The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 15

A Forest, Near the Hidden Leaf Camp

It's the night before the contest. Nobody is training anymore, their fate can no longer be changed, either they are strong enough to win or they are too weak to survive. It has been a hard month for the villagers of the hidden leaf, what was supposed to be a reprieve from the constant attacks of the invading forces had instead become a cascade of difficulties and challenges. To even make it to the contest has been a challenge for some, for Minato it has become an impossibility.

As Uchiha Sarada lays with her back against the branch of a sturdy tree she gazes up into the night sky, contemplating the last month. 'It really has proven Boruto's words to that Captain right. Welcome to despair, welcome to our world'. Suddenly though she begins to smile, 'No, the summoning worked, Lord 7th has come. We have no reason to despair any longer because he will save us'.

It's a perfectly clear night, something very pleasing to the 9th Hokage who would often gaze up at it in her youth. The moon is as big as her hand in front of her face as she looks upon it. This is the moon created by the sage of the six paths, inhabited by his brother and then by his descendants for many years after him. The moon is not only a thing of true beauty but a location rich with history.

"Hey" an unenthusiastic voice calls to Sarada.

The 9th Hokage lowers her eyes from the moon, instead directing them to her side. Sat on the branch next to her is a man clad in deep red armour. She of course recognises him instantly as her oldest predecessor, Senju Hashirama.

"Lord 1st…" she stammers before remembering their promise to address one another on a first name basis. "Sorry, I mean Hashirama. You're back".

"Yeah" he nods, no more cheerily than before. It is clear to Sarada that he is still suffering from the effects of Mito's death. It's hard to blame the 1st Hokage, after all, he had been thrust into the future alongside his wife only for her to die very quickly upon getting here. Mito was destined to live a long life in the past, that has been taken from her.

"Where did you go for so long" Sarada asks, noting that Hashirama had been missing since Naruto's six paths power had awakened. "You had us worried".

"I went to train" he answers honestly, "I had to prepare myself somewhere where I could concentrate, where I could be away from things".

Sarada does her best to smile at Hashirama, though she struggles to do so. In her heart, she had hoped that during his time away, Hashirama might have calmed down, may have started smiling once again and dreaming of a better future. Of course, this is not the case, the 1st Hokage is not smiling and though she cannot tell what he is thinking she can tell what he is not thinking. He is not thinking of a better tomorrow; he is thinking about the pain of yesterday.

"I understand" she eventually offers to him, "It must have been hard for you. I thrust you into the future to deal with a huge problem and you didn't deserve that".

"It's fine" Hashirama offers, his eyes fixed on his raised feet, "I'm a Hokage after all, this is part of my job".

"I guess it is".

An awkward silence begins between the duo. Hashirama is in a terrible position, he doesn't say anything because he doesn't want to say anything, he doesn't have anything he can say to alleviate his pain. His loss is the pain which he wishes would end. Sarada has also lost loved ones since the time-based summoning, however, she has not let it get to her in the same way as Hashirama.