Closed | Just when things seem like they couldn't get worse...

[ghostpepper]

Where: Konoha, administration building
When: July 29th, mid-afternoon
Notes: Bad news has flown in from Uzushio and it's sent Kushina running for a quick emergency meeting with the Hokage.



Kushina was looking forward to spending the next two days with her family, getting some sparring practice in (maybe with her ANBU guard that came along on the council's insistence), and some of her usual end-of-visit activities. Unfortunately, she was just putting her dinner ingredients away when a flutter of wings at the nearest window caught her attention. She felt her blood run cold when she saw the dark-colored falcon tapping its beak against the glass. She was so numbed at the sight of the bird, she didn't register the vegetables she dropped on the floor. Nothing else mattered as she ran over to let the bird inside. Black case, red seal... Something she had prayed she'd never see, especially not while she was home. Willing her hands not to shake, she released the seal and retrieved the twice-sealed note inside. Something must have gone terribly wrong.

It was worse than she could have expected.

Kushina Uzumaki-sama,

Chuunin Yumi Akuhana, Chuunin Sho Uzumaki, and Jounin Umiko Li were reported missing last night when they failed to report in at their last scheduled stop in Taozi. They were en route from Hetaroi on the civilian village tour to determine what infrastructural work is required in the northern lands. The council requests your return to Uzushiogakure as soon as possible.

Megumi Uzumaki

She rubbed out the tears forming in her eyes. Her talented and efficient assistant was gone without a trace. She wasn't the sort to slack off or show up late. Kushina had never had to yell at Yumi for anything. She feared the worst for her and the other two. It would take a while to hire a new assistant and longer to train them. Minato was out and this wasn't something she'd want to put on Naruto, so she couldn't corner either of her boys as her confidant. She needed to talk to someone...

She penned a quick reply on the nearest paper she could find, telling Megumi she would return that night but had to take care of some business and say goodbye. The first order of business was locating her ANBU and telling him to be ready to go when she gave the word and she'd explain what was wrong later. The second was running as fast as her legs could go, even aided with chakra, to the administration building. She darted around a team of genin with their sensei on entry, nearly flattened a chuunin with a pile of paperwork as she skidded onto the second floor, and flung the Hokage's office doors without a single knock for warning. She was panting when she stopped in the doorway and had the letter, now folded up, slightly crunched in her hand. There was no hiding the distress on her face, an emotion she rarely showed in public.

"Obito! I need to talk with you now!"

Comments

[thebestuchiha]

The outcry of his own assistant had gained his attention before the door was flung open, but that it was Kushina had him worried, and by the time she spoke he'd pushed to his feet, ready for anything. What he got wasn't exactly usable information, but looking her over told him it was definitely urgent, whatever it was. "Alright, close the door and tell me what's what. It's big if you're worked up. Something obviously went wrong so tell me what you can."

[ghostpepper]

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, she moved quickly to shut the door. As she crossed the office, she unfolded the letter and held it out.

"I got bad news from Uzushio. Three of my shinobi--a jounin and two chuunin--went missing the other night. They can't have just run away, Yumi's not like that, y'know! She was our only assistant too! Always punctual coming in or going somewhere, always checked in. Something's really wrong, Obito. I'm afraid they're... they're..."

She bit on her lower lip, fighting the urge to break down. She needed as much composure here as she could manage. Tears would have to wait for when bodies were found and she could be alone. She took a deep, shaky breath to calm down.

[thebestuchiha]

He took the letter, looking it over with an oddly blank expression for a moment before a soft sigh left him. "Damn."

He looked back to her, examining her for a moment before nodding crisply, offering her the letter back. "How can I help?"

[ghostpepper]

She folded the letter back up and shoved it in her pocket. A ghost of a smile flickered on her face, but was gone in an instant. Good thing he didn't think she just came to cry on his shoulder or anything like that.

"I need a huge favor. I'll need a new assistant, but I need to post the job and have whoever I hire trained. That's going to take a few weeks to a month or so and work will back up unless I have a temporary assistant. I'd have Karin do it, but she needs to make chuunin before I give her any official jobs. Is there anyone you can spare from the village? Just until we can get whoever we hire trained right. I'll pay a fee to the village and give whoever comes their own weekly stipend. We can arrange an apartment nearby the administration building too."

[thebestuchiha]

He peered at her for a moment, then his solemn expression turned just a little wicked as he flashed her a grin. "Take Kakashi. He needs a bit of a vacation from missions that require, you know, running around." And it would give Kushina access to the guy for a while, remind him he was loved and somesuch.

[ghostpepper]

"Kakashi?" She blinked, looking a little surprised at the suggestion. "I'd be glad to take him off your hands. I feel like I never see him much anymore."

She thought about the few times she had seen him at group dinners, but that really was it. And now she'd have him for almost a month in Yumi's place. A devilish smirk finally appeared on her face that would be better-suited to the Kyuubi. It was hard to stop it, at least for that moment. "And maybe he won't be running between different countries, but he'll be doing plenty of running. Though he may never want to do paperwork ever again when he returns."

[thebestuchiha]

"Like he wants to do paperwork now." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "It'll keep him from trying to tag team me with Gai again too. Okay so it was nice but yeesh, I got things to do." He laughed and shook his head. "Make sure to stuff him while you have him would you? He's been looking skinnier than normal."

[ghostpepper]

"He'll do it for me," she flashed him another grin. Her tone was loaded with confidence. But it slipped easily to mock indignation and finger wagging.

"You think I'd borrow one of my husband's students and not make sure they're fed properly? What kinda village leader do you think I am, y'know?"

[thebestuchiha]

He smirked and gave a casual shrug. "Hey. no telling what being busy has done to your habit of feeding unwary souls okay?"

[ghostpepper]

Her mock indignation turned to a look of mock outrage at the implication that she would feed anyone substandard food. It was ruined, however, by a gleam in her eyes.

"Obito Uchiha, how dare you! I may be busy, but I do have time in the day to make sure any guest of mine can find food that meets my standards. Didn't I point out a few good places while you and your team were visiting a few months ago?"

[thebestuchiha]

"Hey hey, I didn't say it wouldn't meet your standards if you did it, just that I wasn't sure you'd go about doing it, see?" He lifted his hands in a quelling gesture.

[ghostpepper]

"You don't have to worry about a thing," she said, false temper vanishing in an instant. "I'll definitely make sure of it, even if it means dragging him off to eat two or three times a day."

[thebestuchiha]

"Okay good. You'll have both of them with you so, you know, I'd like to get at least him back in one piece yeah?" He gave her a wry smile.

[ghostpepper]

"Maybe that's part of my goal, to slowly steal the whole team over to my village, even temporarily."

Of course, there was one member that would be the hardest sell to get over. Though she'd have to settle for what rare visits he could spare. And the longest resident of the trio was almost done with her stay in helping train the hospital staff.

"And I promise, you'll get him back in one piece, one way or another. I can't have our villages' relationship fall to pieces over a jounin in pieces, now can I?"

[thebestuchiha]

"Yeah, I think I'd be upset if he needed more replacement parts, you know?" He grinned at her, laughing.

[ghostpepper]

"You mean you can't spare a few fingers or a foot if I through him into the nearest whirlpool?"

The grin on her face to match his was a sign that she was teasing him, carrying on a dark joke as she nudged him with her elbow.

[thebestuchiha]

"I really think I need him to come back with all parts as they left the village. I ran out of spares." He leaned in a little, shaking his head. "He gets expensive you know."

[ghostpepper]

"But if I catch him not doing his work, what am I supposed to do? Just give him a slap on the wrist?"

Too boring and not worth her time. Making him piss his pants in fear on the other hand... That would be hilarious. After the fact, of course.

[thebestuchiha]

"Of course not, just no whipping out the knives. I don't want to have to beg Rin to do some part transfers, she'd never let me live it down." He tisked, shaking his head.

[ghostpepper]

"Oh alright. I swear I won't cut anything off him. And I'll do my best not to beat his skull in with my fist either."

She paused for a minute to stroke her chin while giving him an appraising look.

"Then again, maybe I should if it'll get you to come back to Uzushio for a short visit."

[thebestuchiha]

"Oh please, I just finished tackling the Chunin Exams, give a guy a breather." He laughed and shook his head. "But I promise to try to come by again this year, yeah?"

[ghostpepper]

"You're the Hokage, you don't get to take a breather."

It was... half a joke. Even Minato got a little downtime here and there, but when duty called, he was right back to work until it was done and settled.

"But really, I would like it if you could visit again. Even if it's just for a day. Or three."

Or longer. It gets lonely without familiar faces from Konoha sometimes. If it weren't for Karin and occasional visits from Minato or her own trips home, she'd probably have gone a little nuts already.

[thebestuchiha]

"So says the woman who decided to take a decade off to do a similar job." He grinned and shook his head at her. "You know I like visits."

[ghostpepper]

Ah, nothing quite like getting busted for joking hypocrisy.

"Heh... You're right. I don't really get to take a breather either. And on my next visit to Konoha, you won't have to track me down. I'll come see you soon after I get into the village to say hi."

[thebestuchiha]

"You should totally bring cookies next time." He grinned wide. "I miss your cooking."

[ghostpepper]

"Next time I'm in town, just come by the house and I'll make dinner and cookies for you. Deal?"

[thebestuchiha]

He nodded immediately, settling back in his chair. "I'd like that a lot."

[ghostpepper]

"Then it's settled. I have a few more things I have to take care of before I go, so I'll talk to you again later, okay?"

She didn't want to go just yet, but she had to. She needed to track down her family and tell them she was leaving early and why.

[thebestuchiha]

Obito nodded immediately. "See you later Kushina-nee. Just take care of yourself."

[ghostpepper]

"You too. ...And thanks."

She waved as she turned and headed out.