Chapter 24 New Hope
"This has got to be the best food I have had in a long time." admitted Sakura as she took a big bite of the day old donut. As she sat on a rusty old park bench along with her parents. "Make sure you thank Old Man Hiryu for me."
"Well Mr. Hiryu has been all a family friend since I was a little girl." explained her mother Mebuki as she took a bite of her own donut. As she smiled a bit as she remembered all the times her own parents had taken her to the local bakery to get a fresh baked bread. It was a tradition she had kept with her own daughter and now the old man who was nearing 89 years old but still woke up every morning to bake bread was their only real comfort.
"You should have seen that old man when he smuggled the bread into this place." Added Kizashi Haruno as he took the final bite of his own donut. "He kept apologizing for not being able to give us fresh bread but he said if he would take the fresh bread his granddaughter's husband would force him into full retirement preventing him from giving us anything."
"I hold no hate toward him, he is doing the best he can to help us and that is a hell of a lot more than most people are doing." explained Sakura as she remembered how the cooks had smiled when she had brought the baked bread to them to use. "Even a day old bread is better than those ration crackers we have been getting. And there is no way in hell we can get everything else we need to feed everyone by ourselves."
"I know what you mean I tried to go get some food at that shop by our old home and they kicked me out of the store." added Mebuki "You would think the fact that I shopped there for as long as I have would be worth something."
"Well I heard that the few stores that will sell are marking things up over 100% the original price. When a gallon of milk cost you almost $10 you can't get much." added Kizashi "We are lucky that lady Tsunade is forcing the banks to allow us access to our money."
"More like we are lucky that the son of a bitch Daimyo isn't stopping her." Restated his wife
"Let's change the subject how are the plans for the evacuation going?" asked Sakura
"Good, we have extended the tunnel another 400 yards and reinforced it." Added Kirashi as he pulled on his years as a supply officer in the ninja core as well as his time in the war as a combat engineer "We have another 50 meters or so until we are in safety in the Golian forest."
"The question is where do we go from there?" asked Mebuki
"Naruto-kun and the others will find a new home for us, we just have to be ready to move when the time comes." explained Sakura "The problem is how do we everyone out without being found out."
"That is impossible, we have thousands of people most of whom are not trained ninjas. Moving them across country fast and unseen is impossible." stated Kirashi "The moment they realize we are gone they will send forces out to get us and they will find us."
"I have an idea for taking care of that but I don't like it." Stated Sakura as she took a deep breath as she stood up "I just hope we all get out of here soon."
Far to the south all the minor land owners in the Land of Granite along with the Daimyo owned newspaper where gathered in the main square of port city of Nadeje. Standing in the streets where the mass of poor which had become used to these public gatherings and they didn't look forward to it. In the past they had heard nothing but bad news about raising taxes on them, the cutting of food supplies and more business closer.
"My fellow citizens I have ordered everyone to here today to share with you all the most important of news." Announced the Daimyo with a huge smile on his face as he stood on an old wooden platform overlooking the square, behind him was Naruto, Shikamaru and Ino.
"Look at the people." Whispered Ino to Naruto using demon tongue. "They are so hungry looking."
"I know." added Naruto as he scanned the poor dirty faces which filled the massive town square before him. Even the minor land owners which in the Leaf would have golden rings on their hands and fine robes on where dressed in rags with maybe a single ring. The only thing that really made them stand out from the poor was the fact that their closes where slightly cleaner and had a less hungry look in their eyes.
"Now I have accepted the offer from these people behind me and I have sold all my land to them." Stated the Daimyo as everyone seemed to inhale as at one moment as the Daimyo pulled out the two scrolls containing the agreed terms. "Now I hand over the stage to your new Daimyo."
"Here goes." said Ino as she stepped forward as the old Daimyo looked at her slightly surprised at the fact that she and not Naruto or Shikamaru was moving forward.
"You're signing it?" asked the Daimyo as his eyes ran up and down Ino.
"Why not, I am buying the land." explained Ino as she grinned a bit knowing that there was no female Daimyo in the world.
"Very well." stated the Daimyo as he signed his name to two scrolls one for each of them. Ino followed suit as he signed over all his lands to her.
"Good luck." Stated the Daimyo as he quickly left the stage making sure that his scrolls containing the gold was accounted for before he got into his carriage and headed straight out of the city heading north. The people simply shock their heads knowing that they had just been sold out by their Daimyo.
"Now, you don't know me and you have no reason to trust me but I know this I will do everything I can to help you improve your lives." Stated Ino as she gave her first speech in life.
"We haven't heard that before." Stated a voice from the crowd.
"Well how about this your taxes are at this moment cut in half and the money that is raised will go to getting more food and rebuilding this village and this nation." stated Ino as the people began talking amongst themselves surprised by the news "Also I want an election of a village council to take over the day to day running of this village to happen within three months."
The people seemed to smile at the news
"Now together we will not fix all the problems over night it will be a long road to solve everything but together we will." Explained Ino as she took a breath "Now there is one last thing I must inform you all about. The reason why we have bought the land, see we are no longer welcomed in our homeland and soon the rest of our people will be arriving and we will be building a new village on in valley we have found on Kamatayon island. In the future we will give more information about ourselves out but in the meantime know this we can either help each other improve our lives or we can be at each other's throats and live in the same if not worst conditions then we are in now. However the key to this is that those to the North who hate us do not learn that we are here."
"What is your name?" asked a voice from the crowd
"Ino Yamamaka formerly of the village hidden in the Leaves." Stated Ino as a load roar filled the air.
"All hail Daimyo Ino Yamamaka." cheered the crowed as people began to clap at the small hope of a brighter future.
"Daimyo Ino Yamamaka sounds nice doesn't it?" asked Naruto as walked toward Ino.
"Not as good as Daimyo Ino Namikaze." said Ino "But all things in time, when do you leave?"
"Temari is preparing to head north to get supplies from the Land of Bronze as soon as possible to buy supplies to help build our village." explained Naruto as he lowered his head a bit. "From there I plan to get a ship or two and head back to the Leaf to get everyone else. All the while Shikamaru will be mapping the valley and planning the city and Choji will be starting to farm."
"And then you have to go get everyone else?" asked Ino knowing that he had to leave her behind to carry out his duties but he was still leaving her.
"Yes." said Naruto sadly as they walked off the stage. "There is a train station nearby and it ends in the Capital of the Land of Bronze."
"Then you better get going so you can get back here sooner." ordered Ino as she pulled him into a kiss. "Good luck and come back soon and make sure to bring forehead along with you."
"Will do, Ino-chan." Confirmed Naruto
Far to the North a small fleet of small fishing boats rocked back and forth as they were battered by a storm. Huddled in the holds which normally held only fish were refugees on the run from the Land of Lightening. Up in the steering house of the lead was Samui and her team.
"Now if I am reading this map correctly we are passing Tea Country about 50 miles to our west and it should be another three days before we reach the Land of Granite." Explained Omoi as he leaned over the map table trying not to throw up as the ship rocked bath and forth in the storm.
"Do we have the fuel to get there?" asked Samui
"Fuel yes, water is going to be close some of the civilians want to take showers." explained Omoi "The system onboard to turn sea water into fresh water is barely holding up making drinking water. We have none left for showers."
"Well they will just have to deal with it." stated Samui
"I told them to switch the showers to sea water." Explained Kamui as she looked out the window at the rolling waves which rocked the ship. ""We have plenty of that around."
"Alright…how about food?" asked Samui as she looked at Kamui
"It is going to be very close but if we keep it to just one good meal a day for almost all of the adults and two smaller meals for the kids we should be good for three days." Explained Kamui
"What do you mean by almost all of the adults?" asked Samui "We can't be showing favorites, everyone gets the same as everyone else."
"She is right Kamui we don't want a food riot on a ship." explained Omoi
"We have seven pregnant women onboard this ship alone." snapped Kamui "So yes, I am showing them favoritism by letting them have one good meal a day like all the adults and a small meal like the kids. If you have a problem with that you can both go to hell."
For a moment both of them just looked at their teammate who was ready to snap their heads off.
"Well I guess that makes sense." added Samui "However we have to plan for what happens when we reach the Land of Granite."
"Simple we either find a home or we take a home." stated Omoi
"You would drive innocent people off their own land?" asked Kamui as she looked at her teammate.
"If need be yes." confirmed Omoi as he confronted "If it comes to it I would kill a hundred humans if it saved one of our own."
"I totally agree with Omoi." added Samui as she moved to stand beside her male teammate.
"Fine." Snarled Kamui sicken by her teammates as she stormed off down a small staircase heading down into the ship.
"She seems to have lost some balls during the war. She would have totally agreed with us before the war." stated Omoi as he turned his back to the map table and leaned back a bit as he watched the oceans waves outside.
"True but she was among the first people at the massacre at the village of Keb." Explained Samui as she turned her back to the table crossing her arms over her chest as she watched the ocean "A whole farming village, 7,235 people massacred in half an hour."
"Did they ever find out who did that?" asked Omoi knowing that the massacre had become legendary in the ninja world, the first team to arrive at the camp had found the bodies of the victims had been torn apart. Sculls and body parts had been placed on spikes and not even babies in their cribs or farm animals where left alive. "You were on the team investigating that, weren't you?"
"Yes and no." stated Samui as she took a breath "I guess I might as well tell you since it will likely be used against us."
"What do you mean?" asked Omoi
"It was one of the paths of pain which Madara was using." Explained Samui "Madara lost control of it and it went crazy killing everything in it's path."
"And they didn't tell people who did it because they didn't want people to turn against Sensi or Naruto." Stated Omoi as Samui nodded her head.
"And you can bet that people will know about it soon enough now." Added Samui as she yawned a bit as she started to walk away. "I am going to get some sleep in the Captain's cabin."
"Well you have been up all night, I can't blame you for wanting some sleep." Confirmed Omoi as Samui suddenly stopped at the foot of the doorway which lead into the Captain's private cabin.
"You know I could use something to help me relax." Whispered Samui as Omoi gulped a bit as Samui walked into the darkened cabin's but she left the door open.
"Is she asking me to sleep with her…again?" thought Omoi
"Go for it." whispered his demon in his head
"Ah fuck it." answered Omoi as he undid his belt as he walked into the cabin closing the door behind him.
Back in the Land of Granite Naruto sat across from Temari in a train car cabin as a railroad train began to pull out of the station.
"Why don't we have trains in the North anyhow?" asked Naruto as he leaned back in his chair as the railroad began moving down the tracks.
"Mostly because the Land of Bronze is the only country which makes them and they charge an arm and a leg to get them." explained Temari "Also unless the trains help them they don't put in the tracks and it is impossible to put the train tracks across the shifting sands of the deserts of the land of wind."
"I see." stated Naruto knowing that unless you knew the safe routes through the massive desert which covered most of the Land of Wind it was a death trap. Naruto looked down at his wrist watch seeing it was just after 9:30 in the morning "How long until we reach the Land of Bronze?"
"This is an overnight train so it will be around 10 in the morning tomorrow." Explained Temari
"So we are going to be on this train for an entire day." stated Naruto
"Yes, but it will give us time to go over all everything we need to go over." added Temari as she laid out a rather large notepad on the thin table in front. "Now Choji was good enough to give me a list of everything he thinks he will need to start farming but I feel we should double it since we are taking care of a new nation now?"
"Do we have enough money for that?" asked Naruto who as a kid was used to having to watch every money he earned just to have food on the table. This caused Naruto to learn to be careful with money.
"Naruto I have 300 million dollars' worth of gold bars on me and we have only taken one level off one of the smaller stockpile of gold. And that is on top of the 650 million we already spent." explained Temari "We could probably buy the world with the money we now have and still have half our current supplies left. Not to mention all the silver supplies we have."
"I see." Confirmed Naruto
"Now, let's get to work. Now on top of the food, we will need building supplies and ships to go get everyone in the Leaf." Stated Temari
"And we will need ships to go get people in the other nations." added Naruto "We will get the people in the Land of Fire and then everyone in the Land of Water, then Land of Lightening and finally the Land of Earth. Hopefully we get people from multiple nations in one trip."
Well I hope you liked this chapter, they now own a nation outright and now have to build a village of their own. Now until next time I hope you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.