’t help not being here. 

“How hard can it be?” Minato pressed. “I’ve done laundry before and managed to not burn the house down,” he grinned. 

His joke fell flat. “You don’t get it. There’s a specific way everything has to be done.” She barely kept from adding, you’d know that if you’d been here like you were supposed to be. She didn’t know where the sudden irritation was coming from, but she couldn’t push it down today. Even if it had been a quick excuse that she made, she really was extra tired. The dreams were starting to get to her and the lack of sleep was leaving her completely drained. 

Minato didn’t seem to be picking up on her irritation. “Really, it’s no big deal. I want to. I’m sure I’ll figure it all out.” 

The response tumbled out before she could stop herself. “You shouldn’t have to ‘figure it out’,” she snapped. “You should have been here all along.” 

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it. Both Kakashi and Minato stared at her in stunned silence. She could feel her face heating with embarrassment and shame following her outburst. It wasn’t Minato’s fault, she knew that. They’d always planned to raise their son as equal partners, it wasn’t his fault that the Kyuubi destroyed the village and threw everything into chaos. He was the Hokage, he had more than just their little family to worry about. She knew all of that, but it didn’t make it any less difficult to deal with. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that,” she added immediately. “I know you’re not staying away on purpose.” It was clear as day that he didn’t want to. Neither of them were happy with the current situation. 

“No, I’m sorry.” Minato shuffled up onto the couch next to her, Naruto still bundled in his arms. “We were supposed to do this together, and I haven’t been pulling my weight.” 

Kushina immediately leaned into him. “It’s not your fault. I know you’re trying to be here.”

“Things didn’t exactly turn out the way we planned, did they?” He sighed. 

Smiling bitterly, Kushina replied, “No, I guess not.” She leaned her head onto her husband’s shoulder, reaching down to rub Naruto’s chubby cheek with her thumb. “But I feel like I should still be grateful, because we’re all together.” She couldn’t elaborate with Kakashi in the room, but she knew Minato understood. 

He nodded in agreement. “I get it. I feel the same. But I’ve already missed so much and I hate it,” Minato sighed. 

“I don’t suppose there’s any kind of easy resolution in sight for all of the village’s problems?” 

Minato chuckled dryly. “Unfortunately, no.” He hummed thoughtfully. “What if I took Naruto with me on some days?” 

Kushina snorted at the thought. “Very funny.”

“I’m serious.” 

She craned her neck to look up at Minato’s face. “Somehow I don’t think the elders would like that.” 

“Well, then they should stop monopolizing so much of my time so I can come home,” he shrugged. “Besides,” he held Naruto up again. “This adorable face is probably just the bargaining tool that we need! Who could say no to him?” 

Kushina laughed, swatting her husband playfully. “Don’t turn our son into a political tool before his first birthday, ok?” 

They both shared a laugh. Minato pressed, “Seriously, though. I could bring him with me. There’s no rule that says I can’t. I should know, I had to learn all of them.” 

It would definitely piss off some of the more traditional council members, but there really wasn’t any harm in it, was there? This was a way for Minato to bond with his son, and also take on more of his share of parenting responsibilities. It wasn’t like he’d be taking the infant anywhere dangerous, just to his office. 

“Ok, but if he does anything cute you better cancel all your meetings for the day and call me right away, got it?” Kushina joked. 

Minato laughed heartily in response. “Deal.” They shared a tender kiss that made Kakashi cough awkwardly from the table. 

Kushina rolled her eyes at him. “If you just took the spare room like we told you to, you'd have somewhere to hide when we get all mushy,” she teased. 

“Or,” the teen countered, “you could be less gross in front of your guests.” 

“You’re not a guest,” she responded, “you’re family!” 

As much as he tried to hide it, she could tell Kakashi was genuinely touched by the admission. She swore he might’ve teared up a bit, but she knew he’d deny it. He just muttered something unintelligible in return, returning to his already sharp kunai. 

Their new agreement had lightened the mood considerably, leaving them to joke around and chat amicably until neither parent could keep their eyes open. Kakashi shifted to his ridiculous late night patrol duties (which Kushina repeatedly failed to convince him were unnecessary), leaving the two of them to put Naruto to bed. Thankfully, he was a heavy sleeper. That night, Kushina could relate. She practically passed out the moment her head hit the pillow, and she didn’t wake up until she was being gently shaken. She’d dreamt about the Kyuubi again, standing in shallow water while she watched the fox sleep. There was something oddly peaceful about it. 

Kushina grumbled irritably as the morning light seeped through their window. “Wha’ time issit?” she slurred, voice heavy with sleep. 

“Early,” Minato assured her. “Sorry to wake you, but I thought you’d want to see us off.” 

She did, but it still took far too much effort to pull herself into a sitting position and focus on the world around her. It was definitely early, based on how dim the light outside still was, but Minato was already dressed. He had his Hokage robe on, as well as a wrap to hold Naruto against his chest. Kushina thought she was going to swoon at the sight and suddenly felt more awake. 

“Oh my god, you two are so cute!” She scrambled out of bed, tossing the covers off of her. “Let me get my camera, I need a picture of that!” 

“I’m already late!” Minato called after her. 

Kushina ignored him, digging through drawers and cabinets until her sleep-addled brain remembered where the camera was. “The light’s better in the kitchen, get in here!” 

Minato complied, and pretended to be upset about being late, but it was obvious that he was very much enjoying himself. He even made her take a few extras to ensure they turned out well. 

Kushina sighed, purposefully over dramatic. “My baby’s first day at work. They grow up so fast.” She pinched both Naruto and Minato’s cheeks. “Make sure your dad is on his best behavior, ok? Don’t let him fight with the other kids.” 

Minato laughed at her antics, shaking his head fondly. “Very funny. Now, do you want to be the one to explain to the council why I’m late, or am I allowed to go?” 

A snide remark about the council was very tempting, but Kushina kept it to herself. She gave them both a kiss, before walking them to the door and seeing them off with a wave. It felt odd to be home without the baby, and she knew it wouldn’t take long for her to relent and go visit the two of them at the Hokage’s office, but right now she could only think about getting back into her bed. She shuffled back into the bedroom with a yawn, plopping down face first on the mattress. It didn’t take long for sleep to find her again.

Unfortunately, that also meant that it didn’t take long for the dreams to find her again too. Kushina found herself wishing for the monotony of watching the Kyuubi slumber. Instead, she was once again thrust into the irritatingly familiar, vivid dream world. She’d started to pick up on patterns, guessing Naruto’s age based on the people around him. The dreams were happening so frequently that she was recognizing faces of people she’d never met, and she’d even turned down the wrong street in the real world when she confused it for a location in one of her dreams. 

This time, Naruto was in his teens. She knew this because of how he carried himself, but also because he was with an adult Kakashi. Kakashi never appeared in the dreams when Naruto was young. She didn’t recognize where they were, somewhere in a snow covered town that probably didn’t even exist in the real world. However, she recognized the person standing in front of them.

It was the masked man. Kushina felt her blood boil as she remembered the last time she saw him. She’d give anything to punch that stupid mask right off his face, even if it was just a dream. This was the person who had sicced the Kyuubi on the village and caused so much death and destruction. He’d also nearly killed Naruto, and almost tore their new family apart. They almost died that night because of him. If it hadn’t been for the Kyuubi (and wasn’t that a strange thought) they would have died. In another future, they had died. No one knew who he was or where he went, because after the attack he had vanished without a trace, leaving nothing behind but a heavy suspicion on the entire Uchiha clan. 

Kushina didn’t want to hear what he had to say. She didn’t want to see him, or hear his voice in her dreams. If she could turn away, she would. But she couldn’t. She could never ignore what the dream Naruto was seeing or hearing. She’d tried leaving, and even waking herself up, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t interact with the world around her, and she couldn’t control what was said or done. 

The masked man started speaking, his voice dripping with as much malice as she remembered. Kushina found herself wishing for a fight, to watch the dream versions of Naruto and Kakashi tear the bastard apart, but they didn’t. Kakashi’s suspicion was evident, and both of them occasionally interjected, but the masked man’s words were free to permeate her dream. 

He uttered the phrase she’d heard whispered in her other dreams, one that she’d tried desperately to block out; Uchiha massacre. 

It was a special kind of hell, being powerless to turn away or close her senses to any of the masked man’s poisonous words. She couldn’t even cry. All Kushina could do was listen to this horrible story about one of her dearest friends, along with her entire clan, being slaughtered at the hands of her own son. 

The entire story was incredibly convoluted, and ridiculously detailed. Before the incident with the Kyuubi, her dreams had been pretty normal, as far as she knew. They were disjointed in the way that dreams always were, and lacked any kind of continuity or clarity. These dreams were different. They were all related, and referenced events that occurred separately while she slept. She could have a dream one night, then dream a continuation weeks later. Sometimes she got the clear impression that she was missing an important piece of the puzzle, but it was never nonsensical. And it was always from Naruto’s perspective. If it wasn’t so horrifying, Kushina would be impressed with how imaginative her subconscious was. 

When Kushina finally, mercifully, woke up, she was in tears. For a few moments, she was convinced the dream was real. The Uchiha clan had been slaughtered in the street, and in their homes. Mikoto, her closest friend, was gone. The clan had been planning a coup. The village felt threatened by the potential for civil war. Itachi killed them. 

It took several minutes for Kushina’s breathing to calm, and for her rational mind to remember that she saw her friend just a few days ago. Mikoto was very much alive. The Uchiha clan was fine. And Itachi was 4 years old. She didn’t know why her subconscious was so adamant about making him a murderer. She wanted to chalk it up to some kind of subconscious motherly instinct that she’d sensed that he was a danger to Naruto, but that wasn’t true. Itachi was a doting older brother to Sasuke, and had really taken to Naruto too. He played with both of them, and made silly faces when either of them cried. She even saw him befriending the neighborhood crows. Not exactly any red flags there. 

And then there was the clan itself. It had to be related to the stress Minato was under because of the suspicions the Uchiha were facing. Except, she never for a moment thought the clan was responsible for the Kyuubi attack. They might have a rogue clan member, which was terrifying, but that didn’t leave the entire clan at fault. Blaming the entire clan for the actions of one madman would be the same as blaming the villages for the crimes of their own missing nin. 

The only part of the insane story that Kushina could have believed was Danzo’s involvement. It wasn’t exactly news to her that her subconscious thought Danzo was secretly a villain. Although, his actions in her dream were disturbing, even for the distaste she had for the man. 

Kushina laid on her back, both hands over her eyes and rubbing at them so firmly she saw stars. She wanted to erase the vision of the masked man from her mind, but she kept seeing him when she closed her eyes. Even with his face covered, Kushina just knew he’d been smirking and it made her want to punch him even more. 

As tired as she was, she didn’t want to fall asleep again and risk another dream, so she forced herself to roll out of bed. Her body felt sluggish and heavy as she went through the motions of making herself presentable for the world and ate a quick breakfast. Or, lunch. Apparently it was later than she thought. 

Truthfully, Kushina had no idea what to do now. She was on edge from the dream, and it left her itching for some sort of outlet. Normally she would blow off some steam at the training grounds when she felt like this, but unfortunately she was still on restricted activity. Having the Kyuubi ripped out of her had done a number on both her physical body and her chakra, and giving birth hadn’t exactly made it easier. She was only allowed to do light physical activity, and that was basically torture for any experienced shinobi, particularly since she was so used to the Kyuubi’s enhanced healing abilities. With those gone, it felt like she’d never fully recover. At least she’d been kept busy with the baby, but now he was with his dad and the house was unusually quiet. It made her feel even more antsy. She was so used to Naruto’s near constant stream of happy babbles, and Kakashi’s exasperated yet fond sighing. But today Kushina had convinced Kakashi to stay close to Naruto, instead of her. He’d been torn, but ultimately gave in to her demand. She didn’t need a babysitter, and she’d rather have Naruto guarded and safe, and that at least was something Kakashi could agree to. Kushina realized this was the first time she’d been alone since Naruto was born, and it felt wrong. The stillness of the house was suffocating. 

Kushina tried, and failed to keep herself busy. She attempted to read books, but she couldn’t focus. She tried fiddling with one of the seals she and Minato were working on, but her lack of focus almost resulted in setting the whole thing on fire. She even tried watching whatever was on television, but the program couldn’t keep her attention. It was clear that staying at home was not an option for her sanity, so Kushina decided to go into town instead. 

Villagers waved at her, and asked where Naruto was, since they were so used to seeing him with her. She’d laugh and tell them he was with his dad, then make a joke about a baby being Hokage. They’d laugh at her joke, wish her family well, and leave. Occasionally she’d run into a friend or more well-known acquaintance, but mostly it was vaguely familiar faces that knew her by reputation even though she couldn’t recall their names. Inwardly, she wondered how many of them had been cruel to Naruto in the Kyuubi’s future. How many of these friendly faces, that stopped and asked about his well-being, had turned a blind eye to his neglect? How many of them had refused him entry into their shop, or even physically attacked him? She tried not to remember the faces from her dreams, because she knew it wasn’t real, but it was impossible not to. It was hard to forget the faces of her neighbors that were making her son’s life miserable, even if it was a dream world. If her smiles were a little more forced with them, they probably didn’t know her well enough to notice. 

She wasn’t foolish enough to think that no one in this timeline would have a problem with the Kyuubi being sealed in Naruto. Jinchuuriki were always kind of outcasts anyway, and the monster’s attack was fresh in everyone’s minds. There were glares, or disapproving murmurs that Kushina didn’t miss. Except, unlike in the Kyuubi’s time, she was here to shut them down. She would make sure no one made Naruto feel unwelcome in his own village. He should’ve been treated as a hero just for containing the Kyuubi, let alone everything else he’d done in the other timeline. There was a part of her that wanted to tell every person she saw about how amazing her son was, how he’d saved the world and even turned the infamous demon fox to his side. She wanted to scream from the rooftops how wonderful he was, and how grateful they should be that a boy they’d never met had softened a demon’s heart enough to make it try to stop the end of the world. Of course she didn’t, but she wanted to. She’d settle for whispering it to him as she tucked him into bed every night instead. 

Without realizing where she was going, Kushina eventually found herself outside of Hokage tower. To be fair, she’d tried to keep herself busy. She’d wandered in and out of shops, and around construction sites to assess the village’s progress. The village was rebuilding, and many areas were starting to become unrecognizable from all the renovations and new construction that needed to be done. Other parts of the village were still completely demolished, with not enough labor available to fix everything at once. One of those places with the Uchiha compound, which still hadn’t been touched thanks to the allegations against the clan. Minato at least had managed to set up some temporary housing for all the displaced residents, the clan included. It was nothing luxurious, but it was better than tents. Still, the problem with the Uchiha clan and their compound was one of the major headaches he was dealing with as Hokage.

Kushina was met with polite nods and greetings as she ascended the stairs up to the Hokage’s office. Obviously, no one tried to stop her. The ANBU guarding the door to the office even opened it for her in invitation. She smiled politely, ducking into the office. 

Minato looked up from his desk as he heard the door open, his haggard expression quickly morphing into genuine joy. She couldn’t help but grin right back at him. She also noticed that a little crib had been set up for the baby, with a whole pile of stuffed toys surrounding him. 

“When did you have time to do that?” Kushina asked curiously. She padded over to kiss Naruto on the head. 

“I didn’t.” Minato laughed. “I’m pretty sure it was all Kakashi. He won’t admit to it but this was mysteriously set up this morning, and no one else besides the three of us knew I’d be bringing Naruto today.” 

Kushina shook her head fondly. “When will that boy just admit that he cares?” 

Minato’s smile turned sad. “Probably never.” 

There was no doubt in her mind that would be the case. She decided to change the subject before the mood was brought down too much. “How did everything go today?” 

The Yondaime’s smile returned. “Ah, great! I feel like everyone was more civil because they didn’t want to scream and wake him. Oh, and I think he’s already got a knack for politics.” Minato laughed heartily. “He very conveniently needed a diaper change when the elders were hounding me about some ridiculous minute detail.” 

Kushina leaned on the crib, reaching in so she could pat her son’s head affectionately. “Wow. Already got everyone wrapped around your little finger, I guess.” She glanced back up at her husband. “Any news to share? Oh, and I walked around town earlier and saw a few projects that I think need your attention. Sorry to put more on your plate.” 

Minato waved her off. “Eh, it’s my job to have a lot on my plate.” He sighed heavily. “As for news, there is one thing.” He sat back down in his chair, leaning back. “I hate giving into the stupid, petty demands of the council, but I have to.”

“Oh?” 

He continued, “ Certain people have it in their head that the Uchiha clan’s residence should be moved elsewhere.” 

Something started to prickle at the back of Kushina’s mind. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and her heart started pounding. Why did such an innocuous sounding statement make her feel so anxious? 

Unaware of Kushina’s reaction, Minato pressed on. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, and it’s very obviously a ‘screw you’ to the clan, but it’s one of their more harmless suggestions. If I agree to it, I’ll at least have some leverage against the more intense restrictions they’re trying to enact.”

Every instinct was screaming at her that it was a bad idea. But why? Why was her mind rebelling so firmly against moving the Uchiha compound? There was some half-buried thought or memory that was whispering that it would only make things worse. That it would isolate and offend them. She almost felt like it had happened before. 

Minato shrugged, then continued, “In the long run it’ll cost more money to rebuild the compound elsewhere, but at least construction can start. I know Fugaku isn’t happy about how long rebuilding efforts have been delayed.” 

Kushina was not a politician. She had no interest in all of the intricacies of clan politics, nor did she have that much experience. But this was something that she just knew in her gut. It was a horrible idea. She had to tell Minato as much. She hoped he didn’t ask too many questions, but Kushina felt like she’d burst if she didn’t say something. 

While Minato was still in the middle of talking, Kushina interrupted with a loud, “You can’t!” 

The statement was met with a few surprised blinks, and Minato’s shocked face. “What?” He scratched at his chin. “I mean, it’s going to be seen as a sleight against the clan, and it will definitely be inconvenient for the police force but in the long run–”

“No, you can’t,” Kushina insisted. Her explanation left her mouth before she even realized what she was saying. “That has been the Uchiha clan’s land since the village was founded. It will be more than just a sleight against them, it will be a grave insult to all of their traditions and their position in the village. Plus,” she added quickly, her mouth still running ahead of her brain, “it will isolate them more from the village. It won’t just be the police force, it will be all of them. It will only serve as a confirmation in the village’s mind that they did something wrong, that they’re too dangerous to be near everyone else.” 

The office was silent, save for the slight echo of her last few words. Minato’s eyebrows were furrowed and he was frowning heavily in thought. He stared at Kushina with analytical eyes, soaking in all of her words and weighing them carefully. Meanwhile, Kushina was rapidly sifting through her own thoughts to figure out how the hell she came up with that. Minato seemed to be wondering the same thing. 

“Huh.” He replied thoughtfully. “I didn’t know you had such an interest in clan politics.” 

Neither did she. “It was just a thought,” she murmured awkwardly, trying to make the entire situation a little less weird. 

Minato considered her words. “I think you’re right,” he concluded. “I didn’t even consider either of those points.” He smiled gratefully. “I knew I kept you around for a reason,” he joked. 

Kushina laughed dryly. Normally a joke like that would catch her interest immediately, and they’d bicker light heartedly. This time, she couldn’t shake the weird feeling of familiarity, deja vu even, as she thought about the Uchiha compound being built elsewhere. She was so certain that it was a bad idea, and she didn’t know why. 

A deep, cold, all too familiar voice seemed to be whispering in her mind; Uchiha massacre .

The dreams. This tidbit of information about the Uchiha clan was from her dreams. She couldn’t even remember if the masked man had said it, or if it had been brought up in one of the other dreams she’d been having about the clan, but she knew that was the origin. The knowledge had come to her completely unbidden, far more like a memory than it had any right to be. What the hell did that mean? Dark as they might be, having stress dreams about the Uchiha clan was very different from having a weirdly prophetic dream about them. She searched her memory, for a time when Minato had mentioned the possibility that the clan might be moved. She couldn’t recall. It was only in the memories of her dreams. Was it reasonable for her mind to have conjured this scenario on its own, or was that too much of a coincidence? 

“Kushina? Are you ok?” 

As much as she wanted to say that she had no idea, Kushina forced herself to take a steadying breath. She smiled at her husband. “Yeah. I just forgot that I have somewhere to be, sorry.” 

“Wha–but you just got here!” Minato protested with a frown.

She kissed her husband’s cheek in apology, but didn’t give into the temptation to stay. Her mind was reeling and the room was starting to feel claustrophobic. There was something that wouldn’t stop nagging at her, a tingling under skin that felt like a pull. What the hell was going on? She turned on her heel, ignoring Minato’s confused voice as she nearly flew out of the room. Maybe she should re-evaluate her decision to keep the dreams a secret. She was losing sleep over them, and now she felt like she was losing her mind. The stupid dreams were making her question what had really happened and what was just a figment of her imagination. She’d never had dreams like this before, not until the Kyuubi was removed from her.

It couldn’t be a coincidence. Had the fox done something to her? Had it put some kind of curse on her before it was removed? Or was this just her subconscious feeding into her guilt about sealing the demon in her son? She wanted to scream at the fox, to demand answers. She just couldn’t make herself believe that the Kyuubi wasn’t connected to these dreams somehow. Those kind of coincidences didn’t exist. 

It was still a habit to try to reach for the fox’s chakra, even though there was barely a wisp of it there. The chakra that had saved her life after the Kyuubi was pulled from her was still there, thrumming under her skin, but she couldn’t follow its pull. She knew she couldn’t, because the Kyuubi was sealed inside Naruto. But logic was a difficult thing when you were sleep deprived and anxious, so Kushina kept tugging at the thread. Nothing happened, of course, but she kept pulling. She started to feel a slight tingle under her skin, that slowly rose to an uncomfortable burn. It rippled in her body, weaving in and out of her own chakra. Pulling at the thread probably wasn’t a good idea, but she was just so frustrated and confused, and wanted answers, or at the very least some kind of relief. 

Pulling on the Kyuubi’s chakra was second nature to her after living most of her life with the beast. Learning to separate its corrosive chakra from her own, and following it to its source had been an essential skill. So it was all too easy to keep picking at that thread. She yanked hard, feeling a brief but intense flash of pain in her gut that made her stumble. 

Unfortunately, she hadn’t been paying attention to where she was walking. She’d been completely lost in her own mind, and didn’t even notice that she’d reached the tower’s stairway. When the pain surged through her, she tripped over herself and put one of her feet down awkwardly on the step. She immediately lost her balance with a startled cry and tumbled forward. A hand grabbed her arm, one of the ANBU trying to keep the Hokage’s wife from injuring herself in the most ridiculous ways possible, most likely, but she had too much momentum. Even though she was saved from falling head over heels down the stairs, the stairway was so narrow that she wasn’t saved from smacking head first into the railing. Kushina saw stars as she heard her name, gritting her teeth against the pain. 

As she recovered and stumbled back, she realized that there was no longer a hand holding her upright. She also realized that when she set her foot down, it landed in water. Except, her leg didn’t actually feel wet. And her head wasn’t hurting, even though she distinctly remembered headbutting the stone wall. She also wasn’t standing in Hokage tower anymore.  

Kushina blinked rapidly to try and clear the illusion from her vision, but it remained. She was in a very familiar place. Tepid water, cage bars as thick as tree trunks, and a slumbering demon. She was seeing the Kyuubi from her dreams. But why? She had been awake…

Oh. She must have knocked herself out, and was dreaming now. She winced. How embarrassing. Minato would never let her live this down. Apparently thinking too much about the Kyuubi was enough to make her dream about it. That was still preferable to the other dreams she’d been having, but seeing the fox still filled her with rage. This was its fault, she knew it was. It couldn’t be just a coincidence that the dreams started after it was removed from her. It had to have left a curse or something to torture her. Whether it was the old Kyuubi or the one from the different timeline, she didn’t know. Either way, she wanted to shout a few choice insults at it, just like she used to when it was in her mindscape. 

Kushina stalked forward, the water splashing around her but still not actually getting her clothes wet. She stopped in front of the cage, glaring at the fox’s sleeping form. It didn’t move, or react in any way. Just like always, it snored loudly, curled up in the same position as when she always saw it. She hated this stupid dream about the stupid fox. In the past, she’d done nothing but stare, too drained from the other dreams she was having to bother disturbing the peace. But now? She needed to release a bit of pent up anger. A sleeping dream-Kyuubi was the perfect target. 

Her fists clenched at her side. “I know you did something to me, you stupid fox! I don’t know if this is some kind of curse, or divine retribution, or guilt, or whatever, but it started with you!” The words echoed around her. “I just want to make it stop!” Kushina breathed heavily, not expecting a response, so she jumped back in surprise when she was met with low, rumbling laughter. 

A single red eye stared at her through the cage bars. “I was beginning to think that obliviousness was an Uzumaki bloodline trait.” 

Kushina watched as the Kyuubi rose from its curled up position, making a show of stretching its long limbs and tails. Light reflected off of its giant teeth as it grinned at her, both eyes now trained on her position. She swallowed hard. No matter how many times she saw the Kyuubi, it never failed to leave her awestruck. Even in her dreams, the fox was a sight to behold. 

She scowled. “Ugh, I don’t want to dream about you. I don’t want to dream about any of the things I’ve been seeing!” She shook her head violently, trying to will the fox away. This was the first time it had ever spoken to her in one of her dreams, but she realized that it was also the first time she’d ever spoken to it too. 

The fox laughed again. “You still think this is a dream?” It scoffed, but appeared amused by her distress. “You humans are so blind to everything around you.” 

“Of course it’s a dream! You’re not here. I’m not here with you,” she insisted. “You’re sealed in Naruto. I’m just stressed,” she reasoned. 

“Once again, I am floored by your lack of awareness.” The Kyuubi rolled its eyes. “You cannot even tell the difference between wake and sleep? Or were you so unwilling to realize the truth that you had to convince yourself of your own fantasy?” 

She couldn’t stand hearing the condescention in the stupid fox’s voice. “Ugh, just shut up! SHUT UP!” She snapped, her whole body shaking with rage. “All my life I’ve been stuck with your damn voice in my head, feeding me lies and anger. I just want to be rid of you! I don’t want to see you in my dreams, or anywhere else, you demon!” 

Of course, the Kyuubi was not impressed with her outburst. It narrowed its eyes. “Oh, poor human, cursed to bear near unlimited power. It must have been such a burden,” it mocked her. 

“It was a burden, and you know it!” Kushina yelled in return. “I was shunned because of you, kidnapped because of you, and all you ever did was feed me your poisonous words!” 

“I told you, bijuu do not appreciate being caged,” it reminded her. 

“I don’t give a damn about what you appreciate!” 

The fox growled, its hackles rising. “No, and that’s the problem with you humans! It’s all about you. Only your vile species could enslave another and then act like you’re the victims.” Its voice was dripping with malice, to the point that it felt nearly tangible. 

Kushina laughed dryly. “Victim? You?” She snorted. “I’m not going to pity you, if that’s what you want.” 

“I don’t want your pity,” it snapped. 

“Then what do you want?” 

This time, the fox’s growl was loud enough to make ripples appear on the water. “How about a little gratitude, you ungrateful wretch?” 

Oh, it did not just go there. “Oh, thank you , great and powerful Kyuubi!” Mocking a giant chakra demon, dream or not, was probably stupid, but she was too angry to care. “Thank you for making my life hell, and for attacking my village. It was so generous of you to try to kill us,” she spat. 

“ I didn’t! But,” it grumbled, “even if that damn Uchiha hadn’t controlled me I still would have enjoyed crushing you. You kept me chained up, do you expect me to thank you for that?” It gestured around them with a massive paw. “ This has been my entire existence since I was sealed in Mito before you. This is all there is for me, and my siblings. And you have the gall to complain about the hand you were dealt?” 

“Fuck you, stupid fox!” She kicked out at the water blindly in anger. “I hate your stupid face, and your voice, and everything about you! I hate you!” Maybe it was childish to yell such things at the Kyuubi, but she had a lifetime of repressed anger to work out. “You’re a vile, wicked monster and I would imprison you for a thousand lifetimes if I could! I never should have listened to you. We never should have sealed you in Naruto.” Kushina took another step forward, refusing to break eye contact with the beast. “You’re just a monster, and a demon. Nothing about you is worthy of the kindness my son supposedly showed you.”

Kushina waited for the fox to explode on her, to come after her. She was close enough to the cage that it could probably reach through and grab her if it wanted. Instead, it just stared at her, barely reacting to her anger. “That, at least, is something we can agree on.” Its voice had softened, and its fur was no longer standing on end. It returned to its curled up position, its back facing Kushina. “What you have been seeing are my own memories, through Naruto’s eyes. Certain events will come to pass that he wanted to prevent. Use the information I give you as you will.” 

Kushina stared at the fox’s back in disbelief. “What, that’s it? Get up and fight me, fox!” Hot, angry tears blurred her vision. 

“Unfortunately for you, we are out of time. But I’m sure I will see you here again.” 

Sure enough, Kushina felt something tugging at her consciousness. She tried to fight it. She wanted to stay and yell at the fox some more. She wanted to blame it for her problems, for the village’s problems, and she wanted it to yell back at her in return. That’s how it had always been for them. The entire time the Kyuubi had been sealed in her, she couldn’t recall a single conversation that wasn’t screamed at each other through the bars of the fox’s prison. And now, after everything, it was just going to lay down and ignore her? Damn this stupid fox and its mind games. 

“Fuck you,” she spat again. “I don’t want your help.” 

The fox sighed. “You’re a fool, Kushina Uzumaki.” 

She actually startled, realizing it was the first time she’d ever heard the Kyuubi use her real name. When it was sealed in her, it was always rude nicknames that she didn’t want to think about. Even when it appeared from the future, it still had called her “Tomato Head” instead of her name. She got one last look at the fox before she returned to consciousness. It never once looked back at her. 

When she came to, she was surrounded by blurry faces and bright lights. She groaned, and tried to sit up, but a hand gently pressed her down. 

“We’ve got a medic nin on the way.” It was Minato’s soft but worried voice. “You hit your head so you shouldn’t move.” 

The world started to come into focus. The Kyuubi’s cage and the tepid water were gone, replaced by the cold stone floor of Hokage tower. Minato was leaning over her, concern written all over his face. He was flanked by two ANBU, one that she recognized instantly as Kakashi, the other was not one that she knew beyond their mask. 

“How embarrassing,” she mumbled, wincing in pain. 

“What happened?” Minato asked. 

How the hell did she even explain it? Maybe she’d tell him later, when there were no prying ears. Or, maybe not. She was going to have to come to terms with the fact that her dreams probably weren’t dreams. As much as she wanted to write everything off as some sick, vivid nightmare, the Kyuubi had been right about her denial. Her visit with the beast had confirmed it. That had been the real Kyuubi. She’d know its presence anywhere, and now it was painfully obvious that she’d somehow been visiting the real Kyuubi in her sleep. It should be impossible, since it was no longer sealed within her, yet somehow it kept happening. And if that was the real Kyuubi, the dreams were probably real too. At least to some extent. She still wouldn’t rule out that it was lying to her, but she could at least believe that the fox was the source of them.

Minato seemed worried when she didn’t answer, so she tried to offer a small smile. It probably looked more like a grimace. “I just tripped. It was stupid.” 

She knew it was a horrible excuse. Trained shinobi didn’t just trip on the stairs. And if she did, she should’ve been able to catch herself. Technically it wasn’t completely a lie, she just omitted the spiraling thoughts that led to her unfortunate tumble. 

“That’s not like you,” Minato responded, not willing to believe the half-truth. 

“You know how tired I’ve been,” she countered. “I guess it just caught up with me at the worst time.” 

Minato still didn’t look convinced, but whatever reply he had was interrupted by the arrival of the medic nin. They looked Kushina over and started using their healing chakra. Minato was sitting cross legged on the floor next to her, frowning and deep in thought. A few administrators that scrambled by did a double take at the sight of their Hokage sitting on the dirty floor, but they wisely didn’t comment on it. 

Fortunately, the medic nin told them Kushina would be able to go home, but she’d need someone to keep an eye on her. She wasn’t supposed to fall asleep for too long, so someone needed to wake her up. Kushina didn’t know if she was relieved or horrified. She was exhausted and wanted to sleep, but she also didn’t want to see any more visions from the Kyuubi. 

Unsurprisingly, Minato immediately offered to clear his schedule to take her home. “Absolutely not,” Kushina insisted. Her head was starting to clear thanks to the medic nin’s efforts. “You have too much to do.” 

One of the ANBU, the one she didn’t recognize, murmured that he did in fact have a meeting in 45 minutes. Minato waved him off. “I’ll reschedule. I need to take care of my family,” he insisted. 

Kushina frowned, looking up at him. “Is it about that thing we talked about?” 

Minato hesitated but nodded. “Yes.” 

“Then you can’t reschedule.”

“Kushina–” 

“I’ll keep an eye on her.” 

Both of them looked over at Kakashi, or rather Hound, since he was wearing his ANBU mask. Kushina smiled in encouragement. “What could be better than having one of the Hokage’s best operatives watching over me?” 

Both Minato and Kakashi snorted in amusement. He considered the offer, then nodded reluctantly. “Ok. If it’s that important to you for me to talk about that thing you said, then I’ll let Hound take you home.” He turned to his former student. “If anything, and I mean anything seems out of the ordinary, you contact me immediately, got it? That’s an order from your Hokage.” 

“Of course, Lord Fourth.” 

Once the medic nin gave the all clear, Minato gently helped Kushina sit up. She felt a little dizzy, but she was assured that was a normal side effect. Minato tried to offer that Kakashi could carry her home, but she just gave him a flat look. It would still be too much for her dignity to allow. 

Her skull ached with every step, but she insisted on going to say goodbye to Naruto before heading home. When Minato hugged her goodbye, she didn’t complain when he held on a little longer. He promised to be home as early as possible, and she wished him luck with his meeting. 

Kakashi remained Hound until the front door had closed behind them. He’d hovered obnoxiously close for the whole walk home, particularly when any stairs were involved. She kept reminding herself that it was because he cared, but her head was aching so bad she couldn’t help but snap at him to give her a little breathing space. 

As soon as they were inside, Kushina stumbled over to the couch and laid down on her back. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth against the headache. Kakashi appeared a few minutes later with a warm compress and some doctor-approved painkillers. She took them without complaint. Kushina didn’t really feel like talking, and Kakashi was not one to push that sort of thing, so he let her be. Occasionally he’d have to keep her from nodding off, but he didn’t interrupt her brooding. 

When the medications kicked in enough to cut some of the pounding in her head, the reality of the situation set in. The outburst she’d had in the Hokage’s office, her insistence on not moving the Uchiha clan, was because of the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi had been planting some kind of story about Itachi slaughtering his entire clan. But why? Because the Sharingan could control it? Did she make a mistake telling Minato not to let the council move the compound? What if it was trying to weaken them so it couldn’t be controlled again? At the time, she had felt so certain that she was saying the right thing, but now she wondered if she’d been manipulated by the fox. If she was playing into some kind of trap set by the Kyuubi, it would surely end in disaster for all of them. 

For once, she was actually a little eager to dream. She wanted to go back to where she’d talked to the Kyuubi and ask more questions. She wanted to yell at it some more. Most of all, she wanted to try to figure out what its plan was. Why was it giving her these visions? She could assume that the visions about Naruto being alone and bullied were to make her miserable (and it worked), but she couldn’t quite figure out what its goal was for the Uchiha clan. 

When she was finally allowed to sleep for a little while, she didn’t dream. It was the first time since she’d woken up in the hospital that she hadn’t experienced one of the Kyuubi’s dream visions. She should be relieved, because it was what she wanted, right? She could get a better night’s sleep without the disturbingly vivid visions. Except, now that she had realized where the visions came from, she couldn’t help but worry. Kushina had given Minato advice based on something the Kyuubi had shown her, even if it was unintentional. In doing so, what if she was the one that ended up dooming the Uchiha clan by playing into the Kyuubi’s hand? 

Kushina wasn’t given the opportunity to interrogate the fox again. It didn’t appear in her dreams that night, or any other night.

Chapter Text

“Come on, Naruto! You can do it!” 

The baby was standing on wobbly legs, clutching the couch cushion and debating whether or not to let go. Kushina held her arms out encouragingly, trying to encourage him to walk to her. He was so close! He could walk while holding onto things, and he could stand, but he had yet to actually take a step on his own. 

Naruto was fussing, babbling a string of vaguely intelligible sounds that almost sounded like a real word. He was close to that, too. She knew that any day now, she’d get a first step and a first word and she couldn’t wait. 

Minato, who should have left 30 minutes ago for a meeting, made similarly encouraging comments beside her. Like hell he was going to leave when their son was so close to walking! He’d missed too many firsts, and now that things had finally started to calm down in the village he had a little more leeway to show up a bit late. 

“Come on, you’re so close!” She encouraged him again. 

Naruto reached out a hand, making grabbing motions. He was clearly trying to get them to come over and pick him up, but they wanted to give him a chance to walk on his own. Apparently, he didn’t agree with the plan, because he started whining and dropped back onto the floor, crawling over to his mother’s waiting arms instead. She picked him up anyway, prompting a couple of happy giggles. 

“I really thought he had it that time,” Minato commented. 

“Me too.” 

They weren’t disappointed, they couldn’t be. Both of them were just excited about every new development that their son experienced. 

“What do you have planned today?” Minato asked as he stood up and stretched, probably a little stiff after they’d been kneeling on the floor for so long. 

Kushina avoided pointing out that he’d just said he was running late and probably shouldn’t be making more small talk, but it did make the corner of her lips twitch with amusement. “Day off. We’re going to meet Mikoto and Sasuke at the park shortly.” 

“Sounds more fun than all the paperwork I have to do,” he groaned. “Wanna trade?” 

“Absolutely not,” Kushina snorted. “You’ve gotten soft, sitting behind that desk of yours. One of us needs to stay sharp,” she teased. 

“Hey!” 

The indignation in Minato’s voice followed by Kushina’s laughter made Naruto giggle happily as well. He wiggled in her arms, indicating that he wanted to be put down, then immediately crawled over to his dad and looked up at him expectantly. Minato complied immediately, picking him up and letting the baby reach out to grasp at his hair. Kushina smiled at the sight. It felt like just yesterday Minato was convinced their son didn’t even like him. Unsurprisingly, it only took spending a few days at the Hokage’s office with him to lose whatever reservations he’d had. 

“Although,” she added to her previous statement, “I guess I’ve probably gotten pretty soft myself,” she admitted. 

It had taken her much longer than expected to recover from her experience with the Kyuubi. By the time she was healed, she had a significant training gap to make up. In the old days that probably would have been no big deal, but now she had Naruto to think about. She couldn’t spend weeks away on missions or train until she was too exhausted to move anymore. Well, she probably could, but she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to give up being a shinobi, but any time she thought too much about going on a lengthy mission, she couldn’t help but think about the Naruto in the Kyuubi’s timeline that was always alone. Maybe she was being too paranoid or overprotective, but she just didn’t want this reality to be anything like that, so that meant being present as much as possible. 

Balancing short term missions and slow, gradual training had been a tough adjustment, but they’d made it work. She had to take missions well below her rank to avoid being sent away too long or too far, and that had left minimal opportunities to hone her skills as well. She wasn’t even convinced that she’d be particularly useful in a serious fight. Plus, adjusting to life without the Kyuubi had been another challenge on its own. The well-known Uzumaki chakra reserves that she carried were nothing to scoff at, but that couldn’t compare to what she’d been able to access with the Kyuubi. The fox had never been particularly willing to share its powers, but she’d managed to subdue it enough to at least make the demon useful to her. When she looked at Naruto now, she sometimes found herself wondering what his other self had been able to do with the full power of the fox at his fingertips. 

“Well, I won’t keep you two from your fun.” Minato sighed. “I’ll just go to the office by myself, all alone,” he whined. 

Kushina elbowed him playfully. “This weekend we can all go out somewhere together. Ok?” 

Her husband’s answering grin told her everything she needed to know. They parted after a quick peck on the lips. Minato was out the door first, while Kushina got herself and Naruto ready for the park. They headed out shortly after and started the quick walk to the playground. Naruto was restless, wiggling in her arms and trying to reach out at every person or animal within eyesight. It was honestly a workout on its own trying to keep the squirming baby from jumping out of her arms. Damn, her kid was strong. 

They reached the park quickly, and Kushina started scanning the playground for familiar faces. The weather was nice but it was still early, so there weren’t that many people around. She recognized the family by the swingset and waved, but the other people in the park were strangers to her, despite their respectful nods of recognition as the Hokage’s wife. 

It didn’t take long to find Mikoto. Kushina called out a greeting as she spotted her friend, who was currently kneeling in the sandbox and helping her son dig holes with a plastic shovel. Naruto brightened as he noticed them as well, chirping out a stream of very excited gibberish. He tried to wiggle out of his mother’s arms once again, but Kushina managed to set him down gently next to Sasuke before he escaped and injured himself. Immediately, both boys started babbling nonsensically at each other. There were occasional sounds that were almost a real word, but mostly it was just more nonsense. The two of them became very interested in digging their fingers through the soft sand, and Kushina had to stop Naruto from trying to eat it a few times. 

They watched the boys play together, striking up an easy conversation. Kushina glanced around curiously. “Where’s Itachi today?” she asked as casually as she could. She still didn’t really believe the visions the Kyuubi had shown her all those months ago, but she’d never really stopped having a weird feeling about them. She decided it couldn’t hurt to stay aware of what he was up to, just in case. Maybe, if she knew what could happen, she could make sure that it never did. 

“Oh, with one of his cousins.” Mikoto smiled. “He’s never been very good at making friends, so I was pleasantly surprised when he said he was meeting up with someone.” Her smile faltered for a moment. “He’s so naturally gifted, he’s already flying through the academy. He could be out on real missions before he’s even 10 years old,” she lamented. “I just wish our kids could actually be kids for a while longer.”  

It was the worst curse of their world, to have to force their children to sacrifice their youth to become pawns of war. Kushina glanced at Naruto, thinking about how it would be his turn to start at the academy before they knew it. She watched the two boys giggle and crawl around in the sand, her stomach suddenly clenching uncomfortably at the realization of how little time they would get to spend playing like this, without a care in the world. They’d both probably learn how to hold a weapon before they could learn how to ride a bike. What a cruel world they lived in. 

“I get it,” Kushina replied quietly. And she really did. 

Mikoto’s smile returned, a little forced. Obviously wanting to talk about something else she asked, “You’re going back on missions soon, right? Are you excited?” 

Kushina shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, yes? I’ve been feeling kind of stir crazy, but it’s also weird to think about not being here with Naruto.” She’d been so sure when she said she wanted to get put back on longer term missions, but now she was having doubts. Maybe it was too soon. She’d wanted to wait until after Naruto’s first birthday, but perhaps that wasn’t long enough. 

“This is the longest I’ve ever known you to stay in the village,” Mikoto commented. “I remember you always wanting to be first in line for any mission that took you outside the gates.” 

It was true. She’d always felt a certain amount of wanderlust, but the same drive wasn’t there anymore. She said as much. “Everything is so different now. We all know that any mission could be our last, and I always accepted that but now…” Kushina looked at her son again, her heart aching as she even thought about leaving him without a mother. 

“I understand,” Mikoto agreed, giving her own son the same saddened look. 

“Do you think you’ll ever go back?” Kushina asked. 

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I thought I’d go crazy not going on missions, but it hasn’t been so bad. I’ve been able to be more involved in clan politics and I’m more interested in it than I thought I’d be. Plus,” she smiled sadly, “the Kyuubi’s attack kind of put into perspective how fragile all of this is. I don’t want to lose out on what little time we actually have with our families.” 

Kushina nodded, understanding more than her friend could ever know. She spent far too much time thinking about what almost became of them during the Kyuubi’s rampage. How it had happened, just in another reality. It could have been their reality too, if not for the courage of the other-Naruto and however he managed to sway the demon fox to his side. Speaking of the demon fox…

It had been remarkably quiet, silent even. No more dreams, no visits to the beast’s cage, nothing since their confrontation months ago. She should be grateful, but it was making her antsy. The fox had hinted at this horrible, inevitable future, and then basically vanished after they’d sealed it in Naruto. Then, it had shown her those strange, vivid dreams, but she still didn’t understand the significance or what the truth about them was. It had only stopped after Kushina screamed at it following a lifetime of repressed anger and resentment. She didn’t know why the fox listened, why the visions stopped, but she had very mixed feelings about it. She realized she should have been more considerate of the one and only lead they probably had about the masked man and whatever other threats the future faced. Now, they were fumbling in the dark. Kushina hadn’t told anyone, including Minato, about the dreams, or her visit with the Kyuubi. At first it was because she thought they really were just dreams, but after the confrontation with the beast she just didn’t know how to bring it up. It was a bad excuse, but as time went on and the visions didn’t return, she saw less reason to say anything. 

Mikoto’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Hard to believe it’s almost been a year.” Her face suddenly brightened. “Oh! I guess that means it’s almost Naruto’s birthday too!” 

That brought a genuine smile to Kushina’s face. “Honestly, I have a hard time believing that too. He was so tiny, and look at him now!” The two of them looked at their sons, who had abandoned their digging efforts in exchange for grabbing at each other’s hair and clothes. 

“Are you planning a party?” 

Kushina shook her head. “No, not really.” 

“What? Why not?” Mikoto looked at her curiously. “You’ve always loved a good party, and it’s Naruto’s first birthday!” 

Kushina rolled her eyes. “You’re one to talk. You didn’t have a party for Sasuke, and I don’t recall any parties for Itachi either.”

Mikoto waved her hand dismissively. “That’s because the Uchiha clan hates fun. Parties are considered ‘improper’,” she explained. 

“Hm, guess you didn’t get the memo in your younger days,” Kushina teased. 

“Younger days?! How old do you think I am?” She stared at her friend indignantly. “Seriously though, I expected you to have the entire village celebrating.” 

“We thought about it, and we will probably still do something small, but given what day it is…” she bit her lip. “We’re a little worried, to be honest. I know from experience not everyone can tell the difference between the Kyuubi and its jinchuuriki, y’know?” 

Mikoto winced in sympathy. “I didn’t think about that. Do you really think someone would try to hurt Naruto?” 

Kushina admitted, “I’m not sure. I hate to even think about it, but we need to take precautions.” She of course didn’t mention that most of her cautiousness was related to how violent she saw some of the villagers act toward her son in the Kyuubi’s visions. The fear of being targeted as a jinchuuriki had always been there when the fox was sealed inside her, but now it was tenfold knowing it was her precious baby that would be at risk.

“Well, if you decide to do anything, even something small, let me know and we’ll be there,” Mikoto promised. 

Kushina grinned. “Of course. It wouldn’t be a party without you.” 

Their conversation was interrupted by a high pitched squawk from Naruto. Sasuke, who was a couple months older and already walking, had stood up and started wobbling away from his friend. Naruto tried to crawl after him, but he seemed displeased that Sasuke was standing upright while he was not. He kept grabbing at the other boy’s shirt, eventually throwing off his balance and pulling him over. Sasuke fell backwards, until he was sitting down in the sandbox and blinking at the other boy with a frown on his face. 

Kushina watched as Naruto gripped the older boy’s arm and pulled himself upright. He adjusted his grip as he stood, ending up with his hand shoved against Sasuke’s face. Sasuke responded with a series of angry sounding babbles that were half muffled against Naruto’s hand. 

As Naruto wobbled on his feet and started to shuffle one foot forward, Kushina gasped as she realized what was happening. He was trying to walk! Of course it was when Minato wasn’t there to see it happen…

Sure enough, Naruto took a hesitant step forward, still supporting his weight using the other boy’s face. It seemed to take him a few moments to find his courage and let go of the support he was using, but eventually he managed. With bated breath, Kushina watched her son take a single unsupported but very shaky step forward. Then another. As expected from any baby taking their first steps, let alone one trying to do it on sand, he quickly lost his balance and tipped forward. Even if it was unlikely he’d be hurt falling onto the soft sand, Kushina still reached forward on instinct to catch him before he fell. 

Except, he never did. With an unnatural grace, Naruto caught himself halfway and jerked back upright. His next few steps were more sure, almost like his feet were rooted to the sand. Those slow steps turned into a series of quick shuffles, until Naruto was bouncing around like he’d been walking for months and not seconds. Kushina swore she felt a brief spark of warmth in her veins, but it vanished quickly. 

“You just saw that, right?” Kushina asked dumbly. 

Mikoto nodded, staring curiously between the two boys. “Yeah. That was…”

“Not normal?” Kushina offered. 

“I mean, not in a bad way, but yes.” 

Kushina watched Naruto toddle around Sasuke, laughing wildly. The other boy was pouting, but quickly rose to his feet again and stumbled after his friend. 

She might be a first time parent, but it was logical to assume that a baby’s first steps were usually not quite so well-balanced. And how had he managed to keep himself from falling? 

“Is that a jinchuuriki thing?” Mikoto wondered. 

Was it? “Maybe? I was older when I had the Kyuubi sealed in me.” The Kyuubi also supposedly offered much more of its power to Naruto than it had to her. What did that mean for his development? “I guess, I don’t know, his body and his chakra system are both developing, and I’m not sure if the fox would influence that.” 

Mikoto hummed thoughtfully, catching Kushina’s attention. “Maybe he’ll grow a tail next,” she mused. 

“Mikoto!” She glanced nervously at her son. What if she was right and the fox was starting to take over or something? 

She shrugged in response. “What? He’s already got those whiskers, is it that unreasonable?” 

“This isn’t funny!” Kushina insisted. “What if there’s something wrong with him? Or the seal?” 

Mikoto gave her a sympathetic look. “Ok, ok. Sorry. I think you and Minato would probably know better than anyone if something was wrong with the seal.” 

“Right…” Kushina knew where she might find an answer, but it wasn’t an option she wanted to take. Even though she was probably overdo for a talk with the damn fox anyway, she still balked at the thought of seeking it out again. 

Placing a comforting hand on her friend’s arm, Mikoto smiled gently. “I’m sure it will be alright.” 

Kushina wasn’t actually sure, but she couldn’t tell Mikoto the full truth about why. She couldn’t tell anyone. Except for the two exceptions the Kyuubi had given them, no one was allowed to know. And they hadn’t even managed to tell either of those two yet. Minato had asked Jiraiya to pursue leads on the masked man, not expecting the lack of any progress at all. He’d been kept away from the village since Naruto’s birth because of this request, so hadn’t met his godson, nor had they had the chance to tell him their secret. And Tsunade? Neither of them had a clue where to find her. Their hope had been that Jiraiya would find a lead quickly, then come back to the village and they could discuss not only the Kyuubi’s secret, but also where to find Tsunade as well. If anyone would know, it would be her former teammate. They hadn’t expected nearly a year to pass before any progress was made. 

Damn. She was really going to have to talk to the fox for answers, wasn’t she? 

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind for the time being, letting Naruto wear himself out with his newfound mobility. It took a while, given his seemingly endless reserves of energy, and Kushina herself felt worn out when Naruto finally passed out in her arms. She’d ended up having to chase him around the park when he spotted a pair of ducks waddling around. They’d just narrowly avoided him following them straight into the pond, but Kushina had to scoop him up at the last minute while he protested very loudly. 

By the time the two friends were parting ways, Kushina was questioning why she had ever been excited for Naruto to start walking in the first place. He was going to get into so much trouble! Fortunately, the baby didn't stir on the walk home, and he let his mother put him to bed without a fuss (which was not the norm for him). That left Kushina to ponder how exactly she’d make her way back to the place where she’d met the Kyuubi all those months ago.

She remembered the mindscape she’d been able to enter at will when the fox was sealed within her. The place where its cage was, where she could speak to it (yell at it mostly) and try to control it. Logically, it would make sense that wherever she saw the fox now, that was Naruto’s version of the same thing. What Kushina didn’t understand was how she’d been able to visit there. No one else had been able to visit the mindscape when the fox was sealed in her, so she could only assume that this was a new development. It must have something to do with the lingering chakra the Kyuubi left her, but she didn’t understand anything beyond that. 

Her best bet was to fall asleep trying to follow the thread of the Kyuubi’s chakra, just like when she’d passed out after picking at it. If she was lucky, that would lead her to the fox again. Falling asleep on command was always a challenge, but she had years of practice. If she hadn’t been able to find ways to get herself to sleep on missions, she would have been at a disadvantage, being so tired. So with Naruto already drooling and fast asleep in his crib, Kushina made herself comfortable on the couch. She reached inward, feeling the familiar thrum of the Kyuubi’s chakra, and it took surprisingly no time at all for her mind to drift. One moment her eyes were heavy and her brain was fuzzy, and then the next she was staring at a very familiar chakra demon.

The fox was curled up in its cage, like usual, but its red eyes were already fixed on Kushina. An ear flicked in acknowledgement. 

“So you’ve returned.” 

Kushina approached the cage, her hands on her hips. “So I have.” 

The Kyuubi looked completely uninterested, yawning and showing its massive teeth. “And what is it that you want?” 

It was obviously feigning nonchalance. It had to know why she was here. “What the hell was that today? What did you do to Naruto?” 

Scoffing, the fox regarded her coldly. “I just let him borrow some of my chakra.” 

“Well, don’t.” Kushina retorted. 

The fox rolled its eyes. “Don’t lend him some of my chakra? Are you sure about that?” 

“You know what I mean!” she snapped. “Why the hell would you do that in front of someone else? You’re the one that wanted to keep your little time travel adventure a secret!” Kushina glared at the demon. “And what was the point anyway?” 

“I have my reasons,” the fox grumbled. It appraised her with red, slitted eyes. “Is that what you came here to ask me about?” 

Why was the damn fox so irritatingly cryptic? “I wanted to know what the hell you were up to, yeah. Excuse me for wondering why my baby went from not being able to take a single step to practically dancing around the park.” 

Frustratingly, the fox didn’t offer any more explanation. “Don’t you think you have more pressing matters?” 

“Like what?” 

The Kyuubi growled. “You haven’t exactly done much of anything to prevent the future I lived through.” 

“I’ve been a little busy with, you know, raising a baby!” Kushina retorted. “And what the hell have you been doing?” 

The fox glowered at her, baring its teeth. “I tried to help you!” It reminded her. “I showed you my memories so certain events could be prevented, but you just threw them back in my face.” 

“Well, they weren’t exactly believable,” she countered. 

“I will be sure to alter my memories so your feeble human brain can better comprehend them,” the Kyuubi snarked. 

Scowling, Kushina retorted, “How about you give me something I can actually work with then?” An idea struck her. “How about the identity of the masked man that attacked Konoha?” 

The request made the Kyuubi narrow its eyes. It considered her words, its tails swishing absentmindedly. “His identity is important”, the demon conceded, “but I don’t think you would believe me.” 

“Probably not,” Kushina agreed dryly. “But you should tell me anyway.” 

“So I can listen to you throw another tantrum when you don’t want to accept the truth?” It snorted. “I’ll pass.” 

In all of Kushina’s memories, she never recalled the fox being so irritatingly petty. Evil, manipulative, and cruel, sure, but not petty. “Ugh, come on you stupid fox! You said you wanted to change the future, didn’t you? How do you expect to do that while keeping all the important stuff to yourself?” 

The massive fox grumbled irritably, but it reltented with a sigh that rippled the water around her. “Fine. I will show you the memory of learning his identity.” 

Without further warning, the Kyuubi’s chakra seemed to leak from its form. Instinctively, Kushina took a step back, but it didn’t stop the heat that engulfed her body. She looked into one of the Kyuubi’s eyes, blinking heavily as her vision started to shift. The fox’s form flickered in front of her, fading between Naruto’s mindscape and a war torn battlefield. The change was so jarring it made Kushina’s head hurt, and forced her to squeeze her eyes shut. When the pain subsided and she opened her eyes again, she knew she was seeing one of the Kyuubi’s supposed memories. 

It was a bit jarring seeing the world through Naruto’s perspective again after going so many months without the fox’s dreams. Kushina needed to readjust to not being able to move or speak, only observing the world around her. 

When the dream-Naruto’s eyes seemed to fall on the masked man, Kushina felt her heart speed up. If the Kyuubi was being truthful, she was about to see who the monster that tried to hurt her family really was. 

Truthfully, Kushina was a bit underwhelmed when the man’s mask was removed. She had no idea who she was looking at. The Kyuubi had made it sound like she would instantly know, and it would be someone unexpected or unbelievable. But she’d never seen this guy in her life…right? He looked vaguely familiar, like someone she knew a long time ago maybe, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. 

Kushina was desperately trying to figure out where she knew the man from, and why the fox thought she wouldn’t believe his identity. When words and sounds slowly became audible in the vision, Kushina listened closely for any clues, but it turned out she didn’t have to. The identity of the masked man suddenly became crystal clear, as she watched a memory of a devastated Kakashi facing a ghost. She watched them fight, and she watched Naruto win him to their side, then she watched him die. All the while, she was as helpless as usual to react to the memories, but her mind was screaming. This couldn’t be right. 

This man attacked their home. He attacked their family directly, and he almost killed Naruto. It didn’t make sense. Even as she heard the words from her son’s mouth, even as she watched the name form on the lips of the re-animated version of her husband (and that was a whole other set of baggage to be unpacked), she couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to.  

Obito Uchiha . 

The Kyuubi had been right when it said Kushina wouldn’t believe it. 

As suddenly as she’d been thrust into the vision, it receded. She lost her balance and fell forward onto her knees as the Kyuubi retrieved its chakra. Kushina was breathing heavily, her whole body shaking from the sudden change. It took her a few moments to collect herself and to fight off a wave of nausea that almost overtook her. Whether that was a side effect of what the Kyuubi had done or related to her raw emotions, she wasn’t sure. 

Slowly, Kushina stood and stared the fox down. “You can’t seriously think I believe you?” Her voice was shaky, so she took a few breaths to calm herself. 

The Kyuubi snorted, replying lazily, “If you’ll recall, I did say that I expected you not to believe me.” 

Kushina paced in front of the Kyuubi’s cell, a million thoughts running through her mind. “It’s insane! Obito was a good kid, he would never hurt anyone!” She gave the fox a flat look. “Also, he’s dead, you stupid fox!” 

Rolling its eyes, the Kyuubi grunted, “Did you find a body?” 

“No,” she admitted. “But it still doesn’t make sense! If he had survived, why wouldn’t he come home? He died for this village, for his teammates! Why would he do something to hurt them?” 

“I’ve long since given up trying to understand why you humans do what you do,” the fox retorted. “But in this case, I do know that his actions are being manipulated by another.” 

Kushina paused her pacing, stopping in front of the cage bars. She crossed her arms, scowling at the demon. “By someone equally as unbelievable, I’m sure.” 

“Yes, actually.” 

“If you say Minato’s other dead student I swear–” 

The Kyuubi growled to cut her off. “I’m not playing games, Tomato Head. Do you want to know the truth, or not?” 

Kushina laughed bitterly. “Yeah, whatever. Tell me, then. Who is this mysterious figure pulling the strings from the shadows and apparently manipulating dead teenagers into committing mass murder?” 

The fox’s ears flattened against its head at her tone. “Enough! I’m trying to help you save the world, you foolish, arrogant human!” 

“If you’re so eager to tell me, then do it!” Kushina snapped. 

“Not when you’re acting like an insolent child!” The Kyuubi retorted. “I have been nothing but gracious and patient with you, and you can’t even give me the same courtesy?” It bared its teeth. “I should just do this on my own. You’re only getting in the way.” 

“Like hell you will!” she clucked. “You’re sealed in my son! I’m not going to just let you run around with his body!” 

The fox was pacing now, its fur ruffled from anger. “We managed just fine without you before!” 

“Right,” Kushina snorted. “That’s why you had to time travel and beg to have yourself sealed in a newborn baby.” She rolled her eyes. “If that’s your definition of ‘managing fine’, no wonder the future is so fucked.”  

Enraged, the Kyuubi reached a massive paw through the bars and swiped at Kushina. She leapt out of the way just in time, fixing it with a glare. “Hey, watch it you stupid fox!” 

“I should have shredded you the moment I arrived in this time!” The Kyuubi snapped. “Or better yet, I never should have chosen this time to begin with!” 

“Then why did you?!” Kushina yelled back. “If you’re oh-so-perfect on your own, why did you even bother if you had a choice? It’s not like anyone wanted you here!” 

The fox took another swipe, but it was far too limited with the cage bars holding it back. “Damn you, Kushina Uzumaki!” It roared. “You want to know the truth? Fine! Madara Uchiha is the one behind the actions of Namikaze’s former student.” 

Kushina actually doubled over with laughter. It was so ridiculously unbelievable that she needed a few seconds to compose herself. When she looked up at the fox to respond, she lost it again at its infuriated expression. The Kyuubi was snarling at her, all nine of its tails fluffed and swishing with irritation. Apparently it was really going to stick to this insane story. She didn’t know why it was bothering to continue with its lies, since Kushina obviously wasn't buying it.  

Collecting herself, Kushina chuckled as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Wow. A ghost manipulating a ghost? That’s a pretty good story.” Her mood soured as she recalled her paranoia about Mikoto’s son over the past few months. All of that was because of the Kyuubi’s ridiculous visions. “You really do just hate the Uchiha clan, don’t you? Is that what this is really all about?” 

The fox’s slitted eyes narrowed. “What are you going on about? Of course I dislike that vile clan, but that has nothing to do with this.” 

Apparently it was still going to try to deny it. “Wow, you’re good. I really believed you wanted to help us.” She shook her head in disbelief. “Of course it was all a lie. I can’t believe I was dumb enough to trust you! You’re nothing but a lying, murderous, demon!” 

“And you’re nothing but an ignorant, selfish, child!” The Kyuubi retorted. “Your pride will lead the world to ruin!”  

She didn’t know if her chakra chains would work in Naruto’s mindscape, but she was so angry she tried anyway. The fox let out a surprised growl as Kushina’s chains wrapped around it, pinning it down. It thrashed wildly, cursing and spitting insults. Kushina took a few steps forward, glowering at the beast. 

“Don’t show me any more of those ridiculous dreams. I don’t want any more of your lies.” Another step forward. “And don’t you dare influence my son. Don’t talk to him. Don’t pull that shit from the park again. Don’t bring him here.” The chains tightened. “If I catch even one whiff of your chakra, I’ll make sure these chains are never loosened again.” 

Even with its body pinned, the fox still managed to snarl at her. “I should have let you die,” it spat. 

“Guess you’re as dumb as you are evil,” Kushina countered. 

The Kyuubi thrashed again, but the chains held tight. Kushina smirked at the beast, and turned to walk away. She could wake up anytime and leave the mindscape, but it was satisfying to hear the Kyuubi’s struggle. 

“Do you want to know why I chose this time?!” The fox roared. “Naruto gave his life for mine. In return, the least I could do was stop him from being raised alone and hated like he was in my time!” 

Kushina didn’t respond to the bait. She wasn’t going to listen to the fox’s sweet words about her son anymore. Whether or not it really cared about Naruto, it didn’t matter. It was a liar and a demon, and its intentions would reflect that. She’d been a fool to ever think otherwise. She let herself start to wake up, to fade from the mindscape. Before she returned to consciousness, she didn’t miss the fox’s final roar.

The Kyuubi bellowed, “I can see now that I made a mistake. I thought I was protecting Naruto from pain, but now I understand that my actions may have doomed the world. He will never become the hero he was meant to be with his parents around.” The demon’s words echoed around the mindscape. “How could he, being raised by someone like you?” 

It was too late for Kushina to respond. She whipped round, but the fox was gone. Why did that sting? Of course the Kyuubi was just trying to hurt her, and trying to get a reaction out of her. 

Kushina rolled over on the couch as she returned to consciousness, nearly rolling off the cushions entirely. She rubbed at her eyes with the heel of her palms until she saw stars. This was such a mess. There was just no way the fox was telling the truth about Obito! But…part of her wondered why it didn’t pick someone more believable. If it had made up the whole story, why choose the last person they’d expect? 

Dammit, she blew up at the fox again. Even though it was undoubtedly lying about the masked man’s identity, she probably overdid it with some of the things she’d said. As her temper finally started to quell, she could acknowledge that she’d been unnecessarily cruel. To the Kyuubi. Wasn’t that a strange realization? She shouldn’t have told it not to talk to Naruto…and the chains were probably overkill. Ok, they were definitely overkill.  Kushina punched a pillow in frustration. Maybe that’s why she’d been destined to be the Kyuubi’s jinchuuriki; two hotheads, doomed to make each other miserable for eternity. 

Naruto’s soft whimpers in the other room temporarily snapped Kushina out of her misery. She shuffled over to his crib, shushing him gently and placing a kiss on his forehead. His face was scrunched up like he was having a bad dream. Guiltily, Kushina wondered if it was related to her fight with the Kyuubi. Maybe the fox’s bad mood was influencing Naruto. 

With a sigh, Kushina looked down at Naruto, who blinked up at her sleepily. “I wish I knew how you and the Kyuubi managed to get along so well. I just can’t get past our shared history.” She leaned over the crib, reaching to let Naruto grab at her fingers. He gummed at her pinky. For a moment, his few teeth felt unusually sharp. 

Kushina startled, but the sensation was gone a few moments later. She wondered if she was imagining things. Regardless, she knew the fox could see and hear the world through Naruto’s senses. It felt a little ridiculous, and Kushina bit her lip tentatively, but she found herself addressing the fox directly. Their fight happened only minutes ago, but it almost felt like a lifetime. Kushina wasn’t ready to try to visit the mindscape again, but she had more words for the fox. 

By now the fox would have been freed from her chains, since she was no longer in the mindscape. Realistically, it was probably an empty threat to keep it chained up at all, but the intent was enough. “I don’t know how to talk to you,” she admitted. “What the hell are we doing? How do we get past what we are to each other?” 

Naruto babbled happily, clueless to the meaning of the conversation. He just seemed excited about being talked to. Kushina half-expected a flare of red-orange chakra, or a flash of slitted eyes, but Naruto remained Naruto. Bright blue eyes stared up at her, as human as ever. 

Kushina let Naruto’s tiny fingers grasp two of her own. Apparently Naruto made a good buffer, because Kushina could feel a lot of the tension leaving her body. It was easier to have a civil conversation with the Kyuubi when she was looking down at her son’s peaceful face. “You have to admit that it sounds crazy. I mean, Obito Uchiha? Really? That’s the best you could come up with?” 

“What are you talking about?” 

Kushina bashed her elbow on the side of the crib as she whirled around. Apparently she was so used to Kakashi’s presence that she hadn’t even registered him approaching. Kakashi was staring at her, his visible eye wide with confusion. He hovered in the doorway awkwardly.

“Oh, uh, nothing!” She replied quickly, far too quickly. “I uh, read in a book that it’s a good idea to talk to babies in complete sentences,” Kushina lied. “It helps form…neurological connections.” 

Kakashi was clearly skeptical, and very concerned. “I heard you say something about Obito.” 

Ah, of course Kakashi heard that. She vehemently denied it. “Um, no, I didn’t say anything about him. I said, uh…no…burrito?” 

Kakashi stared at her blankly. “Why are you being weird?” 

Kushina laughed awkwardly. “Oh, you know me. Just messing around.” 

“Why are you lying to me?” Kakashi sounded genuinely distressed. 

Kushina’s heart sank. “I’m not–” 

“I know what I heard,” Kakashi insisted. “What’s going on?” 

Damn him for being so observant. “Really, it’s nothing. I was just reminiscing.” 

Still not convinced, Kakashi countered, “Then why didn’t you just say so?” He looked at her critically. “And why were you speaking like you were having a conversation?” 

“Really Kakashi, it’s nothing–” 

“It doesn’t feel like nothing,” Kakashi insisted. “I thought you said we were family, so why can’t you tell me what’s going on?” 

Ouch. Kushina sighed. “It’s not that simple.” She hated lying to Kakashi, but she had to. 

Kakashi deflated. “Right…” 

“It’s not personal, Kakashi. I just can’t tell you.” 

“But it has something to do with Obito?” 

Truthfully, Kushina didn’t want to tell him anyway. The poor boy was still blaming himself for the death of his teammates, it wouldn’t do him any good to hear the Kyuubi’s bizarre accusations. “Yes–wait, no. I mean, I honestly don’t really know. I don’t think so but it’s a really confusing and complicated situation.” She shrugged. “No, it doesn’t have anything to do with him. Well, not directly. I guess indirectly it sort of does but–” 

Kakashi was just staring at her, a mix of confusion and hurt on his barely visible face. The look of betrayal was the final straw that made Kushina decide to say “fuck it.” At this point, she really didn’t have a good explanation for Kakashi, and it wasn’t worth making him feel isolated. The Kyuubi might be upset, but that wouldn’t be anything new, would it? Maybe she was being a little petty, breaking one of the few ground rules the Kyuubi had established, but she didn’t particularly care. She trusted Kakashi with her life. More importantly, she trusted him with Naruto’s life. 

Kushina glanced at her son, addressing the Kyuubi. “I’m going to tell him. Throw a tantrum if you want, but I don’t care.” 

“...what?” Kakashi looked shocked to see her addressing Naruto so curtly. Of course he wouldn’t know that she was really talking to the Kyuubi.

She winced at the mistake. “This isn’t what it looks like.” 

“I honestly have no idea what this looks like.” Kakashi admitted. 

“Ok, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but I swear it’s the truth.” Kushina took a deep breath to steady herself. “When the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, it got replaced by a different Kyuubi from the future.” She paused. “Wait, no, that’s not quite right. The Kyuubi that attacked the village was the same Kyuubi, but then it changed to a different Kyuubi that’s friends with Naruto. But not this Naruto.” 

Kakashi stared at her blankly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Is this a bit? Are you doing a bit?” 

“No, this is real!” She insisted. “Let me try again.” Another deep breath. “Ok, so, when we were in the barrier, we weren’t fighting the Kyuubi. I mean, at first we were, but then suddenly it stopped attacking. It said it was from the future and it wanted to stop the end of the world.” 

“...the Kyuubi?” Kakashi asked skeptically. “The demon known for hating humanity and causing massive destruction?” 

Kushina grimaced at the awkwardness. “Yup, that’s the one. Apparently, in the future, Naruto made friends with it.” 

Kakashi stared disbelievingly at baby Naruto, who was currently trying to chew on his own toe. “Ok…” 

Obviously he wasn’t buying it. “I know it sounds insane, and sometimes I still think I’m insane, but it’s true. The Kyuubi saved my life that night after it was ripped out of me. It also had the chance to kill us, and Naruto, but it didn’t. It asked to be sealed in him, even though it could have escaped.”

“Ok…” Kakashi repeated again. He looked at her blankly, then sighed, his shoulders drooping. “I get it.”

“You do?” Kushina asked hopefully. 

“Yeah. It’s something classified,” he replied dryly. “You could’ve just said that instead of making up this weird story.” 

“That’s not–” Kushina groaned in frustration. She picked up Naruto, who giggled happily. “Alright you stupid fox, help me out here!” She held the baby under his arms, in front of Kakashi. Naruto smiled, babbling cheerfully and reaching out toward the teen. 

She should’ve expected that nothing would happen. Either because the Kyuubi was a jerk and wanted her to look like an idiot, or because it was sulking about being yelled at. Either way, Kushina was left looking ridiculous as she held her son in front of her. The Kyuubi’s chakra didn’t come, Naruto’s eyes didn’t flash red, nothing. He remained a happy, babbling baby. 

Kakashi reached forward to rescue Naruto from the awkwardness. Naruto latched onto him immediately, so Kushina let him go. “Are you feeling ok? You’re not making any sense.” He let Naruto babble incoherently, but he gently removed the baby’s hand when he tried to pull Kakashi’s mask down. 

Kushina placed her hands on her hips, frowning. “I feel perfectly fine.” Well, that wasn’t quite true, but she felt well enough to know she wasn’t having some kind of fever dream or something. “I’m telling you the truth, Kakashi.”  

Stepping forward, Kakashi placed the back of his hand against Kushina’s forehead. “You don’t feel like you have a fever,” he murmured, “but maybe I should get Minato-sensei just in case.” 

Kushina slapped the teen’s hand away. “I’m not delusional!” 

“I never said you were.” 

“You’re definitely implying it!” 

Before Kakashi could respond, the front door opened and then closed again. There was a familiar call of “I’m home!”, followed by soft footsteps. Kakashi’s brows were furrowed, and he was looking at Kushina intensely. 

For a moment, Kushina almost panicked. Then she realized that this was exactly what she needed. Smirking, she called out, “We’re in here!” 

Moments later, Minato was leaning against the door frame, smiling warmly. “Oh! Guess I almost missed the party.” He took Naruto from Kakashi, who immediately switched to teething on any part of his dad’s cloak that he could reach. When Minato noticed the tense atmosphere in the room, he blinked in confusion. “What’d I miss?” 

“I told Kakashi,” Kushina responded immediately. Kakashi looked almost startled. 

“You told Kakashi…” A look of understanding crossed her husband’s face. “What? Why?” 

She scratched at the side of her head. “Er, I sort of had to. He overheard some stuff but–” she shook her head. “He doesn’t believe me.” 

Minato studied Kakashi carefully. “You can’t tell anyone,” he said firmly. It was his I’m-giving-you-an-order-as-Hokage voice. 

Kakashi’s visible brow was furrowed. “Sensei, don’t tell me you’re in on this too?” 

Kushina gestured to Kakashi with a motion that was clearly meant to say “see what I’m dealing with?” when he still expressed his disbelief. Maybe at this point it would be best to laugh it off and say it was a joke, but Kushina couldn’t make herself do it. Whether it was her pride or a desire to have Kakashi stop looking so sad and betrayed, she couldn’t say. 

Minato raised an eyebrow at her, and Kushina shrugged in response. It was too late to take it back, anyway. As an order, Kakashi would keep their secret, but Kushina didn’t like the idea of him thinking he was just keeping a prank gone wrong to himself. He deserved better than that. And honestly, it would probably be easier to have Kakashi in on it regardless. Other than his parents, Kakashi spent the most time with Naruto. It would be good to have him aware of the situation. With that thought in mind, Kushina gestured toward Kakashi with a “get on with it” motion. 

The immediate response was a frown and raised eyebrow that Kushina interpreted to mean “we need to talk about this later”, but Minato relented. He sighed, then smiled sadly at Naruto, before addressing his student. “It’s the truth.” 

“Sensei–” 

Minato cut him off. “Kakashi. You know I wouldn’t mess with you like this. Whatever Kushina told you, it’s true.” 

Silence enveloped the room as Kakashi considered his words. The conflict was obvious on his face; on one hand he wholeheartedly believed that Minato would never outright lie like this. On the other hand, the story was obviously difficult to believe. 

“So you’re telling me,” he finally responded, “the Kyuubi,” he shook his head in disbelief, “ the Kyuubi saved your life, because it time traveled to…save the world?” 

It sure did sound ridiculous when it was phrased like that, but both Kushina and Minato nodded. They filled Kakashi in on everything they knew, which admittedly wasn’t much. Kushina didn’t mention the visions the Kyuubi had given her, nor the ominous reveal of Obito’s supposed involvement. Fortunately, it seemed like he was so busy processing everything else that he didn’t have time to remember Kushina’s one-sided conversation that prompted this discussion in the first place. 

When the explanation was done, Kakashi leaned against the nearest wall, looking completely overwhelmed. “I think I need a drink.” 

“Kakashi! You’re too young to drink!” Minato countered. 

Kakashi gave his sensei a flat look. “How else should I respond to this information?” 

Kushina shrugged. “If you figure it out, tell us. I’ve been asking myself the same question since that day.” 

Suddenly, Kakashi’s expression became distressed. “So…you died in the other future?” He asked, his voice sounding smaller than Kushina remembered it being in a long time. 

Minato nodded sadly. “Yes. And I guess the enemy the future Naruto and his team faced was so bad, even the Kyuubi wanted to stop it.” 

“Where was I in this future?” the teen asked curiously. 

It occurred to Kushina that Minato wouldn’t be able to answer that. She had the Kyuubi’s visions claiming that he’d be Naruto’s jounin instructor, but she still didn’t know what to make of everything it had shown her. “Well…the Kyuubi did say that besides itself, Naruto was the only one left before it came back.” It was as much of an answer as she could give. 

“I see.” Kakashi looked at Naruto with an unreadable expression. “So…what happens now?” 

“We’re still trying to figure that out,” Minato admitted. “My thought was to start with figuring out the identity of the man that controlled the Kyuubi, but every lead has been a dead end.” 

Kushina had to bite her tongue to stop herself from revealing the conversation she’d had with the Kyuubi. She didn’t need to drag anyone else into its web of lies, so she would continue to keep quiet until she had a better idea of what the truth was. Because obviously, the information the Kyuubi had given her about the masked man was nothing but a lie, so there was no reason to get Minato, and now Kakashi, all worked up about nothing.

Chapter Text

If there was one thing Kurama had an abundance of, it was patience. Human lifetimes were nothing but the blink of an eye to him and his long existence. 

Still, it was surprising to Kurama how quickly his host was growing and changing. The blurred outlines of the world that Kurama could see through his eyes were slowly sharpening, and his useless nubs that passed for hands could now grip and grab. Naruto was mobile, and vocal, and an absolute menace to everyone around him. With the limited (nonexistent, really) entertainment in his prison, watching Naruto terrorize his family and friends was the only enjoyment he got day in and day out. 

He didn’t know if he should have expected things to change after his confrontation with Kushina Uzumaki, but things stayed just as dull as ever. Of course, he completely ignored the threat from the boy’s mother. She didn’t return to the mindscape, and other than the occasional exasperated sigh or annoyed scowl when Kurama not-so-subtly lent Naruto the tiniest sliver of his chakra, she mostly ignored him. 

Occasionally, Kurama caught Kakashi staring at Naruto with an unreadable expression, but he always melted when the boy would smile and reach for him. The fox was irritated that Kushina had so flippantly revealed the truth after he warned her against it, but he wasn’t exactly surprised. His experience with his Uzumaki hosts had taught him that they weren’t exactly known for their impulse control. And really, Kakashi wasn’t the worst human he could think of to find out the truth. It might even work in their favor, since he spent the most time with Naruto, outside of his family. 

With nothing else to do, Kurama kept watching, and waiting. Sometimes, particularly right after his confrontation with the stubborn Uzumaki woman, he was tempted to take control of Naruto’s body just to get him away from that damned village. He wanted to crush their buildings that were still being re-made, and shred the stupid Tomato Head with his claws. He wanted to rain fire and death upon them, and then take Naruto somewhere far, far away. He’d gone as far as planning how he could control Naruto’s body until he was old enough to learn how to take care of himself. The seal may be stronger than ever, but this time around his chakra wasn’t split in half, and Naruto was still a weak, useless baby. Taking over probably wouldn’t be that hard. 

But then…what next? Would he, the great Kyuubi, raise a human child from within his mind? Would he destroy the home Naruto fought so hard to protect in their other life, kill the friends he had yet to make, and raise him in isolation? 

Even if the idea had been practical, which it wasn’t, he couldn’t go through with it. Feeling the joy radiate through Naruto’s body when his parents held him close reminded the fox why he chose this time in the first place. It was ridiculous how much satisfaction he got from his host’s happiness. 

Sage, he really had gone soft. 

Every time he tried to think about why , all he could he hear was Naruto, his Naruto, with his stupid declaration of, “Because you’re my friend, you dumb fox.” 

Friendship. Love. Stupid, useless, human emotions. It made him voluntarily imprison himself in a weak, defenseless, human infant. It made him allow himself to be leashed, and scolded like a pet . Would Kushina have dared speak to him that way if he’d still been sealed inside her?

…what was he thinking, of course she would. Her stubborn fearlessness was one of the few things he actually admired about her. Not that he would ever admit that, particularly after their confrontation. He found himself passing the time by fantasizing about all the ways he could kill his former host. He was very creative, after all, and had plenty of free time. 

The only real excitement in his life occurred on the rare occasions Naruto managed to fall into the mindscape. It happened far earlier than before, since Kurama was keeping their connection as open as possible. Still, with the seal so fresh and the boy so young, it was only by chance that he ever appeared. And it was honestly a little annoying, dealing with his nonsensical jabbering and insistent fur-tugging, but Kurama allowed it anyway. He would even admit that he enjoyed their meetings, and had taken to whispering in the back of the boy’s mind while he was awake too. When Naruto would smile and laugh at the sound of his voice, the people around him seemed to assume that he was just reacting to something in the environment. It didn’t seem to cross any of their tiny minds that he might be smiling because of Kurama . 

And it seemed that they likely never would. Kushina had refused his help, and as far as Kurama knew, she hadn’t told Minato about the visions she’d been given. They hadn’t even gotten either of the Sannin to return to the village. So basically, Naruto’s parents were useless, but there was nothing Kurama could do about it. The boy needed human parents, and Kurama needed his host strong, and preferably happy. With Naruto too young to understand Kurama’s words, and his squishy body too soft for combat, he wasn’t any help either. Kurama did choose to share some memories that he thought Naruto would enjoy, but he wasn’t foolish enough to think that they would carry any meaning for the boy right now. 

One thing that remained difficult for Kurama to track was human ages. Their lifespans were just so short compared to his that he felt like he blinked and lost track of the years. However, he had enough awareness to know that the upcoming celebration plans aligned with Naruto’s first birthday. 

Naruto’s first birthday, and the anniversary of his journey through time and space. For the humans of the village, it was the anniversary of their near destruction. Wisely, Naruto’s parents understood that. There would be no grand celebration for the boy, no public acknowledgement of the milestone. When prompted, the boy’s parents brushed it off as being too concerned with planning the festival for the village, but Kurama had witnessed them confiding in their close friends that they feared the young jinchuuriki might be targeted. 

The caution was warranted. Kurama could feel that while Naruto was not outwardly hated by the majority like in his previous life, there were certainly individuals that had ill intent. No one dared shun him if he was with his parents, of course. Whether out of respect for the Hokage or fear of the Red Hot Habanero’s temper, no one was foolish enough to be outright cruel when the boy’s parents were around. Even being with Kakashi, his reputation well-known even now, was generally enough protection. His guardians (and the not-so-secret ANBU detail trailing them) were enough to discourage anything outright hostile, but people were far less subtle about pulling their children away or whispering “demon” if the boy was only with Kakashi, or if they thought Naruto’s parents couldn’t hear them. Still, it was a marked improvement from their previous life, and Naruto was oblivious anyway. 

When the occasion arrived, Kurama rumbled a genuine, “Happy birthday, runt.” The greeting reverberated in his host’s mind, but of course went unanswered. Still, Kurama could feel the boy’s emotions, so he knew that Naruto had indeed heard him and was happy to be acknowledged. 

The actual day itself was quite anticlimactic. Naruto got to eat a big helping of something sugary and unhealthy for breakfast, which he obviously loved, and both the boy’s parents and Kakashi fussed over him more than usual. But as they’d promised, there was no party. Naruto, and by extension Kurama, spent the day being passed between his various guardians as they scrambled around, frantically setting up for the village’s celebration of the “defeat” of the great Kyuubi. Kurama scoffed at that. Naruto enjoyed the festivities, pointing excitedly at the various stalls and vendors that had set up. Most of the villagers that approached them to sing praises of their beloved Yondaime also offered a quick “happy birthday” to Naruto as well. Kurama could feel the ones that weren’t genuine about it, that were trying to keep up appearances but looked upon the young jinchuuriki with disdain. 

There were presents, of course. Toys, clothes, sweets, and other useless human things. How Naruto hadn’t become ill from all the junk food he was eating, Kurama didn’t know. And because of the potential threat against their son, gifts presented by any non-trusted friends were taken by Naruto’s ANBU guard for careful assessment before he’d be allowed to have them. He whined unhappily every time a toy was kept out of his reach, despite the fact that he already had an armful of presents from his parents and Kakashi. 

As the night went on, speeches were made, tears were shed, and a very tasteless puppet show (at least in Kurama’s opinion) marked the celebration, so Kurama did his best to drown out the ruckus. Of course Naruto enjoyed all of the noise and flashing lights. He made grabby hands at every game stall they passed, which usually resulted in the vendor trying to hand the boy the biggest prize, because Sage forbid they make the Hokage’s runt work for anything. Kurama would have to make sure he didn’t end up acting like a spoiled little brat. Still, part of him was pleased with the attention his host was getting, because it had been so sorely missed in the boy’s other life. 

Naruto only fussed a little during the Hokage’s grand speech about sacrifice and rebuilding and blah blah blah. Kurama may or may not have whispered nonsense to him to make him giggle at very inopportune times. He wanted to inconvenience the Hokage, but he only succeeded in making the crowd “aww” at the boy’s antics. Of course, the kid was too charming for his own good. 

The fireworks were Naruto’s favorite. He stared up in wonder, pointing and squealing as the various colors lit up the sky. Kurama had a vague recollection of Naruto enjoying the fireworks in their other life, but he had to watch them from a distance because he was never welcome at the celebration. In this life, he was almost the centerpiece. People naturally flocked around him. Whether it was because of his status as the Hokage’s son, the bizarre human fascination with the juveniles of their species, or just because he was Naruto, the boy couldn’t stay out of the spotlight. And he loved it. 

At least one of them was having a good time. Kurama was just trying to avoid leaking killing intent at the drunk shinobi who were playing some rendition of “pin the tails on the Nine-Tails”. 

The only enjoyable part of the night was when Naruto spotted the Kyuubi puppet during a show and pointed gleefully, yelling “Ku-ra! Ku-ra!” It made Kurama almost wish the boy’s parents knew his name, so they would realize that their precious baby’s first word was the name of the dreaded Kyuubi. But alas, they assumed it was nothing but gibberish and ruffled his hair with an affectionate chuckle, not realizing the important milestone that had just occurred. 

Not surprisingly, Naruto eventually passed out, drooling on his father’s shoulder. Kurama knew the celebration continued long after Naruto was taken home and put to bed, but he was glad to be gone. It was better that most of the world remained in the dark about Kurama’s intentions and his journey through time, but he still grumbled irritably about being painted as the villain in every story. He hadn’t even been the one to attack the village! If the damn Uchiha had just let him be, he’d still be sealed in Kushina. He may have wanted to smash the village to pieces, but it hadn’t been his decision that day. He didn’t care the least bit about what the humans thought of him, but Sage it was annoying how closeminded they could be. 

Fortunately, the day came and went without any incidents, but Kurama still felt strangely on edge. Maybe it was because he was still used to how Naruto was treated in their other time, or just a sixth sense. Either way, he felt his hackles raising for no apparent reason, and his tails twitching on their own accord. 

The day that it finally happened wasn’t a particularly special day. 

With nothing else to do as usual, Kurama was lazing around in his prison, watching Naruto take in the newly rebuilt Uchiha district as he was carried in his mother’s arms. Kurama didn’t remember what it looked like in their future, because Naruto never went there. He could guess, however, that this was an improvement, because there was more life and cheer on the faces of the occupants than Kurama ever recalled. To be fair, most of the Uchiha still looked like they’d been given a particularly rancid scrap of meat, but they always kind of looked like that to Kurama. 

Kushina was walking with her Uchiha friend; Mikoto, was it? He seemed to recall that name on Kushina’s lips frequently when she was his host. The pair received polite nods, and even the occasional wave as Mikoto showed her friend around. Kakashi was met with suspicious and hostile stares, but he didn’t react. At least he’d finally started staying out in the open and not lurking in the shadows, as if everyone didn’t know that he took his “guard duty” much too seriously. Kurama had seen the Hokage try to offer other tasks, but Kakashi was adamant about “protecting” Naruto. As if Kurama couldn’t do that. Kurama heard Kushina say something about “trauma” or “fear of abandonment”, but it was meaningless to him. It was a joke, anyway, pretending that he was just a guard, like he didn’t live in their house and eat their food. He was just a glorified babysitter. Stupid humans. 

Mikoto was prattling on about something that Kurama couldn’t care less about. Some Uchiha history, or significance of a building. As if it didn’t look like every other building in the area. As far as Kurama was concerned, the sooner they were away from all the Sharingan users, the better. Not that most of them would have the power to control him, but he still felt uneasy being around so many of them. 

“Oh, I miss that little sweets shop that used to be around the corner from your place,” Kushina sighed longingly.

Kurama rolled his eyes. Like mother like son, apparently. Food was always on the forefront of both of their minds. 

Mikoto hummed thoughtfully. “I know it’s not the same, but the couple that owned that place did open a new shop. They even have ice cream now!” 

That, of course, prompted a trip to said shop, where Naruto made a mess of himself trying to grab a scoop of ice cream with his bare hands. It went about as well as expected, and ended with a very scrunched up, confused Naruto experiencing what Kurama learned was “brain freeze”. He’d have to remember that terminology. He never knew that a frozen desert, of all things, had such an incredible power. It’s applications for combat should be considered. 

Following their brief stop, they returned to the house of the clan head. Mikoto called out a chipper, “I’m home!” as they entered, and Kurama could hear a quiet response from another room. 

Naruto was deposited onto the floor with the two Uchiha brats. He immediately toddled over to the younger one, grabbing at his friend’s arms and chattering like he was telling the most important story in the world. The Uchiha brat blinked slowly in response. 

Kurama could hear Kushina telling Kakashi that she and Mikoto had some business to attend to, leaving him in charge of the group of kids. So apparently it wasn’t just a social visit. Of course, the younger children had no idea, and were completely in their own world. 

The older Uchiha brat though, the clan killer, Kurama didn’t really know what to do with. In this time he seemed harmless enough, and had some level of fondness for Naruto. Despite the younger age, he was significantly less awkward with the young ones than Kakashi, who always managed to make a mess of things when he was left in charge alone. 

Case in point. “Ah, Itachi. How is…training?” Kakashi clearly had no idea what to say to the kid. 

The younger boy stared blankly at Kakashi, just as expressionless as Kurama remembered. “It is going well, thank you for asking.” 

“Right. Good.” Kakashi mumbled awkwardly. 

Kurama snorted in amusement. For a supposed genius, he sure could be clueless. The younger ones, at least, seemed to be a good buffer. Kakashi would coo softly at both of them and engage in their menial little games. Even the clan killer–Kurama should probably stop calling him that–seemed to soften when the young ones badgered him for attention. 

Of course, Naruto was going to charm another Uchiha, which meant Kurama would have to give a shit about him too. Oh well. At least this one would be a strong ally, once he was older. That was assuming Kurama had successfully stopped the events that would lead to the clan’s downfall. Only time would tell. 

Kakashi stared out the window, his arms crossed lazily over his chest as he leaned against the wall. “It’s such a nice day. Is there a park nearby?” He glanced back at the group of kids. “Want to help me wrangle these two? Seems like a shame to be inside on a day like this.” 

“If it is alright with my mother and Naruto’s mother,” Itachi responded cooly. 

Kakashi waved him off. “Of course. Pretty sure both of them would skin me alive if I took their kids somewhere without asking first.” He pushed off the wall and disappeared for a few minutes. When he came back, Naruto squealed happily, as if he’d been gone for hours instead of mere minutes. “Alright, let’s go. Both of them agreed that it’s too nice to be inside. And you were volunteered to help me.” 

Itachi didn’t seem upset by the development. He nodded in understanding and helped usher both of the younger ones toward the door. Kakashi picked them up and carried one in each arm, with Itachi walking silently at his side. Both of the young ones were grabbing at Kakashi’s hair and mask, but his hands were too full to stop them. He kept jerking his head around to stay out of their reach, looking completely ridiculous and a little bit insane. Both of the young ones giggled at the display, and Kurama didn’t miss the very brief, but amused smile from Itachi. 

“There is a park in the compound,” Itachi explained, “but the playground is not quite finished. The rest of the land is open, though. I’ve taken Sasuke there a few times.” He led Kakashi toward the aforementioned area. 

Sure enough, there was an open field, surrounded by thick woods. There was a bit of a chill in the air, Kurama thought, but his chakra would keep Naruto plenty warm. Plus, they were right under the direct heat of the sun. 

As Itachi said, the playground didn’t seem to be finished. It was fenced off and the structures were only partially completed. Still, neither of the young ones seemed upset when they were placed in a large tuft of particularly long grass. At least they were easy to entertain at this age. Immediately, both boys started plucking the blades of grass around them. Kurama grumbled at Naruto not to eat them, but he didn’t understand. Fortunately, Kakashi managed to keep the boy from eating dirt. Meanwhile, the younger Uchiha brat had grabbed his brother’s hand and toddled over to an apparently very important clump of weeds. He was pointing and babbling half-coherent sentences. Itachi smiled and nodded along like he knew what the gibberish meant. 

Kakashi laughed lightly, and even Kurama felt himself huff with amusement. Still, the uneasiness hadn’t left him. He felt hypervigilant. There was one other pair of older children at the park, but they had been summoned by an older relative shortly after their group arrived. That left the park empty, besides the four humans that Kurama wished he didn’t have to keep such a close eye on. Things were honestly easier when he wanted to kill everyone. 

The young ones chased each other around, occasionally convincing Kakashi or Itachi to join in. Kurama was half tempted to plug his ears to ignore the loud, happy shrieks from his host, but he resisted. At least the kid was having a good time, even though Kurama didn’t really understand the point of many of his activities. Chase made sense, because it built speed and stamina, but some of their games just seemed pointless. He assumed humans were like fox kits, that needed to wrestle and play to practice future hunting and fighting skills, but they seemed to go about it in the least efficient way possible. What making towers out of mud had to do with honing battle skills, Kurama had no idea. 

It was very sudden when Kurama felt the shift.

Kurama noticed the wave of malintent before any of the humans could react. And then he felt the familiar chakra of the ever present guard around Naruto blinking out of existence. Kakashi tensed, his instincts seeming to tell him that something was wrong, but he wasn’t a sensor so he couldn’t tell anymore information. He subtly shifted closer to the younger boys, taking up a more defensive position. The older Uchiha looked up at Kakashi quizzically, his brows furrowing as he seemed to be reading the teen’s body language. Prodigy or not, his skills at this time were a far cry from his formidable self in Kurama’s time. He might be gifted, but he was still a child, and Kurama didn’t know how useful he’d be in a fight. 

Kurama wanted to warn Kakashi, but there was nothing he could do. It wasn’t worth testing the seal now and potentially exhausting their connection before the fight even started. He needed to save both his and Naruto’s strength in case his protection or his healing was needed. He tried grumbling a warning to Naruto in his mind, but of course the boy couldn’t understand. Naruto did seem to shiver involuntarily, his head swiveling around to try to make sense of what he was feeling. 

All Kurama could do was extend his own senses as far beyond Naruto’s as they could go. To be fair, it wasn’t much in their current state. The seal was too tight, and he was cursing himself for not bothering to test it sooner. In the previous timeline, Kurama hadn’t even awoken until Naruto was much older, and starting to understand hatred. The seal had a lot more time to decay. 

The world around them seemed to be holding its breath, a far cry from the previously light atmosphere. There was the sudden flutter of wings as all of the birds in the area seemed to take off at once and the leisurely birdsong suddenly silenced. 

Lowly, Kakashi murmured, “Itachi. When the fighting starts, take the boys and run.” 

Wisely, the older Uchiha brat didn’t verbally respond, but he did incline his head to indicate he’d heard. He continued to engage with the younger children, but Kurama could tell his attention was on their surroundings. 

The two young ones, of course, were clueless. They both seemed briefly curious about what had caught the attention of their guardians, but they quickly lost interest and returned to pulling at the blades of grass around them. Their usual babble filled the otherwise eerie silence. 

All at once, chaos erupted around them. Kakashi intercepted some kind of projectile and uncovered his borrowed eye. Lightning crackled at his fingertips as he engaged the first pair of attackers. More surrounded him, trying to overwhelm him with numbers. At the same time, the older Uchiha did as he was instructed and grabbed the two younger children. It was awkward and clearly laborious for him, given that he was still quite small himself, but he managed to get enough of a hold on both of them to pull them away from the fight. 

A pair of the attackers split off, heading straight for the trio. They clearly didn’t expect much resistance from the children, and foolishly seemed to be letting their guard down ever so slightly. 

“Give us the jinchuuriki, brat. There’s no need for you or the other kid to die today,” one of them threatened. 

Itachi froze, like he was afraid, but Kurama was close enough to sense that it was a farce. The two idiots seemed to relax even further, assuming they’d have no resistance from a child. Unfortunately for them, the lapse in judgment gave Itachi enough of an opening to slip one of his clones behind the attackers, stabbing him in the neck before he knew what hit him. One down. The other enemy finally seemed to realize the mistake they’d made and quickly disposed of the clone, before rounding back on Itachi with intent to kill. 

The kid had no choice but to engage the attacker, and was holding his own well enough. Kurama could tell without a doubt that if he’d been any other brat, he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Still, he was clearly outmatched, and the element of surprise was gone. Whoever these attackers were, they were obviously skilled, and the older Uchiha had very few of his future skills that made him such a dangerous opponent in Kurama’s time. 

Kakashi was struggling in his own fight. There were bodies around him that indicated he was a formidable opponent, but Kurama could see that he was bloodied and starting to slow. He’d managed to summon one of his ninken, probably to get help, but Kurama didn’t know if it would make it in time. One of the attackers had immediately set off after the ninken, and it was clear they were starting to get the upper hand in the fight. 

What happened to the damn ANBU guard?! Stupid, useless creatures! What was the point of having them around if they were just going to be killed off the second combat started? Had they even made a dent in the enemy’s defenses!? 

Kurama could feel that Naruto was starting to panic. In fact, both of the young ones were whimpering with distress. They didn’t know what was wrong, but they clearly didn’t like what was happening. 

With both Kakashi and Itachi preoccupied, one of the attackers slipped away from their frontal assault and took off toward the now undefended children. Kurama saw Itachi valiantly try to throw off his much more experienced attacker, and he almost managed it, before the older shinobi caught him by the back of the neck and slammed him so hard onto the ground that Kurama heard the unmistakable sound of bones cracking. The boy didn’t get up again, but Kurama could sense that he was still alive. 

Now unhindered, the attacker limped over toward his companion, who was towering over the two kids. Kurama could see every detail through Naruto’s eyes, because the boy was staring up at the unknown shinobi with obvious fear. 

“Fucking kid, what the hell?” The injured one grimaced. “Stupid brat got the jump on me,” he grumbled to his companion. “Now grab the jinchuuriki so we can get the hell out of this shithole village.” 

The other one snorted in amusement at his companion’s expense, but he did as he was told. He reached down and roughly heaved Naruto over his shoulder. “You’re just bitter because you let a stupid kid beat you up.” 

Both of the kidnappers took off as soon as they had Naruto. Kurama could hear Kakashi calling out for Naruto, before he was cut off with a strangled yell and a gurgling sound. Naruto was screaming and thrashing on the kidnapper’s shoulder, and received a rough smack in response. 

“Agh, don’t tell me we have to listen to the stupid brat cry the whole way!” the one carrying Naruto complained. 

“Just break a few fingers or something until it stops screaming,” the other one replied. “Kids this age are supposed to be almost as smart as a dog, right? It will figure it out quickly enough.” 

Within his prison, Kurama was raging. He felt more like an animal than he ever had, gnawing at the bars of the cage and snarling violently. He felt feral, and full of bloodlust. He would kill them! He would rip them apart and decorate the earth with their entrails! How dare they talk about hurting his jinchuuriki, comparing him to a dog!

Understandably, his young host was completely panicked. Despite the rough handling from his kidnappers, he continued to wail pathetically. The kidnappers didn’t appreciate that at all. With Naruto’s senses, Kurama could taste the blood in the boy’s mouth after one of the kidnappers hit him particularly hard. Kurama almost broke his teeth trying to pry the bars of his prison apart. He would not let anything happen to his host, his friend. Kurama had promised that he would not fail the boy again. 

The fear and desperation from his host seeped into the seal. Naruto was really too young to understand anger and hatred, which usually served to weaken the seal for Kurama’s previous hosts. But the strong emotions, along with Kurama’s sheer willpower, would hopefully be enough. Kurama could feel the seal resisting his chakra, and his influence. He swore in every language he knew, violently thrashing against the walls of his prison. 

And finally, he felt a snap. 

Though it was nothing compared to the power they shared in their previous life, it should still be enough to save them. Kurama let his corrosive chakra surround Naruto, causing the kidnapper holding him to shriek in pain and drop him as he was burned. He would have to be careful, with Naruto’s body still so small and weak, but he should be able to make quick work of these fools. One tail only, so he didn’t overwhelm his host. Truthfully, he didn’t know if more than one tail was possible now anyway, and he wasn’t willing to endanger Naruto to find out.

Naruto’s consciousness appeared in the mindscape, confused and shaking. He had tears dripping down his cheeks from pain and fear. It wasn’t the first time Naruto had visited him here, but it was the first time he’d done so awake. 

“It’s alright,” Kurama cooed as softly as he could. It was a challenge for a being as large and powerful as him. “I will protect you,” he promised. 

Of course, the boy didn’t understand. He was still too young. But he recognized Kurama as safe, and toddled over to him, slipping in between the bars. Kurama let the boy curl up at his side, clutching at his fur and dribbling snot and tears everywhere. He curled his tails around the boy protectively as his chakra seeped through the seal, feeling his own consciousness taking control of his host’s body. 

Kurama felt Naruto’s useless nails sharpen into claws, and his teeth became elongated. He wasted no time launching himself at the kidnapper that had manhandled his young host, slicing through him with a combination of claw and chakra. The man was dead before he even hit the ground. The other kidnapper let out a startled yell and made a laughable attempt to defend himself. Kurama snarled, and even though it sounded a tad pathetic in his host’s squeaky voice, it still made the would-be kidnapper shake with fear. There was a bit of a back and forth as Kurama slashed out at the attacker with his chakra claws, not quite used to the limited range of this small body. He had to dodge a few times, and it was awkward to maneuver with Naruto’s stubby, still developing limbs. Fortunately, his chakra cloak was enough to give him the edge he needed, particularly since Itachi had already wounded him. Kurama managed to latch onto him and rip his throat open with Naruto’s pointed teeth. 

In his host’s body, Kurama crouched on all fours, snarling and bristling. Even if Kakashi’s ninken hadn’t made it for help, the unmistakable feeling of his chakra would have every shinobi in the area aware of their presence now. Their rescue party should be on the way.

He thought about letting go and waiting, but his mind wandered back to the scene they’d left behind. Kakashi was probably dying, if he wasn’t dead yet, which would mean the two Uchiha brats were undefended. He didn’t particularly care…

…but Naruto did. Even if now he was too young for their deaths to mean anything, he knew how important Kakashi and the younger Uchiha brat would become to his host. Kurama couldn’t allow harm to come to Naruto’s precious people. Unfortunately, that description could probably fit virtually anyone the boy interacted with, the damn extrovert. But still, Kurama knew these two were especially precious to Naruto. 

With a long suffering sigh, Kurama raced back to the clearing on all fours, bursting through the treeline. A quick glance to the side confirmed that the Uchiha brats were still alive. The younger one had shuffled over to his unconscious sibling and was looking down at him with wide, confused eyes. Kurama could feel that the older boy was breathing evenly, though definitely injured.

He turned back toward where he knew Kakashi had been fighting, and was met with a chorus of surprised gasps and stares. Kurama knew he must be a strange sight in Naruto’s tiny body, but the blazing aura of his chakra was apparently still intimidating enough. Kakashi was on the ground, bleeding, but conscious. Only a couple of the enemy shinobi remained, standing around Kakashi and looking uncertain in the face of Kurama’s wrath.

Kurama growled, and even though it sounded less intimidating with his host’s small frame, it still made the enemy shinobi flinch. They seemed to be weighing if it was worth trying to finish their mission, or if they should just turn tail and run. They opted for the latter. Cowards. 

With a snarl, Kurama took off after the fleeing enemies. One, he caught with his chakra claws, dragging them to the ground and slicing straight through their body in an instant. The remaining two whirled on him and attacked, trying to catch him off guard. 

Kurama had to be careful, fighting in this underdeveloped body. Naruto wouldn’t be able to take a lot of damage, even with Kurama’s healing abilities. That made it a little more difficult to take out the remaining two, who fought with obvious fear and fury in their eyes, but he wasn’t called the strongest of the bijuu for nothing. With more effort than he cared to exert for such a menial task, the last two fell like the rest of their squad of would-be kidnappers. With a huff, Kurama ripped his claws out of the lifeless body of the last attacker. 

Naruto’s body was covered in blood, and he sported a few injuries that Kurama hadn’t been able to avoid. He was letting his chakra already heal his young host, but he knew there would be repercussions for borrowing his host’s body. The boy wasn’t used to using Kurama’s chakra, nor was he used to exerting his body like this. Naruto was already terrified and stressed from the ordeal, and would probably pass out the moment Kurama’s influence faded. In the mindscape his cries had faded to the occasional sleepy hiccup as he pressed himself into the fox’s fur. 

By now, everyone would have felt his chakra. Even humans without any chakra sensing ability wouldn’t have been able to miss it. The boy’s parents would be here any moment, undoubtedly. Naruto would be safe. Still, he didn’t want to relinquish control until he knew for sure, so he remained crouched on all fours, scanning the landscape with his slitted eyes. 

“Naruto?” 

Kakashi’s voice, weak but steady, caught Kurama’s attention. Kurama turned his head toward the teen with a bored expression. “He’s fine.” 

It seemed like Kakashi was trying to sit up, but he was too weak. He craned his neck to get a better look at Naruto, at Kurama. His borrowed Sharingan was still visible, and his other eye was drooping with exhaustion. Briefly, Kurama thought about healing him and the older Uchiha brat, but he really didn’t have enough chakra to spare, and he didn’t care enough anyway. Besides, he was barely able to safely keep control of Naruto’s body, and he didn’t want to push it. 

“You’re the Kyuubi,” Kakashi rasped. 

Kurama tilted his head. “Yes.” 

There was a beat of silence, and obvious uncertainty rolling off of Kakashi. “You…you came back here to…save me?” 

Kurama didn’t bother responding beyond a quiet scoff. Anytime he bothered to do anything that wasn’t related to death or destruction, the humans acted like he’d traveled through time all over again. Had he not proven his dedication to his host, to his friend? Apparently their tiny human brains still couldn’t comprehend it. Useless creatures. 

Kakashi was still staring, obviously struggling to stay conscious. Kurama looked past his collapsed form as he sensed very familiar chakra signatures approaching. “The runt’s parents are here,” he announced, before withdrawing his chakra from Naruto. 

As expected, the boy immediately collapsed as soon as Kurama was no longer in control. He shuddered with exhaustion, and fell forward. Kurama knew he was fine, because Naruto was in the mindscape, twisting tendrils of Kurama’s fur in his fingers and babbling with wonder. 

The outside world, however, was lost to Kurama. As soon as Naruto lost consciousness, Kurama could no longer see through his eyes. It would be up to the boy’s parents to protect him now. Hopefully they would do a better job than they had today.

Chapter Text

When Kakashi’s ninken appeared in a flurry of fur and mud, Kushina was reminded of the phrase, “mother’s intuition”. She was just supposed to know things, because she was a mother now. She was supposed to know when her kid was misbehaving, or how to answer his questions before he even knew to ask them. And surely she was supposed to know when her son was in danger. And yet, she felt utterly clueless until she felt the familiar burn of the Kyuubi’s chakra both in the air and in her veins. The tendril that seemed to be permanently residing in her flickered to life, making all of the hair on the back of her neck stand up.  

Both her and Mikoto were barely a step behind the ninken, pressing forward with every bit of energy in their bodies. It was both of their families that were in danger, and neither one of them were ones to sit back and let someone else handle a tough situation. The ninken had given them as much information as he could, which honestly wasn’t much, but at least they were given some warning on what to expect. 

Unknown attackers, quite skilled, and clearly after Konoha’s jinchuuriki. After her son. 

With gritted teeth, Kushina kept pushing forward. The park wasn’t far, but it felt like it was taking forever to get there, like the distance just kept increasing with every step forward. She knew that was just her nerves playing tricks on her, but it really felt like they would never make it in time. 

She was kicking herself for letting Naruto go anywhere without her. Even with Kakashi, even with the ANBU that should have kept him safe, she shouldn’t have let him go. She should be there protecting him. It had seemed like such a harmless request for Kakashi to take Naruto and Mikoto’s boys just a few blocks away. He was smart, and skilled, and there should have been an entire guard of elite shinobi backing him up. Clearly that wasn’t enough. 

The Kyuubi’s guttural snarl could be heard cutting through the air, even before the scene appeared in front of them. Kushina didn’t know what to expect from the attackers, or from the Kyuubi. They’d sealed the Kyuubi, with its full strength, in their infant son. Even with the seal Minato had put on him, that might not be enough if the Kyuubi decided it wanted to take over. And the strain that it would put the poor boy’s body through could kill him. It had been hard enough to deal with it when she’d been the Kyuubi’s jinchuuriki for years, and a trained shinobi at that. There was no way a baby stood a chance against the demon fox’s might. 

Kushina grit her teeth as they passed the remains of the ANBU guard that was supposed to be protecting her son. She didn’t have time to stop and check if any of them were still alive, though she highly doubted it based on how most of their bodies were twisted at unnatural angles, or soaking in pools of blood. 

When they pushed into the clearing, Kushina was just in time to see her son collapse, but not in time to catch him. Fortunately, her husband didn’t earn his nickname for nothing. Minato had apparently arrived just before her, and managed to catch their son in his arms right before his head hit the ground. Thanks to his legendary speed, he arrived well before any of his own guard or reinforcements. 

Mikoto, of course, made a beeline for her own children. Kushina could see Itachi sprawled out on the ground, and she couldn’t tell if he was breathing from where she was. Mikoto reached them quickly, and the sigh of relief from her friend had Kushina suspecting that both of the boys were alright. 

Minato was wearing a similar expression of relief as Kushina slid to a stop beside him and Naruto. She could see her husband checking Naruto’s pulse with two fingers. He was breathing steadily, but he looked so small and frail. He was covered in blood, and sporting a few bruises and already healing wounds. She was no medic nin, but it seemed like he was at least relatively ok. 

Kakashi was the only one unaccounted for, and he quickly made himself known with a pained groan. As much as Kushina didn’t want to leave Naruto’s side, he was safe with his father, and Kakashi still needed to be checked on. Minato offered a quick nod, and she took it as acknowledgement of her own thoughts. She kissed both of them quickly, before rushing over to Kakashi and kneeling at his side. 

“What happened? Are you alright?” Kushina didn’t move him, unsure of what kind of injuries he had. 

“We were surrounded,” Kakashi grunted painfully, trying pitifully to sit up. “They were after Naruto. They went right for him.” He hung his head in shame. “I’m sorry. I was too weak–” 

As firmly as she could without actually hurting the already injured teen, Kushina elbowed Kakashi to shut him up. “Don’t finish that sentence. I saw the entire ANBU squad dead in the woods, so they were obviously very strong and prepared for a fight. You’re just one person, Kakashi.” 

“Still. I’m the one who wanted to bring him out here–”

“I don’t want to hear it. I just want to know if you’re alright,” Kushina pressed. 

Kakashi had managed to sit up, but he was very unbalanced. His Sharingan was still uncovered, and his other eye was puffy and bruised. He had numerous gashes on his face and body, and his leg was obviously broken, with bone visible beneath shredded muscle. But he was alive. 

“I’ll be fine. Are the kids…?” He tried to glance past Kushina to see what was going on, but even that motion was too much of a strain. 

“They’re all alive. I can’t tell too much else, but I think they’re all ok.” 

Kakashi slumped forward with relief, and then kept falling. Kushina had to catch him to keep him upright. His non-Sharingan eye seemed to be glazing over, and his head fell limply against her shoulder. He was obviously losing consciousness. 

Before he passed out, he murmured, “...the Kyuubi saved me.” 

Kushina didn’t have time to respond. Kakashi was already out cold, and the rest of their backup had arrived. Medic nin, trackers, and the Hokage’s elite guard. Despite the seriousness of the situation, they all looked incredibly exasperated with their leader’s insistence on charging ahead alone. It was understandable, considering that it could have easily been a trap, but there was no way in hell anyone would convince Minato to sit back and wait when his family was in danger. 

The medic nin sprang into action. They were assessing all four of the kids (because dammit Kakashi was really just a kid too), and making sure it was safe to move them. Out of all of them Sasuke was the only one left conscious, and seemed unharmed. He was allowed to stay with his mother, though the attending medics insisted on having him brought for a checkup as well. The other three weren’t quite so lucky. Kushina watched as her son’s tiny, unresponsive form was gently scooped up and rushed away by one of the medics. He looked so small. Kakashi and Itachi had to be carried as well, and Sasuke protested loudly when he saw his brother being taken away. 

Before they left, the medic nin assured them that all four appeared stable. Then as soon as the medic nin were off the field, Minato shifted from a concerned father to a stern leader. He got to work getting the bodies of the unknown attackers collected in storage scrolls so they could be sent for autopsies, and he sent groups to fan out and search the area for stragglers or clues. There were a few Inuzuka and their ninken sniffing around, leading other shinobi along invisible scent trails. 

Kushina didn’t know what to do. She felt frozen in place, staring at the spot where her son had been laying so eerily motionless. The field was trampled, and covered in blood. A few vultures circled overhead at the sight of so many corpses. 

She was so out of it, the hand on her shoulder made her jump far more than it should have for someone of her skillset. Minato looked at her softly, but he had an obvious crease in his brows from worry.

“I’ve got this. You should follow them to the hospital with Mikoto,” he reasoned. 

Numbly, Kushina nodded in agreement. One of them should be there to monitor Naruto and Kakashi’s progress. And really, she wanted to be by her son’s side immediately. Still, it was hard to get her feet to move. 

“Kushina?” 

She couldn’t look up at her husband’s face without breaking down, so she settled for wrapping him in a tight hug. “We could have lost him. We could have lost both of them.” 

“I know.” Minato returned the embrace, but they didn’t have time to dwell. He had duties as the Hokage to attend to, not just as a father. It wasn’t just his son that was targeted, it was the village’s jinchuuriki. He couldn’t afford to lose his head. 

As Kushina stepped back, an ANBU operative in a bear mask appeared beside them with a respectful bow of their head. “We found two others in the forest. They were…shredded.” 

Kushina inhaled sharply. That had to have been the Kyuubi. She’d felt its chakra, and then she saw Naruto collapse. It had to have used his body to fight off the attackers. Kushina remembered the first time that had happened to her. Well, she didn’t remember all of it. She remembered waking up sore and exhausted, with someone else’s blood under her fingernails. She also remembered getting violently ill when she saw the aftermath of what the Kyuubi had done while in control of her body. At least Naruto was too young to be mentally affected by all the carnage, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be in pain or nearly dead from exhaustion. 

“How could this have happened?” she muttered in disbelief. 

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Minato’s face was hard, in a way that was very unlike him. “They should never have been able to get this close, especially a group this size.” His face softened as he turned back toward her. “Seriously, I got this. Someone should be with Naruto and Kakashi when they wake up.” 

Part of her wanted to ask if he was sure, if he wanted her to stay, but she didn’t. She wanted to be with Naruto. To hold him and feel his heart still beating, and to know that he was ok. So she nodded in agreement, and they parted with none of their usual fanfare. The occasion was too sober for their usual sweet kisses or lingering touches. Kushina left with Mikoto so her husband could go back to being Hokage.  

They moved briskly, not wanting to waste any time getting to their loved ones, and fortunately made it to the hospital without incident. Mikoto hugged her tightly when they arrived, before splitting off to meet with Fugaku and a few other clan members that Kushina vaguely recognized. They promised to keep each other updated. 

A nurse led her to her son’s room, and Kushina’s heart rate picked up. She’d been assured that he was stable, but still unconscious. The thought of seeing him looking so tiny and broken again was too painful. The image of her son collapsed in his father’s arms, so unnaturally still and quiet, would never leave her. It would be burned into her mind forever. 

When the nurse opened the door, she scowled. “You’re supposed to be resting. In your own room. Your treatments aren’t done.” 

Kushina couldn’t help but snort at the scene in front of her. Apparently, Kakashi had regained consciousness, and immediately made a beeline for Naruto, if the nurse’s irritated grumbling was anything to go by. He was bandaged up, but had clearly left before his wounds were done being tended to. He sat on the edge of the hospital bed, elbows on his knees and head resting in his palms. 

“I had to make sure he was ok. I had to make sure I didn’t get him killed–” 

“Stop that,” Kushina scolded. “I already told you this wasn’t your fault. No one blames you for anything.” She hurried over to the bedside so she could see Naruto. A heavy weight left her as her eyes took in his obviously unconscious, but breathing, form. Kushina leaned forward to kiss her son’s forehead. It looked like he’d mostly already been tended to, with a handful of bandages and an IV in his tiny arm. She swore they left just a minute or so after the medic nin, but apparently it had been longer. It was funny how time didn’t seem to pass normally when there was a loved one to worry about. 

Kakashi refused to look at her, even though they were now side by side. “I’m the one that took them out there. I put them all in danger.” 

“And I gave you permission to go,” she reminded him. “We couldn’t have known what would happen.” 

“I shouldn’t have–” 

“You took them to the park, Kakashi, not to a warzone,” Kushina retorted. She glanced over at the nurse. “Would you excuse us, please?” 

The nurse sighed, and threw up her arms in exasperation. She grumbled something about “difficult patients”, but left promptly. Kushina wasted no time putting up a few silencing seals before continuing. The conversation would undoubtedly end up on subjects that she didn’t want others to overhear. 

“And really,” Kushina continued when she felt that they had adequate privacy, “you did everything you could. Whoever they are, they were obviously very skilled, being able to take out so many ANBU without alerting anyone.” Kushina patted his arm comfortingly. Her other hand was occupied holding Naruto’s tiny, limp hand. His hand was warm. 

Kakashi looked up, but didn’t respond to her comment. From how close they were, Kushina could really see the damage the teen had taken. It was probably just pure stubbornness that was keeping him conscious right now. He looked like he was ready to fall over at any second. 

“Are Itachi and Sasuke ok?” He asked quietly.

“As far as I know,” she responded. “I came straight to Naruto so I haven’t heard any new updates.” Realistically things probably hadn’t changed in such a short amount of time, but Kushina didn’t want to worry Kakashi any more. “So what exactly happened?” 

With a heavy sigh, Kakashi told her every detail about the attack. Truthfully, there wasn’t much to say, since he was too busy fighting off the attackers to gather intel. Kushina couldn’t help but wince when Kakashi told her how Itachi had fought off at least one of the attackers that went for the younger kids. She felt a stab of guilt, remembering that she’d been nothing but suspicious toward the boy thanks to the Kyuubi’s weird visions about him. He very well may have saved Naruto’s life, and she’d only been worried about some probably-fake futuristic version of the kid who by all accounts, probably wouldn’t even exist now. 

Kakashi paused when he got to the part of his story where Naruto was taken. It made a combination of rage and terror twist in side of her, thinking about her precious boy so close to being taken away. She’d had her fair share of kidnapping scares as the Kyuubi’s jinchuuriki, so she knew how terrifying the outcome could be. Whatever they’d had planned for Naruto, it wouldn’t have been pleasant. And judging by the cuts and bruises on his body, already healing thanks to the Kyuubi, they hadn’t exactly been gentle with him. If they weren’t already dead, she’d wring their necks for hurting her son. 

“I don’t know exactly what happened,” Kakashi admitted. “I tried to go after him but–” he shook his head. “They overwhelmed me. And then the Kyuubi’s presence was just there .” He shuddered. “I’d almost forgotten what that chakra felt like.” 

Kushina nodded in understanding. “Apparently there were two bodies found in the woods, completely shredded. I’m assuming the Kyuubi was responsible for that.” 

Another pause as Kakashi considered what to say next. “I thought Naruto was gone, that they’d gotten away with him. And then…” he glanced at her, judging her reaction, “and then Naruto–or the Kyuubi, I guess–was chasing them away from me. It saved me.” 

“So you said…” she replied dryly. Truthfully, Kushina didn’t know what to say or what to think about the Kyuubi’s daring rescue. It made sense that it would have saved Naruto, but why Kakashi? There was something at the back of her mind, an answer that she didn’t want to admit. She recalled her fight with the Kyuubi, when it told her that it purposefully chose to return to this time so Naruto could be raised by his parents. And then she recalled how the fox had saved her life the night Naruto was born. 

She shoved those thoughts down. She couldn’t think too much about the Kyuubi or its motivations, or she’d go mad. 

“I guess if I didn’t believe you before, about the whole time travel thing, I’d have to now,” Kakashi sighed. 

“Yeah…” 

Silence fell over them. Kushina stared at Naruto’s unconscious form, trying to pretend that he was just asleep. Except, he had flecks of dried blood in his hair, and a darkening bruise on his cheek. And usually when he slept, he snorted or mumbled. Now, he was unusually still, and quiet. Just laying on his back with too many tubes and wires attached to him. The beeping of his heart monitor was both soothing and maddening at the same time. 

Eventually she gave up her spot on the edge of the bed in favor of dragging a chair over. She sat down and let her arms and chin rest on the bed, so her face was next to her son’s. She counted every breath, and watched for any sign of discomfort on his face. 

Kakashi was herded out of the room after a while, much more willing to leave Naruto now that Kushina was here to keep an eye on him. With his injured leg he limped awkwardly, supported by the same nurse that had scolded him earlier. He still looked incredibly forlorn, and guilty. She insisted again that she didn’t blame him, and that really he was the only one of Naruto’s guards that actually managed to fight the attackers. He didn’t seem encouraged, only offering one of his fake, plastered on smiles that made Kushina want to smack him upside the head for lying to her. She probably would have done so, if he wasn’t already injured. 

She wished Minato was here, but she also wanted him out searching for answers. Who were the attackers? Another village, willing to risk the tentative peace that had been established for the chance at getting ahold of the Kyuubi? Or was it a rogue organization? Hadn’t the Kyuubi hinted at one in the future? Worst of all, could it be an inside job? Kushina didn’t want to even consider that, but she wasn’t naive enough to assume it was impossible. 

Kushina closed her eyes, trying to focus on Naruto’s even breathing. His doctor stopped in and said he would be ok, and that he was mostly just exhausted. But what if they were missing something? It wasn’t like there were a lot of medics that had experience with jinchuuriki, and Naruto was an unusually young jinchuuriki at that. Once again, she wondered if sealing the demon fox in her son had been the right choice. She’d seemed so sure at the time, with the Kyuubi’s promises and ominous prophecy, but had it been a mistake? What if his body couldn’t recover from the strain of the Kyuubi’s chakra? She wanted answers, and she wanted assurances that her baby would be ok. 

When Kushina opened her eyes to assess her son’s status, she was surprised to find herself no longer at his bedside, but instead in the cold, damp prison that housed the Kyuubi. Had she nodded off? She didn’t even remember feeling tired. And why did she end up here? Ever since her fight with the Kyuubi, she hadn’t even felt the slightest desire to return to the mindscape, nor had it seemed like it would be easy to get there. There had been no hint of the fox or his visions in Kushina’s mind since their argument. 

She blinked a few times to confirm that she was really here, then turned her gaze toward where she knew the Kyuubi would be. Had it brought her here? She expected it to be alert, probably ready to start another fight, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was lying comfortably in its cage, one hip turned to the side. And it wasn’t alone. 

It wasn’t necessarily alarming to see Naruto here, since it was his mindscape, but Kushina hadn’t exactly been subtle about warning the fox away from interacting with her son. There was nothing unusual about a jinchuuriki being able to visit their bijuu’s cage, but his circumstances weren’t exactly typical for a jinchuuriki. 

When she had been the Kyuubi’s host, it had always been easier to find her way here when she was sleeping. She recalled that when the fox had first been sealed within her, she used to end up here by accident, so Naruto probably didn’t even have any control over whether or not he came here. But the fox did. She knew that there were times when she had to fight the fox to enter the mindscape when it was sealed inside her. It took years of training to be able to overcome the demon’s strength, so it could have easily barred Naruto’s entry if it wanted. If it had listened to Kushina. She scowled at the thought.  

The scene unfolding in front of her made it clear that the Kyuubi had definitely not listened to her. Naruto was toddling around inside the fox’s cage, giggling and babbling happily. Kushina felt her stomach drop at the sight, and was poised to rush forward to stop the fox from doing anything to him. In the back of her mind she did remember that this version of the Kyuubi (allegedly) cared for her son. It had the opportunity to kill him during their battle a year ago, and it hadn’t. Still, she didn’t really trust it not to hurt Naruto. She couldn’t. Not after years of its venomous words and cruelty, and definitely not after their confrontation. Months of contemplation following the night of Naruto’s birth had also given her time to over-analyze every interaction with the Kyuubi. It gave her time to wonder if she’d imagined the fondness in its voice or the sincerity of its actions. So she wasn’t about to trust it not to hurt her son, who was completely defenseless at this stage of development. 

Years of training made it easy for Kushina to observe every tiny detail of the interaction, even as she started to rush forward. The Kyuubi’s head was lowered, hovering just above the water. It had a lazy, toothy grin as it regarded Naruto. 

“Come on, say it. Ku-ra-ma.” 

Naruto giggled and responded with a very enthusiastic, “Ku-ra! Ku-ra!” 

The fox reached around with one of its tails, gently pushing Naruto forward. Naruto laughed happily and spun around on wobbly legs, grasping at the tail that was already out of his reach. The Kyuubi reached around with a second tail and tapped him on the back again, prompting the same giddy reaction from its host. 

The fox chuckled , low but warm. “Humans are so easily amused.” It prodded at Naruto again, catching him with another tail when the boy spun around too fast and almost lost his balance. 

Kushina was so shocked by the scene that she actually stumbled. The Kyuubi was…playing? It was playing with her son. 

Her misstep seemed to have alerted the fox to her presence. It sat up suddenly, eyes narrowing in her direction. All of its fur was standing on end, and it immediately curled a few tails around Naruto and let out a growl that caused the water to ripple around them. 

When it noticed Kushina it looked almost surprised, but it withdrew its tails and let its fur fall flat. “Oh, it’s you, ” it sneered. 

Naruto also seemed to notice her, and he looked back and forth between his mother and the Kyuubi with an indecisive whine. Kushina stepped forward toward the pair, which seemed to please Naruto immensely. He grinned, babbling nonsense and gesturing wildly with his stubby little hands. The Kyuubi seemed to instinctively reach out and catch him with a tail when the boy became a little too enthusiastic and almost fell over once again. It flattened its ears against its skull, looking at Kushina like it was daring her to say anything. 

Unfortunately for the fox, she wasn’t one to keep her mouth shut. “Are you…playing with Naruto?” 

The fox looked indignant. “Of course not! I don’t play with humans! I am a malevolent force of chakra and fire and–” 

Naruto whined again, staring up at the Kyuubi with his big blue eyes. The fox bared its teeth halfheartedly, making a show of its rejection. Except, Naruto wasn’t fazed. He held up his arms and grabbed at the air, a clear indication that he wanted to be picked up. The fox still didn’t budge, until Naruto mumbled a quiet, “Ku-ra?” Then, it just sighed and let the scowl drop off its face. It scooped up Naruto with a couple of its tails, prompting a stream of excited giggles and chatter. 

Kushina watched the entire interaction with a mixture of emotions. She wanted to say that it was a lie, a trick to lull her into complacency, but the fox clearly hadn’t been expecting her. It seemed almost…embarrassed at being caught. And watching it begrudgingly give into Naruto’s request for attention, it didn’t look like an act. The Kyuubi was being affectionate and gentle toward her son, and she didn’t know how to feel about that. She didn’t know what that meant for her perception of the Kyuubi, or its actions. She’d assumed the worst intentions from the fox, but seeing it interact so casually with Naruto now made her question everything. 

She stared at the pair of them, her mind whirring. “You saved him today.”

“Of course I did,” the fox grunted. 

Kushina shifted awkwardly. “You saved Kakashi, too.” 

“Yes.” 

“Why?” 

The Kyuubi paused its game with Naruto, but resumed after a squeak of protest. “He is one of Naruto’s precious people.” The admission was soft. 

Somehow, it was the answer she knew she should expect. It was the answer she was expecting, because despite the protest, the denial that was on the tip of her tongue, she could feel the heavy weight in her stomach and the hot embarrassment burning in her veins. The feelings of shame, and guilt. The feeling of knowing that she’d been wrong, so unbelievably wrong. She was a proud woman, and undeniably stubborn, but not so much that she couldn’t face the truth staring her in the face. The truth of her son, cradled gently by the creature she thought only capable of death and destruction. The truth that she had denied vehemently. 

“You really do care about him,” she commented. 

The fox didn’t respond, save for a quiet grunt of affirmation. It was carefully bouncing Naruto on its tails, responding to the boy’s garbled requests to get up higher. Naruto was shrieking with glee. 

The reality of the situation hit Kushina so hard that she felt dizzy. She had to take a series of deep breaths to calm herself. The Kyuubi cared about her son. The Kyuubi saved Kakashi’s life because it knew that Kakashi was important to Naruto. The Kyuubi cared about her son. The Kyuubi time traveled to protect him. The Kyuubi cared about her son. The Kyuubi willingly chose to return to this time so Naruto could be raised by his parents. The Kyuubi cared about her son. 

…shit. 

The words were heavy on her tongue, but Kushina managed a very quiet, “I’m sorry.” 

The fox was taken aback. “What did you say?” 

“Don’t make me repeat it,” she snapped, and immediately winced. Kushina took another deep breath to calm herself. It was her first instinct to snap at the fox, but she knew she was in the wrong. “I assumed the worst of you, and I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry for what I said to you before. I was needlessly cruel.” She bowed her head slightly to show that she was being genuine. 

The Kyuubi studied her intently, finally lowering Naruto back to the ground despite his protests. It didn’t respond, watching as Naruto toddled through the cage bars and over to his mother. Kushina picked him up immediately, giving him a sloppy kiss on his cheek that made him giggle. Her mind was a mess, and her heart was hurting, but holding her precious baby in her arms helped. 

This whole situation was too weird. She was having a heart-to-heart with the Kyuubi, in her son’s mindscape. And apparently she’d been the asshole. Kushina had to swallow her pride and own up to it. “I don’t know if I can get past our history,” she admitted. “But I want to try. Thank you for watching out for Naruto, in this life and the other.” 

There was no immediate response from the demon fox, only obvious suspicion. Kushina supposed that was fair. Eventually, the Kyuubi sighed. “I suppose I can admit that I have never made it easy for you to trust me.” 

An olive branch. “I never made it easy for you to give me a reason to trust you,” she acknowledged. 

They regarded each other silently, both of them deep in thought. Kushina thought she knew the Kyuubi after all the years it was sealed away within her. She thought it was nothing but anger and evil, but clearly she’d been wrong. It was gentle with Naruto, and cared enough about him to make an impossible journey from another time to protect him. She recalled some of the Kyuubi’s words about its siblings (not that she had ever thought to call the other bijuu that) and their imprisonment from their previous conversations. Kushina had never considered the Kyuubi’s perspective on the matter. No one had. Of course it resented being locked away. She, and everyone else, always justified it as a necessity to keep the Kyuubi’s destructive and malicious power out of the world. It was a given that the Kyuubi, and the other bijuu, would have destroyed humanity if they had been allowed to remain free…right?

Except, the Kyuubi was here willingly. It had the chance to kill them, and to escape. But it didn’t. It chose to put its trust in the very people that had kept it imprisoned. All for Naruto. Oh, she would love to know how he managed to make the demon so soft. 

“I think,” Kushina mused after a few minutes of awkward, heavy silence, “we should start over. We need to work together to stop the future that you lived through. Plus,” she couldn’t help a small smile, “we both care about Naruto. We should try to be civil, for his sake.” 

The Kyuubi’s expression remained neutral as it considered her words. Finally, it rumbled, “My name is Kurama.” 

At first, Kushina didn’t understand why the fox was telling her this. Then, she remembered its words on the day of Naruto’s birth:

“An exchange of names would imply mutual respect.”

“Kushina Uzumaki,” she replied. 

Of course the Kyuubi–Kurama–knew her name. It was the gesture that mattered, and Kurama seemed to understand as he offered a brief nod in response. 

There was silence, save for the occasional drip of water and the puff of the fox’s breath. Naruto wiggled in her arms to be put down and she complied, only because she knew the scenery in the mindscape wasn’t actually real. Still, it was quite dreary. 

“Couldn’t you have picked better scenery?” she grumbled as Naruto toddled back to the great fox. “I don’t know how I feel about my son playing around in what looks like sewer water.” 

Kurama huffed in response, letting Naruto latch onto him again without complaint. “Do you think I chose this setting?” 

Kushina raised an eyebrow. “Did you not?” 

“Of course not,” Kurama grumbled indignantly. “But my prison was never meant to reflect my desires.” 

“What would you have picked?” 

Kurama seemed surprised by the question, but he responded anyway. “When I was a kit, there was a great forest where one of your human villages now sits. The trees were ancient, and wiser than any of your kind.” The fox looked past her, recalling the memory. “They had voices of their own, not that you humans could hear them. They would sing with the wind, and their voices would carry over the highest mountain peaks.” 

“What happened to it?” Kushina could guess, but she asked anyway. 

“Humans happened.” Kurama bristled. “Centuries of wisdom and life, burned to ash.” The fox sighed, shaking his massive head. “That’s what I would have picked.” 

Kushina tucked that information away for later. She’d never thought about the life the bijuu had lived before they were sealed into their jinchuuriki. If anything, she’d just assumed they were running wild somewhere, rampaging and killing. Waxing poetically about a bunch of trees had never even crossed her mind. 

Kurama’s tails flicked. “But you are not here to listen to musings about the past. Why did you come?” 

“I wasn’t really thinking clearly,” she admitted. “I was worried about Naruto, and I guess I wanted to know what happened. I fell asleep worrying about him, and woke up here.” 

Kurama hummed in acknowledgement. “I see. Well, I didn’t recognize the attackers from my time, but their intent was clear enough.” He growled lowly. “You should really re-examine your ANBU guard, by the way, it was embarrassingly easy for the attackers to take them out.” 

Kushina nodded. Oh, she would do just that. They were supposed to have the best of the best guarding not only the Hokage’s son, but the village’s jinchuuriki. Kurama was not off base in calling this slip up an embarrassment. She shuddered to think about how horribly wrong this could have gone if Kurama hadn’t been protecting Naruto. Apparently she owned the Kyuubi his life. 

“Will he be alright? He’s been unconscious for hours.” 

Kurama nodded. “Yes. He should wake up very soon, I expect. I took care of all of his physical wounds, so he just needed to sleep off the exhaustion and heal a little more.” The fox looked a little guilty as he added, “It was quite a strain on his body to house so much of my chakra, but I didn’t have a choice.” 

“I know,” she responded. Kushina had no basis to scold the fox for his actions. If he hadn’t intervened, Naruto might be–

She was absolutely not going to finish that thought. 

Not wanting to dwell on that topic anymore, she regarded Kurama. He stared back at her, unblinking, and forcefully neutral. The quiet plopping sound of dripping water echoed around them. Now that she was here, and they weren’t fighting, Kushina wanted some answers. She had a full year of questions and half-understood premonitions of a dark future. She told the fox as much. 

Kurama rolled his eyes. “Of course you have questions,” he grumbled, but he didn’t stop her.

“Did you help Naruto take his first steps?” Kushina asked. 

The fox looked amused, like that wasn’t the question he was expecting. “I did.”  

“Why?” 

The Kyuubi cocked his head. “I couldn’t let him be outdone by the Uchiha brat.” 

Kushina gave the fox a flat look. “Outdone? They’re babies.” She was suddenly reminded of some of the visions the Kyuubi had shown her, where an older Naruto and Sasuke seemed to be at odds. “Is this related to the visions you showed me?” 

He snorted in amusement. “If you are asking whether the fate of the future hinged on your runt taking his first steps, then no. My motivations are far more petty.” His eyes narrowed. “Not that you’ve shown any interest in the memories I tried to share with you.” 

Guiltily, Kushina glanced away from the Kyuubi. “Right…I’m sorry about that too. I–” she took a steadying breath, “I would like to know about them now, if you’d be willing to tell me.” 

The fox’s eyes remained narrowed with suspicion. “You’re willing to listen without throwing a tantrum?” 

Kushina nodded, grimacing at the Kyuubi’s choice of words. “Yes. I…” she swallowed hard. “I want to know about the visions you showed me. Were those all really your memories?” 

“Yes,” the fox confirmed. “My memories, through Naruto’s eyes.” 

“So him being left alone, and hurt and…” she couldn’t finish the thought, but Kurama nodded in understanding. 

“That is how the boy was raised in my time.” 

Kushina felt an intense anger burning in her chest. She recognized many of the people in Kurama’s memories. People that smiled at her and asked about her family. People that she passed every day, businesses she frequented. In another reality, they treated her son like a monster. They neglected him, abused him even. No one stepped in, no one ever stepped in. Why hadn’t the Sandaime done something? Why wasn’t Master Jiraiya, his godfather, there? Why hadn’t any of her or Minato’s friends taken care of Naruto? She could understand why Kakashi hadn’t, only being a teenager himself, but even he had been strangely cold and detached in some of the memories Kurama shared of genin-aged Naruto. There were still missing pieces, since she hadn’t seen all of the fox’s memories, but she was starting to understand how many people had failed her son. Her precious baby, that had saved their lives minutes after he was born, and then apparently again moments before his death. That world, that reality, didn’t deserve the sacrifice her son had made. But she would make sure this reality did. 

“Show me their faces again. I’ll throttle every last one of them,” she threatened. 

Kurama snorted with amusement at her outburst. “I don’t doubt it.” 

She had so many other questions, now that she felt that the Kyuubi’s visions were actually truthful. Part of her still rebelled at the idea of trusting the demon fox, but she shoved it aside. She’d never forget the soft, fond look on Kurama’s face when he was playing with Naruto. When he thought no one was around, and there was no one to fool. Even if she could never completely trust the Kyuubi, she realized she did trust that he cared for Naruto. And that might be enough to save the world. 

“What were those visions you were showing me about Mikoto’s boys?” Her face fell. “Those weren’t real too, were they?” 

“They were,” Kurama confirmed. “The runt said he wanted to make sure that fate would never befall the Uchiha clan, so I honored his request to the best of my abilities.” A tail flick. “Though if it were up to me I would just let that cursed clan be wiped from existence,” he grumbled. 

Kushina’s stomach clenched violently at the confirmation. She didn’t want something so horrible to happen to any clan, let alone her best friend’s. And to think that there were people in the village right now that would be responsible for such an atrocity in another life. She shuddered at the thought. 

“Have we prevented it from happening?” 

Kurama shrugged, as much as a quadrupedal beast could shrug. “The future has certainly changed, but I don’t know to what extent. You being alive, the changes you’ve made to how the Uchiha clan is handled, I don’t know. I don’t know if it changed that outcome, or any others.”  

Kushina nodded in understanding. It would be difficult to know exactly what they’d managed to change until it either happened, or the fateful day came and went uneventfully. “What else can you tell me? What should we be doing now?”

The fox regarded her. “Hm. There are certain players that should be eliminated.” 

Kushina tensed, swallowing hard, understanding where this was going. “I think you can understand why I’m reluctant to believe what you told me about the masked man.” She had been avoiding that subject for a reason. Bringing up Obito was a surefire way of ruining the tentative peace between them.

Kurama scoffed, likely thinking about their previous altercation as well. “Fortunately for you, there are other targets that can be dealt with while you contemplate the truth of my words.” 

Miraculously, Kushina kept her temper under control, but her eyelid did twitch a few times. “Like…?” 

“Recall the Toad Sage,” Kurama instructed. “I will show you my memories regarding the founders of the group called the Akatsuki. They are the ones that will target the jinchuuriki.” 

“What does Master Jiraiya have to do with it?” 

“They are his former students,” Kurama explained. “What you choose to do with them is up to you, but I suspect the Toad Sage will be the best to handle them.” 

Kushina nodded. “Anything else?” 

“One thing at a time, Tomato Head.” Kurama chastised. “I don’t know what has been changed, so no sense in wasting my breath telling you things that may no longer come to pass.” 

Kushina opened her mouth to respond, but she was distracted by a tugging feeling. Something was pulling at her consciousness, trying to return her to a state of wakefulness. She resisted, wanting to ask Kurama more questions, but she couldn’t fight it. 

Kurama seemed to sense her reluctance to leave. “Go.” He waved her off with a massive paw. “You should be able to return here easily enough, unfortunately for me,” he grumbled. 

The mindscape started to fade, slowly flickering out of her vision. She watched Naruto continue to cling onto the fox’s fur, still chanting a very happy “Ku-ra!” Kurama looked down at him with an exasperated, yet obviously fond expression, allowing the continued tormenting. Before she could help herself, Kushina smiled at the scene in front of her. 

“Kurama,” she called out, just before she returned to consciousness. “...thank you.” She wasn’t able to hear or see a response from the Kyuubi, but when she woke up she felt herself still smiling. 

A hand was on her shoulder, gently shaking her awake. Kushina batted at it uselessly, mumbling a few rude protests. 

“Sorry,” Minato’s familiar voice drawled. “I just wanted to make sure you ate something.” 

Kushina blinked her eyes open, fighting the last haze of sleep as her husband’s blurry form slowly came into focus. When had he arrived? She groaned, rubbing a hand over her eyes and yawning. Making note of the low light of the room from the singular window, Kushina realized that it was nearly dusk. It felt like she’d only been with the Kyuubi for a few minutes, but apparently it had been hours. In that time Minato must have come back to check on his family. She wondered if they’d found anything at the site of the attack. 

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she murmured against another yawn. 

“Probably means that you needed the rest,” Minato reasoned. “Don’t worry, Naruto is fine,” he added quickly. 

Kushina blinked in confusion, because of course he was fine. Then it hit her that Minato obviously wouldn’t know that, because he hadn’t been privy to her conversation with Kurama. She sat up quickly, realizing how much information she had to share with her husband. “Oh!” 

Minato raised an eyebrow at her, looking surprised at her sudden movement. “Hm?” 

She opened her mouth to respond, but closed it almost immediately. Kushina hadn’t been able to think about how she was going to explain everything to Minato. She hadn’t exactly been forthcoming about the dreams she’d had a few months ago. Apparently she’d have to start from the beginning. 

“Er, I have something to tell you.” Kushina rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, a nervous tic that usually belonged to her husband. 

Apparently her hesitation was obvious. Minato was frowning at her in concern, and he found a place next to her on the couch. Their sides touched. “Everything ok?” 

“Yeah, I just–” Kushina took a deep breath before launching into her explanation. “I know I should’ve told you at the beginning but I really didn’t think it meant anything, y’know? I thought it was just weird stress dreams, because what else was I supposed to think, so I really didn’t bother to mention it but I should have and I’m sorry and–”

“Whoa, slow down!” Minato chuckled nervously. “You lost me already.” 

Kushina winced at her anxious babbling. “Right, sorry.” She tried to slow down her thoughts and her words, swallowing hard against a lump in her throat. “Ever since I woke up in the hospital a year ago, I’ve been having these weird dreams. “Well,” she amended, “I was , but then–” she shook her head. “Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself again.”

“So you were having weird dreams?” Minato confirmed, getting the conversation back on track.

Kushina nodded gratefully. Minato knew her well enough to know that she would ramble like this when she was particularly nervous about something, and he’d had plenty of practice helping her stay focused. “Yeah. They were all about Naruto. Or rather, from Naruto’s perspective.” She recalled the first visions Kurama had shown her, making her heart feel heavy as she remembered how alone he’d been in those memories. She told Minato about what she saw, not yet mentioning anything about the Kyuubi himself. 

He looked just as upset about thinking about the other reality where Naruto was alone. “That will never happen in this future,” he promised. “It seems like the Kyuubi’s words that night really got to you, huh?” 

Kushina shook her head. “No, I–well, that’s what I thought at first too. But then…” she explained how she started dreaming about other people through Naruto’s eyes, and how she sometimes would see the giant fox slumbering. 

Minato’s brows were furrowed with worry. “Wow, that’s really vivid and specific. No wonder you were having so much trouble sleeping back then.” 

It didn’t seem like Minato was catching on, but Kushina hadn’t figured it out either until Kurama literally spelled it out for her. The truth was kind of unbelievable to think about. “They were really vivid for a reason,” Kushina pressed. 

“What do you mean?” 

Kushina took a steadying breath. “They weren’t dreams.” 

“Ok…?” Minato was looking at her curiously, waiting for the explanation. 

“They were memories,” Kushina continued. 

“Whose memories?” 

“Kurama’s. Through Naruto’s eyes.” 

Minato’s face was scrunched in confusion. “Who’s Kurama?” 

Oh, right. She hadn’t mentioned the bit about the fox yet. “The Kyuubi. That’s his name.” 

That answer only made Minato even more confused. “What? Since when do you know the Kyuubi’s name?” 

Kushina waved a hand. “Ah, sorry, I’m kind of doing this out of order. He told me after we made up following this really bad fight we had, which was technically the second fight–” 

“Wait, wait. When did you fight with the Kyuubi?”

Kushina scratched at the back of her neck again. “Uh, most recently right after Naruto started walking. The Kyuubi sort of…helped him walk better.” 

He frowned at her. “What?” 

She sighed. It really sounded ridiculous when she tried to explain it like this. “Kurama let Naruto use some of his chakra to help him take his first steps.”

“I think I’m lost again. What does this have to do with your dreams?” 

Kushina barely avoided actually facepalming. She grabbed her husband's hands with her own, turning toward him so she was looking into his eyes. “Listen to me. The Kyuubi was showing me visions of the future, the other future. I thought they were just dreams, but I was wrong. They were real events that happened to the other Naruto.” 

“What?” Minato frowned. “How do you know they were real?” 

“The Kyuubi–ah I mean Kurama–he told me,” she explained. 

Minato raised an eyebrow. “And you’re going to trust the Kyuubi now?” 

“I…I’m trying to,” Kushina admitted. “We trusted him enough to seal him in Naruto, and I think he’s being as truthful as he can.” She smiled softly. “I saw them together, Minato. Kurama…he does really care about Naruto.” 

“What are you talking about? You saw them? Where? When?” 

Of course he would have no idea about the mindscape, why would he? “The place where I used to be able to visit the Kyuubi’s cage, I went to Naruto’s version of that. Kurama wasn’t expecting me to be there, so he was playing with Naruto. It was cute.” 

The explanation only seemed to make Minato more confused, and more concerned. “I don’t understand. How were you able to visit the Kyuubi that’s sealed in Naruto?” Carefully, he asked, “Are you sure you weren’t just dreaming? This all sounds impossible.” 

Kushina leveled a glare at her husband. “I’m sure. I thought I was at first, but now I’m positive that it was all real.” 

“If you say so…” Minato rubbed at the back of his neck. 

“You don’t believe me?” Kushina crossed her arms, scowling.

“It’s just a lot to take in, but if you say it was real, then I trust you,” he promised. “It’s the fox that I don’t trust…” 

“I get it.” She really did. Kushina’s first instinct was still to rebel violently against the idea of trusting the Kyuubi. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to trust him completely,” she admitted, “but I trust that he cares for Naruto. I saw it with my own two eyes. So I don’t think Kurama would do anything that might end up hurting him.” 

Minato sighed, still looking uneasy. “You know, I kept thinking I imagined, or at least over-exaggerated how the Kyuubi looked at Naruto the night we made the seal. But you think it was genuine?” 

To her surprise, Kushina nodded without hesitation. “Yes. I really do.” 

He shook his head in disbelief. “I feel like I finally came to terms with the Kyuubi being an ally, and now it’s, I don’t know, Naruto’s friend?” 

“I think he always was,” Kushina commented. 

Minato raised an eyebrow. “This is weird. Hearing you talk about the Kyuubi so familiarly.” 

Kushina shrugged. “I’m trying to play nice.” She bit her lip as she contemplated her next words. “I…I think I almost messed everything up for a while.” 

“How so?” 

“Like I said,” she explained, “We had a fight.” She thought for a moment, scratching at her chin. “Two fights, really. The first one was when I thought I was just dreaming. I kept seeing Kurama in my sleep sometimes too. When I finally realized I was actually visiting the real Kyuubi and not just seeing a dream I sort of…yelled at him?” Kushina winced. 

Her husband blinked at her in surprise. “You…yelled at the Kyuubi?” There was a touch of amusement in his voice. 

“...yes,” Kushina replied sheepishly. “And then I yelled at him again after he lent Naruto his chakra. It was a really bad argument. I said some really nasty stuff.” 

A frown suddenly formed on Minato’s face. “Wait, why didn’t you tell me any of this before?” 

“At first I thought they were just weird stress dreams,” Kushina repeated, “and by the time I realized they were real I just didn’t know how to bring it up.” 

Minato looked hurt. “I wish you would have told me. We could have figured things out together.” 

“I’m sorry.” Kushina looked away, feeling a bit ashamed. 

There was a hand on her face, carefully turning her head back. Minato smiled gently at her. “Hey. Just, no more secrets from now on, ok?” 

Kushina returned the smile. “I can do that.” She swallowed hard. “Uh, so there’s more.” She didn’t wait for Minato to respond before continuing. “Kurama sort of showed me some stuff about the Uchiha clan too.” As succinctly as she could, Kushina explained the contents of her dreams about the Uchiha. She initially hesitated bringing up the role Mikoto’s son played, but ultimately she didn’t leave out any details. 

With every word, Minato’s frown deepened, until his entire face was furrowed with concern. “Wait, is that why you insisted that the Uchiha compound shouldn’t be moved?” His eyes widened. “Kushina! Did I make that recommendation based on something the Kyuubi showed you?” 

“Well, yeah–”

Minato stood up suddenly and started pacing. A common behavior for him when he was thinking about something that stressed him out. “You should have told me! I can’t believe I took advice from the Kyuubi about something so important!” He shook his head repeatedly as he paced. “Oh, this is bad. What if it was lying? What am I saying, of course it was lying!” 

“I worried about that too, but…” she shrugged. Truthfully, Kushina had no proof that Kurama’s visions were real, or that the advice she’d given was right. 

“But, what?” Minato scowled. “I could have just doomed the entire Uchiha clan! If the Sharingan can control the Kyuubi, of course it would try to get rid of them.” He continued pacing. “I can’t take it back now, construction has been going on too long. And it will raise too many questions. How exactly can I explain why I made that recommendation in the first place?” 

Kushina frowned. “Do you have to take it back? I thought things were going better with the clan now?” 

Minato made a frustrated noise. “I thought so too, but now I don’t know what to think. I just can’t believe the Kyuubi would do anything for the Uchiha clan that would help them.” 

“Kurama didn’t do anything for them, I did,” she insisted. “Apparently the other Naruto wanted to stop the clan from being massacred.” 

“So the Kyuubi says,” Minato replied dryly. 

It seemed like they were going around in circles. “So I say,” she countered with a scowl. 

“Because the Kyuubi says,” he retorted. 

Kushina sighed irritably. “Look, I get it. I wasn’t exactly first in line to trust Kurama either. But I’m trying to be more open to that possibility. He hasn’t given us a reason to distrust him so far.” 

“I don’t get it,” Minato admitted. “All of a sudden you’re on a first name basis with the Kyuubi, and you’re trusting it not to lie to you? You should know better than that!” 

Kushina felt her temper rising. “I do know better!” she snapped. “I had the damn thing sealed in me for most of my life, y’know? Don’t you think I’m better equipped than anyone else to figure out if he’s telling the truth?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Minato sighed heavily. “I can’t believe this is an actual conversation that we’re having.” 

If the conversation regarding the Uchiha clan was going this badly, there was absolutely no way she would bring up what Kurama told her about Obito. She still didn’t really know what to think of it anyway. It was better to stick to safer subjects. 

“I get why you’re concerned,” Kushina replied through gritted teeth, “but we have to look at the bigger picture here. Kurama also told me what our next steps should be. He said to call Master Jiraiya back, and then he’d share some information about an organization that’s going to target the jinchuuriki.” She couldn’t help but frown as she spoke of Jiraiya, knowing that in another life he’d completely abandoned his godson. Oh she would have words with him, for sure. 

Minato ran a hand through his hair, his eyes closed in frustration. “Kushina, this is an entire clan we’re talking about! I can’t just leave their fate up to the Kyuubi !” 

“And this is the entire world we’re talking about!” she retorted. “It may have been another future, another life, but our son died to get Kurama here! He died so we could stop the world from ending,” she reminded him.

Minato leaned forward, his head in his hands. “Thinking too much about this gives me a headache. Time travel, the fate of the world. And here I thought the Sandaime had it rough, dealing with the war and all that.” 

Kushina laughed dryly at that. “Yeah, kind of makes everything else seem sort of inconsequential, y’know?” 

Her husband grunted in response. He peeked through his fingers at her. “You and that fox of yours are going to make me go gray.” 

“He’s not my fox!” Kushina grumbled, smacking her husband lightly. “If anything he’s Naruto’s. I think we’ve just reached the point of begrudging tolerance.” 

Minato snorted at that. “Alright.” He let his hands drop back to his lap. “It’s probably time to tell Master Jiraiya anyway, and I would like him to meet Naruto. But,” he gave her a sharp look, “we’re not done with this discussion about the Uchiha clan. I can’t just blindly trust the Kyuubi on this.” 

“Fine,” Kushina relented.  

“No more secrets, right?” He prompted. 

“No more secrets,” Kushina promised, but she knew she’d already broken that. She was withholding the information Kurama told her about the masked man’s supposed identity. It just wasn’t worth starting another fight with the fox, or having Minato disregard the trust she’d fought to establish regarding Kurama’s motives. 

Minato looked for a moment like he wasn’t going to buy it, but then he smiled, that stupid bright smile that made her fall for him in the first place. She felt guilty about not being completely upfront with him, but right now she didn’t think she had another option. Either she would figure out the masked man’s real identity…or she would find out that against all odds, Kurama had been truthful. Even though she didn’t want to think that Kurama had lied to her, the thought of the alternative, of sweet, goofy (and very dead) Obito being the mastermind behind the attack last year, was even worse. 

Another thought hit her. “Oh, one more thing,” Kushina added. “How would you feel about making some adjustments to Naruto’s seal?” 

Minato raised his eyebrows and frowned in concern, but he didn’t say they couldn’t do it.

Chapter Text

“Ugh, and do you want to know what he said next?” 

Kurama gave her a flat look. “No, but I’m sure you will tell me anyway.” 

Kushina ignored the fox’s attitude. “He said, ‘oh I would definitely not abandon your perfect, precious, orphaned son to run around the world and write porn!’”

“I’m sure it was phrased just like that.” Kurama rolled his eyes. 

The fox sat comfortably under a massive tree that cast dappled shadows onto his orange fur. It still amazed Kushina that they’d been able to alter the seal to create such a realistic setting. The sunlight felt real, and warm, and the mountain peaks that lined the backdrop were obscured by clouds. Even the grass seemed to be covered in a light morning dew, even though the time of day never actually changed here. Kurama seemed more content, even if he refused to acknowledge it. 

“Ok, maybe I exaggerated a bit,” Kushina admitted with a shrug, “but he might as well have said it that way!” She frowned as she realized Kurama wasn’t even looking at her, instead staring off toward the mountain range. “Hey! Are you even listening to me?” 

“I’m trying very hard not to,” Kurama replied dryly, “ but unfortunately your voice is very shrill.” 

Kushina scoffed at the fox’s reply. “Naruto,” she turned toward her son, who was busy trying to climb the giant tree, “would you please tell Kurama he is being very rude?” 

The boy grinned and abandoned his climbing efforts, instead clapping his hands gleefully. “Ku-ra rude! Ku-ra rude!” 

Now that Naruto’s vocabulary and understanding were expanding, she was taking the time to teach him a few useful words and phrases. He, of course, already knew how to ask for Ichiraku (want ich-ku!) and complain about being told to eat his vegetables (no ege-bles!). It was difficult to believe that he was almost two ! 

Kurama scoffed at both of them. “Hey, runt. Here’s some new words for you; can you say, ‘fuck off’?” 

To Kushina’s horror, and Kurama’s amusement, Naruto did indeed try to repeat the words. “Uck off! Uck off!” 

Later, when Minato was putting their son to bed and asking for a goodnight kiss, Kushina would have a very hard time explaining why their toddler was cheerfully cursing at him in response. 

“You know,” Kushina huffed in response, “for a centuries old being of unimaginable power and rage, you’re actually incredibly immature.” 

Kurama glowered at her, but the gesture was much less threatening than it used to be. Their relationship had come a long way since Kurama saved Naruto’s life. Their interactions were generally civil, even pleasant most of the time. They still bickered and butted heads, but it was a huge improvement from where they’d started. Kushina no longer questioned Kurama’s motives, and trusted him completely to have Naruto’s best interests at heart. 

That didn’t mean all of her wariness was gone, and she knew Kurama felt the same about her. Still, they’d definitely reached the point of begrudging acceptance, and many nights she found herself in the mindscape almost enjoying the fox’s company. 

“And how did the Toad Sage react to the information you passed to him?” Kurama asked, gently flicking Naruto away as the boy started tugging on one of his tails.

“He took it surprisingly well,” she responded, shaking her head fondly as her son just giggled at the fox’s attempts to shoo him away. 

All things considered, Jiraiya had accepted the truth of Kurama’s journey through time with very few protests. He’d been around long enough, and seen enough of the world, to understand that time travel was not the strangest thing out there. He’d taken the information in stride, and he’d been more concerned about whether they were positive Kurama was being truthful about his intentions, rather than if he was being truthful about the time travel itself. Kushina had been resolute in her insistence that yes, she was placing her trust in the Kyuubi, despite the obvious reluctance from her husband. He told his former master that he trusted Kushina’s instincts, but the way he pursed his lips made it obvious that he was barely convincing himself of that fact. He didn’t trust the Kyuubi, which Kushina could appreciate. What she didn’t appreciate was that he didn’t trust her , despite what he said to Jiraiya. He still seemed convinced that Kurama was tricking her, or that she was missing something in the fox’s intentions. Bah, and they called her the stubborn one!

Minato was still convinced that Kurama was deliberately feeding them false information to weaken the Uchiha clan. Kushina tried to explain that yes, Kurama was not shy about his distaste for the clan, but no he wasn’t really a threat to them at the moment. Her husband didn’t buy it. Kurama’s devotion to Naruto was unyielding, to the point that his protection extended to the most important figures in Naruto’s life. Hence why he’d saved Kakashi, and probably Sasuke and Itachi too, even if she didn’t know if that had been intentional. So as long as Naruto remained fond of Mikoto’s boys, Kushina knew in her gut that Kurama wouldn’t harm the clan. Not after the memories he’d shown her, with how far Naruto had gone for Sasuke. 

So even on the days when she found herself wondering if she was in fact insane for trusting the demon fox, she still trusted that Kurama would never do anything to hurt Naruto. And apparently that included protecting his precious people. Who knew the Kyuubi was such a sentimental creature? 

Kurama sighed in defeat as he failed to dissuade Naruto from yanking on his fur. “And what does he plan to do now?” The fox asked. 

“He went to Amegakure to speak to them in person,” Kushina replied. “He felt that a letter would be too impersonal, and probably ineffective.” 

The fox hummed in response, no longer reacting as Naruto played with his tails. “His logic is sound.” 

Kushina sighed. “I just wish we could have been able to save the third one. That’s what kind of caused them to go off the rails, right?” 

“That is one way to put it,” Kurama grumbled. 

The Kyuubi didn’t share her sentiment, but he at least agreed that it would have saved them a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, the remaining member of their group had apparently been killed before Naruto was born, which meant that it was before Kurama traveled through time. There was nothing they could do to prevent it at this point, but Kurama assured them that the remaining two should be amenable to changing their plans. If Naruto had been able to change their hearts after a decade or two of scheming, hopefully their old master would fare equally as well now that the group was just in its infancy. Particularly since Kurama agreed to let the duo know the truth about “Madara’s” intentions, and an abridged version of how they came upon the information. They weren’t planning on telling any more “disgusting humans” (Kurama’s words) that the Kyuubi was their source, but they weren’t going to lie about the time travel bit. The theory was that Jiraiya would have enough information to convince them he was telling the truth. 

“He’s going to look for Lady Tsunade too,” Kushina added. “I’ve been wondering, why her, anyway?”

Kurama’s expression remained neutral. “She has surprising moments of competence.” 

“Wow,” Kushina replied sarcastically, “high praise from the mighty Kyuubi.” 

The fox scoffed at her. “You asked me who could be trusted to know the truth and her name was the first that popped into my head. It’s not like I remember most of you useless creatures anyway.” 

After nearly two years following Kurama’s time travel adventure, Kushina liked to think she was starting to get better at reading between the lines. For whatever reason, Kurama seemed to have at least some level of respect for the slug Sannin. She wasn’t a bad choice, just a surprising one. And according to Kurama, she had taken the mantle of Hokage following her mentor’s death. It was hard to picture, considering the last time she remembered seeing Lady Tsunade she was drunk off her ass and screaming about how only an idiot would ever want to become Hokage. Apparently the future changed more than just Kurama’s heart. 

“Whatever you say, you mangy old fox,” Kushina finally replied with a shrug. 

Kurma bared his teeth. “I used to eat humans for speaking to me so disrespectfully, Tomato Head.” 

There was a distinctive sensation of a wave of force pressing against Kushina’s consciousness. Kurama was kicking her out of the mindscape. She used to be able to fight him, in her own mind, but here it was more difficult. Not only was their connection more tenuous, their relationship was completely different. As much as Kushina did in fact enjoy pushing the fox’s buttons, she was making a real effort to honor his wishes. That meant leaving his presence when he got tired of her, even if she did want to push back on principle alone. But she didn’t, because Kurama had changed, so she was making an effort to change too. 

Kushina let herself be evicted from the mindscape, blinking back into consciousness and finding herself on the living room floor. Naruto was curled up beside her, snoring softly. She’d forgotten that they’d fallen asleep here, spread out on a soft blanket and playing a game that apparently exhausted both of them enough to take a nap.

Naruto was still asleep, and that wasn’t a surprise at all. Kurama rarely kicked him out. For all of the fox’s complaining, it was obvious he didn’t actually mind the toddler’s attention. He did draw the line at anything related to bodily functions, following a very comical incident with a dirty diaper. Kushina had laughed and reminded the fox that nothing in the mindscape was real, but he’d just snarled something about his “sensitive nose” and complained about how disgusting humans are. 

Kushina stretched contently, smiling softly as she watched her son’s peaceful expression. Sometimes her heart still sped up as she recalled his near kidnapping a few months ago. His expression had been eerily still, rather than peaceful like it was now. Fortunately he didn’t seem to have any residual complications from the incident. 

Really, the only one that did was Kakashi. Both of Mikoto’s boys had recovered perfectly fine, although Itachi had ended up with a pretty nasty concussion. Physically, Kakashi had healed completely. But mentally? He still blamed himself for the entire event. No matter how many times they told him it wasn’t his fault, the teen refused to listen. He seemed determined to shoulder the blame for everything that happened that day.

The second Kakashi was released from the hospital (after Minato had dragged him back twice when he tried to leave too early), Kakashi was more serious about his guard duty than ever. Kushina appreciated how much he cared for their family, but she hated seeing how the guilt was weighing on him. The only upside was that he’d finally relented and moved into their spare room, claiming that it would let him do his job better. She was seriously starting to worry about Minato’s only remaining student. She very much appreciated having someone else who would protect Naruto as fiercely as she herself would, but she knew the way he was doing it wasn’t healthy. Kushina wanted to talk to Minato about him, to perhaps discuss other options for the teen. Afterall, he’d been Naruto’s jounin instructor in the other future. Even if it was laughable to think about Kakashi with a genin team, something obviously changed for him. Maybe it would be worth trying to push him toward that future here and now. Really, anything to get him to stop holding onto every bad thing that ever happened to him.

Case in point, said teen was lazily sprawled out on the couch behind her, casually flipping a dagger in his hand like it wasn’t a deadly instrument. He tossed it above his head, catching it with ease, before noticing Kushina’s gaze on him. His eye crinkled as he announced, “Yo.” 

Kushina rolled her eyes, sitting up and rubbing the last of her tiredness from her eyes. “What, were you just watching us sleep? Creep,” she teased. “Got nothing better to do?” 

Kakashi shrugged in response, sitting up to mirror her. “You know I don’t. Besides,” he reminded her, “you’re the one that wanted me to live here. Can’t a man relax in his own home?” 

Snorting, Kushina shot him a glare. “‘Relax’. Yeah right.” The day she actually found Kakashi relaxing would be more monumental than the Kyuubi traveling through time. 

Kakashi didn’t rise to the bait, humming thoughtfully. “Nice nap?” He shifted around a bit awkwardly. “How is…Kurama?” 

“Kurama is as cranky as ever,” she reported. 

Ever since Kurama saved Kakashi (for Naruto’s sake), the teen had been understandably curious about the fox. He was less wary than Minato and Kushina had been, probably since he didn’t have the same history with the Kyuubi. She wondered if the Kakashi from Kurama’s timeline had been equally as accepting, or if her and Minato’s death had made it too difficult for him to forgive and forget. She tried not to think about it. 

Kakashi was smart enough to not press for details about the future. As much as they were already messing with time, they all knew they needed to be careful. Still, it was hard to not wonder at least a little bit about the time traveling chakra demon, particularly since Kushina let it slip that Kakashi ended up with a genin team. She didn’t say Naruto was part of it, but it wasn’t exactly difficult to put the pieces together. 

“Any new nuggets of wisdom?” Kakashi asked.

“No, just a few new colorful words that I definitely did not want Naruto to learn,” she grumbled. “I wonder how much a nice Kyuubi throw rug would go for?” Kushina mused, making Kakashi chuckle at her empty threat. 

Beside her, Naruto started to stir. His eyes blinked open, looking a little dazed. Kushina felt her heart swell just looking at him. She wondered if she’d ever be able to look at her son without thinking about how fragile the peace in their lives really was. He’d almost grown up without them, and then they’d almost lost him before he was even two years old. 

Kushina leaned over to brush a strand of blond hair from her son’s face, making him grin in response. She wondered if he had any concept that their visits to the Kyuubi were real, and not a dream. Probably not. He probably didn’t even have a concept of what a dream was at this point. To him, falling asleep meant visiting his friend Ku-ra, and nothing else. 

Naruto mumbled something sleepily, in that distinctive toddler voice that was somewhere between gibberish and actual conversation. Half the time he talked too fast to understand what he was saying regardless. In this timeline he might have been given her husband’s last name, but he was still an Uzumaki through and through, and he’d definitely inherited her impressive fast-talk.  

As usual, Naruto’s face lit up when he noticed Kakashi. “Kashi!” He squealed, scrambling over to the couch to turn his excited babbling on the teen. 

Kakashi nodded along, though his expression made it clear he was only catching every other word. It appeared to be some story about Kurama, which was Naruto’s favorite subject. Really, the fox had been his favorite subject since he started talking. It had taken her an embarrassingly long time to realize that Naruto’s first word was in fact the Kyuubi’s name. When she’d realized it she confronted Kurama, who looked far too smug for her liking. Bastard fox. At least “mama” had been his second word, but barely. 

At the time, she’d been so excited thinking that “mama” was his first word, not comprehending that he’d been babbling “Ku-ra” for longer. She wasn’t sure if Minato or Kakashi had even realized it now, and she wasn’t going to tell them. They’d had a little bit of friendly competition going over whose name Naruto would say first, and Kushina wasn’t about to admit that she’d been shown up by the damn Kyuubi. They already laughed at her enough, considering less than 10 seconds after saying “mama” it became clear that Naruto only wanted her attention to ask to see Sasuke. She’d been basking in the glow of her baby’s “first” word, when he’d pointed vaguely in the direction of the Uchiha district and asked, “Sas?” Then he’d asked for him about half a dozen more times. 

After that was “dada” and “Kashi”, then of course, “ramen”. Then it became hard to keep track of all the new words Naruto learned. He was a little chatterbox, and very well attuned to every conversation around him. They had to be careful now about talking about anything potentially classified or sensitive. Kushina swore sometimes that Naruto must have the fox’s hearing, because all of a sudden he’d be repeating half-understood ramblings of topics that he was definitely not supposed to know about. 

From where Naruto was hanging off Kakashi, there was an audible gurgling sound. Naruto put a hand on his stomach and asked, “Din?” 

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, probably about to make a housewife joke (he’d tried it once and learned his lesson), but he wisely thought better of it and kept his mouth shut. It was still a bit of a sore subject for Kushina. She felt a little bit suffocated, being stuck on the sidelines, but she’d been too anxious to go on missions again since Naruto’s attempted abduction. She’d barely just gotten back into the swing of things and now her nerves were shot all over again. Hopefully she could regain some semblance of independence before Naruto started at the academy. She didn’t want him to be the kid whose parents never let him do anything or go anywhere without them. She was supposed to be the cool mom, dammit! 

“There’s some leftovers in the fridge,” Kushina replied, even though the toddler probably didn’t understand all of her words. 

“Ramen?” Naruto asked hopefully. 

Kakashi rolled his eyes. “If there was ever any question that he’s your son, his unhealthy obsession with ramen would clear up any suspicion.” 

Kushina shot him a half-hearted glare. “Very funny.” Her expression softened as she turned toward her son. “No ramen tonight, Naruto.” 

The boy pouted, but as usual, he returned to his usual cheery self quite quickly. Nothing seemed to keep him down for too long. Naruto’s expression brightened even more as their front door opened and a familiar voice called out a greeting. Naruto was already making a beeline for the door, his tiny feet scrambling to keep up with his enthusiasm. 

“Dada!” He launched himself at his father, who barely had time to close the door behind him before a blond bundle of energy was crashing into him. 

Minato caught his son, lifting him into the air and spinning him in a circle. Naruto giggled happily, his bright smile practically lighting up the room. “Hey, kiddo.” His voice was soft and fond, but Kushina didn’t miss the wariness in his tone, or the tension in his shoulders. 

Kushina stood up from her spot on the floor, groaning as she cracked her back. Since when did sleeping on the floor leave her feeling so achy? Naruto clearly had no qualms about it, seeing as how kids his age were basically made of nothing but pudgy, cushioned baby fat. 

“Welcome home,” Kushina offered as she dusted herself off. She frowned as she noticed the bags under her husband’s eyes. He’d left before she was up this morning, which was unlike him. Did she need to worry that he wasn’t sleeping?

Kakashi also waved a hand in greeting. He started to tense as well, reading the apprehension on his sensei’s face. 

To his credit, Minato tried to relax as he held Naruto, who was chattering happily in his ear. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hide his worried expression. 

“What is it?” Kushina asked, wondering the reason for her husband’s sour expression.

Minato sighed, pulling a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. “It’s from Master Jiraiya,” he explained. “He met with his former students, and they’re willing to listen.” 

Kushina frowned. “Ok…? That doesn’t sound like a bad thing.” 

“No,” Minato shook his head. “That’s not the issue. The issue is that they want proof.” 

“Proof?” 

“Yeah. Proof that everything they’ve been told is true,” he clarified. 

Now she understood why Minato looked so concerned. “I’m guessing this involves Kurama, and Naruto by extension?” 

Nodding, Minato responded, “Exactly. They want to meet our ‘informant’. Which means…” 

“Absolutely not,” Kushina insisted. “Kurama showed me what they did in the future. They targeted the jinchuuriki! Naruto had way more training before he took them on, and even then it was a close call. He’s defenseless right now!” 

Naruto hummed happily when he heard the Kyuubi’s name. He chanted giddily, “Ku-ra! Ku-ra!” 

“I agree,” Minato confirmed, smiling softly at his son, despite the seriousness of the conversation. “It’s too risky. I just don’t know what the alternative is.” 

Kushina nodded in agreement. Even if they changed in the future, or even if Jiraiya might be able to change them now, they had no proof. They couldn’t risk letting Naruto and Kurama fall into their clutches. This could easily be a trick. 

“Couldn’t Kurama just give us some information to pass on to them?” Kakashi interjected. “Something that should be impossible for him to know in this timeline?” 

Minato sighed. “We tried that. Apparently they want to hear it directly from the source.” 

“I don’t like it,” Kushina replied. “We don’t have any reason to trust them. They could be trying to find out who our informant is to silence them.” 

“My concerns exactly,” Minato agreed. 

“Well, then I guess we just write back and tell them our concerns,” Kushina sighed. “Hopefully we can come up with an alternative.” 

—------------------------------

As it turned out, it didn’t take long for an alternative to present itself. 

It wasn’t often that she was summoned to the Hokage’s office. Asked, yes, but not summoned. This was something official from the Yondaime, not a request from her husband. She was both curious and nervous. 

Kushina made her way to the tower and up to the office. She was let in with a polite nod from the ANBU stationed in front of the door. Minato was at his desk, frowning at a piece of paper and tapping his fingers in a way that Kushina knew meant he was feeling anxious. She wondered if it was about whatever he had summoned her for, or thanks to his two visitors. 

They were instantly recognizable, of course, and both of them made Kushina want to punch something, though for very different reasons. Thanks in part to how busy she’d been raising Naruto, and also partly due to a big helping of misogyny, Kushina had been fairly absent from most of the official meetings that the Hokage had to deal with since their son’s birth. Politics were never her forte to begin with, but she did her best to be there for her husband. Minato didn’t care about any of the protests from the more old-fashioned officials, citing that Kushina was functionally their last link to Uzushio and the (former) jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi anyway. Still, she knew that her presence wasn’t exactly desired at any of those stuffy meetings, and that many of those old farts hadn’t been sad about her absence. Not that she’d been particularly sad either. Playing political games was not really in her nature, and it had been nice to not see certain faces anyway. 

Still, she knew the role she needed to play. Kushina inclined her head politely. “Lord Third. Lord Danzo.” 

Ever since Kurama had shown her how miserably the Sandaime had failed her son, she’d been actively avoiding him. Not for her sake, but for Minato’s. She was pissed . She wanted to scream, and to tell the old man off, but that would reflect poorly on Minato, and it would open the door for some very uncomfortable questions that Kushina couldn’t answer. Namely, why she was so angry at him. Kurama had been very clear on not wanting to involve the old man in their plans, and she could understand why. 

Minato had remained a little more level headed about his predecessor’s poor choices, and she understood, even if she didn’t agree. She didn’t miss how his facial muscles twitched ever so subtly when the old man was brought up in conversation, but it was probably barely perceptible to people that didn’t know him. He was just as disappointed in the Third Hokage as she was, but he wasn’t in a position to let his distaste be known. Kushina did wonder if he would be able to remain so even-tempered if he saw the visions that Kurama had shared with Kushina. It was one thing to hear about the neglect Naruto had faced, but it was something else completely to see memories of her son, an innocent child, remaining undefended and alone. Even if the Sandaime claimed it was in Naruto’s best interest to keep his parentage a secret, there was no reason for him to be so alone or to not be told that he was at least wanted . The poor boy didn’t even know that he was loved! She would never forgive the Sandaime for that, regardless of which timeline it happened in. If he made those choices once, he could easily do so again. She couldn’t trust him. 

And then there was Lord Danzo. Kushina had never liked him, or trusted him, but now she felt a burning hatred on behalf of her best friend’s clan, who would (hopefully) never experience the worst of cruelty and distrust. There were many gaps in Naruto’s knowledge about Danzo, which meant that there were many gaps in Kurama’s. However, she saw enough to realize how much of a threat he was. Plus, she knew that there were people Naruto would come to care about that were probably already in Danzo’s clutches. The wood-style user, who seemed to be friends with Kakashi, and the boy that eventually joined Naruto’s team. Did Danzo already have them? Had Kakashi met the wood-style user yet? She wanted to help them, but Minato warned her not to go after Danzo without proof. So as much as she hated it, she was biding her time, waiting for any excuse to bring the old creep down. 

“Ah, Kushina, it has been too long,” Hiruzen greeted her with a polite smile. “How is Naruto?” 

Kushina forced a polite smile of her own. “Oh, you know. Growing like a weed, causing trouble.” 

The old man laughed at that. “I believe it. I’ll have to come by and visit some time. I haven’t seen him since he started talking and I hear he’s quite the little chatterbox now!” 

This is why she hated playing politics. Keeping her face neutral was impossible, and she knew she was slipping up. Danzo was narrowing his eyes in suspicion, and even the Sandaime was looking at her curiously. She was trying to smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace. 

“Of course,” Kushina responded through gritted teeth, “you are welcome anytime.” 

Welcome to a swift punch in the gut anytime, maybe. Hm, it was probably treasonous to have violent thoughts about the former Hokage, but thinking about a little retribution for her son’s neglect did brighten her expression a bit so no one had to know. The old man was lucky he technically hadn’t done anything in this timeline to warrant her wrath, otherwise she would have chewed him out ages ago, consequences be damned. 

Maybe someday, if they ended up revealing the truth about Kurama, they could tell the old man how much he’d messed up. Then he could beg for Naruto’s forgiveness. Then, and only then, Kushina could let her grudge go. She had a feeling that Naruto wouldn’t hesitate to forgive him, if he turned out anything like the version of her son that Kurama knew. Oh, she hoped he would. Part of her feared that Kurama’s cruel words during their argument had been right, and that the influence of his parents would prevent him from becoming the heroic young man she’d seen in the fox’s memories. Not that she’d love him any less, of course. 

Minato caught her eye, offering a small but supportive smile. She returned the gesture, feeling herself relax ever so slightly. “You summoned me, Lord Fourth?” 

Rolling his eyes, Minato didn’t respond to the teasing. “Yes. We’re just finishing up here, and then I have something to talk to you about.” 

From the otherside of the Hokage’s desk, Danzo’s eyes narrowed. “I do not believe we have come to an understanding, Lord Hokage .” Unlike Kushina’s teasing, the man’s words carried an undertone of distaste. 

Minato remained calm, a placating smile on his face. “I’ve given you my decision, Lord Danzo. I am not authorizing covert surveillance on my own citizens. What you’re suggesting would be a complete breach of privacy and trust.” 

“The Uchiha–” 

“Have done nothing to warrant your suspicion,” the Yondaime interrupted. “I personally looked into your concerns after the Kyuubi attack and found no evidence that it was orchestrated by anyone other than a rogue criminal. Seeing as how the clan formally renounced this rogue individual and offered their full cooperation with our investigation, I have no reason to distrust them.”

Minato’s face looked worn, like he’d had a similar conversation many times. Kushina didn’t bother to hide her distasteful scowl. “If you still have concerns, Lord Danzo, perhaps you would like me to arrange a meeting between you and Fugaku Uchiha to discuss the matter directly?” The smile returned, but it was dangerously sharp. 

Danzo didn’t outwardly react, although Kushina didn’t miss the way his finger’s twitched in barely concealed rage. “I fear that the biases of those close to you may be clouding your judgment, Lord Hokage.” His eyes flicked over to Kushina as he all but spat the title. 

Oh, she was going to pulverize him. Consequences be damned! If that fucker was going to imply that Minato couldn’t do his job because of her friendship with Mikoto Uchiha she’d shove his cane right up his–

A hand grabbed her arm and squeezed gently. She hadn’t even seen Minato move from his spot behind the desk, but he was the Yellow Flash for a reason, wasn’t he? Their eyes found each other, and Minato shook his head ever so slightly. She knew none of the anger on his face was directed at her, because there was a softness in his eyes that wasn’t present when he was looking at the room’s other occupants just moments before. 

With a huff, Kushina forced herself to relax, but she continued to glare at Danzo. Minato let out a relieved sigh when the tension did not continue to escalate. He was awkwardly leaning over his desk, and only backed up when he seemed sure that Kushina wasn’t going to throw any punches. He did, however, remain standing. 

“Lord Danzo,” Minato fought to keep his voice even, “your many years of service and commitment to the village are appreciated, but you are overstepping. Your input has been acknowledged, and you are dismissed.” 

Ah, he was using his “Hokage voice” now. It was still weird for Kushina to experience, because her husband was generally not one to pull rank, but the effect was always obvious when he did it. Even though Danzo was surely not one to be intimidated by such a thing, he wouldn’t miss the obvious change in demeanor. Minato didn’t lead by intimidation, because he didn’t need to. On the occasions that he did need to be a bit more stern, she’d seen the effect enough on Kakashi to know that most shinobi fell in line without question. Still, everyone in the room knew how much power Danzo actually had, even if their proof was nothing more than suspicious whispers and the word of a reformed chakra demon. This wouldn’t be the end of this altercation, no doubt about it. 

To his credit, the Sandaime at least looked exasperated and apologetic about his former teammate’s behavior. He placed a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “My friend, I believe it is time we place our faith in the younger generation. I, for one, am enjoying my retirement.” 

Danzo’s face was contorted like he’d smelled something foul. Although that was always kind of what his face looked like, Kushina realized. He was, at least, smart enough to know how to pick his battles. He inclined his head respectfully, or rather, he pretended to be respectful. The old creep said nothing else as he turned and hobbled his way out of the room, instantly finding himself flanked by a pair of ANBU. 

The Sandaime sighed, rubbing his temples. “I am sorry, Minato, I had no idea Lord Danzo was planning on picking at old wounds today.” 

“I know,” Minato replied. “I appreciate you coming by, even if the conversation did get a little…derailed.” 

“For what it’s worth,” the former Hokage continued, “you seem to have handled the situation with the Uchiha quite well. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen tensions between the clan and the rest of the village this low. You’ve done a better job than I would have, I’m sure.” 

It took all of Kushina’s willpower to not say something very unkind about how he was absolutely correct in that assumption. Maybe in addition to revealing the truth about what happened to Naruto in the other future, someday, she would also share the fate of the Uchiha clan in that timeline. Really rub salt into the wound. 

Minato nodded respectfully at his predecessor. “Thank you, Lord Third. Your input is always appreciated. If you could look over those documents when you have a chance, I would be grateful.” 

“Of course,” the old man responded. “I have nothing but time now.” He sighed happily. “I was not lying about enjoying my retirement, you know.” 

The statement caused Minato to huff with amusement. “Oh, I believe it. Say hello to your family, would you?” 

“Absolutely.” He offered a genuine smile. “Good day, Minato. Kushina.” 

Kushina mumbled something half-hearted in return, waiting until the old man had left the office to roll her eyes. “Ugh, stuffy old farts.” 

Minato chuckled and shook his head fondly at her, but his face was still tense. “The Sandaime isn’t bad, but I could have done without Lord Danzo’s pestering today,” he groaned. 

“Psh, ‘not bad’”, she mocked. “He’s lucky I don’t let Kurama turn him into a chew toy, for what he did in the other future, y’know?” 

“That hasn’t happened in this reality, though,” he reminded her, “and it won’t.” 

Kushina shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It still happened, which means it could’ve happened again. We are the ones that changed things, us and Kurama. Not him. I don’t trust that he wouldn’t make the same mistakes without us intervening.” 

Minato fell back into his chair heavily, leaning back with a pained groan. “Kushinaaaaa,” he whined, “we can’t go around blaming people for things that happened in the other timeline, not when they’re innocent in this one!” 

“Maybe we can’t, but I absolutely can. And I will,” Kushina retorted. She waved flippantly. “Don’t worry, though. I’m not actually gonna do anything about it. Yet…” 

“Kushina.” 

“I’m kidding!” Well, mostly she was. It wasn’t like she’d do something drastic, but there was no way in hell she’d forget what had happened in the other future. “What did you summon me here for, anyway? Something to do with why the old farts were visiting?” 

“No,” he responded, returning to a more neutral sitting position. “That was a meeting that ran long.” Minato sighed. “I was just going over some logistics with the Sandaime about security and the upcoming Chunin Exams, since this will be the first time Konoha hosts with me as Hokage. Danzo was the one that derailed the whole conversation with his concerns ,” he grumbled. 

“I see you’re finally taking Kurama’s advice to heart,” she pressed. 

Minato gave her a flat look. “No, definitely not. I still don’t trust that old fox to have the Uchiha clan’s best interests in mind.” He shook his head. “I don’t need the Kyuubi to tell me that spying on the entire clan is a bad idea.” 

Kushina winced at the thought. “Yeah, that definitely seems like it would backfire.” No wonder the clan had been so fed up in the other timeline. “So…?” She prompted. 

“So,” Minato responded with an amused huff, “I summoned you because I think I have a solution to our problem.” 

“Our problem?” 

“The one concerning our informant ,” Mintao said carefully. Even if the office should be warded against eavesdroppers, neither of them were foolish enough to trust that the previous visitors couldn’t have changed something. 

“Oh. Oh!” Kushina looked at him curiously. “What is the solution?” 

Looking apologetic, Minato explained, “Well, they agreed to talk to a representative instead. So I thought maybe you could…?” He put on his best “I’m too charming to be mad at” smile. Damn him. 

“Seriously? She groaned. “I’m not a diplomat!” Plus, she was still far too anxious to leave Naruto for an extended period of time. And he knew that better than anyone. 

“I know, I know,” he placated. “But we don’t exactly have a lot of other options, and our mutual friend did seem to think it was important to pursue this course of action.” 

That much was true. Kurama insisted that taking care of the two pseudo-leaders of the Akatsuki was of utmost importance. To be fair, he suggested killing them, but he eventually admitted that they could be swayed, and that would likely be sufficient to change the future. Either way, the fox seemed to hold the opinion that the Akatsuki needed to be taken care of before they could rise to power and start getting ahold of the jinchuuriki. Kushina found herself agreeing with that opinion. 

“So,” she replied bitterly, “when would I have to leave on this super special diplomatic mission?” 

Minato rubbed the back of his head. “Er, the day after tomorrow?” 

“Minato!” 

“Sorry!” 

Kushina groaned, rubbing her hands over her face. “We don’t have any other options, do we?” 

His shoulders sagging, Minato replied, “None that I can come up with that don’t involve a risk that neither of us are willing to take.” He smiled apologetically. “I know how you feel about leaving Naruto again, but I really can’t see another option. But I didn’t say who they would be meeting so I can figure something else out if it’s too much–” 

“No,” Kushina interrupted with a sigh. “It’s not too much. I need to do my part.” She really didn’t want to go, but Minato was right that they were lacking other options. 

“You won’t be going alone,” Minato assured her. “I’m sending Kakashi with you.” 

Kushina nodded. “Have you told him?” 

“Not yet,” he admitted. “I wanted to make sure you were willing to go first.” 

With her hands on her hips, Kushina replied, “I don’t think I have much of a choice.” 

Minato smiled apologetically. “Sorry…” 

“Some fearsome Hokage you are, apologizing to your subordinates,” she teased. 

“Well,” he chuckled, “most of my subordinates aren’t as cute as you.” 

Kushina rolled her eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Lord Fourth. ” 

“Hm, how about diaper duty for a week?” 

“The fact that I will be gone on a mission where I won’t be able to appreciate such a selfless gesture has nothing to do with your offer, right?” she snorted. 

Grinning, Minato responded, “No, of course not!” 

—------------------------------

She and Kakashi had left the village after only a slight delay, which was remarkable considering how reluctant Kushina was to leave Naruto. She kept coming up with excuses as to why she needed to go back into the house to give him another kiss goodbye. Kakashi ended up having to drag her out by her arm. 

Kushina knew she was being overdramatic, but she didn’t particularly care. Her son had almost been kidnapped a few months ago! Her precious baby! It was well within reason for her to be anxious about leaving him. Still, their mission was important, and Minato had been right about there not really being any other options. She just had to remind herself that she was doing this for Naruto. For her baby, and for the brave young man she’d never get to know in another timeline. 

Kakashi didn’t comment on their unnecessarily fast pace after they set out. It wasn’t like they had a particular deadline to meet, so it was obvious that the only reason they were moving so fast was because Kushina wanted to get back as quickly as possible. She had a feeling Kakashi shared her sentiments. Both of them shared similar anxieties about leaving their precious people, even if their experiences weren’t the same. It wasn’t that she thought her husband was an incompetent father or anything, not by any means, she just hated not feeling in control of a situation. Every time she left Naruto, she couldn’t help but think about every possible worst case scenario. She had a feeling Kakashi had similar fears, so it was not surprising at all that he had no complaints about pushing to get their mission done quickly. 

The journey to Ame, at least, was calm, so she had plenty of time to think. The downside of that was all of the extra time she had to think up everything that could go wrong while she was gone. So to keep herself occupied, instead she tried to focus on the task at hand. She wouldn’t deny she was curious about the two people they were meeting. Two people who had been trained by Master Jiraiya, just like Minato. Two people who, in the other timeline, had hunted jinchuuriki. But they were also two people who, according to Kurama’s memories, ultimately wanted peace and were able to see the error of their ways. Naruto liked them, and had been obviously saddened by their deaths. Maybe in this timeline they would get the chance to know each other, once they proved they could be trusted. Kurama said that one of them, the one who called himself Pain, had some Uzumaki blood. With so few of them left, that alone made her want to hope for the best. 

When the two of them reached a small village after a few days of rainy camping, both of them were all too happy to splurge a little on a warm shower and a hot meal. It wasn’t like there were any stipulations that they had to sleep outside! Plus, she was getting older, and the ground was kind of hard on her back. Kakashi was just a teenager, he couldn’t understand such a thing. She told him as much, and took his lazy shrug as acceptance of her woes. 

Fortunately, even though the town was small, there was an inn and tavern that seemed to have plenty of open rooms. It was a little drab, not that either of them particularly cared, and decorated with all manner of dead animal mounts and skins. A hunting town, most likely. The locals didn’t seem too bothered by the presence of shinobi, and many of them had a sort of rugged, outdoorsy look to them. They probably traded with shinobi villages, or maybe they were a common waypoint for shinobi on missions, since there weren’t a lot of towns out this way. 

The tavern was packed full of drunken revelry and hearty laughter. A couple of musicians played an upbeat tune in the corner, surrounded by a few drunk locals that were hooting and clapping along. Kakashi seemed to be eyeing the commotion disdainfully, the damn shut-in that he was. If they hadn’t been so anxious about getting home, she might have tried to push him into talking to people, just to annoy him. 

They were just about to take a seat at the bar when Kushina’s eyes widened as she heard a peal of very familiar, boisterous laughter. She peeked around the people milling about to find the source. Sure enough, she spotted the distinctive mane of light hair and cheeky grin on the other side of the room. There was another familiar-yet-surprising presence next to him, in the form of a very drunk, cackling blonde. Kakashi seemed to spot them at the same time, and he shared a confused glance with Kushina before following her lead and heading directly for the table where two of the Legendary Sannin were making fools of themselves. 

There was a mountain of empty glasses and bottles between Jiraiya and Tsunade, which accounted for their loud laughter and animated gestures. There was a third person that Kushina didn’t recognize sitting beside Tsunade, looking completely exasperated. Kushina couldn’t blame her. The two Sannin were making quite the scene as they reminisced about some old war story.

“And then–” A drunk hiccup from Jiraiya interrupted his story, “–d’you remember when the three of us had to share that tiny tent?” He took another swig of his drink. “I swear I thought–oh!” He blinked owlishly as he spotted Kushina and Kakashi, before his face broke out into a sloppy grin. 

“Well, lookit who’s here!” The Toad Sage raised his glass in greeting. “What brings th’ two of you out this way?” 

“Eh, who’sis?” Tsunade’s eyes were narrowed in thought as she appraised the new arrivals. Her companion gave them both an apologetic smile. 

Jiraiya’s grin widened. “Y’know my student? Minato? This is his–” he waved his hand around as words seemed to escape him, “–his wife Kushina and, ehm, which one are you again?” 

Kakashi remained remarkably neutral. “Kakashi Hatake,” he responded lazily.

Jiraiya snapped a finger as he put the pieces together. “Ah! Yes! Th’ son of th’ White Fang!” 

Kakashi grimaced at that, prompting Kushina to squeeze his arm supportively. She was about to ask what the hell they were doing here, getting drunk in this random tavern, but Jiraiya apparently wasn’t done. He gestured excitedly toward his former teammate, still grinning widely.

“‘Ey, lookit who else I found! Two birds, one stone, eh?” 

Tsunade grumbled something unkind under her breath, before downing the drink in her hand. She belched loudly as she finished the drink, motioning for their server to bring her another. “I was in th’ middle of a winning streak!” she whined. “Was gonna win it big!” 

Her companion made a face that indicated she clearly was not, in fact, about to “win it big”. Tsunade either didn’t notice, or didn’t care about the other woman’s indifference. She was staring past all of them with a look of longing on her face. 

Kushina took the brief pause in conversation as an opportunity to ask her own questions. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be on a mission ?” She said the word carefully, knowing there could be listening ears and wandering eyes anywhere. 

Jiraiya continued to grin at her. “I was!” He took a large swig of his drink. “Now ‘m celebrating!” 

“Celebrating?” Kushina repeated with a confused frown. 

“Yeah!” The Toad Sage replied jovially. “Gotta celebrate our success!” 

She and Kakashi exchanged a quick glance. Neither of them understood what the man was talking about. If he’d been successful, she and Kakashi wouldn’t be here. So what the hell was happening? “What are you celebrating?” she asked. 

Jiraiya stared at her like she was the one not making sense. “What d’ya think?” He gestured vaguely around them. 

Thankfully, Tsunade’s companion realized that the conversation was going in circles and decided to step in. “Master Jiraiya happened upon myself and Lady Tsunade on his return trip from Ame and asked us to accompany him back to Konoha. I was not privy to the full conversation, but the information he shared must have been quite important if it so easily convinced my Mistress to return.” She held out her hand to shake both Kushina’s and Kakashi’s in greeting. “My name is Shizune, by the way.” 

Kushina nodded gratefully. That at least cleared up some things, but it did leave a whole other mess of questions. “Thanks for clarifying.” She turned back to the pair of drunken Sannin. “I’m glad to see you found Lady Tsunade, seeing how our mutual friend specifically named her–” 

The woman in question cut her off with a scoff. “Psh. Mutual friend. Sounds more like a mutual pain in th’ ass.” 

Kakashi hid a snort of laughter behind a cough, and Kushina didn’t bother to hide her amusement. “You have no idea how right you are,” she chuckled. “But that still doesn’t explain why you left Ame, Master Jiraiya.” 

Ugh, this is why she hated playing the diplomat. All she wanted to do was grab both of these drunken idiots by their shoulders and shake some answers out of them. This method was far more tedious, but she didn’t want to cause a scene. There would already be enough attention on the group as it was. Two of the Legendary Sannin, one former jinchuuriki, and a genius prodigy. They had to tread carefully, especially with the two drunkards at risk of spilling details that should very much remain secret. What were these idiots doing getting drunk at a pub, anyway? That seemed like a bad idea all around. 

“It was raining,” Jiraiya replied matter-of-factly. 

“Well, it’s not called the village hidden in the sunny-beach-paradise,” Kushina snapped. “Of course it was raining!” 

“I think she’s mad at you,” Tsunade snorted in amusement. 

Kushina sent the slug Sannin a very impressive glare. “Are you telling me,” she turned back to her husband’s former master, “you abandoned your mission because it was raining?! ” Kakashi had to squeeze her arm to keep her from yelling, or throwing some chairs.

“I didn’t abandon anything!” Jiraiya insisted, suddenly sounding remarkably coherent. “Didn’t you read my letters? I assumed Minato would have shared them with you.” 

Kushina frowned. “What are you talking about?” 

“What are you talking about?” he countered. 

This was certainly answering some questions about why her husband could be so stubborn and irritating sometimes. Kushina had never spent much time with his former master, and certainly never without Minato as a buffer. “I read your letters,” she replied flatly. 

“Then what’s the problem?” He shook his head in confusion. “I thought y’d be happy I resolved everything so fast,” he grunted, returning to his previous slurred speech. 

Kakashi grabbed her arm again to get her attention. His visible eye was wide, and the grip on her arm was tight. She understood his concern. Swallowing hard, Kushina looked back at the Toad Sage, who was now frowning at his drink deep in thought. He said he was celebrating. He said everything was “resolved”, even though that directly contradicted the entire purpose of the mission they were on. Something wasn’t adding up, and it was making her heart race with anxiety. 

“Tell me,” Kushina said quickly, “what was in the last letter you sent?” 

Jiraiya blinked at her in confusion. “Thought you said y’d read it?” 

She grit her teeth, pushing away her frustration as much as she could. “Just give me an abridged version, alright?” 

With a shrug, Jiraiya responded, “I said that my, ehm, friends were recep–recept’ve,” he hiccuped his words, “to our concerns. They said they’d rethink their,” another hiccup, “motivations.” 

“And they believed what you had to say?” Kushina pressed. 

“Well, yeah,” the Toad Sage confirmed. “I had some pretty convincing information. Stuff I shouldn’t know, but I do because,” he winked conspiratorially, “y’know, our mutual friend told me some juicy secrets.”

Kakashi inhaled sharply beside her, and Kushina felt all the blood drain from her face. “And,” she fought to keep her voice level, despite the rising dread, “you believed them? That their intentions are good?” 

“Mhm,” he responded. “I d’nt wanna put it in a letter because, y’know,” he waved a hand vaguely, “secrets ‘n all that. But they made a few, uh, changes to some stuff as a show of good faith.” 

Suddenly, it felt like all of the noise of the room was far away, and her muscles had turned into jelly. For all she knew, Kakashi was the only thing holding her up. Maybe he was. She couldn’t really focus on him, or anything around them. Her mind was whirring to catch up to the information. Jiraiya claimed he’d sent letters telling them he’d been successful in relaying Kurama’s warnings about the future to his former students. He made no mention of them needing further proof, or wanting to meet their “informant”. Except, she’d read the letter Minato had received. It was Jiraiya’s handwriting, and it contained the stupid code system Minato made up. So either Jiraiya was lying, or…

“We need to go back to the village. Now.” 

Kushina didn’t wait for Kakashi’s response, nor did she reply to the confused mumbling from the trio she left behind. Kakashi fell into step beside her, the teen looking a combination of concerned and curious. He hadn’t seen the letters himself, only hearing the contents secondhand, but he was a smart kid. There was no way he wasn’t putting the pieces together. 

As they exited the tavern, they wasted no time heading back toward Konoha at top speed. Kakashi kept pace beside her and asked over the wind, “What do I need to know?” Pragmatic as always, that kid. 

Kushina carefully explained her concerns, giving as much detail as possible about the letters she’d read. The implications of her concerns were frightening, to say the least. If her theory was right, someone had not only intercepted the letters Jiraiya sent without anyone noticing, they managed to perfectly replicate his handwriting and the code that should’ve keyed Minato in that it wasn’t his mentor he was speaking with. Handwriting was like a fingerprint, which made it very difficult to copy perfectly. Even highly skilled shinobi had trouble pulling something like that off, and it was rarely a truly perfect copy. Minato would have noticed any discrepancies in the handwriting, which meant that the letters he received were a perfect copy. And then there was his own code. There were very few people who knew the key well enough to write a coherent letter. So they were dealing with someone who could perfectly copy someone’s unique signature, and apparently had no difficulty deciphering Minato’s personal encryption. This wasn’t even the code he used in his official communications as Hokage, this should only be known by a small handful of people close to him, and it wasn’t easy to decipher. 

When she really thought about it, there was an answer that made sense, but she really didn’t like it. If she assumed that the person who wrote the letters knew the code rather than assuming they’d deciphered it, that pointed to someone who knew Minato well. And when she thought about the ability to perfectly copy something that should be unique to an individual, well…

No, that damn fox was in her head…right? She didn’t have time to think anymore about what all of the pieces coming together might mean. A shudder ran through her whole body as she got the sudden and very distinct feeling that they were no longer alone. 

“So, you’re the ones disrupting my perfectly laid plans.” 

Both Kakashi and Kushina nearly stumbled as they were addressed. How had neither of them noticed someone approaching? It was almost as if the voice had come out of nowhere. They both stopped in their tracks, crouched on a thick tree branch next to each other, ready to strike or run depending on what the situation called for. 

The timbre of the voice was familiar, from dreams of memories that could be better described as nightmares. The swirl of a faceless mask, the flash of a crimson eye, and a ripple of killing intent so strong it almost made her gag. The masked man had indeed appeared before them, seemingly out of thin air. He sat lazily on a branch, legs dangling in front of him as he regarded the two of them like a cat that had a mouse in its claws. 

Kushina felt herself gripping the branch under her hands so hard her knuckles turned white. This was the man that tried to kill them, and had succeeded in another life. He helped slaughter the Uchiha clan and kidnapped the jinchuuriki. He tormented Naruto, and his friends. And he caused the end of the world. 

Kushina still couldn’t believe Kurama’s visions of the man’s identity. Or rather, she didn’t want to believe it. But in that moment, as she faced down the monster that haunted her dreams, she couldn’t help it when the name slipped out. 

“Obito?”

Chapter Text

“Obito?” 

One word was all it took to shatter Kakashi’s reality. He lost any semblance of calm and professionalism immediately, staring ahead with his visible eye wide and unblinking. The only motion he made was to look back at Kushina with an equally shocked expression, but his gaze never lasted long. It was drawn to the masked man like a magnet, drawing him in and not letting him go. 

For the slightest fraction of a second, Kushina watched as the masked man’s own eye widened in surprise through the hole in his mask. His body stiffened, like he was debating fleeing. Then, the tension melted away, and he returned to his previous relaxed posture. He chuckled lowly, his shoulders shaking in time with his laughter. 

“How interesting,” he cooed, watching both of them carefully. “But I’m afraid you’re off the mark. My name,” he growled forcefully, “is Madara Uchiha.” 

Liar , a voice sounding remarkably like Kurama snarled in Kushina’s mind. Any remaining doubts she had about the masked man’s identity were destroyed the moment she saw his reaction. It was so fast that she would have missed it if she blinked at the wrong time, but it was there. If she’d been wrong, he wouldn’t have reacted like that. That had been the reaction of someone who hadn’t expected recognition, and wasn’t remotely prepared for it. That would be just like Obito, wouldn’t it? Not thinking about worst case scenarios before jumping into something way over his head. 

Kushina tried to remain calm, but she knew she was shaking. “Then how about you take off that mask and prove it?” 

The masked man–Obito–tilted his head at her request, glaring at her through his mask. There was none of the warmth that she remembered from the cheerful boy on Minato’s team. He was looking at her like she was a stranger, and an enemy, as if they hadn’t laughed together, and cried together on many occasions. As if she hadn’t welcomed Obito into her home, and embraced him like he was her brother, and he’d responded in kind. 

He’d ripped the Kyuubi from her and held a weapon to her infant son’s throat. 

This was the little boy who stopped to help the elderly cross the street, or retrieve their cats from trees. The shinobi that vehemently refused to ever abandon his comrades, or betray his friends. Kushina bandaged him up after a rough spar with Kakashi. She sat with him all night on the anniversary of his parents’ death, when he couldn’t stop shaking and crying. She held him during a panic attack, when he became convinced that he would never be good enough to make chunin, let alone become Hokage. He had dreams of helping the village, of making his clan acknowledge him through his good deeds, and of protecting the people he loved. 

He’d loosed Kurama on Konoha and forced him to destroy their home. 

Obito was always polite, and helpful. He helped in the kitchen even when Kushina insisted he was a guest and didn’t need to. He’d helped paint their house because Minato had offhandedly mentioned that it needed to be done. He sacrificed his life for his teammate, even though they didn’t get along. 

He’d murdered her and Minato. Even if Kurama had dealt the final blow, in the other timeline, the fox was just the weapon. Obito had been its wielder. 

Kushina felt sick. Kurama had been telling the truth all along, and she’d known it. She just hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it. Silently, Kushina apologized to Kakashi, who was completely still beside her, watching the scene unfold with a mixture of shock, hope, and fear. 

Swallowing hard to force the bile back down her throat Kushina tried again, “So? Are you going to prove it, or not?” 

One of Obito’s fingers twitched at his side, but he kept his voice even. “I have nothing to prove to you. Believe what you’d like, it makes no difference to me.” 

Kushina didn’t have a plan. She wasn’t prepared for this confrontation, or any of the feelings she’d been repressing about Minato’s student. Part of her was absolutely furious, and could only see the masked villain in Kurama’s visions. She recalled every horror she’d seen him inflict on the world, and on her son. How many people had died at this man’s–no, this teenager’s hands? Even in this timeline, his hands were already filthy. And he was just barely growing out of adolescence. Gods, he’d been a child when he’d killed them! Even seeing Naruto’s memories, Kushina couldn’t understand how the idealistic, sensitive boy she’d known had become this monster. 

“You’re lying,” Kushina insisted. “If you didn’t care, then you wouldn’t have reacted.” She smiled sharply. “Tell me I’m wrong, Obito .” This time, she emphasized his name when she said it. 

Kakashi inhaled sharply, his entire expression completely broken and vulnerable in a way she’d never seen before. “You can’t be–” his voice was shaky and airy, like he could barely get the words out. “No, you’re not Obito,” he amended more firmly. “Obito would never hurt people like you have, especially not his comrades.” The volume of Kakashi’s voice rose with his final statement. “Obito is the one that taught me that those who break the rules–” 

Out of the two of them, it was Kakashi’s words that clearly got to Obito. His head whipped around sharply in Kakashi’s direction, killing intent rippling off of him in waves. “ Do not ,” Obito snarled, “speak those words to me, friend killer Kakashi!” 

Kakashi reeled back, nearly stepping off the branch in his shock. Kushina had to reach out and grab his arm to steady him, and then keep him upright. There was no trace of the prodigy, or the seasoned shinobi he was. Kakashi, the war veteran, ANBU operative, youngest jounin the village had ever seen, was gone. In place of his usual collected self was a broken young man whose entire world had just been flipped upside down. He had the same expression as the night he found his father. In fact, it was all too similar to the expression his older counterpart wore in Naruto’s memories when he was confronted with this revelation of their enemy’s identity. Except, this Kakashi did not have his elder’s experiences, and lacked at least a decade of forced aloofness. This Kakashi also had someone who knew the truth, and kept it from him. When he looked at Kushina, the betrayal in his eyes was so deep, she feared she might drown in it. 

Kushina steeled herself, forcing herself to look away from Kakashi’s broken expression. She felt immensely guilty, but she couldn’t focus on his hurt right now. She had to focus on Obito, and getting herself and Kakashi out of there alive. Part of her held out hope that she could change Obito’s mind, as Naruto had, but she couldn’t count on it. He’d killed her before, and he hadn’t even hesitated. He’d killed Minato, and he’d been ready to kill Naruto too. She couldn’t rely on their shared history to protect them. 

“Obito,” Kushina said softly, “I know about your plan, and you have to trust me when I tell you that you’re making a mistake.” 

“You know nothing,” Obito hissed in response. 

“But I do,” Kushina insisted, shaking her head. “I know all about the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and the Akatsuki, and the bijuu. I know about the real Madara Uchiha, and what he’s done to you.” She recalled everything Kurama had shown her, hoping she didn’t miss any of the main points. “It won’t end like you think it will.” 

Obito jumped up from a sitting position, balancing on his feet to become level with Kushina and Kakashi. He seemed to be losing composure, his fists clenching at his side. “Where did you hear about that?!” 

“I can’t tell you that,” Kushina insisted, “at least not now. But if you come back with us–” 

Obito’s laugh interrupted her pleas. His voice cracked, and then it was no longer the deep baritone he’d been using with them. It was still deeper than Kushina remembered, but he’d also aged a few years since she’d last seen him, so that wasn’t a surprise. Despite the new maturity, it sounded much more like him. There was more emotion, more inflection, though it was a tad maniacal as he laughter continued. His whole body seemed to shake with the force of his laughter. 

“Come back with you?” Obito parroted, his voice clearly mocking. “To what, exactly? A clan that treats those that are different as outcasts? A village that sends children off to war? A Hokage that seales a demon in his own child? A friend, ” he spat the word, “that kills another that they’ve sworn to protect?” 

Kakashi flinched at the accusation, crumpling under his former teammate’s glare. He finally seemed to realize that Kushina was still holding his arm, and he pulled sharply away. He didn’t look at Kushina but his body language broadcasted how upset he was. Kushina just hoped she hadn’t destroyed any and all trust between them. 

“I’m so sorry, Obito.” Kakashi seemed to have trouble forcing out Obito’s name, like it was causing him physical pain. “I failed to protect Rin. I let her down. I let both of you down.” His shoulders sagged in shame. “I deserve all of your anger.” 

Kushina tensed, expecting another outburst of emotion from Obito, but he remained still. When he responded, his voice was flat. “No, not quite all of it. I suppose,” he forced false cheer into his voice, “I should thank you for showing me the truth of the world. It is because of you that I finally saw how broken and unredeemable this world is.” He started reaching for his mask. “You are scum, Kakashi. You are trash, but you are useful trash.” Obito removed the mask completely from his face, letting it dangle limply in his hand. 

Kakashi gasped when he saw Obito’s face, and Kushina couldn’t stop herself from doing the same. Even though she’d seen his face in Naruto’s memories, it wasn’t the same as seeing him in the flesh. Compared to Naruto’s memories, this Obito’s appearance was wilder, almost feral looking. His hair was long and unruly, and the division between real and synthetic tissue was much more apparent, like a haphazardly sewn together puppet. And then, there was the empty, dark eye socket that seemed to stare through them more than his Sharingan ever could. 

Obito’s smile was bitter, and his laughter empty as he continued mocking them. “You know,” he added, “that’s not all I learned from you.” He cocked his head, the cruel smile never fading from his lips. “You thought that it was only ghosts listening to you lament your failures at the memorial stone?” 

“You…you were there?” Kakashi suddenly sounded 6 years old again, and it took all of Kushina’s willpower not to turn and pull him into the most intense hug of his life. “Why? Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“What would I say, to scum like you?” 

A deep, sisterly instinct welled up out of nowhere as she watched Kakashi shrink under the force of Obito’s insults. “That’s enough!” She didn’t have anywhere to move, given that they were still perched up on tree branches, but she shifted her body in front of Kakashi as much as possible. “You’re not the only one who has suffered, Obito.” 

“And that’s exactly the problem,” Obito growled, not the least bit impressed or intimidated by Kushina’s rising temper. It was a major change from his genin days, when he would flinch if Kushina so much as looked at him too harshly. “There is too much suffering in this world. If you really know about the Infinite Tsukuyomi, then you know that I can take all of that suffering away.” His expression briefly turned hopeful, making him finally resemble the bright child he used to be. “I can make a world with no hate and no death. No pain, no war, no lonely orphans.” He looked straight at Kakashi as he finished his list. 

Kakashi didn’t know all the details about Obito’s plan, because Kushina hadn’t shared all of them. She was trying to avoid getting Kakashi too involved, for exactly the reason that she was dealing with right now. Some part of her must have always believed that Kurama was telling the truth, because every fiber of her being rebelled against the idea of involving Kakashi in anything having to do with the Akatsuki or their mysterious masked leader. 

“It would just be an illusion, and you know that,” Kushina reasoned. “You’re putting a bandaid on a broken leg and pretending that you’ve fixed it.” 

“No, it’s more than that,” Obito insisted, turning his face up toward the darkening sky contemplatively. “It’s a perfect illusion, one that no one will know is not reality. They can live in peace and happiness forever, and never know what kind of suffering they’ve left behind.”

“It’s still a lie,” Kushina insisted. “And you’re being played. Those creepy plant monsters are just using you.” 

Obito snapped out of his trance, immediately turning his sharp gaze back to Kushina. “How do you know about them? How do you know about any of this?” 

She had to weigh her options. Kushina didn’t dare tell Obito who gave her the information, for fear of him retaliating against Naruto. He may have the Kyuubi as his own personal guard dog, but he was still a toddler. It would be many years before he’d be able to defend himself, or even safely utilize more than a sliver of Kurama’s chakra. Still, she needed to give Obito something to convince him that she was telling the truth. 

“You wrote that fake letter to Minato, didn’t you?” She accused, not waiting for confirmation. “So then you know we have an informant.” Kushina didn’t always think before she spoke, but right now she made sure to go through every word in her head before saying them outloud. Naruto’s life may depend on it. “I can’t tell you who it is, only that they’ve seen a future where your plan succeeds, and the peace you’re longing for does not exist. It’s just chaos, and death. Our informant sought out myself and Minato in order to stop it, to stop the world from ending.” She held eye contact with Obito, hoping to drive home the seriousness of what she was saying. “This plan is going to end the world. It’s hard to explain, but there are other players pulling the strings here and they have very different reasons for doing what they’re doing.” 

Incredulously, Obito responded, “You’re telling me that you’ve seen the future? ” He laughed again, chuckling from deep within his chest. “I’m not the same dumb kid I used to be. If you want to lie to me, you’ll have to do better than that.” 

“It’s not that I’ve seen the future,” Kushina tried to explain, “it’s more–ugh. I don’t know how to explain it.” 

“She’s telling the truth,” Kakashi murmured, so quietly it almost went unheard. “I didn’t believe it at first either, but it’s true. Our informant knows what you’re doing, and how it will end.” His voice was startlingly blank as he backed up Kushina’s claims. “ Please , Obito, listen to us. Just think about what Rin–” 

It was a mistake, bringing up Rin, but Kakashi didn’t realize it until it was too late. Obito’s entire demeanor changed, from amused disbelief, back to a cold, simmering rage. “ Don’t you dare speak of her!” he snarled, his Sharingan whirling threateningly. 

As quickly as the rage had come, it disappeared. Without an obvious trigger, Obito seemed to undergo some kind of transformation. His posture shifted, loosening, and the next time he spoke his voice was higher pitched and sing-song. “I’m doing this for her. And for you .” He giggled , a real, bubbly, giggle like a child. “Silly Bakashi. You won’t have to be scum anymore in my perfect world. You can be happy, you can be free.” 

Kushina nearly got whiplash from the sudden personality change. She recognized the character Obito was playing, from more of Naruto’s memories. It was less polished than in that timeline, likely since the character was newer, but the voice and the mannerisms were close. It seemed like Obito wasn’t quite sure which version of himself to play right now, which was disturbing enough without thinking about how easy it was for him to switch personalities at the drop of a hat. 

When Kushina glanced over at Kakashi, she saw the same blank expression that had featured in most of Naruto’s memories. She saw the Kakashi that lost everything, and put up a wall between himself and the world. She didn’t like seeing that expression there, not when Kakashi had been smiling so much more lately. 

“What happened to you, Obito?” Kakashi did nothing to hide the longing in his voice, even as his expression remained unreadable. “The things you’ve done–” He inhaled shakily. “You attacked Konoha, your home. So many people died and you almost–” Kakashi’s visible eye was red rimmed now. “You almost killed Sensei. You almost killed Kushina. You almost orphaned Naruto. How could you ?” 

Obito maintained his foolish, happy-go-lucky persona, continuing to giggle and smile like nothing was wrong. “They were supposed to dieeee,” he chirped in his sing-song voice. “It wasn’t personal, I promise! But I had a job to do. You understand, don’t you, Bakashi? Sometimes people need to be sacrificed for the greater good.” He hummed theatrically, rocking back and forth on his toes like he couldn’t stand still. “But I have been very curious about how you survived,” he told Kushina. “Everyone knows a jinchuuriki can’t live without their bijuu!” 

Kushina ignored the question. She couldn’t give him an answer without revealing too much. “Doesn’t the fact that we obviously know things that we shouldn’t make you believe us at all?” She was running out of ideas to get Obito to listen. “How else could we possibly know any of this?”

“I asked you a question first,” Obito giggled, waggling a finger disapprovingly. 

The clownish persona Obito was using was quickly making her lose her patience, which she supposed was the point. “I can’t tell you that.” 

Obito pouted, like he used to when he wanted to guilt Kushina into giving up the last of her favorite sweets. “I guess our game is done, then. What a shame, I really wanted to play a little longer.” He fixed his mask back into place, then cracked his neck. With his deepened voice he demanded, “Now, tell me who your informant is!” 

Without warning, Obito was in front of them, striking out at both of their heads. Even dazed and betrayed, Kakashi dodged easily. Kushina did the same, even though she was struggling to deal with her own emotions. Kakashi seemed hesitant to fight back, cautious and bumbling in a way that he normally was not. It was understandable, since he was seeing his teammate’s ghost, and said teammate was trying to kill him. The poor boy was probably experiencing unbelievable emotional whiplash. 

Halfheartedly, Kakashi threw punches at his former teammate. It would have been obvious even to a child that Kakashi wasn’t trying very hard. His attacks were sluggish and he wasn’t even utilizing any of his more powerful techniques. Obito didn’t even need to go intangible to dodge, instead ducking out of the way and looking smug. 

She didn’t want to fight. Kakashi obviously didn’t want to fight. Naruto had swayed Obito to his side, even after more than a decade of scheming. She and Kakashi should be able to do it with more history and less time between them. There had to be a way. She wouldn’t do anything to risk putting Naruto in danger, but she didn’t want to have to choose between her son and her husband’s student. Minato loved his students like family as it was, and both Rin and Obito’s deaths (or supposed death in the latter’s case) had already hit him hard. And if it came down to it, she knew that Minato would have to choose his family, and his village. But he didn’t have Kurama’s knowledge. He didn’t know that Obito could be swayed. This could be her only chance to save him. 

“Stop!” Kushina begged, trying to get through to the two stubborn teens. “Let’s just talk about this, ok? There’s no reason to fight!” 

Kakashi leapt sideways, narrowly avoiding Obito’s grasp. He landed a bit awkwardly as he continued to hesitate. He looked toward Kushina hopefully, but there was a hardness to his expression that Kushina didn’t like. 

Obito was unimpressed. “It’s too late for talking,” he sneered. 

“Too late? We haven’t even–ugh!” It was so hard to keep her cool with Obito playing up the “I’m a bad guy” persona. “Let’s have a conversation like adults, yeah?”

“Obito’s never managed to act like an adult before, I doubt he’ll start now,” Kakashi said dryly.  

It was probably supposed to be a teasing jab, maybe even an old habit from their Team 7 days that Kakashi didn’t even think twice about. But it was an idiotic thing to say in the moment, particularly from someone who was supposed to be a genius. Kushina shot Kakashi an incredulous look. Obito was never the most level-headed kid to begin with, and now he was more than halfway to full on supervillain. Really a bad idea to antagonize him. 

In response, Obito snarled something very rude, then disappeared into his personal void. He reappeared behind Kakashi and tried to get him in a stranglehold. Kakashi threw him off, but took an elbow to the face in the process. Kushina winced at the sound of bone-on-bone impact. Kakashi was lucky he didn’t lose a tooth, but he did have to readjust his face mask a little. 

Even with his face covered by his mask, Kushina knew Obito was smirking. It was evident in his stance, and in the smugness in his voice. “I’m not the same weakling I used to be.” 

Kakashi didn’t look afraid, or concerned at all. Mostly, he just looked sad. “You were never weak, Obito. I’m sorry I made you feel otherwise. I wasn’t–I wasn’t a good teammate, or a good friend. I wasn’t even a good person,” he admitted. “But you taught me how wrong I was, about everything. You were–are my hero.” 

There were a few moments of silence, and Kushina hoped that Kakashi’s words might have made an impact. Kakashi wasn’t one to bear his heart like this, and Obito would know that too. He was obviously distressed by the situation, and genuinely concerned about his friend. Obito had to see that. He still had to care, right? He wouldn’t have given Kakashi his eye if he never cared for him, and in the future, he wouldn’t have turned to Naruto’s side. 

After a prolonged bout of silence, Obito answered in a flat voice, “Heroes don’t exist. And if they did, I wouldn’t be one of them.” He paused again, regarding them with an unreadable expression behind his mask. His head tilted ever so slightly in contemplation. “Looks like our reunion is getting cut short,” he commented, before dramatically stepping backwards off the tree branch and into the swirl of his own dimension. As Obito’s body disappeared, his mocking words carried through the otherwise silent forest. “Give my regards to Sensei, Kakashi.” 

They were left staring at an empty branch, with not even a trace of their opponent remaining. It was like he’d never been there at all. Neither of them let their guard down, even as their surprise backup arrived. With Obito’s abilities, it was a bad idea to assume he was actually gone. It seemed like he could pretty much appear anywhere he wanted. What an absolute pain in the ass of an ability. 

“Dammit, we missed the fight. I told you we didn’t have time for you to stop and oggle that server!” 

A massive toad crashed through the trees, shaking the earth on each impact with the ground. The force of it, combined with their dual shock from the previous confrontation, was almost enough to knock both herself and Kakashi off their perch. Giant toad summon or not, their allies had not made an effort to hide their approach, so their arrival wasn’t a surprise per say . What was surprising was the amount of coherent speech from the pair of previously shit-faced Sannin. 

“Oh don’t be like that, didn’t you see how gorgeous she was? And she had such a nice pair of–” 

There was the unmistakable sound of a fist slamming into flesh, followed by a pained grunt. The giant toad winced in sympathy as Jiraiya groaned and rubbed at his now undoubtedly bruised cheek. His former teammate was glaring at him, her fist still raised in an obvious threat. 

“I was going to say eyes !” he insisted with an indignant grumble. 

“Bullshit,” Tsunade snarled in response. 

Both of them, along with Tsunade’s acquaintance–ward–friend–whoever she was (Shizune, right?), were perched on the head of one of Jiraiya’s toads. Kushina couldn’t say she knew this particular one’s name, but undoubtedly her husband would have. The giant summon was unphased by the argument, probably well-acquainted with the relationship between the two humans it was lugging around. 

Despite her many questions, Kushina’s main concern at that moment was Kakashi. His shock and disbelief had melted away, leaving behind a forlorn expression. Everything about his body language screamed defeat as he didn’t bother keeping his usual aloof front in place. He slumped forward, likely only remaining upright on the tree branch thanks to pure instinct. 

Kushina was normally the last person to run from confrontation, but right now she desperately wanted to. Kakashi might be the one with access to the Sharingan, but even without the famed doujutsu Kushina knew the image of the teen’s betrayed expression would play on repeat in her mind forever in perfect detail. Kakashi didn’t trust easily to begin with, and he would never forget such a thorough betrayal of said trust. She wasn’t even sure if he would forgive it either. 

“Kakashi–” The words died in her throat. What should she even say? Kakashi barely acknowledged her, but he did slip his blank, expressionless mask into place. It was the one he hadn’t worn in front of her since Naruto was born. “Kakashi, I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything to you. I didn’t know how to–I didn’t think–ugh.” She grimaced at her own rambling. “I didn’t want you involved in this. Once Kurama told me the truth about–well when I finally started kind of believing him, I mean–although I guess I didn’t really completely believe him until now, even though I think part of me just knew–” 

“It’s fine.” Kakashi interrupted flatly. He refused to look at her. 

Kushina frowned at the quick dismissal. “It’s not. I don’t know if keeping the truth from you was the right thing to do, but I swear I only did it to protect you. I just–” she sighed warily. “I didn’t believe Kurama at first. I think at some point I started to accept that it was the truth, so I couldn’t risk you getting involved. I didn’t want you to have to face Obito like this. It’s not fair to you.” 

Kakashi remained completely still, and continued to stare straight ahead. “How long have you known?” 

The question made Kushina flinch. “Well, technically I just confirmed it at the same time you did. I didn’t have any proof, other than Kurama’s word, which I think you can understand why I didn’t take it at face value. Especially at first, y’know? I mean Kurama is–” she cut herself off, not wanting to say more about their informant’s identity outloud. Someone could be listening in, especially if that someone had the ability to move through dimensions. Kushina didn’t know how far that ability extended. She settled for shrugging and saying, “Well, you know how Kurama is. Or was, I guess. We actually had a huge argument about it–” 

“How long?” Kakashi repeated, sharper this time. 

Quietly, Kushina replied, “Kurama told me shortly before Naruto’s first birthday.” 

Kakashi inhaled sharply. “I see.” He didn’t say anything else. 

“Listen, Kakashi–” 

Worse than the blank expression, was the obviously fake cheer that Kakashi adopted instead. His only visible eye was closed as if in laughter, but the rest of his body radiated tension. Behind his mask, Kushina wondered if he was even bothering to pretend to smile. The expression made him look older. It made him look like the lost, lonely man from Kurama’s memories. She hated it. 

“Really, it’s fine,” he lied. “I think we have more pressing concerns,” Kakashi deflected, completely turning away from Kushina again. “It’s probably too late, but I should have my pack to make sure that Obi–that he is really gone.” Without waiting for confirmation, Kakashi summoned his ninken, and joined them in an obviously futile search of their surroundings. 

Kushina let him go. She wasn’t good at letting things lie, but right now she knew that Kakashi needed space. She wouldn’t let him pull away completely, if he tried. Her hope was that he wouldn't completely distance himself from them, if only for Naruto’s sake. It was no secret that Kakashi had become attached, even if he still sometimes bumbled his pseudo-older brother duties. He loved Naruto, and she liked to think that Kakashi loved her and Minato too. She and Minato certainly loved him . 

Speaking of her darling husband, she had absolutely no idea what to say to him about this whole mess. She wouldn’t– couldn’t ask Kakashi to keep this a secret. That would be cruel. Not only would she be asking Kakashi to lie to his Hokage, she’d also be asking him to lie to the person he respected most in the world. She wouldn’t do that to him. 

Kushina jumped down from the branch and onto the forest floor, just as Jiraiya dismissed his massive summon. The three newcomers joined her, not missing the tension between Kushina and Kakashi. She eyed them curiously. 

“Guess you weren’t actually that drunk,” She commented. 

“Well, I’m not,” Jiraiya confirmed. “ Someone did have twice as many drinks as we agreed were needed to make it look convincing.” 

Tsunade glared daggers at her companion. “I’m perfectly fine! You’re just jealous because I can hold my liquor better than you.” Despite the proclamation, she did sway slightly on her feet. Still, she was significantly more coherent than she’d appeared when they’d left her at the inn. 

The Toad Sage ignored his companion’s bickering. “Sorry ‘bout the deception. We realized we were being followed so we thought maybe we could trick them into revealing themselves if they thought we were inebriated.” He frowned. “We weren’t expecting that masked fellow to target you .” The statement was a tad accusatory. Jiraiya seemed to know that he’d missed a very important, and revealing interaction. 

“It’s kind of a long story,” Kushina deflected. There was no point in keeping the information from them, but she didn’t really want to talk about it anymore. She didn’t want to admit to someone else that she’d been keeping the information to herself for such a long time. 

Jiraiya didn’t miss the obvious avoidance. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing we have a long walk back to Konoha, right?” 

—------------------------------

“Are we all in agreement on what we must do?” 

The other bijuu nodded with varying levels of enthusiasm. As expected, Shukaku was the most outwardly opposed to the idea of cooperating with their jinchuuriki. Normally, Kurama would understand, but these were extenuating circumstances. He also knew that Shukaku would come to have at least some level of respect for his host, or at least tolerance to the point of not wanting to outright murder him. He’d shared his memories with his siblings, so Shukaku would know too. He would have seen how he cooperated with his former captor, and how all of them needed to work together to avoid a much worse fate. Still, the tanuki was stubborn, even more than the rest of them. 

“Bah, I hate the idea of cooperating with these disgusting humans!” Shukaku grumbled for the umpteenth time. “We should just kill all of them instead. No humans, no way to combine us back into the Juubi.” 

Per usual, Matatabi was the logical one. “We don’t know that for sure, Shukaku. The Moon Goddess is beyond our own power and comprehension. If even father failed to stop her, we cannot assume that she would not have other ways of implementing her plan.” Her two tails swished. “Besides, if we had a way to break out of our containment, we would have done it long before now.” 

The other bijuu murmured in agreement. Chomei added, “From what Kurama has shown us, it would also appear that not all of us have adversarial relationships with our jinchuuriki. I have to admit, I’m interested in meeting this next host of mine, knowing that I was apparently willing to share my power.” 

“Agreed,” Gyuki added. “Though I am still getting to know my newest host, I won’t deny there’s something…interesting about him. If we are truly to be so closely bonded in the future, I do not wish him any harm.” 

“You’ve all become soft!” Shukaku snarled. “Next you’ll be letting the humans put a leash on you like a pet !” He spat the last word in obvious disgust. 

Matatabi bared her teeth at their youngest sibling, her ears pinned back in irritation. “You know none of us would allow ourselves to be treated in such a way. Just because we don’t enjoy torturing our hosts does not mean we are willing to let them use us.” She did not hide her distaste of Shukaku’s rampages. 

All of them would defend themselves, and most of them would gladly take revenge on their captors if given the chance. They would not hesitate to kill humans, or destroy their civilizations, but most of them did not enjoy it. Kurama had, when he’d been lost to vengeance and anger before Naruto’s friendship, and Shukaku still took far too much enjoyment from his bloodlust. The rest of them were far more passive, or pragmatic. Despite what the humans thought of them, they mostly just wanted to be left alone. 

Shukaku was crossing a line, in many of their eyes. With his new perspective on life, Kurama could agree that his actions were distasteful. The boy from Suna, the one that would become the Kazekage, was as innocent as Naruto. The burden of containing a bijuu had been forced upon him. The whole of humanity may be vile and corrupt, but the bijuu were supposed to be better. They were not supposed to show unnecessary cruelty toward a creature that could not fight back, and who had no more say in their situation than the bijuu themselves. Kurama had forgotten this, for most of Naruto’s life, but he’d been shown a better way. Shukaku still needed some convincing. 

“Just because the rest of you are willing to let yourselves be controlled doesn’t mean I am!” The tanuki growled. “I refuse to roll over for these insects !” 

Chomei’s wings buzzed, taking offense to the statement. “Don’t say ‘insect’ like it is a dirty word.” 

“Oh buzz off, bug-breath!” Shukaku slammed his tail on the ground. “We all know you’re always the first to let the human scum use you!”

The other bijuu were getting restless now, getting anxious over the argument. Isobu tried to play the peacekeeper, but Shukaku just kept talking over him. That led to Matatabi telling the tanuki off, with Son Goku trying to interject with his booming voice. The rest of them were just throwing their two-cents in, creating a cacophony of angry voices that were quickly driving Kurama mad.

Kurama was the oldest, and the strongest of all the bijuu. He had to take control of the situation. “ENOUGH!” he roared, unfurling all nine of his tails. The other bijuu went silent, either from surprise or indignation. “Fighting amongst ourselves is pointless. It will just make it easier for our enemy to pick us off.” He forced his hackles to lay flat. “And if you could use your tiny, flea-bitten brain to pay attention for more than two seconds, you would see that some of these humans are different. Some of them can learn to work with us.” 

There were a few tense moments of silence. Shukaku was still fuming, the argument clearly not settled. The rest of them looked about two seconds away from jumping back into another argument. They were all posturing, and flaring their chakra as a show of force. In the end, it was Isobu who was the first to break the silence. 

Isobu chuckled lowly. “I think we’re all ignoring one very important detail.” All the bijuu turned to look at him curiously. “ Kurama is advocating for working with humans. I never thought I’d see that day.” He shook his massive head in disbelief. “That jinchuuriki of yours sure must be something special. I, for one, am willing to place my trust in a human that managed to make such an impact on our most cynical and stubborn sibling.” 

The other bijuu, minus Shukaku, all nodded eagerly. Kurama huffed at the backhanded compliment, but didn’t stop glaring at Shukaku. The tanuki was meeting his glare without hesitation. 

“I still can’t believe you are defending humans, Kurama.” Shukaku grumbled. 

Kurama could agree with the statement. “Neither can I. But,” he continued, “I know that my trust in Naruto is not misplaced. I will swear it to you, on our father’s name.” 

Shukaku’s expression didn’t change, but that was typical for him. Kurama would never say it outloud (unless he was feeling particularly pissed off at the tanuki), but Shukaku’s face seemed to be permanently frozen in an expression reminiscent of Naruto’s dirty diaper pout. Eventually, though, his posture did seem to relax. 

“Fine.” Shukaku didn’t say anything else, but it was as much of an agreement as they were likely to get from him. 

“I will leave it to you to find the best way to warn your jinchuuriki, but do not forget that the subject of time travel is off limits,” Kurama reminded them. “I cannot risk making Naruto a target. Human babies are useless, defenseless creatures and he is too weak to handle enough of my chakra to protect himself.” 

“How sweet of you, caring so much about your little human,” Kokuo cooed, not unkindly. 

Still, it made Kurama bristle, and snarl. “Watch it, or you’ll find yourself with even less tails than you already have.” 

His siblings chuckled at his indignation. Kurama tried to pretend he wasn’t embarrassed, keeping his head held high. At least they were all on board. He knew most of them would be, once he shared his memories, but he’d expected the pushback from Shukaku. Really, he’d expected more resistance than he’d received. Shukaku had been the only one really opposed to cooperating with the jinchuuriki, once Kurama showed them their fates. He would have understood their hesitancy, as he’d had a healthy dose of it himself for most of Naruto’s life. It was fortunate that they were so willing to adjust their own plans and ideals. To be fair, none of them wanted the world to end, and Kurama had first-hand knowledge on what was going to happen in the future. It made sense for them to follow his lead. 

“We will place our faith in your Naruto as well,” Matatabi said for all of them. “If he holds your trust, he holds ours too.” 

Kurama was pleased with the statement. He barely managed to avoid bragging about how his jinchuuriki was the strongest of all of them. It wasn’t any of their jinchuuriki that saved the world, after all; it was his. Kurama couldn’t help the swell of pride he felt. 

Matatabi gave him a knowing look, but didn’t comment on how Kurama had his chest puffed out. “Maybe next time,” she added, “it won’t take two years to contact us.” 

“Human years are nothing to us,” Kurama reminded her, bristling. It was difficult to gauge how much time was actually passing, and what it meant in the context of their own long lifetimes. “Besides, Shukaku was the one that kept pushing back against meeting up.”  

Shukaku snarled a few insults in response, before removing himself from their shared meeting space. The rest of the bijuu followed him shortly after, though much less dramatically. Matatabi was the last to go. 

“You seem happy, Kurama. Happier than I’ve seen you in a very long time.” 

Kurama wouldn’t say he was close with any of his siblings, but he found Matatabi to be the least obnoxious. She was perceptive, and managed to get along with all of them without being willing to take their bullshit. 

The fox grunted in response but he didn’t deny it. Matatabi swished her tails one last time, then disappeared. Kurama did the same, and found himself back in his and Naruto’s shared mindscape. Of course, he’d never really left, but that didn’t actually bother him as much as it would have used to. The seal felt much less like a prison, now that he had the illusion of a wide open space. He could never forget where he was or why, but it was a significant improvement from the wet sewer he’d been stuck in before. 

Kurama stretched out his senses, letting them seep into his host’s. He would have been able to feel if Naruto was particularly distressed, so he knew nothing of interest had happened. Still, he made it a habit to check on the boy every so often, even when he knew the child’s life was particularly tedious. When he’d left Naruto, he was having a “playdate” with the Uchiha brats. Kurama still didn’t quite understand the significance, particularly since Kushina explained that the practice had nothing to do with combat training, like Kurama had thought. Humans were very strange creatures. 

As expected, he really hadn’t missed much. Naruto was toddling around, babbling and gesturing wildly at the younger Uchiha brat, who only offered the occasional grunt or gurgle in response. Apparently the boy was just as poor of a conversationalist as an infant as he was as an adult. 

The older Uchiha brat was mostly keeping their attention with something shiny, but occasionally Naruto had to be herded away from trying to grab things that he shouldn’t. Humans had a strange fascination with collecting useless, fragile artifacts and putting them on display. Naruto had been scolded enough times that Kurama knew he wasn’t supposed to play with them, but Naruto was a stubborn brat and refused to learn his lesson. It didn’t help that Kurama sometimes whispered words of encouragement at Naruto’s curiosity. It was petty, and a bit pathetic, but Kurama had resigned himself to not decimating the Uchiha clan, so all he could do was take pleasure in the minor inconveniences he could cause them. Thank the Sage his siblings could not see how pathetic he’d become. 

There was a sudden bustle of activity from the home’s entryway. Both toddlers stared curiously in the direction of the commotion, and Naruto was already waddling across the room. 

“Oh! You’re back much sooner than expected.” Mikoto’s voice echoed in the other room. 

“Yeah, something came up,” came the flat reply. 

Kurama’s ears perked curiously. He also hadn’t been expecting the Uzumaki woman back so soon. He’d heard her whining enough to know she was expecting to be gone for at least twice as long. Whether or not her sudden return was a cause for concern or celebration, he wasn’t sure yet. 

Naruto obviously recognized his mother’s voice, and had become very excited. The older Uchiha brat had to help him over a small step so his useless little stub legs could toddle up to her. Per usual, he was babbling half-coherent nonsense, but the shrill cry of, “Mama!” was obvious even to Kurama. 

Kushina’s entire face lit up as she held her arms out for her brat. “Oh, there’s my wonderful, sweet, precious, perfect baby boy!” She scooped up the giggling toddler and kissed every inch of visible skin on his face. In response Naruto shrieked happily, at a pitch Kurama was surprised the humans could hear at all. 

“Everything ok?” Mikoto asked. Kurama couldn’t see her face, since Naruto wasn’t looking at her, but even the fox could tell she was concerned. 

“No,” Kushina replied immediately. “But I can’t talk about it. Not now. Or ever, maybe, I don’t know, but definitely not now.” 

“If there’s anything you need, let me know,” Mikoto offered. “I’m here for you.” 

Despite the obvious wariness, Kushina’s responding smile was genuine. It mirrored her son’s, though hers had a touch of exhaustion. “Thank you. I really appreciate it. And I appreciate you keeping an eye on Naruto, too.” 

“It’s no trouble,” Mikoto assured her. “Well, I mean, he’s your son so sometimes he’s a little bit of trouble,” she chuckled. “But my boys adore him, you know. He’s always welcome here, just like his mom.” 

The two women embraced warmly, and exchanged pleasant goodbyes. Naruto was told to say goodbye to the Uchiha brats, which he didn’t want to do. When he was put down to say goodbye, he fussed, clinging onto the sleeve of the younger of the two brats and chanting, “no bye!” Eventually, the older brat bribed him with a stuffed creature of some sort, convincing him to let go. Kurama couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be, maybe a dog, but it caught Naruto’s attention long enough for his mother to scoop him back up and leave. 

Kurama felt himself relax when they were no longer within the confines of the Uchiha district. No matter how much time his host spent there, he just couldn’t make himself feel as comfortable as Naruto was in the presence of so many Sharingan users. Even if he was going to keep them from destroying themselves, for Naruto’s sake, he would never like them. He would always distrust them for their ability to control him, but also for their role in the world’s downfall. Naruto might be ready to embrace the whole damn clan, but Kurama wouldn’t forget how it was the Sharingan users that doomed the world in the first place. Without that damn Madara Uchiha, Kaguya would have never been resurrected. Same could be said for Obito. And it would take Kurama a very long time to lose his desire to bite off Sasuke’s head for all the misery he put Naruto through in their other life. That boy had his own role to play in the disaster that ultimately took his and everyone else’s lives too.

Kushina was walking slowly, holding a wiggling Naruto close to her chest. Her fingers were tense as she held her son, and Kurama could see her wearing a stormy expression through his host’s eyes. Something had happened while she was gone. She’d slipped into the mindscape before leaving to tell him what was going on, but they obviously haven't spoken since.  Perhaps the duo from Ame could not be swayed. Kurama didn’t really care either way, as long as they were dealt with. Kill them, or change their minds, it was all the same to him. 

“I’m tempted to just take you and leave to avoid this conversation,” she murmured to her son. “It’s not going to be pleasant.” 

Of course Naruto didn’t really understand what she was saying. He just babbled happily in response. 

This time, when Kushina spoke, Kurama knew she was talking to him. “Just a heads up, things are going to be a bit tense at home,” she whispered. Hesitating, she added, “Also, I’m sorry. Again. For not listening, or believing–” 

“Mama?” Naruto chirped innocently. He was distressed by his mother’s tone and tenseness.  

Kushina softened, and kissed her son on the top of his head. She didn’t say anything else, to Naruto or Kurama. She couldn’t risk saying anything that could be overheard by someone else, or repeated by Naruto. Kurama wasn’t quite sure what the Uzumaki woman was talking about, but he would know soon enough. Undoubtedly, she would also come to pester him in the mindscape later too. 

When they reached the humans’ dwelling, Kushina tensed with every step forward. She hesitated outside the door, looking nervous in a way that his previous host rarely showed. Ultimately, Naruto’s whining prompted her to finally open the door and step inside. She did not call out a greeting, but Naruto squealed in delight when he noticed all of the room’s occupants. 

She placed the toddler on the ground, so he could go and waddle up to each person. The boy’s father greeted him warmly, and the Toad Sage offered a little plastic frog for him to play with. He had to take it away a few moments later, when Naruto kept trying to put it in his mouth. From the otherside of the room, Kakashi was watching the interaction with a dazed expression, not saying a word.

Kurama was pleasantly surprised to note that the Slug Princess was amongst the group. Apparently the runt’s parents had finally done something right. For all that they’d whined about wanting to tell other humans about Kurama, they’d really done a shit job informing the ones Kurama agreed to. 

Naruto greeted her as well, as if they were old friends. He grabbed at the Sannin’s hands and babbled happily, while she just pursed her lips and looked incredibly uncomfortable. “I don’t like babies,” she grunted, but allowed Naruto to keep holding her hands. 

Eventually, Naruto made his rounds. He ended up yelling, “Kashi!” and demanding to be picked up by the teenager. Kakashi relented, but he seemed to be moving sluggishly. Kurama could see the dark shadow under his visible eye, and how his posture was more slouched than usual. Naruto noticed too, though Kurama wasn’t sure if it was some kind of rudimentary emotional sensory technique, or just the boy’s natural empathy. 

“Alright,” the Toad Sage sighed, “let’s talk. You got privacy seals up?” 

Minato looked at his mentor incredulously, as if to say, “who do you think I am?” Kurama knew for a fact that the house was well protected from wandering ears and eyes. One good thing about the runt’s parents was their affinity for seals, and all the usefulness that entailed. Though, in the past that had been the cause of his misery. It was strange to think about how things had changed.

Jiraiya laughed, and grinned at his student. “Sorry, sorry. Old habits die hard, I guess. It’s still easy to see you as that scruffy little kid that blew himself up twice a week trying to create a new seal.” 

“It wasn’t that often,” Minato grumbled in response, but he didn’t continue the banter. The tension in the room was obvious, and they all knew it wasn’t the time for playful reminiscing. He glanced toward his wife, nodding at her to encourage her to speak. 

Kushina looked like she might be ill, but she was nothing if not stubbornly resilient, so she didn’t avert her gaze from anyone in the room. “I need to tell you all something,” she announced. “I’ve been lying to you–er, I mean, not outwardly , I guess, but I’ve been omitting a few really important things–”

Minato was beside her in a second, putting a hand on her arm. He smiled reassuringly, trying to stop her nervous rambling before she got too off topic. She tried to return the smile, but even Kurama could see how fake it was. The gesture made Minato’s own smile falter, realizing how serious the conversation must be. 

Kushina Uzumaki didn’t fidget–Kurama knew this. He’d been imprisoned within her for years, and he’d never seen her quite so bumbling or hesitant. Even when she was wrong, she was loud about it. Her partnership with the Namikaze boy had somewhat cooled her temper over the years, but Kurama had been witness to many of her fits of passion. Even when she’d swallowed her pride and apologized to him, the fox could still detect the underlying sharpness and emotion in her words. Kushina Uzumaki was not a hesitant woman, but right now she could have fooled Kurama. 

From within the seal, Kurama watched the exchange curiously through his host’s eyes. He laid his head on his paws, grateful that Naruto’s gaze was currently focused on his mother, despite still being in Kakashi’s arms. Even the runt could tell something was wrong. He supposed that it was only for Kurama’s benefit that the boy was allowed to remain; the Uzumaki woman wanted him to be privy to the conversation. 

Kushina swallowed hard, before continuing, “I know the identity of the masked man–the one that is really leading the Akatsuki. Kakashi and I fought him, he can confirm what I’m saying.” She tried to catch the teen’s eyes, but he refused to look anywhere but at her feet. “Kurama told me…a while ago,” she admitted. “I refused to believe him, but I can’t deny it anymore.” 

The Hokage frowned. “I thought you told me there were no more secrets?” 

“I lied,” she admitted. “I–” she inhaled shakily, “I wanted to protect you. You and Kakashi. The truth is…” She shook her head sadly. 

“Whatever it is,” Minato insisted, “you know I’d have your back. For better or worse, right?” It was obvious he was forcing his tone to be light; he was clearly unhappy with the situation. He was still gently squeezing his wife’s arm in support, but there was a new tension to his body. 

She shook her head again. “Minato it’s–” For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn’t be able to say it, but then Kakashi finally made eye contact with her. Whatever she saw in his expression convinced her to continue. “It was Obito. He’s leading the Akatsuki. He’s the one who…” she trailed off, not needing to remind her husband of what he’d done. 

Kurama scoffed at the admission, unimpressed. That was what she was so worked up about? He’d told her ages ago. It was her own fault for refusing to believe him, and he was not going to feel an ounce of sympathy for her situation. If she’d believed Kurama in the first place, they wouldn’t be in this situation. Her own stubbornness and biases would be her downfall someday. If Naruto were here, he would probably try to smooth the situation over, but Kurama was not Naruto. He may have become embarrassingly soft, but the squabbles of his host’s family were virtually meaningless to him. As long as they didn’t get in his way, and didn’t die, he couldn’t care less. Honestly, the fact that Kurama had to care about whether a bunch of whiny humans lived or died was already far more compassion than they deserved. Naruto was lucky he was worth it. 

“That’s not funny,” Minato replied sharply, his expression hardening. 

“It’s not a joke,” Kushina assured him. “Kakashi and I both saw him. He took his mask off, and he all but confirmed it outright.” 

Kurama might be largely reformed, in terms of his rage and desire for bloodshed, but he still held grudges. He despised the Uchiha clan for their ability to control him, particularly Madara and Obito that used him so carelessly. He cursed the goddess Kaguya that brought ruin to the world. He held a large amount of contempt for the figures in Naruto’s previous life that had been particularly cruel or negligent, and wouldn’t mind biting off a limb or two. He could admit that he no longer hated the Uzumaki woman, but he would never forget her harsh words nor her role as his jailor. He could even admit that he didn’t hate the Yondaime either, since his actions ultimately resulted in Kurama meeting Naruto. However, he would not forget either of their roles in his imprisonment, nor how his chakra had been split against his will in their past life. He’d felt weak, and violated. So yes, he may no longer actively wish any of the humans in this room imminent death, but he would not deny the petty satisfaction he took in their squabbling. He was, after all, considered the embodiment of hatred and rage. 

Flatly, Kakashi confirmed, “It was him.” 

Minato’s hand fell limply from his wife’s arm. He stared at her, eyes alight with grief and betrayal. He didn’t ask if it was a joke, or if they were sure. Despite the many unkind things Kurama could say about the man, he knew the Hokage wasn’t stupid. The seriousness of the topic, the solemn energy in the room, and the two Sannin watching impassively from the sides all confirmed that his wife’s words were true. The Toad Sage even tried to offer a reassuring smile, but the gesture fell flat. 

A flurry of emotions flashed over the Hokage’s face. He seemed to shift between shock, anger, hurt, and denial every few seconds. Eventually, his expression went blank. Forcefully blank. His eyes were hard, and calculating, but everything else about his features were now as unreadable as he could manage. 

“Why?” 

Kushina shook her head. “I don’t know. If Kurama knows all the details, he hasn’t shown me. I wasn’t exactly…receptive to the topic.” 

“But you knew?” Minato asked, though he clearly already knew the answer. 

Kushina met her husband’s stare directly. “I didn’t believe him until I saw it with my own eyes…but yeah.” 

They stared at each other in a tense silence for an uncomfortably long time. Kurama had never seen them interact this way. Even when he’d seen them argue, they were over it obnoxiously quick, and back to being disgustingly affectionate with one another. Kushina was explosive in her anger, but she had a soft spot for her husband. Conversely, Minato rarely let himself get worked up, but sometimes seemed to feed off of his wife’s energy. Kurama detested the fact that he knew this much about their interpersonal relationship, but he supposed it was inevitable, given how much time he was forced to spend with them. 

Eventually, Minato turned his head away from his wife. Darkly, Kurama wondered if he couldn’t stand to look at her right now. Coldly, the Hokage responded, “I need to know everything. Everything the fox knows about Obito’s abilities, motivations, plans, all of it. Nothing else left out.” 

Kushina frowned at her husband’s business-like attitude. “That’s all you’re going to say?” 

He looked back at her, still forcing his expression to remain neutral. “What else do you want me to say?” 

“I just told you,” she retorted, “that your student–who you always thought of as family–is still alive. And not only alive, but also arguably our greatest enemy. You know what he’s done, and what he will do if we don’t stop him,” she challenged. “So I would just expect a little bit more of a reaction.” 

“Well,” he responded sharply, “ I would have expected a little more honestly, so I guess we’re both disappointed.” 

Again, they stared at each other in a tense silence. Fire briefly flashed in Kushina’s eyes as she failed to remain as forcefully calm as her husband. Distantly, Kurama thought he could feel the stirring of the sliver of chakra he’d left within his previous host. 

Kushina visibly swallowed her pride. “I’m sorry. I really am.” She glanced at Kakashi. “I didn’t want to see either of you hurt, and I thought I could spare your feelings until I confirmed the truth. I was hoping it was a lie, or a misunderstanding, but,” she sighed, “that old fox hasn’t been wrong yet, has he?” 

Kurama scoffed at that. Of course he hadn’t been wrong; he’d lived this future. These were his memories, his real memories. Bijuu didn’t have to worry about forgetting or misremembering, so if Kurama remembered it, it had really happened. That woman’s stubbornness continued to bite him in the tails. At least now, the information was out in the open, so hopefully they would do something about Obito and his plans before he could start targeting the jinchuuriki. 

It wasn’t often that Kushina would admit that she was wrong, Kurama knew. Their own argument was proof enough of that. Still, judging by the expression on Minato and Kakashi’s faces, the apology wasn’t enough. 

Mostly, Minato was all business, but his expression shifted when he looked over at Kakashi. “Are you ok?” he asked, watching his student carefully. 

“I’m fine,” Kakashi lied. No one in the room was even the slightest bit convinced. Naruto whined at the teen’s downtrodden expression and tugged at his hair. “What do we do?” He didn’t bother removing Naruto’s grabbing fingers.

The Hokage was frowning, deep in thought. “I don’t know yet,” he admitted. “There’s still too much that I don’t understand. Obito was–” he grimaced, “–is the last person I would ever have suspected could be capable of something like this. I need to know more. I need to know everything.” He made steady eye contact with his wife. “Tell me everything the fox told you, and don’t leave anything out.”

Chapter Text

“Explain it to me again.”

Kushina groaned and buried her head in her hands. She was getting tired of giving the same explanation over and over, but she didn’t really have much of a choice. “Which part?” she grumbled.

“All of it,” Minato replied with a frown. “We need to go over every detail with a fine tooth comb.” 

She shot her husband a sharp look. “Is that not what we’ve been doing?” 

Minato’s frown deepened. “You know we can’t be too thorough here. Naruto’s life, the fate of the world, it all depends on staying one step ahead of our enemies. We can’t afford to miss any details.” 

“You know,” Kushina reminded her husband for the umpteenth time, “you could ask Kurama directly.” 

“No,” he replied immediately. “We’ve talked about this. It’s too risky to let Kurama take control.” 

“We talked about it more than a year ago,” she argued. “Haven’t we established by now that Kurama won’t hurt Naruto?” Defending the Kyuubi was still a strange concept, but she was confident that Kurama would not harm Naruto. He’d earned her trust completely at this point. 

Minato sighed, “Maybe not purposefully, but right now Kurama can only take control if Naruto is under extreme emotional distress.” He obviously didn’t need to say why that wasn’t ideal for any of them. 

“Well,” she argued, “we could loosen the seal. That should make it easier for Kurama to–”

“Absolutely not,” Minato interrupted immediately. It wasn’t like him to jump in like that, without even hearing her out. That only reinforced how pissed he was at her. “Besides the fact that we don’t know what kind of impact the Kyuubi’s chakra will have on Naruto’s developing body long term, I’m not comfortable loosening the seal.” 

Kushina placed her hands on her hips. “Naruto developed just fine in the other timeline,” she retorted. “Besides, Kurama would probably know better than us. He’s been sealed in Naruto twice now, and watched him grow both times. He must know what his chakra will do, if anything.” 

“Kushina,” her husband sighed, “you seriously can’t expect me to take the Kyuubi’s word on that. This is our son’s life we’re talking about!” 

Once again, it was odd coming to the fox’s defense, but it felt like the right thing to do. She’d doubted Kurama too, but he’d proven her fears to be unfounded over and over. The masked man’s identity was the last tidbit of information that she’d questioned from the fox. Since confirming the truth about Obito, she couldn’t come up with a reason to continue to mistrust him. After everything Kurama had done for their son, and for them too, the least she could do was stand up for him.

“I’m asking you to take my word!” she retorted. “You said before that you trusted me about Kurama. You said that I would be the one that would know him best.”

“I did,” Minato agreed, “and now I’m wondering if I made the wrong call.” 

That stung, but she probably deserved it. She had been lying to him, after all. Logically, she understood why her husband was skeptical, and why he was upset. However, that didn’t necessarily translate to her agreeing with him, or appreciating his wariness. “You know I would never put Naruto in danger,” she replied sharply. “If I didn’t have complete trust in Kurama, I would never suggest this.” 

Minato still wasn’t convinced. In fact, he seemed to be doubling down on his distrust. “I want to believe you, I really do. But I just don’t know if I can. How do I know that there’s nothing else that you’re keeping from me? Or that there’s nothing else that Kurama is keeping from you?” he reasoned. “You’ve lied to me twice now about things the fox has told you. What else am I supposed to think?” 

“Gee, I don’t know,” Kushina growled sarcastically, “maybe that I would never do anything that would endanger our son. You know that. No matter what Kurama says or does, you know I would always put Naruto’s safety first.”

Minato at least replied, “I do know that.” Despite the admission, his expression remained closed off. “But that doesn’t mean you could never make a mistake, or misjudge the situation.” 

Kushina’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think happened here? That I ‘misjudged’ something?” 

“Frankly, yes,” he replied without missing a beat. “Your decision to keep the information you learned from Kurama to yourself was poor judgment.”  Before waiting for a response, Minato turned to the other occupants in the room, who had been silent thus far. “Back me up on this,” he requested.

Jiraiya was thoughtful, processing the information Kushina had relayed, and watching their argument impassively. Conversely, Tsunade looked seconds away from cursing them out, judging by the bulging vein in her neck. She seemed to be holding back for Naruto’s sake, since he had finally calmed down after dragging out nearly all of his toys to show them off to their newest visitor. He was settled on his favorite blanket in the middle of the room with Kakashi, drowsily playing with a handful of toys and fighting to stay awake. He liked being the center of attention, and hated taking naps when they had company. The only reason Kushina didn’t try to lull him to sleep completely was so Kurama could keep listening. Plus, they were all being so loud he would probably wake up again anyway. Regardless, she’d have to put him down for a nap soon no matter where the conversation went, or else he would end up cranky and tired later. Kurama might object to being left out of the conversation, but dealing with a grouchy fox demon was somehow less troublesome than dealing with a cranky toddler. 

Tsunade snorted in response. “Don’t drag us into your lovers’ spat.” 

“I’m serious,” Minato insisted. “You’re here because we value your opinion, and we need all the help we can get.” 

Tsunade scoffed, looking unimpressed. “Look, I’m extremely curious about why that damn fox asked for me by name,” she admitted. “That’s the only reason I’m here. As much as I would have loved to never set foot in this village again, that information is far too interesting to ignore. So,” she scowled at them, “leave me out of this, until you work out whatever shit is going on between the two of you. You’re the Hokage, for fuck’s sake, quit whining like a little brat!” 

There were a few moments of stunned silence after the outburst, where everyone in the room held their breath in anticipation of what would come next. Then, Naruto started giggling and chipperly parroted, “Fuck’s sake!” When all eyes widened in surprise, he squealed happily, clearly enjoying the reaction. “Fuck’s sake! Fuck’s sake!” 

Just like that, the tension in the room seemed to halve. Tsunade murmured a quiet, “Oops”, and then Jiraiya was laughing, loudly and from his belly. It didn’t erase the previous conversation, or undo all of the strong emotions, but it was just the distraction they needed. 

Minato looked a little horrified at their son’s new vocabulary, no doubt picturing all of the times he already had to apologize for the words Naruto happily repeated from Kurama. Kushina thought it was hilarious, hearing his squeaky little voice curse like that, but not everyone agreed. It was apparently “uncouth” for him to know those words at all. There were some people in the village that held the opinion that the Hokage’s son should be held to a higher standard than other kids his age. Neither of them had any intention of forcing their son into that kind of role, of course, but sometimes the pressure was hard to ignore. 

Eventually, Naruto’s giggles and smiles were too infectious for anyone to resist. Minato smiled, and visibly relaxed. Even Kakashi was failing to hold back a few huffs of laughter. Kushina knew she was smiling too, but it was for a different reason. Kurama had shown her the other Naruto’s ability to connect with others, and to bring out the best in everyone. She’d been worried that the change in the timeline might keep him from becoming the same kind young man, but he was already proving them wrong. Even now, at this young age, he seemed to always laugh or smile at just the right time. 

Swallowing her pride, and forcing down her temper, Kushina turned to her husband. With some of the anger and tension dissipated, she murmured, “Minato, I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t fix things, but I really am sorry that I lied, and that I hurt you.” She turned to Kakashi and added, “You too, Kakashi. I know my word doesn’t mean much right now, but I promise I won’t keep secrets like that again.” 

Neither of them responded immediately, but both of them seemed a little calmer. They didn’t look happy, or particularly forgiving, but at least some of the sting of betrayal seemed to have lessened. She didn’t know if it was right or wrong, keeping the information Kurama told her to herself. Honesty might be the best policy, but they were shinobi. Keeping secrets was part of their job. She’d kept worse secrets, for the sake of the village, or the sake of her family. Still, she’d promised her husband that she wasn’t keeping anything else from him. She’d lied to his face. Minato was very forgiving, probably more than he should be, but he had a right to be hurt about her lying to him. And Kakashi–well, that poor boy already had trust issues, so this wouldn’t do him any favors. 

Finally, Minato sighed. “I know. I can understand your reasoning, even if I don’t agree. But,” he added, “I’m going to need a little time to process.” There was a subtle softening of his expression. Then, he added, “We’re ok.” It was a whispered promise, likely almost inaudible to anyone else. 

She didn’t realize how much she needed to hear those two words. While she wasn’t expecting their entire marriage to dissolve after one argument, she couldn’t help the worry that had settled into her heart. They had the occasional spats and disagreements, as any couple did, but it had been a long time since they’d argued like this. Kushina knew her own temper could be explosive, but her husband was comparatively very level-headed. He was rarely flustered by their disagreements, and she didn’t think she could ever recall him actually raising his voice in anger. For them, this was about as bad of an argument as it got. 

Minato’s expression shifted again, back into his sensei expression. No, his Hokage expression. He was approaching this problem as a leader, not as a teacher. 

“We need a plan,” he announced. 

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at his student. “Oh? What kind of plan?” 

“To capture Obito,” he responded, forcing down the obvious sadness. “He’s a danger not only to Naruto, and the village, but to the entire world. It is my duty as Hokage to stop him. It’s all of our duties, since we are the only ones that know the kind of ruin he will bring to this world.” 

Nodding in approval, Jiraiya asked, “And how are we trying to capture him; dead, or alive?” 

Minato’s jaw tensed. “Obito is my student, and my responsibility. I will do everything I can to help him see reason. But in the end,” he steeled his expression, “I have an obligation to my family, my village, and to the world itself, not just an obligation to my student. I’ll do what needs to be done.” 

Kakashi looked pained at the declaration, but he didn’t argue. None of them did. Kushina knew her husband would honor his word, and that he would truly try to bring Obito back into the light. She also knew that they couldn’t weigh one person’s life over the rest of the world’s. If it came down to it, Minato was right. Obito needed to be stopped. The amount of death and destruction he could, and would bring upon the world was unfathomable. No one else knew what he was capable of. No one else knew what awaited them in the future. As much as she didn’t want to consider it, she knew that there was a chance that they couldn’t save Obito. 

“I also need to think about what information he might have,” Minato added. “We don’t have all the information about what Obito was up to between releasing the Kyuubi and starting another war. We know that in this timeline we’ve prevented or at least delayed the formation of the group that will eventually target the jinchuuriki, but is that enough to stop the war?” He sighed heavily. “Capturing Obito alive is probably ideal for a number of reasons.” 

“Fair enough,” Jiraiya replied. He was looking at his own student with a contemplative expression, as if he were trying to picture himself having to make the same decision. “I think we need to spring a trap, then. You know the kid best, what do you think would work best to lure him in?” 

Minato frowned at the question. “You know…I’m not sure if I really know him at all,” he admitted. “If you’d asked me a few years ago, before our team was fractured, it would have been an easy question, and an easy capture. Now, I’m not so sure.” He shook his head. “The young man that fought me, the night Kurama was set loose on the village, was very different from the boy I knew. He was a stranger.” 

“Yeah,” Kakashi agreed, “I don’t think he’ll be distracted by little old ladies that need help crossing the street anymore.” The response was clearly meant to lighten the mood, but it just came out sounding bitter. 

“I mean,” Tsunade added dryly, “there is an obvious answer.” She gestured toward the babbling toddler in the center of the room. “The runt is the perfect bait.” 

Immediately, both parents protested loudly. “Absolutely not,” Kushina snapped, and she swore she felt the sliver of Kurama’s chakra within her burning in agreement. She would not put her son in such obvious danger. 

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be the only one who disagreed with the idea. Even Kakashi seemed to have unconsciously pulled the toddler a bit closer to him, and Minato had a very rarely seen, dangerous expression on his face. 

“No,” he said succinctly, shutting down any further arguments. 

Tsunade held her hands up placatingly. “Hey, I was just giving a suggestion, I’m not gonna kidnap the kid and do it myself or anything!” She scoffed. “You’re all too close to the situation, so I’m just offering an outsider's perspective. Your brat, thanks to the mysterious time-traveling fox sealed inside of him, is the obvious answer for bait, whether or not you want to admit it. If he wasn’t your son, you would at least consider it.” 

Diplomatically, Minato replied, “Your suggestion is noted, Lady Tsunade, and will be taken into consideration.” 

The Sannin rolled her eyes. “Spoken like a true politician.” She snorted in amusement. “This is why I could never wear the hat. All of these bullshit half-truths and ass-kissing aren’t my style.”

“The problem isn’t luring him in,” Minato added thoughtfully, shutting down any further discussion about involving Naruto,“it’s keeping him from phasing away. When we fought, I managed to surprise him and land a hit, as well as placing my Hiraishin marker on him. But I wouldn’t call it a simple task. If it came down to it, I do believe I could best him, but I don’t know if I can stop him from slipping away. And if he realizes that we’re trying to catch him, his ability makes it too easy for him to disappear for good. Now is our best chance to stop him, while he’s still young and inexperienced…” He trailed off, and Kushina recognized the expression as her husband’s “problem solving” face. 

“Oh-oh!” Jiraiya grinned, “Looks like my brilliant student is formulating a plan.” 

“The start of one, at least,” he agreed. “The way I see it, our biggest obstacle is the ability of Obito’s Sharingan. If we can counteract that ability, it will be much harder for him to escape.” 

Kushina understood the idea immediately. “You want to disable Obito’s Sharingan?” 

“Yes,” Minato replied. “Between the three of us,” he gestured between the two of them and Jiraiya, “I think we can come up with a working seal to do just that. And we do have the potential to test it.” He looked at Kakashi apologetically. “If you’re up for it, Kakashi.” 

Kakashi straightened up. “I want to help. If you need me to use Obi–” he cut himself off, “ his Sharingan, then I can do that.” 

“You need to be careful,” Kushina told him. “I saw in Kurama’s memories that your older self nearly killed himself using the advanced form of the Sharingan. You can’t overdo it,” she said sharply. 

With a fake smile, Kakashi asked, “When have I ever overdone anything?”  

Kushina glared at the teenager, who continued to smile airily at her. She huffed, then turned back toward her husband. “My only concern,” she added, “is messing with such a high level doujutsu in the first place. I don’t want to make a seal that’s permanently blinding or, y’know, explode-y.” She grimaced at the thought, and saw Kakashi do the same. “The Uchiha are so secretive about the Sharingan as it is, let alone their extra super-secret advanced form that we’re not even supposed to know about. That’s a lot of unknowns.” Not that she’d ever say a seal was impossible; she was an Uzumaki, after all! She was practically born creating seals. She just wanted to be a little bit cautious since the doujutsu in question was currently situated in her sort-of pseudo younger brother’s skull. 

“I thought about that,” Minato agreed. “I could pull some research from the archives, but since it’s clan related I’d have to get permission from the Uchiha clan head to view it. Fugaku will want to know why I’m interested.” He sighed, and started rubbing at his temples. “The last thing I need right now is to create more tension with the Uchiha. It feels like I’ve finally started smoothing everything over, and this is going to just raise a bunch of questions that I can’t answer.” 

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. “Well, why not?” 

Minato frowned up at her in confusion. “What do you mean, ‘why not?’” 

She shrugged. “Aren’t you close with the clan head’s wife?” Tsunade asked Kushina, gesturing toward her for emphasis. “That would imply a certain level of trust, yeah? Let ‘em in on the secret, then.” 

“Kurama isn’t exactly thrilled with the number of people that already know,” Kushina replied. “He didn’t like when I told Kakashi.” She grimaced. “And he really doesn’t like the Uchiha Clan. I can already imagine what he’ll say, and it won’t be nice.” 

“So what?” Tsunade pushed. “For all his bluster, the fox sure is going out of his way to help the people he supposedly hates. I mean, from what you’ve told us he’s now prevented the entire clan from being annihilated, and didn’t he also save both heirs when Naruto was almost kidnapped?” She shrugged. “If the fox was that opposed to involving the Uchiha, then he should’ve kept his snout out of their business in the first place. I don’t think he’s got a leg to stand on in this theoretical argument.” 

Kushina wondered if Kurama was regretting asking for Lady Tsunade by name. She swore she could feel a flicker of irritation that wasn’t her own, but maybe she was just projecting. 

“My most voluptuous teammate makes an excellent point,” Jiraiya agreed, ignoring the seething glare said teammate shot in his direction. “Whether the fox likes it or not, he’s already involved the Uchiha Clan by changing their fate. I believe that we could manage without them, but the risks are undeniably higher, and the timetable is likely much longer. If we want to be as efficient and safe as possible, it makes sense to bring them in.” 

Slowly, Minato started nodding in agreement. “I think you’re right. Kurama might not like it, but it’s our best option. Not only for ensuring that we make the seal correctly, but also for preventing more upset with the Uchiha.” He started rubbing at his temples again. “I can’t get so caught up in this ‘saving the world’ business that I forget about making sure the village doesn’t implode on itself. We have our own struggles at home, too.” 

“Well, then I would say the fox is outvoted. Sorry, furball,” Jiraiya said chipperly, shooting a grin in Naruto’s direction. The toddler just babbled happily in response. 

“Let me talk to him first, before we do anything,” Kushina insisted. She knew that Kurama wasn’t the only one outvoted here. “We promised we wouldn’t tell anyone else, so I should at least run the idea by him first.” 

She didn’t realize her mistake, until she caught the brief flash of hurt on her husband’s face. After their argument about Kushina keeping secrets, it must be hard for him to hear her fighting so hard to keep Kurama’s. It wasn’t her intention to prioritize one of them over the other. Maybe she was overcompensating because of how cruel she’d been to the fox, or maybe it was some kind of lasting jinchuuriki instinct. She didn’t have a name for it, or a reason, it just felt like no one else was on Kurama’s side, so she should be. She hadn’t taken into consideration how that would look to her husband. 

“We made promises to him,” Kushina reminded her husband. Regardless of their own opinions and arguments, they both knew they couldn’t afford to go back on those promises. “I know I technically broke it first, when I told Kakashi, but it wasn’t on purpose that time.” 

Minato sighed in defeat. “You’re right. We made promises to Kurama, and he made promises to us in return.” 

Jiraiya interjected, “Look, Minato, I appreciate your integrity and all that, but this is one of those times when you might need to just do what needs to be done.” 

Minato shook his head. “No, Kushina is right. I may still have some doubts about Kurama, but he has been holding up his side of our bargain. I gave my word that I would do the same.” He nodded toward Kushina. “Talk to him, but let him know that we may need to go forward with the plan either way. I think if you explain that it’s the best chance for stopping Obito, and consequently saving Naruto and the world, then I’m sure he’ll understand.” 

—------------------------------

“No.”

“But Kurama–”

“No.” 

The conversation was going exactly like she’d expected. “They’ve already decided, y’know. I’m just telling you as a courtesy.” 

The great fox grunted in response. “I know, I heard the conversation.”

“Then why are you being so difficult?” Kushina crossed her arms, giving the fox the same look she gave Naruto when he was being bratty for no reason. 

“You know why. You know my feelings on that cursed clan,” the fox snarled. 

“I know, I know. But you really don’t have a choice, neither of us do!” she insisted. “And, well, I happen to agree.” 

Kurama’s giant eye flitted over to her. It narrowed dangerously. “Of course you do. I’ve seen your love of those vile, red-eyed vermin.” 

“First of all, you have red eyes too, you hypocritical fleabag!” Kushina scoffed at the tantrum the bijuu was throwing. “And second, that’s my best friend and her family you’re talking about, so watch it with the insults.” 

The Kyuubi growled at her. It was one of those rare times where Naruto was not in the mindscape to act as a buffer for them. Kushina had figured out that both she and Naruto didn’t need to be asleep for her to enter the mindscape her son shared with the Kyuubi, but it made it easier. Either way, the connection would be open but Naruto would be absent if he wasn’t asleep, and sometimes he didn’t come to the mindscape at all during the night. It was unclear if Kurama wanted a break from the toddler, or if it was just a random chance. There was still so much Kushina didn’t understand about the connection she and her son shared with the bijuu. 

Even though she and Kurama got along much better nowadays, she still tried not to be here without her son unless she had to. This was one of those necessary instances, because Kushina needed to have a conversation with the fox and Naruto was in one of his no-nap moods. 

“It’s not just about my personal feelings,” Kushina insisted. “We need help from someone that understands the Sharingan.” 

Kurama growled again. “I don’t know why you’re here bothering me if you’re just going to do what you want anyway.”

“I’m trying to be considerate.” 

“How fortuitous for me,” the fox scoffed. 

“Oh come on, you grumpy old fox,” Kushina chastised, “you have to see that we’re right. Obito already controlled you once, didn’t he? Don’t you want us to make sure that can’t happen again?” 

“Hmph.” As stubborn and unyielding as the fox was, he did seem to look ever so pleased about Kushina’s insistence at including him. 

“So…?” 

Kurama stared at her with his slitted, unblinking eyes. Then, he sighed in defeat. “Fine. Do what you must.” 

Kushina grinned. “Great! Glad we could come to an agreement. Just in time too.” 

Kurama bristled at her. “I see that you didn’t just invite your friend here for a social visit.” 

“Not quite,” Kushina agreed. Taking a nap before having her friend over for a visit felt odd, but it was the only way she could talk to the fox, and she didn’t want to give Kurama (or herself) too much time to talk themselves out of going along with the plan. 

“Were you that convinced you could sway me?” 

Admittedly, no. The Kyuubi’s stubbornness rivaled only her own. If he really didn’t want to do something, she doubted she could convince him otherwise. She’d just been hopeful that the fox would see reason. Minato was understandably anxious to enact their plan, and hadn’t wanted to wait any longer. 

Shrugging, Kushina replied, “I just had a feeling. You can be a real dick sometimes, but you’re not stupid. I knew that you would realize this was our best option.” 

Despite the insults, there was no fire behind her words. She and Kurama casually tossed insults back and forth at each other all the time, so he didn’t react much beyond an irritated flash of teeth. 

“With every passing day, I regret not killing you, Tomato head,” Kurama grumbled with little venom behind the words. 

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a big tough bijuu that hates humanity. Heard it all before.” Kushina rolled her eyes and waved him off. 

Kurama growled and turned his back on her, indicating exactly what he thought of the conversation. He settled away from her with a very clear view of his rump and tails. “Is that all, or are you going to annoy me further?” the fox called over his shoulder. 

“The latter.” Kushina crossed her arms and plastered on her best shit-eating grin. “You know, you’re actually a really big softie. Who would’ve guessed?” She couldn't resist the jab. Kurama was just such a fun target nowadays. 

The fox’s hackles went up, but he didn’t turn around. “I am not.” 

“You are!” she teased. “It’s really sweet. Maybe next you’ll let me dress you up with little bows on your tails. I bet it would make you look less threatening and more trustworthy.” 

Kurama whirled on her, practically spitting fire. “GET OUT!” he roared, forcefully shoving his consciousness against hers to throw her out of the mindscape. 

It should have been threatening. The Kyuubi was snarling at her, his malicious chakra oozing out of every pore. His fur stood on end and his teeth were bared menacingly. It should have been terrifying. But somehow, it wasn’t. Kushina looked upon the demon fox, the scourge that plagued her every nightmare as a teenager and young adult, but she was no longer angry or afraid. Instead of a monster, all she could see was one of Naruto’s temper tantrums. The fox was throwing his weight around when he didn’t get his way, but it was all bluff and bluster. 

Perhaps she shouldn’t antagonize the demon that lived in her son’s subconscious, but she knew he was no longer a threat to them. At some point, she’d stopped seeing the Kyuubi as a monster, and started seeing him as a cranky, reluctant acquaintance. One that was very fun to tease. 

With Kurama shouting empty threats behind her, Kushina waved jovially at the Kyuubi before allowing herself to be ejected from the mindscape. She woke from her slumber with a smile on her lips. They’d truly come a long way, her and Kurama. The old fox was a grouch, but she’d found herself growing almost…fond. And, despite Kurama’s instances otherwise, she thought he was growing fond of her as well. In his own way. Maybe. 

Stretching her arms above her head, Kushina let her senses return. She glanced over at the clock and realized she didn’t have long before their guests arrived. She’d timed her little chat with Kurama perfectly. It was time to go report the outcome. 

With a yawn, Kushina forced herself out of bed. She grimaced, realizing that she’d probably doomed herself to a poor night’s sleep, napping so late in the day. Oh well, it had been necessary, since it was the only way to talk to Kurama. She probably could have talked to him the previous night, but she really hadn’t wanted to give either of them time to think too much about their plan. That would have made it too easy to back out at the last minute.  

Despite the positive outcome of the conversation with Kurama, she was strangely nervous and she didn’t feel like she had a good reason why. Kushina had convinced their group of allies to bring both of the clan heads up to speed on their time-traveling fox friend. She’d argued that it would be easier to deal with both of them, rather than just dealing with Fugaku. The man’s stubbornness could surpass even Kurama’s on a good day, and it was common knowledge that his wife helped keep him in check. Of course, no one pretended that Kushina didn’t have her own selfish motivations too. She desperately wanted to confide in her best friend. She trusted Mikoto with her life, and knew she could trust her with this secret. It was almost a relief to be able to finally tell her what was going on, but the anxiety still settled heavily in her gut. It was just a lot to take in, and she didn’t know how either of them would receive the information. 

Well, an abridged version of the information. They’d all agreed that they would definitely avoid the subject of what happened to the Uchiha Clan in the other timeline. Kushina had only shared that particular tidbit with the others because she’d promised not to keep any more secrets. They’d all been appropriately horrified about the information. She tried very hard not to think about the outcome of her last secret-keeping, and convinced herself that it was for the best. How the hell was she supposed to bring up the massacre anyway? She couldn’t just tell her best friend that her son murdered her in an alternate timeline! 

Still a bit groggy, Kushina stumbled out of the bedroom. She found Naruto toddling around in the living room, playing with a stuffed frog that Master Jiraiya had given him. Kakashi was leaning against the wall and supervising him, but it was obvious that his attention was divided. His shoulders were slumped and his visible eye was glazed over, as if he was reliving memories and conversations instead of seeing what was in front of him. Minato was pacing anxiously in the kitchen, fussing over their still simmering dinner. Both of them looked up expectantly when Kushina entered the room. 

She smiled reassuringly. “Kurama’s on board,” she announced. “He was reluctant, but he agreed.” 

Both of them nodded, but the tension didn’t seem to abate. Kushina understood. They were taking a huge risk, bringing in two more outsiders. Even if Kushina trusted her friend, she knew it wasn’t going to be simple. On the surface, they were two families with a long history, enjoying a meal together. In reality, the situation was complicated. Even ignoring the fact that they were about to try to convince two people that the demon who attacked their village had time traveled through time to save the world, it was likely to get a little messy. 

The Hokage had invited a clan head’s family into his personal home for dinner. More specifically, the head of the clan currently under suspicion for treason. Even if Minato didn’t buy into the council’s concerns, it didn’t erase them. While the council couldn’t technically tell their family who they could and couldn’t see on their own time, it was still going to cause a fuss. They all knew it. It was why they’d rarely had formal get-togethers since Naruto’s birth, or really even since Minato became Hokage. Kushina refused to stop seeing her best friend, but their time together was definitely not like it used to be. They hadn’t let it ruin their friendship, or the friendship their sons were developing, but it did put a strain on their relationship. 

Their family always had an ANBU guard lurking in the shadows, and that made the Uchiha jumpy when she was around. There were also whispers of whether or not the Hokage and his family should be so closely associated with the clan of Madara Uchiha, particularly after the revelation that it had been a rogue Sharingan user that controlled the Kyuubi on Naruto’s birthday.

To be fair, similar rumors and skepticism had followed Kushina since she’d become a jinchuuriki, so she didn’t really pay any attention. However, she knew it grated on the clan as well. Because instead of seeing a friendship that survived politics and war, the council and others saw potential manipulation and favoritism. Even Minato was more cautious now, trying to remain politely detached from his wife’s closest friend and her family, even though it grated on Kushina’s nerves. Stupid politics. 

Trying to diffuse the tension, Kushina added, “It smells delicious.” 

Her husband smiled. It was strained, but genuine. “Thanks. Hopefully I made enough. It’s been a while since we’ve had both families together, so I’m a bit out of practice with making large meals.” 

Kushina didn’t miss the complicated expression on Kakashi’s face as he was obviously included in the word “family”. She wanted to roll her eyes and tease him, but she held off. Things were still a bit weird between them. Kakashi had clearly not forgiven her for keeping the masked man’s identity a secret, and he also had not recovered from the revelation of Obito’s betrayal. He was subdued, almost despondent at times, and prone to losing focus at random. It hurt to see him becoming distant again, pulling back when Kushina tried to ruffle his hair or hug him, but she knew he needed time to process. She’d hurt him, and Obito had hurt him too. For all his genius, he was still a kid. A kid that had already lost too much and didn’t know how to process his emotions. 

The silence stretched on again, and Kushina hated it. Other than Naruto’s nonsensical babbles, the house was near silent. She wasn’t used to it. Kushina knew she herself was not a quiet person, and normally she made a point to fill their home with chatter and laughter. Minato was naturally more subdued, but he usually let loose at home too. They danced around, and played with Naruto, or sang off-key duets while preparing dinner. Normally, that would make Kakashi complain and toss Naruto’s stuffed toys at them, but he would be smiling behind his mask and encouraging Naruto to cause mischief. A few times, he’d even started to completely remove his mask at meal times, letting Naruto’s tiny hands run over his bare face. He’d been comfortable, and dare she even say content. 

But not since they’d confronted Obito. Kakashi barely even took off his jounin attire or removed his weapons pouch in the house anymore. He answered questions in single syllables and skulked around avoiding Kushina’s eyes. Minato still looked hurt, and lacked his usual energy. He still played with Naruto, but he remained tense the entire time. He was terse and avoided more than the bare minimum of small talk. Kushina knew he was stressed, and definitely still pissed at her. 

Kushina knew this would not be a relaxing dinner party, but she just hoped it wouldn’t be a disaster.

Chapter Text

A knock on the door signaled the start of the evening. Kushina took a few calming breaths, taking a couple of moments to smooth down both Naruto and Kakashi’s outfits. Kakashi looked exceedingly uncomfortable in the semi-formal attire, which clashed horribly with the slanted forehead protector he refused to remove, but Kushina had insisted that he needed to change clothes. Kakashi looking combat ready for their peaceful dinner party would not set a very good tone for the evening. 

“Do I really need to wear this?” The teen complained, attempting to shift out of Kushina’s grip as she adjusted his collar. It was a simple button up, one that had been Minato’s at some point. She dragged it out of the depths of their closet and snapped at Kakashi until he put it on, along with a pair of plain black slacks. It wasn’t much, but it was better than his jounin attire. 

“Yes,” she insisted. 

“I feel ridiculous.” Kakashi started fiddling with the collar that Kushina had just fixed. 

Kushina slapped the boy’s hands away and fixed it again. “Well, if you’d let me buy you clothes like I wanted to you could have something fitted and tailored to you.” 

“I don’t have a use for things like that.” 

“Clearly, you do,” she countered. “What about formal events? Or undercover missions? Or dates?” 

As expected, Kakashi turned red at the final suggestion on her list. He coughed awkwardly. “I don’t–” 

Minato cleared his throat expectantly, gesturing toward the door. “We probably shouldn’t keep our guests waiting.” 

Minato had scooped up Naruto, and Kushina almost forgot the entire purpose of the evening as she looked at them. They both looked so dapper together, even if Naruto was trying to gnaw on the sleeve of his fancy new sweater. Ugh, was she swooning? She felt like she might be swooning. 

Reality came back to her quickly, reminding her that this wasn’t just a casual get together with their friends. They had roles to play, and even though Kushina was genuinely excited to see her best friend, it ultimately wasn’t a social visit. The fate of the world could come down to how their little dinner party went, and wasn’t that a stressful thought? 

With a final glare at Kakashi to make sure he didn’t undo her work, Kushina steeled herself and went to answer the door. She did feel herself relax minutely when she saw her friend on the other side. Her smile was genuine as she ushered Mikoto and her family inside. 

“Welcome, welcome!” Kushina hugged her friend tightly, then greeted the rest of the family in turn. 

Fugaku offered a stern handshake and a nod, which was pretty much what Kushina expected from her friend’s husband. As much as Mikoto insisted that her husband did have a soft side, Kushina had never seen it. She didn’t dislike her best friend’s husband, per say, she just never clicked with him. She’d always been a bit bitter on her friend’s behalf, being forced into an arranged marriage. Even though Mikoto insisted that she loved her husband and her family, it had always been a bit hard for Kushina to see past the man’s stoney demeanor. He was just so unlike her friend, who’d always been able to match Kushina’s mischievous energy, even if she was rarely able to show that side of herself. When it came down to it, Mikoto was fun , and her husband…well not so much. Still, she always tried to be polite and cordial, for her friend’s sake. 

Kushina moved on to greeting both of the kids, giving Sasuke an affectionate pinch on the cheek. The toddler clung shyly to his mother and looked overwhelmed by all the attention, but he did seem to perk up when he spotted Naruto across the room. Naruto was squealing in delight at the sight of so many visitors. Kushina didn’t miss how when Fugaku went to give Minato another firm handshake, he couldn’t help but crack a small smile at Naruto’s cheerful babbling. Hm, maybe he did have a soft side after all. 

“And if it isn’t my favorite babysitter!” Kushina didn’t ruffle Itachi’s hair or pinch his cheek, because she knew he hated it, but she wanted to. The boy didn’t particularly care for physical affection from anyone outside of his immediate family, and Kushina was going to respect that. It was just difficult, sometimes, because he was a cute kid with an even cuter pout when he was offended. 

Itachi greeted her with far more poise than a child his age should possess, then presented her with a bouquet of flowers. “Thank you for having us.” 

Kushina accepted the gift. “These are lovely, thank you. Come in, come in! I’m going to find a vase for these, please make yourselves comfortable.” 

They all shuffled around each other in greeting. It was a warm enough welcome that Kushina could almost convince herself that it really was just a normal family dinner. Kakashi was still skulking in the corner, but that was the norm for him when company was over. Actually, the fact that he was visible was more than he normally allowed with visitors. Undoubtedly, he would be hidden away somewhere if Kushina hadn’t forced him to be there. He was definitely avoiding the clan head’s gaze, offering the bare minimum of polite greetings to their guests, but no one really expected anything different from Kakashi. No one was going to pretend that Fugaku carried more than casual indifference for Kakashi on a good day, but at least he didn’t seem put off by the teenager’s sullen attitude. 

With greetings out of the way, and the flowers safely out of reach of grabby toddler hands, the first part of the evening actually went well. It was nice catching up with Mikoto and her family. Even though there was an obvious tension because of who they all were, and why they were there, it wasn’t too bad. Kushina would even dare say that it was pleasant. They all laughed at the antics of the two toddlers that were unintentionally providing the evening’s entertainment. Naruto was showing off every single one of his toys, running back and forth from his room to present his friend with each of them individually. Sasuke looked completely overwhelmed by the offerings, but gladly accepted each of them and waited as patiently as a toddler could for the next. By the time they were ready to start eating, there was a pile of toys taller than both boys put together in the middle of the living room. Kakashi snickered something under his breath about Naruto being spoiled, and Kushina kicked him lightly in the shin in response. It was nice. It was fun. 

Would it be too good to last?

They all sat down at the table, and Minato served the food while Kushina helped get both toddlers settled. Naruto proceeded to make a huge mess of his plate, dropping bits of food on the floor and smearing it on his face. Conversely, Sasuke ate with surprising grace and accuracy, considering his age. 

As the meal started, Kushina continued to make polite small talk. “So, Itachi. How’s the Academy? I hear that you’re already in an advanced class.” 

The boy nodded. “Yes. The instructors were kind enough to overlook my age and allow me access to classes with the older students.” 

The kid was stoic, but he was still a kid. Kushina could see that there was something else on his mind that he was hesitant to bring up. “But…?” she pressed. 

Itachi hesitated, and glanced at his father. When he wasn’t told not to continue, he explained, “It’s too easy. I get bored.” 

Both Minato and Kakashi looked at the kid sympathetically. Ah, those damn genius prodigies. Kushina liked to think that she was pretty smart, but nowhere near prodigy level. She’d certainly been bored in class at times, but not in the way the geniuses were complaining about. 

Fugaku added sharply, “The lessons are too basic for him. Respectfully, this is why I requested early graduation.” Despite the assurance of respect, the man’s tone was clearly annoyed. 

Based on the expression on Minato’s face, this seemed to be a familiar argument. His smile was sharp, and didn’t meet his eyes. “Respectfully,” he repeated firmly, “we are not at war, there’s no reason to push kids through the Academy so quickly. I’m standing firm on my decision to raise the minimum graduation age without any exceptions. Kids need the chance to be kids.” 

“And what good does stifling them do?” Fugaku countered. 

Before the argument could escalate, Kushina caught Mikoto’s eye. Her friend was sharing the same look of annoyance. “Please,” Kushina pleaded irritably, “can we at least get through dessert before we start talking about politics?” 

Both men looked a little sheepish, and nodded in agreement. They mumbled apologies under their breath. Minato’s expression softened, and he smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Itachi. I understand how you feel. Both Kakashi and I graduated early, you know.” 

Itachi nodded. “I did know that.” He hesitated, then added, “I did not mean to imply that the curriculum you set up was subpar, Lord Fourth.” 

“Ah, you don’t need to be so formal here. You’re my guests,” Minato insisted. His expression turned thoughtful. “Maybe we can figure something out for you. Your father isn’t wrong; the current academy system isn’t necessarily fair to our most gifted students.” 

“You don’t have to go out of the way just for our family,” Mikoto responded politely. 

It was too late to stop Minato, he was already in problem solving mode. “No, no, it really is a good point. I don’t want our kids to have to grow up as quickly as we did, but it’s also not fair to completely deprive them of any opportunities to advance.” He thought for a few moments. “I’ll speak with the Academy teachers. Perhaps we could have you, and other advanced students, come by my office a few times per week. I’m sure we could come up with something if we all put our heads together.” 

Itachi seemed genuinely excited about the idea, but he didn’t reply until he glanced at his father and received a curt nod of confirmation. “Thank you for the offer, I think I would like that very much.” 

Fugaku looked pleased by the idea, having his son and heir receive such personalized attention from the Hokage. Minato just looked proud of himself for coming up with a diplomatic solution. Kushina caught Mikoto’s gaze and rolled her eyes, prompting her friend to hide a snort of laughter behind her hand. Kakashi caught the exchange and seemed to have to hold back a few of his own chuckles. So much for waiting until after dessert to talk politics. 

The rest of the meal was comfortable, with light small talk and fits of laughter from both toddlers. The tone of the evening shifted when the meal ended, and Kushina started clearing everyone’s plates. They all felt it, far too well-trained and attuned to their surroundings to not notice. 

Kushina leaned back against the counter, looking over the two families at their table. She tried to smile reassuringly, but she doubted it was convincing. “Hey, Itachi, would you mind taking the boys into the other room for a while? We’ve got some boring adult stuff to talk about.” 

Based on the look on the kid’s face, he was definitely interested in whatever “boring adult stuff” they were going to discuss, but he didn’t object. He was far too obedient to disobey a request from an authority figure. Kushina waited until Itachi had taken both toddlers out of the room before checking that their silencing seal was still in place. Genius or not, she was not going to involve an Academy kid in their plans to save the world. 

“And here I was hoping this was just a friendly dinner,” Fugaku sighed, rubbing at his temples. “Do I want to know what kind of discussion we’re going to have here in your kitchen, away from your advisors and ANBU guards?” 

Minato laughed wryly. “Would it help if I told you that the dinner portion of this evening was because we really did want to have you all over for a visit?” 

“I think that depends on what you’re going to tell us,” Fugaku replied dryly. 

“Fair enough.” Minato glanced at Kakashi, who looked very uncomfortable, but nodded supportively. Then, he turned to Kushina. “Where do we even start?” 

Kushina saw Mikoto aim a supportive smile in her direction. “I’ll start,” she offered, keeping her position near the counter instead of at the table. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding insane, but I swear it’s all true.” 

From there, Kushina started her explanation. She condensed all of the information as much as possible, starting on the day Kurama arrived in their time. Minato interjected occasionally to add details or context. Kakashi only spoke once, to give his version of the events that occurred on the day Naruto was almost kidnapped. Kushina purposefully avoided any discussion on what happened to the Uchiha in the other timeline, and she definitely didn’t mention how angry and lonely Sasuke was in that version of the future. She stuck to details about the developing relationship between her and Kurama, and the horrific future that the fox was trying to prevent. She hadn’t gotten to the particular tidbit about Obito yet, and she was definitely not looking forward to it. 

Throughout the entire explanation, Fugaku’s expression never changed. Cold disbelief was written all over his face, along with a deep frown. Mikoto, more than anything, looked concerned about Kushina’s sanity. She kept glancing between Kushina, Minato, and Kakashi, as if she was waiting for one of them to stop her from speaking any more nonsense. 

Before moving on to explaining exactly why the clan heads had been asked here, Kushina paused, giving everyone time to adjust. The kitchen was dead silent for at least five minutes, no one moving or speaking. Fugaku’s expression still hadn’t changed. He was frowning down at the table, avoiding eye contact with anyone else. Mikoto was just as quiet, but she seemed more confused than upset for the moment. 

Finally, Kushina couldn’t take the silence any longer. “Like I said; it sounds crazy, but it’s all true.” 

Both Uchiha turned their full attention to her. They stared for a few more moments, then turned to exchange an indiscernible look with each other. After what felt like an eternity, Mikoto responded, “I’m not sure either of us understand. You’re saying that the Kyuubi…traveled through time?” 

“Yes,” Kushina confirmed. 

The clan heads exchanged another look. “Erm,” Mikoto continued awkwardly, “and you’re saying that the Kyuubi…wants to save the world?” 

Once again, Kushina replied, “Yes.” 

This time, when Mikoto turned toward her friend, her expression was full of concern, and definitely a touch of anger. “Kushina, you are my dearest friend, but this kind of joke is really inappropriate. I don’t really understand what the punchline is, but you know how things have been for us since the Kyuubi attack. Joking about it is not funny.” 

“It’s not a joke,” Kushina insisted. She looked at her husband for support. 

“It’s true,” Minato confirmed. “I know it sounds crazy, but it really happened. The Kyuubi asked me to seal him in Naruto, and he went willingly. Since then he’s been…cooperative. Helpful, even.” 

“He saved my life,” Kakashi added quietly. “The Kyuubi, I mean. When he fought off Naruto’s kidnappers, he could have just left me for dead, but he came back for me. It was for Naruto, because he knows I’m important to him, but it was still a risk he didn’t have to take.” 

What Kakashi didn’t say was that Kurama returning to fight off the attackers may have saved Sasuke and Itachi too. Still, the implication was obvious. However, it still didn’t convince their guests. In fact, both of their frowns seemed to deepen. They exchanged another silent look with each other. 

“Please tell me what you’re thinking,” Kushina begged her friend. 

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Mikoto admitted. “You know that I trust you, but this story is…” She didn’t need to tell them how insane it was. 

Finally, Fugaku entered the conversation as well. “Why are you telling us this? Why now?” 

Kushina hesitated, but found her strength when her husband shot her a small, supportive smile. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, finding her courage. “We know the identity of the man that set the Kyuubi loose on the village.” 

That definitely caught the interest of both Uchiha. They both leaned forward slightly in their chairs, clearly wanting to know more. However, Fugaku’s expression started to close off. He looked suspiciously between the Hokage and his wife. 

“Are you trying to imply that we are somehow involved with this man? Is this an interrogation?” Fugaku’s tone was accusatory, and definitely offended. 

Minato was the one to interject. “No, not at all, Fugaku. We’re asking you for help.” 

The suspicion didn’t abate, but Fugaku seemed to calm down ever so slightly. He was clearly wary, but his pride must love the idea of the Hokage asking him specifically for help. He was at least placated enough to sit back and listen to the rest of the explanation. 

Minato took over the next part of the story. “He’s my former student.” The words were heavy, and seemed to drain Minato as he said them. “Obito Uchiha. Both Kakashi and Kushina saw his face, and he confirmed his identity himself.” 

Fugaku looked stunned by the revelation. “That can’t be right. Obito was always…” he grimaced, no doubt remembering his bumbling genin and chunin days. “Well, you know how he was. You must be mistaken.” 

Of course, Fugaku was less concerned with how Obito cheated death, and more concerned about how the black sheep of the clan had managed to bring the Kyuubi to heel. He didn’t even question how the Yondaime’s former student was back from the dead, but he seemed terribly concerned about how such a supposedly unremarkable chunin had managed to go toe-to-toe with the Hokage himself. 

“It was him,” Kakashi confirmed, his tone devoid of all emotion. 

The forlorn expression on the teen’s face seemed to convince Fugaku that the information was factual. “What exactly do you want from us, then? The clan has already offered full cooperation on the matter. Of course we will gladly supply you with any documentation we have about Obito, but I would suspect that you as his former sensei would know more.” He glanced over at Kakashi next, his expression cold. “If you are looking for information on Obito’s Sharingan, then I’m afraid you are out of luck. Seeing as how he threw away our clan’s blessing before it could be recorded in our archives–” 

“He didn’t throw it away,” Kakashi interrupted, looking genuinely furious about the implication. “It was a gift.” 

It seemed like it should be impossible, but Fugaku’s frown deepened. “A gift,” he repeated distastefully, not breaking eye contact with Kakashi. 

Minato cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. “I know that this is not a subject you want to discuss, but we wouldn’t be asking unless we had another choice. We’re formulating a plan to capture Obito, and since we’re going to be dealing with an advanced form of the Sharingan, we thought it was pertinent to involve you.” 

Both Uchiha stiffened at the wording. They were both immediately on guard. Fugaku narrowed his eyes at Minato. “What do you mean, that you’re dealing with an advanced form of the Sharingan?” 

Kushina was kicking herself for forgetting what the proper terminology was. She’d heard it plenty of times in Kurama’s memories, but it didn’t stick. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it was difficult to say, Kakashi didn’t forget those kinds of details. She must have told him at some point, which meant that he’d probably remember forever. 

With a bout of courage that was both impressive and idiotic, Kakashi looked the Uchiha clan head dead in the face and said, “Mangekyou.” 

Fugaku almost leapt up from his chair. “Where did you hear about that?” He looked absolutely enraged. His normal stoic demeanor was melting away, replaced by fury and suspicion. 

Kakashi didn’t back down. “From Kurama.” 

“Who the hell is Kurama?” Fugaku snapped. 

“Kurama is the Kyuubi. That’s his name,” Kushina said quickly, hoping to salvage the situation. Even Mikoto looked unsettled, which didn’t bode well for their diplomatic approach. 

“From the Kyuubi,” Fugaku parroted, his face set in a harsh scowl. 

Minato, sensing the rising tension, motioned at Kakashi to stand down. He kept his body language as neutral and non-threatening as possible. “That’s why we are asking for help. I know that the Uchiha are very protective of the Sharingan and all of its secrets. I want to respect that, and work with you instead of behind your back.” 

Fugaku considered Minato’s explanation, looking completely unconvinced about his intentions. “What exactly are you asking for help with?” 

Kushina knew the response was not going to go over well. So did Minato. If Kushina, who was definitely not a politician and barely a people-person on a good day, could see it, then her genius Hokage husband could see it too. He knew that he was running head first into an impossible to win scenario, but of course he wasn’t going to back down. He still tried to keep his posture non-threatening, and his expression open, but he had to know it wouldn’t be enough. 

“Obito’s Sharingan possesses an ability that allows him to turn intangible at will, and access some kind of pocket dimension,” Minato explained. “It’s how he escaped the night he set the Kyuubi free, and it is going to make him near impossible to capture. The most logical step is to neutralize his ability to escape,” he continued. “To do that, we need to neutralize his Sharingan. Myself, Kushina, and Master Jiraiya are skilled enough with fuuinjutsu–” 

Fugaku didn’t wait to hear the end of the explanation. He was out of his chair, looking more furious than Kushina had ever seen. The chair fell over as he rose swiftly to his feet, clanking loudly on the kitchen floor. “Are you saying you are going to create a seal that can suppress the Sharingan at will?” He did nothing to hide his accusatory tone. “Is this some kind of loyalty test? Have we not done enough to prove ourselves, time and time again?!” 

Minato held up his hands placatingly. “It’s not like that. Please, sit down and let me finish my explanation and I will address any questions or concerns–” 

“You swore to me that you would work with us, Minato.” The lack of any kind of title or honorific was a stunning display of blatant disrespect from the clan head. “You swore that you would not bend to the council’s will and continue to let us be treated like pariahs in our own village.” 

“And I will honor that promise,” Minato replied. “That is why I’m coming to you for help. I want to be honest and upfront about my intentions.” 

“Then why spin this insane tale about the Kyuubi and time travel?!” Fugaku countered furiously. “What more do we need to do to prove that the clan was not involved in the attack? We have publicly denounced the man that controlled the beast, and we have submitted to every investigation, every inquiry, and every violation of trust and privacy that the village has thrown our way!” 

Kushina couldn’t help herself when she snapped, “We’re telling the truth! Would you get your stubborn head out of your ass and listen to what we’re trying to tell you?!”

“Kushina,” Mikoto said sharply. “Don’t.” 

“Mikoto–” 

“No,” she interjected, cold in a way that Kushina had never seen from her friend before. “That’s enough.” 

“Please everyone, just take a few moments to calm down,” Minato said carefully, somewhere between his dad voice and his Hokage voice. “Fugaku, I swear to you that I am not trying to question the loyalty of you or your clan. I never believed for a second that the person who attacked us was anything more than a rogue entity.” 

“Your actions say otherwise,” Fugaku grumbled in response. “What else am I supposed to think about you threatening to create a seal that suppresses our doujutsu? I am not a fool, Minato. I know what the Council and the other clan heads whisper about us behind our backs. They fear us. They fear the power of our eyes.” He scowled, his fists clenched at his side. “That kind of seal will be used to control us, and to muzzle us. To blind us.” 

“You have my word that the seal will never be replicated. No one outside of those of us who create it, and yourselves, will have access to it,” Minato promised, still trying for a diplomatic approach. “We will make only one, to let us subdue Obito. That’s it. Any prototypes will be destroyed, and we won’t keep any copies.” 

Fugaku met the Hokage’s eyes. “If you make that seal, it will be seen as an act of aggression against the Uchiha Clan, and we will act accordingly.” 

Kushina inhaled sharply, and she heard both Minato and Kakashi do the same. The implications of the threat settled over them, and Kushina immediately felt ill. If they went through with making the seal, which was currently their best and only plan to capture Obito, the Uchiha would take it as a declaration of war against them. And in response, they would revolt. At worst, it would cause a civil war. The Hyuga might side with them, for fear of their own doujutsu being targeted. Or, the Uchiha would be alone, and it would be a bloodbath when they inevitably refused to back down. They would be–

It sounded too familiar. Was it their fate, to die one way or another? Was this the universe’s way of trying to correct the changes they’d made to the timeline? 

Both Uchiha were on their feet now, looking solemn and betrayed. “We’re done talking about this,” Fugaku insisted, ignoring any and all protocols that would have demanded more respect toward their leader. 

They were leaving. They were going to leave, and then they would report what happened tonight to the rest of the clan. The clan was going to be furious. Had they just undone all of the work they’d put into preventing the Uchiha from being killed? Had she just signed off on her best friend’s death? 

Kushina tried again to reach her friend. “Mikoto–” 

“We’ve heard enough,” she replied angrily. The hurt and betrayal was evident all over her face. “We’re leaving.” 

In the face of the universe’s plans, or cosmic balance, Kushina suddenly made up her mind that she didn’t give a shit. She would not let her friend walk out that door. “You can’t!” 

“Give me a reason why,” Mikoto demanded, almost pleading. She too seemed to understand the implications of their departure. “One good reason, Kushina.” 

There were many things she could say, but for some reason her mind settled on, “Because Kurama saved your lives!” 

Mikoto actually looked stunned, clearly not expecting that answer. “Kurama–is that the Kyuubi?” The anger started to return, overtaking surprise. “Are you serious–” 

“Mikoto,” she tried more gently, walking up to her friend and grabbing her hands. The other woman didn’t throw her off, which seemed like a win. “You know me. You know I would never, ever do or say anything that would put you or your family in danger. And you know I would never let Minato do something so stupid either.” She squeezed her friend’s hands. “Please, just trust me. I know it’s crazy, and sounds impossible, but I swear to every deity that I don’t believe in that everything you’ve heard tonight is the honest truth.” 

For a few moments, Kushina thought her friend was going to pull away. Then, her shoulders slumped, and she murmured, “Ok.” 

Testing the waters, Kushina added, “If I’m lying, I’ll never eat ramen again.” 

That did draw a tiny laugh from Mikoto, but she still looked incredibly conflicted. “Kushina, I–” she didn’t quite seem to know what to say. “I want to trust you. I do trust you, but–” 

“I know.” And she did. She understood the gravity of what she was asking, and the kind of blind, insane trust she was hoping for. 

Fugaku frowned at his wife. “Mikoto are you–” 

“I’m not quite ready to accept everything at face value, but I do trust Kushina,” Mikoto insisted. “She would never hurt us like this. If she says the Kyuubi time traveled to save the world,” she grimaced at her own statement, “then I guess I believe her.” 

Fugaku was not convinced, but he was definitely calming down. Kushina would give him major brownie points for trusting his wife so thoroughly. Maybe he wasn’t such an emotionless prick afterall. With a weary sigh, Fugaku reached down to pick up his fallen chair. He sat back down with a heavy thud, giving everyone around the table a considering glance. He didn’t look happy about it, but he did look willing to listen.  

Mikoto returned the gesture that Kushina had done previously, squeezing her friend’s hands supportively. She smiled sadly, then pulled away, so she could sit back down at her husband’s side. Both of them shared another look with each other, this one far more subdued than any of the previous ones. They seemed to come to some kind of agreement. 

“I don’t suppose,” Fugaku asked, forcing his tone to stay calm and neutral, “that you could give us any proof of your claims?” 

Kushina looked back and forth between Minato and Kakashi, but neither of them seemed to have an obvious answer. Eventually, Minato rubbed at the back of his neck and replied, “Would the word of two Sannin mean anything?” 

Both Uchiha did seem surprised to hear about the other parties involved, and it may have calmed them a little more, but they clearly still weren’t convinced. And Kushina understood, she really did! It had taken her almost two years to believe everything Kurama told her. She’d certainly been resistant to trusting him, and she’d been able to see him interact with Naruto and talk to him–

“Oh.” 

Every eye at the table fell on Kushina after her audible exclamation. They were all looking at her expectantly. She had an idea, but Kurama might hate her for it. Was it worth risking losing the fox’s trust, after working so hard to gain it in the first place? Did she really have another option? 

“I was just thinking,” she explained carefully, “we could give Kurama a chance to explain himself.” 

Minato didn’t look happy about the suggestion. “We’ve talked about this. There’s no safe way for anyone else to talk to Kurama directly.” 

“Except there is,” she insisted. “Not for us, but maybe for a Sharingan user…” 

No one else seemed to be catching on, which made sense when Kushina really thought about it. She only knew that it might be an option because she’d seen an older Sasuke inadvertently enter Naruto’s mindscape in one of Kurama’s memories. Of course, the interaction had been much more antagonistic for everyone involved, but it stood to reason that if Sasuke could do it, then perhaps one of his parents could as well. 

“What are you saying, Kushina?” Mikoto asked, looking uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. 

“Ok, it’s hard to explain, but there’s this space where jinchuuriki can talk to their bijuu. In their mind, or the seal, I don’t really know.” Kushina caught the confused and unamused expressions being thrown in her direction. “Er, that part isn't important. The important part is that the space exists, and I think someone with a Sharingan can access it.” 

It was clear that the explanation hadn’t really cleared anything up. Kushina took a deep breath and kept trying. “Kurama–the Kyuubi–he shows me his memories sometimes. It’s how we knew about certain, erm, events. And people. I remember one where Sasuke, teenage Sasuke, spoke with Kurama directly inside the mindscape.” 

Mikoto frowned at the explanation. “Why is the Kyuubi showing you memories about Sasuke?” 

Ah, she hadn’t really had a chance to get to that part of the story, had she? “Kurama could only see through Naruto’s eyes, which meant that he and Naruto were functionally sharing the same memories. Sasuke was in a lot of them.” She winced, and added, “He and Naruto had a, um, complex relationship.” 

“I don’t know if that makes me feel better, or worse,” Mikoto admitted. 

Kushina pressed on. “I honestly don’t know exactly how it worked,” she admitted, “but I think in theory you could just turn on your Sharingan and…do it?” 

Another look exchanged between the two Uchiha before Fugaku responded, “We’re trying to give you the benefit of the doubt here, but you have to realize what this sounds like.” 

Kushina took her seat at the table, so she could be more on level with everyone. “What does it sound like to you?” 

Fugaku continued, “It sounds like you’re trying to test what kind of influence our Sharingan has on the Kyuubi. It sounds like you’re testing us . Like you don’t trust us.” 

“Has anyone ever told you you’re incredibly paranoid?” Kushina retorted. “I’m not doing anything other than what I say I’m doing.” 

Minato reached out to grab her arm, shaking his head in warning. “Take it easy,” he murmured gently, sensing his wife’s rising irritation. 

Right. Now was probably a bad time to get worked up. Everyone was barely keeping a level head as it was, so the last thing they needed would be for her to lose her temper. Kushina took a few calming breaths. 

“Sorry. I’m just frustrated that you’re only seeing the worst in our intentions,” Kushina explained as calmly as she could. 

“It’s my job,” Fugaku replied. “I have to look at every worst case scenario, every possible deception. My clan is relying on me to keep them safe.” 

“Right…” Kushina sighed. So then were they at an impasse? “Talking to Kurama is the only idea I have. If you want proof, you need to talk to him.” 

Everyone at the table was silent, processing the information. Eventually, Mikoto sighed, “Ok. I’ll do it.” 

Fugaku whipped around to look at his wife, surprised by the offer, and definitely concerned. “This is a bad idea.” 

“Probably,” she agreed dryly, “but think about it. Really think about what Kushina suggested.” Mikoto gave her husband a reassuring shoulder squeeze. “To use the Sharingan to talk to the Kyuubi, that means using it on Naruto . Kushina is telling us she trusts us with her son’s life.” 

“I do. Completely.” The thought had never even crossed her mind that her friend would hurt her son. For all her paranoia and over-protectiveness, she didn’t have an ounce of fear for Naruto’s safety. There were very few people Kushina would put her complete trust in, when it came to her son’s life, and her best friend was one of them. 

It was obvious that no one else at the table, besides the two women, were quite as content with the idea. They were all in a very precarious situation with no good way out. Minato was obviously nervous about the idea, as was Fugaku. She understood their apprehension. This was a huge display of trust, and a dangerous political situation. If Minato expressed his concern, it wouldn’t just be as a father, it would be as a Hokage too. Intentional or not, it would be telling the Uchiha clan head that he thought their presence was a danger to their village’s jinchuuriki. And for Fugaku, his position wasn’t much better. If he agreed, and something went wrong, it could fall back onto him and the clan, particularly if anyone caught wind of the Kyuubi’s presence while the Uchiha clan head’s family was at the Hokage’s home. But if he didn’t agree, it would look like he didn’t trust Kushina, and Minato by extension. It would look like he didn’t trust his Hokage, which could have serious backlash too. So overall not a great position for anyone to be in. And poor Kakashi was observing silently, looking tense and downright terrified to intervene and make the situation worse. Kushina almost wished he’d sent Kakashi off with the kids, even though it would have pissed him off to be excluded. 

Fugaku and Minato seemed to catch each other’s eyes and share some sort of silent conversation. For the first time since the disastrous conversation started, they seemed to be on the same page. It was unfortunate that their common ground was fear for the plan their wives were suggesting. For a few moments, Kushina was afraid that Fugaku would demand that his wife needed to stand down. She knew that the Uchiha were still very traditional and patriarchal, and she didn’t know how that translated to her friend’s home life. She couldn’t imagine her friend being “seen and not heard”, but she knew it was still the norm for a few of the older clans in the village, even if the younger generations seemed less rigid in their gender roles nowadays. 

After a prolonged silence, Fugaku rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t think there’s any response I can give that won’t blow up in my face.” He sighed. “I’ll follow your lead on this, Mikoto.” 

Kushina looked to her own partner, who was tense and had his lips drawn into a thin line. “Minato?” 

He relented as well. “I’ll second that notion. I know better than to try to get in between the famous Uchiha-Uzumaki duo when they set their minds on something.” 

The statement at least got a few amused huffs from the table. Kushina reached over to squeeze her husband’s hand in a silent thank you. She knew she was asking a lot, and that she hadn’t done anything to repair the trust she’d lost when she’d kept Obito’s identity from everyone. If they weren’t in the middle of something very serious and important, she would have taken a moment to wax poetically about how much she loved and appreciated her husband. 

Kakashi stood up from his chair, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but in the middle of this conversation. “I’ll go and grab Naruto then.” He fled the room as quickly as possible, and returned just as swiftly with a giggling toddler in his arms. 

Kushina immediately took her son into her own arms and gave him a few smooches on his forehead. He giggled happily, reaching out to grab at his mother. She met his gaze and smiled, prompting another round of happy squeals. Had a more perfect baby ever existed? Definitely not, in her completely unbiased opinion. 

“Naruto, I need to talk to Kurama,” she told the toddler, even though he didn’t understand. 

He did recognize the name, and happily cheered, “Ku-ra! Ku-ra!” 

Mikoto made a surprised noise, recognizing the previously nonsensical words that Naruto babbled all the time. She was understandably caught off guard to realize that Naruto had been happily shouting the name of the Kyuubi for all to hear. 

There was no recognition or confirmation that the fox was listening, but Kushina knew he was. “Kurama,” she started, “I’m really sorry to spring this on you, but I need you to speak with Mikoto. I know you’re not going to like it, but I asked her to use her Sharingan to speak with you. I think she can talk to you in the mindscape.” Still no response, not even a flickering of the fox’s chakra left within her. “Please talk to her. I trust Mikoto completely, she won’t do anything to you, I swear. If you have any modicum of trust or respect for me, I’m begging you to please help me out here. Please, Kurama.” 

Everyone was watching her curiously, as she begged the demon fox to play nice. Naruto of course didn’t understand what was going on, but he did pick up on the tension around the table, and the strain in his mother’s voice. “Mama?” he whined, grabbing at her hair and clothes as if he could do something to lighten her burden. 

“It’s ok, baby.” She gave Naruto another kiss on the forehead, which seemed to placate him for the moment. Then she turned him around to face the other occupants at the table. With a single nod, she told her friend, “Ok, do it. I’ve given Kurama all the warning I can.” 

Mikoto was still immensely uncomfortable with the idea, but she tried not to let it show. She placed a gentle hand on Naruto’s head and cooed something soothing at him. Of course, Naruto had no idea that anything was wrong, and was just happy to be the center of attention. He spent enough time with Mikoto and her family that he recognized her and readily looked into her eyes, even as they spun into the deep crimson of the Sharingan. 

The entire table seemed to hold their breath as Naruto went still and unblinking, caught up in the doujutsu’s influence. Mikoto was just as still, and Kushina hoped that meant she had successfully reached Kurama in the mindscape. She should have planned this better. Maybe they could have knocked her out so she could join them in the mindscape as a buffer. Although, at this point, it was unlikely anyone would have waited that long to get answers, so this was the best they could do. They had to put their faith in Kurama and hope that he could convince the Uchiha that they were telling the truth. They also had to hope that telling Mikoto to use the Sharingan to speak to the fox without discussing it with him first wouldn’t destroy his trust in them. 

The minutes ticked by without any change. Kushina knew time flowed differently in the mindscape, so it would have felt much longer for Mikoto and Kurama. Still, the few minutes of silence were agonizing. They were all getting antsy, and no one knew how long they should wait before intervening. What if Kurama attacked Mikoto? What if they were fighting? What if she didn’t believe what the fox was telling her? 

Finally, after the most excruciatingly slow minutes of her life, Naruto blinked. Mikoto seemed to come back to herself as well, her hand finally slipping off the toddler’s head. She didn’t bother stopping her hand from dropping onto the table like it weighed a ton. Her expression was completely unreadable, and she was staring ahead blankly as her eyes faded from red to black. Conversely, Naruto was almost immediately back to babbling and gurgling cheerfully, clearly unphased by whatever had transpired between Mikoto and the fox. 

Without any warning, Mikoto burst into tears. She had her hand over her mouth, as if she was trying to hold back her desperate gasps and sobs. Fugaku immediately had both hands on his wife’s back, looking shockingly soft and gentle as he tried to calm her. 

“What happened? What did you see?” he asked, looking more concerned about his wife’s well-being than anything else at the moment. 

Mikoto shook her head, still sobbing brokenly. She was struggling to find her words but managed to gasp out, “Itachi–” 

Oh shit. Kushina immediately realized what Kurama must have told her, and she had no idea what to say in response. Really, what could she say? How was she supposed to comfort her friend about a future that may or may not exist, where her clan was dead and her son was responsible? 

Fugaku’s concern only worsened. “What about him? Did the fox threaten–” 

“No,” Mikoto managed between sobs. “No, he–I can’t–” She was clearly struggling to form words. “Later. I’ll explain–I can’t–later. Please. Later,” she promised. “I don’t–” She shook her head, then buried her face in her hands as she continued to mourn for the future that hopefully would never come to pass. 

It took a few minutes for Mikoto to calm down enough to speak again. Kushina knew why, and so did Minato and Kakashi. They both knew exactly what Kurama must have told her, so they also understood how devastated she must be right now. None of them were going to push her into talking. Kushina wanted to reach out to comfort her friend, but she didn’t know if the attention would be welcome. If Mikoto knew about the massacre, in the other timeline, she would have realized that Kushina knew and didn’t say anything. She might be furious that Kushina didn’t tell her. 

The sobs didn’t completely stop, but they died down enough for Mikoto to catch her breath. Through tear-filled eyes she caught Kushina’s gaze. “Has that future changed? Kushina, please, I need to know–” her voice broke at the end of her question. 

In reality, Kushina should probably say she didn’t know. Afterall, how could she predict the future? They’d changed the timeline so much, and in ways they probably couldn’t even fathom. And yet, when she looked at the broken, desperate expression on her friend’s face, Kushina knew there was only one answer she could give. 

“Yes,” she replied resolutely. “I swear, that future will never happen.” Kushina reached out, leaning over the table so she could once again grab her friend’s hands. She jostled Naruto in her lap, but the toddler didn’t seem to mind. “I swear it on my life.” 

For a few terrible moments, Mikoto just stared at her. She didn’t react to the hands frantically gripping her own, and didn’t respond beyond her sniffles and gasps that she still couldn’t hold back. And then, her own hands linked with her friend’s, and she nodded. Just one, single nod, but it meant everything to Kushina. 

Without pulling from her friend’s hold, Mikoto turned next to her husband. “It’s all true. Every word.” 

“You spoke with the Kyuubi?” Fugaku asked cautiously. “And you believed what it said?” 

“Yes,” she confirmed simply. 

Fugaku took a few of his own moments to gather his thoughts, still staring at his wife with unconcealed concern. Then, he too offered a single, solemn nod. “Alright, then.” He closed his eyes, and inhaled shakily, then turned to face Minato. His expression was no longer hostile, even if the wariness didn’t completely vanish. “This seal of yours,” he started, “I want either myself or Mikoto involved in every part of its creation. I want no duplicates, no saved prototypes, and no recorded notes. Nothing that could lead to it being recreated. And,” he added, “I want a second seal made to counteract the first, one that will remain in my possession for the foreseeable future.” 

Minato didn’t hesitate, having already offered half of those conditions himself. “Done.” He held out his hand. 

Fugaku hesitated for a brief moment, eyeing the hand distrustfully, but he eventually reached out and took it. The two men sealed the deal with a handshake, and Kushina felt instant relief. She was still holding onto Mikoto’s hands, and was in no hurry to let go. Her friend wasn’t making any effort to pull away either. 

“Tell me about this insane plan,” Fugaku requested, sounding exhausted. 

Minato relayed everything they knew about Obito’s abilities, and their plans for the seal. Fugaku listened intently, nodding along and asking questions when appropriate. Otherwise, he remained silent, digesting the information. At the end of the explanation, he turned his calculating gaze onto Kakashi. 

“You’re going to be the test subject?” he asked, his face not giving away any of his thoughts. 

Kakashi nodded, looking equally as wary about Fugaku’s intentions as he was about their own. “Yes. That way we can make sure it will work.” 

“Have you used the Mangekyou before?” 

Kakashi stiffened, then slowly shook his head. “No, but the other me did. In the future. If he figured it out, then I’m sure I can too.” 

Fugaku grunted at that, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ll ‘figure it out’, really?” He dropped his hand from his face, then stared Kakashi down, clearly thinking hard. “How is your current mastery of the Sharingan? Tell me honestly.” 

The question surprised Kakashi a bit, but he answered promptly, “It’s…ok. It’s very draining and I’ve passed out from chakra exhaustion a few times.” He briefly glanced at Minato, who frowned in disapproval. “Ok, more than a few.” 

“I expected as much,” Fugaku replied. He tapped his fingers on the table idly as he continued to think about his next words. “There are only a few recorded instances of successful Sharingan transplants to outsiders. Voluntary transplants, at least,” he added distastefully. “And there are no records of any outsider ever receiving a Sharingan that has developed into the Mangekyou. Considering that most transplants end in the recipient dying from chakra exhaustion, I imagine that the success rate for the Mangekyou would be even lower.”

“I’m not going to stop using it,” Kakashi insisted. “Even now, knowing who Obito,” he seemed to have to force the name out, “has become. When he gave me this eye, it meant everything.” 

“I’m not suggesting that you stop using it,” Fugaku explained, “I’m suggesting that you get some formal training.” He crossed his arms, looking as surly as ever. “Normally, I would never even consider the idea of training an outsider, but in this case I think it may be necessary. If you are going to be our test subject, then you need to be able to use the Mangekyou without instantaneously passing out.” 

“Are you offering?” Kakashi asked, clearly caught off guard, and definitely bitter. “Because last I heard, I was nothing but an eye thief and not welcome anywhere near the Uchiha Clan.” 

“In case you’ve forgotten,” Fugaku replied sharply, “I am the one who convinced the elders to let you keep that eye, to honor Obito’s dying wish. But forgive me for not being enthused about an outsider having access to our sacred doujutsu.” 

Before Kakashi could say something else potentially insulting, Minato cleared his throat expectantly. Kakashi instantly backed off, slumping back in his seat like the petulant teenager he was. He continued to glare at the Uchiha clan head, but kept his mouth shut. 

When Minato was convinced that his student wasn’t going to say anything stupid, he offered Fugaku his most winning, diplomatic smile. “That is a very generous offer, one that Kakashi will graciously accept.” He gave Kakashi a very purposeful look. “Graciously, Kakashi.” 

Kakashi mumbled in response, but eventually his sense won out. He briefly stood, to offer a respectful bow to the clan head. As much as Kakashi must be uncomfortable with the idea, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. To be trained by any of the Uchiha, let alone the clan head, was not only an honor, but a huge show of trust. With how closely the Uchiha guarded their secrets, training an outsider to use the Sharingan was incredibly taboo, probably borderline treasonous for the clan. If anyone found out that the clan head himself had offered, it could be a huge political nightmare for him. 

Minato understood the gravity of the offer as well. “We’ll be discreet. With all of this,” he promised. 

At least, as the Hokage, he had no shortage of secret meeting spots where they could work uninterrupted. Still, they needed to tread carefully. Not only would getting discovered potentially tip off Obito before they were ready, it could also lead to disaster for Minato. Working secretly with one of the clan heads, without oversight, would be iffy even if the clan head in question wasn’t already under suspicion from the Council. They wouldn’t be able to hide everything they were doing, or the fact that they were meeting, but it was imperative that they kept their plan as quiet as possible. 

Thankfully, the rest of their scheming and planning was more straightforward. Plans on when and where to meet next, contingencies for if anyone started sniffing around. Promises of secrecy. Throughout the rest of the discussion, Mikoto never pulled her hands back from Kushina’s. She seemed to have the worst of her tears under control, but she was understandably distressed. She didn’t offer any more of her own input, unless spoken to directly. Instead, she just stared blankly ahead, her eyes fixed on something none of them could see. 

When the evening ended, and Mikoto went to collect her children, she burst into tears again and hugged them for an almost uncomfortably long time. It definitely had Fugaku on edge, who hadn’t been filled in yet on what was making his wife so upset. He seemed to be at a loss on how to comfort her, and hovered awkwardly as Mikoto cried and hugged their children. 

Itachi was looking between his parents with obvious concern. “Mother? Is everything ok?” 

The question only seemed to make Mikoto more upset. Kushina briefly wondered if Mikoto was going to treat her eldest son differently, now that she knew what he’d done in the other timeline. Would she hold him accountable for what his other self did? Based on how she was hugging him, practically squeezing the life out of the poor kid, Kushina guessed that the answer was no. Maybe she’d be more vigilant for his own protection, but she didn’t think her friend would place the blame on her son, who hadn’t done anything wrong in this timeline. Actually, knowing Mikoto, Kushina suspected she probably wouldn’t blame the other Itachi either. They’d be ok, she was sure of it. 

It took a while for Mikoto to compose herself enough to leave the house. The goodbyes were far more awkward and significantly less enthusiastic than the greetings had been. Only the two youngest seemed to be ignorant of the change in attitudes, whining and complaining about being separated. Kakashi had to distract Naruto with one of his ninken to get the toddler to stop throwing a tantrum over Sasuke leaving. 

Once the Uchiha were gone, Kushina felt like all of her energy left her. She dropped down onto the couch, burying her face in her hands and trying to process everything that had just occurred. Minato plopped down beside her, likely doing the same. How would they know if they made the right choice? Was she too hasty, getting Kurama involved like that? 

Despite their recent argument, Minato was nothing if not supportive. He nudged her shin lightly with his foot to get her attention. “Tell me what you’re thinking?” 

Kushina laughed bitterly, sitting up so she could properly face her husband. “I’m thinking that I have no idea if I just made everything worse. I didn’t see another solution, and we had to tell them but,” she inhaled shakily, “did I just break the timeline?” 

Minato actually considered the question very carefully before replying. “I think you made the right call. I know things didn’t exactly go as planned, but the alternative would have been worse.” 

Kushina nodded numbly, knowing that her husband was right, even if she was struggling to make herself believe him. Only time would tell whether or not they’d made the right choices tonight.

Chapter Text

In his centuries of life, Kurama had never met any beings, human, bijuu, or otherwise, as impulsive and reckless as the Uzumaki. First, there had been Mito, willingly sealing an essence of pure chakra and malice into her body. Kurama despised her for it, but on some level he could appreciate her foolish bravery. And then there was Naruto, who offered his hand in friendship to a creature that had only ever caused him pain and misery. He’d given Kurama full access to his chakra and his body, without blinking an eye. 

But, if Kurama was really being honest, both of his other hosts paled in comparison to the force of nature that was Kushina Uzumaki. Her only predictable trait was that she was unpredictable. Once again, she’d made a foolish decision, and was going to drag Kurama down with her. 

“Damn that Tomato Head,” the fox grumbled to himself as he prepared for his unexpected visitor. 

He knew the Uchiha woman wouldn’t be able to control him. Her eyes were not strong enough, that much was obvious to Kurama. The other one did possess those eyes, but he didn’t seem keen on sharing that information. Kurama could tell, whether they were up front about it or not, easily sensing the differences in the chakra around their eyes. 

Still, he detested the idea of being in the vicinity of any Sharingan. It made his hackles raise, and his tails twitch. He suspected that it wouldn’t be as bothersome as dealing with Sasuke’s terribly familiar chakra, far too similar to Madara’s for his liking, but he doubted it would be a pleasant visit. 

When the Uchiha woman appeared in the mindscape, Kurama didn’t bother biting back a displeased growl. She didn’t flinch, meeting his gaze head on with her cursed eyes, but Kurama could still smell the fear and uncertainty on her. He laughed darkly, allowing his chakra to practically ooze off of him, knowing the effect it had on most humans. As expected, the unwanted visitor recoiled slightly, but she continued to hold her ground. 

Well, he might as well have a little fun. 

Kurama did silently give her credit for rushing forward to snatch up Naruto, who appeared in the mindscape only moments after her. Running straight toward a bijuu was both a brave and foolish endeavor for a human. Naruto, having no fear of Kurama, had immediately started toddling toward the cage that kept them separate. The Uchiha woman grabbed him and pulled him back, holding him protectively in her arms. Of course, Kurama would never hurt his jinchuuriki, but the humans never believed that. It was a bit insulting, but Kurama could at least appreciate her willingness to face down danger for the brat. 

“Uchiha,” he growled lowly, baring his teeth. “You are in over your head.” 

The woman still didn’t back down, but the uncertainty in her expression became more apparent. “Probably,” she admitted, “but Kushina thinks we should talk, so here I am.” Naruto wiggled in her arms, babbling excitedly and pointing at Kurama, but she didn’t let him down. 

Kurama scoffed at the answer he received. “Why should I care what any of you humans want?” 

“I’ve been told that you are trying to keep the world from ending, and that you’ve been working with Minato and Kushina,” she replied. “That means we have a common goal, and common allies.” 

“Were you also told how I feel about your entire wretched clan?” Kurama snarled, aiming to be as menacing as possible. “I should gut you where you stand, just for daring to look upon me with your cursed eyes.” 

“I’m sorry for intruding,” the Uchiha responded, “it wasn’t my intention to threaten or offend you.” 

Kurama laughed loudly at the implication. “You? Threaten me?” He suddenly charged the bars of his prison, making sure his entire towering form was visible. He grinned darkly when he got the desired reaction, and the Uchiha woman flinched. “You are nothing but a tiny, insignificant flea. But,” his grin stretched further along his muzzle, “you would make an excellent toothpick.”  

Despite the obvious trepidation, the human continued to stand her ground. Naruto was giggling quietly in her arms, unconcerned about Kurama’s bellowing. “If you would please answer my questions, I will be out of your hair as quickly as possible.” 

Kurama slammed a massive paw down. It wasn’t quite as threatening with an idyllic nature scene at his back, compared to the dark sewer he lived in before, but he knew his presence was still overwhelming. “I do not answer to you, nor am I at the Uzumaki woman’s every beck and call!” he roared, standing at full height. “I am the mightiest of the bijuu, the bane of humanity, the strongest–” 

A gleeful laugh cut through Kurama’s threatening rant. Naruto was grinning like a fool, clapping and chortling as Kurama yelled. “Ku-ra! Ku-ra!” he cheered, reaching toward the fox with grabbing hands. 

Kurama felt his eye twitching in irritation. Didn’t the runt realize he was in the middle of something?! “Quiet, brat!” he grumbled, glowering at the toddler. 

Naruto’s laughter continued, as did his attempts to wiggle out of the Uchiha woman’s arms. The woman glanced curiously between Naruto and Kurama, her expression turning thoughtful. 

That wouldn’t do. Kurama was meant to be intimidating! “Silence!” he roared. Once again, he snarled and bared his teeth. “You are in the presence of unfathomable power and–” 

“Ku-ra! Ku-ra! Ku-ra!” Naruto chanted, laughing harder as Kurama tried to yell over him. 

The Uchiha woman was frowning, and staring intently at Kurama. Very hesitantly, she placed Naruto on the ground. As expected, Naruto immediately made a beeline for Kurama, giggling and squealing happily the entire time. The woman was tensed and looked ready to snatch Naruto back up at a moment’s notice, but she let him approach the cage. 

“Ku-ra, up? Up!” Naruto demanded as he toddled over to the bars. 

“Kid,” Kurama sighed in defeat, “your timing is truly terrible.” Knowing that he was helpless to deny the tiny terror anything these days, Kurama relented and gently scooped the brat up with one of his tails. 

“Up! Up!” Naruto cheered, until Kurama had him held as high as his tails would possibly allow. 

“You are up, you spoiled brat!” the fox snapped, receiving nothing but more shrill laughter in response. 

Conversely, the laughter from Kurama’s other visitor was soft and surprised. Kurama growled, indicating very clearly that he did not want his current state of being to be discussed. He knew he’d become soft, and a tad pathetic. 

Fortunately, the Uchiha woman was less brash and impulsive than her Uzumaki friend. She was also far more respectful, bowing low in front of Kurama and reciting, “I humbly ask for a few moments of your time, O Great Kyuubi.” 

Kurama couldn’t help but puff up at the show of respect. “Hmph. Tomato Head could stand to learn a few manners from you.” 

The Uchiha’s expression morphed into confusion. “Tomato–” Comprehension crossed her features, followed by amusement. “Is that what you call Kushina?” 

“Hmph,” he grunted again. 

“Let me introduce myself–” 

“I know who you are,” he scoffed. “Head of the Uchiha, friend of Tomato Head, mother of Sasuke and Itachi.” Humans may all be far too similar to him, but he was not unobservant enough not to know the ones that spent the most time around his jinchuuriki. “Mikoto Uchiha.” 

Mikoto seemed less surprised about Kurama knowing her name, and more surprised about the other facts he’d listed. “You know the names of my children?” 

Kurama scoffed again. “I am familiar with both of them, in this life and my other. For better or worse, my jinchuuriki has a fondness for your family.” 

“And you have a fondness for him,” she observed, sounding disbelieving. “You–you care about Naruto.” 

Kurama grunted affirmatively, sitting back on his haunches. Naruto had moved on to climbing all over him, much to the fox’s chagrin. “You humans have such a hard time believing what is right in front of your noses.” 

Mikoto laughed bitterly. “I can’t disagree with you there.” She eyed him critically. “Please forgive me for being skeptical. My only experiences with you were not particularly pleasant. Between Kushina’s stories, and what happened to the village, I can admit that my perception of you is skewed negatively.” 

“And do you think my experiences with your kind were any better?” Kurama growled. “Humans are the ones who turned my siblings and I into prisoners and weapons.” He couldn’t help it when his hackles went up again. “It was the actions of your ancestor, Madara Uchiha, who led to my imprisonment in the first place.” 

“I always thought that was just a myth,” Mikoto admitted. 

“Humans have short lives, and even shorter memories.” Kurama rolled his eyes. “But bijuu do not forget such things.” 

The Uchiha woman was watching him carefully. “You don’t like my clan,” she observed. 

“I do not.” 

Mikoto smiled bitterly at him. “And my clan does not like you. They blame you for our worsening treatment in the village. We have been under intense suspicion since you destroyed–” she hesitated, then amended her statement, “–since you were forced to destroy Konoha. And you don’t like us, because you were controlled by someone with a Sharingan. Is that right?” 

“Yes.” 

“It would seem,” Mikoto continued, “that our hatred for one another is rooted in the same problem. Perhaps we could find common ground?” 

“Perhaps,” Kurama grunted in response. “So long as we share a common goal, and you keep those cursed eyes to yourself, I will not be the one to break a truce between us.” 

Mikoto gave him a long, considering look. “You’re really from the future, aren’t you?” 

Kurama grunted out an affirmative, “Did you not believe Tomato Head?” 

“Well, it’s just a bit hard to wrap my head around,” she admitted. “Maybe time travel is normal for you, but for us humans it’s a pretty wild concept.” 

“I assure you, it is not normal for a bijuu either. However,” he added, “we are less simple-minded than your species, and willing to accept the supposed impossibilities of this world.” 

“So, everything Kushina told us about the end of the world, and about who is going to cause it, that’s all true?” 

“Indeed. It is the future I have lived.” 

Mikoto nodded solemnly. “I see. I’m not entirely sure what to say, but I suppose I should thank you for helping us.” 

Kurama grumbled, “Rest assured, I did not do it for you . I am here to repay a debt to Naruto.” The boy in question was yanking on his fur, but Kurama was used to ignoring his most obnoxious behaviors. 

She was giving him another long, searching look, seeming to debate her next words. Eventually, she asked, “Kushina said you saved our lives. What did she mean by that?” 

So, Kushina hadn’t told her friend the full truth after all. Perhaps she was trying to spare the other woman’s feelings. Kurama had no such obligation, and he would even admit that he took certain pleasure in being the one to relay the fate of his least favorite group of humans. Perhaps it was a bit unnecessarily cruel, to take joy in such things, but he didn’t particularly care. He was not a creature that easily forgave transgressions against himself. 

“I didn’t do it for you,” Kurama repeated. “Before I traveled back to this time, Naruto spoke of wanting to change your wretched clan’s fate. I simply honored his request. Were it up to me, I would be content to let you all rot.” More gently, he added, “It was the least I could do for him.” 

“And what was our fate, in your future?” She asked, looking concerned. 

Kurama flicked his tails as he considered his options. He’d learned his lesson, telling the humans difficult truths without any proof to back up his claims. Although, even when he had proof, the humans would still convince themselves that he was lying. Did he want to deal with another whiny, disbelieving human who refused to accept the truth? 

Then again, did he truly care if she believed him? And really, how often did he get to be the one to deliver bad news to someone he didn’t like? Overall, Kurama didn’t have anything to lose. 

The fox regarded the human standing before him, not bothering to hide his distaste. “Understand this, Uchiha, you do not have the power to control me. But,” he added harshly, “if you try, I will know, and I will make you regret it.” 

Mikoto kept her cool, offering another low, respectful bow. “I realize that you have no reason to believe me, but I promise that I have no ill intentions. You have my word, O Great Kyuubi.” 

Damn, the human really understood how to flatter him. He had to force himself not to puff up with pride once again. Kurama lowered his head and reluctantly let own eyes flicker up to meet the Uchiha’s straight on. The sight of the Sharingan trained on him made all of his fur stand on end. His lips pulled back to show his pointed teeth, but he refused to break eye contact first. He refused to show his discomfort at seeing those cursed eyes locked onto his own. 

“Then,” Kurama bit out, “allow me to show you your fate.” He let the memories surface, drawing the Uchiha woman into a swirl of reminiscence. 

At first, Mikoto was stoic as Kurama shared the memories he’d experienced through Naruto’s eyes. She stayed silent and contemplative as years of memories poured into her in the span of minutes. Naruto’s understanding of the massacre had been limited at the time, due to his age and isolation. Still, he’d noticed enough for Mikoto to understand how desolate and broken her youngest son had been. 

Kurama let her see everything he’d witnessed pertaining to her sons and her clan. He knew the moment she understood the reality of what she was seeing, because her legs buckled and she fell to her knees. The stream of memories cut off and Kurama looked down at her dispassionately. The Uchiha woman was shaking, and staring past him with glazed, unseeing eyes. 

He didn’t pity her, not really. It wasn’t that he had a personal grudge against her specifically, but he also had no love for her or her clan. Naruto was important to him, and he would admit to himself privately ( never out loud) that Kushina was occasionally tolerable, but other humans were still barely more than vermin to him. He was less angry and vengeful than he used to be, and willing to work with the humans toward their common goal, but that didn’t mean he would ever find them likable. It didn’t mean he would ever find it in himself to care about them. Still, having spent so much time around Mikoto thanks to Naruto’s comradery with her youngest son, Kurama could admit that she was one of the less irritating humans he’d met. Perhaps that was why he didn’t take as much pleasure in her suffering as he’d expected to. 

“So now you know,” he grunted, unsure what else to say or do with regard to the miserable human in front of him. “Now, leave.” Kurama shoved the visitor’s consciousness out of the mindscape. She didn’t resist, and was gone in an instant. She was the Tomato Head’s problem now.

—------------------------------

In the aftermath of the disastrous dinner with the Uchiha clan heads, everything was somehow both expectantly different, and impossibly the same. On the surface, their daily routines didn’t change. It was important to maintain the illusion of normalcy, in case any of them were being watched. Minato worked, Kakashi sulked, and Kushina went back on easy missions. She and Naruto met up with Mikoto and Sasuke for playdates, and she also hung out at shinobi bars with other friends and acquaintances when she had the time. It was routine. Easy. 

And it was all a ruse, designed to throw off anyone that might be watching her. All of them were making a similar effort, trying to not draw anymore attention to themselves. For one, they didn’t know if Obito was able to spy on them. He’d mentioned eavesdropping on Kakashi’s private lamenting at his empty grave, and Kakashi had never noticed. Kakashi was not a person who didn’t notice things like that, which meant that Obito’s abilities allowed him to be incredibly stealthy. It was safest to assume that Obito could be listening in on their plans at any time, so they could plan accordingly. 

Then there were the threats from inside the village. As expected, the Hokage hosting the Uchiha clan heads hadn’t gone unnoticed by the council. It was only Kushina and Mikoto’s long history and friendship that spared them the worst of the council’s suspicion, but it didn’t eliminate the concern entirely. Kushina knew that her least favorite councilman had been spending an awful lot of time in the Hokage’s office, hounding Minato about his intentions. It got bad enough that Minato could rarely join them for their super secret seal making parties, instead being forced to keep up appearances to placate the council. 

When it came to Kurama’s unfortunate reveal of the Uchiha clan’s fate in his original timeline, the two clan heads seemed to be coping…alright. Fugaku was difficult for her to read, and she could never tell if he was in a bad mood or if his face was just frozen in that perpetual expression of contempt and disappointment. He was pushing Kakashi hard in training, as expected, but entirely avoided the discussion of anything about the other timeline unless absolutely necessary. Kushina almost thought that Mikoto hadn’t told her husband the truth, until she caught him one day staring at his sons with a surprisingly open, vulnerable expression. 

Conversely, Mikoto couldn’t hide how upset she was about the information. Maybe an outsider wouldn’t notice, but Kushina could tell that her friend was not doing well. Her entire demeanor was subdued, and she was uncharacteristically distant. She was prone to staring off into space, and Kushina worried that she could be reliving memories that Kurama showed her. The fox refused to give details about what he’d said, brushing her off and grumbling, “the truth”, without further explanation. Mikoto didn’t want to talk about her meeting with the Kyuubi any more than Kurama did, so Kushina forced herself not to push. 

Even when they gathered to work on the seal, Mikoto was clearly distracted. Case in point, she was staring forlornly at her youngest son, who was toddling around with a cheerfully babbling Naruto, instead of looking over their current project. 

“Hey,” Kushina said gently, nudging her friend’s arm to get her attention, “you ok?” 

Mikoto just laughed bitterly. “No. Not at all.” 

Kushina grimaced at her own stupid question. Of course her friend was not ok. “I know we haven’t really had a chance, so if you want to talk about–” 

“I don’t,” Mikoto said definitively. She sighed, forcing herself to tear her gaze away from the pair of toddlers that Tsunade was reluctantly supervising. The Sannin looked immensely uncomfortable, being led around by Naruto’s tiny grip on her hand. He led her over to the pile of toys that Sasuke was quietly sorting through, babbling incoherently. Sasuke nodded along solemnly as if he was hearing the most important news in the world. 

Turning toward her youngest son again, Mikoto’s expression was pained. Most likely, she was thinking of how he’d looked in Kurama’s future. Kushina knew it was a stark contrast to the shy but happy child in front of them. She also remembered how she felt when she first saw how the other Naruto was treated in Kurama’s time. Even now, thinking about that other version of her son filled her with a burning rage. She was probably the only one that understood, at least on some level, what her friend was going through. 

“Ok,” she finally answered. “We don’t have to talk about it. But if you change your mind, I just wanted you to know that I understand what you’re feeling.” Kushina grimaced, then amended, “I mean, I know it’s not exactly the same, but I know what it feels like to see a future where the people you thought you could trust have let you down. And you would do anything to prevent it.” She couldn’t help but shoot an angry glare at Jiraiya, who was staring at their plans for the seal and making an obvious effort to pretend he wasn’t listening to their conversation. Even if, in this timeline, he hadn’t done anything wrong, it was hard not to feel disappointed in her husband’s mentor sometimes. 

Jiraiya looked between the two women with pity in his eyes. “Look, I get that you’ve both got some baggage to deal with, but we are kind of in the middle of something.” He gestured to the half-finished plans spread out in front of him. “Can’t you have your little heart-to-heart another time?” 

Kushina crossed her arms, but before she could come up with a clever retort, Mikoto responded, “Master Jiraiya is right, Kushina. Now isn’t the time.” She looked over their work again, then abruptly changed the subject away from anything personal. “I’m not sure if this part of the seal will work. This appears to be only acting on the retina, and that may not be enough to truly incapacitate the Sharingan. I think it would be more effective if the seal acts either on the optic nerve, or the surrounding chakra coils.” 

It was tempting to call her friend out on her avoidance, but Kushina refrained. Even if she could convince Mikoto to talk to her, she likely wouldn’t want to do so in front of a near-stranger, particularly one employed as the village’s spymaster. Kushina could let her off the hook for now. 

“Fascinating,” Jiraiya commented, sounding genuine. “I do have something that we might be able to go off of, if that’s the case.” He rummaged around in the pile. “This is a blinding seal. It’s not designed for doujutsu users, so it will need to be modified, but it does act directly on the optic nerve. It might be a useful base.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully, then grinned mischievously. “Good thing we have a test subject!” 

“It’s not going to be permanent, right?” Kushina pressed, unwilling to blind Kakashi for the sake of their experiment. 

Jiraiya waved her off. “No, it’s completely reversible. I’ve used it many times! Although,” he added sheepishly, “never on someone with a doujutsu. But in theory, based on the anatomical drawings our Uchiha friends shared, it should not cause any lasting damage.” 

Kushina was still hesitant, but in the small space of the hidden bunker they were currently residing in, Kakashi heard every word. He was far too willing to offer himself up. “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Kakashi said with an unconcerned shrug. 

Getting a better look at him, Kushina realized he was probably just desperate for a break from Fugaku’s intense training, but he didn’t want to sound whiny. He was panting, and sweating profusely. The man repeatedly knocked Kakashi on his ass, and pushed him right up to the edge of over-exhaustion. The results were obvious, with Kakashi showing significant improvement with his gifted Sharingan, but he was left drained and nursing a migraine almost every night. 

It had certainly been a rocky start for the two of them. From day one, Fugaku didn’t hold back for a second, even if he’d forced Kakashi to begin with basic breathing and chakra control exercises. Kakashi had been incredibly irked, insisting that he could handle more advanced drills. Fugaku had just shrugged and relented, running Kakashi through what was apparently a basic exercise for a natural-born Sharingan user. It had left Kakashi so chakra drained and in pain that he’d been unable to get out of bed for three days. When he was ready to resume training, he no longer complained about the novice treatment, and complied with every one of Fugaku’s orders or suggestions. 

He hadn’t moved on to using the Mangekyou yet, but he was definitely improving with the Sharingan in its natural state. Mainly, the duration of use and his ability to control how much chakra was being siphoned to the eye. 

“He’s not ready to use the Mangekyou yet,” Fugaku insisted with a frown. “If he tries, it is still likely to kill him from chakra exhaustion.” 

“That should be fine,” Jiraiya responded. “I just want to get a feel for how this basic seal interacts with a doujutsu. So, unless you’d rather be the test subject…?” 

Fugaku didn’t reply, but the stern expression on his face said enough. He still clearly hated the entire idea of the seal, and how much information they were sharing about the Sharingan, but he kept his concerns to himself. Although he’d originally demanded either himself or his wife to be present during the actual seal design process, it had almost exclusively been Mikoto supervising/helping them. He was too busy training Kakashi, realizing that dealing with the stubborn teen was basically a full-time job on its own. 

This was preferable, in Kushina’s opinion, because she would much rather have her friend scrutinizing their work than her surly husband. Her concerns and suggestions were at least constructive, and non-hostile, whereas Kushina doubted Fugaku’s would be quite so civil. Neither of them had much knowledge of fuuinjutsu, of course, but the information they shared about the Sharingan ended up being a major help for the entire design process. Kushina never knew how complex the Uchiha’s doujutsu really was, and it didn’t seem like Jiraiya had known either. In the end, she was immensely grateful they had the clan heads on board, because otherwise the process likely wouldn’t be going so smoothly. 

Well, it might be going smoother if Minato could be here. Not that she and Jiraiya didn’t have their own fuuinjutsu talents, but Minato was the one that really excelled at novel seal design. It was one of the things that made her fall for him. The way his eyes lit up when he got an idea for a new seal, or how adorably frazzled he looked after losing track of time and staying up all night working on one. It was charming, and she was smitten. But he had his own role to play. He’d been able to join their brainstorming sessions just once so far, and had been mostly forced to carry on in his office and keep up appearances. The rest of them had clones running around to throw off any potential enemies, but the Hokage couldn’t exactly leave a clone in his place. That could quickly become a disaster. 

Maybe they were all being paranoid, but it just seemed like it was better to be safe than sorry. Switching up meeting places between the secret bunkers and hideouts that the Hokage had access to, using predetermined signals to decide last minute where to meet, using henges and clones to throw off would-be pursuers, it was all being done out of an abundance of caution. They didn’t know if any of the council or the Hokage’s advisors had any knowledge of the locations they were meeting in, and it would be too suspicious for Minato to ask. There were some locations that were supposed to be only known to the Hokage but, well, the fact that they were all here was obvious proof that wasn’t the case. There was no way to know if the Sandaime had also chosen to share the locations with anyone. 

Jiraiya motioned the teenager over. “Alright, kid, let’s see how this works.” 

Kakashi did as he was bid, and dragged himself over to where they were all working on the seal. Jiraiya was muttering to himself as he looked between Kakashi’s uncovered Sharingan, and the seal in his hand. He seemed to be thinking through something, so Kushina let him be. 

With his temporary student occupied, Fugaku chose to rescue Tsunade from her forced babysitting duties, scooping up his youngest son with a surprising amount of gentleness. Even more surprising, he gave Naruto a couple of placating pats on the head, when the toddler started whining about his playmate being taken away. Tsunade snapped something about “not being a damn babysitter”, but she still decided to get Naruto’s attention with a toy anyway. 

The Slug Sannin didn’t have much to contribute to seal making or Sharingan training, but they wanted to keep her close by in case they needed a medic. That unfortunately left her without much to do most of the time, so somehow that had translated into keeping an eye on the toddlers. Kushina was convinced that she didn’t mind as much as she claimed she did, since they’d offered to come up with alternative arrangements and the Sannin had just grumbled at them about “not wasting resources”. The woman just didn’t want to admit that she had a growing fondness for the children, lest it ruin her tough reputation. 

Mikoto met up with her husband and youngest son, a familiar sad smile in place. She and Fugaku were whispering to each other in hushed tones, sharing a conversation that the rest of them were not privy to. With a start, Kushina realized that her friend’s husband did look worse for wear. Holding his youngest son, he seemed to lose the ability to maintain whatever mask he’d had in place, and the fatigue became obvious. Kushina had never seen the clan head looking so downtrodden, with heavy bags under his eyes and his normally perfect posture reduced to a tired slouch. It was as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. 

Kushina wanted to be mad at Kurama for telling them, but she wasn’t. It wasn’t her place to tell Kurama what information he could and couldn’t share, especially when she’d basically forced him to talk to Mikoto with almost no warning. She just wished she knew how he’d delivered the information. Was he excessively cruel? Or just matter-of-fact? She wondered if Kurama or Mikoto would ever tell her what happened. 

“Hey,” Jiraiya said suddenly, once the seal was in place, “could one of you take a look with your Sharingan? I want to know what the chakra around Kakashi’s eye looks like with the seal in place.” 

Mikoto gave her husband’s arm a few reassuring pats, before nodding to Jiraiya and approaching him and Kakashi with her Sharingan activated. She studied the teen for a few moments. The red of the Sharingan was still present, but it did seem a bit dulled. 

“It seems disrupted, but not completely. Kakashi, are you still able to see?” she asked. 

“Yeah, but only in this eye,” Kakashi confirmed. “My vision isn’t as sharp as it normally is when I use the Sharingan, but it’s not bad. I think I could probably still use it, too.” 

“Best not,” Jiraiya responded, looking thoughtful. “You could do some serious damage if you try to force your chakra through right now.” 

“I agree with Master Jiraiya,” Mikoto added. “From what I can tell, your chakra is being redirected around the optic nerve and straight into the globe itself. If you were able to deactivate your Sharingan, I suspect you would no longer be able to compensate, and the seal would work as it is supposed to for both of your eyes.”

The explanation caught Lady Tsunade’s attention. “Huh, that’s interesting. Let me take a look.” Without waiting for permission, she walked up to Kakashi with glowing green chakra around her hands and held them up to his face. Kakashi flinched back slightly, but didn’t pull away completely. She was silent for a while as she assessed Kakashi’s eye, then she pulled her hands away. “There are additional nerves and vessels around this eye that non-Sharingan users don’t have, as well as extra chakra pathways too. Your other eye doesn’t have them. This must be a specific adaptation for the Sharingan, and seems to be allowing visual input despite disruption of the optic nerve; it’s like your chakra is carrying the visual sensory signals to your brain instead.” 

Jiraiya hummed thoughtfully. “Curious. So, we need to make a seal that can block all of those pathways simultaneously.” 

“Probably.” Tsunade shrugged. “Seals aren’t my forte, but anatomy is. From what I can tell, it would be possible for the seal to fail if even a small amount of chakra is able to reach the eye. It might damage the user’s chakra coils, but it likely wouldn’t completely debilitate them.” 

“Quite different from a normal blinding seal, then,” Jiraiya sighed, but he looked intrigued by the challenge. 

“I’m guessing it’s not as simple as it sounds?” Tsunade responded. 

Kushina was the one that explained, “No, not at all. Chakra suppression seals work on most shinobi because every human’s chakra pathways are fundamentally the same. But there’s always been an inherent problem with restricting chakra on shinobi with bloodline traits that alter their chakra pathways, because the seal can’t adapt. Most shinobi with these traits are incredibly secretive, so even the best seal masters haven’t had the chance to study the differences.” 

Bitterly, in her mind she added that her kin may have been able to solve this particular issue, had they not been wiped out. Perhaps some of the Uzumaki fuuinjutsu masters had been able to create a universal chakra suppression seal, but their knowledge was lost when Uzushio fell. She herself couldn’t quite be considered a master, since there were no masters left for her to apprentice under. Her mother had been a master, as had her mother before her, so Kushina had a solid foundation, but she’d been too young to learn all of her clan’s secrets before they were killed. 

“It does make me wonder,” Jiraiya added, “if all doujutsu users have the same adaptations. Theoretically, could a single seal be constructed to disrupt all doujutsu?” He caught the concerned and skeptical gazes of the two doujutsu users in their mix and laughed heartily. “It’s just speculation, of course! Not something that I would ever pursue…” 

“Stay on track,” Kushina snapped, not in the mood for one of Jiraya’s tangents. 

“Easy, easy!” The Toad Sage placated, wearing an exaggerated grin. “I was just thinking out loud, that’s all.” He removed the seal from Kakashi, watching intently as the teenager blinked a few times, as if to clear his vision. 

Kushina gave him a once over. “You ok? No lasting side effects?” 

Kakashi shrugged. “None so far, at least. My vision came back almost right away.” 

“Excellent,” Jiraiya proclaimed, giving Kakashi a hearty slap on the back. “Thanks for your participation, kid. Definitely got some interesting observations to make note of.” 

They definitely had a lot of information to work with now. Kushina was already thinking about how she could start modifying Master Jiraiya’s base seal. In the meantime, while it seemed that they were on a break, Kushina took a moment to pick up Naruto and give him a few smooches on his cute little chubby baby cheeks. He giggled, loving the attention. 

Naruto started babbling through some kind of incoherent explanation of his day. His little hands gestured wildly, but Kushina could only understand about 30% of what he was saying. His vocabulary was rapidly expanding, but his ability to form coherent sentences was still a work in progress. He was able to ask for simple things or make basic exclamations, but his mouth often seemed to get ahead of his brain when he got excited. She supposed that he got that from her. In situations like this, it was best to just nod along and look interested in what the toddler was saying. 

Eventually, Naruto started getting fussy and short-tempered, which was a good indication that it was getting close to dinner and bedtime. They all took that as their cue to wrap up for the day, not wanting to deal with a shrieking toddler in an enclosed space. As expected, Naruto protested when the Uchiha family went their separate ways, but no worse than usual. She and Kakashi had to take a bit of a roundabout way home, using henges and deception while they waited for their clones to pop at predetermined times. It wouldn’t do to be seen walking around when their clones were supposed to be impersonating them. 

When they arrived home, Kakashi looked dead on his feet. She half expected him to collapse face first onto the couch the moment they stepped inside, but instead his entire posture went rigid when the door swung open. Kushina found herself mirroring his wariness, shifting Naruto more onto her side so he would be less in the line of fire if they were about to be attacked. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, though her own instincts were already on full alert as well.

On the surface, nothing seemed out of place. The house was quiet, and dark, with Minato still in his office. The clone didn’t spend much time here today, so nothing was out of place. Except, the hair on the back of her neck was standing up, and all of her shinobi instincts were screaming that something wasn’t right. She couldn’t tell what it was, but she knew better than to ignore a gut feeling. 

Kakashi’s visible eye was darting around, and his fingers twitched like they wanted to reach up to reveal his Sharingan as well. “I’m not sure…something just feels off.” Without glancing back at her, Kakashi ordered, “Wait here. I’m going to investigate.” 

At first, Kushina wanted to protest. She was a high level shinobi, and a former jinchuuriki, not a damsel in distress. She didn’t need her husband’s teenage student, prodigy or not, to scope out danger for her. Except, she quickly realized, it wasn’t just her. She had Naruto. She had to hang back and keep him away from any potentially hazardous situations, despite how much it nagged at her pride to do so. 

She didn’t like it, but Kushina let Kakashi take the lead, holding Naruto close to her and keeping her senses wide open. She didn’t sense any obvious threats, but she knew that didn’t mean they were truly out of danger. It would be foolish to assume an enemy couldn’t hide from her. 

From inside, Kushina heard Kakashi’s sharp intake of breath. “Kakashi? What happened? Are you ok?” She barely held herself back from running to him, and prepared to make a clone to send to Minato. 

“I’m–I’m ok. It’s clear,” Kakashi replied, though his voice sounded distressed. 

Just in case, Kushina decided to send that clone after all. She didn’t like how upset Kakashi sounded, and she didn’t want to walk herself and Naruto into a trap. She did briefly consider sending Naruto with the clone, but she ultimately decided against it. It would be too easy to pop the clone and leave Naruto defenseless. Minato would be here mere moments after her clone reached him, since he had a hiraishin marker on the house. Multiple, actually. It would be safer to keep Naruto with her, and approach the situation cautiously. 

Wary of a potential trap, Kushina carefully went into the house after Kakashi. She was grateful that Naruto was asleep, and not adding any extraneous noise or commotion. Kakashi was standing at the kitchen table, his shoulders hunched as he stared down at something in front of him. 

“What is it?” she asked. 

Without a word, Kakashi stepped aside so Kushina could see what he was looking at. Her breath immediately caught in her throat. 

“Is that–” 

“Yes,” Kakashi confirmed, his voice hushed. “I always thought they were lost after the boulder–” he shook his head sadly. “I guess he kept them.” 

On the table sat a pair of familiar orange goggles, one side completely crushed and mangled. There was a note set over top of them that read, Your move.

Chapter Text

Kurama had no way to warn his human allies what was coming. He didn’t know exactly what Obito had planned, but when he realized that he could no longer contact Isobu, he had a guess. He tried relaying the warning to Naruto, hoping that the boy would babble enough in front of his parents for them to understand. 

“Brat, I need you to repeat what I say,” Kurama said carefully. 

Naruto, who had fallen into the mindscape after dozing off in his mother’s arms, gurgled happily in response. That was not an encouraging sign. 

“Sanbi. Say ‘Sanbi’, Naruto.” 

The boy clapped his hands and giggled, responding to his own name but not repeating the new word. He stared up at Kurama with a cheerfully unaware expression. 

Kurama sighed. “Repeat after me: Sanbi. San-bi.” 

“Sanny!”

The fox grimaced at the attempt. He doubted the gibberish would be coherent enough for the boy’s parents to understand. “Not quite,” Kurama chastised gently. “San-bi. San-bi.” 

Naruto’s giggles only increased in volume. “Silly Ku-ra. Sanny! Sanny!” 

“No, brat.” He lowered his massive head so one eye could be level with his jinchuuriki. “This is important, you need to get it right. San–” 

Naruto parroted, “San–” 

Kurama was starting to feel hopeful. “--bi.” 

“--bi.” 

“Yes, that’s it. San-bi. Sanbi.” 

With a toothy grin, Naruto chirped, “Sanny! Sanny! Sanny!” 

Kurama just sighed in response, staring down at his young jinchuuriki. Naruto grabbed the fur on his muzzle and nuzzled his face into the rust-colored strands. He made a content noise, mumbling an iteration of Kurama’s name, followed by a rapid-fire and mostly incoherent stream of consciousness. Despite his frustration, Kurama couldn’t help the wave of fondness he felt for the brat in front of him. 

There wasn’t anything else the fox could do. As a last ditch effort, he tried forcing the sliver of chakra he’d left Kushina to react. He wasn’t really expecting anything, so he wasn’t particularly surprised when he failed to feel more than their usual fleeting connection. 

The humans were on their own. Kurama had no other way to warn them of what he suspected was coming. They should just count themselves lucky that their village would only be facing three tails instead of nine this time. 

—------------------------------

Arguably, the worst part of Obito’s vague threat was waiting to find out what he’d done. In the immediate aftermath of finding the goggles and the note, they were far more concerned with a potential security breach than deciphering the cryptic words. Their house was never undefended, constantly plastered with an array of security and concealment seals. The fact that Obito had been able to slip past them without even triggering a single one was incredibly concerning. 

As far as they could tell, Obito didn’t take anything, and he didn’t leave anything else. He did, however, leave subtle traces of his presence elsewhere, as if to just prove that he could. The folded corner of a rug, and a dirty mug in the sink that hadn’t been there before. A pillow shifted just out of place, and a smudged fingerprint on the bathroom mirror. The worst, however, was the framed photo of Team Minato, laying in a pile of broken glass. The message couldn’t be anymore obvious.

When Kakashi saw the broken frame, he fell to his knees, still clutching the goggles in his hands. “Part of me still wants to believe that we can reach him,” Kakashi admitted. 

Kushina placed a hand on the teenager’s shoulder. “Me too.” Of course she felt the same, even if the possibility seemed to be getting less likely each day. 

She knew Minato had the same hope. None of them wanted to believe that Obito was past saving, particularly since he’d been swayed in the other timeline. Except, it was all too easy to forget what Naruto had to go through to get Obito back on their side. She had to consider the possibility that this Obito, in this reality, might be too far gone. She wanted to believe that it would be easier to change his mind, since he hadn’t been scheming for quite as long. She kept hoping that they interrupted his plans quickly enough to get him to switch sides, but if anything it seemed like the opposite was happening. Perhaps Rin’s death and his encounter with the real Madara Uchiha were too fresh in his mind. 

Only moments after Kushina’s clone popped, and the memories returned to her, Minato appeared in a flurry. He was ready to fight, his distinctive three-pronged kunai raised and his entire body tensed. He only relaxed minutely when he saw his family unharmed and Kushina gave him their signal for “all clear”. 

“What happened?” he asked, looking over each of them for signs of injury. 

Silently, Kakashi handed the orange goggles to Minato, avoiding eye contact. Minato took the item with a frown on his face, flipping them over in his hand, then eyeing the note on the table suspiciously. “Did you see him?” 

Kushina shook her head, and Kakashi did the same. It didn’t seem like Kakashi wanted to talk, so Kushina answered, “No, he was probably long gone by the time we got back. He just left this lovely little note so we would know he was here. Along with a few other calling cards,” she added, gesturing toward the broken frame on the ground. 

Kakashi picked up the photo, which was now bent at one of the corners. He stared at it intently, but Kushina had no idea what was going through his mind. The teen was an expert at closing off any obvious emotions, even if he couldn’t completely hide the swirl of hurt and conflict in his visible eye. 

Minato straightened up suddenly, shoving the goggles into a storage scroll to hide them away. “ANBU is almost here,” he announced. 

They had yet to share the knowledge they had about the masked man’s identity. None of them had explicitly said it, but they all seemed to be on the same page about wanting to keep it to themselves. It would probably be impossible to hide forever, but if they somehow managed to subdue Obito without making his identity widely known, it would be easier to deal with him on their own. If the village caught wind of who was really behind the Kyuubi’s rampage, they wouldn’t rest until they had Obito’s head. Too many people had died that night for his involvement to be forgotten. 

Kakashi understood, folding up the photo so it would fit securely in his pocket. ANBU arrived moments later, sweeping the area under the Hokage’s command. Minato knew they wouldn’t find the perpetrator, but he made a very good show of trying. Kakashi even summoned his ninken, who genuinely didn’t seem to be able to find a trail. Kakashi seemed to feel a bit guilty leading them on a wild goose chase, knowing that their opponent had used his pocket dimension to make a quick getaway. The ninken couldn’t exactly follow him there, nor could they pick up a proper trail. 

Once ANBU had deemed the area safe, Minato dismissed them from the premises. They planned to check the seals on their home, but it felt like a useless endeavor, given that Obito had already proven that he could come and go without setting them off. Their home seemed to be as secure as possible, at least for now, but Kushina still couldn’t shed the sense of foreboding that was plaguing her. 

Even after all three of them confirmed that nothing else was out of place in their home, the restless feeling refused to settle. It was something, a burning in her veins or a thrumming under her skin, that wouldn’t subside. Her shinobi instincts told her not to dismiss the sensation, even if her mind wanted to chalk it up to lingering anxiety from the home invasion. 

Naruto was blissfully unaware in her arms, the only shining beacon on this terrible day. Luckily, he’d been quickly lulled to sleep by a few gentle words and rhythmic rocking. He remained dead to the world, silent except for his soft snores and the occasional sleepy mumble. 

“Sanny…” the toddler murmured nonsensically. 

Kushina couldn’t hold back a small smile as she wiped a spot of drool off Naruto’s chin. He snuggled contently into her grasp, clearly deep in whatever fantastical dream he was in the midst of. If only the rest of them could sleep so soundly, without  care in the world. 

Minato was reluctant to leave them, but he was receiving increasingly urgent summons from his office. He remained at his office for the rest of the evening, missing dinner. He sent a note with a toad summon to inform them that he wouldn’t make it home until late into the night, but he couldn’t safely give details about whatever it was that was keeping him so busy. Kushina didn’t think it was about the break-in directly, but she couldn’t help but fear that it was still related. It would be too much of a coincidence for it not to be. 

After Naruto’s nap and a very subdued dinner, Kushina convinced Kakashi to take Naruto to the park for a few hours while she finished reinforcing their home’s seals. He pushed back against leaving her alone, but Kushina needed Naruto not underfoot while she was working with potentially volatile seals. They compromised by having Kushina send a clone with Kakashi, which honestly made both of them feel better. Given how easily Obito had gotten through their seals, Kushina was on edge about letting Naruto out of her sight. She trusted Kakashi, and his skills, but she was too experienced of a shinobi to let her guard down completely. 

Despite feeling like she needed to constantly look over her shoulder, Kushina worked diligently inspecting all the seals she and Minato had placed on their home. Seals to alert them if someone entered the property, to ensure their privacy, to store important items, and potentially help them defend their home if needed. Plus Minato’s hiraishin marker, of course. She wasn’t sure if she could successfully modify the seals to detect someone who could phase through dimensions, but she had a few ideas. The existing seals detected entry , but she could add or modify them to detect movement or chakra. That still might not work with Obito’s intangibility, but it was worth a try. 

Tinkering with seals was soothing and familiar. It allowed her mind to wander, and her heart rate to settle. It also helped her feel like she was doing something . ANBU was still investigating the break in, because it would have been suspicious if Minato didn’t want them to look into such a serious security breach. He and Kushina knew their investigation was useless, but they couldn’t let on. They both knew that they wouldn’t find Obito until he wanted to be found, and they weren’t ready to find him until the seal to block his Sharingan was done. All they could do was fortify their defenses and keep working on their original plan, and hope that whatever threat Obito was planning wouldn’t find them first. 

Since she was working on the seals, she knew immediately when one of them alerted her to the presence of a visitor, even before the knock on the door. She frowned, not expecting any company. She wasn’t a sensor, but like many high-level shinobi, she had a decent awareness of other chakra presences around her. She didn’t sense any killing intent, and the chakra was somewhat familiar, but she still felt uneasy. The sense of unease only worsened when she realized why she recognized the presence. Before answering the door she checked all of the seals she’d just maintained, confirming that there were no other hidden shinobi or traps. She would still remain on guard, but as far as she could tell, it was just one very unwanted visitor at her door. 

She opened the door confidently, trying to disguise the wariness she was feeling. She refused to show any weakness in front of this man. “Councilman,” Kushina greeted with very obvious false-cheer, “what a pleasant surprise.” She didn’t bother making the lie sound convincing. Danzo had decided to come calling while Minato was caught up at the office, and Kakashi was out of the house with Naruto. That didn’t bode well. 

She’d never gotten along with the man, but now that she knew what he’d done in the other future, it took all her willpower not to ask Kurama to tear him apart. If the old coot wasn’t so good at covering his tracks, she’d be content to let Minato deal with him. Unfortunately for all of them, he was good at covering his tracks, so they didn’t have any proof of treachery in this current timeline. A few morally ambiguous projects, but they’d been condoned by the Sandaime so Minato couldn’t really do anything other than prevent future recurrence.

The Councilman’s single, beady eye flickered over her distastefully. “Kushina.”

There was a long stretch of a very awkward silence as Kushina just stared at the unwanted visitor. Her hand was on the doorknob and it was genuinely taking all of her strength not to just slam the door in the old man’s face. Danzo didn’t move a muscle, meeting Kushina’s hostile stare with his own cold, judgemental gaze. 

As much as Kushina wanted to tell the Councilman to get lost, she knew she couldn’t. Not without a good reason. Both manners and politics prevented her from giving into her instincts, and they also forced her to ask, “Would you like to come in?” She grit her teeth through the whole sentence. 

“How could I turn down such a courteous invitation?” Danzo responded dryly. 

Kushina stepped aside to allow her guest to hobble past her. She gestured toward the kitchen table, trying to push down her feelings of contempt as the old man sat down in one of her chairs and leaned his cane against the table. She felt herself bristling as she realized the man had chosen Minato’s usual spot. It had to be a coincidence, but it felt like some kind of intentional sleight or message. In her mind, she repeated that he couldn’t have known, and that it didn’t mean anything…right? 

Danzo was looking at her expectantly, as if waiting for something. Even as it pained her to do so, Kushina offered, “Tea?” 

“Tea would be appreciated,” Danzo replied, sounding like he was sucking on a very sour lemon. 

Kushina nodded stiffly and started preparing the kettle and a few mugs. She purposefully picked the ugly, chipped mug that they kept forgetting to get rid of. While she worked, she wanted to ask what the Councilman was doing here, but she didn’t want to actually speak with him. 

It was Danzo who was the first to break the silent stalemate. “I was sorry to hear about the intrusion into your home,” Danzo told them without the slightest hint of real sympathy. “It must have been quite stressful for all of you.”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a welcome surprise,” she grumbled sarcastically. 

Danzo didn’t show even the smallest sliver of amusement at the comment. And when Kushina handed him his tea, he sniffed at it and couldn’t hide how his lip curled distastefully. He nudged the mug to the side without a second glance. 

Kushina shoved down her annoyance, and the desire to chew the man out for his rudeness. Sure, she hadn’t picked out their finest tea or teaware, but it wasn’t like she’d served him boiled dishwater or something! She also wasn’t stupid enough to try to poison a prominent village elder, though she doubted that was Danzo’s concern. He was just being a crotchety old fart. 

A sudden rush of memories indicated that her clone had popped. Kakashi was back from the park with Naruto, so her clone had dismissed itself. She couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on her face as she sifted through the clone’s memories. It looked like they’d all had fun. They chased Naruto around and let him rough-house with a few other kids around his age. Kakashi had been assaulted by a pack of shrieking toddlers, prompting him to summon his ninken to entertain them. It made him very popular with the kids, despite his continued awkwardness around children. Then, once the other kids had gone home, they bought ice cream and watched the sunset. They’d just returned home, ready to give Naruto his nightly bath, followed by a quick story and bedtime. 

The door opened, and there was a cautious announcement of, “We’re home.” Kakashi knew someone was here, and there was a good chance he already realized who the guest was. Thanks to his naturally heightened sense of smell, Kakashi was rarely surprised by anyone’s presence. 

“Kitchen,” Kushina called out in response.

Kakashi shuffled into the kitchen moments later, being tugged forward by Naruto’s tiny hand gripping his own. Naruto glanced curiously at the visitor in their kitchen, but he was far more interested in greeting his mother. Even if her clone had been with him, and he was too young to understand that it wasn’t the real thing, his excitement wasn’t dulled. He tried pulling away from Kakashi to run to her, chattering in his usual bubbly, mostly nonsensical manner. Kakashi held tight to Naruto’s hand, waiting for Kushina’s permission. Waiting to make sure it was safe. 

Kushina smiled and knelt down, opening her arms in invitation. Kakashi didn’t relax, but he let go of Naruto’s hand to let him rush into his mother’s waiting arms. He hadn’t been gone particularly long, but Kushina still felt some deeply rooted tension start to unravel once she had her son in her arms again. She wondered if she would ever stop worrying when he was out of her sight. 

“Mama!” Naruto chirped, before launching into a babbled explanation of his trip to the park with Kakashi and her clone. Halfway through the story, Naruto stopped abruptly and blinked a few times. He seemed to finally remember that there was someone new in the room. 

Normally, Naruto was incredibly extroverted. He loved meeting new people and had a lack of fear of strangers that was occasionally concerning. He was quick to bound up to strangers and shout his own name at the top of his lungs in introduction.

This time, however, Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet as he studied the stranger in their home. He tilted his head slightly, making Kushina wonder if Kurama was speaking to him. Then, his little face contorted in displeasure and he stuck his tongue out, blowing raspberries at the venerated Councilman. Kushina had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing at the display. 

Danzo just looked down his nose at the toddler, as if trying to keep a particularly disgusting insect within his sight in preparation for squashing. “I don’t believe I ever had the chance to congratulate you on the birth of your son. I’m sure he will grow up to be just as…spirited as his parents.”