Chapter 5 More Questions than Answers
The streets of the Leaf Village were totally empty not just because of the heat but also because of fear. Word about the believed infection had gotten around and people where taking shuttle in their homes. At the same moment her people where hiding in fear Lady Tsunade was sitting down in an emergency Leaf village council meeting. They had moved to the council chamber in order to fit the head of all ten major clans.
"How many is it up too now?" asked Lady Tsunade as she sat down at the Hokage's chair located in at the head of a long solid oak table. Joining them at the table was the head medical ninja.
"We just broke 700." explained the head medical ninja which had taken over the hospital since Sakura and Shizune where in isolation. The middle age woman wasn't used to having to talk in front of the entire council. "And more cases are coming in. We had to shut down and sealed off the entire hospital.
"Is there any good news?" askedHomura
"Yes, because if we don't find a way to stop this then we have to move toward the final option." Stated his long time teammate Koharu
"No one is killing anyone." ordered Lady Tsunade
"I know it is hard Lady Tsunade but if it has to be done to save this village then it has to be done." explained Koharu as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"My own son is among those infected." stated Choza Akimichi
"So is my son." added Shikaku Nara
"And the next head of the Hyuuga clan is also in there." stated Haishi "We will find a cure for this."
"Well me may not have found a cure but we may have found a way to detect those infected before they get the slighted eyes." Explained the medical ninja
"How?" asked Koharu
"A Hyuuga clan nurse spotted it first, one of the signs of the infection is the addition of a whole new chakra network with red demon chakra." explained the nurse "See the chakra network has to form first before the silted eyes appear."
"So if we use the Byakugan to scan people's chakra network for any sign of infection and separate those infected from those who are clean." finished Haishi
"Correct however at the moment we have no place to treat those who are infected." explained the medical ninja
"Do I have to point out that Naruto has already explained what this is?" asked Lady Tsunade "We aren't dealing with an infection but with demons joining with people."
"No matter what it is we have to insolent people until we know what is happening." offered up Homura as Lady Tsunade lowered her head a bit as she thought about her next move, sadly almost everyone she truly trusted was in isolation because they now had demons within them.
"Order the search." ordered Lady Tsunade
"But where do we put them? I mean the hospital is at the limit." Asked the medical ninja
"What about the Boschi addition?" offered up Unkai Kurama head of the Kurama clan.
"That neighborhood is supposed to be demolished next week." pointed out Shikamaru's father, Shikaku "Half the buildings are unsafe for human habituation."
"Which is why it has already been sealed off and the citizens removed." pointed out Unkai "It is the best temporary placement location for them. Besides it can easily hold all 700 infected people plus any more we may find."
"I agree with Unkai it is the best option we have." offered upKoharu
"I am not sending those people into unsafe a slum." stated Lady Tsunade
"We can use the time we are doing the search to fix up the worst of the worst." offered up Shibi the head of the Aburame clan.
"Very well but this is to be temporary placement only until we fully understand everything that is going on." ordered Lady Tsunade as the others nodded their heads in agreement.
"I recommend that we send a third of the ninja force to search the village while another third prepares the Boschi addition for residents." offered up Homura "While the rest will keep an eye on the hospital in case things get out of hand."
"You will not need that many, Naruto and the others will keep everything under control." Explained Lady Tsunade "Only leave ten squads to keep an eye on the hospital, all the others are to help make their temporary home livable."
"Yes, Lady Hokage." answered Homura as an aid walked in.
"Lady Tsunade we have another report from the other nations." explained the aid as she handed a piece of paper to the Hokage. Quickly the Hokage read the message before looking up at the rest of the council.
"How bad?" asked Haishi
"There is now 237 cases in the Sand up from 100, Lightening has 158 two hours ago it was only 87, Earth is up 79 cases and the mist has 123." explained Lady Tsunade
"That is almost 1300 cases." explained Shikaku Nara as he did math in his head.
"And it is only noon, how many will we find before this is all over." Added Haishi
"We are also getting reports from every nation other nation but the highest of them is only fifty." added Lady Tsunade
"In every nation?" asked Koharu stunned at the news
"That is what the reports say." answered the legendary slug sannin "Most of the cases are women and children. Also it is happening to all classes of society, this is not a localized event."
"Lady Tsunade there is something else." stated the aid
"What is it?" asked Tsunade
"We got a message from Earth country a team of their ANBU tried to take down Sasuke." explained the aid as Lady Tsunade lowered her head as she placed her head in her hands.
"How many did they lose?" asked Tsunade
"Three and it appears that Sasuke has the same condition the others have. Also Sasuke let one of them go to give us a message." explained the aid "He is coming to the Leaf."
The news of the return of the last Uchiha to his home village caused a chill to travel down everyone's spin.
"We must prepare the defenses." yelled Haishi as he slammed his hand on the table.
"Agreed." stated Choza
"Did you two happen to forget that this was a kid who when he was seventeen almost beat the five Kages in a fight?" asked Shikaku "The only person who came close to beating him is currently in isolation."
"Also we have time; it will take time for Sasuke to get here. We have probably ten days until he arrives" Explained their Kage "Hopefully by then we know what we are dealing with totally."
Elsewhere in the village the heat was rising breaking 90 degrees as over seven hundred confused and scared people filled the hospital, the staff had totally abounded the isolation areas to focus on clearing out the hospital of its regular occupants to make room for more to put infected people into isolation.
"They have left all of us to die!" yelled a woman as she held her six year old son close to her chest.
"No they didn't." yelled another female voice "I am sure they are just going to get more help."
"Calm down!" yelled Sakura's voice as she moved though the crowd of people which had began to crowed around the airlock.
"Sakura!" yelled a voice as Sakura turned her head toward the voice only to have her eyes widen.
"Mom?" asked Sakura as she suddenly found herself wrapped up in one of her mom's hug.
"My little girl." cried her mom as she buried her shoulder length blonde hair into her daughter's shoulder "Why did you have to get this too?"
"Mom, it's alright." said Sakura as she pulled her mom away from her so that she could look at her. She was wearing her normal work cloths, a red blouse with tan pants with a burnt orange chunin jacket. She couldn't help but look into her mother's eyes which had changed so that she now had the silted green eyes which marked that she had a demon within her.
"Mebuki-chan you can calm down." said another voice which Sakura had heard all her life as she looked up to see her father standing there. Like his wife Kizashi Haruno was standing there in his work uniform of a green shirt and tan pants with a burnt orange chunin jacket on. The burnt orange jackets marked the two of them as members of the Leaf village support ninjas who job was to organize transport and movement of supplies to the armies in the field. They were also in charge of filing none classified paper work "I am sure Sakura knows what is going on."
"Do you?" asked her mother
"I don't have time to go into the details but basically this isn't an infection, we all now have demons within us." explained Sakura as her parents' eyes widened at the news. "We are in no danger and I am sure in time we will be out of here."
"Demons? You mean like the Kyuubi?" asked Kizashi
"Yes, now I don't know what demons you have in your but the demon that joined with me is Aella a demon fox who is their head doctor." explained Sakura
"They have my parents joined with them." explained Aella
"What?" asked Sakura "Your parents?"
"Well I can't be sure but I would bet that they have my parents sealed within them." explained Aella "Well I should say my biological mother and father, my other mothers died in the war."
"Other mothers?" asked Sakura as she thought about it for a moment "Wait does that mean that when I have kids with Naruto-kun, they will call Ino mother to?"
"Yes they will and her kids will call you mom as well." answered Aella as if it was nothing.
"Listen Mom, Dad can you help me with something?" asked Sakura
"What?" asked her mother
"There is a lot of hungry people and so can you go help manage things in the cafeteria?" asked Sakura as she looked at her dad "Maybe you can work some of your magic in the kitchen?"
"No problem but we need to sit down and talk as a family." ordered her mother as her parents walked way.
"Alright everyone head to the cafeteria and get something to eat." ordered Sakura as the people started to head away from the airlock.
"Tell me about your parents?" asked Aella
"Well mom has always been the sticker one while dad was more care free." explained Sakura "In fact Dad reminds me a lot of Naruto-kun. They are both loveable bakas"
"My mom always said that you mating someone like your father." explained Aella "And how do they feel about him and the Kyuubi?"
"They never hated Naruto because of the Kyuubi if that is what you mean." Explained Sakura
"Just wanted to know." said Aella
"So what do you think will happen?" asked Sakura as she looked out of the air lock at the ANBU team standing on the other side of the air lock.
"Once they see how many people now have demons in them they will let us go." explained Aella
"Just how many demons where sealed away in the ark?" asked Sakura
"I think it was designed to hold 20,000 demons for 1,000 years safely." Explained Aella as Sakura's eyes widened "However we were sealed away for more than a thousand years so I have no idea how many made it."
"20,000?" asked Sakura
"Yes." answered Aella as sadness started to sneak into her voice
"But 20,000 is almost half the population of the Leaf village." said Sakura as she tried to think what would happen if half of the village became Jinchuriki.
"It was all the Ark could hold, we had to leave so many behind to die. Our village alone was 55,000." added Aella as Sakura's eyes widened at news, 55,000 was almost the same population as the Leaf village. (Naruto Wiki says the leaf village is a 5 star population so I made one star equal about 10,000 people)
"Why not make more Arks?" asked Sakura
"We didn't have time." explained Aella
"What happened?" asked Sakura
"No one really knows, the final battle of our war was underway and suddenly lava started coming out of the ground, the sky turned dark as ash fell like snow." explained Aella as suddenly new memories flooded her mind.
Flashback
Aella stood on the second story balcony as she looked up at the once clear blue skies where filled with smoke. She turned her gaze to the country side where the once rolling fields of golden grain were nothing more burnt ground and destroyed crops. The farm animals which provide their meet where either dead or dying in their pens. Black ash fell like snow covering everything it landed on. She turned her gaze to the nearby ocean side bay of her home village only to have her heart sink. The once crystal blue ocean waters where now red iron filled killing every fish that swam in it. Finally she looked to the giant old growth forests which covered the mountain sides however the forest now burned.
End Flashback
"My God what was that?" asked Sakura
"Just like I can see your memories you can see mine. That was the last day of our village right before we sealed ourselves away in the Ark." explained Aella "It was the last time I saw my home."
"I am sorry Aella." expressed Sakura
'Thanks, but what matters in the end is that my loved ones are alive." explained Aella as the sound of the air lock opening caused her to look up. Standing there dressed head to toe in a biohazard suit was one of the chief medical researchers, Cali Hatake.
"So Cali what is new?" asked Sakura sacristy to the much older doctor.
"If you weren't so talented medical ninja I would put you in your proper place." stated Cali as Sakura rolled her eyes at the threat made by the 65 year old man.
"Why are you here?" asked Sakura as she fought back the need send him flying though a wall.
"I wanted to give you these files about the medical tests we ran and soon we will move you all to a different location." explained Cali as he held out the stack of medical files.
"Thanks." answered Sakura as she took the files.
"If you have any trouble reading the big words just ask a man." laughed Cali as he walked back out of the air lock.
"Sexiest SOB." growled Sakura as she looked back down at the medical reports, she turned and started to walk back to the cafeteria to try to find Shizune so that they could go over the medical files together.
Back in the Hokage building Lady Tsunade was looking over the same reports that Sakura was looking over. She was sitting in one of the newly added meeting rooms inside the Hokage building, nicknamed the situation room. During the war against the Akatsuki it had become a standard room in all major and even minor ninja villages. Against the far wall was a single large TV surrounded by three smaller TVs on each side.
"Lady Tsunade we have the Fire Daimyo coming over the channel." reported an aid as the lights in the meeting room lowered to allow the cameras to get a better look at her. Lady Tsunade took a deep breath as the image of a narrowed face man wearing a large headdress and long flowing red and white robes appeared.
"Lady Hokage this situation is most worry some." stated the Daimyo, in a world where land ownership meant power the Daimyo was all powerful. Long ago his clan either though marriage, business partnership, ownership or another way controlled 76% of the land in the entire nation. Like all the other Daimyos he tended to stay out of most political issues content with getting the tax money he got from the use of all his clan's land. Only when times where desperate did he come into the picture and in the eyes of Tsunade the current Daimyo caused more trouble them he was worth.
"It is Daimyo however we have a handle on the situation." stated Lady Tsunade
"That is not what some of my other advisors say, they say we have a highly dangerous virtual infection going around and it is using demon chakra to do it." stated the Daimyo as he fanned himself with a large gold encrusted hand fan.
"That isn't the case, on the outside it may seem like that but the theory doesn't hold water." stated Lady Tsunade as she pulled out a file "Our latest medical tests show that cells with demon chakra in it doesn't jump into a normal cell."
"Could it only be infection under certain situations?" asked the Daimyo
"No, in fact it stops all efforts to force the chakra into the cells." said Tsunade "If this is an infection then it is by far the worst at actually spreading then anything I have ever seen."
"Then what do you think it is?" asked Daimyo
"Well we know for sure all those who show signs have demon chakra in them." explained Tsunade "Using that and information and other medical test it is a safe bet to assume that what Naruto has told us is true."
"And what has he told you?" asked the Daimyo
"That what we are dealing with is not a plague or an infection but with demons." explained Tsunade as the Daimyo raised an eyebrow.
"Demons?" asked the Daimyo
"Yes, sir I believe that everything we are seeing. The silted eyes and the addition of red demon chakra is just the effects of everyone of those people joining with demons." explained Lady Tsunade
"Where did these demons come from?" asked the Daimyo
"We don't know for sure but the Kyuubi has told Naruto that demons sealed themselves always in an Ark to save themselves and they have been released." explained Lady Tsunade "This has been supported by the Third Tsuchikage who remembers a legend about an ark containing thousands of demons in it."
"Thousands of demons?" asked Daimyo with fear and concern in his voice "We now have thousands of jinchuriki spread out across the world?"
"At the moment that is what it looks like." explained Tsunade
"I am calling an emergency meeting with all the Kages from all nations; we will decide what to do." stated the Daimyo
"I am not sure that is wise, we are still getting a grip of what is going on." explained Lady Tsunade knowing that whenever the daimyos had a meeting it normally lead to more problems.
"This is a problem that requires a group response." explained the Daimyo
"If you must have a meeting, maybe it would be best if you all got together in person." explained Lady Tsunade "It would allow us time to get more information about what we are dealing with."
"Very well, Lady Tsunade I will think about it." explained the Daimyo as the link was cut ending the meeting. Tsunade took a deep breath as she rubbed her temples.
"Could this day get any worse?" asked Lady Tsunade
Rain had started pouring as Sasuke Uchiha walked out of the eastern gate of the small farming village. His black cloak was already soaked though but it didn't matter to him.
"How long from here does it take to reach this leaf village?" asked Katsu
"For a normal ninja it is a two week trip." answered Sasuke to the demon fox "However I am not a normal ninja."
"So impress me, do it in a week." challenged Katsu as Sasuke laughed at the challenge, before closing his eyes and bracing himself to start sprinting.
"I will do it in under three days." answered Sasuke as Katsu laughed a bit.
"Well with the healing abilities that my joining with you will probably mean you can run faster and longer before your muscles get tired." answered Katsu
"Then I should do it in under two days." laughed Sasuke
"Then impress me, human." challenged Katsu as Sasuke bolted across the muddy road as fast as his legs could carry him.
Well I hope you liked this chapter, I posted early because I felt like doing something special for 5th of May. I will try to get another chapter of all of my other stories in the next couple of days. Now I am going to enjoy the rest of my birthday so until next time please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.