Chapter Six : Combined Forces - Part One - Arrival of the Hidden Cloud

"Najin. Najin! Wake up!" I screamed at my sister as she laid in the bed.

"Wha-" she screamed as she grabbed her side, still weak from the poison.

"Oh, you're going to be okay.." I said with a smile as I looked at my sister. She was always my idol growing up because she was always three steps ahead of everyone. But now, lying here weak from the enemies attacks, it didn't seem like she was my sister.

"Why were you screaming at me?" Najin said, sitting up on the edge of the bed at Konoha's hospital.

"Well, I needed to be sure that you were alright. Dad just now let me come in here to see you," I said, reassuring her.

She looked at me weirdly, "How long have I been out?"

"A week. That's all."

She gasped at the notion that she's been knocked out for about a week. "What? Why didn't anyone try to get me up? I need to make sure Naname is alright.."

I sighed at my sister as she was getting so upset, "Naname is just fine. She's in the next room. You need to get more rest."

Najin pushed me out of the way, "I've rested enough. I need to go to Lord Hokage's office and give my report."

I pushed her back with a bit more oomph and held her down on the bed, "I think he'd want you to stay here, Najin. Don't strain yourself."

"Get out of my way, Kumera! Don't make me force you to let me go."

She was struggling against me and I just stood back, letting her force be overdone as she almost fell off the bed. "Why do you always do this? Just because you're a big time ANBU agent doesn't mean that you need to be so rough with me. I'm only doing what Mom ordered me to do."

Najin huffed at the fact that I had mentioned the ANBU position, "You don't get it Kumera. Maybe you will someday." She stood up and struggled to put on her clothes.

"If you wait a minute, I can go get you a fresh uniform," I said handing her the ANBU mask.

"I'll go home right after I report in to him," she said, running her hand over my head. "Just go tell Mom I'll be there soon, little sister."

I huffed at the fact that she still treated me like a little kid. No matter how old I get, I guess she'll always treat me like I'm a nuisance. I walked out of the hospital room and went to tell Lady Sakura that she had left.

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Yeah, she decided to go report her side of the incident to my dad. I couldn't stop her," I admitted, my hands in my pockets.

"She's not even supposed to be moving around at this point. There was an enormously high about of poison in her system. You should have tried harder to keep her here for a little while longer."

"Hey, I'm just her sister, not her keeper. If you had wanted her to stay here, you should have bound her to the bed," I said shrugging.

Sakura's eyes glowed brightly as her anger was rising. "Quit being so smug. God, I swear sometimes you're not even his daughter. Naruto was never this smug, Sasu-" she said stopping mid-sentence.

"Yeah I used to hear that a lot about your friend. But he's not here in the Leaf now and that's all there is to it. If Najin gets sicker, I'll bring her back." I walked off leaving her there to go through the paperwork.

I knew who she was speaking of. Sasuke Uchiha was a former member of Team Seven, the squad my father was also in. He had fought Naruto years ago after the war was finally ended and with them ending it in a draw, it was a fact that Sasuke decided not to return to the Hidden Leaf. Some had said that was for the best. He had become the newest Sage to travel the world and stay far away from Konohagakure. That all aside, I had to get home and tell Hinata that I had failed in keeping my sister at the hospital.

I teleported via my flying rajin into our living room and walked to the doorway of the kitchen.

"She left the hospital and went to the Mansion to report in to your father, huh?" Hinata said without turning around.

"I swear you have psychic powers, mother," I said sitting down and picking up a rice ball to snack on, to which my mother knocked it out of my hand. "Yeowch! What was that for?"

"I'm not psychic. You and your sister are so predictable, that it's not even funny anymore. And you must wait for your father to come in for dinner."

I grumbled under my breath because my mother's cooking was always so good and she was making me wait. I looked at my beautiful mother and saw her frame was being overtaken by the baby bulge in the front. I laughed, "You're going to pop before my brother gets here. Have you and Dad thought about a name yet?"

"No. We were hoping you and Najin could come up with a name. Perhaps since we're not planning to have any more kids after he's born," Hinata said turning around to stir the broth in the pot.

"Great. Najin has to help with something huh? You know she's not good with names, Mom."

"Yes, but I thought you might be more interested if you thought that your sister might best you in something," Naruto said coming in, hanging his cloak up on the wall.

I ran up to him and gave him a hug, to which he returned it. "Najin's not with you?"

"No, I told her to come home but she insisted on visiting Naname before doing so," he said.

"Hmm, how about the name Juliochi?" I said with a smile on my face.

"Ahh, we'll think about it. Keep trying though," Hinata said with a chuckle.

Dad sat down and told me to go into the other room for a bit. I stayed behind the door to listen what he had to tell my mother. "The Hidden Cloud as well as the Sand are coming to aid us with the war that's coming on with Amegakure."

"Naruto-kun, war?" Hinata said, surprised.

"Yes, my love. We're entering the time of another war. They don't like the alliance between other nations and don't wish to be apart of it. It's so ignorant of the leader of the Hidden Rain," Naruto said explaining the situation to her.

"I know, dear. You will figure stuff out. I know you will," Hinata said serving up dinner.

Najin showed up just before I went back into the kitchen. She seemed downhearted but I didn't think anything of it. The Hidden Cloud would be here tomorrow and I needed to be trained to participate in the war as well.

The next day

Mom came and got me up early, "Kumera, your father has requested you be at the gate with your squad to greet the Kumogakure ninja."

"Ungh, okay Mom," I said getting up. I dressed in my usual garb and climbed out the window. I made my way to the Western Gate of the Village and waited for everyone else. I yawned seeing them coming my way.

"You're here early, Kumera," Kitami-sensei said showing up with Akamo and Kunji.

"Yeah, apparently we're to greet the Hidden Cloud nin.."

Naruto showed up and looked down the pathway. "Here they are."

The ninja from Kumogakure showed up, a thousand or more in the squadron. "Dang, there's a lot of them. Do we have room for them all?" Akamo said seeing the numerous ninja coming.

"Absolutely," Lord Hokage said walking forward to greet the leader of Kumogakure. "Lord Bee. It has been a long time," he said as he fist bumped the man with shades.

"Yeah-It really has been a long time, can't you see? I've even got my family with me! Whee!" the dark skinned man said fist bumping with my father, pointing at a tall young man with identical shades on.

I saw the tall young man and he walked forward giving a handshake to Lord Hokage, "I'm Ukuu, his son."

"Welcome to Konohagakure," I said walking up next to my dad.

"Lord Gaara will be here with his squadron within the next week. We should talk in my office, Lord Bee," Naruto said turning towards the village.

"A'ight, Lord Hokage! Lead the way, yayy!" Lord Bee said in his Enka rap style.

War would soon be upon us and Amegakure must be stopped. I watched the large squadron file into the village through the gate. War. We're really going to war. I couldn't believe it. And yet, even as young as I am, I would be participating in this war. But it's to protect the world from the wrath of the Hidden Rain. To protect the heritage and everything for the future of the children. For my unborn brother and all children not knowing what was going on.