Chapter Four: Worst Case Scenario

Later That Night)

Tsunade was staying at a hotel for the night, at least one that wasn't demolished or damaged during Kyuubi's attack. She got little rest that night as she thought about everything that happened early that afternoon in Sandaime's office. She spent the rest of the day thinking about all that was explained to her in detailed from her former sensei and what he was asking of her. In truth, she felt she didn't owe the village any favors especially after all that she suffered and been through in the village. However Naruto was a whole other story. He was an innocent child who's been overwhelmingly burdened with so much at a most tender and fragile age.

He's only a week old, Tsunade thought to herself as she sat on her bed in her sleeping kimono. It was true that many other children of Konoha besides Naruto have been plagued with a great loss because of that bastard nine-tailed monster. However Naruto was a very special case. In spite of what happened with all the other children who may have lost their parents, families and friends during the attack, they still had the opportunity to rebuild their lives from scratch and start life anew in the village with the help of their fellow villagers and Sandaime. Naruto on the other hand couldn't just go about like that, especially since he was infused with Yondaime Hokage.

Two of her relatives were the first two Hokages who built Konohagakure No Sato and they died young. Her little brother and lover Dan both wanted to become Hokage because of their intense love for the village and strong desire to protect it and they both died young before they could live out their desires. Now she's being asked to adopt and raise a newborn child only a week old who'll inevitably grow and mature into a strong Hokage at an unknown young age, that is if the child lives long enough for that to happen.

Life is so cruel to me with its ironies, she thought to herself as she meditated on Naruto's present situation while fiddling with the necklace around her neck, the one that once belonged to her grandfather, Senju Hashirama, Shodaime Hokage. Naruto most likely wouldn't get to live a normal life as a result of the changes he'll undergo. On top that, all of his father's enemies will now become his enemies, and his father has made a lot of enemies before and after becoming Yondaime Hokage. In some ways, the child was going to become the new Yondaime Hokage she figured, and it was unknown how Naruto was going to turn out since he would develop his own personality that will undoubtedly be influenced with some of his father's characteristics.

'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.

"Of course he could have chosen any other mother in the village to adopt Naruto, however he saw something very special in you Tsunade-sensei that you might have not seen in yourself to move him to believe so strongly that you were fit to become Naruto's new mother. I strongly believe that you'd make a terrific mother to any child, blood-related or not. And I know your little brother and Uncle Dan would have felt the same way about you."

Tsunade stood there in awe at Shizune. Her heart-felt words were filled with wisdom beyond her age. It amazed the older woman that her young apprentice could make her see and acknowledge something like this.

"Thank you Shizune," Tsunade said appreciatively as she wiped away the new tears that fell from her eyes before smiling, "I really needed to hear that. And those words coming from you really mean a lot to me."

Shizune smiled knowing that she managed to heal and restore her sensei's self-confidence. Unknown to the two women was that there was someone listening to the entire conversation from behind the door. The revelation about baby Naruto possessing Yondaime Hokage inside him and eventually acquiring Yondaime's attributes greatly intrigued the interloper.

The possibilities with this new Yondaime Hokage are truly unique, the interloper thought before exiting quietly before being detected.

(Hours Later That Night; Elsewhere)

At an undisclosed location, Naruto was sleeping peacefully in a room guarded outside with two ANBU. No one without authorization from the Hokage himself was allowed into the room. Fifteen minutes later, the ANBU saw Sandaime making his way towards them.

"Sandaime-sama," the ANBU said as the two of them bowed in respects to the elderly Hokage who nodded and greeted them.

"Is everything alright here," inquired Sandaime. The first ANBU answered, "Uzumaki Naruto is resting quietly sir. No troubles have arisen Sandaime-sama."

"That's good to hear," Sandaime replied, "I will like to check up on the child now."

The ANBU nodded and stepped to the side as Sandaime entered the room before closing the door behind him. Sandaime afterwards quietly walked over to Naruto's crib and looked down at the young boy, before forming a sinister smile on his face…

(A While Later)

The two ANBU waited outside the room for Sandaime to exit. As they waited, a voice from behind them asked, "Is everything all right here?"

The two ANBU turned speedily in surprise to see Sandaime approaching them with two other ANBU following him to relieve their fellow ANBU from their watch.

"S-Sandaime-sama," the second ANBU exclaimed in confusion, "Didn't you just enter inside the room a while ago?"

In seconds Sarutobi registered what just happened as his eyes widened in horror and shock.

"WHAT," Sandaime exclaimed before running to the door, finding it locked.

"SHIT," Sandaime cursed before breaking the door down, storming into the room with the four Anbu following. They came to see an empty crib and an opened window. Whoever came into the room had posed as him using a Henge No Jutsu and kidnapped Naruto. But the question was who and how did he or she find out about Naruto. This was exactly the situation that Sandaime feared would occur and to his horror it didn't take long for this secret to somehow get out.

Turning to the four ANBU, Sandaime ordered with full authority, "Lock the village down and station as many Jounins and Chuunins at all exit ports to the village as you can! Gather all of the ANBU, and explain to them that Naruto has been kidnapped! Search the village! Search everywhere! I want Naruto found and the kidnapper brought in alive for questioning! We need to found out if he or she is working alone or with an accomplice!"

"HAI," the four ANBU complied disappearing in a puff of smoke. Turning to the empty crib, Sandaime thought, This is exactly what I feared: enemy forces coming against us during our weakest and most vulnerable moments right after a most catastrophic event…Yondaime, for your son's sake and the sake of the entire village, I hope Naruto will be found and brought back safely and fast…

(Meanwhile)

Tsunade was finding it hard to sleep with all the commotion going on outside. She put the pillow over her head to try to drown out the noise but it was to no avail. Frustrated, she got up and walked over to her bedroom door and opened it. Upon stepping out though, she stepped on something with her barefoot. Looking door, she saw something that wasn't in the apartment before, which didn't belong to either her or Shizune. It was a notepaper that had names of clans and organizations written down on it.

"Someone was here," Tsunade realized. A moment later, Shizune ran into the apartment and went over to her sensei.

"Tsunade-sensei," Shizune called out. Turning to the young girl, Tsunade asked, "What is it?"

"All of the exits ports have been sealed off," Shizune explained, "The village is under complete lockdown by order of the Hokage! From what I've heard, there's been a kidnapping of some sort!"

It hit Tsunade like a ton of rocks as she looked at the notepaper in her hands. Clinching the paper tightly until it was crumbled in her fist angrily, Tsunade said, "Wait here!"

Not waiting for a reply, Tsunade stormed out of the apartment.

"Tsunade-sensei," Shizune cried out, but her cries fell on deaf ears as Tsunade speedily ran out to pursue and apprehend the kidnapper. She didn't care about the fact that she was barefooted and still in her sleeping kimono. All that mattered to her was getting to and rescuing Naruto in time. From breaking an entry into her private lodging to kidnapping the newborn that was meant for her to adopt, for what it's worth, the culprit behind these crimes have just incurred her wrath…