The Legend of the Kyubi

". . ." - a deep silence had filled the living room of the Uzumaki residence as they read the contents of the report that had arrived.     

"Yugao-chan..." - Kushina murmured in pain as she read that Hayate had died.     

". . ." - Kin bit her lip when she saw the report. She felt she was to blame for poor Jonin's death.     

"Don't worry, you're not guilty of anything," sighed Anko as she shook her head.     

"I know... with this seal on my brain, I can't say a word..." - Kin murmured. "But that doesn't change the fact that maybe..."     

"There is no such thing as maybe or what would have happened if..." - said Kurama with a sharp voice while looking at the girl from Oto - "There is no turning back when someone does something, there are only ways to be able to correct it if it has a bad result"     

". . ." - Kin was only silent when she heard the redhead.     

"Well done, Foxy-kun" - snorted the snake charmer - "I know I'm not the best when it comes to motivational talk but even I know that was harsh"     

"I'm just being honest" - answered the redhead seriously - "If you feel guilty, then when all this shit that Orochimaru is organizing starts, try to do your best to help"     

"If your fault is even greater, then try to help Neko-san" - continued the redheaded man - "Although if you do that, I recommend that you have Anko-chan or Kushi-chan by your side because I am sure she will attack you to kill when she knows where you are from and what kind of information you have in your head".     

". . ." - Kin nodded weakly when she heard these words.     

"Now, first thing tomorrow morning there's a meeting between all the leaders of the different Konoha clans, so I and Kushi-chan will go out," Kurama said seriously as he looked around. "Later we' ll continue talking about guilt, now we have other things to be aware of, like the fact that according to the report, they were in a Konoha Watchtower, one that was supposed to be protected..."     

"You say there's a traitor?" - Karin asked in surprise - "If so, it has to be someone of high rank"     

"Yes... and we all know who he is" - snorted the redhead.     

"That son of a bitch Danzo" - answered Kushina with disdain. She had more than enough of that one-eyed mummy.     

"I still do not understand how Hiruzen-sama allows that man to be not only free but in control of much of Konoha," Kurenai said with a scowl.     

"Because that old man knows how to play," Kurama said as he shook his head. "He knows full well that until Hiruzen-sama has proof, he cannot move against him; after all, he has complete control over much of the civilian sector"     

"A wrong move from Hiruzen and you will have a coup d'état from the multiple civilians" - added Kushina - "It may sound like it's not a big deal but you have to understand that without civilians, Konoha would fall economically, after all, the Shinobis clans can't survive on their own"     

"I am sorry to say that they are right" - sighed Kurenai - "The civilians are the ones who produce 60%-65% of all the food in Konoha... if they carry out a coup d'état, then Hiruzen-sama will have no choice but to use force to subdue them, even though that will only result in death for the civilians"     

"That's why I hate politics" - sighed Kushina.     

"We'd better rest" - said the redheaded young man - "Tomorrow will be a gloomy day..."     

"Ok" - the girls decided to accept the blond man's words and retire to rest, even though Kin still had that confused look on her face.     

"Come on, Imouto... I'll sleep with you tonight" - said Anko as she put her hand on the girl's shoulder - "Maybe a little talk will help you clear your mind"     

"Thank you, Aneki..." - said Kin with a little smile on her face.     

* * * * *     

The silent night passed quickly and the sun was slowly rising over the horizon.     

Kurama and Kushina were walking towards Hokage Manor to join the gathering.     

"I think we'd better get Miko-chan," said Kurama as he looked at the beautiful red-haired woman.     

"I was thinking the same thing" - Kushina nodded - "I hope this meeting will end quickly though... so I can at least go with Kurenai-chan to see how Yugao-chan is doing..."     

"If you want, you can go right away" - said Kurama as he looked at the woman. It was obvious that she wanted to see the condition of her student - "The meeting only asks for the leader or if not available, a representative"     

"Really?" - Kushina asked as she looked into his eyes.     

"Go, I'll take care of everything," nodded the red-haired boy.     

"Thank you, Kuro-chan." Kushina only thanked the boy because she could not make a more forceful show of affection. After all, they were in public.     

". . ." - Kurama only shook his head when he saw she was gone, though he couldn't blame her because Yugao was important to Kushina.     

"Kurama-kun?" - Mikoto was surprised to find the Uzumaki young man so quickly.     

"I was just about to come and pick you up at your house, Mikoto-dono," Kurama said with a smile.     

"T-Thank you..." - Mikoto was a bit uncomfortable because it was the first time that the father of her future child had treated her so formally - "Ahem! I appreciate you being so kind, Kurama-kun, though I'd like you to call me only Mikoto, after all, you're my son's friend"     

"Okay, Mikoto-san" - Kurama nodded - "Shall we go?"     

"Let's go," nodded the Uchiha woman as the two of them walked to their destination.     

* * * * *     

"And then I changed the tone of my voice and shouted... 'Hentai~!'" - said Kurama as he changed his voice to a woman's - "You should have seen him being beaten up"     

"Haha~!" - Mikoto could only burst out laughing when she heard Kurama's little story, especially since she could fully visualize it - "That sounds like something that would happen to Jiraiya-sama~"     

"Trying to score points with your friend's mother, Cub?" - asked a somewhat grumpy female voice.     

". . ." - Kurama only frowned when he felt the woman's scent - "Do you need anything, Inuzuka-dono?"     

"No... I was just curious about your intimate relationship with Mikoto-chan," Tsume said with a scowl - "I didn't know you liked older women, Fox."     

"First, we're just talking about some things that happened to Jiraiya while training with him" - said Kurama calmly - "You can ask Mikoto-san if you don't believe me"     

Mikoto nodded when he heard this. While she wanted to be a bit more intimate with her lover, she understood that this was not the time to do so.     

"Second, she is a beautiful woman and I sincerely would not mind courting her now that she is available," Kurama said and in the process, bringing a slight blush to the matriarch Uchiha. He had never praised her in public because it would look strange but with the context of the conversation, he had left the exact moment to do so without any problem - "At least that would be the case if she were not my friend's mother or my age was not so low".     

Tsume frowned even more but nodded when he heard the ginger's words.     

"I think it is a good time for me to leave you with your friend, Mikoto-san" - said Kurama as he realized that now that she had found an acquaintance, they had to separate to pretend even more. If the two of them kept talking together, it would look too strange, especially since Mikoto puts on a happy smile when she talks with him.     

"Thank you so much for joining me, Kurama-kun," Mikoto smiled as she understood his intentions, "Come on, Tsume-chan"     

"Ok" - the Inuzuka woman nodded but her nose shook slightly when she felt something strange coming from the Uchiha woman - "Why do I slightly feel his smell on you?     

"Maybe because we came together?" - Mikoto replied as he feigned confusion.     

"Hmm... I suppose." Tsume decided to put all that aside.     

"How is your family?" - Mikoto asked as she entered Hokage Hall.     

"The usual... Kiba is acting strange, Hana is working all day at the vet's and I'm training and chatting with Kuromaru" - answered the Inuzuka matriarch - "Honestly, it's a bit boring all this"     

"Don't you have anything to hang out with?" - Mikoto asked with a scowl - "At least something to think about?"     

"Fighting with that redhead who fetched you," Tsume said almost immediately. "It's the most exciting thing I can think of"     

"Fighting with Kurama-kun?" - Mikoto was confused and this time she wasn't pretending in the least. It was strange that her friend reacted that way to her lover.     

"I know, it's strange... but it's the most exciting thing I can think of," Tsume replied as he shrugged.     

"Do you know why?" - asked the matriarch Uchiha.     

"Nope," Tsume shook her head, " And that is starting to get on my nerves"     

"Did you try to talk to Inoichi to get him to help you?" - Mikoto asked.     

"Let's just say his wife has him pretty busy..." - said the Inuzuka woman with an amused smile - "If he keeps this up, there will soon be a new Yamanaka in Konoha"     

"Oh... that explains why when I went to buy flowers yesterday, it was so quiet," Mikoto nodded.