Hana

Cradling the baby in his arms Zitsu walked down the stairs and out of the house. As he walked the baby girl's eyes look around curiously. Her eyes were unfocused and crossed at times, but she never stopped looking around.

Seeing this Zitsu tickled her nose, causing her to giggle and laugh. People gave him strange looks as he walked, but he paid them no mind. Before they couldn't recognize Zitsu because he changed so much from his Clone, but how could villagers of the Mist not recognize Samehada? Even if it looked a little different no other sword came even close to looking like that.

Walking into the central building the ninjas were dumbfounded as they heard the cute laughter of a child. Looking at Zitsu walking towards the winding steps they didn't even notice the change in his eye as they all were confused. Was that really the little Jonin feared throughout the lands, listed in every bingo book as must kill at all cost? The man who lead the warlords to wipe out a squadron of Kumo ninjas?

"Who's the cutest in the world??"

"Gahh gaah gah" Cute laughter rang from her mouth as he tickled her nose.

"That's right, you are!"

As he walked up and around the stairs his voice lingered below, leaving the lobby in dead silence.

"Quick! This must be a Genjutsu!! Look for the enemy!" Unknown whose voice it was, but the whole lobby began to scramble.

Oblivious to the changes, Zitsu continued to walk up the stairs until he finally arrived at the top floor. He could tell Mei was in the room with four other people, but he didn't care and walked straight in.

"Are you sure we have enough ships to carry everyone?" Mei's sultry voice filled his ears.

Hearing her voice a smile automatically appeared on his face.

Everyone in the room but Ao turned to look at him at the same time. As a sensory Ninja, Ao noticed his approach long ago, and unlike the others in the Village, Ao knew the Zitsu over the past five years was a clone simply because that monstrous chakra he sensed was not there.

He was also well aware of the relationship between Mei and Zitsu, so he saw no need to warn of his approach.

Looking around the room he saw Ao in purple robe standing in the back right corner and Ruma in the left corner. He noticed this was the first time he had seen her without her Anbu mask. Looking at her light brown eyes that matched her dark brown hair he nodded, he always had a feeling that she was an attractive lady.

He had never seen the last two people, but recognized one from the series. The medical ninja and Mei's assistant Ruka. The other was an older man with dark black hair with strands of gray mixed in. His face was full of wrinkles, but at the same time gave off a sense of charisma.

As he stood in front of Mei's desk in his black kimono, he gave off a mighty aura. Zitsu was instantly able to tell that this man had killed hundreds of men.

Looking at Zitsu walk in Mei's eyes light up like a bulb.

But before she could say anything, the man stood between her and Zitsu. "Zitsu, I presume. I don't believe we ever had the pleasure of meeting." His voice while old, but was filled with power.

Zitsu stopped tickling the girl's nose as he looked the man before him up and down. "Can't say I know who you are."

The man's eyes looked at the baby before returning to Zitsu "I saw you once before at the meeting all those years ago, you look a bit different now but I recognize that sword."

Zitsu frowned as he heard him talk. "That still doesn't explain who you are."

The man smiled "I'm the leader of the Kitagawa Clan, Fujio Kitagawa."

Zitsu thought for a moment as he went over his memories. "Ah, right. I've fought alongside members of your clan before. You have a Kekkei Genkai that increases your muscle density, making members of your clan powerful Taijutsu practitioners." As he recalled memories from the Clone he began nodding.

"I'm glad we made an impression." He turned around to look at Mei "All the ships have been built, all they need now is people to sail them."

After bowing slightly the man left the room.

Mei once again looked at Zitsu as she smiled sweetly. "Everyone leave us."

At her command, the other three left the room as well. As Ao walked past, he gave a simple nod "Good to have you back." He looked at Zitsu's right eye for a second "Glad I'm not the only one with a transplanted eye now."

Zitsu smiled as he heard his words. He was so used to the eye now that he almost forgot it wasn't his. "You want to trade? Your Byakugan for a Sharingan?"

Hearing his offer Ao paused for a second before walking out the door "I'm a sensory ninja, direct combat isn't my specialty."

As the door closed he looked at Mei "I'm home."

"You sure? Not going to run off again as soon as you get back? Leaving me all alone again?" Mei smiled playfully at him. "I see you were able to get the Sharingan, did you start a war with the Leaf as well?"

"Even if I do leave again, I doubt you'd be alone next time." He ignored the second half of her question because showing the leaf his power was part of his plan.

Mei finally noticed the baby cradled in Zitsu's arm bundled in leather. Seeing the baby's curious little eyes looking at her caused the color to drain from her face.

"In those years you were gone, you were with another woman? Is that where you went, to pick up your love child?"

Zitsu was completely stunned for a moment, how did she even come to that conclusion?

"Mei, my wife, I adopted this little girl. She is ours."

"Ours?" Hearing the words Mei's eyes open wide as she rushed from the chair and grabbed the girl into her arms.

Seeing that her little eyes never left her once caused her heart to melt. "I think she likes me."

"That, or it's your bright blue dress, emerald green eyes, or the fact that our hair looks the same."

Mei stared daggers at Zitsu causing him to stop talking. "What's her name?"

"I haven't given her a name yet as I wanted you to decide. She comes from the Uchiha clan, but there's no reason to use it."

Mei began to rub her soft cheeks with her finger. "You're right, she's an Uchiha no longer. In that case let's call her Hana."

Zitsu nodded in agreement, if she was happy with the name he wouldn't mind calling her Barney let alone Hana. Walking towards her chair, he removed Samehada and placed it against the desk as he sat down.

Mei said nothing as she walked over and sat in his lap with the baby in her arms.

His arms naturally wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. "How are preparations going for the invasion?"

"I've already recalled all the ninjas who weren't on critical missions and those guarding our borders. I've made sure no information has spread so they are unaware of our movements. And like you just heard, the transportation is now complete."

Rocking the baby in her arms and being held she felt nothing but happiness. "We are ready to begin at any moment."

"Right, I got a maid to feed the baby. She's staying at the house."

"You got a maid??" She turned to look at him "What does that even mean?"

"I picked her up along the way." Zitsu squeezed her waist a bit "We can't bring all the ninjas with us or the Land of Water will be defenseless in the face of an attack. But at the same time, we need enough ninjas to sweep both islands at the same time. We can't give them time to form a resistance."

"So? What do you suggest?"

Zitsu pinched her waist, causing her to stand up and look at him furiously.

Ignoring her, he looked at the map on her desk. "We shall use a strategy I invented called blitzkrieg." His finger slammed down onto the map and began drawing circles around Nagi and O'uzu Islands. "We surround the Islands with the ships and launch the attack at the same time from all directions. Their only option is to be pushed further inland, driving them all to the same location while we surround them from all sides and kill them off."

"We're going to kill all of them?" Mei frowned slightly.

Seeing this, Zitsu shook his head "It's not like civil war where we were one nation to begin with, leaving any ninja alive will only create civil unrest and possible revolts in the future."

"What about the civilians?"

"As we push the ninjas back, some will stay in the towns to stop riots and restore the peace, as long as they behave we leave them alone."

Mei pinched her chin as she began to think. "Ok, this should work. I'll brief the elders and see how fast we can get everything ready." Looking at Hana she smiled "You go with daddy ok? Mommy has to go meet a bunch of smelly old people."

Taking Hana from Mei, Zitsu grabbed Samehada and attached it to his back. "I'm going to meet the other Shichibukai, I'll meet you at home later as we have more to discuss." As he walked towards the door he paused "Can you also buy stuff for two babies and clothes for a woman? Her nightgown is a little torn from the traveling and I have no money."

Before Mei can even protest, he sped through the door.

Editor: Scarlet Goddess