'So, what's up next?' Naruto asks. He's been hoping to see himself being cool once again. But anyone else would be fine to. Really. Especially if they are his friends.

Iruka laughs. 'Maybe something a little more lighthearted. We've been seeing some pretty heavy stuff the last couple of scenes.' It hurts his heart to see his students fight their hearts out. He could do with something a little simpler.

'I agree. It would be nice to watch something a little simpler now.' Jiraiya nods along. Even if he does like to see what can happen in the future. Even if the future might not be that great.

'Something informative would be better.' Shikaku complains. The last couple scenes were heavy, but they didn't bring too much future information aside from Sasori's weakness. They could do with a little more.

'Number. We can watch the next one.' Neji tells the screen and not a second later the screen lights up.

'An inspiring speech.' Is what it reads. There are multiple confused faces in the room. But they'll wait to see what's happening.

The scene begins with a random man being grabbed by another random man. One is wearing the Mist uniform while the other the Stone uniform.

'Who in the world are these people?' Naruto is confused. He's never seen anyone like them before. They also wear weird clothes. Even if that's just his opinion.

'I don't know. They don't look that important though.' Sasuke mutters. If they had brighter hair of more recognizable features, then he might bother remembering them. But they don't which means they are cannon fodder for all he cares.

'The Mist and Stone can never become allies!' The man begins. It's as if he's remembering something from the past.

'I wonder what they are doing together.' Lee mutters. He's never heard of anything like that happening before. But he can see why these people are fighting. He's not that stupid.

'Judging by the way that they are discussing I doubt it will be something good.' Neji scoffs. People are bound to clash. It's their fate and nobody can do anything to stop it.

'Maybe it has to do with that war that was going on.' Hinata suggests. She might be jumping to conclusions a bit quick but she's pretty sure this has to do with the Madara fight from before.

'It could be.'

Around them there are thousands of other people. Wearing the uniforms from all the big nations. They are mixed together as if they are going to be fighting together. There are lines upon lines of different people waiting for someone to give them orders.

'That's a lot of people!' Naruto shouts. He's never seen that many people that close together. He's going to need a lot of hands to count all of them.

'No kidding!' Ino's eyes are wide. She never would have thought that there are this many ninjas in the world.

'I don't think I've seen that many people together in my life.' Shikamaru shakes his head. He's been to family meetings before. He thought there were a lot of people at those. This is totally another scale.

'Where are they though? That should take up a large space.' Sasuke is already doing the mental calculations. Not that he gets far. It's too confusing.

More and more people burst into discussions. As is bound to happen when there are so many people around. All people from different nations are clashing. And nothing seems to be stopping them. Also, all the people being angry look surprisingly generic. As if they aren't important to the world around them.

'This doesn't look that great.' Itachi mumbles. He's never liked to see people fighting and if it's at this scale people are bound to get seriously hurt.

'No kidding.' Shisui scoffs.

Then Kakashi appears. In his usual manner he sighs. It looks like he had been expecting it even if he's not too happy with the result.

'Where is Kakashi standing?' Sasuke tilts his head to the side. He doesn't recognize that place and it most certainly is not where the other people are standing.

'It doesn't look like he's standing together with all those people.' Naruto nods along.

Then wherever there are discussions sand appears and bursts to make sure that people stop attacking each other. It's of course Gaara that does this. He stands in front of everyone. Waiting to address each and every single person there.

'Gaara!' The kids cheer. The guy is quickly becoming one of their favorite people to watch. Just because he's so entertaining.

'Good to see him again.' Ino smiles. Gaara is too cute to pass up. Though she does wonder what he's doing there.

'I have a feeling we are seeing more Gaara than Naruto.' Hinata mumbles. She would like to see more Naruto. Because she likes him more. Not that Gaara is bad. Gaara is cool and all, but so is Naruto.

'We might be.' Sakura smiles. She doesn't really know what to think about these guys. She's never met Gaara. How is she supposed to now if she likes him?

'I don't care. He's awesome.' Naruto smiles. Though deep inside he does care. He wants to see himself kick ass!

Then he starts speaking. 'In the name of gain and profit for one's nation and village.' He doesn't sound too bothered with what's going on beneath him. 'Shinobi have hated and hurt each other for many years, from the first to the third Great ninja wars.' The people beneath stop fighting and look up at the person that's speaking to them.

'Gaara is holding a speech!' Lee cheers. He doesn't really know what to think about the guy. Gaara beat him up but then also saved his life. That should bring him in his good books. Maybe they can meet earlier now and become good friends.

'He's starting pretty strongly if I say so myself.' Kakashi says. He's never been one of speeches. Too socially awkward for that. If he ever has to hold one he'll have Naruto write it. That seems to work best.

'I can't say. I know nothing about speeches. They give me anxiety.' Iruka nods. The rest look at him weirdly. Isn't teaching also like holding a speech?

'That hatred cried out for power, and thus, I was born.' Gaara closes his eyes. 'In the past, I too was hatred and power. I was a jinchuuriki.' The public is paying rapt attention. Gaara really does mean his words. 'And I hated this world and the humans in it and thought about destroying them.' The camera shows them all the people he's speaking to. There are a couple figures in the audience worthy of mention. Like Hinata and a couple others.

'Gaara is getting pretty personal.' Ino watches. She knows that getting personal like that can either work to their advantage or people will take advantage of him. The latter is not something she wishes onto the guy.

'At least we know a little more about his previous mental state.' Inoichi sighs. The inner mental specialist in him cringes. How can anyone overlook people like that? If they are so scared of the jinchuuriki you would think they would try to stay in their good books. Actively demonizing them won't do you any good in the long run.

'It doesn't sound too good.' Shikaku can nod along with his friend. Even if he doesn't know that much about it he knows enough.

'Which is exactly what the Akatsuki is trying to do now!' Gaara yells out. Next to him stand two other men. Kakashi and someone else they aren't familiar with yet. Then Temari appears on the screen.

'So that's where Kakashi is standing.' Sasuke notes that down in his head.

'That means he's important.' Naruto tells him. They already knew that of course. He's one of the few people that actually managed to stand up against the Akatsuki and lived.

'He was supposed to be Hokage. That's sounds about right.' Kiba yells. The guy has dogs. So, that means he'll be a great leader.

'However,' The audience is silent. 'a single shinobi from the hidden leaf stopped me.' Gaara has to scream to make himself heard. Which is obvious since he's standing pretty far away.

'It's Naruto.' Shikamaru says without missing a beat. He's recognizing the pattern. It's always Naruto that saves people from misery or something.

'Totally.' Chouji nods. He takes another bite out of his pie.

'Of course, it is.' Neji grumbles. Why wouldn't it be Naruto?

Sad music begins to play, and Naruto face appears in Gaara's memories. Naruto is shown caterpillaring in Gaara's direction as they are both still young and laying on the ground. It's not a scene they are familiar with. Naruto looks at Gaara and it's obvious he's close to tears. Gaara is more confused than anything.

'When did this happen?' Naruto face scrunches in confusion. He doesn't remember that.

'We haven't seen that before.' Sasuke says. Maybe they'll see it in the future.

Ino laughs. 'They look pretty ridiculous like that.' They do. But she knows they are probably injured and that's why they aren't walking.

'I know how you feel so well… I know it hurts.' Naruto stammers out inside the memory.

Then another memory appears. They are older but again it's not a scene they are familiar with and thus they don't know the context. Gaara is barely sitting up as there are a bunch of sand ninja surrounding them. Chiyo is laying against Sakura and Temari is close as well. Kakashi and team Gai are there as well.

'I have a feeling that this takes place right after that fight we saw previously.' Itachi says. He'll take note of that. It could be useful for future reference.

'That seems to be that case.' Shisui also jots it down in his notes.

Again Gaara is shocked to see what's around him.

Then the scene shifts again. This time Naruto and Gaara stand near each other and Gaara offers Naruto a hand. Naruto almost starts crying. And then they shake hands.

'Aw. That's sweet.' Mikoto smiles. She likes people being friends. Is there something wrong with that? I think not.

'I ship it!' Ino cheers. The rest just looks at her. Wasn't she shipping Gaara with Lee before?

'Please don't.' Naruto mutters. Why does she keep doing that?

'Stop it Ino. It's weird.' Shikamaru tells the girl. Ino just smiles and doesn't respond any other way.

Now they are back in the present and Lee and Sakura are shown on the screen. Then there is Kakashi who's just judging Gaara silently.

'He cried for me. His enemy.' Gaara tells the crowd. 'We wounded each other in battle but he called me his friend! He saved me!' You could almost hear the crown absorbing the words he's saying. 'We were enemies, but we were both jinchuuriki. When we share and experience the same pain, there can be no bad blood!'

'Wise words.' The Hokage nods. Gaara does seem to be a good leader.

'Gaara does look pretty cool like that.' Naruto smiles. Gaara seems like a good friend. He can't wait to finally meet him.

'I just think he's being very vulnerable.' Lee looks at Gaara. He does agree with Naruto that he would be a good friend.

Again, Kakashi is judging from the side. Then there is another man who's just as strange but seems to have eyes that are more similar to Lee's than anyone else.

'Who's that?' Sasuke hasn't seen that guy before.

'I don't know. He looks important though.' Kiba laughs. If you've got eyes like that you've got to be someone important.

'No one is an enemy here!' He yells out. 'Because we all bear the pain of having been hurt by the Akatsuki.' Now within the flash backs Deidara appears smiling, which most certainly doesn't mean anything good.

'The Sand,' Gaara mutters. As Deidara is shown blowing up the Sand village.

'Well yeah. That's not good.' Tenten laughs awkwardly. She knows everyone else would be able to see that as well.

'That's going to cost a lot of money.' Naruto winces. He once broke a window and it cost him a fortune. He can't imagine how much that must have cost.

'And lives.'

'The Stone,' As Deidara is shown blowing up that village as well. He really likes blowing up villages it seems.

'Deidara again.' Itachi points out. He doesn't really know what to think about his future colleague. To him he seems a bit odd.

'That guy really likes blowing shit up.' Tenten laughs. She like exploding tags just as much as any other person but she doesn't like explosions that large.

'He most certainly does.'

'The Leaf,' As Pain is shown flying above the village and seemingly using noting to rip it of the ground.

'What in the world is that?' Neji stares at the screen. Does that power have something to do with those strange eyes? Does that mean there is a stronger eye than the byakugan?

'I've never seen anything like that.' Hiashi mutters. They've seen the result before but to think it happened like that? They thought it was an explosion or something. Not an invisible force ripping the village apart like that.

'He looks so much stronger than Deidara.' Shisui is quick to point out. He knows he'll struggle to fight someone like Deidara, but this guy is on another level.

'I don't want to meet him ever.' Kiba states and multiple other people agree with him.

'The Mist,' As Yagura is shown on the screen. Then the sharingan is shown. Implying all kinds of things.

'I don't like what this is implying.' Shisui states. He writes it down nonetheless. Because it does seem important.

'Me neither.' Fugaku agrees. It wouldn't look good on the clan if they are responsible for whatever is going on in Kiri.

'What do you mean?' Naruto asks. He doesn't get what they are talking about.

'It looks like the Mizukage is being controlled by someone with the sharingan.' Itachi explains. He doesn't really know what to think about it either. It's a bit odd if you tell him.

'If it's the Akatsuki then it's either Itachi or the mask guy.' Jiraiya points out.

'I don't think it's Itachi. Because if he's being controlled it's likely that guy instigated the civil war in the Mist. And that's already happening now.' Kakashi explains. The other people nod.

'I can see that.'

'The Cloud are no more.' As mister mastermind has Sasuke over his shoulder and bursts into the room with a couple Kage and a couple other less important people.

'Sasuke? What did you do?' Naruto fake gasps and looks at the boy.

'Like hell I know!'

Then the moon is shown but as a giant sharingan eye. 'Now there's only Shinobi!' With that last word the sad music stops and the entire mood switches within the audience. Realization casts over the people.

'If you still cannot forgive the Sand, after this war is over, you can have my head!' Gaara loudly proclaims.

'Delicious.' Kiba makes a slurping sound. The rest of the group looks at him weirdly.

'No. Not at all.' Neji looks at the guy. What is he on?

'Bold claim he's making.' Shikamaru says. Such a claim could also work against the guy.

'He must be really sure of himself.' Ino agrees. If he wasn't he wouldn't have done such a thing.

Now Kakashi looks down, only slightly less judgmental. The look in everyone's faces has changed.

'I can see that.'

'The enemy is now after my friend who saved me! If he falls into enemy hand, this world is finished!' Gaara proclaims. And that certainly leaves behind a little shock. 'I want to protect my friend. And I want to protect this world. But I'm much too young, too inexperienced to protect this world! So, I beg you all to lean me your strength!' Gaara screams his heart out. And the audience believes him.

'What does he mean the world is going to end?' Naruto is getting scared now. He didn't know it was that serious.

Sasuke stares at the screen with wide eyes. 'That it's not something good.'

'I could have figured that out myself.' Naruto glares at him. The rest of the group is deep in thought. They knew it was serious but to think the world could end. That another level of serious entirely. Surely Gaara must be exaggerating. But such a leader really shouldn't do that.

'That monster from that one scene does look like he could destroy the world.' Hinata points out. The faces of the people darken. That monster has drifted from their minds a bit. It's been quite a while since they've seen it.

'I suppose.'

'You got it, Lord Gaara!' One of the people cheers. The audience is going wild. There are also several apologies for their earlier behavior being thrown around. People are now donning their new headbands with pride. Not only that everyone is hyped for battle.

'I'm now feeling the energy as well.' Lee is getting ready for battle. Even if he's stuck inside this classroom and can't leave.

'I'm hyped.' Naruto agrees. He feels like he can fight the world and still win. Gaara is good at speeches.

'That Gaara can hold some speeches.' Sakura agrees.

'All who feel as I do! Follow me!' Gaara yells out. The cheering gets even louder and that's where the scene ends.

'Go!' Kiba cheers.

'Why does it end here?' Lee complains. He would have loved to see a little more.

'Because it's the end of the speech.' Shikamaru explains.

'Aw.'

'That scene brought us quite a bit of information.' Shikaku couldn't complain.

'Mostly confirmations of things we already knew.' Chouza points out. There wasn't that much new stuff to be added.

'Not that that's a bad thing.'

'Not at all.'

Added notes:

Gaara can hold some speeches

This is after Sakura's fight with Sasori

All villages have been wounded by the Akatsuki

Pain is scary

The world was about to end

'What up next?' Naruto cheers.

'I want something cool again.' Lee agrees.

'Like what we just saw?' Sasuke laughs.

'Even cooler!'

The screen lights up and the words: 'The tea is hot!'

'What in the world does that mean?' Sasuke is confused. What in the world does tea have to do with the future.

'I guess we'll find out.'

Thank you for the wait and happy new year to all! I hope this year will be better for us. This chapter is a bit shorter since the last ones were really long.

Next chapter is Shisui's death. Yay... it's not a fun scene but it'll bring some reaction. The update should be in two weeks. If not watch my profile, I put updates on there.