Chapter 06

'Naruto is an innocent child who's been forced to shoulder this heavy burden without his consent. He needs someone who can properly raise and ensure his tutelage, and show him motherly affections on top of that.'

Those were Hizuzen's exact words to her. Tsunade wondered if she was even fit for the role as a mother sicne she never had children of her own. Sure she helped out midwives and nursing mothers with their children in the hospitals and observed how they nurtured their babies. But actually playing the role of nurturing a baby is a whole different story, she acknowledged, and she never nurtured children before. After the death of her lover Dan before they had the chance to marry, she lost most of her interests and desires to get married and have children. And now she's being asked by Hiruzen to adopt and raise a child who's inescapably going to develop into a new Yondaime Hokage.

Tsunade snapped out of her thoughts as she thought when she heard a knock come from the door. Turning to the door, she said, "Yes?"

"Tsunade-sensei," replied a young feminine voice from the other side of the door, "May I come in?"

Sighing, Tsunade answered, "You can come in Shizune."

The young fifteen year old girl entered her sensei's room. Shinuze entered her sensei's room and went over to her.

"Are you all right Tsunade-sensei," Shizune asked in concerned. Tsunade looked at the young girl and said, "I'm fine. Why are you awake?"

"I can ask the same of you," Shizune remarked. Tsunade said nothing as she looked away from the young girl. Seeing the expression on the older woman's face, Shizune asked, "Is there something on your mind?"

"Beside what Sandaime told me," Tsunade remarked, "Not much."

"What did he tell you," Shizune inquired, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Tsunade turned to face the young teen girl. After what felt like an eternity, Tsunade spoke with a serious tone, "Before I tell you, you must swear to Never repeat what I'm going to tell you to Anyone outside this room."

Shizune felt the firmness of her sensei's voice and realized that what was on her mind was no laughing matter nor something to take lightly. Shizune answered sincerely, "I swear it! I give you my sincere word!"

After taking a breath, Tsunade began relating everything to Shizune in full detail about everything she was told from Hizuen. Shizune listened intently as her sensei told her the story uninterrupted. What the young girl heard shocked her to no end and there was more Tsunade had to tell her. Shizune already had tears falling down her face with some sobbing upon hearing the harsh and tragic account about Yondaime and his son Naruto. This heart-breaking revelation was beyond anything she was expecting to hear. Tsunade herself let a few tears fall down from her face before wiping them away. After Tsunade was done telling Shizune the full account regarding Yondaime and Naruto, she gave the young teen girl some time absorb everything she was told.

A few moments later, Shizune regained her composure as she wiped away the tears from her face. She turned to her sensei and asked, "So no one knows what happened to Kyuubi No Kitsune?"

Tsunade shook her head, "Not that anyone is complaining. However it does raises some concern, at least to the Hokage and myself."

"…But…will you adopt baby Naruto?"

"I have been thinking about that since I left the office," Tsunade admitted, "I haven't exactly decided on whether or not I should."

"Why not," Shizune asked, "It's not like you'll be handling him on your own. You'll have me here to help you take care of the child. Besides, I always wanted a baby brother. And who wouldn't want a little brother who's a Hokage?"

Tsunade looked at her young apprentice with a blank expression. Upon realizing her words, Shizune immediately apologized, "Tsunade-sensei, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings and reopen old wounds…I mean…what I meant to say…is…"

"It's all right Shizune," Tsunade assured, knowing fully well that the Shizune was referring to her late kid brother, "I know you weren't trying to offend me. You just got caught up in the moment, that's all. But still, adopting this particular child will be no walk in the park. Hell, adopting and raising any child is no walk in the park and will require a great deal of sacrifices to be made."

Tsunade saw the irony with the word "sacrifice," especially since Naruto was originally to made into a living sacrifice to protect all of the future generations of Konoha and everyone else.

"…," Shizune.

"However," Tsunade continued, "Naruto is not just any child who can be adopted and raised by just anyone. I'm amazed that Sarutobi-sensei went so far as to sent one of his Anbu to find me in order to ask me to raise the child as my own son. (Sighed)…I'm not even sure if I'm even mother material…"

"Don't say such things Tsunade-sensei," Shizune retorted with conviction, "Sure you're not perfect and have some bad habits but hey, no one's perfect and we all have our share of problems. But I've been with you long enough to know that you'd make a terrific mother to that child and so does Sandaime-sama. After all, he wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to find you if he thought you were inadequate or unfit to raise Naruto or any other child for that matter. The Hokage chose you, Tsunade-sensei, out of all people, shinobi, clan leaders and village elders to raise this child who possesses untold potentials.