After the Land of the Sky's crushing defeat, Akagakure settled back into its steady rhythm. The Uzumaki clan had endured far worse- Uzushio's fall, Konoha's betrayal, and the relentless hunt of the Five Great Ninja Villages- so a fleeting assault from a second-rate nation barely stirred their resolve.
The village bustled under the midday sun. Fishermen cast their nets from the rocky harbors, children's laughter echoed as they trained in the academy yard, and women carried baskets of vegetables and smoked meats between the new rows of homes. Construction still rang out here and there- hammering wood, sealing cracks, and raising walls- but the Uzumaki worked tirelessly.
High above the bustle, in the Akakage building, Kushina was catching up with the first Uzumaki she had ever rescued: Honoka.
They were seated in her private quarters. Despite being the seat of the Akakage, the room wasn't ostentatious. Kushina wasn't used to luxury and had never cared for it before; she wasn't about to start now.
A polished wooden desk sat against the far wall, cluttered with maps, scrolls, and ink jars. To the side, shelves were stacked with sealing tools, mission reports, and clan records. But the true splendor of the room was the view: wide windows that opened toward the village and, beyond it, the gleaming coastline. The waves glittered under the afternoon sun, and the cries of gulls could just barely be heard if one listened closely enough.
Kushina sat cross-legged on a thick cushion, hair spilling straight down her back, while Honoka perched across from her, excitement practically bubbling off her.
Honoka was one of the few Kushina truly considered a friend, even among the Uzumaki. The only others were Nagato, Akinari, and Aina- but they were different. Honoka was simple in the best sense of the word, someone Kushina could speak with as a girl her age rather than a leader.
The downside was that she didn't see her as often. Honoka held no high rank in the clan; she wasn't burdened with administrative duties, and her strength wasn't that impressive among the Uzumaki. Their paths crossed less than Kushina wished.
"So, what's new?" Kushina asked, leaning back slightly, her voice lighter than it usually was when weighed with politics.
Honoka's face lit up, her grin wide enough to rival the sun outside. "I qualified as a special jonin in fuinjutsu!" she said, practically bouncing in her seat. "With all the resources you retrieved, I was finally able to improve. I've been practicing non-stop!"
Kushina felt warmth bloom in her chest at the sight.
Honoka had always had talent for fuinjutsu. Not on the level of prodigies like Renji or Souta, but enough to stand above the average shinobi. She might never reach mastery, but at thirteen- almost fourteen- Special Jōnin was already more than many could dream of.
Kushina's lips curled into a proud grin. She reached out and slung an arm around Honoka's shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. "That's great, dattebane! We need everyone we can get."
Honoka nodded eagerly. "The new academy you set up helped a ton. It's different than the one I remember from Uzushio… but not in a bad way, not at all."
Kushina tilted her head. "Yeah. I didn't attend Uzushio's academy myself, but I sat in on a few classes when I was little. I tried to mix that with what I learned in Konoha. The same training a normal shinobi gets doesn't really work for us, Uzumaki. With all our vitality, control is what matters most."
Kushina tilted her head. "Yeah, I only sat in on a few classes in Uzushio when I was a kid, before..." Her voice trailed off, a flicker of pain crossing her face as she recalled her exile to Konoha. She shook it off, her smile returning. "I took what I saw there and mixed it with Konoha's system. The same training a normal shinobi gets doesn't really work for us, Uzumaki. With all our vitality and chakra, control is what matters most."
"Exactly!" Honoka agreed, her enthusiasm infectious. "The way you've got the instructors drilling chakra precision- it's made all the difference."
The conversation spilled on from there, easy and flowing. They talked about the newest recruits in the academy, the latest houses finished in the east district, and even which cooks in the mess hall were getting too heavy-handed with spices. For a while, Kushina felt lighter than she had in a while. Moments like this, that she spends with Aina, Rina, or Kurama, are what matter the most..
Then Kushina's smile turned mischievous, her eyes glinting with playful intent. "So, now that most of the Uzumaki are rescued, any... romantic prospects? Anyone catch your eye?" She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, her grin pure trouble.
Honoka's face flushed a deep red. She fidgeted, twisting a strand of her hair. "W-Well... maybe..." she murmured, barely audible. "-ato."
Kushina's grin widened, predatory now. "What was that? Speak up, Honoka!"
"Nagato!" Honoka blurted, a bit too loudly, then clapped her hands over her mouth. The room seemed to hold its breath before Kushina burst into laughter, the sound warm and unrestrained.
"He's a good guy," Kushina said. "Nagato's got a lot going for him."
Honoka nodded passionately, her embarrassment giving way to starry-eyed fervor. "He's strong, handsome, and... he's sooo sensitive and gentle, you know? Like, he's got that quiet intensity, and when he helped me with my seals last week, he was so patient, and- oh, his eyes!" She rambled on, her words tumbling over each other like a teenager lost in her first crush- which she was.
Kushina listened with raised brows, watching her friend gush. Nagato was younger than Honoka by about a year, but his maturity was precocious, born from hardship.
Not to mention, he was tall for his age and gifted with power that could shake nations; it wasn't surprising that he was so popular among the Uzumaki girls.
Kushina finally raised a hand, chuckling. "Okay, okay, I get it! You've got it bad. I think you two would make a good match. The clan needs more families right now, too."
Honoka sighed, her expression softening. "Is all you ever think about the clan? Your dedication's amazing, but sometimes you need to look at things like a normal person- like a normal girl." She paused, her black eyes searching Kushina's. "I don't like Nagato because of some duty to have kids for the clan. I like him because he's... him. An amazing person."
Kushina blinked, then smiled faintly. "I guess you're right," she admitted softly. "I'm too used to being the Akakage."
"Exactly." Honoka's lips curled into a mischievous grin that mirrored Kushina's earlier. "So… is there anyone you like?" She leaned forward, her grin daring Kushina to dodge the question.
Kushina hesitated, her fingers tightening around her cup. The question wasn't new- advisors, elders, and even Aina had asked it. After all, it was a little hypocritical to encourage families among the clan, yet stay a single young girl herself.
She usually laughed it off, claiming no one was worthy of her, which wasn't entirely untrue. But Honoka was different- a friend, not merely another subordinate.
In this quiet room, with Kurama absent from her seal, maybe… maybe she could finally say it out loud.
"There is one guy..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her face flushed as red as her hair, a rare vulnerability creeping in. She cursed herself for opening this door, her heart racing.
Honoka's eyes widened, her cup nearly slipping from her hands. "No way! Who?!"
Kushina bit her lip, her usual confidence replaced by bashfulness. "This is gonna sound crazy, but... it's Kurama." The admission felt like a weight lifted, yet her cheeks burned hotter. She'd never said it out loud, barely acknowledged it to herself.
Honoka gaped, her jaw dropping. Kurama was undeniably striking- his human form's chiseled features, piercing red eyes, and domineering aura would all be popular among women. But he was a Tailed Beast! The idea was so far outside Honoka's imagination that she froze, processing it.
"I know it's unusual," Kushina rushed on, stumbling over her words, "b-but there's no one else I can imagine b-being with. He's mean, brutal, wrathful, but he was there for me when no one else was, dattebane." Her voice softened, eyes distant with memory. "When I was alone in Konoha, hated, betrayed... he was my strength. If it wasn't for him, my life would've been so dismal."
She paused, a dreamy glint in her eyes. "And he's just so cool and handsome! Have you seen his body? He barely ever wears shirts."
Honoka nodded absently, still reeling. "You two would make a great match," she said finally, her voice warming. "A romance story for the ages, like something out of a novel."
But then a thought struck her, and her brows knit. "Wait… could you two even have children?"
Kushina hesitated, and her blush deepened; then she puffed her cheeks defiantly. "I've thought about it, and I don't know... but I know Kurama could figure it out, dattebane!" Her trust was absolute, almost childlike in its conviction.
"If you say so," Honoka replied, her tone not sarcastic. Tailed Beast anatomy was beyond her expertise, but Kushina's conviction was infectious.
"Now," Honoka pressed eagerly, "how are you going to get his attention?"
Kushina opened her mouth, ready to speak- but froze. Her eyes glazed faintly as she reached out with her Mind's Eye of Kagura.
In the distance, she sensed something- a presence approaching Akagakure across the ocean. She grumbled for a moment; she really hoped it wasn't some other two-bit nation on a power trip.
But as she examined them closer, she could only feel fear radiating off them, not aggression. Their chakra signatures were also weak.
"Kushina?" Honoka's voice broke through, concern etching her face as she noticed the shift in her friend's demeanor.
Kushina blinked, snapping out of her trance. "There's an envoy approaching the island," she said, her tone clipped, all traces of bashfulness gone.
She stood, her crimson hair swaying as she moved to the window, peering at the horizon where a small speck of a ship was just visible.
"Is it serious?" Honoka asked, rising to join her, her black eyes scanning the sea.
Kushina shook her head, her expression a mix of annoyance and curiosity. "I don't think so. They don't even seem like ninja."
She turned to Honoka, her face apologetic but resolute. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to talk later. This requires the village's- and my- attention." She stepped toward the door, completely different in aura from the young woman she looked like, talking to Honoka.
Honoka nodded, understanding the shift. "Go get 'em, Kushina."
As she departed, she couldn't help but wonder about them. Were they diplomats? Merchants? Or something else entirely? With Akagakure's enemies circling, she couldn't afford to take chances. She'd receive this boat herself, and if they brought trouble, they'd learn the same lesson as the Land of the Sky.