Facet of Future

8

Chapter 7

"Hi!" Misaki shouted as she and Hanami rode in on Akamaru's back. "We're back everybody!"

"Did you catch your big brother, Hanami?" Naruto asked as Hanami jumped down from Akamaru and ran over.

"No." she said while jumping into her father's arms, Naruto quickly depositing her in his lap. "Uncle Shino and Kiba did, though big bro gave me this!"

Hanami held up the stuffed toad Shinachiku had given her, and waved it in the air. "Did you say thank you to your big brother?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, dattebane!" Hanami said with a grin.

"That's a good girl!" Naruto said, smiling wide while hugging his little girl tight, Hanami squealing in delight.

"Really, Naruto." Sakura chided, though it was clear her heart wasn't in it. "Hanami's not a stuffed toy, you know. Speaking of which…so, what do you plan to name your new doll, Hanami?"

Hanami made a show of childish thought, before smiling and hugging her new doll tightly. "Gamatora!" she said happily.

Naruto laughed at that, eyeing the stuffed toad's orange and black pigmentation. "Well," he said. "I don't know about you, but it fits."

Sakura just smiled indulgently, though holding her arms out had Naruto pass Hanami to her. At the same time, she gestured with her head to where a pair of women were arriving dressed in bright, floral kimonos, chatting excitedly to each other while clutching paper fans and paper cups of shaved ice in their hands. "Hey ladies!" Naruto gave a call. "Did you enjoy yourselves?"

"Yeah, we did, Naruto. Thanks!" Ino shouted back, her once-long blonde hair now cut into a bob, and wearing golden earrings on her ears.

"Aww," Ino moaned unhappily. "I cut my hair in the future? Why on Earth would I do that?"

"I don't know." Tenten said with a shrug before giving Ino a smile. "But look on the bright side. At least you're no less pretty than Sakura is."

"…true enough." Ino said after a moment's thought. "I can stand losing to Hinata, but to billboard brow? No way in hell."

"I heard that, Ino pig." Sakura growled, and Ino stuck her tongue out at Sakura in response.

"Real mature, ladies." Tsunade reprovingly said.

Temari though was looking around in concern. "Naruto, Sakura," she began. "Have you seen Hitomi anywhere?"

"Shit," Shikamaru said, eyes going wide in recognition, and breaking out into a sweat. "That's Temari. This isn't good, I just know it…"

He trailed off and winced as both Ino and Tenten cackled behind his back. "Oh, this is going to be good." Kiba gleefully said while rubbing his hands together.

"You've been dancing around the issue for years now, Shika." Sakura said with a grin of her own. "Time to face the music."

"Knock it off, guys, come on." Shikamaru breathed.

Naruto blinked. "Wait," he said. "Wasn't she with you and Ino earlier?"

"We got separated earlier." Temari said. "I think that was when me and Ino got distracted by Misaki and Hanami running around with Akamaru. I assumed she must have wandered off into the crowd, and even if we didn't run into each other afterwards, or if she got lost, we'd find her here eventually. This place is pretty much dead center of the square."