Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
"It is blackmail Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said.
"Yes it is, but that does not stop it from being effective" Tsunade grumbled. She then chuckled "That old monkey finally found something that would insure my return to the village"
Her laughter died as the remains of the village gate came into view. Shizune gasped seeing the gates blown off their hinges and huge claw marks in the walls to either side.
"How did the Yondaime stop this?" Shizune asked.
"The only way he could. He made the ultimate sacrifice." Tsunade said.
"But how could anyone withstand this much destruction." Shizune asked
"Minato was always very talented even as a child." Tsunade replied.
As they slowly approached the now useless gates two chunin moved to stop them. "Stop none but Konaha Shinobi may enter." One of the Chunin commanded.
"Like two wet behind the ear chunin like you can could stop one of the sanin." Tsunade responded.
The chunin paled visibly then said "Tsunade-hime we did not realize you would be arriving today."
"Well we are here now. Don't just stand there let us in" Tsunade demanded.
"I am sorry Tsunade-hime you will have to wait until an escort arrives to take you directly to the hokage." He replied.
"Fine hurry it up I have important things to do." Tsunade said. At this Shizune snickered. "Fine I just don't want to be here longer than necessary!" Tsunade huffed.
A Figure soon a appeared in swish of leaves. It was a teenager with white spiky hair. He is wearing a white mask depicting a dog. He bowed then said in a lifeless monotone "come with me Tsunade-sama".
He then turned around and headed toward the Hokage's office at incredible speed, jumping from roof to roof. Tsunade turned to Shizune and shruged then the two hurried after the teen matching his speed across the roof tops.
When they arrived at the hokage tower they were immediately shown to the Hokage's office. As the door opened Tsunade saw a sight she had never thought to see. Jiraiya weeping into into his hands inconsolably as a stony faced Hiruzen looked on with disgust in his face. Tsunade gasped involuntarily at the expression on her old sensei's face.
Hiruzen quickly schooled his face into an emotionless mask as he stood to greet her. "Tsunade-hime it is good that you came. Konaha needs you now more than ever."
"How has this happened?" she gestured to Jiraiya to make sure Hiruzen answered what she most wanted to know.
"You know of the prophecy that he received from the toads, yes?" Tsunade nodded curtly. "He believes that Minato was the one that it referred to and he can not see past his grief at the death of his prized pupil and his dream of seeing the prophecy fulfilled." Hiruzen answered.
" If he is this distraught I doubt he has any wish to fulfill his duties as godfather to the child." Tsunade remarked.
"That is true, you don't have to worry that he will raise her to be just as perverted as he is." Hiruzen said trying to lighten the mood in the room a little.
"Then there is no reason for me to be here!" Tsunade shouted angry at both her old teammate and sensei.
"While it is true Jiraiya has no desire to raise her Danzō does and the best I have been able to do for her is get her into one of the orphanages under an assumed name." Said Hiruzen.
"What name did you use?" asked Tsunade.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Hiruzen answered.
"Humph that wont fool anyone in this village." Tsunade retorted.
"It gets worse." Hiruzen added.
"Worse how exactly?" Tsunade asked.
"Minato was forced to seal the Kyubii into a new born…" Hiruzen began.
"Let me guess Naruto was that child." Tsunade interrupted.
"You are correct Naruto is now the Jinchuriki of the nine-tailed demon fox." Hiruzen continued.
"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Tsunade asked.
"As Naruto's only living clansman you have final say in what is done with her." Hiruzen answered.
"How do you figure that?" Tsunade asked.
"Since Kushina and Mito were both of Uzumaki clan and because Kushina was the head of the clan in Konoha Naruto is the heir to the clan and she will need a regeant until she comes of age and assume the clan leadership." Hiruzen answered.
At these words Tsunade hung her head in defeat. Whether she liked it or not she was now responsible for the young girls fate. "Why sensi? Why go to this much trouble?" She asked.
"Simple really she has the potential to tip the balance of power in the village. If Danzō gets her he will turn her into a weapon. I don't know what would be worse, if he could control her or if he was unable to and she ran loose. After everything he would do to her she could be worse than the Kyubii running through our streets." Hiruzen said.
Tsunade began to look very troubled as Hiruzen continued "Next the Uchiha have asked to take her in and while if it was only Mikoto I would be inclined to let her take the girl. But Fugaku is restless and thinks that the Uchiha deserve a more prominent place in the village. If she went there other clans would be in an uproar especially the Hyūga clan. So she cannot go to the Uchiha or the Hyūga because they would gain to much of an edge and she cannot go to a smaller clans because they do not have the clout to keep Danzō, the Uchiha and the Hyūga at bay."
Tsunade frowned and then asked "What about an anonymous adoption?"
"Danzō has out maneuvered me there he has spread the word that she holds the Kyubii before I could enact a law that forbids anyone from divulging that fact. So now no one will adopt her. She will most likely remain at the orphanage until she can live on her own." Hiruzen answered.
Tsunade's frown deepened she then says "So that leaves a powerful Shinobi who can keep all the vultures at bay." Tsunade said.
"Exactly and that means me, you, and him." Hiruzen said pointing at Jiraiya.
"Surely there has to be some one else?" Tsunade asked.
Hiruzen sighed wearily before he said "If the White Fang was still alive he might have enough clout to keep the rest at bay. Sadly though his son shows great promise he is not there yet."
Tsunade glared at Jiraiya "He is in no state to care for a child and even if he was I shudder to think what that little girl would turn out like. Sensei I can not raise a child alone if D-dan was still here then maybe I could do it." Tsunade said stuttering over the name of her dead love.
"Well that leave only two options as that I can see." Hiruzen said.
"And what are they?" Tsunade asked.
"The first is for the three of us to but a henge so strong on the girl that she will appear to be a boy to everyone including herself" ,Hiruzen said with a raised eyebrow, "or you become Hokage and I raise the girl." Hiruzen answered.
"Me hokage after everything I have lost to that accursed title never!" Tsunade spat.
"So then we doom the poor girl to always feeling like she is in the wrong body never quite fitting in, because well she is indeed in the wrong body." Responded Hiruzen.
Tsunade hung her head admitting defeat. "Do you ever lose sensi?" Tsunade asked dejectedly.
"Not if I can help it." Hiruzen said taking a deep breath and looking more tired than Tsunade had ever seen him "So Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto becomes the ward of the Senju clan and will be know as Senju Uzumaki Naruto. The noble clans of the Uzumaki and Senju walk hand in hand once again." Hiruzen said.
Shizune who has been standing in silence until then shifted her weight from one foot to the other, that slight movement drew Hiruzen's gaze to the young girl. He smiled and said "If I might make a suggestion Tsunade-hime?"
Tsunade nodded curtly in response.
"Perhaps you should adopt your young companion into the clan as well so no one on the council gets any funny ideas about that silly clan restoration act." Hiruzen said.
"They would not dare do that to me." Tsunade said.
"Oh they might and the most likely candidate is sitting right there." Hiruzen said nodding toward the still weeping Toad Sage.
With that horrifying thought in her head she turned and left gathering up Shizune in her wake. Tsunade headed to the council building to put in two adoption requests.
'First I will adopt Shizune then Naruto.' she thought to herself when she stopped and looked at her young charge realizing that Shizune should have some say in all this. Tsunade knelt down putting her at eye level with the teen. "Do you wish to join my clan?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes Tsunade-sama." Shizune replied meekly.
"Good then I will adopt you as daughter and name you my heir." Tsunade said.
This caused Shizune's jaw to drop. She stood there when Tsunade rose and continued toward the council chamber. Shizune closed her mouth and ran after her sensei and soon to be clan head and adoptive mother.
As Tsunade and Shizune entered the council chamber they saw that the full Shinobi and civilian council was in attendance.
Danzō was addressing the council. "We can not allow the nine-tails to leave the village. It represents the strength of Konaha, and as such must remain under our control."
Hearing this Tsunade cleared her throat instantly gaining everyones attention. "I can not agree more unfortunately this discussion must wait for the Hokage to be present to continue. Tsk tsk, Danzō you should know this. Unless you are trying to commit treason that is."Tsunade paused with a hopeful look on her face. "Now if you will excuse me I have urgent business with the Shinobi council." Tsunade said.
"And what exactly is your business with the council?" Danzō asked.
"The Shinobi council Danzō not the civilian one. Unless you have suddenly become the head of one of the clans you have no business here. Now get out before I throw you out." Tsunade said with a smile.
Danzō scowled with his one good eye but he turned and left just the same.
Once the civilians had filled out. When only the clan heads and their attendants were left Tsunade began. "As you are all aware I am the last of the Senju clan. As such I have no vote on this council. For a clan to be recognized it must have a minimum of two members. As much as it pains me to admit it I am getting old and it is unlikely that I will ever have children."
At this news there was some grumbling from some of the smaller clans. The Nara clan head could be clearly heard saying "Troublesome blondes."
Tsunade glared at the man before continuing "I do not wish for my clans secrets to be lost and thus weakening Konaha. So I Senju Tsunade here by adopt Kato Shizune as my daughter and heir."
Fugaku looked incredulous but he did not say anything. While Nara Shikaku had a small knowing smile on his face. There were nods of accent from the rest. Uchiha Fugaku announced "Shizune formerly Kato shall hence for be know as Senju Shizune heir to the Senju clan with all rights, privileges, and duties due her new station. Now was there something else you wished to ask us Tsunade-sama?"
"No but there is something that we the shinobi council need to discuss before the civilians return and that is the the Uzumaki girl." Tsunade said.
This time it was Hiashi Hyūga who spoke up. "Yes we must decide what to do before the civilians can interfere this is clan business and none of there concern."
"Yes this is clan business and we will decide what to do with her not the civilian council" Fugaku agreed.
"Yes it is a clan matter an Uzumaki clan matter." Tsunade said.
"What there is no Uzumaki clan there is only one Uzumaki" Fugaku snapped back.
"Yes that is true but as a foreign clan allied with Konaha they are not held to the two member rule since they can not vote in village matters only advise. So I say again that this is a Uzumaki clan matter and as the Senju and the Uzumaki are allies from before the founding of Konahagakure I will be the girls guardian until she becomes of age and can take up the mantel of clan head." Tsunade said.
Tsunade's statement was met with silence as everyone came to realizes what Nara Shikaku had the moment that Shizune became a member of the Senju clan. Tsunade had out maneuvered without them realizing what was happening.
"The girls legacy as both the Namikaze and Uzumaki heir must be protected. The Namikaze and Uzumaki estates will be kept for her until she reaches maturity." Fugaku said arrogantly.
"That decision is mine to make Fugaku or do you suggest that that council has the right to dictate what the clans are allowed to do with inheritance?" Tsunade replied coolly.
"Fine the girl and both estates are yours Tsunade." Fugaku snapped back at her.
" I will leave you as I must see to the restoration of my clan home and the care of my charge." With that Tsunade bowed and turned and left with Shizune following close behind her.
AN: Thanks to senshiHg review I went back and edited this chapter a little hopefully it fixed the problem pointed out to me.
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