V.1-C.8│Old and New V│

"I want to be..." Were Obito's words, as he trailed off and looked at both Kushina and Mikoto. "To be strong." It was the simplest answer he had, and the most truthful he could provide in accordance with his nature.

"How about you become a shinobi then?" Hiruzen pondered upon his answer, but it was a normal desire for an individual to have. Especially one like Obito, who is an orphan, and has had to suffer through many traumatic experiences that may make him reflect on his weakness.

"I want to be strong, and I don't want to die." Again, Obito responded truthfully and simplified his desires. 'I don't why to die again, that is.' Obito thought to himself.

"..." Hiruzen was not expecting such a complicated answer, but nonetheless he expected the child to be somewhat perceptive to reach this point. To be able to help fight against the attackers sent by Kumo either required some stupidity, or intelligence in his skills.

"If I may, Lord Hokage." Mikoto stepped in at this moment. "I think that Obito becoming a shinobi now can wait, can it not?" She asked. "He is only four years of age, and it should be another year before he is sent to the academy."

"True..." Hiruzen stroked his small goatee on his chin. "However, with eyes like those, Obito should more than qualify and pass the academy easily." What he said is true. While he doesn't know anything about Obito's prowess, there is some level of trust in the Sharingan and its capabilities.

If Obito is not a genius, he is lucky, and if he isn't lucky, he is a genius. Either way, he would be able to tell whether or not the boy is shinobi material if he is able to get some reports on his progress from the academy.

"... I don't know..." Mikoto didn't want to send Obito there, knowing full well he would be forced into the war after.

"You can help him. Guide him. Teach him, and get him ready. I will allow you to take him once the academy is over, and he shall be placed in a team of your own, if that is what you would like." Hiruzen was not stupid, and could clearly see the red eyed girls Sharingan was reacting to her emotions as well.

Mikoto cares very deeply for the boy, so why not hand over his training to her... for now. There may be someone else that could pull out his potential much more later on. "That is acceptable." Mikoto decided that Obito will have to learn sooner or later to defend himself as well.

It was also not like he hadn't even done anything to help her out. In fact, she was a bit worried more about his mental health right now. He just killed two people, but he seemed to be completely fine.

"Then it is settled then. You may leave now. I am sure you have a place to stay... the three of you that is." Hiruzen had other things to do as well, specifically find out how those Kumo shinobi managed to sneak into the village.

"Of course, Lord Hokage." Mikoto replied, before gesturing for Kushina to pick up Obito and for the three of them to leave.

After leaving, Hiruzen focused on his orb for a bit. Using his spying technique to follow after a chakra signature he had now remembered.

'Obito Uchiha... Who your parents are... is a mystery. Yet, you have done things that could be considered extremely talented. Your appearance as well...' Hiruzen compared the current Obito's looks to Madara Uchiha.

While young at the time, he had a chance to see the legendary Uchiha known as Madara Uchiha, and he was most definitely powerful. 'Maybe...' Hiruzen shook his head, knowing that there is no way that the man would ever do something like that.

Madara was long dead, and if there is any connection, Madara would've had to do something before then. 'It shouldn't be possible, but the circumstances around his parents is strange.' Shaking his head, Hiruzen went back to his duties.

[]

Leaving, Mikoto told both Kushina and Obito that she would go on ahead to check on the apartment. She also said that she would come to pick the two of them up after she is done clearing everything up.

As Mikoto left, Kushina decided that maybe they should go somewhere else for the moment. "Obito, how about we go and get something to eat?" Kushina smiled at him as she said this.

"Ok." Obito nodded his head in reply, wondering where they would go to.

"Let's get some ramen!" Kushina would be taking full advantage of her friends deep pockets, especially since Mikoto is willing to pay for her if she is with Obito as well.

Obito's ears perked up. 'Ramen!? Yes!' He thought.

As Kushina was about to take Obito with her to a place that she knew would still be open, even now at this time of the night, they were stopped by someone 'coincidentally' coming in their way.

Spiky blond hair and blue eyes, who else could this be but Minato Namikaze? "Miss Uzumaki." Minato wasn't quite on the nicest of terms in relation to Kushina, so he referred to her as such.

"Mr. Namikaze?" Kushina was confused, stopping as Obito was not being held onto anymore. Although a child, that didn't mean he had to be carried around all of the time, and even though Obito likes the closeness to them, he also didn't like the idea of being carried all the time.

"I heard that you have been attacked." Minato said as he tried to angle for some more information himself.

"Yes. That is right." Kushina didn't exactly like Minato, thinking him to be girly looking and even worse, unreliable.

"It is good that you are safe." Minato smiled as he said this, and Kushina for the strangest of reasons felt that it was somewhat fake. She didn't have a good impression of him, which was a result of him just watching as she was bullied.

"Thank you." She still replied naturally, given that it seemed like nothing more than some level of concern. Which is weird, given the way he has acted with her before.

Or lack thereof, of any act.

"We best be going now. Goodbye." Kushina wanted to leave, and reward her little savior with some ramen... 'Or maybe I just wanted to have some ramen myself.' Kushina evilly chuckled within, before taking Obito's hand and running off with him in the direction of a place that makes ramen.

"W-Wait-..." Minato tried to call out and stop the two going off without him, but it's not like they are close or something like that. He is simply an acquaintance of hers, maybe he is even considered less within her eyes, while Obito seemed to have a much closer position within her heart.

'Damnit.' Minato grew a little resentment against the child known as Obito, for he had become the obstacle in blocking him from being able to approach Kushina.

If it were not for him, he would've had an easier time trying to do something. However, now it would seem that all was for naught.

On the other hand, Kushina had no other thoughts about Minato, thinking nothing much of him in that moment. Not even questioning why he was there in the middle of the night.

Then there was Obito, whom upon seeing 'father' from his other life, made him experience a whole host of emotions.

He thought about it, and understood that it was at this point that neither Kushina nor Minato seemed to be on talking terms. He meet them through the seal in his previous life. Both of them that is, and he still held some little amount of resentment against Minato.

Even though it was true, his sacrifice of himself was noble, Obito had other thoughts as well.

Distinctly thoughts that said that it was irresponsible of Minato to do such things to him. To decide for him his fate, and it then lead to Obito having the realization that Kushina had also been through such experiences.

She wasn't really given a choice, and was forced into becoming the jinchuriki for the Kyuubi. For Kurama.

For the Village even, her purpose now was.

'Now that I think about it... I am changing a lot, and what I would've considered fine before, I don't like now...' Obito frowned as he thought this, keeping up his pace with Kushina's excited run to her favorite place to get some food.

'I am changing... and I'm unsure if this is for the better or not. But one thing is for sure, I dislike what Minato did to me... or would do to me.' Obito was contemplating just what this could mean.

What these feelings meant, and why this change was happening. One may be able to attribute this to his reincarnation, while others could say it is a natural evolution of his thoughts, all coming together due to the circumstances surrounding his growth.

Now there was even his new growth, being influenced by others around himself.

Arriving at the place, Obito's eyes glowed upon seeing the regular place he found himself. It would also seem that the owner of the place was the same, but he was younger... much younger.

It was relatively small, but the business was just starting up. It was just this year that it was created after all. 'Ichiraku's Ramen...'

"Mr. Teuchi! Give me some ramen will you! And some ramen for Obito here." Kushina called out as Teuchi was in the back, donning his chefs uniform.

"Is that you, Kushina? You got money this time?" Teuchi asked, before another person came through that reminded Obito of Ayame. Teuchi seemed to be very young, so young that he only seemed to be a teenager.

"Don't worry about him. Now, what would you like?" It seemed to be Teuchi's wife, and that did make Obito wonder just how things were so different.

"I would like..." Kushina would hand her order, while Obito just wanted one bowl of the standard ramen, making sure not to go all out. He was in a different body after all, and he may not be able to take scoffing down so much of the food for the Gods.

Upon tasting said ramen, Obito was confused. Sighing silently to himself, he lamented that he no longer was able to like said ramen the same anymore.

It would seem that even his taste buds had changed, but that didn't mean he didn't like said food. Just that the enthusiasm he may have had for it will no longer exist. 'Well, I guess this just means I will have to find something else I would like...?'

Obito watched in envy as Kushina was able to enjoy said food, while he was not able to with the same gusto anymore. 'How lucky...'

"Ahh! All finished." Kushina smiled as a pile of bowls had been lined up in comical fashion, and as she turned to face Obito, she saw that he seemed to have a sour look on his face as he ate said dish. "Obito, do you not like it?"

Obito catching himself, replied. "No, no! I do! I was just thinking about other things..."

Kushina thought that he was thinking about what had just happened. 'Poor thing... I wonder if Mikoto would mind if I take him into my bed and use him for cuddles?' Kushina had some silly thoughts, before dispelling them.

However, looking at Obito, she could admit that he had some features that looked nice enough. 'Maybe he would grow up to look handsome...?'

[]

Getting back to the place that was her current place of residence, Mikoto was not too surprised to find the Uchiha police were here already. It happened within their district after all, and then there was a few people, ANBU to be exact, that was also here.

Only a very few though.

"Lady Mikoto." One of the Uchiha clansmen came up to her, and continued. "We have checked everything here. Someone has already sent a report to the Hokage on this situation, and they wish to form a tracking team immediately."

"Who said this?" Mikoto asked.

"Lord Fugaku wished for a team to be formed immediately. We just got word that the Hokage also wishes to take care of the stragglers." The clansmen replied, as Mikoto thought about this and the reasoning behind why the Hokage would allow a team to go out and track those surviving Kumo ninja down.

'It matters not. With those Kumo ninja dead, they would be unable to fully report back to Kumo on what has happened tonight.' Mikoto was thinking about Obito in particular, knowing for sure that Kumo would now be interested in Obito's interference in protecting the jinchuriki.

"Lord Fugaku!" The clansmen called as he bowed in another direction, specifically Fugaku whom was approaching the two.

Or more specifically was approaching Mikoto. "Lady Mikoto." Fugaku was not someone that usually smiled, but it was at this moment that he managed to let a small smile slip past.

"Lord Fugaku." Mikoto replied respectfully, given that he is the current clan head after all, and he does have his own power to back up his position.

She also knows that she is wanted by him, so that he may gain access to her wealth.

"I have already sent out a few people to track them down. I will go now to find your attackers." Fugaku wanted to get on her good side, but Mikoto's impression of him hadn't changed, especially since he has been trying for the longest time now to get her to marry him.

'I guess he is at least helping me protect Obito.' While she didn't think any better of him, knowing the multiple reasons why he is doing this, she at least took some positive from this. 'And here I wanted to go after them myself...'

"You may stay here, and I shall take care of this problem." Fugaku stated before turning around, making an exit like the Uchiha he is.

However, this just frustrated Mikoto, for she would've liked to come along, but it seemed like Fugaku is a traditionalist at heart.

Not that there was anything wrong in his thinking, just that it rubbed Mikoto the wrong way and because of this, he had just gone ahead and created more distance between the two of them.

Shaking her head, Mikoto decided to leave as well, going ahead to pick Kushina and Obito up and return to the multi bedroom apartment while thinking about getting a proper place of residence.

While fine, it wasn't exactly what Mikoto wanted to live in and she knew that Kushina had been complaining as well. For Obito however, he didn't seem to mind either way, which drew a small smile to her face.

Thinking of Obito was a good way to make herself happy again. 'I think I will get Obito to stay with me in my bed tonight. Surely he is scared, and I must protect him.' She nodded her head as she thought this.

Not realizing the strangeness of her thoughts.