I spent the next week watching Minato melt away whenever Kushina walked into the classroom. Honestly, it was no longer amusing, just... normal. I mean, as normal as the fact can be that he lost a measurable percentage of his brain function whenever it happened. It was kind of impressive, in a disaster kind of way, because he became much sloppier in our training, too. I mean, he was still fast, still precise, not at all different if someone looked at our sparring from the outside, but me? As his partner in crime, I could tell. I was winning more, too. One glimpse of that red hair and boom... the genius who could mentally simulate three battles ahead of time suddenly only could focus on the one we were having, making it much easier to whoop his ass.
I was leading in our games now, nine to six... So yeah. Something had to be done. The problem was: subtlety... How should I do this? I can't just go and ruin the future, and I couldn't just shove him at her like... Hi, this anxious blond thunder of a guy is in love with you. Please bond now, make a kid, and name him Naruto. I would probably end up in jail, this time for real. So... I needed something more natural, an organic way to hook the two up. Option One was a fake group project, and through it, I could force them to work together. Naaahh... Too obvious. So... Option Two! Stage a rescue. No... Also, too obvious, and more importantly, Kushina doesn't need rescuing. Yet. I could use Option Three, and let the bullies push too far, wait for her to explode, then walk in after the explosion and flip the script.
I wasn't going to stop the bullying, but... Use it. I guess she wouldn't trust me to help her out either, not after all this time. So I waited for an opportunity to initiate a discourse and make the first contact. With how everyday was for her, it didn't take long at all. Only three days later, on the way home from the Academy, the opportunity finally presented itself.
Classes were over, the sun was going low, and I could smell the scent of fresh ramen... Focus Renji. Food comes after! We were spilling out of the Academy gates as usual. At the same time, Minato and I lingered back, making sure that I looked as natural as possible, not even telling him my plan, while we were lost in a discussion about chakra ratios, while I was actually watching the flow of bodies. Of course, as usual, Sayuri kept pace on my other side, arms folded, trying to keep up with our talks, but getting lost in it halfway. Yet, her eyes were still sharp, and she noticed that I was not in the discussion either, at least, not at a hundred percent... Unlike Minato, who was now trying to think about how to skip certain hand signs to shorten a jutsu's required activation, muttering to himself.
"You're hunting," Sayuri murmured, not even trying to hide that she'd caught on to me, scanning the others just as I was, "I can tell."
"I am not hunting," I whispered back, "I am… observing."
"Who is the target?" She asked, following my gaze, and noticing I was looking at the top of a red crown. "Ah. I see. Go on, I'll help if needed."
"Thanks." I chuckled, as she already guessed what I was trying to do.
Ahead of us, Kushina walked alone, like she always did, with still no friends and nobody interested in walking up next to her. No one even tried. The crowd parted just enough not to actually touch her as if she was infected or something, yet despite it all, she kept her chin up and her shoulders square, daring anyone to get in her face. She was strong... No wonder she was chosen as the second host of Kurama...
"Here we go," I whispered to myself.
Right on cue, three boys peeled off from the pack and began trailing her, this time around, without Arai. He was still in the rebuilding phase of his social life, mostly getting friendly with the new freshmen at the Academy... Because of that, he couldn't be seen as involved, but... Everyone would still associate this with him, as two of the boys were the newest kids joining the Academy, guys who were on friendly terms with Arai, and, of course, Rei Inuzuka, Arai's personal doggie, leading their charge.
"The smell of rotting tomato again," one muttered. The only issue was that his mutter was as loud as a shout.
"Bet her clan uses her as a signal flare," the other snickered.
"Worst kunoichi ever," Rei laughed, sounding high-pitched yet a bit nervous. I could tell from how he flinched when Kushina's legs stopped carrying her forward... Yet... he kept to the script, "She stands out too much. We shouldn't be that easy to see—"
He didn't even finish as Kushina's shoulders stiffened, fingers curling into fists at her sides, not even turning, but I saw her hair move, almost as if it was about to be raised to the sky.
"Repeat it," she said, almost snarling.
The two younger boys slowed down, exchanging glances, waiting... Idiots. They clearly weren't brave; they were just emboldened by the pack mentality of being together with a 'senior.' Only if they knew who they were trying to cozy up to... That kind of bravery will vanish once a teacher appears, or once someone actually hits back... So, it would be gone in about five seconds?
"You heard us," the first boy said, smirking, "Tomato. Your hair is ridiculous. You look like a—"
No, it was two seconds when he found out exactly how fast an Uzumaki could move. Kushina spun on her heel and closed the already short distance in a heartbeat. Her fist slammed into his chest with a dull thump that even I winced at, and the boy flew backward, landing on his back in the dirt with a choked wheeze, trying to breathe but being unable to.
"Dattebane!" she shouted, her red hair snapping out of her like a whip crack, already looking at the other two, "You want to say it to my face? Say it while you can still stand!"
The second boy lunged at her, being startled rather than tactical, arms outstretched, sloppy as hell. She easily sidestepped, snagged his wrist, and twisted, dropping her weight and momentum in a way that screamed actual grappling training being used on the boy. She wasn't untrained... at all. He was flipped over her hip and hit the ground with a loud yelp, dust puffing up around him, groaning while Rei hesitated, his puppy barking in nervous, high-pitched yips... typical.
"Don't just stand there, Senpai!" the first boy wheezed from the ground. "Help us!"
Finally being reminded of her role, Rei moved... Sort of. He rushed forward with more courage than skill, hands up in a guard position. It might've meant something if Kushina wasn't already operating on full, unbridled fury.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" she yelled, stepping inside his guard, her shoulder driving into his chest like a ram. Then, without hesitation, she hooked his ankle at the same time and sent him sprawling hard enough that his dog went tumbling off his head, landing in the dust and scrambling away to hide under a stall.
In five seconds, maybe even less, all three bullies were on the ground, groaning and clutching various body parts, while Kushina stood above them, her chest heaving not from exertion but from her rage. That red hair was flowing wildly behind her, her eyes burning... feeling dangerous. I watched as her fists were still clenched, knuckles reddened... She was holding back... She could have hurt them even more, I could see that, but she had proper restraint and only used enough force to make them eat some dirt. I respect that choice. Finally, glancing to my left, I saw how Minato was lost in watching her deal with them, his mouth moving to say something.
"Great technique..." he started.
"Yeah," I cut in, already moving, shaking my head. "This is my cue."
"Renji—?!" He flinched, and he put a hand out, as if to stop me, but didn't actually grab my sleeve because Sayuri managed to pull him back in time.
"Be careful," she warned me under her breath. "She's already on edge."
"I'm not going to fight her," I chuckled, rolling my eyes... knowing I was lying.
A moment later, I approached from the side, making sure she had time to see me arrive. You don't sneak up on someone who just threw three kids like sacks of rice... That's how you get punched in the head on instinct, and she would take me as someone who goes for a sucker punch. Which I do, but only if they are my enemies.
"Nice throw," I called out to her casually as I got close enough, looking at the three idiots. "That hip rotation was super clean. You've got good core strength!"
Of course, Kushina's head snapped toward me, eyes still on fire... She was immediately measuring me as an enemy. Ouch... my feelings! I was trying to give her my friendliest smile, but was it not enough? Hauh, I'm hurt!
"You makin' fun of me, too, dattebane?" she snapped at me, her defensive reaction firing before anything else, expecting more punches and kicks, maybe taking me as the boss battle of this afternoon's encounter.
"Nope," I said quickly, stopping a few steps away, hands visible and relaxed, not even going into guard mode. "I mean it. The way you threw that guy," I gestured at the second kid, "Well, that was superb. You trained somewhere, right? Were these Uzumaki techniques?"
She blinked at that; apparently, my friendly voice caught her off guard more than any punch could have. Finally, my smile was doing its job... I hope.
"I… learned a bit back home," she muttered, her chin tilting upwards, now more like curious about what I wanted... but still guarded against me. "But it is one of the Uzumaki styles. Not that you would know what that is..."
"Then I'd like to," I said simply. "Want to spar?"
"Heh?" Her eyes widened, and behind me, I could practically feel Sayuri slap her own forehead. At least, I heard it.
"A spar?" Kushina repeated, suspiciously measuring me. "Now?"
"Why not?" I shrugged, "You're warmed up on these three idiots. I had seen how you are handling yourself, and now, I'm curious. And let's be honest," I nodded at the groaning heap of bullies, "They aren't exactly the best benchmark for your skills. I know, I had beaten one of them up in the past, but it seems I was too lenient with him."
Listening to me, Kushina's gaze narrowed as she was still wary... but also had a kind of pride that was reacting to the fact I was taking her... lightly.
"You're weird," she muttered in the end.
"Somehow, I am getting that comment way too frequently."
"Fine," She snorted, despite herself, quickly squaring up against me. "But if you're making fun of me, I'll pound you flat, dattebane!"
"I am not doing that, but please, don't hold back either way," I grinned at her, nodding my head, "Renjiro Uchiha, by the way. Most people call me Renji."
"I know," she said, turning a bit more serious, "You're the scary one from the rumors."
"Scary, huh?" I pretended not to flinch internally... Heh. I knew that label was still floating around, but hearing it from Kushina's mouth made it feel… different. Haaah... Am I building up a bad reputation here? I haven't hurt anybody since that incident! Oh well! Who cares? "Let's find a better place." I added, raising a hand, looking around at the crowd, "Or those rumors will turn into me beating up girls... Which I am not doing..."
"Because you couldn't." She snorted, but nodded nonetheless, following me, part curious... part excited.
Just as I was.