[There is a book laying on a near by table that Kushina doesn't see as she rushes toward the window. The first rustle of wind doesn't even jostle the pages, however when she flings the window open, the book flies open with it. There's a moments pause as Kushina takes in the contents of outside, the chill in the air, the foreign feel. The first thing she deems to greet Luceti with is:]

WHERE IS MINATO!? This isn't..!

[But then her angry heart-felt cry stops, the words dying mid-sentence as a wave of emotion tears into her. Whatever anger she felt quickly faded in lieu of grief. A loud bang against the window's frame and the rattle of glass.]

Naruto... Minato...

[It's quiet and sounds as though Kushina is on the verge of tears, if not already crying.]

This isn't the afterlife, I know it. It doesn't feel right. It's too real. I shouldn't be able to feel pain, y'know!

[Kushina slumps to the floor, the sound reverberating softly in the near-empty room. What was she supposed to do here? What was this place, even? It wasn't where she was supposed to be. Nowhere had ever felt more wrong in her life.]

[There's pretty much no hesitation as she turns swiftly and makes her way to the door. There's a pair of shoes - her's - lying on the floor that she slips quickly into, before she practically yanks the door open. She takes a moment to note the door she came out of, notices the number on it being '12', before she's hauling it closed again.]

Wherever I am, my room's 12, if that helps?

[Then she's descending one flight of stairs, then another, and soon she's on the landing of the last flight, three floors down. She's out the doors before she realizes, much too excited to not rush. What mother wouldn't be?]

The building said 2, I'm not far! ...Am I?

[Yikes, that sounds... terrible, in a way. And terribly fun in another. But that's not what grabs her attention, it's the word 'experiment' that does, and somehow she looks to the wings on her back, intuitively, and wonders if those play any part. She reaches back to touch the tip of one and notices how even just that causes an ache to spread through her shoulders.]

I feel bad for asking so many questions and bleeding you of answers. [She gives a small nervous laugh] So is there anywhere that might be around where I can read all the information about this place? Like a library or archive?

If you don't ask them now, you will ask them later on. And I don't mind answering them, even if I'm not in the Welcome Center, as a member of the SOS Brigade helping people with adjusting to Luceti is part of my job.

[He laughs a bit.]

Anyway, we have a guide that explains most of the basics of it. You can find it by flipping pages of your journal backwards, but if you give me a second I'll make it so you can reach it easily from your current position in the journal.

And no one wants to brave your wrath, oh fearsome kunoichi!

[You know, he might have overlooked this if he hadn't, like so many others, caught Naruto's name in that.

It shouldn't be surprising - of course Naruto would have a mother. But years of classmate's and parents whispering in the schoolyard ("that awful boy; he has no parents") can make a guy forget. He'd question how to go about this, but Naruto's response on the journal is openly accepting. Even more so than usual for him.

So screw it. Thinking too much on this is troublesome.]

Ha. So Naruto wasn't dropped off by a stork summon after all, huh?

Ah, I- I'd like to. It would be my pleasure to show you around.

[A polite bow. It'd be an honor to do so, really. But ahh now she's getting nervous for the day this will happen. She can't help it.]

Is that what they're saying in the village?

[Kushina seems amused enough by this, though she knows the cruelty of children and their parents and wouldn't put it past any to have said it. She's smiling brightly, like some self-contained sun. It would be impossible to extinguish that light, given everything at the moment. Luceti might not be home, and she might not know everyone from her village, but who was there already - Naruto especially - she was happy to see.]

Of course he wasn't! He had two very loving, proud parents.

[Honestly, she's not sure what to say and doesn't do awkward well. So, instead Kushina's going to lean conspiratorially closer to the journal, cup her hand over her mouth like she's trying to shield the outside world of something, and whisper.]

Na na, Lee-kun. Can you do me a favor? Can you help me gather the friends Naruto has here? Not now, but soon.

YES! KUSHINA-SAN, I WILL GLADLY GATHER EACH AND EVERY FRIEND WHOM NARUTO-KUN HAS EVER MADE WITHIN THIS ENCLOSURE!

[Minato was just flipping through the pages after making his own entry today. He definitely wasn't expecting the book to suddenly shout his name, even if it's quickly obvious that this is a stranger and she's not actually looking for him.

But since he's here already, he may as well try to help.]

You aren't dead... but I think you've already been told.

[...Oh good grief she meant that not to be said so loudly.]

Shh!

[At least his enthusiasm is a good sign and well worth the risk. Still, though.]

Not so loud... I don't know where you are, and I don't want him to hear.

I apologize! I am so sorry, Kushina-san! I have most truly failed you, in every sense imaginable! Why did I not suspect... this is intended as a surprise for your beloved son? Let me try to apply a private filter, it will keep him from this conversation!

Oh, these can be filtered...? [She looks slightly embarrassed.] Don't beat yourself up for something I didn't know. It's not your fault.

If the date on this journal is right, Naruto's birthday is in less than a month. Just enough time to make it special, y'know? As long as he doesn't find out that's what's the plan, I think we're okay.

Oh. No, they call him a hero these days. Much like his father, who I found out about recently. [That was a weird experiment though, let's just leave it at that.] I suppose that made you his other half.

Ah - the birthday of Naruto-kun? Of course! [He flashes a thumbs up to the camera with tears streaming down his face. It happens.] Your sheer thoughtfulness... it is overwhelming! I shall make it my endeavor to do all I can to help!

[Hearing this just makes her radiate that little bit more. It's obvious she loves both Minato and Naruto so much, and is likely their biggest fan respectively. And perhaps, it's almost like she's ready to fist pump and scream 'score!', though of course she's reigning that back. To be called a hero, disaster had to strike first. She knows this, and being excited for that isn't something that's smiled on.

So let's have a topic shift. Mom mode: on.]

So, does my son's friend have a name? You are his friend, right?

[Kushina has to hold herself back giving a soft little laugh. Lee is so intense with his feelings that it's sweet, but also kind of silly and over the top. In a really endearing way.]

Thank you, Lee-kun!

[Indeed she has, but what's another friendly face telling her again going to hurt? She likes talking. And the reassurance that she isn't going to fade away at any given moment.]

It's not so bad hearing it again. In fact it's a pretty big improvement over the alternative!

We're pals, yeah. [At least after all that, they'd BETTER be.] Nara Shikamaru. Hailing from the Nara clan - obviously.

I can agree.

Have you been given the guide yet?

You are most welcome! It is my honor.

Your wings'll stop hurting eventually! But I bet someone told you already, huh?

Pity the fool who does, right?

Oh no, you've done enough and have been a lot of help. Since it's there, I'll go through and find it. Thank you!

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YES! KUSHINA-SAN, I WILL GLADLY GATHER EACH AND EVERY FRIEND WHOM NARUTO-KUN HAS EVER MADE WITHIN THIS ENCLOSURE!

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