Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but if I did, I'd be totally psyched.

I would say to those who mourn... look upon each day that comes as a challenge, as a test of courage.

Chapter 1 – Genma's Nerves

Genma stood shaking in Kakashi's office. He still couldn't believe that the perverted Cyclops had been made Hokage, but he guessed there wasn't anyone better suited for the job left alive. Which was why he was about to give the most difficult speech of his life. Damn that bastard. As his first order of business as the leader of the village hidden in the leaves Kakashi had declared a national holiday; a holiday honoring those who had stood up for and ultimately fallen for a shared dream. Konoha's precious 13, there most esteemed and exalted heroes, had all had to die for them to get where they were. And where they were was beautiful. The great nations were at peace, one that looked to be a lasting one. Konoha's brilliant 13, who had managed to open the eyes of everyone they came in contact with, and the world was a better place for it. Unfortunately, none of them had lived to see the tree they had planted finally bear fruit. Some of them had been there to see the blossoms, but now they were all gone, and Kakashi had thought, and rightly so, that they deserved a holiday.

So now it would go down in the history books, that October 10th, the day of Uzumaki Naruto's birth, would be Konoha's Memorial day. In fact, it would also be Suna, Ame, Oto, and Kiri's Memorial day as well, but they had only followed suit after Kakashi had made the decision. He'd chosen Naruto's birthday because really, it had all started with Naruto. His interaction with the 13 was legendary and of all of them, he'd needed the recognition most anyway. It was a great idea, this Memorial Day thing, but Genma had mixed feelings. He'd been asked to give a speech about them. He'd argued that Kakashi should do it, after all he'd been Team 7's sensei, and that's where it had all begun, but he'd been shot down. Kakashi admitted to knowing Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and even Sai better than anyone else, but Genma, he argued, had known them all. So he'd accepted the duty with trepidation, he considered it a great honor, but he feared that standing in front of everyone talking about those he considered to be the greatest people he'd ever known, and whom he had still not gotten over the loss of, he might break down and cry.

Watching Kakashi, out on the balcony stirring up the crowd, Genma swallowed the lump in his throat and asked Kami for the strength to get through everything he had to say. He counted to ten and tried to picture everyone out there naked, but it didn't do any good. Then he heard his Hokage, and life long friend, introduce him to the people, and he stepped out onto the balustrade and took a deep breath. He only hoped he did their memories proud.