Declaration of War
A low static could be heard throughout the room, before the TV switches over to a channel during an important interview with the president. He apparently was going to talk about some military-related issues.
“Greetings, people of this great nation. As you likely know, I am your president - Hiruzen Sarutobi. It came to my attention earlier today that a group of our soldiers was killed delivering a prisoner to our allies in Sunagakure. They deny responsibility, saying that a patch bearing the logo of a terrorist organization known as the Akatsuki was found at the site of the action.”
Holy shit. Dad was right, he said we would be fighting the Akatsuki soon. How did he know?
”I am scheduled to meet with the president of Sunagakure - Rasa - in approximately a week. There we will discuss actions to be taken regarding the restriction and combat actions against the Akatsuki. This is an official declaration of war against the Akatsuki by the nations of Konohagakure and Sunagakure.”
”Thank you Mr. President. If you don’t mind I would like to ask you a few questions.”
”That’s alright with me sir.”
”Alright, what do you plan to do in regards to military actions?”
“How I see it is this: capturing important figures within the organization is of the utmost importance. Without their leaders and upper echelons, their morale will plummet. An army without morale either falls quickly without a clear plan of action and what to fight for, or they surrender. I don’t know how Rasa will see it, he is younger and doesn’t have the same military experience I do.”
Yeah, that’s gonna have high casualties. Not to mention the people that will emerge and be sympathetic to the cause. I think even with that Konoha will be fine, Suna will be put into a recession. They’ll blame us and get other nations to join a coalition against us.
“Alright, sir. Do you intend on bringing other nations into this war?”
“I would like to. Although I doubt that they will join unless attacked directly.”
”Thank you for your insight, Mr. Sarutobi. Have a good day sir.”
“You too. One last message to everyone watching. We will win this war.”
Shit. Knowing Sarutobi, he’s gonna use a draft. I should enlist so I can at least have some say in what I do. I wonder how Naruto is gonna take this. His dad is army but he doesn’t want to get into a war.
”Sasuke! Can you come down here? Your dad and I need to talk to you.” My mother Mikoto shouts up to me.
”Coming!” I yell back in response to her. Placing my phone in my pocket, I open my bedroom door and descend the staircase and pass through the kitchen into the living room.
”Sasuke, have you heard about those soldiers of ours that got killed transporting a prisoner to Suna?” My father, Fugaku asks me with a serious tone of voice like he always does.
”Yes. I actually just saw that president Sarutobi declared war on that terrorist organization you were talking about - the Akatsuki.”
”Alright. I’m gonna try to pull some strings on the military side to get you and Itachi on Captain Namikaze’s task force. If it goes through, you will likely work with me also, since Minato and I often work together. Both teams are under the leadership of general Jiriaya, so don’t worry about incompetence in leadership.”
”Thanks. Do you know anything about this group?”
”A bit. Originally founded as a political faction in Amegakure built to oppose the tyrannical regime of Hanzo the Salamander. At some point, they expanded and looked to ‘find peace through power.’ Rogues from several nations have joined for various reasons and now stand as a major threat to world order.”
”Got it. Need me for anything else? I promised my boyfriend I would call him today and I haven’t yet since he’s been at work.” I ask my parents, hoping to get more time with Naruto.
“Sure, but what does he do? I always thought he was just a student.” My mother, Mikoto asks me, somewhat surprised that he has a job.
“He doesn’t like to talk about it, but he’s a singer. He thinks it’s embarrassing to be a singer when his dad is a military officer, but he really enjoys it. Plus he sounds incredible when he does.”
“Oh! You’ll have to show me him singing sometime. Go have fun with him though you lovebird.”
”Thanks, mom.” I respond to her before I make my way back to my room upstairs. I close my door after I enter the room and let myself fall into the gaming chair in my room. My console turns on with the press of a button and I grab my controller, that I set on my lap and pull my phone out of one of my pockets.
My body subconsciously types in the password and it lets me in with a cute picture of Naruto and I from a date a couple months ago as the wallpaper. My finger taps an icon on the screen the main interface of the app Naruto and his friends use as their primary form of communication. His contact is pinned to the top and always the first one that appears when I open the app, so I quickly click on it and press the call button.
“Hey, Sasuke! I was beginning to think something happened to you.”
”I didn’t want to bother you or anyone else while you were rehearsing for your performance at that festival next week.”
”Like I said, they wouldn’t care. The group is me, Shikamaru, Neji, Ino, and Shino. The only one that would’ve been bothered is Kiba and he quit a couple months ago.”
”Oh yeah. I forgot about that. He can be really frustrating.”
”A little. But his dogs are sooooooo cute. Anyways, anything new with you?”
”Sadly, yeah. Sarutobi declared war against the Akatsuki so I’m almost certainly going to be going off to fight. Dad said he was gonna try to get me and my brother in your dad’s task force. Also, I would get prepared for service if I were you. Hiruzen has a history of conscription during wartime, even when it isn’t necessary.”
”Oh damn. I don’t know what to say. Can we have one last date before you go off to that?
”Sure. Where do you wanna go, love?”
”How about that festival tomorrow?”
”Whatever you want to do is alright with me. I just want you to be happy.”
”Aww. You’re such a sap, aren’t you?”
”You know my family, the Uchiha are passionate about what they love.”
”Yeah. You’re right.”
”I know, I usually am.”
“Hush. You don’t have to rub it in babe.”
”You know that’s not true. Anyways, how much are tickets?”
”3200 yen. I don’t know how much food or whatever else is gonna be though.”
”Okay. I’ll order our tickets before I go to bed.”
”Thanks babe!”
”Of course, darling. I actually just had an idea.”
”What is it?”
“You could try to make a deal with the army so you didn’t have to be on the front lines. They could have you do propaganda stuff or sing to soldiers for morale.”
”That’s a great idea. Thanks Sasuke!”
”No problem, dork.”
”I’m not a dork!”
”Yes, you are. Just like your fox.”
”Kurama isn’t a dork either!”
“Sure…”
”Besides, you have a pet snake.”
”A lot of people have snakes as pets. They’re decently easy to care for. Especially if you can set up their enclosure to be bioactive. Then, all you have to do is feed them every so often. Usually like once every week or every other week. Since Aoda is bigger so I feed him once a week.”
”What does it mean for it to be bioactive?”
“There are special organisms in the enclosure that break down waste products so I rarely need to clean the terrarium. My mom hates mice so it’s always either me or Itachi that feed him. I don’t know what’s gonna happen to him when we both go off to war.”
“I could feed him for ya.”
”You sure?”
“Yeah, why not? I know you love that snake and I don’t want you to have to get rid of him. Plus it’s not like it’s a big hassle or anything.”
”Thanks.”
“I gotcha. Always. Don’t ever forget that Sasuke.”
”I won’t. I’m sorry but my brother just asked if I wanted food so I think I’m gonna go with him. I’m starving.”
”Okay, bye love!”
”Goodbye. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I tell the love of my life before I hang up. Then I go into my messages with my brother and I respond to him and tell him that I’ll go and get food with him.
S: Yeah, I’ll go with ya.
I: Nice, btw Kakashi is coming too. If you wanna bring your boyfriend we could have a double date of sorts.
S: I’ll ask him.
I: Okay, let me know what he says.
After my last message to him, I go back to my messages with Naruto and ask him if he wants to join.
S: Hey, Naruto. Do you wanna go out and get food with me? Itachi is bringing his boyfriend and he figured I could bring you.
N: Sure! I’d love to
N: You know I’ll never turn down food
S: Yeah, you have a damn near bottomless pit for a stomach.
N: Hush
S: Anyways, we’re gonna be picking you up after we get Kakashi.
N:Okay