Howdy everyone TMF. Short oneshot before I made while being stumped on a chapter for Escaping Umbra. This was made to as an attempt at a single side of a conversation between Danzo and Naruto before Danzo was executed. I just wanted to try and show Danzo as a necessary part of Konoha.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, don't sue me.

"Ah. Uzumaki. I was wondering when you would come in."

"You want to know why I did what I did?"

"In that case the answer is simple. I love Konoha and would go to any length to see her kept safe."

"I see, you think that Root was too far. I must disagree. Root has always done what was needed."

"Ah, your Hokage. You seem to think she was against Root from the start. Let me enlighten you. She only disavowed Root when it became politically necessary to."

"What you think root survived three separate hokage's reigns operating out of their jurisdiction? The very idea is laughable."

"Yes yes deny it all you want Uzumaki. The truth about the darkness in Konoha is a bitter pill for one such as yourself."

"What do I have to gain from lying to you Uzumaki? I am trapped here, cannot escape, and my time is coming. I am at peace and ready to die. I simply am answering what you wish to know."

"Finally, silence. Now you want to know why I acted as I did as head of Root?"

"Yes? Very well. Tell me, how many times has Konoha been directly attacked in the last thirty years?"

"Three times. Once from a force of nature that you now house. Another a zealot drunk on power and a personal miscalculation. The last was an invasion from Orochimaru I personally helped arrange."

"You seem aghast that I why do such a thing. That someone would willing help an outside force attack Konoha."

"Did you know Naruto that in the five years before the chunin exams invasion that the number of jonin candidates a year had dropped by twenty percent? Chunin by fifteen? Konoha was growing soft. We were growing ever weaker, never fully recovered from the Kyuubi Attack."

"You think that I truly wanted Orochimaru to succeed? Then you are a fool. I managed to convince him to attack Konoha during the Chunin exams when Konoha shinobi would all be grouped in one spot for him to strike."

"Would you let me finish."

"Now, what Orochimaru failed to realize is that I personally arranged for Root operatives dressed as Sound ninja to be spotted moving into Konoha's borders. I even sacrificed one, Satsuki, in order for Konoha to catch wind that something was afoot between Oto and Suna."

"So I'm a monster for sending one of my own to die? Senju Tsunade does that every day when she send out shinobi. Mine volunteered the idea and carried it out proudly. Can you name me one of your friends who has done the same?"

"I thought not. Satsuki is one of many names I personally remember for the sacrifice they made."

"Yes I remember those I sent to die, those who died serving in the dark and unknown. They pay the greatest price of all, and I will not forget that. Now where was this history lesson at?"

"Root crushed two entire divisions of Suna shinobi, and crippled another Oto division the day of the invasion. Instead of being attacked when we had no forewarning, and with our shinobi spread out, Konoha was ready to respond and defeated two Hidden Villages for the entire shinobi world to see."

"You think that there were other options? Tell me Uzumaki Naruto, what would you have done?"

"Tell the Hokage?"

"He would have done the same thing as I. The danger presented by the two nations were too great to allow them to fade away and attack at a later date. I simply was the one of us who arranged it first."

"Yes, I know what I did was cold and cruel. Would you not do the same thing to save the thing that you loved though?"

"I never did anything to a Root operative that they did not agree to or volunteer for. Root came to them when they were alone, bloody, and abandoned, and offered them a home at a price. Some refused, and were wiped of the memory and put in a Konoha orphanage. Most accepted though and proudly became the hidden sword of Konoha."

"Manipulative? Yes, yes it is. But again I will go to any length where Konoha's safety is concerned."

"No Uzumaki, there is no too far in this world of shinobi, and if you ever wish to become Hokage you must understand that. The Hokage orders children assassinated, his shinobi to whore their bodies out, and mountains of lies told to cover yet more lies. Konoha has always lived upon sacrificed futures, whispered secrets, and rivers of spilt blood."

"If you try to change that, you will become crushed under its inexorable inertia. If that does not happen you will leave Konoha defenseless instead, without a single way to defend itself in this shadowy world."

"Uzumaki, you do not listen to what I say. You are afraid of what the truth will mean. I will leave you with this to mull over then. Your father, Namikaze Minato, in his brief time as Hokage, ordered Root to perform more mission than any other Hokage. Your mother Kushina-chan was a personal protégé of mine for two years. They understood the price of keeping Konoha safe from the shadows. I ask of you, can you say the same Uzumaki Naruto?"

All input and criticism is welcomed. TMF out for today.