The Snake Sannin

"Good morning sweet boy~" Taifū sang as she stepped through the door of her brother's room to see happy little Naruto standing in his crib. It was actually afternoon, but he'd gone down for a nap right before she'd been invited to walk with Pain.

Obito had dumped her in her apartment within the Tower and had abruptly abandoned her with a gruff 'get out of those wet clothes so you don't get sick, Fū.' She was doing her level best to forget that Orochimaru was in the building, and had gotten changed swiftly to go wake her brother and hope that the snake would be leaving without realizing they were there.

She didn't know what he wanted, but him being at the Akatsuki headquarters so early was another deviation from the storyline she knew and it made her nervous.

"Fū Fū!" Naruto's whole face lit up when he saw her and he let go of the railing to reach his arms toward her, begging to be picked up. "Up!"

"Up? Are you sure?" She giggled when Naruto impatiently demanded she pick him up again. "Okay okay, hold your horses."

Before going to him, Taifū stepped over to the dark window coverings and pulled them open to let the light in. However much there was of it, since it was always raining in Ame. She'd been allowed to choose a paint color for the room, so even on Ame's most dreary days the orange and blue color scheme was as cheerful as the boy himself.

"Okay, come 'ere buddy." Fū plucked Naruto out of the crib, his arms immediately wrapping around her neck in a fierce little hug, and went to sit in the rocking chair. "Did you have a good nap?"

Naruto's response was to bury his face in her clavicle and she tried not to melt at how adorable he was, but failed miserably. Fū laid her cheek on the top of his blond head and smiled, rubbing his back. She left her feet off the ottoman and started to rock with her toes.

She couldn't see how anyone could have treated him like he was a monster in the original timeline. Even ignoring that he's a baby and no baby deserves anything less than stellar treatment; He is a sweet, loving, and happy child. He was learning so well. Not a prodigy but definitely at a developmentally appropriate level.

The more she dealt with baby Naruto, the angrier she was with Konoha. Well, the citizens of Konoha. Civilian and Shinobi.

It was irrational, she knew, to hate the village for the sins that hadn't occurred because everything was different now. But Fū couldn't help it. She just knew too much.

A part of her, and she wasn't certain how small that part was anymore, was glad that Obito had taken them from Konoha before she could find out if the village would treat Naruto the same with her in the picture.

Sometimes, late at night, she'd fantasize about what it would've been like had Kakashi stopped Obito from taking them.

Would he have disappeared into ANBU, too emotionally distraught to look at them and see Minato and Kushina? Would Mikoto have been able to take both her and Naruto in, and if so what would the villagers be like then… because they might throw stones at Naruto but would they do it if the Uchiha Police Force were on guard? He could've grown up with Sasuke…that bond they shared would've been formed early on and Fū would have loved watching them both laugh, play, and learn together.

Ultimately, on nights like those, she would fall asleep realizing that this was but a fantasy.

There was no guarantee that the Third would've allowed Naruto to stay with the Uchiha in the first place because the clan was… well, distrusted, to say the least. Especially now, she'd say, after Kurama's release. He might think that they would use their sharingan to control Kurama, via their easy access to Naruto, and stage a coup.

Which, to be frank, Fū would also consider as a possibility if she were in the Third's position. The mounting tension between the Uchiha clan and the village being a deciding factor.

"Fū play?" Naruto asked, suddenly shoving away from her and ruining the sweet little cuddle moment they had going on. He began to bounce, huge blue eyes filling with excitement. "Play! Play!"

"We gotta change you first, you're stinky." She told him, laughing along when he started bouncing impatiently once again. She placed him on the floor and let him go on and find something to play with. "Find you a toy and I'll get set up, okay?"

"Mkay!" Naruto mimicked as he toddled along, falling only a few times, before he managed to reach his little toy box and pull out his little frog stuffie with a triumphant cheer.

#

Orochimaru was just sitting in the sparingly decorated office with his hands folded neatly in his lap.

Obito settled into the shadows in the rafters above him.

This particular section was directly above Pain's desk and was heavily sealed against detection for the sole purpose of Obito's observation. He waited a few moments to sit, just in case Orochimaru somehow managed to detect what was supposed to be undetectable (trust Orochimaru to be able to do it) but it seemed that the seals held up, as the Sannin didn't so much as twitch.

He'd dropped Taifū into her suite with a gentle command to get cleaned up and change her clothes so she didn't get sick, ignoring her protests about being man-handled, and managed to get into the office just before Pain.

It hadn't been enough time to observe Orochimaru–but Obito didn't expressly need to watch the man.

He already knew that he couldn't be trusted.

The question was, why did he defect from Konoha and what did he want from the Akatsuki?

Orochimaru would not be so foolish as to come to them for nothing… he was here because he wanted something. Something he thought that the Akatsuki could provide, and he was arrogant and audacious enough to try and get it.

Pain swept into the room with all the grace and ferocity of a lion protecting his pride… all stern faced and sharp eyed. The rings of his rinnegan were fixated on Orochimaru, he did not look away even as he turned and lowered himself into the chair behind his massive oak desk.

Orochimaru, to his credit, did not look away either. Obito wondered if the Sannin thought he could win a fight against Pain. He almost wanted to see these two battle it out. If it weren't for Fū and Naruto's presence in this tower, he might've considered facilitating such a fight. For his own pleasure.

"Orochimaru-sama," Pain acknowledged. The use of honorifics was a nice touch that the snake was certain to appreciate.

"I am told you are called Pain-sama, the Kage of Amegakure?" Orochimaru's voice was light, and deceptively pleasant. "Leader of a small organization known as the Akatsuki."

Pain leaned back in his chair, arms resting on either side of him. "You've been doing your research."

"I enjoy studying interesting new things," Orochimaru said, waving a flippant hand. "What interests me most is how you've gotten away with kidnapping the Fourth Hokage's children and Konoha is still unaware, over a year after the unfortunate incident involving the death of their parents."

So this was about Taifū and Naruto, then?

Obito's eye narrowed and he readied himself for the possibility of having to murder Orochimaru right here and now.

They had an information leak somewhere within the Akatsuki if one of the Legendary Sannin was able to learn that they had the children.

And if Orochimaru had found out, then it wouldn't be long before Jiraiya learned of it as well.

This did not bode well for them. His own sources had informed him that Jiraiyahad spent the better part of the last year quietly searching for Minato-sensei's children. He'd gone so far as to ignore several cease and desist orders from the Third Hokage, along with a couple requests for the Toad Sannin to return to Konoha with haste.

Obito's jaw clenched, his fingers dug into the steel beam he sat on. What business did Orochimaru have with the kids, anyway? Surely he didn't come all the way to Ame to try and blackmail them in their own headquarters? Orochimaru wasn't a fool, so what was his motive, what were his intentions?

"Rest assured I have not told anyone that I know where the Fourth's children are." The Sannin droned, another flippant hand wave and a sadistic upturn of his lips. "In fact, Sarutobi-sensei has declared them dead, officially. In case you didn't yet know."

They had known.

It came as a surprise, actually, because as far as Obito had always known—Konoha shinobi were relentless. Like Jiraiya and Kakashi, who were still searching, they usually never gave up. And as there had been no indication–no evidence to find– that would suggest that the kids were dead or alive, everything Obito knew about the Hokage said that he should not have given up so easily. So early.

Which led Obito to suspect that something else was going on. He could feel it.

But whether it was because old man Sarutobi was utilizing Shimura Danzo's shadow organization, Root, to his benefit or if it was something else, Obito had yet to determine.

He'd been busy manipulating events in Kiri and funneling funds from the larger village to the Akatsuki lately. He hadn't had time to go investigating around Konoha.

Perhaps it was time to rectify his oversites.

Pain remained silent for a few seconds, weighing his options.

"Why are you here?" Pain asked instead of answering anything Orochimaru had said, which was as good as an admission, Obito could see the glint in the snake's eyes and grimached when his extra long tongue darted out to lick around his lips in a show of sick excitement.

#

"I would like an invitation to join the Akatsuki."

He what?!

Obito pursed his lips behind his mask, half a second away from sending Orochimaru into another dimension just to be rid of him.

But… Orochimaru was crafty and smart. An elder shinobi, too, which meant he had decades of experience. He knew things that Obito didn't. Allowing him in the Akatsuki could be a great benefit to them, so long as they watched him for betrayal.

And there was no doubt that Orochimaru would eventually betray them should they allow him to join.

"To what end?"

"I have an insatiable need to satisfy my interest, and since that is currently held by two small children in your…. care, shall we say? Well, I will need to join to have the opportunity to study."

"You think that, even should we have custody of the two missing children you seek, we would so easily allow you access to them?" Pain asked, brow raised. His voice was steady, his whole demeanor calm. There was nothing to indicate that Taifū and Naruto were indeed among them.

Orochimaru smirked, anyway. Because Pain had already given it away.

"I am not here for sinister purposes. They are Uzumaki–the last known Uzumaki, yes?" Obito wanted to laugh at the irony–that Orochimaru was actually speaking to a third Uzumaki and there were several others scattered about the continent. He could find them easily if he expended some effort. The Sannin had to go after the most protected of them all, hadn't he? He had ulterior motives, there was no doubt about it. "Outside of their aptitude for Fūinjutsu, the clan was well known for their longevity. Extended lifetimes–should they not die in war and the like. I simply wish to study them and learn the why and the how of their supposed extended life expectancy. My examinations would not harm the children."

Obito had heard of Orochimaru's experiments. Obito no longer had the ability to throw stones, as he now lived in a glass house when it came to dark deeds done in the name of his own goals but when it came to children… there was a line he didn't think he'd find himself crossing any time soon.

Taifū and Naruto would not be subjected to such things.

Thankfully, based on the way his forehead pinched, Pain seemed to agree.

Whether this was because he'd taken a liking to Taifū in the last year, or because he was an Uzumaki himself and it didn't sit well with him that someone wanted to experiment on his clan, Pain simply said;

"I will not sanction such a grotesque mistreatment of a child," Obito was nodding from where he remained hidden. Damn right, he wouldn't. Then all thought came to a sudden screeching halt when Pain added; "...without consent. I will send for Namikaze Taifū and she will decide for herself what to make of your request."

In his sudden rage, Obito damn near fell out of the rafters.

Nagato you fool! What are you thinking?

#

"No."

Kakashi's jaw ticked. He did not want to be at odds with his Hokage, but the Third was making it very difficult for him not to be insubordinate.

"Hokage-sama." Kakashi bowed with a respect that he no longer felt toward the Village Commander and waited to be dismissed like he always was whenever he brought his concerns about Minato-sensei and Kushina-san's missing children to the Hokage.

And he was dismissed. With a swift nod, the sharp look of annoyance on the face of his superior was hard to miss as he sunshined back home in record time. He needed to put distance between himself and the Hokage Tower before he did something regrettable.

Like burn it into cinders with one of his copied Katon-justus.

That would be a one way ticket to execution.

"What did he say?" Uchiha Mikoto asked, rising delicately from the worn old couch he'd left her sitting on, mug of tea in hand, just twenty minutes prior.

The Uchiha matriarch along with her eldest son Itachi had made themselves regular fixtures in his life since Taifū had been taken. As the only three people in the village who still held a vested interest in Fū's safe return, Kakashi had agreed to meet with them whenever he was in the village between missions.

It was just Mikoto-sama today, Itachi-kun was a fresh academy graduate and was busy training with his genin team. From what Kakashi heard, it wouldn't be long and the Uchiha heir would be rising through the ranks–the shinobi chatter hailed the boy as a prodigy. Kakashi had found, after having spent a lot of his free time with the kid in the past several months, that the talk was true.

Uchiha Itachi was a young prodigy. Kakashi estimated that it wouldn't be long before the boy surpassed him.

Their presence in his life had been an adjustment, but Kakashi had to admit that they were growing on him.

The Uchiha, while somewhat stoic and demanding, were not overbearing and they did not hover.

They didn't show up at his home uninvited and barge into his life (...which was why he wasn't ever going to be as close with them as he was with Minato-sensei and Kushina-san– they had forced their way in, hadn't accepted 'no' as an answer and in the end they had become family. Family can never be replaced. The hole left behind was too large and nobody could ever fill it…) which was a good change of pace that he appreciated.

No, he didn't.

"He won't rescind his decision." Kakashi informed her with no inflection, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the window frame and looked out at the street below, feigning interest in the civilians bustling about. "As far as Konoha is concerned, Namikaze Taifū and Namikaze Naruto are dead."

Kakashi was beginning to suspect they might be.

It had been over a year now, and there was no sign of them. Not a stray red hair to be found anywhere. His dogs had never picked up her scent, nor the scent of the man that had taken her. Kakashi had searched beyond the borders of the Land of Fire. Continued to search on every mission he went on, despite protocol.

No one ever called him on it when he summoned his hounds and they all shot off in different directions. He was grateful to his ANBU team for their discretion.

At first, the Hokage had told him to wait. Wait for a ransom. Because Taifū and Naruto were worth a lot to Konoha. Even forgoing their connection to Konoha, they were worth much and more to individual clans within Konoha. Especially (and Kakashi hated when anyone said it aloud, as if Taifū was practically worthless in comparison) Naruto, as the Kyuubi jinchuriki.

After six months had passed, and no ransom had come, no signs of life, just nothing, he'd started to allow his darker thoughts to occupy more of his mind.

Because Taifū and Naruto were also high-value prisoners for other nations with grudges against Minato-sensei.

That hadn't been a line of thought Kakashi had wanted to entertain, but he did anyway. He'd brought it up to the Hokage and ANBU was deployed on reconnaissance missions through the other large Shinobi nations to see if they could find the Namikaze children.

Each team returned home with no evidence, one by one, and it was like again and again a nail was hammered into his broken and battered heart.

But no evidence of life was not evidence of death, and Kakashi would not give up. Surrender was not in his nature.

"Only a year and he's willing to end the search?" Mikoto-sama asked under her breath, a single finger sliding along the edge of her tea cup, eyes distant. He understood how she felt.

It was as if Minato and Kushina, having given their lives for Konoha, meant nothing. Their sacrifice was in vain if their children never spent another day in the Village they'd left them to save.

"It appears so," Kakashi lowered his voice and checked over his privacy seals, ensuring they would not be overheard before speaking again, "-officially."

Mikoto-sama looked at him. Even without her sharingan active those eyes could see straight through him. It was unnerving. When the Uchiha matriarch looked away and nodded, Kakashi was relieved.

Just because the Hokage announced the siblings' deaths and called off the search on the surface didn't mean that there wasn't a team dedicated to finding any signs of life from the kids–

"I see," she set her teacup down and smoothed the front of her dress, "and the gossip?"

The village, as a whole, were using the missing Namikaze siblings–an infant and a five, now six, year old– as scapegoats to carry the blame for the Kyuubi attack that destroyed the village and killed hundreds of Konohan's, civilian and shinobi alike.

"There's nothing he can do about the villagers' attitudes on the matter. The best we can hope for is when we find the siblings and bring them home, the Hokage will be able to step in and order them to fall in line and leave the kids be."

"I see. How unfortunate. These ludicrous whispers have been upsetting Itachi." He could relate. They'd been upsetting Kakashi, too. "I suppose we shall have to endure it."

After Mikoto-sama left, the door closing behind her with a foreboding click, Kakashi felt the weight of his lifetime of failure pressing against him until it was difficult to breathe. He fell to the couch and buried his head in his hands, allowing the pain, the sorrow, the self-loathing to sweep through him until he welcomed the embrace of blissful unconsciousness. Just for the temporary reprieve it gave.

#

Ushered unceremoniously into Pain's office by one of the paths, she wasn't sure which, Fū blinked in shock at the man she saw sitting casually with his legs crossed, one arm draped over his knee. The picture of casual grace.

As if he wasn't the Legendary Snake Sannin, Orochimaru, who always had devious motives. Well, these days. He'd eventually change his tune but that was still over a decade and a half away. For now, this man was one of the biggest threats in the world.

Taifū tried to control her visceral response, but she ended up trembling like the last dead leaf on a maple tree during an October storm.

The only thing that kept her from passing out entirely was the sight of Pain sitting just as casually behind his desk. She wasn't sure, but she thought maybe she'd made a good enough impression on him that he'd save her if the snake tried to eat her.

Did Tobi really let this meeting happen? Or had he left the city already? She'd known he was busy these days, in the early stages of setting up the Akatsuki to suit his own goals, but she didn't think it fit his modus operandi to leave her and Naruto in a place where Orochimaru was skulking about.

"Have a seat, Taifū," Pein invited her further inside, which meant she had to get closer to the snake-face and she really didn't want to do that.

But, she was already acting like a total coward and that was unacceptable, so she fought hard against her self-preservation instincts that were screaming for her to run and took that first step forward.

It was a personal victory when she managed to make it to the chair Pain had directed her to and sat down within two feet of Orochimaru.

"I suspect there is no need for introduction?"

Taifū almost laughed. It would've been a nervous burst of sound and she was glad she was able to control it before it happened.

Even without her memories from her past life, she would know Orochimaru. He wasn't a regular fixture in the Hokage's office—everyone knew he was bitter about her father being named the Third's successor—but he had been around the village often enough. Treated like a celebrity, really.

A celebrity with a foul reputation that everyone gave distance too, but couldn't help but admire anyway.

In short, she'd seen him around but hadn't had the… pleasure of being introduced.

"Orochimaru-sama," she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Uzumaki-sama," Orochimaru returned the greeting, and the respect.

#

In all the chaos of the last year, Taifū had actually forgotten that she was technically head of the Uzumaki clan until this moment.

There was a thought that prickled at the back of her mind, right then. It was sudden, unbidden. Totally impossible, but, still, the thought came to her.

'What if I just take Naruto and fuck off to the ruins of Uzushio and make a simple life for us there, away from all this drama? Would anyone think to look for us there?'

She tried to shove the thought aside, because at this juncture it was impossible. She couldn't take care of Naruto by herself for the journey. She'd have to be older, and she'd need resources. Means. Maybe even alliances.

She'd have to think about it later.

"Orochimaru-sama has a proposition for you."

As she listened to Orochimaru get right down to discussing what he wanted from her and Naruto, her fear dissipated just a smidge and gave way to annoyance.

So, he was looking into the Uzumaki clan to further his research into making himself immortal, then? The lengths this man would go to.

She found it worthwhile to note that Orochimaru had to ask her, instead of just kidnapping her (like some Uchiha she knew.) There was no way he could just take her… not while Pain was right there, at least.

But if she said no he might try to abduct her. Her and/or Naruto. That might get him killed and that's one less asset they have if Kaguya manages to return.

If she said yes she was subjecting herself to being experimented on by the mad scientist of the Narutoverse himself, and that thought wasn't pleasant, knowing what he gets up to with such experiments.

This was difficult. Pain had put her in a position here, and she wasn't sure why. Certainly he was testing her, but she didn't know what he was trying to learn here.

"First, you won't be experimenting on, nor will you be examining, my brother." She watched his eyes narrow. It would've made her flinch if she wasn't so determined to protect Naruto even at the cost of her own life. This, she would not budge on. Orochimaru could banish the idea of ever touching Naruto right here and now, because it wasn't happening.

She'd ask Pain to Shinra Tensei Orochimaru's scrawny ass right through Obito's Kamui and she was about eighty percent sure they'd do it.

"-But I'm willing to let you examine me so long as certain conditions are met. I require supervision of my choosing in the room at all times during examination, for starters. Secondly, I would like compensation. After the examinations, an argument could be made for a controlled experiment at some point, but only should you gain my consent first."

Taifū thought this might have been her only way forward, but even though she was resolved her heart was thumping in her chest so rapidly she thought she might have a heart attack.

"What compensation were you looking to obtain?" The change in his gaze, that eyebrow raise and the way he stilled, indicated to her that she ought to tread carefully in asking for things from him.

"Nothing major," Taifū responded with a confidence in her voice that she didn't feel at all. There was only one thing she desperately needed, and she thought that maybe Orochimaru might know how to get it, if he didn't already have it. "Just my parents' Fūinjutsu collection. The books, the notes, research, materials–all of it."

Orochimaru's abrupt delighted (and demented) laugh caught Fū off guard.

"Consider it done, Uzumaki-sama."

#

Despite the mask, Pain knew Madara was furious with him. The Uchiha dropped from the rafters as soon as one of Pain's paths appeared to escort Orochimaru to the room he was being given to stay in while he was in the Akatsuki. Taifū was long gone by that juncture, escorted out first so Orochimaru could not follow and see where her room was.

They would have to be more cautious from here on in their own home. He would station one of his Path's nearby the Uzumaki's rooms until Orochimaru, inevitably, betrayed them.

"It's better for us to keep these types nearby rather than let them run around on the loose." Pain stated without preamble, before Madara could throw a scathing comment his way.

"Perhaps," Madara conceded, draping himself into one of the vacated chairs, "but was it necessary to involve the girl?"

Pain was well aware of Madara's intentions regarding Uzumaki Taifū. He assured them her proclivity for fūinjutsu was of prodigious level. He guaranteed that with time, training, and proximity she would develop into a valuable asset within the Akatsuki.

But Pain was no fool. There were true affections between Madara and Taifū, it was obvious in his treatment of her. It was his weakness for her that had gotten her brought to Ame. Not his optimistic view of her future within their ranks.

At first, Pain's only goal in getting to know the girl was to try and learn what it was that Madara and she shared that had created such a strong bond. He was unsuccessful in determining that, of yet. After speaking with her a few times, the origins of her relationship with Madara became a non issue.

The girl was indeed brilliant. Pain enjoyed his first few conversations with the girl. Her insights were refreshing, despite being so young and having lived such a privileged life. She seemed to understand pain and suffering in a way one so young should not. After a few short months, he'd asked Madara if he would allow her to walk through the city with him so he had an excuse to continue these conversations between them in a setting where they were less likely to be easily overheard.

He'd yet to see her seal work, however. Madara had insisted that growing her relationship between the members of the Akatsuki was important before she ever got her hands on the materials needed to study and utilize the seals.

He looked forward to what she'd do with her parents' materials, books, and research when Orochimaru produced them.

(His lip had almost twitched when that had been her request of the Legendary Sannin. During her time with them, she'd not once asked them for fūinjutsu materials. It was as if she'd already known they wouldn't have gotten them for her. Which spoke to her own confidence in her ability.)

"Can you fault me for wishing to see what your ward might do when confronted with a hard choice in a stressful situation? Our intent to condition and train her to become a member of the Akatsuki demands that I remain diligent. We have no room for weak links."

"Perhaps you should focus on determining the weak link within our ranks."

"You speak of our information leak," Pain frowned. The implications of Orochimaru's arrival had not escaped him. "I will see to it."

"See that you do." Madara told him. It was clear in his tone that he expected the traitor to be found and executed. Fast. "I must return to Kiri. Do not allow Orochimaru near the children unless you are present."

"Understood."

#

In the confines of her own room, in the middle of the night–hours after the deal she'd made with Orochimaru, Taifū began to plot.

It had started simply, after Orochimaru had reminded her that she was the Uzumaki Clan Head.

Taifū started to remember things she'd previously forgotten, because she hadn't known it before reincarnating into this world. It wasn't in the plot of the show–that much was certain.

Like the story her mother had told her years ago (she was certain Kushina had only told her thinking Fū was too young to remember what she'd said) that the ruins of Uzushiogakure were sentient, sealed, and would only open for a member of the Uzumaki clan

Her mother had told her the story on a night when Minato was busy working, and before she was pregnant with Naruto so no ANBU were lurking about in the shadows. Back when Minato trusted Kushina and Taifū's safety to Kushina herself.

According to Kushina, only an Uzumaki had the ability to step through the barrier that had been erected when the city fell and disable it.

Kushina had only learned this because, on the Third Hokage's orders, she and a team from Konoha had journeyed to Uzushio in search of survivors after they'd received news of the village's collapse.

Upon reaching the island, only Kushina was able to open the gate and step inside. The others couldn't get within six feet of the giant red gate.

There wasn't much inside. Just ruins and rubble and the stench of death mixed with the salt of the seawater all around. (Beautiful imagery for her young mind, Taifū had thought.) After a careful sensory sweep by their team sensor-nin, it was decided that there were no living beings to be concerned about, so Kushina had searched through the ruin on her own for a while. Her comrades set up camp outside the gate while she tried to find a way to bring down the seal so they could come inside.

Long story short, she failed to do that.

But she did find a central building that was intact. Sealed, obviously. But intact. She examined the seal and found that it was like a series of intricate snowflakes–row after row of beautiful designs. It was fūinjutsu like she'd never seen before, back to its origin as an art form, rather than another weapon of war like it had become.

Kushina hadn't known why she did it, but she reached out and brushed chakra charged fingertips against the beautiful seal work. In hindsight, that wasn't her brightest move, but she'd felt compelled to do it and she didn't regret it because the seal flared to life in a kaleidoscope of colors.

She ended the story by saying it felt like the island was calling to her, asking her to stay and rebuild it… and that had frightened her, so she rushed away and never looked back.

If any of that story was factual, and not just something that Kushina had made up for a change of pace during their nightly story-before-bed routine, Taifū thought it might be worth exploring.

She understood why Kushina would flee if the Island had come alive and asked her to stay.

It seemed far-fetched, but even if it was true, Kushina was devoted to Konoha. As the Kyuubi jinchuriki and as a sworn Konoha ninja. She couldn't stay in the ruins of her old home and forsake the one she'd sworn too. Konoha would declare her a missing nin and hunt her down. It wasn't like Kushina had ever developed a relationship with Kurama like Naruto would one day–she probably wouldn't be able to save herself from being locked away for life if she'd tried to leave the service of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Taifū wanted to go and see for herself. The simple idea that she could enter the village and no one else could get past the seal while it was active (besides an Uzumaki) was seductive enough without adding in that the island might be sentient.

Yes, she wanted to find out. But first there were many things she'd have to accomplish.

Like trying to influence the attitude of the Akatsuki. Maybe even convince Tobi-nii that he was being manipulated so he could stop blindly following whatever Zetsu directed him to do.

If she could do that, then maybe they'd listen to her ideas about possible ways forward that could develop a stronger bond with other nations, and therefore a better chance at establishing peace through the one thing these guys haven't bothered to try–diplomacy and strong foreign relations.

During that time she'd enlist their help in becoming a strong ninja, and she would develop her skill in fūinjutsu. She would need it if she was going to run off with Naruto and go to Uzushio, after all.

With the beginnings of a plan in mind, sleep finally pulled Taifū into its embrace.