Chapter 5: It's a Younger Brother!
Fewer and fewer Konoha villagers and ninjas had witnessed the Nine-Tails' terror, mainly because its two landlords(Jinchuriki)were both very skilled with sealing techniques.
The Nine-Tails' little life...
It really seemed quite rough...
"Its chakra signature is so strange..." Kushina, as a sort of tailed beast management technician, observed that the feeling this crow's chakra gave off was somewhat like a tailed beast's...
"Feels like that stinking fox's chakra... no, wait..." Kushina curiously stroked Kitahara's feathers, channeling a bit of chakra into Kitahara's body, one of the ways humans communicate with ninja beasts.
"Caw?"
"Must be because I didn't eat breakfast and I'm too hungry, having hallucinations... Why would I think the stinking fox's chakra resembles a crow's..." Kushina slumped onto the table dejectedly, calling out weakly, "Boss Teuchi, if you don't serve soon, someone's going to starve to death in your shop..."
"..."
She really doesn't act like an Adult at all... Still, she retained some Adult's pride, refusing Itachi's offer to let her eat his noodles first.
Perhaps she really was too hungry. When her ramen arrived, Uchiha Itachi and Kitahara watched her, dumbfounded...
"Itadakimasu."
"Slurp slurp..."
"Gulp gulp..."
While Uchiha Itachi was still chewing on a piece of chashu, Kushina's bowl on the other side was already empty. The red-haired Nine-Tails Jinchuriki elegantly wiped her mouth, "Thank you for the meal..."
"Caw..."
"Itachi, where are you going this afternoon?" Kushina poured a cup of hot water, placed it next to the little boy, and offered a proper smile, "Let's go see Mikoto at the hospital together, how about it? I haven't seen her in ages..."
"Thank you." Itachi turned, grabbed the cup, and nodded, "Perfect, we were going to the hospital this afternoon to pick Mom up anyway."
"So well-behaved, Itachi."
On the way to the hospital, Kushina Uzumaki proved to be extremely talkative, constantly giving Kitahara the mistaken impression he was facing the source of all verbal evil.
Rumble rumble...
Kushina skipped along, kicking small pebbles underfoot, "Itachi, do you have any dreams? What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I'll probably become a ninja..." Itachi pondered; he was certain he would become a ninja. He had learned quite a few jutsu with Kitahara recently.
"I thought you'd say you wanted to become Hokage!" Kushina chuckled, disapproving of Itachi's perceived modesty. "Most kids in the village dream of becoming Hokage, right... Protecting everyone and their comrades, like that kid from your clan, Obito..."
Her voice trailed off. Uchiha Obito... had already died in the Shinobi World War, and even... his remains couldn't be brought back.
Uchiha Obito's name had been mentioned frequently within the clan recently. Itachi knew his story: died in the war while saving his comrades...
"Auntie Kushina, nobody wants to die, right... So why do ninjas fight...?"
"That question, I'm searching for the answer too. It's nothing more than interests and things like that, I suppose..." Kushina lowered her head. Catching sight of the little boy's confused face out of the corner of her eye, she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Maybe we can't resolve these conflicts right now, but that doesn't mean we're powerless. As long as we strive to become stronger, eliminate the wars between nations, the ninja world will surely achieve peace!"
"..."
Miss, there's a bit of a problem with your statement... Why does that sound strange... Although your logic is technically correct, your thinking is still in the primary stages!
Uchiha Itachi, clearly encountering this ultimate technique known as "Talk-no-Jutsu" for the first time, suddenly had a determined look on his face... The little boy realized that strength was indeed one way to resolve conflict...
"...Become a strong ninja... learn more ninjutsu knowledge... eliminate conflict between people... destroy wars between nations..."
Kushina looked forward to seeing Itachi's resolve, but she was more interested in his current growth, "Ah? Itachi, have you already started learning ninjutsu?"
"Yes." Uchiha Itachi's practice of basic ninjutsu had become increasingly proficient lately, his hand seals forming faster and faster. Since he wasn't in school yet, he couldn't compare himself to others his age.
"Being able to learn ninjutsu at age 4, that's amazing, Itachi!" Kushina beamed with surprise and ruffled Itachi's hair.
The young auntie wanted to teach him something as encouragement, but the unique jutsu she knew were mostly high-chakra-cost, "lavish" techniques... Adamantine Sealing Chains, Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, and the like...
But teaching only ordinary ninjutsu might mislead him... Traditionally, the ninja world placed great importance on lineage; if Uchiha Itachi learned ninjutsu from her, it meant he would definitely become her disciple in the future.
As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, she was unlikely to have opportunities to leave the village for missions. As for Minato, by the time he returned, the Fourth Hokage would likely be decided... Uchiha Itachi was not only the Uchiha clan head's son but also her best friend Mikoto's son.
If she messed up his potential... that would be quite embarrassing...
Konoha Hospital.
Uchiha Mikoto clutched her handbag tightly against her lower abdomen, slowly walking out of the hospital entrance, her face radiating the unique tenderness of motherhood...
Kushina and Itachi had just arrived. Seeing her appear, they both rushed forward excitedly... Kitahara gripped Itachi's clothes tightly, worried about being thrown off...
"Mikoto!"
"Mom!"
"Kushina, Itachi? Why are you two together?"
"We ran into each other at Ichiraku Ramen at noon," Kushina answered casually, grabbing Uchiha Mikoto's hand nervously, "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
"No... it's not that." Uchiha Mikoto shook her head, moved her handbag aside, frankly revealing her slightly protruding belly. Her gaze shifted, seeing the little boy's worried expression, and she smiled gently, "Itachi, you're going to be an older brother!"
"Huh???"
Kushina followed her gaze to Itachi, then slowly turned her eyes back to Mikoto's face. Her best friend was already pregnant with her second child...
Clearly not understanding the adults' talk, Itachi blankly stood stunned for a second before looking at his mother, "Will I have a younger brother?"
"A younger sister would be cute too!" Kushina pushed Itachi aside playfully, stroking Mikoto's swelling belly.
"Yes, if we had a daughter, the house would be much livelier!" Mikoto covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, looking at Kushina, "You and Minato... lately, haven't... have you gone for a check-up?"
"...Haven't felt anything... I'll... go see Granny Biwako in a few days..."
"If you need any help, you must tell me..."
As the two future mothers exchanged whispers, Itachi's presence felt a bit redundant... He and Kitahara whispered behind them.
"I wonder if it will be a younger brother or sister. I still hope I have a younger brother..."
"Caw..." Kitahara was quite certain it was a younger brother... The Uchiha surname, the name referencing the Third Hokage's father, Sarutobi Sasuke...
"You think it's a brother too?" Itachi thought for a moment, then nodded, "I also think, it's a brother."
Kitahara didn't quite understand Itachi's meaning: "..."
Is he agreeing with my answer, or mocking him? In front of Itachi, regardless of how you look at it... Sasuke really is a younger brother, the ultimate kid brother type...
A sudden coldness on his forehead interrupted their exchange. Kitahara looked up, watching snowflakes drift down from the sky...
Konoha's winter had arrived.
(End of this chapter)