Naruto: Legacy of the Sand

Chapter 19: Journey to Uzushiogakure

Not more than a day into their journey. Team Jiraiya followed his lead, and some were curious about where they were going. "Hey Jiraiya-sensei! Where are we going anyway?" Temari asked. Kumo and Jiraiya knew where they were going, and they both sighed. "We are going to the Land of Whirlpools. It used to be the home of the Uzumaki and Senju clans," Jiraiya explained. Naruto, Sora, and Kaze were shocked to learn about this. "Wait! We had our clans had their village?" Kaze said. Jiraiya nodded his head. "Yes, but the village is now in ruins, and that is where we will find Hachishakusama," Jiraiya said. The trio looked at each other and then back at Jiraiya. Fu and Temari held their boyfriends' hands, and Kaze spoke up. "What was our village called, and how do you know we'll find that monster there?" Kaze asked. Kumo spoke before Jiraiya could say something. "We yokai like to be in places that are abandoned, filled with history and death, but I mostly enjoy my cave and the forests before I was sealed in my cave, where you found me," Kumo explained. "And Uzushiogakure fits that description for history and death," Jiraiya started. The group worries about going to this place but trusts their senseis' judgement. "And it wouldn't be the Kingdom of Roran! Since Rasa had given that old city to those aliens," Jiraiya said. Saya thought about something and turned to Kaze. "Hey, Kaze! Why isn't Hinata with us? Weren't you going to ask her to join us?" Saya asked. Kaze looked at Saya. "I asked her and explained what we would be doing, but she wanted us to get stronger in our way! So she's okay with me going on a long journey, and we were being too clingy to each other, and we thought it would be good for us to be a part for a while," Kaze explained. Saya smiled, and the others wondered who would be stronger out of the two of them. "So, who is training Hinata while we're away?" Saya asked. Fu spoke up with a happy tone. "Oh, that would be Lady Tsunade and Lady Shizune," Fu said. Saya went pale at the names, and the others couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "Oh! I just remembered something!" Temari started. Then, she looked at Saya from her left. "Do you have a last name? We only know you as either Saya or Spider. So I'm curious about your last name?" Temari said. Saya looked away, and her head hung. "I'm an orphan! So I don't have a family or a clan," Saya said. Then, Kumo giggled, and everyone else looked puzzled at her. Kumo slowed her walk, came beside Saya, and gave her a box and some papers in an envelope. "I was going to wait until tomorrow for your birthday, Saya. But I guess now is as good as any," Kumo said. Then, Saya looked at Kumo, puzzled. She opened the box, which showed a necklace with a spider-shaped pendant made from Jadeite. "Wait!" Saya started. Then she looked at Kumo.

"Is this!... Jadeite?" Saya said. Kumo softly smiled and nodded. Then, Saya put it on her neck, and a tear shed from her eye. Then, she opened the envelope and pulled out the papers. The group was waiting to hear what the papers said, and then Saya gasped and covered her mouth. Then she looked at Kumo, and most tears started to fall from her eyes and streaming down her face. "Is this for real!" Saya said. And Kumo just nodded again. "What does it say, Saya?" Naruto asked. Saya looked at the group as they all stopped and looked at Saya and Kumo. Saya was hardly getting any words out and was shaking a little. "I'm... I'm... I'm now Saya Kinu!" Saya said. Saya looked at Kumo, who looked at her with a smile. "Welcome to my family, my child!" Kumo said. Saya had no words, so she hugged Kumo tightly and buried her head into Kumo's neck. Kumo smiled and hugged her back. "Wait... 'My child'... Kumo, did you just adopt Saya?" Jiraiya asked. Kumo looked over and nodded. "And I got papers and permission from Kimba, and Kinu is now an official clan to Suna!" Kumo said. Saya was sobbing into Kumo's neck and didn't feel like letting go anytime soon. The group clapped to Saya for being part of a family. She felt she had got the best birthday presents in the shinobi world. Kumo gently picked up Saya in her arms as Saya was still sobbing and clinging to Kumo. "I'll just carry her until we get to the Island or when we stop somewhere," Kumo said. Jiraiya nodded and then led everyone again, heading for the Land of Whirlpools. Then, for several days, Jiraiya's team arrived at the edge of the Land of Fire. "Okay, team! This is where we are camping for tonight before we head into the sea," Jiraiya said. The group nodded, gathered what they needed to make a campfire and used strong tree branches to hold up some of the tents. Soon, everything was set up after several hours of mishaps and fighting. The group gathered around the campfire. Naruto had Temari on his lap, and Temari was leaning on Naruto and resting her head on his shoulder, slowly passing out. Fu sat next to Sora, leaned on him, kissed his shoulder, cutely yawned, and rested her head on his shoulder. The group had just finished eating, and the others looked at Temari and Fu, who were almost having their lights out. "I guess it would be best if you and Sora took your girls to bed, Naruto," Kumo said. Naruto and Sora nodded, and then they picked up their girls and headed to their respective tents while Jiraiya, Kumo, and Saya stayed up a bit. Naruto placed Temari on their futon and was about to leave, but Temari pulled Naruto on their futon and held him close.