Kai!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own.
Thinking
Biju, etc. speaking
Biju, etc. thinking
Emphasis
Minato was on edge. Back in the office immediately following a quick dinner, he knew he was once again in for a late night with Jiraiya-sensei, Shikaku, and Inoichi. The three had been making plans based on Inoichi's reports on what Naru-chan had experienced in her repeating former lives, ever since the Yamanaka witnessed what his little girl's lives had been like. Not to mention what the fox said. Although he hadn't been brought in yet, he had little doubt that Fugaku would show up sometime soon, as Kushina had let the cat out of the bag about his baby, now-teenaged, daughter from the future.
"We've got this, Minato: don't look so glum."
"Hai, sensei," Minato replied, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders no matter Jiraiya's words of encouragement. He had a teenage daughter who didn't believe they were even related... She had been abused, although Inoichi wouldn't tell him the extent of it - which had to mean that it was really, really bad. Oh, and that wasn't to mention the mere idea of losing the other founding clan of Konoha. Had they not lost the Senju outside of Tsunade-hime, he couldn't help but wonder if they would have even survived a Second and Third Shinobi War. People from across the Elemental Continent had once feared the Senjus as the strongest-ever clan to exist for a very good reason.
Losing the Uchiha, too? He just couldn't let that happen.
"I'll be headed out to Ame tomorrow night, then," Jiraiya said rather happily.
"Not without backup," Minato replied, giving his sensei a serious look. Jiraiya began sputtering. "I'll divert three ANBU squads that were initially searching for Naru-chan…"
"You've already diverted them all, plus a good number of Jonin, Minato! I am the Great Toad Sage of Mount…"
Minato ignored him while Shikaku just sighed the word "troublesome" at the white-haired shinobi's antics. He could hardly believe the Sage had just summoned another damn toad into the office for absolutely no reason.
"Sensei, I needed to do that in order to protect my little princess. If other villages were to know that my daughter was alive and from the future, they'd be after her."
Jiraiya stopped mid-spin atop the toad. "'Little Princess!' Hmph! That cute brat's a menace: just like her mother!" Not to mention that word's already gotten out about your missing child. He wasn't going to say that out loud, though. Minato was smart enough to know that was a strong possibility once he sent out search teams to retrieve his supposedly-missing baby.
Seeing the dark look coming from his student, he held up his hands placatingly. "What?! I'm not saying they're not both wonderful women. Just… headstrong: yeah, that's a good word! Right Ichi-brat?" Seeing Inoichi shrug, he dispelled his toad and bounced onto the couch.
"Back to it, then. You WILL meet up with ANBU teams…" Minato pulled out a clipboard and began trying to decide which teams to send to Ame.
"Don't need it," the oldest man said as he crossed his arms like a child. "They're my students, and if they're actually alive…"
"Don't forget Hanzo, Jiraiya-sama," Inoichi interrupted. "You've dealt with him before and barely made it out!"
"You don't think I know that?! Honestly, young people these days: no respect at all." Jiraiya turned up his nose at the man. "I have a responsibility to my students that has been put off way too long."
"Don't forget I'm your student, too, sensei," Minato said, fighting a smirk. "Not to mention your Hokage, ne? You will heed my order," he continued easily. Jiraiya slumped even more. When did things go from him fathering me, to me fathering him? Oh, right: I was around eleven. He took a deep cleansing breath. "I've got Team Ro infiltrating Danzo and ROOT. If Kashi-kun weren't guarding Kushina and Naru-chan, I'd add him to it; they'd make a good team. Not to mention that Monkey definitely wants to go back to Jonin status. Who am I kidding?! He probably wants to retire."
"Blah! Sarutobi will be fine where he is," Jiraiya remarked, referring to Monkey - his sensei's oldest son.
Shikaku continued, in agreement. "Kakashi's current mission is more important considering Kushina-chan's status, both from a medical standpoint, as well as being your wife. Not to mention the antics of your entertaining little gaki," he said drily. Inoichi let out a snort as Minato leaned back into his large leather office chair at the reminder.
Entertaining: right. Minato looked up through the ceiling and closed his eyes, remembering to count his blessings. No matter what his little family had to deal with, they were alive and together. "I agree. Thank goodness I can trust Kakashi to protect our family." Briefly smiling, he went back to their plans to prevent a nightmarish future.
If Kurama had ever wondered whether or not his kit regained previous abilities in her next life (lives) - and he had - he definitely had confirmation of it now.
"What did I tell you about using chakra, brat?"
"Either not to, or, you know: go hog wild," Naruto replied with big eyes, wondering what Kurama-sama was talking about.
"You used it when you attacked the drunken scum."
"Did not!" She crossed her arms over her chest, realizing that she was beginning to feel much better. Her gut didn't hurt so much anymore, and her head was fine now. "I only used taijutsu when I was beating up those jerks! No chakra!"
"Ditz! That was more wrestling than proper taijutsu." Kurama scoffed at his partner and shook his head. "And you used chakra with that Rasengan! That you cannot deny."
Naruto tilted her head at the fox - the relatively nice one that was smaller than the other. She could tell that the bigger one was watching their interaction closely while glaring at her. She didn't know why he wasn't in absolute darkness now; she could mostly just see his big red eyes. "What the hell's a Rasengan?"
"WHAT? You - you dumbass. That's the technique you performed! Your - er, that Yondaime idiot's jutsu." Seeing Naruto's stupid blank look, Kurama nearly wilted. "The thing you did with your hand? Not to mention creating a shadow clone!" She still doesn't get it... "The Wolf threw you into the wall, and…"
"The wolf?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"THE SILVER-HAIRED NINGEN!" He continued scolding his vessel, wondering how many times he'd have to deal with her stupidity before she finally got it together. "The little shit threw you into the wall and the debris broke over your empty head!"
"He did? What a dick," Naruto pouted.
"IT WAS YOUR FAULT, IDIOT! Your Rasengan hit the wall and toppled it!" For Kurama, the only saving grace of the fiasco was that the older yellow flesh bag would probably have to reimburse the owner of the shop she'd half-destroyed. He almost let out a snicker about it but was shocked at Naruto's next statement.
"That wasn't a Rasa- whatever! That was a Bijuu bomb!" Seeing his stunned expression, Naruto continued. "YOU SAID I COULD! Hell, you said, I should, ya damn fuzzball."
Kurama stretched and tried to look away casually from the red glare he was getting from the other cage. It was not doing his wonderful, well-earned ego any good to see his "other self" glaring at him as if he should chomp their vessel. He laid back down, putting his head on his paws, before finally explaining the difference between a Rasengan - something that yellow asshat designed to mimic a Bijuu bomb - and his glorious bombs of destruction and mayhem.
Naruto opened her eyes to see a sake-smelling drunk putting green stuff into her, along with the redhead's worried face. It made her feel bad to see the concern written all over both of them - which was ridiculous! This was all a plot against her village, after all. Or just me: whatever. "I'm good! I'm good."
The Kushina person was saying things faster and faster, while the Tsunade-wannabe was talking the crazy woman down. The only thing that Naruto could think about, however, was the chakra spikes and devastating sensation she could easily read from upstairs. Once the two women let go of her, she asked to go to her room.
Standing outside of chibi-Kakashi's room, she wondered why he was so grief-stricken. That was the only thing she could think of to call the depression that was sinking so badly as to inundate the whole place with it. The others can't tell? That seemed unbelievable! She knocked hesitantly, feeling very afraid. "It's just a genjutsu," Naruto repeated to herself after once again trying to dispel it. Suddenly the fox's voice broke through in her mind.
"It's not a genjutsu." He could tell the kit was shocked but still didn't believe the truth. Perhaps I shouldn't have let the idea go so far. "GO!"
Naruto opened the door without thinking more about it and froze at what she saw.
"...only good for… hurt everyone." Kakashi wiped at his eyes and mask with his arm - the one holding the kunai that was in his hand, not realizing he had company. "Hurt Naru-chan… Just," he let out a shallow, quiet choking sound that nearly unfroze Naruto from the spot she was still standing. "Just like Rin-ch."
Naru jumped at the boy, her heart pounding in her chest wildly. "NO!" She knocked away the kunai that he was beginning to drag across his skin just before it slashed his wrist. "What?! What? Why?!" Tears had built up in her eyes.
Kakashi turned away harshly. "Go away. I don't need you here, I - I… I mean, just... Just go please."
"Are you craz - I mean," Gods Naruto, don't say irresponsible shit now! "I - I'm sorry, okay? I just couldn't let you do that." Naruto's hands fisted before she felt like screaming. "So I can't leave!" She realized that Kakashi had turned enough so that she could see him glance at her for just an instant at that outburst. His chakra had calmed down, but his emotions felt all over the place to her.
Speaking quietly since it was hard to even admit this, she continued. "I've been there you know," she let out a bitter laugh. "I - well, it never worked for me, ne? I don't know if it's 'cause I can't seem to scar, or am just so stupid." She stared at her feet, not seeing Kakashi's wide eye staring at her fully now. "Maybe - yeah: I think it's better to talk about it, no matter what. Cutting that shitty pain out never works for long."
Minato came back to the Senju main estate to find a puffy-faced Kushina asleep on the couch. She's been crying. "Shina. Kushina, are you alright, love?"
After hearing about Naruto's injury when she was out on a simple errand, and how their daughter wouldn't talk to her, Minato proceeded up to Naru's room to check on her.
He knocked before entering his little girl's room but sputtered at seeing her not there again. He could sense her chakra easily, so where…?
Kakashi…
Stealthily opening the teenage boy's room where his teenage daughter was, he re-opened his eyes, trying to restrain himself. Both kids were out cold, linking their pinkies together. Thank Kami: they both have all their clothes on. Kakashi even had his gloves on. Their sideways positions on the raised mattress left both their legs hanging to the floor, and he could see a good amount of space between their bodies, but still…
He carried his daughter to her room while she slept. He'd left Kakashi in the position he was in, knowing the boy would thereby have cramps in the morning. "You just had to go and be beautiful like your mom, ne?" He said sadly. Just before he laid her down in her own bed, his daughter nuzzled into his chest.
"Tou-san," she whimpered.
Minato held her for a while before kissing her head, not sure if he was feeling overwhelmed because of joy or silently crying at the pathetic sound his daughter made as she called out to him in her sleep. "Night, Naru - my little princess." Closing her door behind him, he wiped his eyes and decided to let the sweetness of having her finally call him Dad flood through him. He chuckled a bit and shook his head.
Looking back at Kakashi's room, he realized he really needed to give the boy "The Talk," ASAP!
It was too bad for him that Jiraiya decided to come by shortly after that talk had commenced.