1,000 years after the War *Sasunaru*

I.

- Naruto, don't be late, sweetheart.

- I promise, mom, bye!

With this, he left. Shikamaru's place was not much far away, he would be there in no time. Their asуlum was one of the smallest, but living his whole life in there, Naruto didn't care at all. He loved Konoha, despite it being too crowded and despite the strict rules. Through his sixteen years of life, he managed to cope with his naughty character and mischievousness. It used to get his father in trouble too often, it pained him. His father was his idol, his hero, he couldn't forgive himself for making him face the consiquences of his stupid games. Taming his free spirit wasn't an easy thing to do, that's why he was so close to Shikamaru. This boy was the definition of calmness, rational thinking, perfect decision making. Theit friendship was a proof that opposites attract.
Naruto knocked on the Nara family's door and soon after, Shikamaru's mom greated him.

- Hello, Naruto, so nice to see you!

Naruto gave her a quick bow and greated her as well. Entering Shikamaru's small room, he saw him on his desk with his hand on his chin, clearly deep into his thoughts.

- Sup?

Shikamaru flinched a little, getting back on earth.

- Oh my god, Naruto, do you know you can warn people before you are coming?

The blonde scratched the back of his head in confusion.

- You literally knew-

- Anyways, have you heard?

- Heard what?

Shikamaru sighed, turning his chair to face Naruto. He could tell his friend was serious. Something bad was about to happen, or it already did.

- Okay, I need you to not freak out.

- You are scaring me, just go straight to the point.

-You know our asylum is 1,000 years old, right?

- Yes, and?

- Apparently, our resources are ending. The population is too high, there is not enough food. It was never supposed to hold this long. If the goverment doesn't do something soon, we'll all be on the verge of starvation.

- Wait, what?

Seconds after, a pink haired girl burst in. She was dragging a huge bag, which she threw on Shikamaru's bed as soon as she entered.

- Okay, boys, don't panic. We'll be alright. I have everything we need for the outside world, there is no space for worry-

- Sakura? Wtf?

Naruto was staring at her clueless. That was too much information at once. He needed answers and he needed them now.

- You know I'm not like you, Naruto, I like to be prepared.

- Prepared for what? What in the actuall fuck is happening all of a sudden.

- You still haven't told him, have you?

Shikamaru shook his head.

- I was working on it before your loud enterance stopped me.

- Guys, please just tell me what's going on.

- Okay, okay. - Shikamaru took a deep breath and continued. - Since the resources are limited and the population is too high, there is a rumor that the goverment is planning to throw all the teens in the outside world.

Naruto giggled. That shit sounded absurd.

- Wait, wait... If that was true, it wouldn't be happening out of nowhere. It's not like we suddenly ran out of resources? It would have been known long ago. That's nonsense.

- The goverment knew. - Sakura interferred. - They were hiding it, until now, when the information leaked.

- Why would they hide it?

- Think, Naruto! What would have happened if everyone knew? It will become a whole new war! Isn't it obvious?

- And why the teens?

- Adults are benefitial, they are capable of working, there is no use of throwing them out. Kids aren't going to survive long outside. They want not only to lower the population, but to do an experiment as well. They want to test if the outside world can be inhabited again. The best choice is us, teens. We are useless in there, but outside we have the highest survival chance.

- We could die in the first second. It's radiation, remember?

- Then the experiment will fail and they will continue living in the asylum.

Naruto was speechless. He still couldn't believe what his friends were saying.

- And how did you find out?

- Shikamaru spied on a meeting again.

- U did what?

Shikamaru was a curious boy. Despite the great discipline he held, he was fascinated by the secrets of the outside world, the secrets of the past. The information was never enough. He was sure that what they tought them in school was just a tiny bit of knowledge, cut out from the tremendous ocean of hidden secrets only the stupid goverment  knew. Their meetings were top secret, but Shikamaru, being the smartass he is, found a way to spy on them.

- You remember what happened last time we did this?

- Yes, Naruto, don't act as my mom.

- Don't scold him! If he didn't do it, we wouldn't have been prepared!

- Sakura, if the radiation is still strong out there, it won't matter if you are prepared or not.

- According to my assumptions, we might make it. - Shikamaru stated.

- We "might" make it...

Naruto was devastated. He never thought that Konoha could betray them. It was his home. It was the place he was born in, the place he had lived in for sixteen years.

- I know what you are thinking, Naruto, but desparate times need desparate measures. I'm sorry to tell you this, but your beloved Konoha is throwing us out like rubbish, whether we like it or not.

A little before Konoha's artificial sun descended, Naruto headed back home. Walking on the well known metal road, surrounded by glass walls, didn't feel the same. He had heard what the outside world looked like, but he never saw it. What would the grass feel like, the air, the real sun? Tingles waved through his body. Was that shit actually real?

Freedom.

The blonde quickly shook this word out of his head. He could be dead in a few days, not free. He needed to think more realisticly. His head was about to burst. Entering his house, he got straight to his room, ignoring his mom that was silently cooking in the kitchen. Jumping on the bed, he covered himself with the blanket and pinned his gaze on the ceiling.

- Do I actually seek freedom?