A/N: I would like to thank my peeps (Waves to Tansy and Woofie). With out them I would have been STUCK… and in danger of a very long long long long long wait for the next chapters… They managed to Un-Stick me… I would also give a shout out to the new people that have put me on the favorite/story alerts… You don't know how much I appreciate it… I would like to welcome you to the insanity that is MY imagination… If you are actually here after 70 chapters, I would like to give you all a medal… That's if I had one to give out…

In the meantime, I am not a review whore… I am not going to beg or hold the next chapter over all of you (Next chapter is finished BTW) if I don't get "X" number of reviews. That's just silly and childish. But I am curious to the thoughts of those that do read the story. Nothing more or less then that. So be kind and drop a line…

Now on with the show!

Normal

"Speech"

Jinchuriki Speech

Thought

Kyuubi

Warnings: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language and adult situations.

Chapter 71: In the Garden of Secrets and Plots

As much as Midoriko loved her private garden in the moonlight, she loved it just as much in the sun. She sat on the swing under the falling leaves of the maple tree staring out on the garden. The last few days had been rather uncomfortable. The healer woman had been summoned in the dead of night when Midoriko had woken Kisame screaming in pain. "It is almost time." The healer woman told the Mizukage. "The Lady Midoriko will give birth any day now. The baby has turned and dropped. We have but to wait." The old woman bowed.

"Good. Have the proper equipment brought to her chamber and Kisame, do not leave her side. I want to know the moment she goes in to labor." Madara instructed.

"What do you plan to do?" Kisame asked.

"I do not yet know what I will do. It depends on many things. The child is a perfect specimen. It has the Uchiha blood I need to survive and it has the blood of the nine tail boy running in its veins. I couldn't have planned it better my self. This child is very precious to me, Kisame. I will have him one way or another. Should my dear Midoriko survive the birth, I will be able to make many more to suit my needs and have a mother to raise my children. If she does not, because demon births are very difficult, I will still have a son that will be my new body in time, I will be able to take back my title as the greatest Uchiha ever, and most of all, I will be able to rule the world as I was intended." The Mizukage walked to the shadows. "Do not disappoint me Kisame." And Madara vanished.

Kisame stared at the shadows where the Mizukage had vanished. Madara didn't care about Midoriko in the least. Kisame fought the conscience he had been developing over the last few months. He was a cold blooded killer not a protector of a pregnant woman. But something about Midoriko's kindness towards him had changed all that. She was never scared of his appearance. She always thanked him for being there for her. Even the day she snuck out of the palace and was seen by Sasuke, she had hugged him and thanked him for keeping her safe. Midoriko had never snuck out of the palace after that. She had told Kisame that it wasn't because she was afraid of being hurt by someone else, but she didn't want to ever see Kisame punished again.

Indeed Madara was furious with Kisame for letting the girl out of the palace. Kisame had received a beating, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. The palace guards at the entrance didn't have it so lucky. Madara had them executed as well as the ninja sentry that had missed Sasuke's entrance into the village. Midoriko was never told of the executions, but somehow she knew this was the consequences for her escape. She took care of Kisame's wounds and was particularly cooperative for the week it took for him to heal.

Kisame walked back up the small hill where Midoriko was sitting on the swing. She looked peaceful, yet lost. She was staring off at the sky like she was waiting for something. "Lady Midoriko, do you like it here?"

Midoriko turned a sad smile towards her constant companion. "Promise you won't say anything to the Mizukage?"

"I wouldn't tell him if you were on fire." He jested.

"I do like it here, but I don't belong here. There is something that has been nagging at me since the moment I woke up. Something that told me this is all wrong. I am grateful to the Mizukage for allowing me to stay and protecting me." Midoriko looked away from Kisame. "But I can't help but feel like the missing part of my memory is out there waiting for me to find it. I have stayed because… because I have seen what happens when I try to leave. My Lord is very adamant about my presence in the palace, and I do not want anyone else harmed because of my desires to leave." A single tear slipped down her cheek.

Kisame gazed at his feet. The Mizukage…No… Madara was going to kill her eventually. She was a toy, a plaything, a breeding sow to Madara. Midoriko winched in pain letting out a short gasp. Kisame rushed to her side. "Are you ok?" He put a hand on her stomach and felt the baby kick.

Midoriko lifted her chocolate eyes to Kisame. "He's not squirming."

Kisame realized he had touched her. He had seen how when Madara would touch Midoriko and she would wince. The healer woman would touch Midoriko and she would shy away. But he had his hand on her stomach and she was not trying to flinch away. "I'm not a threat… At least not anymore." Kisame confessed.

Midoriko blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"No time to explain. I have to get you out of here." Kisame helped her stand. He had not moved his hand from her belly. "Do you think Little One can wait if I tell you we are going to get you out of here?"

There was a look of pure panic on Midoriko's face. But the kick to Kisame's hand told him all he needed to know. Midoriko calmed. "I guess that would be a yes."

0 – 0 – 0

Naruto stood in the Hokage's office next to Shikamaru and Sasuke. Tsunade sat behind her desk keep her calm as best as possible. It didn't help that Naruto looked like he was ready to bolt when given the word go. "Shikamaru, are you sure there isn't another way in?"

"I have gone over everything I was given as well as some other material I found in the library. The Water Country is a cluster of islands. The village hidden in the Mist is a day's travel from the coast on the largest island. As proven by Sasuke, getting in the village is the easy part. Getting into the Mizukage's palace is a completely different issue. The Mizukage's palace is an island on an island. There is one way in and one way out. The palace is almost impenetrable."

"You said almost impenetrable, define almost impenetrable." Sasuke crossed his arms.

"I believe the island itself is an extinct volcano. The Mizukage's palace is in the center of a large crater lake. If it was built on an extinct volcano, then there is a slight possibility that there are caves under the palace. Even our own Hokage tower has escape tunnels and secret passages to safety. It wouldn't surprise me that the Mizukage palace has the same type of secret passages and tunnels leading out of the village." Shikamaru nodded.

"Then that's how we get in. We go through those passages." Sasuke agreed.

Naruto stood by the door. "When can I leave?"

"You aren't going alone Naruto. You are going to need all the help you can get." The Hokage stood up.

"I don't need any help. I can get her out on my own. Besides, anyone I would want to go with me isn't going." Naruto turned his red eyes to Sasuke.

"Hn. I'm not going to stay here and let you hog all the glory." Sasuke grumbled.

"This isn't up for negotiation Teme… You are staying with Sakura if I have to break every bone in your body to make sure you stay." Naruto growled at Sasuke dangerously.

"And what happens if you go ape shit? Huh? What then? Do you think you can stay under control of that temper you've developed over the last few months?" Sasuke smirked.

"I wouldn't be worried about MY temper. I would be more worried about your wife's when she finds out you are running off because of Myra again. You stay with Sakura. Myra is mine to rescue."

The pink haired woman in question pushed the door open. "He needs to go with you." Her eyes were cast to the floor.

Sasuke rushed over to Sakura and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Sakura, I won't go if you tell me not to."

Sakura gazed deeply into his onyx eyes. "I would be lying if I said I was ok with you going. But Myra is important to the both of you. I had to accept that a long time ago. What I'm feeling right now is very confusing and part of being pregnant." Tears started to fall down her face.

Sasuke brushed the tears off of her cheeks. "Which is why I will stay if you tell me you don't want me to go?"

Sakura put her hand on Sasuke's cheek and turned to Naruto. "I know this mission is going to be dangerous and you will have enough on your hands to worry about. But you will bring everyone back safely, won't you?" Her teary green eyes bore into Naruto.

Red anger faded to crystal blue calm. Naruto smiled at her. It was the first genuine smile anyone had seen on him in months. "I will baby sit daddy and make sure nothing happens to him."

Sakura hugged the blonde titan. "Good, because if you don't… You will have to deal with my temper."

Naruto pushed Sakura back over to Sasuke. "Alright Sakura, I'll keep him from doing something stupid."

Sasuke put an arm around Sakura's waist. "Hn. Look who's talking dobe…"

Sakura snuggled into Sasuke's side. "And you," she poked Sasuke in the side, "keep him from doing something stupid." She thumbed to Naruto.

"What do I look like? A miracle worker?" Sasuke eyed his wife.

Everyone snickered, except Naruto who rolled his eyes. "Can we go NOW?"

Sasuke and Tsunade looked at each other. Tsunade stood up. "You are going to need a combat medic, one that can handle the stresses of battle and one that I would trust to keep you two from getting killed."

"Sakura isn't going anywhere!" Saskue and Naruto protested. Sasuke pulled Sakura closer to him. Sakura gazed up at her Uchiha protector and smiled.

Shikamaru shook his head. "You two think Sakura is the only combat medic in the village." He had figured out what Tsunade was doing. "How troublesome…"

"Thank you Shikamaru." Tsunade smiled at him. The Hokage smirked at Naruto and Sasuke. "I am going to claim Hokage's privilage. I will be going with you as your combat medic. Besides," Tsunade glanced over to Sasuke. They had agreed not to tell Naruto of Myra's current condition. If something was to happen and Myra was to go into labor Tsunade wanted to be there to greet her grandbaby… No, granddaughter… It was going to be a girl the old woman could feel it. "I need a good stretch of the legs."

Naruto threw up his hands. "GREAT! NOW CAN WE GO?"

Tsunade noticed the sad look on Sakura's face. "Despite Naruto's impatience, we will leave in the morning." Naruto was about to protest when Tsunade nodded towards Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto grumbled, but accepted he had to wait one more day to get going. He stormed out of the office and headed for the Hokage monument. Lately he didn't like the enclosed space of his apartment. He didn't like the feeling of being closed in. Naruto sighed while he dangled his feet over the side of the Yondiame's head.

"She's alive." He whispered.

"I know Kit and I am ready to go get her back."

"So am I."

"We don't have to wait. We could go on our own."

"Do you really want to listen to oba-chan screaming at us for being stupid?"

"I can handle the screaming… I don't want to get hit."

Naruto snickered. "Ok you got me there… I wouldn't want to get hit either."

The tall red haired man sat next to Naruto. "You do realize this means you have to let me back in."

Naruto turned to look up at the Kyuubi. "I thought you had come back earlier this afternoon? I mean I got all pissed off and stuff. I sounded like you, my eyes even changed."

"Remember, I'm never really gone, I'm just not all there either. You still have access to the chakra I leave behind, just not as much of it while I'm cloning around." Kyuubi chuckled.

"What if I don't want you back?" Naruto looked out over the village.

Kyuubi sighed. "Today was the first time in eighteen years I got to feel the sun on my skin. Our training at night has been fun, but I prefer the warmth of the sun. I would have liked to have taken a nice run through the fields and played in the grass, but a giant kitsune frolicking in the grass would have made a few people a bit nervous."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Frolicking? I can't see you… frolicking."

"What else would you call it? I want to run, jump and play." Kyuubi flashed a toothy grin. "I am an animal after all. But that isn't the point I was trying to make. We came up with this idea of me possessing a clone as a way to give us both some time alone. It worked a lot better than I would have hoped. However, I don't want to be trapped in that cage anymore than you want me stuck in it. Until we come up with a more permanent solution to the problem, it is the reality of the situation. I will admit I can do more as flesh then I can, sitting in the back or your mind."

"Can I change the cage?"

"The cage was a symbol of my incarceration your mind created, so theoretically, yes you could change it. Visualize the cage slightly larger, give me a window and fix the damn drippy pipes. I will make due with that." Kyuubi crossed his arms.

"I think I can do that." Naruto closed his eyes and thought of the cage deep in the sewers of his mind. The first thing he did was move the cage out of the sewer. The blonde thought hard about what would make him happy. A nice little house appeared in a field of green grass surrounded by trees. Naruto slapped the seal on a tree and a thick barrier went up around the area. There was enough room for the giant kitsune to run, jump and play to his hearts content.

There was a loud pop and the man disappeared from sight. The blonde staggered and doubled over. "Great Kami, what did you eat?"

The giant nine tailed fox sat outside the tiny house. "You do realize I can't fit in the house, but otherwise, you did well Kit."

The house changed into a large cluster of rocks and became a den large enough for Kyuubi to fit inside. "Now what did you eat?"

Kyuubi went into the den, turned around and came out again, lying down crossing his giant paws in front of him. "I might have had a few bowls of ramen, a couple of Origiri, a few more bowls of ramen, and some barbeque everything. I hadn't eaten in eighteen years, I was a bit hungry."