The Lives Worth Saving

Chapter 51: To the Land of Hot Water part 1

"The Hokage couldn't have called us earlier or something? Or tomorrow? I was eating dinner."

Kurenai patted her irate friend on the shoulder. "Anko, Sandaime-sama wouldn't have called us at this time if it wasn't important."

Anko rolled her eyes but settled for sulking as they approached the Hokage's office. She had bumped into Kurenai outside the Hokage Tower and, after realizing that they had both been summoned but having no idea why, had made their way up together.

As they stepped into the office, they both blinked in surprise when they saw other shinobi already assembled in the room, a bunch of chairs lined up neatly in the room.

"Yuugao? Hayate?" Anko made her way over to the small group gathered on one side of the office, Kurenai following behind her. "And you four idiots too. What's goin' on?"

Used to her personality, they all took the insult, which was really more of an endearment, in stride and greeted the two kunoichi with a round of nods.

"Not sure," Hayate was the one to reply, straddling a wooden chair with his arms propped on the back of it. "We all got here only a few minutes ago."

As they pulled up chairs as well, Kurenai frowned at Hayate, studying the kenjutsu expert closely for a long moment. There were only the faintest of bags under his eyes and his shoulders were completely relaxed for once. "Hayate?" Kurenai noted the others' grins with some consternation. "You look... better today. A lot better. Did something happen?"

Hayate grinned openly at her. "Oh good; it really is noticeable. I just got out a few hours ago and haven't really seen anyone yet."

Kurenai looked around, feeling completely lost. "Guys, what's going on? Got out from where?"

Anko spoke up again, waving an excited hand in Hayate's direction. "Ya can't tell, Kurenai? Hayate's been cured!"

Kurenai sat frozen in her chair, stunned as she looked from one face to another, all smiling broadly back at her. "You're serious?"

Taking turns, Genma and Raidou explained the previous day's events to her as Kurenai took it in with wide eyes. And then, smiling in delight herself, she congratulated Hayate enthusiastically. She wasn't as close to Hayate or the others as much as Anko was but she still considered them friends and she was grateful to whoever it was that had managed to pull something like this from thin air.

"You all seem happy. What's the occasion?"

They all turned to see Asuma walk in, Gai following close behind. The story was repeated again with no less feeling and Asuma smiled and clapped the kenjutsu specialist on the back before taking a seat next to Kurenai while Gai all but bounced in his chair, proclaiming about the wonders of youth. This continued on for several seconds before Anko shut him up with a well-placed threat to his manhood.

"So does anyone know what's going on?" Kotetsu asked as they all finally settled down.

Asuma shrugged. "I got a message to head to the Hokage's office but nothing more than that."

"That's what the rest of us got too," Izumo nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Wonder what the Hokage wants."

Genma suddenly straightened, eyes focused over their heads. "I'm going to guess that it has something to do with what Haruki was saying the other day. Take a look."

They all turned and then hastily straightened in their seats as the six Clan Heads of Konoha filed in, with Hyuuga Hizashi walking alongside his brother and Inuzuka Hana walking beside her mother. All of them glanced briefly around the office before quietly taking seats on the left side of the room. Hana exchanged a few more words with the Inuzuka Clan Head before rising and making her way over to them.