"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Minato slammed his hand down on the ground and a plume of smoke burst forth. Once it cleared, a small, crimson frog was revealed.
"Yo," it commented with a small wave. "Minato-sama, how are you? You haven't been to Myōbokuzan in a while, and haven't had a chance to see my son!" The toad paused, noticing the grim look on his summoner's face. "... What happened? What can I do for you?"
"Sōsuke," the blonde nodded, a forced smile forming. "I apologize, but now is not the time for pleasantries. I need you to to deliver a message to Jiraiya-sensei immediately."
The toad, Sōsuke, nodded. "It is rare for you to summon me, the situation must be dire. What is the message?"
"Tell him that he is to return to Konoha as soon as he can. I know that I have kept in contact with him via messenger hawk, informing about what has been happening, but..." Minato scowled. "Tell him that Kushina's condition is worsening, again. He needs to come here as soon as possible."
Sōsuke saluted. "Yes, Minato-sama." As the toad turned to leave, the blonde could hear faint mumblings of, "I need to retire," and "Kōsuke-chan needs to grow up faster."
The toad disappeared in a plume of smoke and Minato turned on his heel, heading off to the Hokage's office to inform him of the situation. He was no longer as stressed nor as worried as he had been before sending Sōsuke off to deliver his message to Jiraiya, but he still had to report the situation to the village leader.
Hopefully the settling dread in his stomach was just him over-thinking the circumstances.
The Kyūbi's teeth were bared, each sharp incisor promising to bite into the Uchiha if he made a single wrong move.
Obito simply stared at the great Bijū, a carefully blank look on his face—a face he had not worn since he had come to the past, the scars and age ever present.
"The past..." The fox's eyes narrowed as he assessed the Uchiha before him, his initial outburst seemingly over with. "What exactly is going on? What machinations have you thought up this time?" The words were not said with a small amount of spite, and Obito raised an eyebrow in response.
"Machinations?" He mumbled quietly. He had already been put through Naruto's little "talk," and had since realized that the Mugen Tsukuyomi was not the key to happiness as his clouded mind had once believed. Surely the fox knew that, knew he had changed...? "I'm just planning on saving the people I care about."
The Kyūbi gave a derisive snort. "Yes, you were planning on sacrificing a whole world for the illusion, mere shells of the people you cared for. It is all so very selfless." His last statement dripped with sarcasm, and his eyes glinted with raw fury. "How can I be sure you are not planning something similar?"
Obito's brow furrowed as his mind developed possible reasons for his current situation. He had been sent to the past after his death, but Bijū didn't die and as such the Kyūbi couldn't have been in the same situation as he. Therefore, it was very well possible that the fox had been sent back from a different point in time—clearly after the war started, but when exactly? "... What do you mean?"
"What do I mean...?" The beast snarled, another pulse of cancerous chakra whipping out towards the Uchiha. "How can I be sure that you are not planning to step in the way? How do I know that you aren't willing to betray everything for a DREAM once again?"
"You don't. And don't forget that I am capable of controlling you with these eyes," Obito stated in a low tone, shifting his stance ever so slightly. "Should you try to harm me, I will not hesitate to stop you, Kyūbi."
One of the fox's tails twitched before he scoffed. "All of you humans, you are all the same. Only that boy has ever even attempted to understand, has ever come to me without the incessant greed for promised power."
Obito's eyes widened a fraction before he schooled his features; the action not missed by the Bijū before him. So, this Kyūbi was definitely from his time... Or, at least, after Naruto had come to an agreement with the fox. He couldn't quite say he knew much about the obscure concept of time travel(though he had his many theories, and as such, realized that he should keep himself open-minded about circumstances) but he did know that it was very well possible that the fox before him was not the one that was present at the time of his death—he had confirmed that the Kyūbi had already befriended Naruto by the time of its own travel, and that was something Obito could use.
"Can you tell me how you ended up in the past too, and from exactly when you come from?"
His question earned him a blatant sneer. "I will not tell an unknown."
Obito nodded. He himself had been probing for information in their small exchange, and considering their none-too-friendly history, it stood to believe that there was a rather obvious lack of trust between the two. He had to establish that he was trustworthy, or at least, someone that the Bijū didn't have to remain on the defensive with. "I had died after sacrificing my life for Naruto and Kakashi." This got the fox's attention, as his tails halted their constant swaying briefly. "... At least, I was supposed to have died. That attack from Kaguya was supposed to kill me, and something tells me I actually did die, but... Then, I woke up here in the past, inhabiting my younger body, instead of the afterlife."
For a few moments, the two only stared at each other. Obito, waiting for a response, and the Kyūbi, seemingly considering something. Finally, the beast gave a near imperceptible nod, tension alleviating slightly. "... So, you really are the one that died." At Obito's raised eyebrow, he continued. "There was a reason why I didn't kill you outright—if I were to be honest, if not for said reason, then I would't have hesitated to take the chance to rid this world of a major headache—that reason being that there was a possibility of you being the one who had actually heard the kit's reasoning. I am not as knowledgable as Hagoromo on the concept of time travel, but I knew enough to know that there still existed the chance that you were not the Uchiha who sacrificed his life for my container." He paused. "... I still had to be certain. If you were the one who incurred the war in a blind pursuit of a nonexistent dream, then I would have stopped at nothing to rip your puny human conscience to shreds."
The Uchiha nodded, again, completely unperturbed(though he probably should have been) and understanding the Bijū's reasoning. In fact, he was actually surprised that the Kyūbi even bothered to check before tossing caution to the wind and killing him. It certainly seemed as though much had changed since he supposedly died.
"It seems, that... Naruto has affected us both greatly." The fox eyed him curiously. "You, who would never have considered a human life more than an insignificant speck, and I, someone who had once lost all care and decided that my only solace was in that of a false world."
The beast grunted—in agreement or otherwise, the Uchiha couldn't quite tell. Obito shook his head, realizing that he was losing sight of what he was actually there for.
"Anyway. Now that we have confirmed that we have a similar goal, what happened—"
The fox barked out a sarcastic laugh. "Says who? A similar goal, you and I?" He bared his teeth down at the raven, in-between a snarl and a malicious grin. "Don't make me laugh."
Obito pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a low growl. "We actually do, you cantankerous old fox." Before the Bijū could retort for the remark, he continued. "Uchiha Madara."
A twitch. The Uchiha saw hesitance in the red, slitted pupils of the beast. "... What about Uchiha Madara?"
"What do you think?" Obito bit out irritably. "The man needs to die."
"Why?"
The Uchiha stared incredulously at the Bijū, who stopped his hateful snarling and instead settled for an almost curious, assessing gaze. Obito eyed the fox carefully, his mind working overtime to figure out what the millennia-old chakra construct was playing at. "... Because he is the cause of everything. He is the reason why so many people died in the Fourth War, he is one of the biggest contributors to the never-ending cycle of hatred."
"The cycle of hatred is caused by all humans, not just one alone."
"Yes, but he is the one that accelerated the process. He is the one responsible for the pain and suffering of many in the future, both directly and indirectly, and if we wish to change something, then Uchiha Madara needs to die."
"... Your thoughts are clouded by prejudice. You are biased."
"I'm human," Obito riposted with a bitter smile, tired of the small battle of philosophies the beast had brought them into. "And I'm not Naruto, either. In my mind, Madara needs to die, and I don't have the care to try and reform him. Don't act as though you are disappointed, because I know that you want to see him dead just as much as I do." He shook his head, exasperated and drained of energy. "Look, are you going to cooperate or not? It could help having the Kyūbi on my side in this, but I don't need your cooperation to accomplish my goals."
The beast's gaze remained on the raven. "... I do not remember much. I know that... I recall Kaguya being sealed, and Naruto fighting with his Uchiha teammate. A few reparations, rebuilding from the war. Other than that, nothing, aside from the moment just before I was suddenly torn away from Naruto's seal and brought... Here." Obito sighed in minute relief, glad that, at the very least, Naruto had succeeded.
His relief was short-lived, and he paused as a realization hit him. "... Wait. You were torn away from Naruto's seal?"
"Let me finish," the Kyūbi bit out irritably, his fur bristling with energy. "I was in the seal, it was about a few weeks after the war had come to a close. I recall seeing a silhouette of Hagoromo, something that I had not expected, especially after his part had been accomplished with the re-sealing of Kaguya. That was when I... I heard her name."
Obito tensed, but remained silent as he listened to the fox's retelling. "It was... Strange. As soon as the name had been spoken, I felt a tug at my consciousness, and then, at my very chakra, as though being pulled out of Naruto's seal." The Kyūbi grumbled under his breath and blew out a sigh. "I know that he is still alive, however. I cannot say how I know this, I just do."
At this, Obito released a breath he was not aware he had been holding. It was somewhat disconcerting that the Bijū didn't seem to know how he knew, but as long as he was certain, then it was enough for the Uchiha.
Still... Something was off.
Obito crossed his arms as a thoughtful look crossed his face. If he were to consider his own situation and the fox's, they were not... There was no relation. No connection. He still didn't know why he ended up in the past, and now, why the Kyūbi was in the past with him.
"... Oi, Kyūbi," he began, refocusing on the rather massive presence. "Are you yourself, the one who came back from the future, or is your current..." He gestured to the beast himself, "... form, belonging to your past incarnation?"
The Bijū's eyes widened slightly. "... I had not considered that," he spoke slowly, digesting the concept. "While I have my hypotheses on the matter, there is no way to truly confirm them. After the war, and after Naruto and the Uchiha survivor battled, my Yang half was released and reabsorbed by my Yin, resulting in me achieving a complete form once again."
"But you're injured," Obito pointed out, earning him a light glare from the beast. Perhaps the blatant fact threatened his age-old pride. "Surely that has to do with... Something? Maybe traveling back in time left your body battered and beaten, hence your current state. Maybe you are the you from the future, in mind and body."
The fox shook his head. "There is another possibility, another explanation for my current state. It is possible that my chakra coming back with me—purified, free of hate—was unsuitable for my current form, and much like what happened to the Uzumaki woman," Obito choked at the mention, though his suddenly perturbed state was left unnoticed by the Bijū. "It left me severely injured with the change. Though, I suppose that... It is somewhat more likely that I am indeed myself, from after the Fourth War. Especially if Naruto from my time is still alive and well, because even with his Uzumaki blood, the boy wouldn't survive my extraction. Still, I do not know for certain, and it is impossible to know."
Obito's brow furrowed. "... You can't just compare your chakra levels? Anything?"
"You seem to forget, I am a chakra beast," the fox commented snidely. "I have lived for millennia, I am made up entirely of chakra, and my stores are ever replenishing. It is impossible for me to detect a noticeable increase in my chakra levels within a few decades. To put it in perspective, it would be akin to you attempting to find a change in your chakra stores from one day to the next."
"It couldn't hurt to ask," the Uchiha mumbled slightly. He had already guessed as much, but it wasn't as though he ever really cared to learn much about the Bijū aside from the basics. To be fair, he never thought he would need such seemingly pointless knowledge on the beasts; they were once only tools to him, a means to an end, to further his plans. The raven shook his head. "... Wait. Clarify something for me. What happened to Kushina-neesan?"
The fox raised an eyebrow, and Obito let out an irritated noise. "Why was Kushina fainting so much? Were you the cause of that?"
It seemed the Kyūbi was minutely surprised at the accusatory tone, as he blinked a few times before scowling. "... That was not my intention. I hadn't even realized I was back in the past, and it was my natural reaction to draw in some of the chakra of my container, as injured and deprived of energy I was. I had thought I was still sealed in Naruto, who has reserves far greater than this woman's." He scoffed. "I even decided to cut off the leeched chakra when I suspected that she was my container. I had not intended to weaken the Uzumaki woman, brat."
Obito ignored the slight, donning a contemplative expression. "Wait... So it was chakra exhaustion...?" He frowned. "Why didn't anyone realize that sooner, then?"
"You are listening to my words, but not making the proper connections." The Uchiha rolled his eyes. Give it to a Bijū to insist on talking down to a man who not only incurred the Fourth War but also became the Jūbi Jinchūriki. "Yes, I was taking her chakra, but not enough for any humans to notice. It was merely enough to help speed up my healing, which wasn't much."
"Then what happened?"
"As I stated earlier, most likely, the shift in my chakra's potency and purity are having negative effects on her." The fox grumbled petulantly. "I knew something felt off after I woke up, so I started to reign in part of my chakra as I recovered. Her seal is not unlike Naruto's in that regard, the way it leaks my energy into her coils. It also purges the vile element to it... But since my hatred is gone and my chakra is no longer as corrosive, the seal ended up over-compensating—taking her own chakra and filtering it, reaching unnecessary levels of chakra expenditure. However, the energy never actually left her, hence, your puny medics were unable to find the problem."
"...When did you become so knowledgeable in Fūinjutsu?" He couldn't help but ask.
His question earned him an incredulous stare. "My containers have all been Fūinjutsu experts, or have at least had connections to a few. I am also a millennia-old being."
"But the seal shouldn't allow you to see the outside world unless you... Never mind. That doesn't matter. I am thankful for the ample information that you have given me thus far; it helps." Obito slid a considering look over to the fox. "... Y'know, considering you supposedly hate me, you have been awfully accommodating and... Loquacious."
The Kyūbi snarled, taking the comment as a personal affront. "This is for Naruto. Don't delude yourself into thinking that there is any other reason for my cooperation with an Uchiha. I had already decided to repay Naruto for his kindness by ensuring that his parents stay alive during the time of his birth, but out of the two of us you are the only one with free reign to do as you please in the outer world." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "We are working towards a common goal, and as such, I EXPECT you to play your part, human."
Obito nodded. "Madara needs to be killed off as soon as possible. Most of Naruto's pain and suffering extended from that man, through me, his puppet." He paused. "... Black Zetsu, as well. We need to kill Madara before Black Zetsu begins manipulating him. I do not know if that shadow can be killed, but he needs to at least be sealed away."
"You are asking much of yourself, considering you are nothing."
The Uchiha glared up at the fox, unable to fully refute the snide remark—in a way, compared to Bijū, humans truly were nothing. He nodded slowly. "... I know. I have many plans, many tasks to be completed, but due to their near-impossible nature... I need the Senju cells."
"Senju cells? That unholy concoction that Madara and Danzō used to lose their humanity?" He snorted, as though thinking of something amusing. "And exactly how do you plan on doing that?"
"I could go to Orochimaru—he helped Danzō with that, I believe—or, considering how taken with the idea I am, I could allow myself to be crushed by boulders once again." The last option was said with a slightly sarcastic drawl.
"... You would go to your enemies to become an abomination once more? You would take this second chance to live a better life, and instead, walk down a path similar to one you have already lived?" Strangely, the words were asked without so much of a hint of bitterness or spite—only with curiosity.
Obito closed his eyes. "... I once had morals that dictated that this plan was wrong, morally unjust. But I no longer care about that." He looked up at the beast with a blank gaze. "I could gain the cells I need in order to slow down the deterioration, and also kill an enemy that threatens Naruto's future. That threatens his happiness, and the lives of the people I care about." A wry grin stretched across his lips. "The toll is rather small compared to the benefits, wouldn't you agree, Kyūbi?"
"... But why?"
"Because activating the Rinnegan or slowing down the deterioration of my eyes... It's the only way to accomplish my goals."
The raven sent a confused glance at the beast when his statement earned him a strangled snort. "You are not Indra, nor Asura. It isn't simply a matter of having a reincarnation of Asura's DNA to activate the Rinnegan, because your strain of chakra is too weak."
Obito scowled in bafflement. He could admit that he wasn't the most well-versed in the activation of the Rinnegan; he hadn't cared previously, and only knew the sparse facts that Madara had deigned important enough to divulge. He only knew that Uchiha and Senju were needed in order to gain the legendary Dōjutsu. "... Elaborate."
"You are not a reincarnation of Indra, and as such, you would not be able to use the method that Madara used. He was Indra's incarnation and as as a result was able to morph his own potent chakra with Asura's—Hashirama held that chakra—resulting in Hagoromo's Six Paths Sage chakra. As I said, your strain of chakra is too weak. It is not just the blood of Senju and Uchiha that is required, but the very spirit of each clan's forefathers."
So that's what it was. Obito quirked a smile, crossing his arms as he did so. "Well... How about a deal? Surely you must miss Naruto, your first friend in millennia." His smile grew wider at the flicker of interest and suspicion in the Kyūbi's eyes.
"... What are you planning?" The beast's eyes narrowed, but its tails flicked calmly back and forth. "What is the catch?"
Obito shrugged casually, his smirk never wavering. "There is no catch, I'm not some soul-eating demon. It is merely a deal, I give you something and in turn, you do something for me."
"And what is the exchange?"
Taking a deep breath, Obito spoke. "I will help seal you back into Naruto under one condition: you help me evolve my Sharingan into the Rinnegan."
The beast's eyes averted, and he fell into thought for a brief time. Finally, he turned to the Uchiha with a decidedly contemplative look. "... In the past, it was always construed as demons being the ones to lure humans into deals. However, in this case... I wonder which is the true demon?" He bared his fangs in a demonic grin. "You with your demonic eyes and inhumane past, or me, who is simply labeled as a demon because of my appearance and limitless power?"
The raven huffed impatiently. "Do we have a deal, or not?"
The Kyūbi snorted. "No deal."
For a minute, Obito gaped, composure lost; refusal was not what he expected. Then he regained himself, eyes sharper than daggers and a threatening aura surrounding him. "... Why not?"
"Because you are foolish to think that you can achieve the Rinnegan. It is not possible for you, who does not possess the proper—"
"You knew the Rikudō Sennin personally, and there are residual traces of his chakra within you," Obito ground out in a low tone. "I am of Uchiha blood, and if what you said is to be believed, all that is truly needed is the Sage's chakra. Surely it should be simple for you to evolve a Sharingan into the Rinnegan with your power." He had gone into this with the intention of only gaining the Senju cells, but since he was making the deal, he figured that he may as well use it to his advantage. Obito had no doubt that the fox was holding out on him; it was only fair, as he was withholding information as well.
"... I..." The beast closed his eyes, his voice falling below a whisper for a moment. "I honestly don't know for certain. Your theory is sound, though there are always other factors to consider, other outliers that could turn the whole equation on its back." The corner of the beast's mouth quirked upwards. "But I suppose... I can attempt it."
He reached out a claw towards Obito, who quickly sidestepped out of the way. The fox let out a frustrated growl. "Stay still. I cannot know for certain unless you—"
"Not these eyes," Obito interrupted as the Kyūbi reached out one again, causing the chakra construct to halt immediately. His eyes narrowed.
"... Then whose eyes?"
Obito shrugged, conveying that he truly wasn't sure. "I do not know yet. But I had to make sure you were on board with this before I advanced my plans." A pause. "... So, we have a deal?" His response was a silent nod, causing him to grin in victory.
He had the Kyūbi's cooperation, now, however tentative their temporary partnership was. He at least knew that, in regards to Naruto, as long as he fulfilled his end of the bargain, the age-old beast would hold his end of the deal as well.
A thought occurred to the Uchiha, making his brow knit in contemplation. "... Why don't you try to change things on your own?"
His response was a skeptical look that all but outwardly said, "are you daft?" "... I am sealed. There is nothing I can do to change anything, if you hadn't already noticed."
Obito rolled his eyes. "I know that, but I don't understand why you said earlier that only I am able to go around changing things. I mean, you could befriend Kushina-neesan, and—"
"No." The tone was unrelenting and fierce, causing Obito to blink a few times.
"... What?"
The Kyūbi sighed. "Naruto was the first human I befriended after years of hatred. He was the type to befriend even those that hated him, but that principal did not branch off to me." He snarled. "I see no reason why I should attempt to instigate a new friendship with someone who will not listen."
The fox's first statement stood out to Obito, and he gave a small, but malicious, grin. "... So basically, you're actually surprisingly emotional and refuse to remove Naruto from his position of 'Kurama's first friend'," Obito attempted to state in a deadpanned voice. The amusement still shone through, however.
"No, you insolent brat! Naruto is the Child of prophecy, and I am a Bijū. I am nothing but a source of power for you humans. Naruto has an innate ability to get people to follow him, to want to listen to him, despite his sometimes stupid antics and choices. He is the light, while I am viewed as a demon." The fox let out a tired huff before settling his chin on his claws and averting his eyes, grumbling all the while. "Though, I... Suppose you are right, in a way."
Obito smiled as he thought of the blonde boy. He actually understood that sentiment, and that was a major part of his reason for actually wanting to change the past—the future. If not for his selfish wish to be with those he loved, it was for Naruto, the boy who woke him up from his nightmare and never-ending darkness that consumed him. "... But what do you think Naruto would want us to do?" The fox languidly drifted its gaze back over to Obito. "Don't you think he would want you, his friend, to be on good terms with his mother and father, the people he loves? The people who brought him into this world, that are his family?"
When Obito caught the Kyūbi's gaze, he thought that the fox's eyes looked suspiciously glossy. "... Yes. And I realize that. But I cannot actually bring the woman here without harming her, and I know that the kit wouldn't appreciate a risk to her health. Speaking of which..." The raven had to brace himself, as a pulse of chakra—no longer with the potent hatred he felt earlier, but still powerful nonetheless—surged towards him. "Leave. Your prolonged presence here is straining her feeble human mind."
Obito started in alarm at this, inwardly thinking that it made sense—the mind of a Bijū along with that of someone like him, would be the most likely to present a strain to Kushina's mind, if at all possible.
He saw a flash of a smile. "Come back when your head is on your shoulders and you know what to do."
Before he could comment or exit himself, the fox sent out another pulse of chakra, unceremoniously forcing Obito out of the mind-scape as he let out an indignant and surprised yell.
Kurama snorted bemusedly.
Considering the man was the cause of so much grief for his blonde friend, and considering the man was an Uchiha, he certainly made amusing faces when caught off guard or shocked.
The fox settled into the confines of his seal, the darkness enveloping him. He hadn't felt the usual spite he had expected; the Uchiha had used his name, the sacred moniker that had been bequeathed unto him by Hagoromo. He hadn't been directly addressing Kurama, as it was said more in passing—"Kurama's first friend"—but he still used it, nonetheless. And yet, the fox had not taken offense to the fact at all.
A strange sense of solitude, one that Kurama found he actually didn't like, settled around him. His mind wandered to the lengthy conversation he had with the Uchiha, and how he hadn't spoken to anyone in quite a while. It had been many years since he had been left in complete solitude and silence, as ever since he had befriended Naruto, well... "... Loquacious?" He spoke aloud, though quietly. "Indeed, I suppose I was, considering. Loathe as I am to admit it... That man has a similar spark as the blonde kit, a similar element to him. What was it called?"
The fox snorted, a ghost of a smile on his jet black lips. "'The Will of Fire'. Even while subjected to the Uchiha Curse of hatred, with that repulsive, blood-red gaze... He has that 'Will of Fire' so prevalent in Naruto."
Kurama closed his eyes. The unbidden image of sunshine locks, azure eyes sparkling with mischief, and a cheeky, childish smile flashed through his mind. Unfamiliar, disconcerting emotions welled from within, and he let out a heavy sigh.
"... It's boring without the brat."
Obito rubbed his sore eyes, grumbling petulantly as he reoriented himself.
"Recalcitrant, obstinate, stubborn..." He muttered angrily, grasping at words as a steadily growing headache throbbed in his temples. "... Stupid, bull-headed, uncooperative asshole!"
Despite his swears against the Bijū, he was actually quite content with how things turned out. Things certainly could've gone worse, after all, and this was a major step towards his ultimate goal. Still, that didn't mean that the resulting headache from chakra backlash was anything to scoff at, as he had to redirect his chakra to halt the incessant, throbbing headache resulting from the sudden surge. It was much like how he imagined hang-overs to be, if he had to guess, though to a much more extreme degree—
The Uchiha froze as the red-head before him shifted, irritation dissipating immediately along with his random thoughts, and he quickly went to check her status. She was still asleep in the light Genjutsu he had placed, and he nodded to himself in satisfaction. Kushina needed this rest; no doubt the stress from the past months and the presence of two powerful minds other than her own in her mind-scape left her drained, no matter how strong of a woman she was.
Obito glanced out of the window, gauging the time—probably around 8am, now, and he wondered if Minato was going to return soon.
Wait.
8am?
His head whipped around to the clock on the wall and he let out a surprised noise. "Shit! I'm late!" His eyes darted around, looking for a blanket or something of the sort, before he decided to take his jacket off. He gingerly wrapped the navy-blue cloth around the red-head, and when he deemed her sufficiently covered, he darted for the door with a smile on his face.
Violet eyes narrowed as she felt the insistent gaze on her, never leaving. Her grip on the utensil tightened at the feelings of worry and hesitance she felt from the other occupant of the room, staring at her with persistence and care only possible in the the familiar azure orbs that she loved... Most of the time.
Kushina groaned irritably, finally having had enough of the near obsessive concern. "I told you I'm fine now, 'ttebane!"
Minato smiled nervously as his wife turned on him, a frightful scowl on her face. He eyed the knife in her hand with no small amount of trepidation. "I know, Kushina. I'm just making sure, since your earlier spell was unexpected. I don't want you to hurt yourself."
The red-head eyed him briefly, before her eyes drifted to the knife in her hand. Minato gulped. Then, with a shrug, Kushina went back to cutting the vegetables for their dinner. "... What time do you think Obito will be home?"
Sensing that he had successfully averted a potential disaster, Minato relaxed in his chair, mindlessly swirling the tea in his hand. "Well, Rin had requested that they take on more D-Ranks since she needed more money for this month, so today they took on three," he began numbering off the missions with his fingers. "There's the weeding mission for Akihiro-san, then the restoring of the civilian sector park fence. Those two will probably take two, three hours at the most. Last but not least... Well, Tora had escaped again."
The couple simultaneously winced at that. "So... We should probably expect him home in another two hours," Kushina commented, glancing to the wall clock that showed that the time was 5:57 pm. Seven hours for that mission seemed like the appropriate allotted time.
"Yeah..."
A comfortable silence descended between the two, Minato smiling as his wife busied herself in the kitchen. It was an odd sensation in all honesty; three years ago, he never would have so much as dreamed that this would be a reality. He had always hoped that the feeling was reciprocated, that what he had was not a one-sided, hopeless love. Kushina was his pillar of strength, the person that helped him through the tougher times. She made him stronger than he truly was and was often his voice of reason, despite what many people truly thought. A genius, that's what many people saw him as, but he was actually rather ordinary—he just happened to have the most amazing people as his friends and family.
"... Minato," Kushina's voice interrupted his thoughts, and he snapped to attention at the slightly wavering tone she spoke in.
"Yes, Kushina?"
He frowned at the decidedly nervous air she had about her; she had put her knife down and was wringing a towel in her hands. She turned to him, revealing the hesitant look she wore, coupled with the manner she worried her lip. "Have... Have people been talking about me, again? In the village?"
Confusion showed briefly on the blonde's face before his mind pieced together the puzzle. Surprise flitted on his features momentarily before his look hardened, eyes narrowed dangerously. "... Did something happen with the Kyūbi?"
Kushina shook her head frantically. "No it didn't, nothing—... Well, I mean, I guess so," her face pinched confusedly. "... Kind of?"
At Minato's barely concealed(and steadily growing) worry and anger, she blurted out, "Obito knows I'm the Kyūbi's Jinchūriki!"
Dead silence.
"... What?" The blonde finally questioned after a few moments, not even noticing the way his voice rasped, too focused on the fact that Obito knew. How? Why? Obito? A thought, betraying his care and trust for the boy, surfaced to the forefront of his mind unbidden, and he frowned faintly. 'Quite a bit has been happening with that boy...'
"Obito knows," Kushina sighed exasperatedly, placing the towel on the counter and taking a seat across from Minato. "I don't know how, because I didn't get the chance to ask. He revealed it to me when you left this morning."
"Did you ever give any indication?" Minato inquired, slowly slipping into his "mission" mode as he placed his teacup on the table. "Is it possible that he heard it from you? I know that Obito didn't hear it from me... Or Jiraiya-sensei, since he's still out of the village."
The red-head shook her head. "No. It's strange, since the only other person that knows the full truth about my... Status, is the Hokage." She bit her lip, looking into Minato's eyes with clear worry. "Is it possible that Obito heard the rumors? You know, the ones that say I'm the Kyūbi Jinchūriki?"
Minato's mouth set in a grim line, his eyes drifting to the now lukewarm tea. "... I doubt it. It has been many years since those rumors have come and gone, thanks to the tight security and the Sandaime's law." He turned back to her. "Besides, from the way you said it, I doubt Obito's knowledge is from something as flimsy as a rumor. It sounds like he was certain of it, like a fact."
Kushina nodded slowly, confirming the blonde's suspicions. His eyes narrowed as his mind worked, trying to piece together the implications to complete the puzzle. "I suppose that it's possible he heard hints from a few Shinobi that have bits of information. Obito has shown surprising intellect, and... Insight, these past few months." He frowned, his mind wandering slightly. "... I did notice that he had been wandering around Konoha quite often, but most of what I heard was in regards to citizens acting hostile towards him..."
"What?" The red-head growled, fists clenching. "People are still treating him like that? So long after the fact!?"
"Kushina, you forget that Obito wasn't exactly a favored citizen, even before the house incident," Minato calmly stated. "Besides, this was from a while ago, mind you, and he's been doing exceptionally well. The rumors about him have died off more or less."
The red-head huffed. "They better have. I swear, if I hear that he's been subjected to that one more time, I'll—"
"Jiraiya-sensei should be coming back to Konoha soon, by the way. I had a messenger toad deliver the message this time."
Kushina flinched at the sudden shift of focus, her irritation gone. She looked down at her stomach with a frown. "... My fainting spells stopped completely ever since I saw the Kyūbi, y'know. You've noticed it too, haven't you?" Minato opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, his wife continued.
"I..." She licked her lips, her eyes shifting as she blinked rapidly, as though trying to find words. "... I want to try going back into my mind-scape."
Minato had to catch the teacup that nearly hit the ceiling at his startled flinch which caused the table to jump up. "WHAT!?"
Kushina, surprisingly, shrank into herself somewhat. Then she shook her head, straightening and staring unflinchingly at her husband. "... I want to speak to the Kyūbi."
After briefly checking to make sure he didn't spill, the blonde sighed, standing up to place the teacup in the sink where it would do no harm. "That... That is the most reckless action you could possibly take at this point, Kushina." He turned to her, watching as she turned red-faced in indignation. "... But, if you can wait until Jiraiya-sensei comes to Konoha, then... I will permit it."
Satisfied, Kushina blew her hair out of her face and rolled her eyes. "I don't need your permission, not really, I'm a grown woman!" At the stern look Minato shot her, she added sheepishly, "... But thanks, dattebane."
They fell into another silence as Kushina walked back and forth, tending to the food and Minato washed the dishes. The blonde eyed his wife, noting how she was still stewing about something—there was more to be said. Their eyes met briefly, he looked at her knowingly and her hesitance seemed to fade.
Finally, the red-head sighed, having lost the brief confrontation. "... I want to tell them."
Minato quirked an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"I want to tell Rin and Kakashi about my status as a Jinchūriki. I think that they deserve to know."
Minato paused for a brief moment before nodding in agreement. "I think... Well, what I think doesn't matter. We'd need the Hokage's permission to do so."
"I thought that the secrecy of my condition was to be left at my discretion."
The blonde shrugged, smiling slightly. "It is, but it's only fair to inform Hokage-sama about it before doing something so outrageous. After all, it is thanks to him that your status was never fully exposed after the Kumo incident." He chuckled at the exasperated but understanding sigh Kushina gave. "We can probably tell them soon. I was actually planning on resuming supervision of the team. It's about time I was present during missions as their sensei again, after all..."
Perhaps she noticed the underlying frustration or the slightly self-deprecating tone he used, but regardless, Kushina frowned disapprovingly as she punched him lightly on the arm. "Stop acting stupidly—you had a good reason for not paying as much attention to them lately. You're worrying about things that you don't have to worry about." She smirked. "You and I both know that your group of little chicks understand that perfectly well."
Minato groaned. "Alright, fine, just stop calling them that, please. Kakashi refused to talk to me for a whole day the last time he heard you call him that."
"Why though?" Kushina asked innocently, batting her eyelashes. "Your hair is as yellow as a little chick! And they've all followed you around since they were Genin, it's perfect!"
"Exactly, it's my hair that's yellow," Minato riposted, a small smile forming. "So it doesn't make much sense."
Wariness crept into the blonde's gut as a strange look crossed Kushina's face. "Well..." She began quietly, wrapping her arms around Minato's neck in a slow, deliberate fashion. "Soon enough, we probably will have little "chicks" with sunshine locks following us around..." He froze as Kushina gave him a wink. "... Right?"
Outside, bystanders suddenly heard the booming laughter of the famed red-head before watching Minato Shunshin across the rooftops, face as red as a tomato.