Wrecking The Past

18

"You're so cruel," Kushina collapsed to her knees, the ruined training field a poor victim to their training sessions. She smiled a bit. "But it helps." 

Naruto tapped the wooden sword on his shoulder as he looked intact compared to Kushina's torn and rough-up appearance. "You're rather sloppy. Pathetically so, who is training you?" 

"I don't have a team," She murmured sadly. "I'm a Jinchuriki. I only got to know so many people through Mikoto. I have special exams."

"I see," Naruto tilted his head. "I highly suggest you start going out on missions with your friends. Start properly refining your move set." 

"I try to, but their sensei are weary of me," She scowled bitterly. "After all, I'm the most valuable weapon. It would be a real shame if something happened to me." 

"Then I'll take you," Naruto shrugged. "You've already done plenty of D-ranks from what your mission records show. We'll do some C-ranks and then one B-rank. Send you into your Chunin Exams and then hard prep you for the Jounin Exams." 

"Aren't we going a bit too fast?" Kushina asked softly. 

"What do you mean?" Naruto sat down across from her. 

"It's a bit fast for my liking. I only just turned a genin, and my other friends aren't even going to the Chunin Exams this year," She looked guilty now that she was saying it up close to Naruto's blank expression. 

"Are you only a shinobi because you are a Jinchuriki? Or are you a shinobi because of another reason?" He asked seriously. 

"Does my answer have any heavy impact on our relationship?" She asked in fear.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. In his former life, whenever he and his mother talked, she was always avoidant of her shinobi life. Tiptoeing around it like a plague. Viciously vague, like she didn't want to acknowledge it, but she was rather outpouring when it came to other things. She had other passions. Sewing, homemaking, etc. She would rather talk about complicated seals and weaponry than practice jutsu. She was very passionate when speaking of her clan even though she wore a sorrowful expression.

If anything the friends Kushina had now were rather tentative, Minato had been the one to constantly pull her in the circle. Now that he wasn't there to do that, Kushina was the one working up the effort to water these plants called friendships. Mikoto was a close one, and Naruto often saw them hanging out when he headed out for missions. The others were rather attached to Minato, but that could change. They were young, and friendships were fragile during this state. 

"It would change plans, yes, but I don't want to force you onto a path you don't want," Naruto tilted his head. "I want you to be happy. So answer without the burden of being a Jinchuriki. Whatever life you want that you think would be impossible because of your partner tell me. I will do anything for you, Hime-chan, but you have to open your mouth and tell me." 

Kushina's eyes blurred with tears, and she couldn't stop herself from wailing. She was terrified of being a Jinchuriki, but Kurama was a wonderful partner. They could talk for hours about the mundane. She originally just wanted to be a princess, learn her duties, and lead her clan, but it came crashing down so hard that she had to pivot. She didn't have the drive to be a shinobi anymore. Instead, she wanted to archive her clan. The knowledge they possessed for future generations and for any Uzumaki that was out there searching for answers. 

She had been locked up in this village, needing permission to visit her clan ruins for excavation, and it was not being granted. She was only a shinobi now to get more powerful, but she was scared. The constant fear of being swallowed up by this village and being used and discarded when the next potential Jinchuriki host was found. She held herself back, and she had no backing of any powerful people. Being friends with clan heirs wasn't enough. But being with Naruto was. She loved him, deeply, and hearing him say he would do anything to make her happy made her fall for him all over again. 

His actions were coming through loud and clear.

"I wanted to be a powerful shinobi," She started through tears. "But when my clan fell all, I wanted to do was go back to the ruins and excavate. But I need permission and the Hokage won't let me. He's hoping I forget about it," it said bitterly. "But now I just want to be powerful enough to do the things I like, but the fear is threatening to swallow me. I don't want to be chained here. The villagers don't like my red hair, my clan name is slowly being erased, and I want to change that, but I can't." 

"I can help you," Naruto promised. "Tomorrow, we set out for Whirlpool." 

"It's not that simple," Kushina growled, but Naruto tapped two fingers on her forehead. In a former life, it was Sasuke's way to calm Sakura and also show his affection for her. It seemed to be effective as Kushina was stalled in her clouded anger. He tilted his head as his fingers glided back into her hair and pulled her into his lap to kiss her. 

Kushina squealed as their lips locked but was touched as she could feel Naruto wiping away her tears. She melted into his lap, the rush of wind cooling her as they pulled back. "It is that simple," Naruto dried her tears. "I won't ever let you feel trapped even if I have to slaughter everyone in my path. So what if the Hokage doesn't agree? Don't ever give it a second thought. If I'm telling you we're going, then we're going." 

Kushina smiled and hugged him. "Okay, I'll trust you!" 

Naruto holds her tightly before picking them both. "Let's get you changed," He closed his Jounin flak jacket around her to hide most of the damage before whisking her back to his home within the Uchiha Compound. 

She was soaking in the hot water, taking note of her bruises from her fights with Naruto that day. He was an unrelenting teacher, but it was needed. No one took her seriously, even her friends. It was annoying, but Naruto wasn't like that. Naruto was everything she would see in a partner, and knowing that made her hyperaware that other people would see this in due time. The entire Uchiha clan already saw it, and soon the world will. Many women will love him, chase him.

But Naruto chose her so she would do anything to stay by his side.