Hello! I hope everyone has a great 2015, which is in 3 hours as I'm writing this at 20:53 on Wednesday 31 December in GMT 0+! This is my last fanfic chapter of 2014, and I know I'm not very established in this archive, but still, Have a Great New Year. So we're going to take a break from our mini-arc (i guess i'd call this a series of linking one shots) to write a new years story! Sorry, I know we ended on a cliffhanger, but I will upload more often if I get more feedback!
Now I don't know how they'd celebrate new years in Japan or Naruto, so I just made it up you know but if i've done something wrong and offended you/ the fandom in some way...Sorry!
The new years' before.
"Mom! Mooooom!"
"Bolt, shhh, dear, I'm Himawari has just fallen asleep!" warned his mother, who was wearing a beautiful lavender coloured kimono that matched her radiant eyes, with her long hair loose and wavy in the slight breeze that filtered through the open window. "What is it?"
"I can't find dad anywhere," he pouted, walking over towards her. "He was here a second ago!"
"He's probably gone to help set up the decorations for the show for later tonight," his mother explained, glancing out of the window in the direction of the Hokage building. Then, she turned back around to her son, who was also looking outside. "Do you still want to stay up to see it? It's going to be late, you know."
"But Shikadai, Inojin, Sarada and all the rest are going to see the show!" he exclaimed with hand gestures. "Apart from Chōchō, she'll probably be stuffing her face with that fatty An-"
"Bolt, don't be so rude!" his mother ticked him off, with a fair, yet firm tone in her sweet voice. "Go and get dressed properly upstairs, and then we'll go and help your father, okay?"
"Whatever!" he replied cheekily, before dashing up the stairs hurriedly, wishing he didn't have to bother dressing up all fancy for the celebrations. This would be the best one, all the previous years he had had to go home early before the whole festival was over, but this time both of his parents had agreed he could stay up till morning to see the start of the new year. He tiptoed across the landing from Himawari's room, where he heard soft snoring coming from inside. His grandfather would be coming in a short while to look after her, so there was no need for his mother to miss the celebrations. Hinata wouldn't miss it for the world though, she did enjoy the celebrations, in particular the jutsu fireworks that were created by the best warriors, including her husband.
Meanwhile, Hinata let her father in, whom she embraced, before leading him upstairs and explaining the time they'd get back, which he acknowledged with a subtle nod before going back into the main room, while Hinata wondered over to Bolt's room. She stepped inside with a sigh as she looked around the room. It was messy at the least, with clothes everywhere, alongside various ninja tools strewn across the floor. However, he was ready, so she made no comment on it, and called his name from the doorway.
"Alright! Let's go!" he shouted, his father's light hearted grin showing on his face, making Hinata smile as she took his hand, tutted to herself with a genuine smile, and walked out of the door with Bolt close beside her. "Let's go help dad!"
A couple of hours later
"Dad...New years' celebrations are always a pain," Shikadai complained with a yawn, his arms crossed and his slender body leant against a stand. "Why can't we just sleep through it?"
Shikamaru looked up at his unenthusiastic son with a sigh from where he was, outside the Hokage building, making sure all was in order. His wife, Temari, who was dressed up in a regal kimono, with a ironic mini fan as an accessory was helping as well, but was on the other side of the road, so didn't hear her child's moan. If she had, she would of definitely scolded him for being lazy.
"Because it's just a time to celebrate new beginnings or something like that," Shikamaru replied with a shrug. "I can't say I'm too keen on all this hype but I've gotta help out Naruto, you know,"
"Hokage, Hokage Hokage..." murmured Shikadai. "Geez dad, that's all you talk about, huh?"
"Well he is the grand-second-in-command advisor!" Ino commented brashly as she whizzed by with a few pretty pots of flowers in his hands. "He has to adore the Hokage, am I right, Sai?"
"Uh, well I'm not too sure you should take it that far..." mumbled Sai, but was soon dragged away by Ino, causing Shikadai to lose any interest he had originally speaking to his father, so he slinked off moodily to where Inojin was standing in lame pursuit for something to do.
"Hey Shikamaru, how's it going?" came a familiar voice from in front of Shikamaru.
"Naruto!" Shikamaru smiled in surprise. "We were just talking about you."
"We?" remarked Naruto, but with a teasing grin. "I love new years, though it isn't always the biggest celebration in the village. It's just great to celebrate with all the villagers, you know?"
"Yeah," agreed Shikamaru with a friendly smile. "The stars are already out, huh."
He turned to face Naruto, but instead of the cheerful grin he had displayed a second ago, he suddenly looked a little forlorn, with a small frown taking place on his lips and his brows furrowing a bit. Instantly Shikamaru knew what he was thinking.
"Sasuke...he hasn't been back at all this year, right?" Shikamaru prompted quietly, looking back at the shining stars. "He never used to add anything - but it still feels different."
"I bet Sakura's having a rough time all by herself..." Naruto muttered to himself, followed by a long sigh. "This whole pilgrimage he's on...we already pardoned him, so why does he keep going off?"
"I know I'm your advisor, but I can't help you there. You probably know Sasuke more then anyone..." Shikamaru's voice trailed off as Temari approached the scene, a broad smile on her radiant face.
"Lord Hokage, Shika, it's-"
"Geez don't call me that! You're not my mother," Shikamaru butted in childishly with a teasing glare.
"But I am your wife, so I can call you whatever I want," she responded briskly, before turning back to the Hokage, whilst Shikamaru shook his head her way with annoyance. "It's time we better be gathering everyone up; it's just about time for the show,"
"Thanks, I'll just gather everyone up who's gonna be performing in the firework jutsu display..." Naruto nodded, a little half-heartedly before hastily walking back into the Hokage building where some of the people would be preparing. Temari, confused, turned to her husband, who shrugged and looked at the floor, not really wanting to discuss anything. Temari of course new about Sasuke, but he really didn't want to say anything to her as it wasn't really his business. Taking the message by his expression, she quickly scanned around for her son, who was lazily chatting to Inojin, who looked rather bored as well.
"Shika, can you gather all your academy friends over here?" she called to her son, who glanced up at his mother with a slight roll of his eyes. "The Hokages just gathering everyone for the fire work jutsu display."
"Awesome!" came a bubbly voice, from the other direction as an excited and beaming Chōchō entered the scene. "I hope it's as good as last years! Are you going to be in it, Lady Temari?"
Temari nodded as Sarada and her mother approached, catching the eye of Bolt, who was also walking in that direction towards the group. Sarada noticed Bolt's eyes were on her, so she gave him a warning look, so his bright eyes rolled away.
"Pft, I thought you'd be stuffing your face with your fat sensei," remarked Inojin frankly with a sniggered, which Shikadai joined in a little.
"Don't be mean," retorted Chōchō, with an approving look from Temari who wasn't really focusing on their little conversation, but was observant enough to hear the insults. "Plus I've actually already eaten!"
"Of course..." he sneered, but his voice was lost in the yell Bolt made to greet everyone, which wasn't a surprise to Inojin, so he decided to keep quiet for a while. Sakura spotted Ino and Sai in the small crowd of people that was forming outside the building, so decided to head that way, but not before talking to her daughter.
"Sarada, do you want to hang out with the other children in your class?" she asked, as she smiled and waved to Ino from the distance.
"Sure..." Sarada replied, slowly sliding away from her mother and edging towards the group, but just before she reached them, she did an immediate u turn to a bench in the far corner where she could hopefully have some peace from Bolt or any other of the noisy academy students. Almost everyone she knew was there, all looking joyful and anticipating, chatting in small groups and catching up with everyone else. She spotted Kakashi, the former Hokage and her mother's old sensei at the front of the crowd, who was talking to Might Guy, whom she found looked quite similar to Lee Jr. There were other people, like Mirai Sarutobi whom she recognised, as well as other renowned shinobi and regular ninja and villagers alike. She had just started one of her many daydreams, when a sudden buzzer filtered through the air.
"Everyone, please calm down, and ready yourself for the annual firework jutsu show for the new years!" came Naruto's voice through the speaker, as everyone cheered and began to settle down with a hush.
Naruto walked through the door, a big grin on his face, smiling and waving to everyone.
"I appreciate you taking this time to join us, especially the children whom have stayed up late to watch this, we promise it will be a good one!" he continued heartily as Shikamaru, Temari and others gathered in a row behind him.
"Shikamaru!" he whispered behind him. "What time is it?"
"It's currently 11:55pm!" he hissed in return. "Naruto, we better start!"
"Okay!" he turned to address the audience. "Is everyone ready?"
Cheers and calls came from the audience as the small amount of jōnin formed a simple curve around him, and all nodded to him to signal the beginning. With one quick signal, the show began!
Bursts of a fire style jutsu flickered through the air, as Sai could be seen quickly inking out a fire dragon, that leapt off the page instantly, whooshing around the fire as if it were breathing it. The children gasped as someone's water clones and shadow clones jumped into the air, the water ones bursting through the fire, making cool steamy marks in the black sky, whilst the bursting shadow clones added to the dramatic picture, but not only that, it gave Shikamaru time to quickly possess Chōji, Naruto and Temari, who were shakily stood on each others shoulders and forced them into a stable position. Chōji partially expanding his fists, digging them into the ground and creating a stable base for Naruto and Temari to stand on, as Shikamaru quickly joined Sai on the sidelines with a sigh of relief.
"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!" yelled Naruto, forming the ball, then throwing it into the air as it exploded into it's many needles, which were swiftly controlled by Temari's wind-fan, and each needle shot through the sky, before all the shinobi waiting behind him added their just, creating a fantastic explosion of colours reflecting in the great sky above. The crowd cheered in delight, clapping sounds echoed through the village, making Naruto grin at the appreciation. As he leapt down and waved at everyone, he realised how lucky he was to be where he was.
He then spotted Bolt, his son, peeping from the crowd, looking extremely impressed and proud, more than he had ever seen someone so proud before. His cheeks were pink and his smile was endless as he cheered along with the crowd, boasting at how awesome it was that his father...was the Hokage. Next to him was his beautiful wife, who looked content next to her son and sister, and Naruto smiled, not just for them, but for the village that he had lived in, and was now responsible to upkeep.
"This is gonna be a great year!" he exclaimed to the ninja around him, who were all celebrating as the last strike of twelve went off. "It's going to be amazing, because I have everyone here!"
Laughter rang in his ears. A perfect end always makes for a perfect beginning in his eyes.
Hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter hopefully Saturday! Yaaay ;3