SPECIAL NOTE: I do not own any of the Naruto characters (manga and anime). This story is for fun (and practice). I apologize ahead for some grammar or spelling problems or incoherent paragraphs. English is not my main language. (This story is revised so previous readers; I hope this chapter is better. Thanks).
REVISED: 03/15/2016 (because my brain won't shut up and I have no job so I have nothing to do).
CHAPTER 1:
Everything is in chaos. Tsunade watched as the villagers scamper around staring blankly at their destroyed homes, shinobis jumping on roofs at top speed and cries of anger and tears can be heard from both the Konohagakure citizens and shinobi. This was not what she was expecting when she decided to return to the village she once swore off to.
The only reason why she decided to return to this damn village one more time was to see her only family left: Kushina Uzumaki. She was the grandniece of her grandmother, Mito Uzumaki and Tsunade's niece as well since Kushina hailed from the Uzumaki main house who are related to the Senju. Tsunade heard she was pregnant. She probably has given birth given the timeline and she wanted to see Kushina and the baby. But it would seem it won't happen today.
This is village is cursed! She thought furiously. Images if Iwaki and Dan plagued Tsunade's mind. Nothing good ever comes in this village! Why did I ever come back? Why? Kushina and Minato can't be dead! They can't be. They wanted to build a big family. Why is this happening again?
Tsunade suddenly walked faster, heading towards the Hokage tower that was unscathed despite what is happening and her assistant Shizune running after her while holding a small pig called Tonton.
"Why can't I? I'm his godfather. He's my responsibility. I should be taking care of him, heck, I should be the one raising him! I'm even willing to give the responsibilities of the spy network to someone else." Jiraiya argued as he stood, hands crossed facing his sensei in the Hokage office.
"You know I can't do that Jiraiya. Not even the council would be willing to let it go to someone else. The fact that the village is vulnerable right now is the reason why we need you more to stabilize that spy network…" Hiruzen Sarutobi replied. He sat on the Hokage chair, the same chair that he just retired from a few years ago. And here he is again, eyes stressed from the conflict that just happened.
They are still recovering from the Third Shinobi War, now they lost the Yondaime and their villages is in shambles from the Kyuubi attack. Things did not go as planned. Whatever happened with the Kyuubi died along with Minato and Kushina. The council has been banging on his door asking for answers as to what happened and how the Kyuubi even got near the village.
Danzo even stated that the Uchiha has something to do with it. Sarutobi sighed. Leave it to Danzo to create suspicion in the verge of chaos.
"If you won't let me then I can take him with me." Jiraiya snapped him out of his thoughts.
"What? You can't take the boy with you Jiraiya!" Sarutobi stared at his student aghast.
"Why the hell not?!" Jiraiya demanded.
"Other than the reason he's a newborn and do you even know how to take care of a baby?"
"I'll learn." He insisted. When the Hokage raised his eyebrows. "I promise I'll learn!"
"The boy also looks like a reincarnation of Minato, Jiraiya. If our enemies see you with the Naruto, you and the boy would be a target."
Jiraiya sighed. He was going to have a hea-BANG!Tsunade marched across the room, surprising both Jiraiya and the Sandaime.
"Hime!" Jiraiya gasped.
"Tsunade?" Sarutobi gaped. "What are you doing here, child?"
"Is it true?" Tsunade asked. She watched as both men's eyes went from shock to pity. "Sensei, is it true?" She asked forcefully this time.
"Yes." Was the quite reply from Sarutobi's mouth and Tsunade immediately bolted out the door.
"Tsunade/Hime, wait!"
Why did she come back? Why did she even bother to come back? She should have never come back. She promised herself to stay away and look what happened? The moment she step foot inside the damn village, someone she loved is taken from her. First Iwaki, then Dan, now Kushina and Minato. Does Kami hate her this much? Why?
"Tsunade!"Jiraiya called as he ran towards her but Tsunade didn't stop. She didn't even look back at him. She just stare at the village gates, her destination is definitely out of this stinking village.!
"Leave me alone, Jiraiya! Shizune, come!" She hissed.
Shizune whimpered from her master's tone but followed nonetheless with Ton-ton on her arms.
"I'm warning you Jiraiya! If you don't leave me alone, I will beat you worst than the hot spring incident!" she yelled and continued to march towards the gate.
"Are you going to fret all you life in the past? You will not even stay long enough to attend the damn funeral? What about Naruto, eh? You don't even want to see him?" Jiraiya demanded.
"Naruto?" Tsunade peered at his former teammate. "What the hell are you talking about pervert?"
"After all the yelling, I'm surprised he didn't even wake up." The toad sage muttered, showing Tsunade a small bundle on his arms. Tsunade has never seen his perverted teammate this gentle on anything the way he is holding that kid.
"Is that…?" Tsunade stopped and pointed.
"Yeah he is." Jiraiya confirmed. Nobody in the village knows about Naruto yet, not even the village council. Both Sannin knows that this matter is something that should not be discussed in a very vulnerable place like the middle of the street.
Shizune glanced at both Sannin, she didn't understand what was going on but whatever it was its stressing her master. Just who is this child?
"Fine." Tsunade said, exasperatedly. "Just this once and then I'm leaving."
"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?"
"YOU WANT HER TO DO WHAT?"
Hiruzen and Tsunade both stared at Jiraiya like he has grown two heads, even Shizune was gaping at him.
"It was a suggestion." Jiraiya said, his hands both rose trying to look less threatening to avoid getting punched through the windows.
"Are you nuts Jiraiya? I can't raise a kid! I have enough problems on my own. Why can't you take him?"
"We need Jiraiya to manage the spy network." Sarutobi explained. "With the great loss the village has suffered from the great war and now with the attack of the Kyuubi and the death of the Yondaime. I have no choice but to step in as Hokage. Unless one of you would be willing to step in?"
"Uh-uh. No way, Sarutobi-sensei! I know that look! You know becoming Hokage is not for me. With my spy network and my research,…" Jiraiya defended but the word research has Tsunade glaring daggers at the old pervert.
Tsunade didn't answer. She has lost all hope for this village. Why would she want to be Hokage?
"I haven't announced about what happened." Sarutobi said. "All they know is that the Kyuubi is dead and the Yondaime is dead. That's it. But I'm sure you're aware that the council knows better than trusting rumors."
"Are you planning to tell the village about Naruto?" Jiraiya asked. "I'm still against it. Can you imagine the life the kid will have growing up? For all I know, he'll resent the village. You know how Jinchuurikis are treated in every nation. Kumo is the only village so far who treats their Jinchuuriki decently and that even took a while. Naruto will be all alone and he'll never understand why everyone hates him. He's still a baby for Kami's sake! If I can't take him then I suggest we give him to Tsunade. She's also his godmother and the closest relative the boy ever has. I'd rather have him raised in a family than send him in an orphanage."
"And I think you're still out of your mind." Tsunade said. "The kid could grow up damaged like me."
"He's family to both you and me Tsunade. He is the last heir of three powerful clans. He needs family or he'll grow up resenting the village and us. He will have no loyalty to the village and you could use this as an opportunity for you to find hope again."
"I've given up on hope." Tsunade mumbled.
Jiraiya wanted to scream or demand to snap Tsunade out of her senseless way she called her life.
"Tsunade. I think Jiraiya is right. I agree it is best that the child grew up away from the scrutiny of the village. Maybe the boy should stay with you until he is old enough to attend the academy? It's either that or he's heading to the orphanage."
"Why can't you raise him Sandaime-sama?" Shizune asked in the background.
"Ah, Shizune-chan. I am old and I have a village to run (and I also lost my wife). It's going to take a few years before the village to function back to normal and I have no time to be raising a child." Sarutobi answered.
Tsunade stared at the kid on Sarutobi's arms. He was sleeping peacefully, not caring anything about the world. He looked exactly like Minato, his spiky blonde hair was a dead giveaway but the round face is definitely Kushina's. Images of Kushina playing pranks on shinobi in the village played in Tsunade's thoughts. The three whiskers on Naruto's face was an odd one. It looks like fox's whiskers. Kushina never had it when the Kyuubi was sealed in her.
"Fine." Tsunade agreed, her eyebrows lifted when both men sighed in relief. "Better me than Jiraiya. He could grow up to be a pervert. ("Hey!" Jiraiya scoffed at the insult while whispering, "I'm a super pervert.")…and it could give Shizune something to look after, aside from me."
I hope not. Shizune thought anxiously. Tsunade-sama is a handful on her own already. It made me wonder what would happen with the boy. An image of a blond haired boy losing in casinos and drinking sake made Shizune want to cry.
"What are you going to tell the council, sensei?" Jiraiya asked.
"I would prefer if Naruto should be kept in secret." Tsunade said. "After all, he's going to be Naruto Uzumaki-Senju. I don't want them chasing me across the country wanting to use him."
"Uzumaki-Senju?" Jiraiya and Sarutobi raised their eyebrows at Tsunade.
"Well he is, isn't he? And we both know what would happen if I let him use his father's surname." Tsunade countered. Tsunade may be strong but she can't spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulders. Minato has many enemies, including Iwa. If that stubborn old coot, Onoki finds out about Naruto, there will be a battalion heading towards Konoha.
"You're going to raise him as your own, then?" Jiraiya said.
Tsunade shrugged. "We both know I'll never have children in this lifetime."
"And how are you going to explain who the father would be, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked.
"You could always tell them, I'm the father?" Jiraiya grinned but a large fist met Jiraiya's face and the toad sage found himself smashed towards the wall.
"Please Tsunade. Could you avoid breaking the walls and windows?" Sarutobi asked, nicely. Sweat dropping on his forehead.
"Jiraiya's right you know." Tsunade said.
"What?" Sarutobi and Shizune gaped.
A tick mark appeared at Tsunade's forehead. "Not him as the father! I meant the council!" she growled. "We all know the purpose of a Jinchuuriki in the village. If I'm taking Naruto, how will the council react that Konoha no longer holds the Kyuubi? Knowing Danzo, he'll probably kidnap one in the other villages."
"And it would be my duty to make sure that will not happen." Sarutobi said seriously.
Tsunade knew that her sensei can only hold on so long. Danzo is a sly man. He can do things in the shadows even the Hokage can't. The Sandaime can't always keep an eye on that one eyed mummy.
"Just make sure everyone doesn't do something drastic." Tsunade said as she gently pluck Naruto from her sensei's arms and held him close to her chest. "Let's go Shizune."
I hope Naruto will give you meaning to your closed heart, Tsunade. Sarutobi thought sadly as he watched his student leave the office.
Sarutobi turned towards the smashed wall. "Jiraiya. Are you going to get up now or do you need a medic?" he chuckled.
The funeral was a gloomy affair. Many shinobi lost their lives including their leader, the Yondaime Hokage. The village is yet again to recover from such destruction. Hopefully their enemies won't use this as an opportunity to strike. Despite the limited manpower, security in the village is increased quite significantly. Sarutobi wasn't taking any chances.
Tsunade watch the service from the distance. She left the brat with Shizune. The brat's crying is getting on her nerves and she only has him a day. What was she thinking? She listened carefully as Sarutobi-sensei announced to the village about the Kyuubi and how Minato has defeated it. There was a small cheer of happiness because of that announcement but Tsunade knows that sensei will have a long and annoying discussion with the council after this. She just hoped they aren't going to do something drastic. After all, everyone doesn't know about Naruto's parents and worst the council will not take lightly the loss of the Kyuubi.
Tsunade didn't wait for the speech to finish, she went back to the hotel. Only a few people know she was here. "Shizune, it's time to go." She said. Shizune has already packed her things and carried Naruto out of the village gates.
Shizune turned and glanced at the village one more time. She knows she will not see it for a while. She missed the village but she knows that Tsunade-sama needed her until Tsunade finds her courage back.
"Well Naruto." Jiraiya watched Tsunade and Shizune leave. "Your journey starts here." He glanced back at the village before set off to his spy network business.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, this was better, I think. English is hard. I should be doing my research paper not writing the fanfic but I can't help it! Just like they say. If you can't find the book you want, write it! Hahaha. I'll update soon I hope. I'm still in conflict about who will replace Naruto (if he will be replaced) as the village Jinchuuriki. Haha. If you guys have any suggestions feel free to add it on the review or PM me. Thanks.
REVISED: 03/15/2016
