- Two and a Half years later -

" Happy Eighth Birthday Naruto!" Shouted everyone as he walked into Ino's home. Naruto's face was a mix of surprise and joy. The scene that lay before him was almost to beautiful for words. All of his friends were there, celebrating his own birthday. Never in his wildest of dreams, would he imagine something like this ever happen to him. Two and half years had gone since he had first met Ino. He couldn't believe how the time flied. First of all, he had not been expecting a birthday party. He was much to humble to ask for presents. And secondly, he had not expected this many people to come. ( at least by his standards ) The Yamanakas, Shikamaru and his family, and Choji's family. Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji had instantly become fast friends as their families introduced each other. Naruto wouldn't trade their company for the world.

Shikamaru was a thin and fairly tall. His brown eyes always looked board. The boy had spiky brown hair wrapped up into a stiff pony tail. His attitude for life was almost unbelievable. Shikamaru's lazy-ness was almost infectious, writing off almost anything they did as a drag. His favorite non-active activity was cloud watching. He could lay there for hours, watching the shape shifting white puffs of condensation pass by. Of course this meant that he wasn't the most diligent when it came to training. When ever he or Ino had offered an afternoon of sweat, blood, and tears, Shikamaru always wrote it off. He threw his coined quote out on the table whenever he felt it needed to be.*sigh* " What a drag."

Choji was a whole different story. He was very chubby, but just a little bit shorter than Naruto. His cheeks had red swirls on them, signifying his clan. Choji's brown eyes were ( no surprise here )full of the lust to eat. Wherever the gang would go, he always brought some sort of snack with him. It was astonishing the amount of food the boy could bring with him, sometimes taking dozens of bags of chips out of his seemingly bottomless rucksack. The gang did learn however with time, that if you called choji fat, friend or foe, he'd go crazy and try to steam roll you with his signature jutsu.

Ino was his best friend. Ever since that fateful day almost two and a half years ago, his life had changed all for the better. It was all thanks to her. She had grown a bit, a few inches here and there. Almost as tall as Naruto. Her hair had also grown out a bit, but never leaving the ponytail. She had gotten in the habit of wearing a purple shinobi sweatshirt with purple female ninja shorts. Her love for purple had grown with the years, leaving behind a trail of non-purple items in the Yamanaka residence. Her aquamarine eyes were probably her most striking feature. They had seemed to get slightly lighter as the years passed, Naruto seeping every detail filed away in his mind.

Although he wasn't part of the families Ino-Shika-Cho group, he still belonged with the three kids. Ino being the natural boss of the gang, she decided what they did on a regular basis. Naruto happy with anything as long as he could spend time with his friends. He hung out with Ino more than anyone every thought possible though, given her personality. She was naturally bossy and sometimes a smidgen arrogant, but she had another side which to many people didn't see. A caring, friendly face that Naruto only ever saw. He briefly remembered all the times she had cheered him up when he was feeling down.

Ino walked up to him and gave him a light slug in the shoulder as she smiled. " Happy birthday blockhead." This was her way of showing affection. The nickname she had given him was simply because she enjoyed saying it more than just his name. Also enjoying the fact that it was a cute nickname overall. Naruto had gallantly accepted is as part of his fate. Naruto grinned at Ino before giving her a quick hug. She blushed quietly and returned the gesture, Naruto only did something like this when the occasion was special or he was just really happy. She didn't mind her family watching, or Shikamaru's... or Choji's... Gently rejecting the idea, she socked him on the head not to lightly before returning to where they were handing out gifts. Naruto just grinned to himself as he rubbed his sore head. This was Ino. He then turned to the rest of his friends. Walking over to Shikamaru and Choji, he fist bumped them both. " Happy Birthday Naruto" they said in unison. " Thanks guys." He walked over to the adults, Inoichi just ruffled his hair. Naruto having become almost like a son to him. " Happy birth day Naruto!" The adults all said with big smiles. Watching him grow over the past few years was amazing.

D.P

Ino's father watched his daughter and her best friend grow. Him training them of course. They had improved in leaps and bounds, more so than he thought possible. Their taijutsu had improved massively. Naruto preferring a rigid stance, both arms at his side until he needed them. Quick rigid strikes were his game. Ino on the other hand liked fluid and connecting motions. One attack flowing into another. With more than a few spars under their belt, the pair were far ahead of anyone in academy. Their chakra control was excellent. They could effortlessly stand on water and walk up trees like it was second nature. Ninjutsu was something he was excited to start soon. Inoichi already had plans for Ino, as she held the same skills as he did. Mind control techniques and maybe healing jutsu. Naruto on the other hand was a wild card. Having no idea what his element was, he would have to ask the hokage for advice when the time came. However, he had gotten a gift for the boy that he knew he would love.

Genjutsu was something that neither one of them showed any interest in. He was glad as he had never liked the art in the first place. As for the academy, both of them were thriving. He was glad both of them had started training so early, giving them a massive advantage over the classmates they had class with. He turned his attention to the boy tearing into his first present.

D.P

Naruto gleefully tore apart the first present by Choji's family. He whooped for joy as it turned out to be a limited edition, very rare, deluxe ramen cup. Only a few were known to exist in all of the five nations. He couldn't wait to see what it tasted like, already imagining the heavenly taste of the noodles covered in the warm broth that-. Naruto had to stop himself before he involuntarily tore into the deluxe food package. Naruto saw Ino give the ramen cup the same hungry eye. Ever since he'd introduced her to ramen she had held a love for it deep in her heart, almost as much as Naruto. He'd make sure to share it with her later. The next gift in line was from Shikamaru and his family. He opened up the tightly sealed package to find a bran spanking new set of ninja tools. One gift he sorely need. His old ninja tools having been worn down through years of use. He thanked the Nara's from the bottom of his heart. And finally, the Yamanaka's present. It was a long package, about 4 feet long. A little bit shorter than he was. Curious, he picked it up. It seemed to weigh about 5 pounds. Finally, after a brief minute of examining, he couldn't help it. Naruto ripped the gift paper off of the strange object until it had revealed itself.

His sea blue eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. He held in his hands, a metal staff. It was about as simple as it got, the whole body of the staff colored jet black only for it to be tipped by golden plates on each end. Having being fascinated by the art of the bo staff, he had never gotten a chance to practice with anything suitable, let alone actually have a perfect weapon. Naruto threw it around a bit, spinning and twirling the staff gently from the years of practice he had with forest sticks. It was perfect. " Where did you get this sensei?" " Well Naruto, I never did forget your reaction two and a half years ago, I made a special request to the ninja shop. I took about two years to make. They spent that time making the staff almost invincible, infusing seals and chakra into the very seams of the metal. I hope you like it."

Naruto once again grinned his signature lopsided grin. " I can't tell you how much this means to me. Thank you guys." But the gift giving was far from being over. All this time Ino had hidden a package behind her back, after he received the staff she quickly came over and handed him the purple gift wrapped present. She waited with baited breath for his reaction. He felt its weight... it was light and soft feeling. Eager to find out what it was, he gently pulled back the gift wrapped folds and to his great pleasure, found a little stack of clothes. He examined them with glee. The shirt was a standard mesh but with purple infused in the bindings. A long thin coat, colored purple and orange, and purplish orangish shinobi pants. There seemed to be something different about these articles of clothing... Before he could put his finger on it Ino proudly said , " I made these myself. You better like 'em knucklehead." She pouted a little.

" Wow! These are amazing! I can't wait to try them on." Ino smiled proudly at the comment. Naruto loved them. He really did need a change of clothes and this was perfect. Actually, he wanted to try them on right now. With kid like innocence, he quickly stripped down to nothing but his shorts, in front of everyone. The adults chuckled and the two boys just raised their eyebrows. Of course Naruto would do something like this. Ino however blushed as she saw just how much Naruto had grown. He had let his hair grow out just a tiny bit, letting his bangs fall lose. He had definitely gotten taller if not by a few inches. His face slender and strong, baby fat still visible in some places.

One thing that did catch her eye more than anything else was his body. Years of rigorous training had given him rippling muscles with toned skin. Ino found herself drooling, just a little bit. She snapped back to reality as Naruto gave her a funny look." Ino, you ok?" She blushed mightily and proceeded to walk over and smack him over the head. " Damn you Naruto " he heard her whisper as she almost ran out of the door.

" What did I do?" he said out loud. The rest of the party members shook their head, he was the worst when it came to identifying feelings. Especially his own. He shrugged. He tried on the hand mad clothes. They fit perfectly. Picking up the staff, he waved goodbye to the rest of the gang before chasing after Ino. Today was a beautiful spring day, he jumped up on the roof, enjoying the crisp autumn air in his face. Naruto knew where Ino would be, she would be under their tree. It was a tree that could be found on the inner edge of forest in training ground 5.

F.B

The pair had found it about two years ago when it was april fools day. They had planned to play a prank on their sensei by hiding from him and trying to cover their chakra signatures. They were small children and this was the most diabolical plan they could think of.

To them, skipping training was the ultimate prank. As Inoichi's back was turned, they silently ran into the surrounding brush, trying ever so hard not to giggle. Ino led the way as they searched for a tree that was suitable for their needs. Rounding the edge of forest clearing, she suddenly spotted the perfect hiding place. It was a fairly large oak, just a little bit taller than the trees around it. She saw an alcove in the center of the tree, perfect for two bodies to hide. She motioned to Naruto, he nodded. They both jumped up and landed on one of the big branches. There was a curve in the middle of the tree, perfect for hiding. Naruto went ahead and sat down, leaning against the curved part of the indention. Immediately he noticed that it fit his body almost perfectly.

Ino walked over and looked for a place to rest as well. She came up short. She then realized that she could sit diagnol to Naruto, which would be perfect. Sitting down next to him, her legs intertwined with his. Naruto didn't mind at all, in fact it was actually very comfortable. Ino as well was suprised to find that she was extremely comfy, their legs connecting like matching puzzle pieces. Thinking nothing of it, the pair held back giggles as they heard their sensei walk underneath the tree. " Naruto! Ino? " Inoichi grinned as he knew that they were in the tree. He just wanted them to have fun once in a while. He walked off the opposite way calling their names out every so often.

They high fived triumphantly, ecstatic the plan had worked. And before they knew it they were alone, with only the wind to keep them company. They reveled in the beautiful silence of the day. Ino's head began to nod forward from the sleepy warmth of the day and before he knew it, he joined her. The pair let out might yawns before silently falling asleep on the spot. Inoichi had returned a half hour later only to find his two students asleep, legs tangled together. He smiled, happy that they had become such good friends in the past months. Turning his attention to the task at hand, he began to look for a bucket and some water...

F.B End.

Naruto followed the familiar trail leading into training ground 5. Making a slight left, he continued until he he reached his destination. Looking up, he saw the familiar pony tail of his friend just over the outer edge of the tree. Naruto snickered quickly, a prank forming in his head. He quietly walked up the tree until he was within reaching distance. Carefully reaching over, he lightly tapped her on the shoulder. Ino gave a shriek and her first reaction was to slug however had disturbed her peaceful reading. She winced as she heard a familiar voice below groan in pain. Leaning over the tree, she stuck out her tongue and said," You deserved it blockhead. You had it comin!" He managed to throw out a response though his brief headache. " You hit harder every day!" Ino giggled to herself as she receded back into the tree. Naruto grinned slightly as he jumped into the thick branches, settling into his spot. legs intertwined almost automatically, it had become a habit. Both of them most comfortable when they could feel their legs supporting each others weight. Ino put down the scroll she was reading to look at the newly acquired staff on Naruto's back. It was attached with a piece of leather that could be easily unhooked.

He took it off of his back, both of them examining it in more detail. Naruto ran his fingers over the skin of the staff. It definitely felt like metal, but there was a slight warmth than shouldn't have been. He examined the other side, realizing that there was something engraved into the skin. He read it out loud softly. " Eternal Harmony." He said it again a few more times, growing to like it more and more. Ino had to agree, the name made the simple staff seem incredibly badass. The air was still as they talked about various things, like what their next activity would be at school. Their class would be holding a spar session tomorrow to test out each of the kids skills. The pair grinned, they always looked forward to kicking some butt, especially when they knew winning was almost guaranteed." Ino! Naruto!" The two children turned their attention to Inoichi, who was standing underneath the tree with his foot tapping. Birthday or not, training was still part of the day. They jumped down only to find him holding on to a couple of strange looking pieces of paper. He handed one to each of them. " Let me explain before you ask any questions. I think its about time that you two found out your chakra elements." Naruto couldn't help but cheer. He had been waiting for years to find out his signature, actually allowing him to learn some jutsu's. Ino also looked happy. Besides mind control techniques, she to wanted to learn some awesome jutsu. " The reason I brought these pieces of paper to you is simple, concentrate your chakra into your paper. It will have varying effects depended on what element you have.

Fire chakra will burn it away. Wind chakra will split it in two. Lighting chakra will wrinkle it. Earth chakra will turn it to dirt and make it crumble away. And water chakra will turn it damp. You first Ino." She nodded. Holding the piece of paper in her hand, she concentrated chakra into the paper. Without any warning, the paper turned moist and faded away. The young girl squealed in excitement, water was just what she wanted. Always having admired the way water element ninja manipulated and in some cases, got water out of thin air. Inoichi was slightly shocked. He had not expected his daughter to have any kind of affinity. No one in the family for generations had any sort of element. The main reason being that their abilities were mainly for espionage and interrogation. Mind control did not require any sort of element.

Naruto was up next. He was visibly shaking with excitement as he gently concentrated his chakra into the piece of paper. What happened next was nothing short of astonishing. The paper split into two parts before both pieces were engulfed in flames. Naruto just stared at the ashes of the paper, processing the information. His next reaction was to be expected, he jumped for joy as he backflipped around the training area. He couldn't help himself, two elements? This was impossibly cool to the boy as his mind already went into overdrive about all the cool jutsu's he'd learn. Ino grumbled slightly as she chased after him, why'd he get two elements? Inoichi was in disbelief. A shinobi born with two elements was very rare, granting it enough importance to make an appointment with the hokage himself. He sighed, it had become a unhealthy habit but thats what he got for teaching two energetic and eager kids. This was going to be very interesting.