Sakura was walking away in the moonlight towards her home when Konohamaru approached her. He was strolling very casually and seemed to be enjoying a midnight stroll when he saw her. She didn't know if he was there through pure serendipity or on purpose.

He held out a hand and said, “Yo, Sakura.”

Sakura was slightly startled then lowered her guard. “Oh, it's you. Were you waiting for me?”

“Yes, sort of. I've been feeling really horrible thinking about Naruto being dead so I decided to see what you found out from Kushina. Hopefully you had a chance to talk to her about why she ran away?”

Sakura was still upset at Kushina. She didn't want to tell this really nice guy what she really thought, but her mouth had a way of running off without her consent. “She didn't talk about you. She was scared of me, I think. I really startled her a while back.”

Konohamaru raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, “Why, what did you do?”

“I snuck into the room she was sleeping in and woke her up by mistake.”

Konohamaru didn't know how to frame the next question and looked tongue-tied. Sakura guessed what he was thinking and said, “I know, it sounds crazy, but she was sleeping in Naruto's bed.” She blushed, “I wanted to patch things up with Naruto after having a big fight with him.”

“So she thought you were some kind of assassin or something and freaked out then?” Konohamaru laughed. “You don't seem very scary to me.”

“Yes, actually, she flipped out. And she was completely nervous throughout the dinner.” Sakura smiled a little at the thought. “I hate to say it but I think somehow she might have been romantically involved with Naruto. The whole thing is totally pissing me off.”

Konohamaru tried to say the next thing tactfully, “So you are upset about that ... because you liked Naruto?”

Sakura turned away and blushed. She began to cry. “Yes, I was in love with him.” Her shoulders began to shake as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Konohamaru ventured to touch her shoulder. She turned around and buried her head in his chest. “I'm sorry,” she said, weeping, “I hate being a crybaby in front of strangers. I just miss him so damn much.”

The handsome shinobi rubbed Sakura's back comfortingly. He felt really sorry for her. He felt strongly about Naruto's death too. He fought back the urge to cry too. He had been pacing and crying all night long. It didn't help that Kushina had run off from him.

Sakura sniffled and kissed Konohamaru's cheek. The action took him a little by surprise, but he understood that it wasn't romantic. It was because they both felt the same about a man that touched each of their lives. Konohamaru felt himself let go too and he cried silent tears. Sakura and Konohamaru held each other. It was a small comfort.

Meanwhile from the Hokage mansion, Kushina was watching in shock the actions without context from her window. From her perspective, she could see Sakura walk up to Konohamaru and start to become physically close. Part of her felt very strange about seeing Konohamaru with another woman, and the other half felt strange about seeing the woman she had been in love with with another man.

Sakura said, “Could you please come with me to the funeral tomorrow?”

“Yes, I'd like that.”

She dried her eyes and said, “I should get going home. I really could use some sleep. Today has been really hard on me.”

“I'll walk you home.” Konohamaru offered.

Sakura really began to like him. She thought, He's so sweet. Kushina is a fool to have dumped him. God, I hate that bitch. I know she was with Naruto. I know it. And now she's playing around with this poor guy's heart. I can't stand her.

Kushina watched the two walk away. She sighed. Her heart was thumping painfully out of anxiety and depression. She wished she could be Naruto all over again, and tomorrow she was going to be officially dead. On top of this, Sakura was becoming close to Konohamaru. Her plans to regain their friendship seemed doomed. Sakura clearly didn't like her, and Konohamaru wanted more than friendship. Part of her felt guilty for not feeling attracted to him. She searched her feelings and could understand a woman's attraction to a guy like him, but she didn't personally feel that he was the kind of guy that she would have those kinds of feelings for.

As Sakura and Konohamaru walked along the moonlit path, the woman put her arm through Konohamaru's and stayed close. She enjoyed the feeling of his masculine protectiveness. After a while, they arrived at her place.

“Thanks for walking me home, Konohamaru. You're a really sweet guy. I hope we can become friends. I could really use one through this hard time.”

Konohamaru rubbed the back of his head, “It's no problem. I am here for you if you need one. Um, look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Try to get some sleep.”

Sakura kissed his cheek and said, “I will.” She slunk into her house and went off to bed.

Konohamaru looked up at the sky and noted the millions of stars shining down on him. He would try to sleep tonight, but it would be nearly impossible. He longed for the return of his older brother figure. He cried silently off and on as he walked home.

Meanwhile, Kushina laid down in her bed. She was lonely. She was feeling jealous about Sakura and Konohamaru getting along so well. She wished that she could find someone that cared about her the way they did. She also began to feel a deep melancholy about her transformation. She realized that she had never had time to come to terms with it. She wondered how other people perceived her, especially other women. She wasn't sure how women had relationships with each other. So far, other than her mother, she began to think that women had trouble being friends with each other. Sakura sure didn't seem to like her, and she was nice to her, mostly. She tried to figure out what Sakura's problem was. It seemed like any time she talked about Naruto, she was mad at Kushina. The only theory Kushina had was she was not acting like a proper woman and Sakura was picking up on it. She worried a little that she might give something away by acting like herself, but then a voice in her head told her that wasn't true. If anything, she was too feminine. She looked down at herself. Maybe if I really take a good look at what I've become, I'll feel better about myself. I know that I've barely been naked more than once or twice alone. I really want to see what I am now.

She looked down at her chest. She had mixed feelings about her breasts. They were big and in the way all of the time. Whenever she tried to reach over to get something, her arm would touch her breast in some way. It was disconcerting to have the constant awareness of having an extra body part that she wasn't born with. Part of her understood that women weren't born with breasts and that they had years to eventually come to terms with their presence. She squeezed her bosoms together playfully and felt the sensation of them falling back to the sides. She thought about all of the times that she as a boy had dreamed of having her hands on another woman's boobs. The thought of Sakura's naked chest gave her no thrill at all. She didn't regret it, either.

She felt a happy feeling as she allowed herself to explore. She held her hand up in the air. It was soft and smooth. She touched it with her other hand's petite fingertips. She clenched her hand. It was small. Kushina wiggled her toes and looked at her feet. They were small too. She pulled her foot up to get a closer look and touched her foot from the tips of her toes to the heel of her foot. She explored the sensations that her new body gave her. Her hand traced the contours of her ankles and then her legs. She realized then that every touch she felt on her skin with her hand was soft, like a mother's touch. The ritual was nurturing and created a sense of peace in her.

There was another area that she hadn't come to terms with, and hadn't had any chance to. Her genitals were kind of scary to her. She had seen them in the mirror, but it felt more like she was looking at a picture in a magazine. She touched them, but not sexually. She just wanted to understand herself better. The shape of a woman's sex was so intriguing to her. Before long, she realized that it was too sensitive to explore very much, and figured she had enough. She finally understood she was a complete woman. She smiled as she realized that it wasn't so bad to be one once she could actually understand it better.

A sweet happy feeling came over her. She realized that she loved the person she had become. She told herself, “I think I do like you, after all. You're a cool girl.” She felt nurturing feelings towards herself and hugged one of the pillows and said, “I've suffered so much because I hated who I was. I never liked being Naruto, and I was afraid to like who I am now. I fought against this body, but now I can finally love myself. I have a mother that cares about me and a new identity to protect me from being hated again. I'm a good ...woman. I think I can accept that.” She wished a woman was there so she could talk to about these feelings. She decided that she would talk to her mom first about some of her feelings. She really did want to build a good relationship with her.

Kushina sighed. She looked on her bed for some spare pillows. She arranged the ones she could find into a line so she could wrap herself around it. She didn't know why, but she felt really lonely sleeping by herself. She hoped that the feeling would go away eventually as she became more comfortable with herself. She pulled the blanket over her body and pressed her breasts against the pillows and wrapped her legs around them. As she drifted off to sleep, she imagined that the pillows were someone warm and comforting to her. The first thought that popped into her head was Konohamaru. KONOHAMARU?! She thought with shock. She searched her thoughts and didn't feel like it was a sexual thought. She just imagined him protecting her. She smiled to herself. She was overreacting. At least she didn't have Jiraiya on her mind. She almost giggled to herself. She really loved Jiraiya's personality. He was such a cool guy. Speaking of which, wasn't she supposed to report to him tomorrow for training? She couldn't imagine him missing her funeral. She would have to ask him about it in the morning.

A soft knock on the door surprised her. She modestly pulled her blanket up and said, “Who is it?”

A quiet voice said, “It's mom. Can I come in?”

The young girl relaxed and said, “Please.”

Tsunade walked into the room. She was wearing a full length nightie and her hair was down. Kushina smiled. She said, “I like that nightie.”

“Thanks, sweetie,” Tsunade replied, “I wanted to see you before you fell asleep.”

Kushina sighed happily and said, “I'm glad you came, mom.” She moved her pillows over a little and gestured to the empty spot.

Tsunade sat there. She smiled warmly at Kushina and caressed her cheek. “I wanted to tell you that I loved you. I'm really sorry about not being more motherly earlier. Sakura really ticked me off and I was in a bad mood.”

“That's okay. I was kind of peeved at her too. I understand it a little. I think she is sad about my death. It breaks my heart that she'd think I was dead when I am sitting right next to her.”

Tsunade nodded sadly. “Believe me, it breaks my heart too. I'm not made of stone, even if I act like it sometimes. I don't know. Maybe if she can master control over her feelings we can tell her, but then she'll never trust either one of us again.”

“You are too right. The truth hurts.” Kushina replied. She hesitated and then said with a tremulous voice, “Mom, I was wondering if you could stay here a little while until I can fall asleep.”

“Of course, sweetie.” Tsunade made a spot for herself then climbed in and smiled at Kushina. “Is this better?”

Kushina nodded as her eyes leaked tears of happiness. She leaned into her mother's chest and snuggled her. Tsunade responded by holding her tight. Years of being alone melted away for both of them. Both of them held each other. It was the first time Kushina really felt loved in her entire life. Tsunade held her close and stroked her hair. “It's been a really hard day for you hasn't it, baby?”

Kushina nodded and wiped her eyes. She cried and said, “I love you mommy.” Tsunade cried too, “I love you too.” Kushina and her mother wept for a while as all of the stress drained away. Her mother grabbed some tissue from a box near the bed and held it up to the young woman's nose. “Go ahead and blow, honey.” Kushina did so and then nuzzled her mom. Tsunade was slightly disgusted by the amount of snot the tissue had on it. She giggled, sniffled and said, “Jeez, kiddo.” Her daughter laughed. The older woman wiped her own nose too. After tossing the tissues, she held Kushina and leaned her head against her.

Tsunade yawned and looked at the moon outside. It was late. She was just about to say something about it when she noticed that Kushina was completely asleep. She felt her warmth against her and felt a happiness she hadn't felt in her entire life. That moment was a fulfillment of her dreams of being a mother, and her sweet daughter loved her and needed her. She laid her cheek against Kushina's sweet smelling hair and fell into a blissful and peaceful sleep.