6 V.1-C.6│Old and New III│
Kushina managed to get her friend to accept her into her nice household, and she was able to meet this child that managed to capture her friends attention.
Not having to worry about her own lacking money now, she just had to start saving up and developing her abilities to become stronger than what she is now. She did have a team, but that is not possible now.
Especially since she is a Chunin and a war is going on, meaning that she would be assigned to other things. She knows Mikoto is lucky, to be able to do what she wants, accepting missions when she wants to and all.
Coming from the Uchiha, or an especially well-off family of the Uchiha clan, she lamented the fact that her own clan and family is dead...
'Yeah... they are... gone now.' Kushina took on a brief sad expression before wiping said expression from her face. 'I can't allow little Obito to see me like this! What if he becomes sad as well... I know that little brat feels something, and I will get to the bottom of it!'
Kushina did develop her own interest for the boy, although different but similar to Mikoto's attachment to him. Kushina got attached to him because he is an orphan like her, with no real blood relatives, not even within the Uchiha clan.
The only people the boy is close to is that Grandma of his, Masumi, and Mikoto herself. Kushina tried to have the boy lighten up to her presence, but she felt as if he didn't want to be around her.
Which was not so strange, as she is used to others not wanting to be around her. What with being a jinchuriki and all, but that wouldn't stop her from trying to have the boy at least look at her differently.
She much rather preferred the looks given to her by the scant few villagers that knew what she is, or the looks from some of the shinobi from within the Leaf.
His eyes seemed to be devoid of feeling, and she didn't like it. Not one bit, she had taken it upon herself to try and make him be... happy? 'Yes. Happy might be the right emotion I want him to feel.' She wanted someone, anyone really to feel like someone she could connect with.
She saw a little bit of her even younger self within Obito now. Or at least she projected it upon him, because he isn't truly like her.
In a way he was, but in a way he isn't. A strange thing to her, and her feelings being like this left her with a lot of confusion.
Not really, but that didn't stop her from doing as such.
In fact, just like Mikoto whom wanted to protect Obito from any and all harm, staying away from missions, Kushina also was much more slack on her missions as well. In fact, she wasn't really sent out on missions anyway.
This is a warring period, and she is a jinchuriki. The leadership of the village would be crazy to just up and send her off into the battlefield. No, she is their 'secret weapon,' and she hated it.
It was more than once that she felt a certain type of way about this village, and she hadn't really gotten a true sense of belonging. Meaning that if someone, anyone really managed to sway her heart in any way, she would probably follow them fully.
Follow them and their direction, wherever they may be or go.
Lying down within her bedroom, Kushina was thinking about many things, as Mikoto was also within her own room and Obito as well.
That is when she started to feel something is off.
A stiffness in the air, and her senses now running wild with many possible scenarios going through her head as she was starting to feel the presence of others within her home of nearly a year. 'Who is it? Damnit! What about Mikoto? And Obito!?' She got up, ill prepared to face her opponents.
'Kumo?' She thought as she identified the shinobi that entered. "Come with us quietly now, and no one will be hurt."
This was bad, given the Uchiha and their residence is far away from the village, so no one would even probably know in time she is kidnapped. Then there is Mikoto, who would help her in this moment, but the fear for the safety of Obito's would come first in both her own mind and Mikoto's.
"What do you want." She answered back, using a method to transfer a message to the sound asleep Mikoto, that is if she hadn't already noticed the presence of the people within.
"Girl, be quiet." One of them jumped towards her, but she wasn't so powerless to not fight back. She wasn't so hopeless or alone as she was before, with no one to really care for her, and she fought back.
Thought she wasn't that powerful.
Some noise was coming from another area in the house, and Kushina knew that this is the result of Mikoto probably awakening and coming to her aid, or she is dealing with some intruders herself.
'I need to stall for time...' Kushina was sweating a little, as her attacker was trying to capture her in one place. Thankfully there was a window and she jumped out, getting onto the rooftops.
Mikoto was still inside, and Kushina now needed to do something, anything really to help herself out of this situation.
"You are only making this harder on yourself. Don't make this difficult for us." A Kumo ninja jumped onto the rooftops, now having her surrounded on all sides.
She started to think of her current techniques, and the most powerful thing she has access to is the Kyuubi, but that is too dangerous to use. Uncontrollable even.
Throwing some kunai outwards, towards said ninja, it was only meant to be a distraction. "Damnit! You managed to cut me. Now I am not going to go easy." The mob like character said, and Kushina was not afraid of at least fighting off against one of them.
"Argh!" A voice is heard from below, halting her pursuers footsteps.
"What was that!? They are going to wake up the entire neighborhood! We need to move now-" Before the guy could finish, a stillness settled over the people here. Even Kushina felt a very strange atmosphere develop.
In the darkness of the night, no one could see a thing, but Kushina managed to see the red glow of some eyes along the terrace of the rooftop. 'Is that Mikoto...? But that looks like...' Her eyes widening, a splash of blood went off into the air.
One of her assailants heads was ripped right off their necks, falling to the surface below and rolling off. "Who is that!?"
"It-It's a kid!" This was no ordinary child however, as his eyes were burning. Burning with red, fiery passion, as the two tomoe eyes transformed from two to three. Fully completing this set of Sharingan eyes, leading to said child to then throw more kunai and the Kumo ninja getting scared and dispersing in many directions.
Obito Uchiha. He had used some very subtle but effective genjutsu methods to enhance the amount of fear those older and stronger shinobi would feel when he had made himself known. The Sharingan is a very effective tool, made only eerier by the Sharingan's red glow.
"O-Obito..." Kushina didn't know what to say or feel as of this moment, except some level of warmth that entered her heart. Going over to him, she dropped to her knees and embraced him then and there.
His face monotone, but his actions was more than enough for Kushina to see he cared.
Or at least that is what she believed.
She didn't even question the absurdity of the situation, a little bit traumatized by this experience, and now attaching herself to the only person near her, came to her rescue, saved her and had at least some level of connection to her.
Firmly establishing a very powerful place within her heart for Obito.
Whatever it may bloom into in the future, only time would tell.
[]
Obito was sleeping, that is until a shift in the air awakened him to something going on. This shift in the air was exactly the intruders that had come into his new place of residence, and started to stealthily try and deal with Mikoto while they tired to take care of Kushina.
No one was here for him, and he would of thought they would of been interested in trying to take him as well. Kushina is one of the last Uzumaki, yes, and she is a jinchuriki, yes, but that didn't mean an orphan of the Uchiha was also not ideal to take as well.
Either way, this made things easier for himself. He knew that this event should be happening sometime this year, and he wanted to interfere, even with the small amount of strength he currently has.
This was a chance that allow him to gather some battle experience, even as dangerous as it is. It may even allow him to finally push past that final barrier stopping him from unlocking the third stage of the Sharingan.
Getting out of bed, there was some muffled sounds as he quietly exited his room, and there she was. Mikoto Uchiha, backed up a little and killing a few of the stronger shinobi that was sent here to keep her under control and probably kill her.
Not liking that idea, Obito had to do something himself. Mikoto by now had also spotted Obito, her own eyes the red of the Sharingan, and with three tomoe within her eyes as well. It was at this stage that Mikoto is 17 years of age now, while Kushina should be fourteen years of age as well.
Mikoto also happened to have reached the Jonin rank within the village as well, meaning that her strength is enough to handle those fighting against her right now, but is struggling a bit. She isn't out of practice, but the strength she has now is not comparable to the point that she should have.
She didn't go out on many missions anymore, if at all, meaning her experience is not as great as it should be. Meaning that while her strength is good, her control or experience is not at the same level.
Obito was completely hidden within the dark, and activated his Sharingan, glowing red and exposing his two tomoe eyes to the world. Having grabbed his complimentary kunai he keeps under his pillow, he managed to come behind one of the Kumo ninja.
Their current numbers being four in total. Coming up behind one of them, Obito was prepared to strike a vital spot to kill this person.
Mikoto seeing this knew what he wanted to do, and didn't panic for now, calming herself in this situation. 'If he can take care of one of them, I can take care of the other three.' Mikoto very slightly nodded her head towards him.
Obito nodded back, before jumping up silently a bit, before plunging said kunai knife into the back of the mans heart. This alerted the other three, his voice calling out. "Argh!" He died right then and there, and this distraction allowed for Mikoto to kill another one, before he kept the other two shinobi's attention on herself.
Obito had already gotten away, and she needed to take care of these two before she went after Kushina, and help protect Obito from danger.
Obito on the other hand knew she would be fine now, and instead turned his attention to the roof, giving himself a view as he opened his window and snuck to have a look.
That experience was very harrowing, for if Mikoto didn't kill that one distracted person, they would have killed him instead. Thankfully, those with Kushina are not as powerful as the two with Mikoto now.
There are four men in total.
Not when what he is about to do next shouldn't be possible for an ordinary four year old. Obito got up a bit more, before propositioning his kunai knife, dripping with the blood of its previous victim and using chakra to enhance his current strength.
Then using perfected movements to have the strongest possible propulsion, he threw the kunai knife in a way that immediately cut off the talking persons head.
He didn't forget to take some more kunai knifes from the fallen opponent below, and used Genjutsu: Sharingan on his other opponents. Their eyes all turned towards him, and not expecting it to be a child, and someone with the Sharingan, they fell into his Genjutsu.
He made them have increasing level of fear, while portraying himself as someone older to them. Not incredibly older, like an adult, but an older child around Kushina's age, allowing him to easily scare them off.
What Obito didn't notice in this moment was that he had experienced a strong rush of survival instinct in the situation prior.
Strong enough to allow his Sharingan to become fully matured. "O-Obito..." Kushina's voice is heard, before she came to him and knelt down. She embraced him easily, and this was another moment for Obito experience a strange reaction within his heart.
A small movement, or flame had appeared for a split second, before being smothered out. "A-Are you okay?" Kushina started to check his body, seemingly worried about his wellbeing. "What about Mikoto? Is she ok?"
"I am fine, and elder sister Mikoto is fine as well." Obito replied naturally, his face neutral.
Soon enough, Mikoto came up onto the roof and noticing that the two were fine, she also joined Kushina in her hug of Obito. "You're silly. Don't do that again." Mikoto reprimanded him, but she didn't have to be afraid or worried anymore.
Two of the people she would consider close to herself is fine. She herself had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan pretty early on, before she even met Obito, and she is well aware of the feelings of loss she experienced.
'I will not feel that again. I will protect Obito!' She was determined to do so, and now this would set her down on a indifferent approach to most others, further tunnel visioning her current feelings for Obito.
"We are fine. Mikoto... I think they were after me." Kushina said, as she had a bit of tears within her eyes.
"Don't worry. We must immediately go to the Hokage and report on what has happened." Mikoto stated, her Sharingan eyes still remaining active.
"Ok." Kushina nodded her head, before hoisting Obito up onto herself. "I hope you don't mind, little Obito." She smiled at him, having now become much more attached.
Obito just nodded his head, allowing her to have the physical touch she so desires from another she would consider at least a friend, if not family in some way. 'I... I was powerless.' Looking at Obito as Mikoto and herself travelled into the village, she thought to herself some more.
'I will also protect you, Obito. That is my promise. And if I have to give my my desire to become the Hokage, then so be it.' She didn't actually have any strong attachment to the title anyway.
