Uzumaki's Wrath
Chapter 16
"I missed you more than you'll ever know buddy." Aang said as he hugged Appa. They were currently near the edge of the river and the land….like everything in the Earth Kingdom, was rocky.
Naruto smiled at his bald headed friend as Appa licked the smaller boy.
"Look, we escaped from the Dai Li, we got Appa back, I am telling you, we should go to the Earth King now and tell him our plan." Sokka said to them while Aang was with his giant friend. "We're on a roll!"
"One good hour after weeks of trouble isn't much of a roll." Katara stated.
"We can build on it, if we want to invade the Fire Nation when the eclipse happens; we'll need the Earth King's support." Sokka said.
"What makes you think we'll get it?" Toph said as she sat on the ground. "I don't know if you have noticed, but things don't go that smoothly for our little gang."
"I have to agree." Naruto said. "Since coming to this place, we have not had much luck. Are you sure you want to push it?"
"Yes!" Sokka said, "I have good feeling about this. This time will be different."
"Sokka! Long Feng is in control of the city. His conspiracy with the Dai Li is too powerful." Katara countered. "I think we should just keep flying and leave this horrible place behind us."
"I am with Sweetness." Toph replied, really wanting to just get the heck of this place. "I have seen enough of Ba Sing Se and I can't even see!"
"But now that we have Appa back, there is nothing stopping us from telling the Earth King the truth!" Aang said as he long jumped to them, having heard everything. "About the Conspiracy and the War."
"See, Aang's with me!" Sokka said happily. "It the whole reason we came here in the first place! We have to try."
"Sokka, do you really think the Earth King, will even listen to us and that he has any power left?" Naruto asked.
"I would think so!" Sokka said. "The guy can't make all the power of the Earth King his, right?"
"That does make sense." Jin said thoughtfully.
"Fine, I am in, but you better not be wrong." Naruto said with a frown.
"I guess if the Earth King knew the truth, things could change." Katara said thoughtfully.
"I don't trust the new positive Sokka." Toph said while get up. "Long Feng brainwashed you, didn't he?" she yelled out jokingly.
"First, he has to have brain." Kyuubi smirked, making the group chuckle before they noticed boats on the river.
"That's probably the Dai Li searching for us. So?" Sokka asked.
Katara thought about it for a moment and then said, "Let's fly!"
"Oh…joy." Toph said as she followed them.
"I am right there with you." Kyuubi yawned out.
XXX
Appa roared as he soared over the city of Ba Sing Se. They were nearing a very large castle like building in the distance.
"Can we please buy a new saddle? Riding bare back is terrifying!" Toph yelled as she held on for dear life.
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." Naruto said as he put his hand on the girl back. That seemed to calm her down…somewhat. She was still scared but she believed Naruto.
"There it is, that whole thing is the palace." Sokka said as they neared the castle like place. "The Earth King's chamber should be in the center.
"Heh, I guess we really are doing this." Kyuubi said, somewhat miffed.
"You know, I have never even been to see this Earth King, this should be fun!" Jin said excitedly.
"We have to be careful." Katara warned them. "Long Feng has probably warned the king that we are coming."
"Why would you assume that?" Sokka asked.
"Because they are hurtling giant rocks at us." Naruto said calmly.
"Wait what? AHH!" Sokka yelled as one of the rocks nearly hit them, but thanks to Aang expert flying skills, they were not hit. "AAAAAHHH! More in coming!"
"I knew this was a bad idea!" yelled a freaked out Toph.
"Anyone got a plan for this?" Kyuubi yelled.
"Fly and hope we don't hit!" Aang replied.
"That is not much of a plan!" Kyuubi and Toph cried.
"I got this handled." Naruto said as he stood up and was sticking to Appa with chakra. The skies began to darken a bit with clouds and that was all Naruto needed. "Storm Style: Laser Circus!"
"Laser what?" They all yelled before the static in the air formed a large halo of lightning above the blond boy, making their eyes widen.
Naruto smirked before he released the attack and sent a barrage of lightning on the ground, destroying all the catapults. Aang looked at his blond haired friend in worry. Naruto rolled his eyes and said, "Don't worry, I didn't kill anyone."
Aang sighed in relief before he turned his sights on the ground again to see a whole platoon of earth benders, ready to fight them. The bald Avatar bounded off Appa and used earth bending to topple them all over when he landed.
Appa landed and all he had to do was growl and he scared away the leader of said platoon and his….ostrich horse. It was quite a comical sight to the small fox on his head.
As they ran down the walked way that lead to the palace, earth benders shot out of the ground and began to pelt them with large square stones. Aang used his staff to block a good amount of them while Toph and Jin helped to shield them, front and back. Naruto and Sokka got the one that they missed. They were a team at this, a well-oiled machine.
While the earth benders of the group blocked, Katara used her water bending to whip away the royal guards. "Sorry!" She kept yelling. When they saw another platoon coming for them, Toph use her earth bending to topple them over and trap them, half underground. "Sorry! We just need to get through to see the Earth King!"
"You do realize that apologizing at this point is pointless, right?" Kyuubi asked, but she just ignored him.
Naruto saw a line of earth benders pick up a few giant statues and fling them at his ground. NO WAY IN HELL! He thought with a glare as he started to run ahead of them, but time seemed to slow down to a halt around him. With everything in a time freeze, he looked around in confusion before he saw the Sage again. "Um…we are kind of busy at the moment."
"I know, but it is time you used some of the power I gave you. You don't need the eyes to do these three attacks." The Sage said as he walked forward and unlocked the attacks for him.
In a flash, Naruto knew what to do. It was time to use the ninja version of gravity bending. Time then went back to normal as he jumped in front of the group, arms spread out in front of him. "Allow me! Shinra Tensei!" He pushed a large amount of his energy to do this and the result was a large pulse the rocked the ground before moving upward and catapulting the large statues back at the earth benders, but luckily for them, the statues flew over them AND the building. They were, however, knocked off their feet due to the shock wave.
Naruto fell to his knees in exhaustion. Damn, that attack takes a lot out of me. Going to have to practice that more. Screw those other attacks he gave me, this was enough for me. He thought as he watched Katara use her watering bending to whip the soldiers into the small mote they were near before freezing the water.
Toph helped her blond boyfriend back to his feet and said, "Are you ok? That attack was nuts!"
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Naruto said, a little out of breath as they ran with the ground to get into the building. When they reached the stairs, they found….a lot, and it seemed there were a lot more guards ready to defend the palace. Toph smirked before she ran up to it and brought down the stairs, making all the guards on it, slide down rapidly. Aang and Toph, then rose a section of the ground underneath them and brought them up the flat stairs in rapid secession.
Kyuubi felt that it was funny that Sokka and Katara were both apologizing to the falling soldiers, like they would hear them. Naruto and Jin saw there were more soldiers were not stupid enough to come after them on the stairs, and they used their earth bending skills to plow them away with walls of earth. "In there!" Sokka yelled as they ran through the front doors.
As soon as they came to a four way room, Sokka asked, "Toph! Which way to the Earth King." Toph used earth bending to make all the guards that just came after them get stuck on the ceiling thanks to earth pillars.
"How should I know? I am still voting we leave Ba Sing Se!" Toph shouted out. Sokka rolled his eyes before he searched the doors that lead to other places and scared a poor woman who was dressing herself.
"Sorry! Wrong door!" He shouted, closing the door.
XXX
Iroh and Zuko entered their home, although Zuko looked very tired for some reason. "You did the right thing." Iroh said with a smile and he closed the door. "Letting the Avatar's bison go free."
"I don't feel right." Zuko groaned out as he held his head before he collapsed and passed out.
"Zuko!" Iroh shouted in worry as he rushed to his nephew.
XXX
The gang found a hallway with a large door at the end, which must have led to the Earth King. "Now that's an impressive door! It gotta lead to somewhere." Sokka said as he ran to it and tried a flying kick to it. However, he just hurt his leg and fell on his back.
"Oh very impressive." Kyuubi laughed as he and Appa came to him with the group.
As he got up, a little annoyed by the fox, he tried opening the door the regular way. Too bad Aang didn't warn him he was going to use air bending to literally blow the doors off their hinges. He and the doors flew right into the large room. "A little warning next time!" He shouted as he got back up.
They ignored him as they all ran to a few yards away from the Earth King, elements and weapons ready, just in case because Long Feng was stand right next to the stone faced Earth King and Dai Li agents stationed in front of the man as well.
They saw he was a skinny man in impressive Earth Kingdom clothes. He also had his giant, regular bear next to his throne.
"We need to talk to you!" Aang said firmly.
Long Feng looked to his king and said, "They are here to over throw you!"
"No, we are on your side!" Sokka replied. "We are here to help!"
"You have to trust us!" Katara said.
The king looked angry at that as he stood up. "You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, break down my fancy door, and you expect me to trust you!"
Jin sweat dropped at that. "He has a good point." Toph said.
"True, we did just barge in like invaders." Naruto said with a sweat drop on his own head.
"If you are on my side, then drop your weapons and stand down!" The king ordered.
The gang looked at each other before sighing. Aang dropped his staff, Katara put her water away, Jin and Toph dropped the earth they held up, Sokka dropped his weapons, and Naruto cut the electricity he was feeding to his claws and dropped them as well.
"See, we're friends you Earthiness!" Aang said with a smile.
Kyuubi gawfed at that, barely holding in his laughter. He was at the door, since Appa was hesitant to go in at the moment.
Long smirked before he signaled his men to bind them with earth cuffs. He had them right where he wanted. Fools. "Detain the assailants!" Long Feng ordered as his Dai Li agents got behind them.
"But we dropped our weapons. We're your allies!" Sokka shouted.
"Make sure the Avatar, the Golden Fox, and their friends never see the day light again." Long Feng 'advised' the Earth King.
"I knew this was a bad idea." Naruto grumbled to himself.
"Wait, the Avatar!" The Earth King said in shock. "AND the Golden Fox! The Avatar and a freaking super hero?"
The hell? Naruto thought. Just what type of shit is this guy being fed?
"You're the Avatar?' The King asked, pointing to Sokka.
"No, him." Sokka said, nodding his head to Aang.
"Then are you the Golden Fox?" The king asked.
"No, that would be the golden haired one." Sokka sighed.
"What does it matter you highness? They are enemies of the state." Long said firmly.
"Perhaps your right." The king said a little gloomily while he watched his bear walk up to Aang and then lick him, making the boy laugh. "Though Basco seems to like him. I will hear what he has to say." That made Long narrow his eyes in anger, but that was the only reaction he had.
"Well sir." Aang began as he walked up a few feet. "There's a war going on right now. For the past one hundred years in fact. The Dai Li has kept it secret from you. It is a conspiracy to control the city and to control you!"
"A secret war!" The king asked in shock. "That's crazy!"
"Completely." Long Feng said.
"Is it?" Naruto interjected his voice deadly serious. "Then WHY would he go to such lengths to keep us from you for so long? He stole Aang's sky bison to blackmail us. That and he brain washed a friend of ours into attacking us."
"All lies." Long Feng said as he turned to the King. "I have never even seen a sky bison, your majesty. Frankly, I thought they were extinct."
"Your claim is difficult to believe. Even from an Avatar." The King said as he sat down.
Long Feng then got in the man's ear and said, "These hooligans are part of an anarchist cell that my agents have been tracking for weeks. If you listen to them, you're playing right into your own destruction."
Naruto glared heatedly at the head of the Dai Li. He had enhanced hearing thanks to Kyuubi being in him at one point.
"I have to trust my advisor." The king said before the Dai Li agents tempted to take them.
"Are you sure he is not just your puppet master instead of an advisor." Naruto stated. "Are you sure HE is the one not lying to you?"
"What do you mean?" The King asked.
"From what I can see, you listen to everything HE says, not bothering to use YOUR own judgment. YOU are the King here, not him. So I guess he has already won in that area." Naruto stated with a poker face. "However, he may have twisted what it is like out there in the REAL world. BUT, have you actually gone out of your palace and interacted with YOUR people and not just the high ranking nobles, I mean EVERYONE. Have you personally seen what it is like in YOUR city?"
At the King's embarrassed look and Long's irritated look, he sighed. "I guess I was right."
"But, you don't have proof, do you?" The King asked curiously.
"I guess that is a good start." Naruto replied with a smile. "To begin, Long Feng has a bite mark on his leg that was made by said Sky Bison. We can prove this as well because it is here. Aang, if you will."
Aang smiled, Naruto was good at this. "Sure. APPA! COME ON IN BUDDY!"
"OH FINALLY!" A voice shouted, making Jin giggle despite the situation. "Appa, hurry up and move your furry ass so I can actually see who the king of this place is!" There was a roar of affirmation.
"Who was that?" The King asked seriously.
Naruto just smiled, "That would be what helped make me the Golden Fox. His name is Kyuubi."
"That's my name! Don't wear it out!" Kyuubi called as Appa made his way into the room, making the King widen his eyes as seeing the beast and a talking nine tailed fox!
"Wow, it does exist!" The King said in shock. He then turned to Long Feng and said, "Please show this mark they talk about." Long rolled his eyes but did as he was told, showing the mark. At this point, he figured he had lost…this round at least.
"See." Aang said as he showed the teeth of Appa and then the mark, which looked identical.
"Well, that pretty much proves it." The King said
"YEAH!" The group cheered, with Toph and Katara giving Naruto a kiss on the cheek for his quick thinking.
"But it doesn't prove this crazy conspiracy theory." The King retorted. That made the group groan. "Though I suppose this matter is worth looking in to."
The group looked at each other and mumbled that they would take it. Although, Naruto had a twitching eyebrow. Seriously? This what Long Feng had to deal with?
Long Feng, with a defeated face, walked away with his agents, but this was FAR from over in his opinion.
XXX
"You're burning up." Iroh said as he tended to his nephew on his cot. The boy was not well. "You have an intense fever, this will help cool you down." He then put a wet rag on the teen's forehead.
"So thirsty." Zuko rasped out as he tried to get up, but Iroh made him lie down.
"Here is some fresh water to drink. Stay under the blankets and sweat this out." Iroh ordered as he gave the boy some water with a ladle, but Zuko greedily drank the water before tossing the ladle away and downing the bucket of water. He then got back under the blankets while coughing.
XXX
"So this is what a train is like." The Earth King said as he and the gang rode the train, but it was a bit uncomfortable because all the citizens where just staring at him in shock. "I didn't realize it would be this…public."
"Well, this is a public transportation and many people use these trains daily to get around places in the city." Naruto informed him.
"So you really have never been outside the upper ring before?" Katara asked in disbelief.
"I have never been outside the palace." The King said with a smile before he pointed outside. "Now that's the way to travel!" Kyuubi and Momo were riding atop of Appa's head. "So, may I ask where we are going?"
"Underneath Lake Laogai, your Kingliness." Sokka replied. "To the Dai Li's secret headquarters. Your about to see where all the brainwashing and conspiring took place.
If it is even there. Naruto thought with a scowl on his face. If he is like his ancestor, we will have a problem.
Jin saw all the confused and shocked looks going towards the King and she could tell it was bothering him. "Would you like to know why they are staring at you like that?"
"Yes, that would be helpful." The King said as he shifted in his chair.
"Well, to be honest, many people, myself included, didn't think you existed and if you did, we did not think you cared about us." Jin said. "And that is why it is such a shock to see you out and about."
"I see." The King said sadly as he thought to what the Golden Fox had said to him. Maybe they were right and Long Feng had been using him. The old man did make sure he never left the palace for some reason.
XXX
Once they were back at the lake, Toph worked her magic and brought up the entrance to the secret hide out, but what rose was a bunch broken rocks, making Naruto nearly curse. "It's gone!" She exclaimed.
"Aw don't tell me….that's ok, I still have my positive attitude." Sokka said, trying to reassure himself.
"The Dai Li must have known we were coming and destroyed all the evidence!" Katara deduced.
"Hmm, that seems awfully convenient" The King said with a frown.
"Hey, if anything, this proves the conspiracy even more." Sokka defended them.
"You have a point." Naruto said with his arms crossed. "Why they use earth bending to break a part the headquarters if they have nothing to hide."
"I see, but I still need more proof for this. If you cannot prove the conspiracy is real, then Long Feng was right. This is a waste of time." The King stated as he begun to walk away. "If you'll excuse me, I am going back to the palace."
Katara pondered what to do until she remembered how they got to the city in the first place. "The Wall! Sure the hole is filled up because of Naruto, but the machine is still there! It has to be."
"She has a point." Toph said.
"Oh yeah!" Aang said as his used air bending to get in front of the King. "If you come with us to the outer wall, we can prove to you that the secret war is real!"
"No Earth King has ever been to the outer wall." The King said with a frown on his face.
"Then you would be the first." Naruto stated, peaking his interest.
"Yeah, and you can be the first Earth King to ride on a Sky Bison!" Sokka said, playing Naruto's game. Naruto smirked as that got the Earth King's full attention.
XXX
"AAAHHH!" the Earth King screamed out almost like a little girl as he rode atop Appa.
"First time flying?" Toph asked, still a bit freaked out with Naruto in between them, sit calmly.
"It is both thrilling and terrifying!" The King said excitedly.
"Yeah, I hate it too." Toph deadpanned.
"Eh, you get used to it." Kyuubi said as he jumped on to the Earth King's shoulder, making the man widen his eyes.
"I have to ask, what are you really? Because I have heard stories of you from the story tellers in the palace." The King asked.
"Let me guess, they all said I was an evil spirit that wanted total destruction of the world." Kyuubi deadpanned.
"Yes, but I never understood why." The King replied.
"Well, there are always dangers of time travel and we ran right into one that changed us, just because we were curious of the past." Kyuubi said. The King nodded, he may not be that social with his people, but he was not dumb either. He understood what the Kyuubi was getting at. An Evil known as the old Juubi.
The King sighed before saying to the group, "I have to be honest with you, part of me really hopes that what you are telling me about this war, isn't true."
"I wish it wasn't." Aang said sadly.
"You and me both." Naruto said from his spot next to the Earth King. The King then saw that Naruto's eyes were different. Much like the battle hardened warriors of his guard. The ones that have actually been outside the walls.
XXX
As Iroh tended to his sick nephew, Zuko was having very strange dreams. He dreamt he was the Fire Lord and he was in the spot where the Fire Lord usually sat. Surround by four pillars and a wall of flames.
He was staring out on to his men with no emotion on his face. However, that soon changed when two dragons came near him, twisting around the pillars until they were on either side. One was blue while the other red.
"It is getting late." The blue one said with Azula's voice, "Are you planning to retire soon, my Lord?"
"I'm not tired" Zuko replied.
"Relax Fire Lord Zuko." Azula's voice rang out soothingly. "Just let go, give in to it. Shut your eyes for a while." Her words where indeed making Zuko's eyes droop.
However, the red dragon was not having this and in Iroh's voice, he shocked Zuko out of his daze. "NO! Fire Lord Zuko! Do not listen to the blue dragon! You should get out on here right now. GO! Before it is too late!"
"Sleep now Fire Lord Zuko." The blue dragon stated softly before the dragons disappeared and the pillars were falling apart, making Zuko's eyes widen in panic. The dream got worse as the room was disappearing, the fire around him was going out, and his men were falling apart. Soon, there was nothing but darkness all around him.
Then, the Blue Dragon appeared a few feet in front of him and said, "Sleep now. Just LIKE MOTHER!" it then lunged at him before everything went black.
Then, in the darkness, their mother appeared, "Zuko! HELP ME!"
Zuko could barely react because the darkness sucked him in like a vacuum.
XXX
"It's still there!" Aang said as he pointed to the large machine that had large holes in it from Naruto's Golden Fox form. There was also a wall of earth round it.
"What is that!" The King asked in shock.
"It's a drill. A giant drill made by the Fire Nation to break through your walls." Sokka said.
The King looked shocked at that as his mind was in over drive, but he was expecting to see a large whole. "I don't see a hole though."
"You can thank me and Kyuubi for that." Naruto offered. "We went in our Golden Fox and created lava to seal up the hole. Those large holes are teeth marks as well, created when we ripped out the drill with our teeth." The King blinked in awe at that. He had heard the Golden Fox form was huge. Still he wanted to see it for himself.
XXX
They landed on the wall and the King looked over the wall in shock at the giant drill. "I can't believe I never knew." He said in sadness until Long Feng and his agents rose out of the wall.
"I can explain this your majesty." Long said. "This is nothing more than a construction project."
"Really?" Katara replied, not believing the man would try something like this. "Then perhaps you could explain why there is a Fire Nation insignia on your little 'construction project."" The King looked at his 'advisor' with a frown.
Long looked anywhere but the King and said, "Well it is imported of course. You know you can't trust domestic machinery." He then looked to the group and saw no one was buying it. Not even the King. "Surely you don't believe these children instead of your most loyal attendant?"
The King looked thoughtful at this. This group of children had shown him more than Long ever had. They had no reason to lie to him. They just wanted to stop something that adults usually caused. He looked to Naruto, who just looked impassive, but his words still echoed in the King's mind. Use your own judgment, not others'. "Dai Li, arrest Long Feng, I want him to stand trail for crimes against the Earth Kingdom!"
Long Feng's eyes widened in horror. His King was following the advice of some KIDS? This was so unfair! However, it didn't matter as his own agents binded him and dragged him away. "You can't arrest me! You all need me more than you know!" he yelled out, but was ignored, except by Naruto, who walked over to him.
"Sorry old man, but you will not succeed like your ancestor, Danzo, did." Naruto said with a smirk, while Long sneered.
"You will pay for this…BOY!" Long Feng roared while the Earth King's eyes widened in horror. He had heard stories of the past as well. To think this man was like the bad guy of those old stories.
"Looks like Long Feng is long gone!" Sokka laughed. "Oh yeah, I have been waiting to use that one!"
"Hey! I wanted to say that!" Kyuubi cried, making Jin and the others laugh.
The King then turned back to Naruto and asked, "Could you please show me the Golden Fox form. I heard it was impressive!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Aye, it is" He then turned to the small fox and said, "Let's show him for fun."
"Meh, whatever." The fox said before he jumped onto Naruto's head and they just walked off the wall, shocking everyone.
"Naruto/Kyuubi!"
ROAR!
Everyone looked over the wall to see the giant golden fox once more, with the King having stars in his eyes. The guards just had dropped jaws. "So, what do you think?"
"Awesome!" The King cried out.
XXX
They were back at the palace and the king was on his throne. "I want to thank you, young heroes. For opening my eyes. All this time, what I thought was a great metropolis, was merely a city of fools. And that makes me, the King Fool." The King said sadly as he put a hand over his eyes in shame. "We're at war, with the Fire Nation."
"That's why we came to Ba Sing Se your Highness. Because we think you can help us end this war." Sokka said.
"We don't have much time." Aang began, "There is a comet coming. Its energy will give the fire benders unbelievable strength, they'll be unstoppable."
"But there is hope." Sokka said. "We have a window of opportunity, a solar eclipse is coming. The Sun will be entirely blocked out by the moon and the fire benders will be helpless."
"What are you suggesting Sokka?" The King asked.
"That's the day we need to invade the Fire Nation. The day of Black Sun." He said.
"I don't know." The King said, unsure of this plan. "That would require moving troops out of Ba Sing Se. We'd be completely vulnerable."
"That may be true." Naruto interrupted. "But you already are if the Fire Nation can get through that big wall with that drill. The Fire Nation will not stop until they have the world under their thumb. They have already taken out the Air Benders a hundred years ago thanks the comet's first passing. Aang was just lucky he escaped." Aang looked sad at that. "They tried to take down the Water Tribe by taking out the Moon, but they failed because of the Avatar and his friends. NOW, they want to try it with YOU. They will use that comet to talk this place down."
"I see." The King said, a bit uncomfortable, remembering that the moon did go black a while ago.
"Now, since this Avatar does not like bloodshed, I suggest, instead of killing them, we make them surrender." Naruto said, and Aang looked happy that his friend was not suggesting they kill anyone, "So what do you say? Lie down and wait for them to knock down your door and kill you where you stand, or take the offensive so you can stop this war sooner than later!"
Everyone looked at Naruto with a smile. He was good with fighting and words it seemed. Toph smiled, he had really changed from that lazy kid to a real man in her eyes. That was fine with her! Katara also blush a bit. Sokka just smirked, he didn't know if he could say it any better. Jin was just glad she got with this group. It was exciting!
"Very well." The King said with a smile of his own after he thought about it. "You have my support."
They all cheered at that until Naruto spoke and dropped another bomb. "Good, that's one problem out of the way."
"One problem?" The King asked while the group looked at their friend.
"Oh, you're talking about the Juubi." Kyuubi stated, making the King's eyes widen.
"Yes. The comet will be the final breaking point for the seal on the moon. We will not only have the Fire Nation to deal with, but the thing that has been controlling things from the shadows. The Juubi itself. But that is not for a while now."
Aang gulped. That was something he did not want to fight."
"How would we even beat that?" The King asked.
Naruto smirked. "While we will have help from other nations in this war, we also have help from the past. My group, the 9. Their animal partners will create the New Juubi, with Kyyubi's mind at the forefront. We will have the New Juubi, the Avatar, and me the Child of Prophecy to beat that thing."
"I see. At least we have a plan for that." The Earth King said in relief, but was still a bit freaked out that the Juubi was going to be free soon.
"Wait, I-I don't think I am ready for that!" Aang freaked.
"Trust me Aang, you will be." Naruto said calm as he put a hand on the bald kid's shoulder.
"I hope you are right." Aang said nervously.
"Your majesty!" A man's voice rang out as he walked up to the throne and bowed. "I apologize for the interruption."
"This is General How." Explained the King. "He's the leader of the Council of Five. My highest ranking generals."
"We searched Long Feng's office. I think we will find something that will interest everyone." How replied as he stood up.
XXX
They moved over to a room with a long table in it. A meeting room of sorts. "There are secret files on everyone in the city, including you kids." How said as a guard came in with a box and then put it on the table.
"Secret files?" Aang asked.
"Toph Bei Fong and Naruto Uzumaki." The King said as he took out two scrolls, which were passed down until Toph gave them to Katara and Naruto to read.
Katara immediately opened it and began to read it for Toph. "It's a letter from your mom! Your mom is here in the city! And she wants to see you and Naruto."
"Long Feng intercepted out letters from home!" Toph said with a sneer. "That's just sad."
"I think it was paranoia." Naruto dead panned as he opened his letter and read it silently.
"Aang." The general began. "This scroll was attached to the horn of your bison when the Dai Li captured it."
"It's a letter from the Eastern Air Temple!" Aang said with a smile as he read it.
"Is there a letter for me and Sokka, by any chance?" Katara asked. Jin just sat back in a chair with Kyuubi on her head, not expecting to get anything since she lives in the city.
"I'm afraid not." The King said sadly.
"Oh." Sokka said sadly.
"But there is an intelligence report that might interest you." General How offered as he gave them a scroll.
"A small fleet of Water Tribe ships." Katara read aloud.
"What? That could be dad!" Sokka said happily.
"Protecting the mouth of Chameleon Bay, LEAD BY HAKODA! It is dad!" She said happily the siblings hugged each other.
"Uh…Naruto. Why is your face red?" Jin asked, making everyone look to him.
Naruto coughed in his hand before handing over his letter to Sokka, so the others could see. "Um…it would seem that Toph's mom….set up an arranged marriage for me and Toph when we got older and she figured in that I might have more than one girl after me….so she said to include them as well. I swear, that woman scares me…it is like she has a sixth sense about all this."
Toph went bright red with a smile on her lips, silently thanking her mother in her head. Katara blushed as well, wondering what it would be like being married to the blond boy from the past. She knew him well enough from traveling with him all this time, but she had not had her fun like Ty Lee and Toph had.
Sokka and Aang read the scroll in disbelief before the Water Tribe boy fell on his ass, with Kyuubi laughing his ass off on Jin lap, who was blushing a bit. The King raised an eyebrow while the General mumbled about the kid having all the luck in the world.
XXX
"You should know that is no ordinary sickness, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea!" Iroh said as he gave his nephew a cup of tea.
"W-what's happening." Zuko asked weakly.
"Your critical decision." Iroh stated. "What you did beneath that lake, it was in such conflict with your image of yourself, that you are now at war within your own mind and body."
"What's that mean?" Zuko asked, not getting it before he started coughing and laid back down.
"You're are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience." Iroh said sadly. "But when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."
XXX
"Man, you are lucky, Naruto." Sokka said as his sister and Toph sat on either side of Naruto. It was night time now and the King had already left the room.
"I won't argue with that." Naruto said sheepishly before he changed the subject. " So Aang, who was calling for you at the Eastern Air Temple?"
"A guru."
"What's a guru?" Sokka asked. "Some kinda poisonous blowfish?"
"I…am not even going to comment on that." Kyuubi mumbled.
"No, a spiritual expert." Explained Aang. "He wants me to take the next step in the Avatar's journey. He says he can help me control the Avatar State."
"And I can't believe we know where our dad is now." Katara said happily.
"I know what you mean. My mom is in the city and it sounds like she finally understands me!" Toph said with a smile. "And she really helped me out with Naruto!"
"Yeah." Naruto said while scratching the back of his head, making the girls smirk.
"This is all such big news!" Sokka said. "Where do we even start?"
"I hate to say it, but we have to split up." Katara said.
"Split up?" Aang asked in horror. "We just got Appa and got the family back together! Now you want us to separate!"
"You have to meet this Guru, Aang." Katara said seriously. "If what Naruto said is true about the future is true, then you really need to control the Avatar State."
"Well, if I am going to the Eastern Air Temple, Appa and I can drop you off at Chameleon Bay to see your dad." Aang offered.
"Someone has to stay here with the Earth King and help him plan the invasion." Sokka stated.
"I can't do it. I am going with Toph to see her mom." Naruto said, knowing they would want his help.
"Ok, I guess that's me." Sokka said.
"No Sokka, I know how much this means to you." Katara stated. "You go to see dad I'll stay her with the King
"Really!" Sokka asked while squealing like a little girl and dancing around. "You're the nicest sister EVER!" He said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Easy there big brother." Katara said with a smile. "Though your right, I am."
"And don't worry, she has got me to help her." Jin said with a smile, making Katara smile as well.
XXX
As they got ready to go in front of the Palace the next day, they were informed that Suki and her warriors were coming, making Sokka extremely happy, vouching for them.
After they gave each other a big hug, Naruto commented on something. "Know, I am surprised Aluza didn't want to help us."
"Well, she said that she would be gone for a few weeks." Aang said with a shrug.
"Huh, Ty Lee said the same." Naruto said, a bit miffed before they all went their separate ways.
XXX
Zuko thought that he had woken up. So he weakly went to the bathroom and screamed at his reflection in the mirror. Half of his face was Aang's while the Other half was Naruto's!
That made him scream and really wake up, before he sighed and touched the scar on his face.
XXX
"You see Aang, a little positive thinking works wonders." Sokka said as he lounged on Appa as they flew through the air. "We got the King on our side, we got Long Feng arrested, we have Naruto's odd friends on our side as well, and when we get back, Suki's waiting for me."
"Yeah…girls are waiting for us." Aang said happily as he thought about Aluza. Hopefully she was back when he was. Course, she said she was not really leaving the city….just their current state of residence. "Thanks positive attitude."
"Everything is going to work out perfectly!" Sokka said happily. "From now on and forever!" Aang just smiled as he is friend as they flew.
XXX
Deep in the dungeons, Long Feng stewed in his cell until a Dai Li agent came and slid a tray of food under the door. "Dinner." He then got up and spoke. "The Council of Five are loyal to the Earth King, but the Dai Li remains loyal to you, Long Feng sir."
As the man walked away, Long Feng had a shit eating grin on his face as he took a bit out his food.
XXX
Naruto whistled as he and Toph stood in front of door to Toph's parent's home in Ba Sing Se. Toph sighed, wondering if this was the right thing to do, seeing her mother. "Are you sure about this?" Naruto asked, seeing this was nerve wrecking for his girlfriend.
"Yeah, I need to do this."
"Hey, I am with you then." Naruto replied.
"Good." She said as she held his hand in hers. "Are you sure you want this between us. She did arrange this after all."
Naruto smiled as he squeezed her hand reassuringly before he turned to her. "Someday, I want to be with you like that, even if I am with other girls as well. I will make you all happy, one way or another. I love you."
Toph smiled as she 'looked' up to him and said, "I love you too." She then leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips.
Naruto smiled as she broke the kiss. "You ready?"
"Yeah." Toph said as they opened the doors, leading in. "Hello? Mom? Anyone home?"
Naruto looked around and saw the place was a bit dark, and he felt no other presences in the area the he knew of.
Toph, a little on guard, and yell, "LOOK OUT!" But it was too late. She saw through the ground that Naruto was impaled through the shoulder with a rock spike while a metal box came down around her, just like when she and the Avatar was first captured. "Hey! Let me out! Naruto! Please tell me you're ok!" She heard Naruto groan. "HEY! Whoever is out there, who do you think you are dealing with?"
"One loud mouthed little brat, who strayed too far away from home." Xin Fu's voice replied.
"Let her go." Naruto growled before his other shoulder was pierced, making him grunt in pain.
"I think not Golden Fox." Xin Fu said simply as he held Naruto's face before smack him away and walking toward Toph's confinement. Naruto looked until his vision went blurry and then he blacked out. Kyuubi, who was by the door, heard everything and rushed in, but the muscular man just kicked him away, luckily the small fox landed next to the blond haired boy.
Fools. Kyuubi thought as he closed his eyes and waited for them to leave. Then he would heal Naruto through their connection and they would save Toph!
XXX
Back at the Palace, the Earth King and his guards were welcoming the Kyoshi Warriors. "oIn ou hour of need, it is with our highest honor, that I welcome the esteemed allies, the Kyoshi Warriors!"
However, they weren't the real Kyoshi Warriors. The three warriors were Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. "We are the Earth King's humble servants." Azula said with a smirk.
XXX
Sorry it took so long. Tell me how you all liked it. Also don't flame me about Naruto getting impaled twice, it is all part of the plan.
Review please.