Rewriting the Future

Chapter 16: Finding Family

"Karin, time for bed!"

"Just a little longer, mom. I think I've almost got this jutsu!"

A young red-headed girl was sitting in her room in a small village just outside Kusugakure. Despite not actually living in the village itself the girl, otherwise known as Karin, was studying hard to become a kunoichi. Her mother had knowledge in the shinobi arts that she brought with her from her clan, though she never officially became a shinobi. As Karin was reading through the scroll on her bed, the door to her room opened and in stepped a woman who very much resembled an older version of Karin, although her facial structure was a little more rounded than Karin's. Also unlike Karin's hair, which was only shoulder length with half laying straight and the other half spiking out, this woman's hair reached down to her mid-back and was straight, except for where it flared out at the base.

"What's got your attention, Karin-chan?" asked the woman sweetly.

"It's just this, Kaachan. I've almost got the sealing formula for these storage seals down," smiled Karin as her mother took a seat on the bed next to her daughter.

"You know, a little rest always helps when you're staring at seals," smiled Karin's mother.

"But there's no way I'm going to become a great seal-master if I don't practice," exclaimed Karin. Her mother had filled her in on the stories of the once great Uzumaki clan and their prowess at the sealing arts. Ever since then, Karin had taken a great interest in fuinjutsu, as she probably should.

A knock was heard from downstairs on the door. "I'll be right back, but I want you to get ready for bed dear," smiled the older red head.

As Karin's mother opened the door, a white-haired man, blonde woman, and small blonde child about the same age as Karin was standing in the door. "Well hello there beautiful. I'm a travelling writer who's always looking for inspiration and I can see that you're just bursting with it."

WHAM! "We're not here to perv you pervert!" shouted Tsunade as she drove Jiraiya's head into the ground. The red haired woman at the door just gave the trio a weird stare. She was tempted to just close the door on them, but the curious look the blonde child was giving her caused her to hesitate.

"I'll ask only once. What is your purpose here?" asked the redheaded woman.

"We're looking for an Uzumaki Karin. You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?" asked Naruto. Immediately, the door was slammed in Naruto's face. "Umm…"

"GO AWAY!" shouted the woman from behind the closed door. "THERE'S NO ONE BY THAT NAME HERE!"

"Well, we tried. Let's get out of here. I still have a few Hyuga heads I need to break in…or just break," said Tsunade.

"What? We can't leave until we find Karin! What'll Kaachan say?" replied Naruto.

"He's right, Tsunade. Kushina was the one who made the request to come here and find this girl," spoke Jiraiya.

Just inside the door, the redheaded woman was walking away from the door and then she heard THAT…the name of the person who had sent them, Kushina. "No…" she gasped. "It can't be…"

Immediately, she raced over towards the door and opened it to see the arguing trio still there. "What was that name you just said?!" she asked, almost as if her life depended on it. "Who sent you?!"

"My Kaachan did," replied Naruto.

"You said Kushina though! I heard the name 'Kushina'!" replied the desperate woman. It was at that point that Tsunade immediately connected the dots.