Uzumaki Naruto, eh?
Epilogue

by achitka

Returning to Konoha after a particularly long and tiring mission, Team Kakashi entered the village late in the evening. Yamato led the way through town, and they were shortly joined by the team's namesake as he carefully avoided other pedestrians while he listened and continued to re-read his book. Sai, Sakura and Naruto followed a short way behind.

“How does he do that?” Sakura asked waving a dismissive hand at the jounin.

“Eyes in the back of his head,” Sai stated in his usual deadpan manner.

“That would certainly explain a lot.”

Naruto stopped listening to his teammates as he took a deep breath, letting his eyes droop a bit while he took in the smells and sounds around him. When his stomach growled, Naruto decided his first priority after their report was to get some ramen in him and made a mental list of everything he planned to order. With that important detail out of the way he looked up at the stone monuments letting his eyes sweep over them.

…Naruto...
what ever the future holds for you
...do your best…

Naruto blinked. There it was again...that voice...

“Eh, Naruto, you paying attention?” Naruto's attention refocused on Sakura as she asked, “What are you doing?”

“Sorry, Sakura-chan...I just thought I heard something.”

“Oh? What was it?”

“Aaah, it's nothing...” Naruto didn't even want to try to explain it. It was just something that always happened on his birthday. Besides, just how do you tell people about a voice that you know you know, but can't remember why you know or even when you heard it to begin with without it sounding completely idiotic? Sakura-chan already thought he was stupid beyond reason, so why add to that?

“But you had such a surprised expression...were thinking about...” her question trailed off into nothing when she noticed the grin he'd forced onto his face. Did she really think he needed to be reminded of the the damn thing was there? For as smart as she was, Sakura-chan still hadn't figured out that he really didn't want to talk about it. Her worry always sounded a little too much like pity and that was something Naruto definitely didn't need or want, especially from her. A bit angry now and not really wanting to shout at her, Naruto shrugged picking up his pace.

“I'm sorry, Naruto,” Sakura said catching up to him, “I shouldn't have brought that up, I just...what were you thinking about?”

Naruto shrugged again and continued up the street. He really just wished she'd drop it already. This was definitely one of those times Naruto regretted ever opening his mouth on the whole kyuubi subject. Just too damn confusing to sort out and it was times like these that Naruto just wanted to go home and forget that day ever happened.

“It must be a very important memory for you, Naruto,” Sai said behind him.

Naruto came to a halt. A memory? That thought never occurred to him as he turned and asked Sai, “Why do you think it could be a memory?”

“It affects you deeply, only a true memory can do that.”

For all his initial dislike of his new teammate, Naruto decided he was pretty smart sometimes. Naruto didn’t quite smile, but he didn’t comment either as he glanced up at the image of the Yondaime Hokage carved into the mountainside. Even though he was the man that sealed the deamon into him, Naruto felt a curious sense of loss as he almost wished that voice belonged to...

Naruto...what ever the future holds for you...do your best…

A smile crept onto his weary face as he mentally picked out a spot for himself and thought, For all the crap I put up with in the past, it really is good to be home.

done