Facet of Future

1

 

Facets of the Future

Prologue

"What's this all about anyway?" Naruto Uzumaki complained as he and Sakura made their way towards the Hokage's office.

"I don't know either." Sakura Haruno replied with a shrug. "I was working over at the hospital when I just received the order to come here at once. Considering how busy we still are these days, it must be really important if Tsunade-sama is calling for me during my shift."

Naruto hummed unhappily at that, hands stuck in his pockets as he thought over what they could be getting called for or to do. "Maybe baa-chan has found something about where or what Sasuke is doing?" he wondered aloud.

"…maybe…" Sakura admitted while looking away.

The rest of the walk to the Hokage's office was made in silence, though once they arrived, they found themselves surprised to find others there as well. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked.

"Beats me," Shikamaru Nara grumbled where he was crouched in one corner. "I was just getting some sleep when I got the orders to come here. It's troublesome, but when Hokage-sama comes calling…"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that you sleep too much?" Ino Yamanaka grumpily interrupted. "Anyway, same story here. Hokage-sama called me here, so here I am."

"Likewise." Chouji Akimichi said while raising a hand, and then going back to munching on a bag of chips.

There was a chorus from everybody else in the room, or at least most of them. Hinata Hyuuga and Shino Aburame just nodded along to the chorus, while Akamaru just continued to pant where he was seated at Kiba Inuzuka's feet. Kakashi Hatake didn't respond, just staying where he was, leaning against a wall while reading one of his copies of the Icha-Icha series.

"Well," Kurenai Yuuhi said with a cough. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's important. Tsunade-sama would never gather so many of us here for no good reason, so let's just be patient and wait for what she has to say."

"I agree." Neji Hyuuga concurred with his fellow jounin. "Especially when one considers just who are in this room together, right now."

His words sent ripples of comprehension through the gathering, and Rock Lee predictably got fired up. "Alright!" he said with a pump of his fist. "As my youthful teammate says, Hokage-sama has gathered together the most youthful of our generation of shinobi! So let us wait patiently for her arrival, and conserve our youth and energy for what task she has in mind for us!"

There was a cough at the doorway, and everyone turned to see Shizune standing there with a small smile. "While I'm glad to see you're all so pumped up and energetic, there's really no need for that." She said. "Tsunade-sama just wants you all to see something, and now that you're all here, shall we get going?"

"See something?" Sakura echoed. "See what, exactly?"

"I think I'll let Tsunade-sama explain that." Shizune said before turning and walking back down the corridor with a gesture for them to follow. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to where Tsunade-sama is waiting."

Everyone in the office looked at each other curiously, but with really nothing else to say or do, they did as Shizune asked.

"Oh good, you're all here." Tsunade said, eyeing them all as the gathering found themselves in a large room. A projector screen was set up on the far wall, but instead of a projector, facing it was some kind of orb sitting on a plinth. "Shizune, activate the privacy seals."