Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any recognizable characters and the original plotline. (Apply to every chapter, because I always forget about it).

AN: I really, probably shouldn't have done this so soon after uploading 'Orange Dawn', but this was another one that was just sitting around on my iPod, and with a second chapter already underway and a plot planned out, what the hell. Upload it. Might as well.

Also, I just read the latest chapter of the Naruto Gaiden, and I had to write more fanfiction to get my mind off of it. I'm sorry to anyone who disagrees, but I am pretending that anything after Chapt.699 of Naruto Shippuden doesn't exist. The end pairings make me mad (well, two of them), even if the kids are cute. And speaking of pairings, this won't have any until much later, if at all, apart from pre-epilogue canon couples like Fugaku and Mikoto, or Shikaku and Yoshino, etc. But if I ever do pair up any of the Rookies, it definitely will not ever be NaruHina or SasuSaku. Just so you know.

Anyway, on with this relatively short chapter!

'Well,' Uzumaki Kushina mused to herself. 'That was unexpected.'

Since she'd first moved to Konoha, when she was only ten years old, Kushina had been determined to earn the respect of her peers. So she'd announced that she was going to become Hokage. Since being the leader of one of the Great Five Hidden Villages went quite nicely with her desire to create peace, the plan seemed pretty good to her. But then Minato-kun had become the goddamn Kiroii Senko no Konoha and single-handedly finished (and won) the Third Great Shinobi War, casually cementing his place as the Yondaime.

Kushina had thought her goal out of reach, which she was perfectly fine with, to be completely honest. If anybody would be able to make Konoha strong again and somehow find peace, it would be Minato-kun. With the help of his lovely wife, of course.

And THEN, the stupid idiot had gone and got himself – alongside Sarutobi-sama – killed! Sacrificed himself like a good little Hokage and left her behind with their newborn jinchūriki son. The days after the bijū had been defeated were a blur to Kushina. She'd looked after her baby boy, tried to put off mourning until the village was in less turmoil, done some recovery of her own (giving birth and having a gargantuan yōko yanked out of her stomach gave her the right to some downtime, Kushina believed), and spent a lot of time with Mikoto.

At least, until the Daimyo arrived in Konoha. She'd gone to see him, knowing that he liked her and wanting to be useful, even if it was just entertaining diplomats. Blah blah blah, they'd talked, she told him about the attack and what Mikoto told her was being done in terms of fix-up, and he'd invited her to the meeting that he was holding with the council and the shinobi with powerful standing. She'd gone in hoping that they wouldn't be stupid enough to give the hat to that Hebi-creep, Orochimaru. She'd come out Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.

Kushina slowly made her way through the Uchiha district, intent on getting her son and going home to think. Actually, she'd better grab Mikoto too while she was at it. That woman always helped her to think better, and if she had to kidnap her best friend in order to think, then so be it. After all, she was Hokage, and she could kidnap her shinobi as she liked. Kushina let out a slightly hysterical giggle, causing a few passersby to look at her oddly. Peh. Had they just been made Hokage?! No? Because that was her, dattebane!

Finally she came to the Clan Head's house. Now, did she knock and wait, or did she take immediate action? As if there was ever a choice.

"MIKOTO-CHAAAAAN! GET THE BOYS READY 'CAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING THEM WITH YOU BACK TO MIIIIINE! WE NEED TO TAAAALK!"

There. Kushina rocked back and forth on her heels in satisfaction. That oughta get her moving.

Sure enough, barely five minutes later, Mikoto came out the front door holding Naruto, followed by five year old Itachi carrying little Sasuke.

"Kushina-chan, what is going on?" Mikoto asked as Kushina swooped in to reclaim her son.

The redhead paused in her cooing and cuddling to send Mikoto a Look. The type of look that told the Uchiha matriarch that Kushina actually did want to have a serious talk, that she was dealing with something huge, and was in danger of being overwhelmed. Somehow, Mikoto didn't think that Kushina had finally given in and started mourning her husband.

All the way from the Uchiha compound to the Hokage's residence, Mikoto wondered what could have happened. She was certain it had nothing to do with Naruto or Minato, or Kushina would have barged her way into Mikoto's home and told all right then and there. She had just come from a meeting with the Daimyo; maybe it was to do with that.

Mikoto followed her friend into the Hokage's residence, vaguely wondering when Kushina would have to move, now that Minato wasn't Hokage anymore.

Kushina stopped once she reached the living room. "Itachi-chan, would you mind watching over both of the boys while I talk with your Kaa-san?"

Mikoto's darling little boy nodded solemnly, large black eyes steady. She sighed quietly. Her precious child was so mature, much too old for his age. That was the price of being an Uchiha clan genius. That was the price of being the Clan Head's firstborn son, and of being born into a world of war.

When Itachi was settled with the two infants in little Naruto's nursery, Mikoto sat comfortably in Kushina's living room and watched the redhead pace. She appeared to be deep in thought, her face a mask of concentration. Mikoto waited patiently, knowing that Kushina probably hadn't thought too much on whatever it was before she showed up at the Uchiha compound, and was likely working it out for herself at the moment. Although Kushina often said that she wouldn't be able to function without either Minato (God rest his soul) or Mikoto, the Uchiha matriarch knew that her friend only really needed them as sounding boards, or trustworthy listeners to her ranting/venting. So Mikoto sat back, and waited until the other woman was ready to share.

"And then, and THEN, he was all like, 'I am pleased to announce that my decision as to the identity of the Godaime Hokage has been made' and I was just like, oh God, please don't be Orochimaru or Danzō, coz you know they're both shady, Miko-chan. But then he said 'My choice for Godaime Hokage is… Uzumaki Kushina'. That's ME, Mikoto! He made me Godaime!"

Mikoto stared wide-eyed at her friend, who had thrown her hands up in the air and collapsed back into the sofa next to the Uchiha with her last statement. Her brain was having trouble processing the information overload.

The Daimyo. Leader of all of Hi no Kuni. Had made Kushina, KUSHINA. Godaime Hokage. Uzumaki Kushina, the Akai Chishio no Habanero (Red Hot-Blooded Habanero), had just been made the leader of Konohagakure. To replace her deceased husband.

Oh God, poor Kushina had just been given the job her husband had died doing. With that revelation clearing away all confusion – for now – Mikoto reached over and pulled her friend into her, holding the slender redhead close as the realization finally began to settle in and she started trembling.

"I'm the Hokage, Mikoto-chan. Minato-kun has only been gone for a week, and they're giving me his job." Tears were welling up in Kushina's wide violet eyes. It shook Mikoto to the core to see Kushina crying; it had only happened a handful of times in all the years that they had known each other. All her maternal instincts were rising to the fore, and the urge to take the Daimyo to task for his insensitivity was strong. First though, Kushina needed comfort.

"Do not think about it as replacing Minato-kun, Kushina-chan. Think about it as inheriting his dream, as taking up the reins of his cause, now that he can't." Mikoto noticed that the tears were slowing, and the familiar fire was beginning to rekindle in the new Hokage's eyes. "Besides," she added with an unusual twinkle in her Uchiha-black eyes. "Think of all the fun you can have with the council, as the leader of the village."

Mikoto watched in satisfaction as Kushina threw her head back with a triumphant cackle, determination and mischief written all over her face.

This, she felt, would be the start of something big, and beautiful, and absolutely batshit insane. The Uzumaki Era had begun.

AN: So, so, whaddaya think? Let me know if you like the idea, or if you have any suggestions or questions, and if I should continue. Hope you enjoyed!

- Kelly