I do not claim any ownership of the Naruto series or its characters.

This is a work of fiction and it is meant as such.

October 10th

The day that will go down in infamy in the village hidden in the leaves. The day the Kyuubi attacked and destroyed most of the village and effectively killed most of the shinobi. If not for the 4th hokage giving his life to save the village by using a forbidden jutsu to seal away the nine tailed demon inside of an infant, the village would have been lost.

Now every year since the defeat of the Kyuubi, the village holds a festival on the same day in honor of this triumph. This festival has occurred every year for 15 years. Unfortunately not everyone finds it as a time to rejoice. Others use it as a day to remember their loved ones sacrifice to protect the village they swore their life to.

Although this is a time of rejoice and remembrance, there is one shinobi, always forgotten, always left out, never invited but always avoided. Naruto Uzumaki. The child whom the Kyuubi was sealed in those 15 years ago. It's because of this that the villagers treat him with no respect. It's because of this the villagers look at him in disgust. It's because of this he was beaten to near death on many occasions. They hated him. He didn't even know why until the night he became a genin. HE was the one that contained the Kyuubi.

It wasn't him though that destroyed the village, it was the damned demon who lived on inside of him. Even if that were the case he was still him, not that demon, but people didn't see this. There was no reason people hated him other than the demon inside him. Even after everything he has done for the village he was still looked at like he was the demon.

"It's not fair…" Naruto began quickly being interrupted by the Kyuubi himself

"You think I don't know that, I was sealed into you by the fourth hokage and you think it's not fair?"

'Why don't you just shut the hell up for once. It's because of you that I'm hated, its because of you that I don't know what it's like to have a family. It's because of you….. that I'm going to do this tonight' Naruto said mentally to the demon

"Finally let me go?" Kyuubi had said sarcastically

'no.' Naruto said slowly walking towards the edge of the hokage monument.

"It looks like they're about to end the day's festivities with that big roasting bonfire they have every year. It's my favorite and least favorite part of the entire day" Naruto said out loud not speaking to anyone in particular.

Every year when sunset comes, the village lights a large replica of the nine tails on fire and watches as it burns to the ground. Naruto every year comes to the hokage monument to watch the ceremony because one it's secluded and two it's also a great view to watch it. The irony of it all is the way to get the best view of the burning is to stand directly on top of the fourth hokage's head. As if they planned when they built the statue to have him watch the demon be destroyed every year.

On one hand Naruto loved seeing the big wooden representation of the damn fox who lived inside of him go up in flames. But on the other hand, he knew the villagers not only saw the fox, but also saw him in that flame.

'It's time' Naruto thought as he looked down off of the monument's head. 'That's a long way down'

'Well, here it goes' Naruto closed his eyes and jumped.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

On top of one of the roofs, with the best view of clouds laid Shikamaru. He liked the look of the clouds at sunset, then with the glow from the bonfire on the streets below, it gave the clouds an orangeish tint that reminded the shirker of the orange jump suit that his fellow blond shinobi wore when he was younger.

Sat next to Shikamaru was his best friend, Choji Akimichi. Choji was eating chips while Shikamaru stared at the clouds.

"So… whats the point… of having this… bonfire each year?" Choji had said between bites of his favorite barbeque flavored chips.

"its to commemorate the fall of the Kyuubi and to remember all those we lost during the battle. If not for the fourth hokage, the village would have been lost, its all just so troublesome if you ask me." Shikamaru responded.

"wow, the fourth hokage defeated the nine tailed demon?" Choji asked again

"yeah, he was supposedly one of the strongest ninjas konoha had ever seen." Replied Shikamaru

Choji just stared at Shikamaru in awe, then turned to face the hokage monument to look at the fourth hokage's face. "Hey, isn't that Naruto up there?" Choji pointed out

"hm?" Shikamaru responded then sat up to get a better look. "Yeah it is…. what's he do-…? Choji go get the 5th hokage NOW!" Shikamaru barked standing up and running through a series of hand signs. "SHADOW TELPORTATION JUTSU!" with that Shikamaru disappeared while Choji was off in a sprint towards the hokage tower.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

'30 seconds' Naruto thought as he plummeted towards the ground

Naruto realized a little too late unfortunately that he didn't jump far enough and that he was soon to hit the stair well that led to the top of the monument.

As if by an act of God wanting one last little bout of stupidity from the young shinobi, his foot caught the railing, shattering his ankle and fracturing his tibia, all the while swinging him forward making him go face first into the stone right below the railing, breaking his nose and knocking him unconscious. His foot swung loose and he continued to fall. He was about twenty feet from the ground when he was caught by the shadow user by the leg.

"Naruto you're more troublesome than some of the women in this village" Shikamaru let out with a sigh. "Naruto?" Shikamaru asked just realizing he was unconscious and bleeding fast.

Shikamaru let out a sigh and continued down the tree that he appeared from, using chakra to stick to the side and slowly walk down attempting to make the blond shinobi's wounds less painful.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"LADY TSUNADE!" Shizune yelled. "you need to quit drinking Sake on the job, it cant be good for…" Shizune continued before being interrupted by a larger shinobi running through the doors of the hokage's office.

"CHOJI AKIMICHI! You better have a damn good reason for barging into my office unannounced, and even more so sweating all over the place." Tsunade yelled.

Choji struggling to catch his breath was hunched over with his hands on his knees panting frantically. "It's….. Naruto….. He….." Choji said about coughing up his words.

"Well, what did Naruto do this time? It better not be another one of his elaborate 'pranks'" Tsunade began "and if it is so I cant believe he got you to help with this Choji, I thought you were above that."

"If its an attempt at a prank, its not very funny." Choji replied back. Tsunade now staring at him with a more serious face.

"Alright tell me what happened." Tsunade soon said, letting the young shinobi catch his breath a little more.

"Yes ma'am. Shikamaru and I were sitting on the roof of a building. I was eating my favorite flavor chips. You know the barbeque flavored ones that have the assortment of spices that makes them a little hotter than the normal-"

"CHOJI" Tsunade yelled keeping him on track of the story.

"Oh, right. Well anyways Shikamaru was laying down staring at the clouds and we were talking about the festival that goes on today in honor of the fourth hokage defeating the nine tailed fox. I was sitting in amazement as Shikamaru told me the story of what happened. When I decided to look at the fourth hokage in awe I saw Naruto on top of the fourth's head walking towards the edge. At first I thought it was so he could get a better view of the burning of the nine tails replica, but then…. He jumped." Choji said looking down at the ground.

Tsunade's face was now one of concern and rage. 'Why would he do such a stupid thing? What did he hope to accomplish by killing himself?' "Where's Shikamaru?" Tsunade asked with both concern and anger filling her voice.

"He used his shadow teleportation technique to teleport over to Naruto, I don't know what happened other than that." Choji responded.

"I see" Tsunade started grimly. "Shizune go search the woods by the hokage monument. If you find them bring them to me. I'm going to the hospital." Tsunade said as she stood up from he desk and walked over to Choji. "It will be alright Choji, Naruto has been through worse and lived." Tsunade said with a smile covering her thoughts of sorrow.

Choji smiled, but it immediately fell. "Why?"

Tsunade looked at him again, "why what?" was all she could respond with.

"Why would he attempt suicide?!" Choji yelled back.

Tsunade looking surprised from the sudden outburst of the usually thoughtful shinobi, looked back at him and let out somewhat of a sigh, "if Naruto hasn't told you then I can't either. This is something only he can decide to tell you all."

Choji looking confused just responded with an 'ok' then walked out.

Tsunade let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and walked out behind Choji heading towards the hospital. 'So its finally getting to him then. I guess 15 years of near solitude will push anyone to their breaking point.' These thoughts were all Tsunade could think of during her walk to the hospital.

When Tsunade arrived at the hospital she immediately noticed Shikamaru sitting in the waiting room across from her pink haired student, who was looking both terrified and royally pissed off at the same time. Tsunade looked back at Shikamaru who was in his usual thinking position. 'He's trying to figure out why Naruto would do such a thing.' She immediately thought.

Sakura noticing her teacher's appearance in the room turned to her eyes on the verge of tears. "Lady Tsunade." Her voice barely above a whisper. "Why?" was all she could manage to get out before tears began flowing down the sides of her face.

Tsunade let out a deep sigh before giving her response "If Naruto hasn't told you yet than I cant either."

Sakura looking shocked at this just looked at her feet and began saying something muffled by the tears. "He's the only teammate I have left. He's also the closest thing I've ever had to a brother. Since Sasuke left, Naruto has been the only one here for me. I can't imagine losing him, not like this."

Shikamaru listening intently on the conversation finally spoke up. "He wouldn't do something like this without a reason, its not like Naruto to just throw his life away like that. Something has influenced him to do this. Such a troublesome issue." Shikamaru let out with a sigh.

Tsunade looking at him and nodding left to go to the room where Naruto was. She soon found Naruto unconscious in a bed with his left leg in a cast. Shizune stared intently on the boy whom she thought she knew so well. Tsunade looked at the leg then back to her assistant.

It was Jiraiya in the corner whom Tsunade didn't even notice, who spoke up "Its not as bad as it looks"

Tsunade stunned turned to see her former teammate looking at her "when did you?"

"I got here a few minutes before you, a fractured tibia and shattered ankle, he should be back to normal here soon." Jiraiya explained. "Although, with the Kyuubi's healing power he should have been back to normal by now, im worried something is wrong."

Tsunade just looked at Naruto in disbelief. The young boy who always screamed about being hokage was laying there with his leg in a cast after attempting to take his own life. "It's his birthday isn't it?"

Jiraiya stunned, of all the questions she asks that. "Yeah, it must be tough. The festival in honor of the defeat of the Kyuubi whom is sealed within the boy. They treat him like the demon even if he isn't. They mocked, beat, and tortured that boy over the years. And at the end of the day they burn a wooden statue of the nine tails to the ground. Im going out on a limb and saying Naruto finally saw himself in that fire instead of just the Kyuubi. After all he has done for this village, he is still treated as the enemy."

Tsunade still between anger and sadness, leaning more towards sadness for Naruto but anger at the people just looked at the young boy comparing him to the demon. "No matter how hard he tries, what he does won't matter unless he is hokage. Even then people will still look at him with disgust. People become more hateful by the year. Only the younger generation doesn't know about the demon. But with their parents acting like the way they do around Naruto, it's the only way the children know to act around him. He has about 16 people in his life who has ever cared for him. You, me, Iruka, Shizune, Kakashi, and the rest of the Konoha 11. If you ask Naruto, life isn't fair."

Jiraiya just stood and looked at his apprentice. "He usually claims that's enough, but it isn't. Not when he doesn't know the warmth of a hug from his mother. Or the pride that a father can give him."

Tsunade looked back at Jiraiya with a bit of determination on her face. "Then its about time someone told him who his parents are."

Jiraiya simply nodded.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Shikamaru and Sakura simply waited outside in the waiting room. Shikamaru knowing he had to say something so Sakura would quit crying finally decided to speak up. "Sakura. Naruto is going to be just fine. He simply wasn't thinking clearly that's all. It's all just so troublesome if you ask me."

Sakura turned to him immediately "No! He's not alright, even if he wasn't thinking clearly, its not like Naruto to attempt suicide like that. I know him better than most people and its not something he would do." Her voice changing from anger to sorrow.

Shikamaru looked at the pink haired girl in front of him. "Troublesome woman." Shikamaru whispered under his breath.

Just as Shikamaru finished saying that Choji walked in with Ino. They quickly scanned the room and walked to separate sides. Ino to Sakura and Choji to Shikamaru. Ino had decided that Sakura needs a friend right now more than anything. Knowing that she just recently got over losing Sasuke to Orochimaru, she probably couldn't handle losing another teammate.

"Hey" Ino started in barely above a whisper sitting down next to Sakura and putting her arm around her. "its going to be alright, he just needs some rest and he'll be back to his old annoying and loud self in no time."

Sakura just leaned into her hug and sniffled out an 'ok'.

Choji walked to Shikamaru and sat next to him not saying a thing. He opened a bag of chips and started eating as he watched Sakura lean into Ino's hug.

"Shikamaru…" Choji began

"I'm not hugging you Choji." Shikamaru said bluntly.

Choji let out a slight chuckle as did Shikamaru. "I was going to say we should go tell team 8 what happened as well. Maybe team Gai as well. Neji might not be that interested but Rock Lee and Tenten will want to know."

Shikamaru let out a sigh. "Alright I guess, but you're telling team Gai. I don't want to hear Rock Lee screaming about how Naruto attempted to waste his youth. That's just too troublesome."

Choji laughed again. "Deal."

Shikamaru and Choji stood up from their positions and started walking away when Ino screeched at them. "AND WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU TWO ARE GOING!?"

Shikamaru turned to her before sighing and replied "Quiet down troublesome woman, we're in a hospital. We're going to let team 8 and team Gai know what happened tonight."

Ino calmed down and looked back at them. "Ok just be quick about it, we don't know when he will be out of here. And from what I gathered he will need some friends." She replied with a meaningful smile.

Shikamaru turned around and gave his signature wave from behind and Choji closely followed. 'This is such a drag' Shikamaru though before putting both hands in his pockets and continued to walk away.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Neji and Hinata were just leaving the area of the burned nine tails when they caught glimpse of Shikamaru and Choji heading their way.

"What could these two want?" Neji spat without realizing he had said it out loud.

"Cousin, please be nice they are my friends." Hinata replied.

"Ok, fine, but only because you wish it Hinata." Neji replied just as Shikamaru and Choji approached.

"Hey, Hinata, Neji!" Choji said quickly.

"Hello Choji, I do hope you're enjoying yourself at the festival." Hinata replied in the same delicate voice she always did.

"I was, up until a couple of hours ago." Choji's smile receding and him now looking somewhat depressed.

"I'm sorry to hear that, may I ask what happened a couple of hours ago." Hinata asked again in that sweet innocent voice.

"Naruto is in the hospital." Shikamaru intervened.

Hinata shocked by this was taken aback and she got real quiet. She brought her head down to look at the ground.

"Doesn't that happen on a weekly basis?" Neji inquired heartlessly.

"Well, yes, but this time is different." Shikamaru responded coldly giving Neji an icy cold glare.

"And what would make this time so different?" Neji once again asked.

"This time…" Shikamaru started, "Naruto attempted suicide."

Neji gasped and looked at the shadow user in front of him hoping this was some dark joke. He realized it wasn't then looked at Hinata who he heard gasp at this then saw where she was breathing erratically. Her breathing was misplaced and seemed sort of a heaving motion. It wasn't until he looked at the ground that he saw what was going on. She was crying.

"Hinata…" Neji started.

"No." she said quietly. "I don't believe you. Naruto wouldn't do such a thing."

"I didn't believe it either until I saw him jump from the hokage monument with my own eyes." Choji said with sadness in his voice.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM THEN!?" Hinata yelled at the two boys in front of her not knowing how loud she had been.

"I saved his life using my shadow teleportation technique." Shikamaru said with a sigh. "if Choji hadn't seen him on top of the hokage monument…" Shikamaru took a breath "Naruto would be dead right now."

Hinata just looked at the ground then up at Neji. "I'm going to the hospital, tell Father that I won't be home tonight."

Shikamaru looked at both Hyuugas and sighed, "I've told both of your teams already, and they should all be there right now. Your father was told by Kurenai sensei and Gai sensei. He has already allowed you both to stay at the hospital to wait for his recover. If there's one thing I know about Naruto, he has a fast recover rate. He'll be back to normal in no time."

At this the Hyuuga heiress smiled. She did know that Naruto was a fast healer, he always was. Right now though, she just wanted to be near him and tell him everything is alright and that nothing bad will happen to him again. Of course though, she knew that would be a lie.

"Well then, should we get going?" Neji interrupted. Hinata looked at him surprised, she never expected her cousin to care about someone outside of the Hyuuga clan. She nodded as the four made their way to the hospital to wait for Naruto's recovery.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

As the group of four reached the waiting room, Shikamaru noticed everyone else sitting quietly except for Kiba, the always impatient one. Kiba noticed them walk in and walked over to Hinata along with Shino. Shikamaru and Choji walked away together and Neji turned to walk to his team.

"How are you holding up?" Kiba asked quietly being very sensitive towards Hinata. At this question though she just broke down crying and fell to the floor.

Shino being the wise one knelt down and simply put a hand on her shoulder. "Hinata, its alright. Naruto wasn't in his right mind. This day always seems to get to him for some reason."

Hinata simply continued to cry but she did feel better knowing all of her friends would be there to back her up.

Ino walked over to Hinata and helped her up off of the ground. "Come over here and sit with Sakura, Tenten, and I."

Kiba was about to say something before he caught a glimpse of Shino staring holes through him. "Let her go over there. Right now she needs emotional support and I'm completely positive that you can't offer that."

Kiba just growled at Shino, "Fine but I'm not happy about it."

Shikamaru had sat back down into his thinking position waiting for any news and still trying to figure out what would possess Naruto to attempt to take his life. Sakura and Hinata still in tears with Ino and Tenten trying to comfort them. Shino sitting quietly watching a frantic Kiba pace back and forth. Rock Lee doing close to 500 pushups. Neji staring adamantly at the floor. And Choji eating his chips but going slower than usual. These actions were observed by their senseis. All except Kakashi who was yet again late. The only other person in the room more worried than anyone else except perhaps Hinata was Iruka. He couldn't keep still and kept thinking about Naruto almost bringing tears to his eyes but pushing them back several times.

It was at this time that Kakashi showed up with his usual "Yo!" but this time there was no loud screaming "You're late!" but just everyone looking at him and Sakura running up to hug him. He immediately looked down to Sakura then back up and requested to see Tsunade.

The ANBU who were keeping the hall closed from the large group in front of them. "We're under strict orders not to let anyone get back to the room." Said the ANBU with the cougar mask.

"And I'm under direct orders from the hokage to see her when I arrive at the hospital." Kakashi shot back.

The ANBU stared back at him, "very well" then moved to the side to let Kakashi through.

"That's not fair!" Kiba retorted. "You're letting the one person who is late to see Naruto back before everyone else? That's just not fair, I want back there!"

The ANBU quickly turned, "shut it mutt."

Kiba just snarled at them while the ANBU remained stationary not moving a muscle.

"Kiba, sit down, you're making a fool of yourself again" Shino said.

"fine." Was all Kiba could say.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Kakashi walked into Naruto's room to be greeted by the two Sanin and Shizune who looked happy he was here.

"Yo!" Kakashi started before being interrupted by Tsunade.

"What took you so long?!" Tsunade yelled at him.

"Well, I uh, got lost on this little path known as life." Kakashi said not even getting a chuckle from anyone.

"You were reading one of Jiraiya's perverted books again weren't you?" Tsunade quickly asked.

"They are not perverted, they're classical romance novels that involve a lot of research and dedication to create." Jiraiya had immediately answered. "But anyways, back to the reason we called you back here. We are going to tell Naruto of his parents and we need someone else besides us who knows who his parents are."

"I see. Then when do we tell him?" Kakashi asked.

"When he wakes up." Was all Jiraiya could answer with.

There was a long silence while everyone just looked at Naruto. The boy whose birthday it still was. The boy who just a couple of hours ago attempted suicide. The boy who held the most dangerous demon known to shinobi. The boy who had changed all of their lives with a smile they would never forget.

"I'm going out into the hall to give our waiting party a little information about him." Tsunade said standing up. "If he wakes up do not come yelling out into the hall, the last thing we need is for his friends to get riled up and charge in here."

"Yes, ma'am" was what Shizune responded with as she watched Tsunade walk out into the hall.

While Tsunade was walking down the hall she thought about how she was going to tell his friends that he wouldn't be able to walk for a while. And if Kyuubi didn't soon begin healing his leg, the shattered ankle and fractured tibia he received might be enough to end his career as a shinobi. Knowing them as she does, she knew that each one of them would be furious at this news.

She walked past the two ANBU guards and all eyes were on her.

Tsunade mentally sighed and began. "Listen up!"

Well that's all for now, I promise to put out a few more chapters before deciding to continue or kill the story.

In the meantime, review please. Thank you.