After her tense meeting with Gamamaru and the toad sages, Kushina Uzumaki rejoined her clan, her heart heavy with the weight of her future.
The vibrant forest of Mount Myōboku shimmered under the starlit sky, its bronze-barked trees casting long shadows across the clearing where the Uzumaki clan gathered. Their murmurs filled the air, a mix of anxious chatter and the occasional cry of small children, their voices sharp against the gentle rustle of glowing emerald leaves.
Kushina's gaze softened despite herself. Unlike when she had first rescued her people and built Akagakure, there were now plenty of small children among them. The Uzumaki, resilient as they were, had begun to rebuild- not just in strength, but in family and population.
Aina Uzumaki, whom Kushina had pulled from Kusagakure's grip years ago, had a daughter who was already over a year old: Karin. The little girl tottered clumsily in the grass, clutching her mother's hand with all the fierce determination of an Uzumaki.
Karin's giggle made Kushina's chest ache. For a moment, it was as if she were back in Akagakure, when everyone was full of hope and she seemed unstoppable. But then the thought of her village came rushing back, reigniting her rage toward Madara Uchiha all over again.
She had spent years developing that village. She had figured out through trial, error, and sheer stubbornness how to be a good leader. How to inspire, protect, and build. Every stone in Akagakure, every wall and seal, carried her efforts. Now, it seemed like all of it had been rendered pointless with one arrogant man's scheme.
Her hands curled into fists.
At least, she thought, it would be easier to start again with all her experience. She wasn't the ignorant and naive girl who had once dreamed of becoming Hokage. She was stronger, sharper, and more ruthless. Madara had taken much, but he hadn't taken her will.
Still, the present reality gave her a massive headache. The toads did have some rudimentary housing scattered throughout Mount Myōboku, but it really wasn't suited for humans. Some shelters were far too large- built to accommodate toads the size of trees- while others were laughably tiny, like little huts for toads the size of Shima or Fukasaku. Most toads didn't bother with houses at all, like Gambunta, who was far too massive.
Food would need to be secured as well, because toads ate things no human would want to touch: fat flies, worms, and other swamp-born fare.
Kushina exhaled in annoyance. It wasn't that she minded working hard- she was used to that- but the sheer tedium of rebuilding from scratch gnawed at her. She had already done all of this once. To go through it again felt like a punishment. But she reminded herself: it wouldn't be as difficult as before. She had knowledge, allies, and loyalty. It would just take time.
Her eyes scanned the clearing until they landed on the one she was searching for. Akaji stood near the edge of the group, conferring with a few older clansmen. His red hair, streaked with gray, caught the low light. He was steady, dependable, and wise- one of her elder advisors.
"Akaji," she called out firmly.
He turned immediately. The moment his eyes met hers, he dropped to one knee, fist pressed to the ground in respect. They hadn't spoken since before her clash with Madara. His loyalty never wavered.
"Yes, my Lady?"
"We're going to stay here for the time being," Kushina said. Her tone was decisive, carrying no room for doubt. "Prepare shelter and secure a food source. Make it sustainable. The people need stability."
Akaji bowed his head. "It will be done." He rose without hesitation and moved off to speak with Akinari and the other organizers, already barking quiet orders.
Kushina smiled faintly in satisfaction. This was what she loved most about leadership. Not the endless fighting, nor the blood spilled for her clan's survival, but the act of delegating. The knowledge that she didn't have to carry every burden herself, that there were people she trusted to act in her stead.
Since she had already done all of this once before, her subordinates knew what to do. They didn't need her to tell them how to organize, where to build houses, or anything else. Trivial matters like these didn't require her direct supervision. Her role was to keep their vision clear and their morale unshaken.
It freed her to focus on the bigger picture- training to face Madara and stopping the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
However, that could wait until tomorrow. Turning, she gazed at a simple tent that had been set up earlier. The mere sight of the bedroll inside made her nearly drool. Every inch of her body screamed for rest. After everything that had happened- the Kage summit, her fight with Madara, nearly dying, the desperate retreat, and her negotiations with the toads- she was exhausted, probably more so than she had ever been.
She walked toward the tent, but just as she reached for the flap, a sudden wave of dizziness struck her. Her knees weakened, and she staggered slightly, clutching her stomach. A sharp nausea twisted through her, leaving her clammy and lightheaded.
Her heart jumped in alarm. Quickly, she glanced around to make sure no one saw. Thankfully, her clansmen were too busy with their own tasks, and no one noticed their leader falter. She exhaled shakily, forcing herself upright, and hurried into the tent.
She sat down heavily on the bedroll, pressing her palms to her knees until the spinning stopped. This wasn't the first time. For several days now, she'd felt strange spells of lightheadedness, fatigue, and nausea, but she had pushed them aside. Too much had demanded her attention with the Kage meeting on the horizon. It loomed too large in her mind to waste thought on what she assumed was stress.
But now, with a rare moment of quiet, her thoughts turned inward. She went over her symptoms carefully. Fatigue, nausea, and dizziness. And- her breath hitched- she had missed her latest period.
A single chilling thought rose like a kunai against her throat.
'Could it be… pregnancy?'
Her face burned as the reality settled on her. She and Kurama had been… close lately. Ever since their relationship had begun, it had advanced quickly. For Kushina, Kurama was her everything- the one constant in a world of betrayal and loss. There was no one else for her, and there never would be. She'd thrown herself into their bond without hesitation. What point was there in holding back?
Kurama, for all his aloofness, had felt the same. At first, he'd been awkward- hesitant and unfamiliar with even the concept of intimacy. Kushina was, too, but at least she was a normal person with normal desires. He wasn't exactly human. Tailed Beasts weren't meant to reproduce. But Kushina had seen how his heart softened around her and how his pride melted into something rawer. Once he had let himself go, he had become… well, her cheeks flamed red, he had become quite beastly indeed.
"Eep!" she squeaked, shaking her head furiously. Now was not the time to think of that.
Still, the evidence was undeniable. She swallowed hard, pressing a trembling hand to her abdomen.
Quickly, she activated her Mind's Eye of Kagura and looked inward. Her senses swept through her body, deeper and deeper- until she felt it. The faintest flicker of chakra, fragile and small, but undeniably there.
Her breath caught, and her chest tightened with something she couldn't name.
Her child.
For a moment, warmth spread through her heart like sunlight breaking clouds. The idea of carrying a life born of her and Kurama filled her with awe. But then reality crashed back in with brutal clarity.
It wasn't that she didn't want a child- quite the opposite, actually. But right now was the worst time.
She needed to focus on defeating Madara Uchiha, on saving her people, on preparing for the calamity that loomed over the world. Pregnancy wasn't part of the plan.
Panic clamped down on her. She cursed herself for her stupidity and her lack of foresight. How reckless she had been! She thought she had more time before destiny caught up with her, and she had to face these threats.
Not to mention- her jaw tightened- she and Kurama weren't married. It was a small worry compared to Madara, but it mattered to her. She had always imagined beginning a family with vows and a grand ceremony, with the blessing of her clan. Now? Now it would look as though she had leapt before thinking.
And Kurama… she had no idea how he would react. He wasn't human. He didn't think the way humans did. Would he even want a child? Would he see it as a burden or a weakness? Or… would he surprise her, as he often did, with tenderness hidden beneath his pride?
The fact that he obliged her and somehow created a vessel that could get her pregnant in the first place gave her hope, but the anxiety never left.
Her brain felt like it had been stuffed with fog. First the Kages, then Madara, then her brush with death, then negotiations with the toads- and now this earth-shattering news. It was all too much.
Kushina pressed her hands over her face and let out a muffled groan.
She decided there was no use spiraling further tonight. She would sleep now, and hope answers came with the dawn. Forcing herself upright, she lay down on the bedroll. The fabric smelled faintly of herbs and earth; it was oddly soothing.
Her last conscious thought before exhaustion dragged her under was of a tiny flicker of chakra inside her, fragile and new, but alive.
Her child.