Agent's Spiel: Where have I been you ask? I have no freaking clue. I can't even say for sure that I'll update any faster this time but I haven't forgotten about any of these fan fics.

I wasn't originally planning on splitting this chapter, but I'm a bit stuck. I figured I would go ahead and post this much so that you don't have to wait a few more months.

There is a bit of a time jump after the first scene here. I had meant to mention Sasuke's approaching birthday at some point last chapter to give you an idea of when it was taking place so the Chuunin exam took place in early July. After the first scene, the rest of the chapter takes place in October; about five months after this story started and nine and a half months after Sasuke originally left (note that the timeline is purely fictional since I can't find a good one for the series anyways).

If you ever want to pester me about updating and don't to leave a review or pm me I started blog to try and keep me in check. There's a link in my profile so feel free to come by and yell at me or ask questions.

I have another question for you guys and it once again includes possible spoilers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters from said manga. They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto and a number of other interested companies.

2000 Years

"Hey brat, wait up!"

Naruto paused and turned in confusion, only to become more confused when he saw Anko running towards him with a maniacal grin on her face – that alone made him want to sprint off in the opposite direction.

"I have awesome news!" Anko told him with a grin.

"Awesome for you or me?" he asked nervously, wishing Jiraiya had stuck around after training. He had a feeling the old man was going easy on him to make up for still being stuck as a Genin and not being able to go on any missions.

"Both of us!"

"Is that possible?"

"When did you get snarky?" Anko asked leaning in to inspect him closer. "You've been around Jiraiya too long. Anyways, we're supposed to go meet up with Kakashi. He has to leave tomorrow but he wants me to train with you for a bit so he wants to go over a few things."

"He wants you to train with me?" Naruto repeated in confusion.

"Okay you have either been spending far too much time with Jiraiya or on your own so you obviously need my influence. And I only get to train with you if you pass this test," Anko countered pulling Naruto along towards a more secluded training ground.

"What could you teach me that Jiraiya can't?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anko deadpanned. "I trained with a Sannin too you know."

"Not Tsunade," Naruto muttered before his eyes widened. "Orochimaru trained you?"

"Uh yeah, that's pretty common knowledge. Then again you never struck me as being all that quick," Anko grinned back.

"But that's who's training Sasuke now…so you could show me what Orochimaru is teaching Sasuke, right?"

"Are you serious? The freaks been gone for years; I'm sure he's learned something new in that time to warp your friend with."

"Then what's the point?" Naruto asked.

"Just wait and see if you pass the test. Then you'll see the point," Anko grinned maliciously.

XXXXXXXX

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"Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi grimaced as he heard Sakura's loud greeting and turned as politely as possible to greet her. "Can I help you Sakura?" he asked trying not to sound annoyed since his student hadn't done anything.

"Is Naruto still down at the training field with Jiraiya?" Sakura asked skidding to a halt with Ino and Kiba right behind her; Kiba's arms were loaded with four bags. The three were brimming with excitement and it scared the crap out of Kakashi that they were thinking of Naruto at that moment.

"Not sure. I don't have him working with Anko right now so he might be. Why do you care? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the festival and checking in with Tsunade?" Kakashi asked trying to encourage them to shift gears.

"That's why we're looking for him. I'm supposed to bring him with me. Tsunade's kind of nervous because the Daimyo actually agreed to come, I think this is the first time he stepped foot here since the Fourth Hokage died; did you know that? Anyways, Jiraiya's going to be with her and Naruto and I are supposed to as well. We need to find him and get him dressed," Sakura explained eagerly.

"I'm sorry, did you just say that Tsunade actually expects Naruto to be there today? Was she drunk when she told you this?" Kakashi asked too tired to feign belief.

"Umm…possibly?" Sakura apologized. "She's been kind of busy getting everything set up but why would that matter? Why wouldn't Naruto come to a festival?"

Kakashi sighed and stared balefully at his student and her friends as he tried to come up with a good lie. Unable to at least come up with one that Naruto would be able to play along with, he decided to just brush them off. "Nevermind, check the training ground first. If he's not with Jiraiya then he's probably at his apartment," he finished turning to leave and hoping that Sakura didn't actually know where Naruto lived.

"Alright thanks! I'll see you in a few hours, and don't forget to tell Naruto 'Happy Birthday' when we see him," Sakura exclaimed waving as she darted off with her friends in tow.

Kakashi snorted and continued his trek to his house. He knew he wasn't likely to get much sleep with all the festivities going on but it was worth shot. "Like I could forget the brat's birthday," he muttered as his home came into sight. Unfortunately, waiting at his home was a rather nervous Anko. "Did you know Sakura actually thinks Naruto will come to the festival today? And are you actually wearing a yukata?" he asked curiously.

"I heard Tsunade mention it. He won't really have a choice. Tsunade apparently decided that she wants a bit of an honor guard when she meets the Daimyo and the Mizukage and she won't allow it to be the Elders so apparently she decided that Jiraiya, their students, and for some reason us, would be the best replacements," Anko muttered.

"I am not dressing up for this stupid festival," Kakashi growled.

"Fine with me. Just clean up and put on a clean uniform if you have one. I don't think she actually expected you to be back in time but the guard sent word to her when you got in an hour ago. And before you ask I did mention this morning that bringing Naruto wasn't a good idea but she muttered something about not being able to see him on his birthday otherwise. That seemed kind of important to her; maybe this year will go okay?" Anko shrugged.

"Give me five minutes," Kakashi sighed, entering his house.

"Umm Kakashi, you smell like shit. Please take longer than five minutes and make sure that you no longer smell."

"What's wrong with you? That's the most insulting thing you've managed to say all morning."

"I hate the Mizukage," Anko muttered as Kakashi shrugged off her demeanor and went in his apartment to get ready.

XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXX

"I don't ever go to festivals," Naruto insisted, surprisingly firmly even though he had been repeating some form of the same line for the past ten minutes while Sakura, Kiba, and Ino pleaded with him and Jiraiya watched in amusement.

"It's the Memorial festival," Kiba snorted. "All shinobi go."

"Well I don't. I wanna work on a new jutsu so I'm staying here to train," Naruto retorted fervently.

"You can't train all night. Jiraiya has to come too. And Kakashi-sensei got back this morning so he'll be there too. We haven't seen him in months," Sakura replied just as fervently.

"I don't like festivals; they're too crowded," Naruto claimed ignoring the fact that he had seen Kakashi less than a month ago when he had checked in on Naruto and Anko's progress. Sakura gaped at him before Kiba and Ino snorted. "I mean it! I don't like being around all those people during the festival. It's too depressing."

"I'm not buying it Naruto. We're all going to be there with our families," Ino spoke up. "The Hokage said you had to be there too."

"No I'm not."

"Seriously man. This is a huge deal even if you don't like festivals. The Daimyo is here. He hasn't been in Konoha in like…a decade. He wasn't even at the Chuunin Exam last year," Kiba added.

"No. Besides, you already said you'll all be there with your families. I don't want to, so leave me alone," Naruto glared in frustration.

"That's exactly why we want you there! See if you come, we can ignore our parents," Ino told him, smiling.

"Shut up pig," Sakura hissed. "What she means is that we'd rather spend the day with our friends and that means bringing you along. Look, I know we're springing this on you and that's why we brought you this. I figured you wouldn't have one. Happy Birthday!"

"What?" Naruto asked straightening as Sakura handed him a bag.

"Tsunade figured Jiraiya wouldn't think to tell you ahead of time and that you probably wouldn't already have one so I picked this out," Sakura grinned.

Naruto reaching into the bag and pulling out its contents long enough to get a glimpse of the dark blue yukata in his hand. "I have to dress up?" he asked indignantly, wondering why the other three weren't dressed up. "It is nice though," he added quickly. "Thanks for the present."

Jiraiya snorted and decided to finally step in. "It is nice. So go clean up and put it on. You and Sakura both have to be there this afternoon," he told the blond.

"Really?" Naruto whined.

"Yeah. See if I have to sit around and listen to a bunch of boring diplomats like the Daimyo and the Mizukage, you're sitting through it as well. If you want to be Hokage, you have to get used to it," he challenged.

"You didn't think to tell me earlier," Naruto asked.

"Slipped my mind. That's probably a good thing now, since it would have given you warning to hide," Jiraiya countered.

Naruto deflated instantly and Sakura and Ino crowed before pulling Naruto off the field. They reached his apartment in record time but had to squeeze in the door when Naruto tried to shut it behind him.

"Just stay there for a minute," Naruto told them before they could move beyond the doormat. "People started celebrating last night and someone threw a bottle that managed to break a window," he explained, sweeping some of the glass against the wall. "I didn't have time to clean up before training."

"How did they manage to throw it all the way up here?" Ino asked.

"Down here," Naruto corrected, pointing to the rooftop across the street. "I think they were having an early party over there and one of them just chucked it this way," he shrugged, pocketing a slip of paper that had been on the floor. Once he had gotten the glass out of the way, he held out his hand for the bag Sakura had been holding for him but she shook her head.

"Go clean up first," she ordered.

"I'm clean."

"You trained all morning. Go take another shower. That way we might actually be able to do something with your hair," Ino told him as Sakura sighed and glared at her friend.

Naruto pouted, but surprisingly decided not to bother arguing with the girl over a quick shower. While he was gone, Sakura grabbed the broom he had been working with and actually picked up the broken glass while Kiba looked at the window. "It looks more like a rock got chucked through here," he said absentmindedly.

"I assume you would know exactly what it looks like when a window is shattered by a rock," Ino muttered back at him looking around at Naruto's apartment. It was messier than she was ever allowed to keep her room, but there was some method to the madness – just not any method that she could quite understand. "I can't believe you were right about him skipping this festival," she finally added quietly.

"My mom said he would when I told her we were gonna hang out," Kiba explained.

"Kakashi was hinting at it this morning. Tsunade-shishou didn't mention it though; all she said was that she doubted he had anything wear and that she didn't have time to check up on him," Sakura added.

"I'm gonna go change," Kiba muttered pulling grabbing one of the bags he had been carrying all morning and heading towards Naruto's bedroom.

"Hurry up. I need to change too," Ino shouted after him as he shut the door. "What about you?"

"I'll get dressed once I'm sure Naruto is actually ready," Sakura mumbled as she heard the shower shut off in the bathroom. She grabbed the bag with Naruto's yukata and walked over to the door waiting for it to open. It swung open a bit violently a moment later and Naruto paused just long enough to grab the bag before shutting it again as Ino descended into a fit of giggles and called out, "Nice tattoo."

"Leave him alone," Sakura muttered.

"Naruto's got a tattoo?" Kiba asked, walking out of Naruto's bedroom in a red yukata and fumbling with the thin white obi cinched around his waist.

"The one on his stomach. You haven't seen it before?" Ino asked.

"I've never seen it. Don't remember seeing it at the river when we were swimming either," Kiba muttered.

"Go ahead and get dressed Ino; I'll do your obi once your done. And come here so I can tie yours before you knot it too much," Sakura chastised motioning for Kiba to walk towards her.

"What does it look like?" Kiba asked.

"A spiral," Sakura muttered, undoing the mess Kiba had made of his obi and starting over from scratch as Kiba started snickering. "Be quiet and hold still," she added, glaring at him.

"Oh come on, a spiral? How can you not laugh at that?" Kiba asked.

"It isn't that funny," Naruto muttered, walking out of the bathroom holding the striped orange obi. "Can you do mine next? I have no clue how to tie these."

"So did Jiraiya-sama decide fourteen was old enough to get a tattoo?" Kiba asked.

"I'm thirteen and it isn't that new," Naruto countered.

"You just turned thirteen today?" Sakura asked, finishing Kiba's obi and moving to tie Naruto's.

"Yeah."

"Okay your avoidance of the festival becomes a bit more understandable," Sakura muttered, wondering if that also explained the disarray his files had been in when she tried to look up who his parents were.

"We need to do something with his hair," Ino stated from the door of Naruto's bedroom. "And those scars."

"What scars?" Naruto asked.

"These," Sakura told him, poking his cheek. "You handle that while I'm changing and then I'll tie your obi and you can do mine."

"They're birthmarks," Naruto grumbled as Sakura walked out of the room.

"Yeah and I didn't really sit through a four hour ritual to get these," Kiba quipped, pointing at the fang tattoos on his cheeks.

"No seriously," Naruto insisted.

"I don't know who told you those were natural but I know what tattoos and scars look like," Ino countered.

"So do I. And you don't need to do anything with them or my hair. What is it with people messing with the way I look?"

"Maybe if you wore something other than orange once in a while. Besides, you're meeting the Daimyo and the Mizukage; you need to make a good impression," Ino stated reaching up to pull lightly at his hair. "Did you even comb it?"

"Hey!" Naruto hissed as her fingers got caught in a knot.

"Can I at least comb it? Maybe it won't look so crazy."

"If you can find a comb," Naruto grinned stepping away.

Ino smirked back and reached into the bag that had held her yukata, triumphantly pulling out a brush. "This will work, now sit down and no whining."

"I don't hear you pestering Kiba."

"Kiba's not going to be with the Hokage all day," Sakura said stepping out of the bathroom.

By the time they were ready to leave half an hour later Naruto was glaring at his friends and trying to push his bangs out of his eyes. "You should really get your hair cut," Ino snickered, not at all apologetically, as she watched him.

"It wouldn't be a problem if you had left my hair alone," Naruto pointed out, closing his door behind him and walking down the hall. He reached the stairs when he realized his friends were still waiting by his door. "What?"

"You didn't lock your door, man," Kiba pointed out.

"Doesn't matter, let's go."

Sakura sighed and moved after him rolling her eyes at his behavior. "We have to meet Tsunade-shishou first. I think there's a performance or something but we should be able to join you after that."

"Performance?" Naruto repeated in confusion.

"It sounded like it was a theater troupe of the Daimyo's," Sakura explained.

"My parents said they're amazing. The last time they were here was the Fourth Hokage's appointment," Ino added.

"And we have to sit through it?" Naruto grumbled.

"Like Jiraiya-sama said, he and Tsunade-shishou have to and we're supposed to be with them as their apprentices. Shizune will be there too. And I think Kakashi-sensei, Anko, and maybe even Asuma-sensei will be there," Sakura told him.

"Why Asuma-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"You ask about him and not Anko?" Ino replied in confusion. "I mean he was the Third Hokage's son."

"Well if that was the case they would have Konohamaru there too. And Anko was Orochimaru's apprentice. I figured if they were having the Sannins' apprentices there they would include her," Naruto countered.

"Tsunade-shishou mentioned that he served the Daimyo for several years in an elite guard. She didn't really explain it that well though," Sakura added. "That reminds me, why is Anko training you?"

"Huh?"

"Earlier today when we ran into Kakashi-sensei he mentioned that he didn't have Anko training you today," Sakura explained.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei wanted to start teaching me elemental jutsu but he isn't in town enough so he's having Anko do it."

"What element are you?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Wind."

Agent's Spiel: If you read AtD you might remember the whole no one knowing Naruto's birthday thing but that was uber angsty and even though I considered using it again I decided it would be stupid since I've already said that Sakura has actually looked into Naruto's background.

"What is with people messing with the way I look?" – This is really just swipe at me. People complain whenever I change his outfit especially since I tend to blame it on other people in the story instead of leaving Naruto as the agent of change.

Other than that this chapter feels really rambling and boring. Too much talking, but I didn't feel like paring it down at all.

Reviews:

Kage Husha, someone179, black suede, ., evil genus, GreyGryph, Lord-Scruffy, DarkRavie, Nebula1701, Neko of death, Hebi R, Ceirwy, xxguesswhoxx, Khellan Rafe, Azamiko, The 17th Immortal, Lachie

Okay this is kind of silly but I want your opinions now so that I don't write myself into a corner while I try to make a decision on my own. Way back when I started this fic the first time around, the manga hadn't confirmed that the Fourth was Naruto's father. Because so many people were using that idea, I decided not to and came up with another story for his background. Now of course, my idea is starting to annoy me.

Do you guys have an opinion? It won't change the story for a while now and the changes are small but I want to try and make a decision soon so any comments would be appreciated.

A) go with my completely non-canon lineage

B) go with partial canon – the Fourth is father (I would probably make up a mother rather than try to use Kushina at this point)

You can leave them in a review here or visit the blog listed in my profile; I'll make a post there that can be used for a discussion on this.