A Kiss by the River

Autumn sunlight filtered through sparse clouds, scattering dappled light across Konoha's training grounds.

Uchiha Ling had just finished a set of demanding Taijutsu exercises. Sweat soaked through his black training clothes, clinging to his solid muscles.

As someone who had crossed over into this world, Uchiha Ling had long since fully adapted to the world of shinobi.

The Emotion System within him allowed him to keenly sense the emotions around him, and its accuracy had only increased as he grew stronger.

Suddenly, a chaotic surge of emotion crashed into his senses. It wasn't simple sadness, but a deeper, more complicated tangle of feelings.

A sorrow as deep as the sea, suppressed anger, an intense sense of alienation, and the bewilderment and agitation of someone bound to a vast, chilling presence.

The intensity of these emotions was far beyond normal, like a boulder dropped into a still lake, sending ripples across its surface.

The source was unmistakable: Uzumaki Kushina.

"This feeling..."

Uchiha Ling frowned and stopped what he was doing. "It's even more chaotic than when Lady Mito first passed away. Looks like the real adjustment is only just beginning now that the transfer's complete."

Without hesitation, Uchiha Ling quickly wiped away his sweat, put on his jacket, and headed downstream along the Naka River.

It was a quiet stretch of riverbank where Kushina often went when she was upset.

The closer he got to the riverbank, the more clearly he sensed the chaos in her emotions.

Chilling, violent anger mingled with the sorrow, as if two minds were clashing fiercely and weighing down the air around them.

Uchiha Ling could clearly sense that although the vast, chilling chakra was restrained by a powerful seal, it was still constantly trying to influence its host's emotions.

Kushina stood with her back to him at the water's edge, her red hair whipping wildly in the autumn wind.

She stood ramrod straight, fists clenched at her sides. Her knuckles had turned white from the strain.

Her whole body was rigid with tension, braced as if resisting some invisible pressure.

"You're here." Kushina didn't turn around. Her voice was hoarse and taut, plainly heavy with sorrow.

"I sensed you were here."

Uchiha Ling walked up beside her.

"Your emotions are even more chaotic than before."

Kushina spun around. Her eyes were red, but there were no tears. "Chaotic? That's putting it mildly!"

Kushina practically ground the words out through her teeth.

"It... It's right there in my head, making noise every second! It's like some rude guest barged into your home and started ordering you around!"

"Hmph. You make it sound as though I want to be cooped up in this cramped place."

A cold, wrathful voice rang out in Kushina's mind, making her face turn a shade paler.

"If you humans hadn't imprisoned me time and time again, I..."

Kushina's voice began to tremble.

"I'm not like everyone else anymore... They'll treat me like a monster! A dangerous monster!"

"Tell them to keep their distance. It'll be better for everyone," the Nine-Tails said mockingly.

"Humans will always fear you and reject you. It's in their nature. Once you know what it's like to be isolated and feared, you'll understand that I'm right."

"Not like everyone else?" Uchiha Ling asked calmly. His dark eyes held none of the strange emotions Kushina was afraid to see.

"Because you've got a noisy roommate inside you? Or because you have an important secret to keep?"

He pointed to his own eyes.

"Many people see the Uchiha's Sharingan as a symbol of ill omen and danger, too. Power itself doesn't define a person. What defines them is how they choose to use it."

Kushina froze, surprised by his words. Even the Nine-Tails in her mind fell silent for the moment.

"Lady Mito chose you because she believed you could do it."

Although Uchiha Ling believed Mito Uzumaki loved Konoha more than she loved the Uzumaki Clan and was manipulating Kushina, there was nothing he could do to change that. All he could do was offer Kushina some comfort.

Uchiha Ling continued, his voice steady and firm.

"Don't forget how you dealt with the people who mocked your hair color. Your fists and your determination don't strike me as the sort that would give up easily."

At the reminder, a flash of stubbornness appeared in Kushina's eyes.

That was right. She was the Bloody Habanero. She'd once used her fists to shut up the people who mocked her hair. She wasn't about to be beaten so easily.

Seeing that she had calmed down a little, Uchiha Ling deftly changed the subject.

"Staying here arguing with the voice in your head, or worrying all by yourself, won't solve anything.

"That's not like you, Uzumaki Kushina. Are you free this weekend?"

"...This weekend?" Kushina didn't immediately follow the sudden change of subject.

"Yeah," Uchiha Ling said, his tone growing a little lighter.

"Bring Minato, Choza, and the others. We'll go on a picnic in Red Leaf Valley, west of the village.

"The autumn leaves should be at their prettiest around now. We can get some fresh air and clear our heads.

"You shouldn't have to give up your normal life and your friends just because you've got a 'rude guest' inside you who doesn't pay rent and makes a racket all day, right?"

A picnic? With her friends? Like before?

Kushina stared at Uchiha Ling in a daze. He spoke so naturally, as if the terrifying presence inside her, powerful enough to destroy the village, were really just a "noisy roommate" she needed to get used to. His attitude was like a warm current, piercing the cold and isolation surrounding her.

The vast, chilling chakra within her seemed to quiet down as her emotions eased. It stopped churning so violently.

Kushina took a deep breath, drawing in the crisp autumn air, scented with river water and trees.

She blinked hard, forcing back the last traces of moisture in her eyes.

Then she lifted her head and looked at Uchiha Ling. Her bright blue eyes had regained some of their old spark.

She still looked tired, but her unique tenacity had returned.

"Okay!" Kushina replied. Her voice had regained some of its usual vigor and force, and even took on a hint of defiance—though whether it was directed at herself or the presence inside her, she couldn't say.

"I'm in! It's a deal!"

"Kushina."

The red-haired girl turned back, puzzled. Before she could react, Uchiha Ling stepped forward, gently cupped her face, and pressed a soft but firm kiss to her forehead.

Kushina froze. Her blue eyes widened slightly, and her cheeks turned visibly red.

She felt her heart suddenly race, warmth spreading from the spot on her forehead he had kissed.

"Do you understand now?" Uchiha Ling let go, his dark eyes looking especially deep in the moonlight.

"I've never thought you were frightening. Whatever's inside you, you're still Uzumaki Kushina."

Then Uchiha Ling turned and walked away, leaving the girl rooted to the spot.

Kushina instinctively touched her forehead where he'd kissed her. The warmth still lingered there, like some unspoken promise.

Moonlight fell across the river, illuminating the blush that lingered on the girl's face.