Chapter 65 The Plan comes together
Naruto Namikaze opened his eyes to see a mass of pink fur in front of his face; he lifted his head up as he scanned the darkened bedroom. He could see the digital cloak read six in the morning normally this would be the time when Sakura would be getting ready for work but the hospital where they turned captured humans was working on low numbers during the New Year's holiday however that didn't mean they didn't have something to do today. Today they were going to travel to the demon feline Kingdom as part of the delegation from the demon fox government. The Namikaze pack wasn't going to become members of high council until the next session of the government started in two weeks however they were still sending them. He had to admit he was looking forward to traveling to another village. He ran his hands down Sakura's back earning a purr from her, he had to push a little harder because of the thicker fur which both of them along with everyone else had grown to keep warm in the winter.
"A little lower." said Sakura as Naruto moved down a bit scratching near the base of her tail. "There that's the spot."
"You ready to start with our plan?" asked Naruto
"Ya…we have been luckily so far, they haven't launched any major attacks but they have some people." Stated Sakura as she remembered how every week a group of humans have been taken though to be turned. Most seemed like refugees entire families leading to the theory that the demons were doing raids into different nations and taking them before pulling out.
"But that will not last long." added Naruto "They will begin their attacks after the new years."
"And we still have nine months until the demons all come back for the celebration of the end of their war." said Sakura as she sat up. "Did Shikamaru drop off the radio controlled detonators?"
"Yes and I already put them on the seals." Explained Naruto as he got out of bed and moved toward the dresser. It was a dresser which was more to hold memories of their human life, cloths which they had saved from the Leaf and other personal items. Naruto pulled the top draw all the way out before reaching inside the dresser he pulled out a series of scrolls about the same size as paper bomb. "Place one of them down on the seal; it instantly fades into the seal waiting to be activated. Still we have to get to the seals to make it work."
"Well one thing at a time." answered Sakura as she walked up behind Naruto "First let's have some fun today."
"Alright." said Naruto as Sakura ran her hand across his shoulders.
"Now do you want to join me in the shower?" asked Sakura with a grin as moved toward the shower followed quickly by Naruto.
In the demon feline kingdom Hinata Hyuuga was also waking up, she sat up before looking down at her sleeping mate Gamba. "I hope he got some sleep." Thought Hinata as she remembered how worried he had been for the past week as the day of the coronation drew closer. Each night he got less and less sleep as New Year's day drew closer, the day he would become King Gamba officially. Hinata looked around the massive room, she had thought that the rooms in the harem was large it was nothing compared to the King's chambers which was massive in size. The bed alone was five times the size of the harem bed. The room itself had eight red sandstone columns holding the roof up with a domed roof. There was also a massive bathroom the size of the leaf village hot springs, the windows were a mixture of regular glass and stain glass.
She knew that down the hall in the Queen's chamber Gamba's mother was being looked after by a team of nurses and healers. One of the traditions which had been thrown aside in the two and a half months since Gamba became King Apparent was the tradition that no one apart from the King sleeps in the Kings chamber. Hinata had to fight back the need to roll her eyes when she heard how even after Gamba's mother became Queen she slept in a different room than Gamba's father and only when they were mating did they share a bed. Vachan and the other traditions were far from pleased by the changes but when it was leaked out to the newspapers that Gamba and Hinata were sharing a single bed every night like a normal couple the people loved it. They saw it as the royal family coming down to their level and being more like real people.
Hinata left the bed and after taking care of nature she walked over to a dining table, already sitting there waiting for her was some golden brown breakfast rolls and fresh honey. The kitchen staff had to be working overtime to get all the food ready for feast tonight they still had time to make fresh rolls and place them out for her. This was one thing she really liked about being a first lioness was the fact she didn't have to cook, while she had some talents in the kitchen it wasn't a place she liked to spend a lot of time. She looked down onto the redwood table, at first she had a problem with all red but it was the color of the royal family and changing traditions only went so far and already Gamba had changed so many things already.
Flashback
"Itachi…I want you to know that I wanted to pick you." Said Gamba as the three of them walked down a hallway in the palace.
"I understand, the change will be big enough and that post has belonged to the tigers for over 300 million years." Stated Itachi "And he is the more logical choice."
"Still you can be Gamba's personal guard, Fay is mine now." explained Hinata
"Ya, she told me about it." said Itachi
"When is the wedding?" asked Hinata as Gamba looked at her slightly confused. "It's human term for the mating ceremony, still not used to some of the name changes."
"The plan is for late May or early June." stated Itachi
"Make sure we get an invitation." said Hinata as Itachi nodded his head, the three of them entered a medium size office located inside the royal guard command center. Sitting behind a desk doing some paperwork was Yahiko. Yahiko looked up and instantly jumped to his feet.
"King Gamba." said Yahiko
"Yahiko, how would you to become head of the Royal Guard?" asked Gamba
End flashback
Vachan didn't like being replaced but he seemed to expect it however being replaced by a former human he didn't expect. Taking away a position from a family which they had for three generations caused some uproar in the papers but papers were always looking for a new and more interesting to write about and for the moment that was Hinata.
Flashback
"You can't do this!"yelled Vachan
"Why not?" asked Hinata as she walked out of the main building toward the main gate.
"It' flies in the face of every tradition we have!" yelled Vachan as he followed down the steps along with Fay and three other guards forming the inner defense line. Fifty other guards had already gone ahead to make sure the way was safe.
"Visiting an elementary school and talking with kids goes against tradition?" asked Hinata already knowing the answer.
"Yes, no member of the royal pride levels these walls unless it is to go out to war or a hunt. You are talking to those lower then ruling class." stated Vachan "It belittles the royal line."
"How does finding out the problems of the people belittle the royal house?" asked Hinata as she kept walking "Government is suppose to help the people, I am only going to go find out the problems form the source instead of getting news whitewashed by others."
"You are destroying this kingdom." Yelled Vachan
"In contritely I think I am saving it from itself." stated Hinata as she and the guards left the palace.
End Flashback
Over the weeks, Hinata had visited schools, hospitals and other public events occasionally joined by Gamba but he was busy with government business, she helped him by finding out what the people thought and wanted. Constant images of her talking with people and visiting them had won a lot of support with the commoners but it had alienated some of the most conservative members of the upper class however that didn't matter today. Hinata looked at the paper only to see images of herself and Gamba taken at the New Years eve party the night before, it showed her and Gamba dancing a bit in the palace another image was of the two of them talking while standing very close together and the last one was of them kissing. Hinata smiled as she read that one of the writers had wrote her name as Queen Hinata instead of first lioness. She looked up from the paper to see Gamba walking toward her with sleep still in his eyes.
"Did you get anything close to a night sleep?" asked Hinata
"Not really." admitted Gamba as he sat down and took a roll for himself "Anything interesting in the paper?"
"Nothing much, one of the reports saw me eat some sort of fish which is traditionally eaten by pregnant lioness." explained Hinata "So now they think I am pregnant."
"Are you?" laughed Gamba
"Not that I am aware of." explained Hinata with a smile back, she knew that since Gamba was the last of the direct male line to the throne, she was expected to have male cubs with him and soon. "The fish just looked good so I tried it nothing more than that."
"Today's the day." said Gamba
"Ya, don't worry I'll be beside you all the way." said Hinata
Hours later inside the main fortress of the demon felines the transportation seal activated as Naruto, Sakura and six other demon foxes appeared on the transport seals.
"Wow it is warm here." said Sakura as the snow that was still somewhat stuck to her fur when she left the fox village started to melt in the 75F heat of the demon feline village. She had studied the map of the demon world and knew that the demon feline capital was near the equator. The area they controlled would have fit all of the ninja nations within it with room to spare. There kingdom went all the way to the demon fox village boarder over 2,500 miles away and it went the same distance to the south where it met ocean shore. A thousand miles to the east was the another sea which separated the demon wolf country from the Demon Feline kingdom. The demon feline king controlled over a third of the land mass of the entire demon world. The entire area ruled by the demon foxes was the northern quarter of the continent which is why there was a foot and a half of snow in the demon fox village.
"Ya." answered Naruto as he looked around at massive fortress
"Welcome…welcome." said a government official as he ran up and started shaking hands with the demon foxes. After he was shook hands Naruto bent down and pretended to whip some snow off his leg but instead he placed the paper seal down. Instantly the paper disappeared blending in with the regular seal. The first seal to cut the demon world off from the human world was done.
"Let's go see Hinata." said Sakura
"This should be interesting." said Inner Sakura as they started walking out of the fortress and into the massive demon feline capital. All the streets were spotless and flags of the royal pride along with the flags of the demon lions, Panthers and Tigers, the city was prepared for once in a lifetime event the coronation of a new King. As Naruto and Sakura walked through the streets more than a few of the civilians looked at them and the other foxes. While foxes were not unheard of in their village they were still rare. As they neared the giant square located outside the massive walls of the royal city they could already see people lining up to enter the palace to observer the coronation.
"That is a big place." said Sakura as she looked at the massive walls of the Royal city.
Inside the royal city Hinata was walking down one of the hallways with Fay right beside her. It was tradition for the future king to spend three hours with the head of the religious orders; in this case it was the oldest of his 30 still living half sisters which his father had with members of the harem. The rule of the harem wasn't whoever had the first child became Queen it was who had the first male child and even after the first male was born others were born often to other lioness and they would become in line for the throne after the first born male. Gamba had to go through this alone and it was one of the traditions he wanted to keep the same. It gave her time to talk to someone who the palace wouldn't want to be seen alone with the Gamba, not because she is a bad person but because of her race.
"So you're on your way to becoming Queen?" laughed her old sensei and now she wolf Kurenai
"I just found the lion I love nothing more than that." said Hinata "I wouldn't have cared what he does for a living."
"I believe you on that, I remember when you told me you thought of running away from your father and thought about trying to get Naruto let you live with him." laughed Kurenai "You were what 9 at the time?"
"Ya." said Hinata "How is your daughter doing?"
"Good, she finally calls Asuma daddy and everything. We are already trying to give her a brother or a sister." said Kurenai with a smile "I have to thank whoever saved Asuma from Hidan, it allowed us to be together again."
"I am assuming you heard?" asked Hinata
"Ya." said Kurenai as she lowered her head "Kiba is the one behind all those attacks in the news, cutting off the heads of patrols. Kinds of make me want to talk some sense into him."
Hinata didn't want to say that she had talked with him but the words had seemed to done nothing more than cause his rage to build. Over the past few months attacks had only gone up in one day alone five demon lions where lost but damages had also been done to Kiba, multiple failed raids which cost them dearly, however no human from their group was captured alive so their base still remained safe.
"I don't think talking will make much difference now." said Hinata
"I know….they have a kill order on him." said Kurenai
"I bet Tsume didn't take that well." said Hinata
"Ya, she almost ripped off the head of the government aid who told her about the kill order and Hana didn't take it well either." added Kurenai "And I can't blame them…Kiba will die the moment he his captured."
"Heard anything from Shino?" asked Hinata
"Just because the demon wolves' boarder the Ant country doesn't mean we talk to them." said Kurenai "They live on their own island and no one gets on or off it without them knowing."
"It's hard to call an area three times the size of fire country an island but everything land wise is bigger here." said Hinata "But I hoped you had heard something."
"I have been told the ants are just mindless drones which follow orders." said Kurenai
"Still I hoped you heard from him." said Hinata as Kurenai shock her head
"Do you miss it?" asked Kurenai as they walked along one of the many walkways that flanked the main inner courtyard. The gold and silver throne had been moved from inside the royal hall to an area just outside the main building. From on top of that throne one could see the entire inner courtyard which was already filling up with military members and public spots.
"In a way, I am not upset about becoming a demon since I have Gamba but I miss when I could hang out with all my friends." said Hinata "I mean you're a wolf along with some of the members of my clan, Naruto, Sakura, Ino, Sai, Shikamaru, Temari and Tsunade are now all foxes, Choji is a bear, Shino's an ant and the rest of my friends are still human or they may be dead. I mean I have new friends like Fay but still I wish I could hang out with the old gang."
"We could try to plan a vacation for you all." offered Fay as Hinata smiled at the idea.
"Nothing we can really do about that." said Kurenai as she noticed a group of foxes walking though the main gate, they could make out a blonde fox walking with a pink vixen. "Looks like Naruto and Sakura have gotten here. I have to ask do you wish you were on Naruto's arm instead of Sakura?"
"No." answered Hinata at once "Sakura has her prince charming, my prince charming just happens to be a real prince."
"Well not for long, he becomes King today." laughed Kurenai as an aid walked up to them.
"Lady Hinata you are need in the great hall to welcome the representatives of the other nations." stated the aid
Inside the great hall of the demon felines Hinata along with the royal council and senior members of the general pride was shaking hands and mingling with the representatives from the different races who had come which was all of them apart from the demon ants. The wolves where the smallest representatives sending only three members, the snakes had sent four and Hinata was thanking God that Sasuke wasn't one of them. It was also clear which races was closer allies, the horses and the bears were talking with each other with ease. Hinata had to do a crash course the demon world history, unlike the foxes and Snakes who had to fight a war of independent from the wolves and the lizards the great beast family which the Bears, Horses and the now dead Apes came from separated peacefully as equals and allies. The wolves had sent only three because they were the main rival for global power to the feline kingdom. The snakes where considered a secondary power but wanted to become a major power and the felines stood in their way. Then there was the foxes, while they were allies with the snakes it was considered more of an alliance that came from a shared history and the foxes where getting friendlier with their neighbor the feline kingdom.
"I have been told you knew Lady Hinata before she became a demon?" asked a member of the common pride to Naruto
"Yes, we went to school together and a carried out a handful of missions together." explained Naruto
"I also heard you were there when Lady Hinata learned about King Gamba being a demon? How did she take the news?" asked lion
"Does any take it well when they found out someone they love hid something from them." said Naruto as the lion laughed a little bit while taking a drink.
"God, help me this is boring?" thought Naruto he knew that the high council of the demon foxes sent him as their representative along with the other foxes but all of this small talk about pointless things was driving him up the wall.
"True." answered the lion as Naruto looked over his shoulder to see Sakura also talking with the another lion, however he could also see Hinata walking over toward Sakura. "That isn't going to be good."
Yards away from Naruto Sakura was forcing a laugh out at some lame joke told by a lion, suddenly the lion tensed up as Sakura took a deep breath. She could smell her scent coming from right behind her. She spun around to see Hinata standing there.
"Long time no see Hinata." said Sakura "You look good."
"Same to you." said Hinata with a smile "How is life treating you?"
"Good, apart from looking over reports I only really have one patient at the moment, Tsunade." said Sakura
"What is wrong is Lady Tsunade." said Hinata
"Lady Hinata, why did you call a Fox a Lady she isn't royalty." asked the lion who was talking to Sakura
"Force of habit, she was the Hokage of the village I grew up for almost ten years of my life." explained Hinata "Now what is wrong with Tsunade, I heard she became a fox but nothing more than that."
"She and Jiraiya part of an experiment by Orochimaru which is working for the combined demon council." said Sakura as she took a deep breath "They artificially inseminated her without her knowledge so she is pregnant with Jiraiya's kits."
Hinata just looked at her slightly stunned for a moment.
"I wasn't expecting that." said Hinata "How is she?"
"Good, both of the fetus are growing good but carrying two kits at any age is a risky." said Sakura
"There is heath risks and mental health how is she doing?" asked Hinata
"Good, she seems happy to be having kits but not happy how it happened." said Sakura "How are you doing?"
"I think we are both doing the same basic things." said Hinata with a smile "Doing work and having fun with the lion I love just like you have fun with Naruto."
Both women laughed as some of the more conservative members were stunned that Hinata would do a somewhat dirty joke at a formal function but most laughed at the joke.
"I don't think that was really that appropriate for a place like this." laughed Sakura
"Ya, guess I still have a lot to learn about politics but having a joke with an old friend is always ok." said Hinata as the two of them started walking and talking like two old friends.
"Thank God they are not fighting each other." thought Naruto as he went back to the boring conversation about tariffs on mountain berries.
After hours of prayer and other ancient traditions it was time, Gamba walked out of the King's shrine and headed down an underground tunnel that lead under the outer wall ending at the main gate house. Waiting for him was Hinata and members of the royal guard.
"You ready Gamba?" asked Hinata
"As I am going to be, at least there is no speeches this time." said Gamba "I just have to walk up and do the oath of the Kings. Then I become king."
"No matter what happens you will be the lion I love." said Hinata as she kissed him.
"Thanks." said Gamba as the trumpets sounded outside "Time to go."
They walked out to stand under the gate they were surrounded by guards in the their throne almost a kilometer away and up over a thousand steps up. Flanking the long walkway were thousands of troops, thousands of normal civilians and the government members. All eyes were on them as they started walking down the path that lead up to the throne. The march was made out of the shrine holding the crown in front with the priests followed by the royal guard carrying the flag of the royal family, then came Gamba and Hinata and other guards. In front of them being carried by a group of four priests was a small shrine carrying the holy crown which all kings have worn. Every ten feet there was a member of the military holding a flag which was lowered until they passed then it was risen up. As they walked they noticed that the outer walls which were normally home to a few guards had been opened up so that more civilians could see the coronation. The civilians where clapping as they passed and the military members were standing at attention as they walked up the staircase toward the royal throne. They walked up to the throne as the head priests a golden brown lioness named Mai who was Gamba's oldest half sister moved to pick up the crown. On the top step Gamba and Hinata turned to face the crowed which had grown as more people had filled up the path that they had just walked down. Over a hundred thousand pair of eyes looked back at them almost all of them demon felines. The representatives from the other nations were in the front row along with the other government members.
"Brother it is time." said Mai as she stood in front of her younger and only living half brother, in her paws sitting on top of red and golden velvet cushion was a golden crown in the shape of an olive branch crown. (Think of Ancient Roman Crown) It had silver lines in it and with red jewels; it was rather over the top however the king only wore his crown during formal gatherings and calling the government to order.
"On this holy day, the day a new year is born it is time for a new king to take the throne." said Mai as she used a justu to broadcast her voice to the crowd "In the days of old the Kings of our kingdom wore simple crowns made of nature, now as we mark the 244th king we honor that tradition still only with a golden crown. Now Gamba last of the male line of Kings it is time for you to take the oath."
"I Gamba have been chosen by heaven by divine birth have waited 22 years to take this crown." stated Gamba as he started the oath his voice also made loader by a justu "I take this throne and crown by divine birthright but also so that I may lead the Kingdom that my ancestors and yours have ruled since the foundation of our civilization. I will rule with honor, with justice and according to the laws of the royal family and of the kingdom."
Gamba finished the ancient oath which claimed he was chosen by God, however that was a belief that wasn't followed anymore but it was tradition. Gamba waited for a priest to come and pick the crown up and place it on his head but to his amazement it wasn't another priest instead Hinata moved and picked the crowned up. Gamba smiled he lowered his head slightly allowing Hinata to place the crown on his head.
"Congratulation Gamba-kun." whispered Hinata as the crown rested on his head.
"All hail King Gamba." stated Mai as she along with everyone else got down on one knee and bowed to their King. Even Hinata and the representatives from the different nations bowed down, for a moment Gamba just looked out over the crowed before extending his hand toward Hinata who took it. She knew what he wanted her to do as she stood up beside Gamba. For a moment the two of them just stood and looked out over the massive crown.
"Wow." whispered Hinata
"It's against tradition to have another person stand but you will be Queen someday so might as well get used to it." said Gamba with a smile.
"I love you Gamba." said Hinata
"I love you Hinata." said Gamba as they kissed only to have the crowed instantly stood up and started clapping.
Well I hope you liked this chapter and how Gamba became King. Now I would ask that you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75
