AN: Still don't own.
Chiyo and Ebizo's Fish Pond
Ebizo couldn't help but look at his beloved sister with concern.
"Sister." She gave no indication of hearing him and she wasn't pranking him by playing dead. He continued, "You have a fish on your hook, aren't you going to reel it in?"
Again, no response. The only noticeable expression on Ebizo's face were his eyebrows drawing together.
He understood why Chiyo was in this unresponsive state, it had been two years since he left.
Sasori of the Red Sand. Now an S-Ranked missing ninja was at one point Sunagakure's foremost poison user and one of its greatest Puppet Masters, maybe even surpassing Chiyo herself. He had been caught using fellow Suna ninja to make puppets out of, a heinous act that had been put to an end by Chiyo decades earlier. Instead of facing his punishment, he had left the village and everyone in it that cared for him. Though Chiyo never truly made her love known to her grandson.
Ebizo sighed, his sister was so emotional sometimes. She probably blamed herself, he mused to himself.
"Chiyo, it isn't your fault-" he was caught off before he could finish.
"Shhh," came the hurried response from the medical ninja.
Ebizo sighed again, why is she so difficult. "Chiyo, you have to move on. It's been two years, I know he's family-" Once more he was shushed before he could finish.
"Be quiet, old man." Ebizo stilled and couldn't stop the amused smile that showed on his wrinkled face. He then noticed that her eyes were closed and that she seemed to be searching for something.
What? It was then he heard the sand.
Very few Suna shinobi could interact with the sand. Actually, interact is a strong word, it was more of a feeling. All the past, and current, Kazekage could feel the sand and treated it as proximity alert of sorts. They could tell who was near the village and who was leaving. It didn't alert them to who, exactly, but how many there were and a general direction they were in. Though there were techniques to get around this sense, of sorts, though it was difficult to do so. It was an intermingling of chakra that years of battle earned you. The Honored Siblings, Chiyo and himself, could sense the sand as well but that was due to them being alive for so long and protecting Suna most of their lives. He was sure that if any other Suna ninja lived for as long as they did, they would pick up this skill as well.
What he felt was small, alone, and surrounded with chakra. He quickly looked towards his sister who was looking at him determinedly.
"Well, I know you felt it as well. Are you going to sit there like the old sack of bones that you are or are you coming with me?" It was framed as a question, but he knew different.
For the third time in the past twenty minutes Ebizo sighed, "After you, dear Sister." At least she wasn't worrying over that traitor.
Suna Desert
Chiyo and Ebizo quickly entered the desert surrounding Suna and began their search of whatever it was that caught their attention via the sand.
It was rumored that since Suna was established, sometime after the Warring Clans period, that the natural chakra that was in the area increased as more and more shinobi came to populate the desert area. Because of this the sand surrounding Suna is infused with a high amount chakra that is not found in any other desert in the world. From this came the use of sand as a tool, both offensive and defensive, by Suna shinobi as it was attuned to the inherent chakra of the village making it easier to manipulate to a degree.
The desert itself was vast, filled with various poisonous creatures that had adapted to the extreme, dry heat and would strike any passerby in the hopes of a meal. In addition to these creatures was the sand itself. The desert was populated with quicksand that were near impossible to detect. Thus, being able to walk over the shifting sands was a must for Suna shinobi.
One of the advantages of being located in a near inhospitable place was that Suna was at the benefit of the inherent protection that the sand offered. Once you got into the desert it was about a two to three day journey through terrain that seemed to be actively trying to kill you before you even saw the village. Though all shinobi were trained in survival, Suna's desert brought all comers to their absolute limit, some never make it through. Only Suna ninja were able to navigate the desert with relative ease but even they had to make sure to not to get stranded in the unforgivable terrain.
Due to Ebizo's sensory skills it was a short search for the two of them. They had to move quickly or the desert would claim the subject of their search
Chiyo frowned as they walked toward the small bundle. It was a baby, a male by the looks of it. Why was it all alone in the desert?
A maternal smile appeared on Chiyo's face as she picked up the boy making sure not to jostle him too much, the babe was cute and currently seemed to be in a fitful sleep. She couldn't stop the yearning of her heart as the baby turned in his blanket and sleepily opened his eyes and let out a small yawn. When his eyes opened, Chiyo gasped, his eyes were the most intense shade of green she had ever seen. There was so much life in the boy's eyes, Chiyo couldn't but be in awe of the young child.
She couldn't help but wonder who would leave a baby in the middle of one of the world's harshest terrains. She mentally sighed as she figured that the boy's parents were probably from a town in the Land of Wind and were trying to make their way to Suna but were killed by the harsh climate. If that were true then the bodies would be nearby but she saw no such thing.
Chiyo tried to see if she could think of anyone that shared the boy's features, green eyes and black hair, that she knew to live in the Land of Wind but none came to mind. Perhaps his parents came from another land.
She was forced out of her musings as the little bundle snuggled its way further into her embrace and was soundly asleep once more. Chiyo gave a loving smile and pat down the boy's hair but was rebuffed as it resulted in an even more chaotic mess. She gave a fond shake of her head at the child in her arms.
Her attention was diverted to a weight on her shoulder and saw that Ebizo was giving her a silent smile of understanding, showing that he would support her decision no matter what she chose. He then turned his head at the rapidly approaching figure from the direction of the village.
The siblings stood proudly as the fourth Kazekage, Rasa, came up to them with an indiscernible look on his face.
Chiyo looked down at the child in her arms, moving the blanket around to where it mostly protected the small child from the intense heat of the sun.
As the Kazekage came to a stop in front of the siblings no one said a word.
Ebizo spoke first after the silent pause, "Ah, Kazekage, I was wondering how long it would take you to respond to the alert. Though the Third Kazekage would have been out here much quicker."
Ebizo's face showed no expression but one could see one of the Kazekage's eyebrows twitch slightly in annoyance. The Third Kazekage is widely considered throughout the village to be Suna's strongest Kazekage and ever since he mysteriously disappeared roughly two years ago; it seemed like every future Kazekage would be compared to him.
"How is he, have you run a medical scan?" asked Rasa in a measured tone, ignoring Ebizo, in reference to the child in Chiyo's arms.
It was Chiyo who answered, "He seems to be fine, Kazekage. I was going to make sure he needed no immediate help, which he doesn't, and then take him to the hospital for a full checkup."
Suna's leader nodded and quickly disappeared in a shower of gold dust, something that had made him known throughout the shinobi world. The understood message being that he would meet the three of them at the hospital.
The siblings shared a look, they both liked the current Kazekage – though they'd never let anyone know that. Rasa had only been Suna's Kage for a year and a half and had nearly solved the village's economic troubles, which was something that the past Kage all had trouble with.
At the soft whines coming from the boy they both set off for Suna's hospital.
Hospital of Sunagakure
The hospital itself was rather big, being the second largest building in Suna after the Kage building, and filled with different wards. Considering how important the development of poisons and toxins were to the Suna shinobi, there was a wing devoted to the administering of anti-venoms and ensuring no one actually died from accidently imbuing poison while the anti-venom was made. It was in this wing that all newly minted genin came to gain a general immunity from most toxins that they might come across in the field.
In addition to the poison ward, there was the emergency/intensive care ward, the general care ward, and lastly, which was where the Honored Siblings were headed, the child ward which took care of incoming children and children under five. Those over five could be treated in the general care ward.
The boy was placed on one of the open beds and was surrounded by the Kazekage, Ebizo, Chiyo, and someone to assist Chiyo as she was trained in the medical arts.
"How are his chakra levels? Does it give any indication as to why there was a large amount chakra around him?"
Chiyo looked at Suna's strongest shinobi, "Hold on, let this old woman take her time. It has been a long time since I've been in this hospital. And besides this could be a learning moment for you young people." The last statement being directed at the Kazekage and the young medic ninja.
The medical shinobi immediately stood at alert, ready to absorb anything he could from Chiyo, "Yes, Lady Chiyo!"
Chiyo gave a soft snort and directed her attention to small child who had woken up and was watching them with wonder in his eyes. When Chiyo's hands were covered in a green glow, signifying she had started the medical jutsu, the boy laughed in joy and tried to grab at Chiyo's hands.
The scene caused a soft smile to appear on Chiyo's and the medical ninja's face and even Ebizo and Rasa found some warmth in the boy's childish wonder.
With the boy still giggling, still focused on trying to grab at the green glow, Chiyo slowly ran a diagnostic check. What she found made her frown.
Ebizo, seeing that she wasn't going to offer anything without prompting – so dramatic, asked, "Sister, what is it?"
Never one to pass up schooling the youth, Chiyo turned to the medical ninja, "Scan him, tell me what you find."
"Yes, Lady Chiyo." He, too, ran his hands over the boy and he, too, frowned.
"Well?" again asked Ebizo.
The medic straightened, "By the looks of it, Lord Ebizo and Lord Kazekage, the boy is in good health. No signs of chakra exhaustion. There is no damage to his internal organs nor to his chakra network, which is good."
"What's peculiar about him then," questioned the Kazekage.
The medic looked towards Chiyo who was focused on keeping the boy entertained with her medical jutsu, it would put a strain on her chakra but it was worth it to hear the child's squeals of delight.
"His chakra network, while slightly developed, is still underdeveloped as to be expected. But, he appears to have sizeable chakra reserves and more than that, it is traveling throughout his chakra network."
Ebizo's face gave nothing away as he asked, "So? What's so significant about this? Don't all children have chakra flowing through their chakra networks? It's what helps them to survive."
"Normally you'd be right, Lord Ebizo, but in the boy's case his chakra is traveling into places that chakra does not travel to until you train it to do so."
"So," started the Kazekage, "His chakra is going to his fingers, toes, and head?"
Each were locations that were focused on during genin training when they were taught chakra control exercises. Moving one's chakra toward their fingers allowed a shinobi to grab onto nearly any surface and fluidly go through hand seals, moving chakra towards their toes allowed one to run over most surfaces, and towards the head enhanced sight, hearing, smell, and taste to a degree. One had to perform exercises to accomplish this as, by itself, chakra would not extend to those areas. In addition, chakra control allowed one to enhance all physical movements.
Ebizo hummed thoughtfully, "He will be able to control his chakra to a degree that has never been seen in Suna. How interesting."
The medical ninja nodded, "Yes, Lord Kazekage," and, "It would seem so, Lord Ebizo. The Suna shinobi corp would be lucky to have him, if he chose to be a member that is."
"He will be," said the Kazekage, "he'll have to be. Is that everything?"
The medical ninja nodded, "Yes, Lord Kazekage-" he was cutoff.
"There seems to be a small, but significant, amount of chakra located in his eyes. Not unlike in those with a dojustu," interrupted Chiyo as she wrapped the boy tighter when his eyes started fluttering closed, indicating the excitement of the day was getting to him.
"Can you tell what kind, Sister?"
Chiyo gave a small shake, "I cannot, we will have to wait and see."
The Kazekage nodded, he had thought as much.
The boy was in good health, exercised a high amount, for his age, of chakra control that would surpass many, potentially all, others when he was older, and he seemed to have an unidentified dojutsu. Now the only question was.
"If I may, who will take him? The orphanage is full and unless you can find someone to adopt him, other arrangements will have to be made," commented the medical ninja.
The Kazekage shook his head, "I will find someone to adopt him, Suna cannot allow for a child of his potential to get away."
Chiyo looked at him thoughtfully, "Will you take him, Rasa? I know your wife, Karura, would adore to have him in your household."
He shook his head once more, "She would, such a caring woman, but things are too chaotic, there are too many responsibilities to the village that we must take care of before we can consider a child. Besides, you know as well as I that children of the Kage must be blood related."
The three elite shinobi stood quietly in contemplation for the next couple of minutes.
Chiyo sighed and looked the boy, "I will take him, I have nothing better to do with my time. What better than properly raising the next generation."
Rasa nodded, "His name?"
"How about Hisoka no Suna?" asked Ebizo.
Chiyo smiled and picked up Hisoka, "Yes. A strong name for a strong shinobi. Hello, Hisoka no Suna, my name is Chiyo – though you may address me as Grandmother. I will be your guardian for the foreseeable future.
Hisoka opened his viridian eyes and gave a tired, toothless smile.