The 12 Days of GaaNaru Christmas

V. Five Gold Rings

When Naruto was snugly tucked in bed, three ANBU rushed into his bedroom to wake him up. They caused such a commotion for being elite assassins. They had set off alarms, knocked over nearly everything in their path, and shouted out: "HOKAGE-SAMA!" It was amazing that Naruto didn't so much as even crack one eye open with all the clattering the ANBU did.

The shinobi were startled, to say the least, that even though his house alarm was going off, he was still snoring away in bed. Naruto rolled over in his spot. He attempted to sink into his bed further and avoid doing what he knew he had to do. The ANBU kept on calling his name. Finally the female in the squirrel mask leaned forward to shake him. Before she could touch him, Naruto spoke up, and she jumped back.

"If this has anything to a package sent from the Kazekage that seems to be important… Believe me, it is not at all important," Naruto groaned.

"Hokage-sama, I beg to differ. You need to come see what just arrived on a wave of sand. We need to take care of it before it causes the village to be in an uproar. A few have seen it and are already crying and panicking. You really must come," said the monkey.

Naruto muttered profanities under his breath and threatened to kill Gaara the next time he saw the Kazekage. He threw the covers off of himself in one motion. After a moment, he swung his legs over the bed's edge and placed his feet into his frog slippers. Slowly he trudged out the door. The monkey and horse were in front of him and the squirrel and duck were behind him. They kept attempting to move faster than the Hokage's sleepy pace.

Finally, they were outside of Naruto's house and he just looked around to see what was causing all this trouble. The horse pointed up at the Hokage Monument. Naruto nearly fell back from what he saw sitting on top of the cliff. There, with a pillow of sand underneath the thing, was a grand fifty foot statue. Carved out of limestone, was a scene of Naruto on the Kyuubi's back attacking or defending against Gaara on Shukaku's back who was also in a defensive/offensive stance. Naruto could understand why some of the villagers who got up before dawn would be upset about this, especially with writing in fire at the base reading: "I, Godaime Kazekage, declare war with the Rokudaime Hokage."

Naruto fell to his butt on the pavement. He held his stomach while laughing. The ANBU team that was with Naruto stared at their Hokage in horror. They wondered how he could laugh at something as serious as this. Why would their leader be so light-hearted about a war between villages? Naruto began roaring with laughter as he saw other people's faces. He couldn't stop laughing long enough to explain what was going on.

Just then a jounin came running up with a letter they had just received. Naruto attempted to open it to show everyone that it was just a joke between the Hokage and Kazekage. Finally, he managed to get the letter open. He showed everyone what it said.

"Naruto,

Hope you enjoy this present. The entire village got together to make it.

The flame writing was Kankuro's idea. I expect something good out

of you and your village also.

Patiently, Gaara"

No one knew what to say. Eventually, the sun rose and Naruto had stopped laughing. He stood and brushed off his pajamas. After catching his breath, he informed the ANBU team with him that they were going to have a special mission in delivering something of similar shock value to Sunagakure. Naruto just smirked and stared up at the statue. This was going to be fun.

(643 words)