Naruto: The White Spider of the Leaf

As I silently grappled with the horrifying realization that I might be destined for a useless future, the teacher continued introducing the transfer student. A round-faced, pretty girl with waist-length, bright red hair shyly moved next to the teacher, standing before the class.

Oh, hey, it's Kushina.

"So, this is the transfer student. She has come here to our academy from a different village, so I hope you can—" The teacher was cut off by the girl.

"I'm Kushina Uzumaki, ya know!" she shouted, then quickly clamped both hands over her mouth. "Oh..."

It was hard not to feel a pang of sympathy for her embarrassment over her habitual catchphrase. Well, I do acknowledge her presence, if for anything to momentarily forget my own existential crisis. But soon enough, my thoughts returned to their grim track. Who cares about the plot development?! I'm doing a Sakura build here! A Sakura build!—Physically strong, academically smart, but practically useless in real combat. I'm even trying to learn medical ninjutsu in my spare time for a potential future eye transplant. A ridiculous waste of time if I ended up useless.

Maybe I should rethink my future...

Meanwhile, the teacher tried to quell the snickering students, but the usual bullies were already at it. They ridiculed Kushina's hair, calling it unnatural and weird. She took it silently, but I could see the irritation building.

"I'm... I'm going to become this village's first female Hokage!" Kushina declared, shutting everyone up.

It's not every day you hear a transfer student, especially a girl from another village, claim she'd become the Hokage. I wasn't that impressed since I'd already heard it before on the show, but Minato smiled and stood up.

"I want to become a great Hokage who will be admired by everyone in the village too!" he said, hand near his heart as if taking a vow.

Kushina gave him a look that screamed disbelief. She didn't take him seriously, which was understandable. Minato didn't look like much to an outsider.

The teacher clapped his hands, "Introductions are over! Chop, chop."

Kushina found a seat in the far back middle row while I continued my internal lamentation about my uselessness.

After class ended, the bullies surrounded Kushina. "Tomato! From today onwards, that's what we're gonna call you!" that same Uchiha Shinichi kid jeered. "You have a fat round face with red hair! Just like a tomato!"

Oh boy, here comes the bullying scene. I'm actually going to enjoy this...

Kushina stayed quiet as her glare intensified. This silenced the laughter momentarily, but they continued taunting her, calling her a tomato.

"Are you going to help her?" I asked Minato, lazily. My grin was slowly rising as I leaned into my hand.

Yukino giggled, likely finding amusement in the idea. "Oh, yeah! Minato should go help. Wouldn't that be a sweet white knight-like story?"

Shinichi kept going on and on in the background. "As if a tomato can become Hokage! I hate tomatoes!"

"Me too!" Another piped up. "I never eat it in my salad!"

"They're gross!" A third added.

"A tomato that everyone hates can never be accepted as the Hokage!" Shinichi spoke again and put his hands over his shoulders, prompting everyone to start laughing alongside him.

It was then that Kushina seemed to notice Minato's gaze on her, and looked at the floor while blushing slightly. She'd begrudgingly been forced to accept the nickname, and it fit her to a T. I know I wouldn't like getting stared at in her shoes either.

Upon witnessing her reddening face, Shinichi grabbed and pulled on her hair while speaking. "Whoa! You're getting redder and riper! It's a tomato festival! Get ready to harvest, everyone!"

However, to Shinichi and everyone else's surprise, aside from Shiro and Minato's, that is. Kushina glared at the kid and grabbed him by the wrist.

"Who are you calling Tomato?! Now listen... I hate tomatoes too, ya know!" Kushina said and forcefully raised Shinichi by the arm.

In a swift motion, she spun him around, knocking everyone down by using him as a weapon before flinging him into a wall. She jumped on his back, hammering his head with balled fists. "Keep calling me tomato, and you're gonna get it, ya know!"

Minato laughed out loud. "Hahaha! I don't think it's necessary to intervene, as you see."

Kushina noticed his laughter and shot him a glare. "What are you laughing at?!"

Minato looked away, trying to suppress his giggles. He didn't want to be her next target.

"Hahaha!" Yukino laughed. "Seems like even our great Minato got put in his place real quick by the new girl."

"You got that right." I chuckled, joining in.

"Hey, come on, you two..." Minato smiled wryly.

The bullies, or perhaps the bullied, at this point, left Kushina alone. Ah, sweet bliss. Those guys annoy the hell out of me on a regular basis, seeing them get their asses handed to them is cathartic, therapeutic even. I love it.

That stuff aside, I couldn't help but be interested in how things would unfold between Minato and Kushina. I get to have front row seats to the development of my favorite couple in the original timeline! Should be fun, could make me cringe, but I'm sure it'll be mostly fun.

In any case! I finally reached the first plot point!

Getting closer to the second ninja war!

Fuck! :D