Chapter 36 Here We come
Danzo sat at his desk looking over paperwork, well it was Sasuke Uchiha's desk but since he was off leading the war he had stepped in and taken over the duties of running the village. However the village was already in trouble. The lost of the Leaf Village trading company had hurt everyone. The lower and middle level clans had lost jobs and the upper level clans had lost money.
"Any word from the Hokage?" asked Danzo to this aid Hinata
"No sir." said Hinata "Nothing since Shino sent that report that the Hokage was going off alone to get the demon keys."
"That was two weeks ago." snapped Danzo
"Well sir, the weather is very bad this time of year up there." said Hinata as she tried to explain why they had no reports from any of their forces. "Birds can't fly though a strong storm and those who try likely crash into the sea."
"Send massager hawks and find out where our army is?" demanded Danzo
Meanwhile in the Sand Shikamaru walked into Gaara's office.
"What do you need Gaara?" asked Shikamaru "It is a big risk for me to be here, someone from the Leaf may see us."
"That will not be needed anymore." said Gaara as he held out a scroll with the seal of the Ice Village on it. "Naruto is coming and he is bring is bringing an army with him."
"That is great so he must have defeated Sasuke and his army." Said Shikamaru
"Crushed them and killed Sasuke." said Gaara with a rare smile "Only Danzo remains."
"Well it took a long time but we are ready. Where they going to land?" asked Shikamaru
"They plan to take wave country and use it as a base to march up the road and take the Leaf." answered Gaara
"That simple?" asked Shikamaru
"It is Naruto." Said Gaara
"Ya, and if we take the Leaf then it is likely that the other nation will be in a total rebellion and they will be free." said Shikamaru knowing full well that most people would only take up arms against the Leaf only when it looks like they will fall. "When?"
"There fleet leaves the Moon village today." Said Gaara
"So we have two days." said Shikamaru "I have a lot of things to do."
"We both do." Added Gaara as Shikamaru looked at him. "We are mobilizing our forces to attack the Leaf as well."
"Sakura-Chan I really think you should stay home with the kids if something should happen." Said Naruto as they sat in large cabin on the Ice nation fleet flag ship. While the Ice wasn't a strong navy power like the Moon village, they did have the fastest ships in the world.
"They are at my parents and I want to help free what is left of our old home." said Sakura as she gave him the look.
"I hate how woman can just give me a look and end the debate." Thought Naruto "Luckily Sakura-Chan doesn't do it often."
"So how are you dealing with Katara and Reiji being together?" asked Sakura
"I told you that as long as they are happy who am I to force them apart?" said Naruto
"Ya, now that you had time to think about it did you change your mind?" asked Sakura
"No, I haven't I am just worried just worried if they break up that they may not be friends anymore." said Naruto
"I don't think they will break up." said Sakura with a smile.
"I don't have time to worry about this right now." said Naruto as he sat on the bed and rubbed his temples. "I am just hoping Danzo is smart and decides to give up before anyone gets hurts."
"I hate to burst it to you Naruto but it isn't likely." said Sakura "I am actually surprised you sent the message."
"I had to try, too many people have died on both sides." said Naruto
"Here maybe this will help." said Sakura as she moved so she was behind Naruto and started to rub his shoulder and upper back. Instantly Naruto relaxed as Sakura started to give him a back rube.
Meanwhile in the cargo hold of the ship, multiple Ice ninjas lied in hammocks or sat around playing cards. Unlike Naruto and Sakura most ninjas didn't have their own private rooms. Most rested in large rooms with beds built into the wall. However since they where carrying a lot more ninjas for an invasion so hammocks where being hung in the cargo bay.
"I hate the ocean." said Saito as he fought back the urge to throw up.
"You look like you do." said Reiji with a laugh as he lied in a hammock above his best friend.
"So Reiji are you happy to be freeing your old home?" asked Katara as she lied in her own hammocks.
"In a way, I don't remember much about my time in the Leaf, I remember the Hokage monument and the stone faces on it, my backyard and a few people." said Reiji "And some of them where not the greatest people like my sister's friend Ino and Sasuke. Those red sharingan eyes scared me for the longest time."
"I have those eyes." thought Katara as if sensing her worry Reiji added to his statement.
"However I learned that I wasn't afraid of the eyes themselves." Said Reiji as he turned his head and locked eyes with Katara. "I was afraid of the hate within Sasuke himself."
"I could kiss you right now." said Katara
"You two are making me sick." said Saito "More then the ocean does."
"I am just happy you are not trying to kill me." said Reiji with a laugh
"If he tried he knew I would end him." said Katara
"Ya, but can we set some ground rules?" asked Saito
"Like what?" asked Katara "No tongue in front of you."
"For sure!" yelled Saito "Also no kissing or anything else."
"I don't think so." said Katara "Why don't we settle on kissing but no tongue."
"Fine." said Saito thinking that that had won a fight against his sister and her boyfriend however he was wrong.
"We never done tongue." thought Reiji
"Yet." said Inner Reiji with a grin
"Katara must be making Saito think we have so that she can get a better deal." Thought Reiji
"Probably." said Inner Reiji "She will control us in the end."
"That is for sure." Thought Reiji
"So Reiji I have to ask are you going to go back to the Leaf?" asked Saito as Katara's eyes widened she hadn't thought that he would go back to the Leaf.
"No, the Ice is my home." said Reiji "I wouldn't mind an ambassadors stay or something like that but not a permanent stay."
"Ya in a way Saito the Leaf is our home too." said Katara as Saito looked at her "The Uchiha clan comes from the Leaf and we are Uchihas."
"If you want to think that way then do and I don't." said Saito as the ship kept moving in the ocean.
Shortly after sun rise Danzo walked into the Hokage's office, even though he was over 85 years old he still go up at sun rise ever day. The moment he sat down an aid came rushing in.
"Lord Danzo!" yelled Hinata as she placed a scroll down on the table
"What is it?" asked Danzo "Did we finally get a message from our forces?"
"No it is a scroll from the Ice." Said Hinata as Danzo's eyes widened as the Anbu around the room went on high alert.
"Alright open it slowly." ordered Danzo as they opened the scroll suddenly a puff of smoke filled the room. Out of that smoke appeared Naruto. The Anbu guards pulled their weapons as Hinata blushed.
"Wow you actually opened this in your office?" asked Naruto as Danzo looked at him.
"You're a clone right?" asked Danzo as Naruto nodded. "If you came to ask for mercy you will find none."
To his surprise Naruto just laughed "Actually I came to offer you mercy."
"What?" asked Danzo
"You haven't heard anything from your armies our your Hokage have you?" asked the clone Naruto with a grin.
"You have killed them haven't you?" asked Danzo
"Well I didn't kill Sasuke per say, his niece sent him flying into the demon world where he was killed by them." said Naruto with a grin "Personally he got what he deserved, being eaten alive by those things."
"That is our Hokage!" yelled Danzo
"He was a monster." said Naruto "Besides it doesn't matter, what matters now is how many people are going to die now?"
'You can't touch us." said Danzo "We are the most powerful nation in the world."
"We can do more then touch you." said Naruto with a grin "We will crush you."
"Naruto you don't have the strength to attack this village yourself and if you do I will make sure that ever single man woman and child die." said Danzo "Can you live with all that blood on your hands, the blood of your friends."
"Ya, Danzo I could." said Naruto "Everyone who I really care about is alright out of the village. True there are a few I would be sorry to see die but if needed I would."
"But Naruto-kun what about me?" asked Hinata as Naruto turned and looked at her. "I thought you love me?"
"Sorry Hinata but no, I am married to the woman I love and we have two kids together." said Naruto "I never loved you that way."
"Can we move on?" asked Danzo
"Yes, so do you surrender?" asked Naruto, Danzo's answer came when he threw a kunai into Naruto's chest. Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"I'll take that as a no." said the real Naruto as his clone's memories came back to him.
"They said no didn't they?" asked Sakura as she stopped the back rub
"Ya." said Naruto
"I want all our forces brought on high alert!" yelled Danzo
"Sir, we are down to only about 1/10th of our total strength." said an ANBU "Depending on how many come we may not be able to stop them."
"I see, you may all leave." ordered Danzo as everyone left the room. "I may have only the one choice I may have to use the justu to bring down Naruto for if I can stop him I can force them to surrender."
The next morning in the land of waves an old man was up early walking his dog. He walked by a bridge he had built all those years ago. He still called it the Great Naruto bridge even though Danzo had renamed it after himself.
"Sometimes I really hate the Leaf nation." said Tazuna as he looked to the other side of the bridge where a small Leaf base sat. The bases goal was to control the bridge so they could control the land of waves. "I just wonder what happened to Naruto, he and Sakura where the only two leaf ninjas I have met who where nice."
His thoughts where interrupted when a series of load sounds rocked the stillness of the early morning darn. Without warning the base went up in a giant fire ball. "What the?" asked Tazuna as he looked out to sea only to see a mass of dark ships heading his way.
The ships gave another thunders roar followed shortly by more explosions. One ship came up a lot faster then the others. It wasn't as large as the other ships but it was larger then the smaller ships that where now heading to shore on mass. However what caught his eyes was the tall blonde hair man who was standing on top of a look out tower with a pink haired woman.
"Is that Naruto and Sakura?" asked Tazuna
Meanwhile Reiji, Saito and Katara ran off on of the landing crafts hitting the soft sand just in case of an attack but none came.
"Welcome to fire country." said Reiji as he looked at his teammates.
On board the ship Naruto looked out over the landing of the combined forces. They where marching ashore without a fight.
"We are finally going to end this." said Sakura
"Ya, but a lot of people will die." said Naruto sadly.
Well Naruto and his army is on the way to the Leaf and soon the finally battle will begin and I have plans that I think will surprise you. (Evil grin) Now I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of 2009 and I hope you await the first chapter of 2010. Now until we meet again I wish you all a happy new years and please read and review. Thanks Wilkins75.