IMPERIALS – DATES AND PLANS

Eastern Ewoa

Every time since he was summoned by Sarada, Naruto has responded after being backed into a corner by rising to new heights. He defeated Clyde and helped to save the military from Hashirama. He made new allies, defeated Carmen with their help and learned new techniques at the Military Academy. He incited the War Council to rebel, asked Muto Enri to join that rebellion, and destroyed the Foundry. The latest item on his resume is defeating two royals and curing the Beast Clan of Fauna Blight. Now he searches for a way to top that achievement.

Naruto was training with Sasuke when Hinata suggested their next target. After becoming a class 9 warrior new paths have opened to Naruto. The war no longer needs to be fought with guerrilla tactics, if Naruto moves to the royals he can defeat them, he can take Homeworld back from them. That is why Hinata suggested the largest target of them all, the strongest royal who rules from Homeworld's largest city. That target is of course Queen Mauer Sabine who ran from the last battle. The time has come to make a statement that even the propaganda cannot block out, a statement that this is now longer a mere rebellion.

Naruto is nearby using no divine energy cloaks, granting him his base class 7 energy. With this energy he is practicing his Energy Projection technique. The projected energy when using class 7 energy is class 6, so the speedy Namikaze Minato is the perfect sparring partner for such a training exercise. If Naruto wants to defeat Sabine he will need to master this new power of his; that is why he has been training with Hinata, Sasuke, and Minato. He is determined to make every possible improvement, no matter how small, for that may make the difference in the end.

Hinata stands with her back against an evergreen tree. She is atop a small hill, watching the rebellion's greatest warrior fight against his father. She knows what she is witnessing. As he trains he is getting ever closer to matching the strength of her father. When that happens Naruto may well become the strongest class 9 there has ever been. When that happens it is hard to know if he will stand a chance against Jonas, the emperor having jumped from class 8 to class 10 when he learned his divine ability. At this point Sabine seems to be the only hurdle left to that confrontation, a confrontation that will decide the fate of Homeworld.

"Hinata-sis," Mana says.

"What is it?"

"He has reached the royal level now, and you realise what that means don't you?"

"I don't know what you are referring to specifically, but I bet it's childish."

"It means that he is now stronger than you are ever likely to become," Mana says honestly. "I believe that you will retake the throne and become empress, but it won't be the same. If we win he will be the people's hero, the one they look to in a crisis in the future. That's why it's more important than ever that you make a decision."

"Here we go…" Hinata rolls her eyes.

"Sis, you need to work out what Naruto is to you."

"I have no idea what you could mean."

"Come on, don't be like that. You can't mean to say you forgot what he said to you the first time you met?"

"It has slipped my mind."

"He is your partner from the other world," Mana says. "That is a story that people will get behind. If we win, that story will give the throne importance after the war. Having Homeworld's hero at your side will give you more credibility."

"Are you saying our family lacks credibility?"

"Most people weren't alive when our father was on the throne. The people of Homeworld have long since forgotten what it was like to be led by our family. For those people it may not seem right that we become the Imperial Family again if he has done most of the work. As you know I hate to bring politics into this—"

"Yes, I can tell that you're struggling," Hinata says sarcastically.

"But the image is important. If you and he announce an engagement to the world it would do a lot of good. It would bring stability to the world after the war is over and it would help people to believe in the rebellion now."

"Mana, I am not announcing a royal marriage for your amusement."

"Oh, don't be like that, this is at most eighty-percent for entertainment purposes."

"I agree with Mana," Michel says.

"One is enough, I won't put up with you teasing me as well, Michel."

"I assure you that I am not joking princess. Mana is right, as the successor of Homeworld's first emperor who saved us from the Dark Dimension you were always destined to make important political decisions. Normally we would be against your marriage being political, but this case is different. Technically you were with him before."

"I never met him before that day in the tower!"

"You and the other Hinata are not the same, but your souls have shared the same vessel for years. As time goes on the other Hinata will surely have felt the effects of your soul, and you hers. If he had not been a pocket-worlder, and if you had not been in that pocket-world would things be so different? If Princess Endou Hinata had met a Homeworld genius named Uzumaki Naruto are you saying that there would be nothing between you?"

"That's all speculation."

Mana smiles "Hinata-sis. Your partner from another life happens to be your most valuable ally. If you believe that is a complete coincidence then I don't know what to tell you. Please, just for a moment open yourself to the possibility that you and he could be together. Tell me that it feels wrong and we will drop the subject."

Hinata rests her head against the evergreen tree.

"I am the Princess of Homeworld, he is a pocket-worlder."

"Is that so wrong?" Mana asks.

"Maybe not. No, maybe not. I think… I think that an Official Private Engagement would be appropriate. That is the way this should be done. I am supposed to send the invitation through my chief aide. I believe that is still your official title, right Mana?"

"You're inviting him on a date?"

"An Official Private Engagement!"

Mana smiles, "You're using the official procedures? Aww, are you too shy to ask him yourself?"

Michel chuckles, much to Hinata's annoyance.

"These official procedures were drawn up when the empire was formed," Hinata reminds them, her face turning red. "I am duty bound to follow them."

"I'm sure that your father did the same with your mother," Michel jokes.

"There were no official procedures back then!"

"You're technically not the Princess now," Mana points out, "Nobody will make you follow the official procedures."

"Mana…"

"Just joking sis, just joking. Since we're doing this according to the official procedures I will have to write this down when we retake one of the palaces. Crown Princess Endou Hinata extends an invitation for an Official Private Engagement to Uzumaki Naruto."

"He needs an official title, one that the people of Homeworld will recognise," Michel points out.

"We can work that out later," Hinata says. "For now you can list him as the leader of the rebellion."

Mana stands back and bows to Hinata. It has been a long time before she performed such formalities with her sister, but it is for a good cause; or at least a cause she finds personally entertaining. She approaches Naruto and rehearses the ceremonial recitations in her head. She is glad that she can give him this good news, a possibility of Hinata being his wife again. This moment will be hers to record in the chronicles of Homeworld's history.

Above the Crystal Caves

"You want to free the Empress of the Dark Dimension?"

"Yes."

"You are insane," Shikadai says. "Have you not heard accounts of what she did to this world? She brought it to its knees. I seriously doubt that she will be in a forgiving mood when she wakes up. If this doesn't go exactly according to your plan the rebellion won't have one powerful enemy to deal with, we will have two."

"If things don't go according to plan," Boruto reiterates, emphasising the condition.

"Why are you so confident? What makes you think that you can subdue the empress? The only person who has ever defeated her was—"

"Was our grandfather. Emperor Endou Akashi," Himawari says.

"What are you talking about?" Temari asks.

"The last you heard our mother had died in the battle to free my father from the mercenary Mars. My mother didn't die in that battle, she understood that strange power she has been experiencing. It turns out that our mother has two souls. One of those souls was the Hyuuga Hinata you know, the other is Princess Endou Hinata of this world."

"You're saying that you're royalty."

"We are part of the Imperial Family," Boruto confirms. "My official title now is Crown Prince, or at least it will be if we win the war. Mom calls Himawari the Blaze Princess."

"You're a member of the most significant family groups in both Homeworld and our pocket-world," Shikadai notes. "That can't be a coincidence. I have heard that the Empress Consort, who I suppose must be your grandmother, uses 'fate' energy. Is there any way that she could have influenced things so that you would be in this position?"

"I understand tier 3 'fate' energy myself. Given a few seconds I could influence luck enough to call one-hundred coin-flips correctly. However, even if I was given a year I couldn't influence luck enough for our parents to have met. My father's ability to understand divine energy is beyond anything luck can do. There is something greater behind his powers, something that I can't understand. Perhaps there is a force even greater than fate that is acting upon us, something too powerful for divine energy to influence."

"Does that make a difference?" Inojin asks.

"No," Shikadai admits. "Even if you are a class 9 warrior with remarkable heritage, do you honestly believe that you are capable of contending with the empress? She is one of the most powerful warriors ever."

Boruto answers. "Our grandmother said that we were not strong enough to fight the empress. She might have been speaking out of fear. However, even if she is stronger than we are, we cannot just wait for the Hive Mind to act first. I am going to save Himawari, no matter how dangerous it is to me personally.

"Shikadai, I need your help. Please, is there a strategy here? Is there anything I can do?"

Shikadai begins his mental calculations. He paces back and forward before eventually sitting down, cross-legged and resting his head in his hands. He rubs his thumbs against his temple. He only has rumours to go on, but from the sound of those rumours there is no weakness for the empress. He recalls a lifetime of fighting with Boruto and considers his strengths. No one area of the Shadow 9th Hokage's talents is so overwhelming that it could overcome such a disadvantage. He knows only one power they could possibly use to their advantage. That power is their identity.

"Reason with her," Shikadai says.

"Reason with the woman who wanted to destroy Homeworld?"

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's nothing you haven't done before. I've seen you reason with your enemies, talk them around to your way of thinking. It's a talent you have inherited from your father. If anyone can talk the empress around to helping us, it's the two of you. Tell her your circumstances, ask her for help honestly. You have no advantage over her in combat, so don't fight with your fists, fight with your minds."

"Do you really think that will work?"

"For anyone else, no. For the two of you, it just might."

The Hertz Family Compound

Theresa and Philip walk through the family compound, dressed as immaculately as ever. Clan Leader King Hertz Erik has always told them that they must help to maintain the clan's dignity as the most famous living seers. They dance slightly as they walk, lately they have had visions of what is happening around Homeworld, visions that make them very happy. Despite having only lived in Furst's empire, they have seen the difference between this world and the one Akashi led. They know that most people are counting on the rebellion to win to change their lives. They want the rebellion to succeed so they can enjoy happier visions.

They enter the residence shared by them and their most immediate family members, smiling and walking to the centre. They sit at the table and wait patiently, lighting only a single candle in the darkness.

"Ooh, it's dark and spooky," Philip says, waving his fingers.

"Perfect for sneaking up on people," Theresa says, copying the motion.

They both wait for five seconds to see if anything will happen, but it doesn't. Their ghost story has not played out the way they wanted it to. They were prepared to play along and have some fun, but alas it seems their visitors are not in the mood for games.

"We know you're there," Theresa says.

A man in red armor emerges from the darkness. The man accompanying him wears a blue and white robe, colours that he has favoured for many years now. Sneaking into the Hertz Compound is very difficult for most people, but stealth has always been the speciality of the pocket-worlders. These two have been waiting for some time, waiting for the arrival of the Seer Twins. It is 1st Hokage Senju Hashirama, and he has brought Mitsuki with him.

"How did you know I was here?" Hashirama asks.

"We saw that you would come. Presumably our sight is why you have returned to the Hertz Compound," Philip asks.

"Of course. I do not have many fond memories of this place."

"What do you want to know?"

"You haven't already seen what I want to ask you?"

"Our hearing isn't always so good," Theresa jokes.

"Since I was here last I have been looking for a way to stop the same thing happening twice. The Hive Mind that is trapped in my head was the reason Himawari attacked Sakura, but it was not my will. I am looking for a way to stop the Hive Mind from hurting anyone else, or at least stop it from controlling them."

"Do you know of a method?" Mitsuki asks.

"We do not know of a way to achieve what you seek," Philip admits, doing his best to sound cryptic. "We have seen what you will do next in pursuit of your goals. If you would like we can reveal that path to you, but our intervention may change the way in which our prophecies come to pass."

"I don't have time to work out a next step," Hashirama says. "Tell me where I am going."

Theresa explains. "Your world was visited by a man you are all too familiar with, his name is Tao Ma. When Tao Ma arrived in your pocket-world he started a chain of events that brought you to where you are now, Senju Hashirama. When he killed you it was the beginning of your journey to understand 'death'. That may go down as one of the most important infiltrations into any pocket-world. However, did you know there have been several other infiltrations into your pocket-world?"

"I was there when Clyde and Lara invaded."

"We are not talking about the Generals," Philip says.

Theresa continues. "The most significant visitor your pocket-world received was the former emperor of this world, Endou Akashi. He brought his daughter Endou Hinata to your realm and started her on a cycle of reincarnation, a cycle that eventually gave rise to the Hyuuga Hinata that you knew. In your world he met a man you know as the Sage of Six Paths and briefly spoke with him before departing to Homeworld."

"Did the emperor do something in our world?" Mitsuki asks.

"We don't know what he did there when he spoke with the Sage, but we know that after that he returned to Homeworld. He tried to protect everyone against Furst Jonas one last time, a battle that certainly resulted in his death. But our former emperor was a tenacious man, never has anyone resisted death more. Perhaps the second time he visited your world was more significant than the first."

"Are you saying he came back to our pocket-world after he fought Jonas?"

"Yes. Endou Akashi did not only take his daughter to your world for her reincarnation. Akashi died in your world."

"I understand," Hashirama says. "Then our next step is to return to our pocket-world. If he returned he surely had a reason, there must be something of significance there. Sasuke reported that the portal to our pocket-world was destroyed, is it possible to return?"

"It is not just possible, you will find a way," Philip says. "Return to Military Headquarters where the portals to the pocket-worlds can be found. It shouldn't be a challenge for someone as strong as you are now. You will find a way to reopen the portal to your world, Senju Hashirama. This is the latest step on the road that is your destiny."

Hashirama and Mitsuki sneak away from the Hertz Family Compound having received this knowledge from the Seer Twins. The rebellion may be unwilling to help them but the twins are not. They reunite with Tsunade and the others. Hashirama explains to them that they are returning to his pocket-world, despite knowing the Hive Mind means they need no explanation. He marches forward, glancing sideways at his granddaughter. He hopes that Akashi's death will help them find an answer, an answer to her freedom.

Author Note

Hi All,

Thanks for waiting for this chapter.
I don't think I will need any more breaks until this story is finished.

I hope you enjoy Part 14 - Imperials.

Thanks for reading,
Me

In Response to jenuzumaki
Who asks if Naruto will learn the Flying Thunder God technique

I couldn't say without giving away spoilers.
Sorry.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to m'j doom
Who asks multiple questions

Q1: Was "Part 13 - Afflictions and Royals" the shortest arc?
A1: No, I believe "Part 12 - The Generals" was the shortest with 8 chapters. However, part 12 took 8 weeks to write, part 13 only took 3 weeks.

Q2: Have we seen all the generals fight?
A2: Yes, in "Part 12 - The Generals".

Thanks for reading.

In Response to BusGrunts
Asking if there are any half-Homeworlder half-Pocket-Worlders

Boruto and Himawari arguably match that description.
They can't use divine abilities or training manuals.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to Guest
Asking who the strongest royal is

Sabine is the strongest royal.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to S
Who asks multiple questions

Q1: Are there mythical beasts in this world like dragons or phoenix?
A1: Perhaps, but I haven't got any plans to write about them.

Q2: Asking if Furst limits the Imperial Guards to class 8?
A2: He doesn't limit them. A double-transcendent element, or two transcendent elements are required to reach class 9. This is very rare.

Thanks for reading.

In Response to Sarada chan san
Who asks multiple questions

Q1: Can Sarada become a class 9 warrior?
A1: Unless she understands another element it is mathematically impossible.

A2: Can Boruto use techniques from outside his family tree?
A2: No.

Q3: How many parts do I intend to write?
A3: 15.

Thanks for reading.