AN: Happy birthday, my Naruto-kun! Here's something for ya cause I love you so much!

Thank You

"Mommy, mommy, catch the ball!"

A small girl was playing with a festive ball, dressed in a beautifully elaborated yukata. She had pigtails on either side of her head and bore a wide, happy smile. Fireworks illuminated the darkened night with magnificent colors. Theater music blared all throughout Konoha as the people on stage acted out what happened on the night when the great Hokage had sealed in the Kyuubi. Taiko drums and shamisen players were all in the same area, playing different melodies. Small games were being played by children and adult alike. Children scaring each other with noh masks and rubber kunais.

Whilst this joyous occasion was taking place, two cerulean orbs watched with sadness. A disconfigured cake lay in the garbage can, leaking batter from the bubbles. It looked as if it were only half baked, the oven catching fire and not being able to complete the rest of it. A single ramen cup lay half full on the table alongside with a headband. The fifteen now fifteen year old young man lay on his bed, looking outside at the festivities. The only real thing he was able to enjoy were the fireworks being as untouchable to him as to anyone else.

'It's been fifteen years and I'm still not used to this…'

Naruto sighed, flipping on his back.

'I don't think I told anyone either…no wonder they wouldn't know…'

A knock was heard on the door. The blond haired boy stood up and walked over to the door warily, opening it. He looked from left to right, showing no evident signs of anyone. He squinted until he saw a flap of white clothing turn a corner. He locked his door quickly and ran after it, seeing it turn another corner. It was a wild goose chase in where the goose was faster than the fox.

"Come back here!"

Naruto shouted blindly, wanting to catch the prankster that disturbed him from his down time. He turned another corner, now away from the apartment building. He reached a fork in the road. The prankster had escaped. He turned his head, trying to find the billowing white fabric yet again, finding none. He was about to quit when he felt a pebble being thrown at his shoulder, coming from the right direction. He began to run down there, wondering what the person would be doing away from the festival. Naruto kept running, still seeing no signs of the white. A four-way was up ahead. He stopped, panting heavily. Whoever this person was had to be either a ninja or quick on their feet. A gust of wind blew past him, he turning around to try and find the source. There was another breeze to his other side. He growled, his eyes darting as quickly as possible to find the source. For some reason, he looked down, seeing an arrow pointing him to go to the left. The blond boy heaved an exasperated sigh, beginning to jog to the left. He slowly ascended the shrine steps, looking down the hill to watch the festivities momentarily. Everyone looked so…happy.

"This way…"

An eerie voice called over from the bushes. Naruto approached them, pushing the bushes aside to find a small package. He read the tag, identifying it that it was for him. He opened it, finding a face giving the peace sign with one hand, and the other presenting an inari fox with a red bandana around its neck.

"This guy thinks that this is a game…"

He looked around, trying to find the fox. Naruto saw one in a distance, running towards it. A red stone with a swirl in the middle lay on its head, a note under it.

"Ring the bell thrice and say a prayer for good will…seek the candlelight by the sill…?"

Naruto read, pocketing the stone and turned his head, seeing the monk's house with a candle still lit. Without thinking, he ran towards the candle before the monk would take the note away. Naruto slammed a hand on the sill, sliding off another small paper, reading it breathlessly.

"Go…find….man, it's hard to breathe!"

Naruto inhaled deeply, catching his breath.

"Go find the hidden kunai around a death marker?"

He sighed heavily, hating the game more and more. It wasn't getting fun at all. He trekked towards the markers, picking up the kunai and unrolling the paper around the handle.
"Go back….I really hate whoever wrote this…go back home…"

Naruto looked at the oddly shaped kunai and stone, letting out a frustrated yell. He fell back on the ground, looking up at the stars. A second later, another person joined him on the ground. The blue eyed boy turned his head to see a man in his late twenties, early thirties, lying down next to him. He had blue eyes and blond hair just like him.

"Liked my hunt?"

"No…"

"You didn't have fun?"

"No…"

"I'm hurt! I did this for your birthday, you know?"

"How did you know!? I didn't tell anyone!"

Naruto jolted upwards, staring into the kind face of the man whom seemed oddly familiar but couldn't put him finger on it.

"I think they know. Well, if you didn't have fun, I did. It was funny to see you running around like a detective; trying to find who lead you on this joke."

Naruto sighed, falling back down and closing his eyes. The man felt strangely comforting.

"Happy birthday. Those are your gifts since you're older now and don't need toys."

Naruto looked at the kunai and stone of his family name.

"Thanks…this is the first time someone has done this for me…"

"No need to thank me. I just did what no one else would have and had fun doing it. Aren't you usually the one to prank people?"

"EH!? That was a long time ago!"

"I don't think that two or three years is a long time, Naruto…"

"H-How do you know my name?"

"Who doesn't? Uzumaki Naruto."

He said his name again, smiling at the sound of it.

"I like it a lot. Don't you?"

"Of course I do! I just want to know how!?"

"Aren't you the demon vessel that keeps the Kyuubi in check?"

"Y-yeah…"
"Well, I was there when it happened. I saw you as a kid, Naruto. Kinda cuter back then than now, but nothing we can't take care of."

The blond man turned to the boy and gave him a hearty smile, Naruto feeling a blush creep up onto his cheeks, turning his head away.

"Yeah, well…you're one to talk! You old geezer! What kind of person lets someone nearly die of a heart attack because they think someone is stalking them!?"

"You have problems with your heart…!?"

The older blond asked, his turn to bolt upwards, resting on his left forearm. His face held worry and concern, eyebrows furrowed together. Naruto's eyebrows rose up in wonder.
"No…I don't…it was an expression…"

He sighed, the worry leaving him.

"Alright…okay…anyways…what were you doing alone if it's your birthday?"

"I haven't told anyone else, so they don't even know."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I dunno…I just didn't."

The two sat up, Naruto looking directly into the man's defined face. The man's face puffed up as he began to laugh loudly.

"What is it!?"

"Your face! It's hilarious!"

"And yours isn't a sight to behold either!"

He stopped laughing, this time Naruto starting up. The two voices of laughter were heard all throughout the holy grounds belonging to the monks. Slowly, the man began to disappear bit by bit like that of a wisp. Naruto stopped laughing, trying to reach out to the man and he doing the same, only to grab air. He was already gone.

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Naruto's eyes snapped open, finding himself still on the ground. He sat up, looking around. The candlelight in the window was still flickering.

"Narutoooooo!"

The blond turned his head, seeing Sakura run towards him. Sasuke and Kakashi were coming up from behind.

"Where have you been!? We were looking for you!"

"Huh…? Why?"

"We saw you running off here and you suddenly collapsed!"

"What do you mean collapsed? I was talking with a guy that looked almost exactly like me!"

He tried to object to Sakura's statement, but she still held a worried expression. He looked towards Sasuke and Kakashi, seeing their faces with somewhat worried expressions on as well. Naruto stood up, somewhat shaky on his legs for some reason.

"Naruto…? Are you okay? You're crying…"

His hand flew up to his face at Sakura's comment, wiping away the tears from his eyes that he had no recollection of ever crying.

"Yeah…I'm sure I was with someone, though…"

"It's cold outside…let's go over to my place where's there's a fireplace."

Naruto slowly nodded at Sakura's statement, wondering why she would let him. His hands ventured into his pocket, finding the stone and oddly shaped kunai.

"Kakashi-sensei…there was a man who looked exactly like me…he wore a long white cloak…do you know who he is…?"

"Naruto, that is the Yondaime. There is no way that you could have been with him; he's been dead for the past fifteen years. I know you don't pay attention in history, but I know that you remember that."

The young blond still stared at his trinkets, rubbing his eyes. They were real…what happened, then?

"Let's go…it's your birthday today, isn't it?"

Sasuke tossed him a wrapped up gift, Naruto opening it to find a new coat for the season inside that was a navy blue color.

"Thanks…how did you know?"

"You told us, dobe…remember your note?"

"I didn't-"

Sasuke held up a note, Naruto reading the memo saying that it was his birthday.

"Y-yeah…I guess I forgot! Hehehe…"

In truth, he had never distributed any hidden notes telling anyone.

'How did that get there…?'

The blond wondered to himself, standing up.

"Come on, let's go."

Sakura said, turning around as she began to walk away. Sasuke was the last to turn around, taking a final look at Naruto before beginning to walk. Naruto jogged to catch up with them, turning his head back to where he had a chat with the supposed Yondaime.

'Thank you…'

He silently thanked the Yondaime.

"You're welcome…"

His voice was carried on the wind, audible for Naruto's ears only. He walked on with his teammates, tears of happiness falling from his lashes.

'Why am I crying…?

He made no attempt to wipe away his tears. For some reason, he felt extreme sadness tug at his heart.

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AN: There! I am Gai-sensei and Tai-chan is Kakashi-sensei! Whoever wins the contest of who has the better oneshot wins a point! YoooooSH! –Nice guy pose-