Chapter 7: 7
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Kushina jolts awake at the sound of the alarm, quickly shutting the abhorrent clock. "Ah, it's morning already. Stupid clock couldn't wait for two more minutes. My oath would've been completed, hmh.. What a start to the day."
She stretched her hands up and yawned. Her gaze drops to her now open robe, which had slipped open in her sleep. She blushed a bit at wardrobe malfunction even though she's alone now. Closing it quickly and she moves into the adjoining washroom.
As she comes out of the washroom dresses up in her Shinobi outfit. After waking Naruto up forcefully and doing a light workout in the backyard.
She also corrected Naruto's kata forms and tried to teach him some of her katas, but she knew it would be a waste as Naruto was like her, he learned by doing, and right now, it was clear he was not totally into it.
As an hour comes up to close mother and son duo quickly join the washroom. With Kushina clad in short towel washing off Naruto, he tries to avoid her unsuccessfully.
"Kaa-chan, I am a big boy now I can bath myself, dattebayo."
Kushina is giggling at his irritation. "Sure, my little Naru-chan is a big boy now. He can fight off big ninjas now. You can't even eat without spilling food. How can you bathe properly?" she replies, imitating his voice.
Naruto huffs and makes a face and shouts, "it's different, Kaa-chan" Kushina seeing his adorable face, can't help herself and hugs him with his face between her breasts.
"Naru-chan is so cute" as she releases him ", I am going out. You get ready for the academy, ok?" as he nods, she moves out to her room after a quick shower, she puts on her Shinobi outfit.
Quickly cooking some breakfast for them. After having breakfast, as usual, Neko comes to pick up Naruto. Kushina conveys a message that she would also join today.
As they reach Academy, Naruto runs towards Sasuke, who's accompanied by his elder brother Itachi. Kushina notices Itachi immediately. She honestly didn't know what to think of him.
He's a prodigy for sure, to the likes of Kakashi and her Husband. But she didn't like how he grew up too fast for her tastes.
She was broken out of her thoughts by Itachi's adolescent voice. "Kushina sama," he greets her. "Ah little Itachi-kun, it seemed like yesterday, when you used to visit me along with Mikoto with pocky in the mouth. You grew up so fast."
She tries to pinch his cheeks, but Itachi, knowing her antics, quickly back paddles dodging her hands "Mou, you are trying so hard these days, you should try to relax Itachi."
As she stops, he replies in a monotonous voice, "I can't do that, Kushina-sama, I came here to see off Sasuke. I have to go".
Kushina stops him. "Before you go, can you ask Mikoto to come over to Hokage tower around 1 PM? Tell her it's about the shopping trip" Itachi nods and disappears.
Kushina, turning back to the kids, now sees that quite a group has surrounded Naruto, and they are looking at her with admiration in their eyes. She could see Naruto's mouth moving but couldn't hear properly.
He was probably boasting about her incredible mother. Moving towards kids. They all greet her and try to bow. She greets them back and stops them from bowing.
Quickly bidding and hugging Naruto goodbye, much to his annoyance and amusement of his friends, she leaves for Hokage tower.
As Kushina enters the office, she's surprised to see Hiruzen not here. Though she's a bit early today, Usually he was always here. She wondered if something happened, greeting Daikoku and hidden Anbu at the corners, much to their irritation.
She quickly sets her bag down and takes her seat. Her desk is coincidently placed in front of the big picture of her husband, much to her happiness. Looking at her family's picture that she had placed in the drawer as no personal items were allowed to be on top of the desk.
Kushina, noticing Hiruzen's absence, quickly takes up the charge and calls up a meeting with the Taskforce present. Assigning the pending tasks to various channels.
She quickly goes to the mission assignment office and looks over any critical pending task on the list, satisfied that everything is on track. She takes up a seat as various genins and chunins pour in with their respective teams and Senseis for assignment.
It was an hour later when Kushina went back to her desk, and Sandaime entered the office.
He nodded towards her. "It's good to see you, Kushina, finally taking charge over here. It relaxes these old muscles that Konoha can go on without him. My grandson Konohamaru was especially insistent today that I spend some time with him."
Kushina smiled and noticed that none of the chunins were currently in the room. "You can relax Old-man, I will make sure Konoha is taken care off."
She worked on some papers from the Merchant association of Konoha. An Anbu with a boar mask kneels in front of them. It's 11; at least he is right on time for his punishment.
Raising her voice Authoritatively, "Boar, you were assigned watching over Uzumaki Naruto, but you left your position without formal authorization from Anbu commander or Hokage. How do you plead ?"
Bowing his head down, "I plead guilty. I am ashamed that Jiraiya-Sama so easily tricked me."
Nodding at him, "As punishment for your failure, you are suspended from Anbu for 14 days. For the duration of punishment, you would be doing at least eight D ranks mission daily without any pay."
As Anbu nods and shunsins away, Hiruzen comments, "You know most of Anbu are used to Jiraiya's chaotic way of operation. I know he is not the best at ethics or following proper channels, but that's how he operates."
Kushina sighs and replies, "Who's changing the pervert? I am changing our force's mode of operation. Anbu are the elites, and we can't afford them being duped by someone even if that someone is as skilled as Jiraiya."