The Uzumaki's (On Hold/Editing)

Part 4

I run from roof to roof with my drawing book and the box the Old Man gave me. I dive into the window of his office, doing a smumer-sault before standing. 

"M-Minako, what brings you here in such a rush?" He asks, surprised at my sudden entrance.

"I know who my parents are," I pant.

He hesitates before answering, "Who do you think they are?"

I hastily open my drawing book. I stopped drawing last year, but before that I would get images of what I thought was an older me in the future, but now I realize that's not true. My hair isn't that red. I have a pink undertone.

I now know, it was my mother. The Red Thread of Fate. That's why there was a red thread on the box the Old Man gave me. That's why I have red hair. She was married to Minato Namizake, which means that's our father. That's how Naruto got the Uzumaki name without having the red hair of one. Also the resemblance is uncanny.

I tell the Old Man my theory, making him sigh, "You are very bright, just like your father. Just as troublesome though." He pauses to rub his face. "Yes you are correct, but you cannot tell Naruto."

"Why?!" I demand slamming my hand on his desk. "Why can't we know who they are! We're not the bragging type if you haven't noticed. Who else would know besides us?!" I yell, my anger getting the best of me. I no longer feel the weight of my hair as it floats around me.

"If you don't know about your parents, neither does anyone else. You're already a target-"

"For the tailed beasts inside us, I know." I sit down after snapping at him, my hair waving behind me wildly.

He sighs once again.

"Yes. Because of Kurama... I just wanted to protect you both. You already have a target on your back.. what's the need of making it worse?"

I want to snap at him. I want to yell at him. Because they're our parents! Because we're a part of them! Because.. we deserve to know why we're alone. We deserve to know whether we drove away our parents or if they died. Questions that would've been answered if you had just told us their names.

Instead I take a deep breath and calm my fury.

"C-Can you please just tell me about them?" I ask softly as my hair floats down, covering my shoulders in needed comfort.

"You look exactly how you're mom did when she was young. Her hair floated when she got mad due to Kurama, who's trapped inside you," he pauses as he thinks of the forgotten kunoichi. "She had a short fuse. She was loud and got bullied in school, but due to her temper she would fight the kids who made fun of her and called her 'Tomato'." He said nostalgically.

"She sounds like Naruto," I smile, giggling from how absurd he is.

"Her temper was not to tampered with." He chuckles. "When she was kidnapped for her special chakra, Minato, your father, saw her fallen red hair she left as a path to find her. When he saved her she fell in love with the kid she made fun of.

"Minato was perceptive, humorous, and collected, his sensei said he did nothing without reason. He never really held any grudges, even to his and Kushinas' death. Once he became the Fourth Hokage he didn't abuse the power, instead he called others with respect, earning respect for himself as well." He chuckled. "Sometimes he would use his 'Yellow Flash' to take advantages, but he was still respectful of his opponents. 

"The night you and Naruto were born your parents risked their live not only for the village, but for you two." He stopped to wipe a tear, but I was already crying. How could I not?

My parents sound amazing, but I will never truly know. I'll never know what their laughter sounds like. I'll never know what their food tastes like. I'll never know what their hugs feel like. They'll never be able to laugh at Naruto or scold me for my bad language. They can't protect us from our abuse. They can't console me after Momo died. They can't take us to the park or celebrate our birthdays.. because they died for us. They died for our better life, yet the village treats us like shit for their sacrifice. I bet they're rolling in their graves 10 times over.

"They died protecting you two from the Kyuubi's attack. With their last breaths they sealed it and said their last wishes."

With a choked sob, I stand. "Th-thank you." I give him a quick hug, not staying in his arms for too long. I don't want to break down.. not yet. Not now. "Ja ne." With a quick wave I gather my stuff before leaving out the window, how I came.

~

I stare at the pictures I drew over a year ago. I've always been able to draw well, and when I started getting little visions Mom and Dad, it was easy to replicate them. I had thought nothing of it, as I only drew them once or twice. (Really it was 4 times but who's counting?)

Once making up my mind, I go back into my endless closet and grab an unused sketch pad before drawing 家 or the Kanji for Family.

I frame the calligraphy and hang it in the living room.

With a bright smile I start on dinner.

~~~~~~~~

Edited 2018