Becoming President
"Divine/large beings speaking"
'Divine/large beings thinking'
"Normal talking"
'Normal thinking'
" Action"
Disclaimer: This work is not me trying to offend someone. Naruto and the United States of America are not mines.
Naruto Uzumaki
There are two figures in Roman Republican history that I found fascinating to learn. These two men, just like me, are shadowed by their father's accomplishments and legacy. Just like me, both of them served the state as soldiers. Just like me, they've seen the power of the people and their danger. They seek justice for the people that they serve and they die because of it. I hope that I will be able to accomplish what they have done and at the same time avoid it at all costs.
The brothers Gracchus. Two people tried to give the people of Rome more than air and light. Honorable, kind, enlightened, dead. Trying to fight the corruption that has festered too long inside Rome; giving it back to the people as they say back in those days. They've set about to give populist reform. Giving back the land that the richest family in Rome have taken and tried to give back to the people of Rome. For you see, Romans at those have no such thing as a standing professional army but an army made out of the citizenry. One fought for money and vain glory while the other fought for the land that they have and the family that they love. This kind of model at first didn't hurt the Romans one bit, the wars they've fought all this time except the big scuffle against Carthage were always localized in the Italian peninsula with only short campaigns against any enemy the Romans have. With this model, Rome grew in power becoming the apex predator in the Mediterranean sea.
Ironically, the same power that brought those Roman citizens so much wealth and glory is one of the greatest factors that made them penniless when they returned from their campaign back to Rome. For you see when they return to their home and land without anyone to take care of their farms they become destitute and abandoned. The rich families of Rome meanwhile bought slaves to maintain their vast estates making it impossible for the average Romans to compete with them. Another irony as these slaves is the ones they claimed for Roman glory. With no choice, they have to sell their lands to the rich and powerful. Migrating to the cities to find jobs instead they only find nothing to fulfill the hunger of their family stomach.
The brother Graccus sees this and tries fervently to distribute land to the people. Setting up reform so that the people of time will prosper. Because of this effort, both of them died in their cause. A fate I hope not to replicate.
America is almost the same as Rome in those ancient times. Look at the big cities in America and you will find poverty on almost every corner. Homelessness is on the rise, especially in the cities. The price of your average has gone up to an almost stupid unbelievable level. In the past, your average nuclear family could afford a home even with factory wages. Now even people who make tens of thousands per year are not guaranteed to have his or her own home.
The weird thing is the rich don't buy land and dominate it from the masses. Sure they've bought land on the acres, but America is too big for a slimmer of the population to control. The real problem is the most sought-after land is the one that is near the cities and surrounded by it. Yet that doesn't explain why America is so poor. Using land as the basis of the problem will only make you too open Pandora's box. It only skims the surface level of America's problem and the gateway to see the bigger picture. Land is not the only thing that measures a man's wealth in the modern era.
Land back in those days had equal influence. Now influence equals a myriad of factors that is too numerous to say all but can categorize into one phrase: "Lost freedom.".
'And I don't know how we lost that freedom.'
America has a bigger problem than even farmers' in Idaho face. They are slowly losing their negotiating power with the 1 percent. Farming equipment that cannot be fixed because of "software", medical bills that are through the roof, frankly junk foods that are destroying America from the inside, and more that are too depressing to talk about. All of these factors will make the American people suffer. When do you think was the last time people had anything that was justifiably priced for them? Apartment cost? People from New York suffer trying to pay for it. Food? It is cheap and all the negative connotations of cheap. Don't make me even start with the medical bill. And when the people tried to negotiate they always failed. Lobbyists will always find a way, even politicians that they've voted for stabbed them in the back siding with corporations. Pitting us against each other with political fights and breaking news to hide the truth. The truth is that it was all a long game to deepen their own pockets. That is why I must take this job.
Now 25 and a lawyer I am on my first step to finding how the American people have lost their influence on their own country. Graduating as valedictorian with a GPA of 4.0 was hard even with the help of my clones. But it was all worth it. In the first 2 months of my career, I gained media attention. It's not every day a war hero becomes a lawyer. My fees are cheap, so cheap in fact that even low-income people can buy my service without any repercussions to their financial stability. That's why for the past month or so I am bombarded with requests as many people want me to help them. I only have one rule though I will not accept any request that would harm or block the path to justice and of course, no shady business means no dealing with criminals. That's why when I got a request from a farmer in North Dakota and read the request I didn't even hesitate to accept it.
The ding of the door opening alerts the diner chef that we're entering the diner picking a seat that is in the corner of the place. A waitress gave us the menu and we ordered our food and talked. Just your usual banter until the food arrived.
"So Naru, why did you call for my help? Something wrong?" I didn't answer, instead, I gave him a paper file. He raised his eyebrow seeing my action. "Before I open this isn't some kind of secret governmental file right because if it is I'm out."
"It's not trust me." he looked at me suspiciously, opening the file with hesitancy. When he finally read the content of the file he looked at me worriedly. "Naru, are you sure about this? Accepting that job for free is stupid." Aaron advised me. While chugging his milkshake. "You should at least charge those people with a 10 percent original price."
"I know. But these people need my help. Have you seen the condition of the drinking water there? It's disgusting. Those oil companies have poisoned the water supplies of those folks."
"But North Dakota, c'mon man, you could choose a better place to find a job. That place is in the middle of nowhere?' Aaron said.
"They need my help, Aaron. Those people are suffering because oil companies are recklessly operating their equipment and operations. Just last week 10 people died because of it."
"So why you?!! You know how dangerous this job is. The last lawyer that tried disappeared mysteriously." He shouted, attracting almost everyone in the diner. "Look, man, this isn't the same as your days inside the military. While I'm sure you'll be fine handling any threat that will face you, especially the firepower you could get there," I snorted hearing Aaron's implications, "It's not just going to be you who will be affected. Think of your friends, your family, your son, and your wife. Don't let them get dragged inside this mess."
"I know that's why I called for your help," I grinned and he groaned.
"oh what the heck. What do you want?"
"Can you pick up Hiruzen for me while I'm gone? Rebbeca is busy with her work so there's no one to pick Hiru up from school." Aaron facepalmed.
"That's it?"
"Yep." Aaron rubbed his head with both of his hands while silently screaming.
"You come all this way bringing a file and say all this epic and cool shit only to request for me to be a driver??!!"
"Calm down man, you're making a scene."
"I'm making a…" Aaron looks around at the diner seeing that the rest of the customers are seeing us with curiosity or annoyance. " 'Sigh' You owe me a PS4 after you're done with this shit."
"I can agree with that."
Driving to my client's house was not an arduous journey. Having a car sure fixes my problem with distance. In my past life, we would have to walk to our destinations as there was no method of long-distance transportation except horses and our legs. There was talk about building transportation that is similar to this world's trains from a ninja inside Konoha. It was only a proposal the last time I checked on the project. Unlike Konoha however, America thankfully has the tech and infrastructure to have long-distance travel no matter how old and crumbling it is it's still effective.
The car I'm riding in right now is a convertible 2018 ford mustang silver. I was originally going to paint it orange but that idea was shot down immediately by Rebbeca. Shame I think this car would look great in orange. A few hours after my driving I finally saw the state board that says "Best For Last" which made me cackle like a madman when reading it out loud. That slogan is oozing with optimism and general knowledge that their state is bad. The state is not that known even inside America, the only notable media representation I know about this state is in the movie Fargo. It's honestly kinda sad how hard they tried to put the state on the map before the oil boom.
But enough of bullying ND, I'm here to work. That serious mood was immediately destroyed when I saw the wood chipper they used to kill Steve Buscheme being displayed like a historical relic.
'This state is amazing.'
After eating at the local restaurant I drove my way toward a farming community. I expected to see rows upon rows of golden fields that were filled with wheat. Instead, I only see a land that was barren of the living. Parking my car on my client's front lawn I was greeted by an old farmer and his wife( holding a shotgun of course) sitting on a wooden chair.
When I exited the door of my car the man was already training his shotgun on me. "I told you folk the 10th time I'm not selling this land, this is my property that you destroyed!" I raised my hand in response not wanting to antagonize him.
"Now sir there's some mistake. I'm not here to take away your property. I'm your lawyer."
"My lawyer?" He said with a deep midwest accent. "I don't remember hiring any Lawyer, are you lying to me, son?" He said, cocking his shotgun.
"Daryll, you hired him, didn't you remember? Last week you hired him through the Computer, or whatever that thang' is." The old man grumbled holding his chin to remember something as his eyes widened.
"Huh, I did hire you. Now come inside we got some extra food for ye'," the man told me. The house is your average American farmer's house white in color and made out of wood. Inside there the first thing I noticed was the smell. It smelled like some old musty books mixed in with the smell of amazing foods. There was a modern led tv that contrasted with the old cabinet underneath it. And of course the old dust carpets. "It's not much but this house has a history before you were even born, kid. My father and his father and so on built this house. It's a house that is filled with so many memories. Shame that my son wants to sell it." a somber tone can be heard in him. "Enough of that sappy story. You are here to help me with those bastards that run those oil companies right?"
"I'll do whatever I can. First thing first. Can you tell me the details of the event that transpired 1 week ago so I can properly have a case to build?"
"Sure, just sit on that table over there," he pointed at the dining chair, "I'll get my laptop and all the evidence I have. In the meantime just wait and make yourself comfortable."
And it is comfortable. The woman who learned that her name is Nancy is a sweet old lady that gave me hot cocoa. We talked about mundane things. She asked me if I have a family which I answered rather proudly showing a picture of little Hiru winning his first Karate match. The talk was so engaging that I didn't notice that 10 minutes had passed. "It looks like you have a lovely family. What's your name again?" she asked.
"Nathan ma'am Nathaniel Russell everyone calls me Naru though," I answered.
"Nathaniel? Do you mean war hero Nathaniel?" Oh, f#ck. "Daryll, you can't believe what I just found about your lawyer."
"What is it, Nancy?!" the old man shouted from upstairs.
"This young man over here is Nathaniel Russel!" A roaring laughter was heard when Nancy told about me to her husband. "Why are you laughing? It's true! You know the young man we see who saves a school and is also a war hero!"
"You and your imagi—" The wood floor creaks with Daryl's voice becoming louder. When he saw us again carrying a box full of evidence he stopped for a second studying my face. "Oh gosh, you're really him."
"See I told you."
"Yeah, yeah you're right." He was about to put the box on top of the kitchen table but one glare from Nancy stopped him from doing the foolish action. " This is some of the papers they threatened–well not threatened; more so use so I can sell my property: Lawsuit, a pamphlet of a new cheap home, etc. And of course the physical threats."
"I'm sorry; physical threat?"
"Kinda. They've only put an underlying message about what they'd do to get my land. Some of them are subtle and some are less subtle."
"For example?"
"Annoying us into compliance honking generally being loud sometimes there's an "accident" where a tree would block the road those no-gooders," he sighed, "at last I can't do nuthing' I have no photos or videos that can prove that they are guilty."
"And to whom are you referring?"
"Well of course those bastards from Oasis," a look of pure disgust formed on him. "Those people are shady as hell. Just last week 3 people died because of mismanagement from them and toxic water spilled onto my land that will take money for me to recover. And you want to know the outrageous thing? They are not held accountable for all that bullshit. The OSHA inspector for the state can't do anything to them. The farmer association has complained to the state, but they didn't hear our cries even a second."
Daryl told me everything about the history of how this came to be. It all started in the early 2000s when someone made a discovery that shale rock can be extracted to be oil. The discovery alone transformed the U.S. from a country that is dependent on foreign oil reserves effectively making the U.S. energy independent. It started in Texas then it spread to the Dakotas. At first, it was welcomed by the community. Expecting that the discovery of oil will help the local economy. Instead, now housing, food, and generally the basics for people to live here have risen up, and the only jobs that guarantee you financial security to afford the new prices are related to the oil industry. A very big problem because of how many accidents have happened here.
Daryl's house is sitting on one of those reserves and oil companies are circling him like vultures seeing a dying animal. With his son wanting to sell the land to them when his Pa' and Ma' died it looks like those oil companies will win.
I have to be strategic here. I can't be too effective against these oil companies that people opposing the method these companies are using will ban fracking. No matter how much I hate the method, the results can't lie. America needs this. If we make it illegal to extract oil with this method without a proper energy alternative it will make the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil. Worst case scenario it'll destroy the U.S. economy which will make 1928 like a good year.
When I'm done talking to Daryl I made my way to the city to visit the local taverns and do some good ol' information gathering. It's been a while since I have to find my own intel. In the army, I was just given a mission pointed at something to kill (or destroy it) and gather intel there with the help of army intelligence. This will be the first time in a long time in this life that I gather my own intel all ninja style. With my car, I drove around town asking the locals and that guy you know, that guy who seems to know all the rumors in town (crazy person). I gather enough info that I can now see the larger picture of what's happening and can make a cohesive plan for what to do.
First thing first: I think it's time those greedy bastards need to learn why you should treat your employee with respect. I'm gonna teach them even if I have to use " unpleasant" methods.
"Ah yes, this is all coming together."
Someone PM to me if I take the U.S. Citizenship test I'll pass with flying colors. I mean thanks I guess??