Naruto: Legacy of the Sand

Chapter 5: Chunin Exams Part 2: Preliminaries Starts

Standing outside of Tsunade's home in the Uchiha district, Hinata and Kaze waited a minute until someone finally answered the door, but it wasn't Tsunade who answered it. Tenten had asked to be her student and is training under her, along with Shizune. "Yes, can I help you two?" Tenten asked as she looked a little puzzled. Then, she finally noticed Hinata hugging Kaze at his back. "Oh, Hinata!, I honestly didn't notice you for a second." Tenten started and then looked at Kaze. "I hope you're looking after her well, but what can I do for you two?" Tenten said as she crossed her arms and looked at them both, waiting for an answer. Kaze finally spoke, "Is...Is Lady Tsunade in? I want to talk to her?." Kaze asked. Then Hinata poked her head out of Kaze's right side. "Sure, she's in, but let me ask if you're allowed in first," Tenten said as she went into the living room and informed Tsunade and Shizune that Kaze and Hinata were here to see her. Shizune approached the door and offered Kaze and Hinata to come inside. "Please come in, you two; I'll go get tea made," Shizune said as the trio entered the living room. Shizune continued to the kitchen while Kaze and Hinata stood behind one of the couches. Kaze wasn't sure whether to sit down or make eye contact with his Mother, but Tenten sensed some tension from Kaze, and she took Hinata with her to the kitchen so both Kaze and Tsunade would have some one-on-one chat time.

After silence, Kaze finally said, "So...Um...Could you tell me why you gave me up?." Kaze asked, unsure what to ask other than why he was never in her life, "Kaze, please sit down, and I'll tell you." Tsunade said as she still couldn't believe it after all those years that she was looking at her only son again. Kaze sat down on the couch across from Tsunade. Kaze was still uncomfortable being near her, yet Tsunade frowned slightly but changed it to a soft smile again. "Well, truth be told, Kaze, I originally didn't want to give you up." Tsunade started as Kaze listened carefully and kept an open mind to her reason. "I...I give you up because if anyone were to find out you were my son, the council would try and put you on the Clan Restoration Act." Tsunade stated, but Kaze was a little puzzled and spoke up. "What does that act do?." he asked, being a little curious about it, "It makes the council have power and forces the last member of a known clan into forceful marriage, and you're supposed to pick as many girls or women as you want just to restart a clan," Tsunade explained and noticed her son had a pale face once he heard what it meant. "Heck no! They can shove that up there..." Kaze stopped talking once Tsunade raised her hand. "In this house, young man, we don't use nasty words." she said, and Kaze had a sweat drop at the back of his head, "Um...Sorry...I don't want them near me with that..." he started just as Tsunade had placed her hand back on her lap and hearing what her son has to say. "I got a girl, and her name is Hinata. I wouldn't want another girl near me," he said while in the kitchen. Hinata, Tenten, and Shizune hear this, and Tenten and Shizune can't help but giggle at his words. Hinata blushes like the sunset. "As long I'm around, and as long Shizune, Kushina and Tenten are around, that Act will not go near you, son," Tsunade said, reassuring Kaze that he won't be alone.

Just then, Hinata returned and sat on Kaze's lap, leaving Tsunade puzzled and Kaze blushing at this sudden act. "Er...Hinata?..." Kaze said. Then Hinata looked up at Kaze with a severe expression. "That act is not going anywhere near you...And I'll be sure of it because they'll need to go through me first." Hinata said as she leaned on Kaze, resting her head on his chest. Tenten and Shizune giggled as they returned from the kitchen with some snacks and green tea. Then Tsunade spoke to Hinata. "Hinata, as much as I agree with you, but...get in line. I'm the first person those council bastards go through first." Tsunade said, but she changed her serious expression to puzzled once she heard Kaze chuckling. "No swearing," he said, making the others giggle. Tsunade blushed a little, but she also couldn't help but giggle after Kaze told her of her own rule, "But, the point is Kaze. I never wanted to give up, so I left you in Kirigakure, hoping you had a good life." Tsunade started but paused for a minute, thinking about what happened that day, and then she continued. "But only a few weeks after I left you in Kirigakure's orphanage, I got word that you and other children were stolen from the orphanage..." She paused once more, and tears slowly streamed down her face. "It broke my heart knowing you were stolen. Shizune and I came as quickly as possible to find you and the other children," she stated but paused once more to wipe the tears away from her face. "It took us a year to find you, but we couldn't find anything about you or the other children. You and the others were just gone," she said and finished explaining what happened that day. Tenten and Hinata were heartbroken and shocked at what they learned, while Shizune couldn't help but draw some tears after she, too, had failed to find any of the stolen children. Kaze had a tear stream from his right eye after hearing that his Mother was trying to find him but was heartbroken that he was taken away and did not have the life his Mother wanted, "Um...Lady Tsunade..." Kaze softly spoke and gained everyone's attention. "I'm ready to get to know you and our family better," Kaze said as Tsunade was shocked but proud of her son's words. "Sure, Kaze, whatever you want," Tsunade noted that they spent hours knowing each other, learning each other's likes and dislikes, clouding hobbies and their dreams, making Kaze happy to know more about his family, and finally learning where he belongs.