Late Saturday, following training with the martial arts club, Moka and another girl entered the girls' dorm. The attendant looked up and noted the two ladies; she then returned her attention to her magazine. As the two of them took the stairs up to the fourth floor Moka turned to her blonde friend.
"I'm sorry about this Naruto-kun," Moka whispered. "But boys aren't allowed past the first floor."
The rather attractive blond girl smiled back at her. "No problem Moka-chan, I used to go out like this all the time."
She looked over at him in surprise. "Really?"
"Sure."
"Was it part of your ninja training?"
"A little bit, mostly it was something to do when I was bored. Oh and it was also a great way to get some free meals."
She really wasn't sure how to answer that so she settled for leading him up to her room. Naruto was really excited at the chance to be alone with Moka in her room. She opened the door and he stepped in.
"Surprise!!" A loud shout greeted him the second he stepped through the door. There standing in front of him were Kurumu and Yukari. Hanging from the ceiling was a sign that read, 'happy birthday.' To say Naruto was surprised would have been a bit of an understatement. He dropped the henge and stared at the girls.
"What's going on here?" He asked warily.
"We wanted to celebrate your birthday Naruto-kun," Moka said shyly as she shut the door.
"That's right!" Kurumu launched herself at him and forcibly shoved his face into her chest. "Happy birthday Naruto-kun!"
As she continued to press his face into her cleavage he began to wave his arms about wildly.
"I think you're smothering him," Yukari pointed out.
Able to breathe again Naruto looked at the three girls. "Uhm, thanks for the thought, I really appreciate it. But I don't usually celebrate my birthday."
"Why not darling?" Kurumu asked.
"A lot of reasons, but mostly because this day just reminds me of a lot of bad memories."
"Then we should try and make some good memories on this day." Moka said gently.
"That's right!" Yukari said. "You're turning sixteen and we should definitely celebrate it!"
"I appreciate it but I'd really rather not." Naruto said.
"But we all got you presents! And I even made you a special birthday cake!" Kurumu hurried into the kitchen.
Naruto noted that Moka's room was a lot bigger than his; it was actually a small apartment. Apparently the girls got more living space than the boys did. They were in a small living room that connected to a little kitchen. There were two doors that Naruto suspected led to a private bathroom and to Moka's bedroom.
"Here it is!" Kurumu said happily as she came out of the kitchen holding a birthday cake on a tray. All three of them stared at the cake she was holding.
"What sort of cake is that you blue haired bimbo?!" Yukari shouted.
"What? It's chocolate. Naruto-kun likes chocolate."
"But you made it look like a naked version of you." Moka said embarrassed.
"It's an X-rated birthday cake!" Yukari said outraged.
"So what? Naruto-kun likes looking at my body." She smiled at him. "Don't you Naruto-kun?"
"Ahhhh…" Naruto tried desperately to think up a safe answer.
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"Open wide Naruto-kun, and make sure you're looking at me as you eat it." Kurumu placed a forkful of cake into his mouth.
"Ah, why are you feeding him again?" Moka asked.
"It's a tradition; you don't mind do you Naruto-kun?"
He shook his head as he ate the cake, it was really good. Kurumu really knew how to cook. He swallowed his cake. "Not at all, I think it's kind of cute that you want to feed me."
Kurumu smiled at him eagerly. "So is there anything you'd like to tell me Naruto-kun?"
"The cake is really delicious, thank you for making it for me." He was surprised when his answer seemed to disappoint her.
"Is that all you want to tell me?"
"Uhm, it's really, really delicious?" He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say.
Kurumu was staring at him in confusion. No way! That love potion I put in the cake should have him confessing his undying love for me! Kurumu had put in a special succubus formula (it only worked on males) that should have made him fall in love with the first girl he saw after eating it. What she didn't realize was that one of the Kyuubi's little, 'gifts' was that it made Naruto immune to all poisons or mind altering drugs.
"Here try some more cake!" She shoveled another forkful into his mouth hoping that he just needed a bigger dose.
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After four servings the girls were finally able to convince Kurumu to stop force feeding Naruto cake. Eventually they got to the point of giving him their presents.
Kurumu handed him a huge cloth sack. "Here's my gift, a year's supply of cookies!"
He accepted it with a laugh. "Thanks Kurumu-chan."
Yukari then stepped up with what was obviously a rather thick book hidden beneath some wrapping paper. "Here Naruto-kun, this is a very special tome that was in my family's library. I had to go all the way back home and convince my dad to part with it, but it's yours. Happy birthday!"
Yukari liked books a great deal more than he did. But obviously she'd gone thorough a great deal of trouble so he took the gift appreciatively. "Thank you Yukari-chan." He quickly removed the wrapping. "Oh, a book about ninja, well that's really thoughtful of you."
"Look inside," she encouraged.
Just to please her he opened the book to a random spot and took a quick glance. "It's really…" he suddenly noticed just what was written down in front of him. "NO WAY!!"
"Hah, I knew you'd like it!" Yukari said happily.
"Oh Yukari, thank you, thank you, thank you!" He picked the eleven year old up into the air and twirled her about as he hugged her.
"Just what the hell is in that book anyway?" Kurumu asked.
Naruto set the little girl down again. "It has jutsu formulas and instructions! This book is like a whole collection of jutsu scrolls! Now I can finally start learning how to use more than two lousy jutsus!"
Yukari nodded. "That book lists two hundred jutsus that were popular when it was published about seventy years ago. It also contains information on various ninja techniques and practices."
"This is great," he was eagerly flipping through the pages trying to decide what he should study first. "How can I ever thank you?"
"How about you, me, and Moka-chan spend the night together?" Yukari answered immediately.
Both he and Moka blushed at the suggestion. "Ah, I don't think that's going to happen."
"Well how about a thank you kiss?"
He smiled at her. "Now that I think I can do." He leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. Yukari, timing it perfectly, turned her face and received his kiss on her lips instead.
"Yeah!" she shouted. "My very first kiss from a boy!"
Naruto looked at the little girl in surprise, and with a sense he had done something slightly criminal. "That's also the first time I've ever kissed a girl." Somehow Yukari had gotten his very first kiss.
"Oh me next, me next! I want a thank you kiss too!" Kurumu said and came up to him.
Naruto hesitated, but couldn't really think of a fair way not to kiss Kurumu as well. So he leaned in and kissed her lips. Despite all her wild behavior and attitudes she was actually as inexperienced as he was. It was a chaste short kiss, but when he ended it he was very pleased to see the girl was blushing and looking very happy. Naruto glanced over at Moka, sort of hoping she would ask for one too. Seeing him look in her direction she nervously cast her eyes down on the floor.
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Naruto had expected Moka's present next but she had asked to give it to him later. For the next couple of hours he and the girls ate cake, drank punch, and talked. Naruto kept peeking at his new book looking at all the cool jutsus. In one night he'd just gotten more help in the ninja arts than he's received in the last three years. This was by far the best birthday he'd ever had. When had turned nine Iruka had tried to celebrate it with him, but he hadn't been interested. (Though he'd still accepted the really cool fire truck Iruka had gotten him as a present.) He was surprised when it was time to wrap things up and he was actually feeling disappointed. Kurumu wanted to stay awhile longer but Yukari insisted that they had to leave him and Moka alone so she could give him his gift. After saying good night and Yukari dragging Kurumu out the door Naruto found himself alone with Moka in her room.
The two of them stood wrapped in an awkward silence for a moment. Both acutely aware they were alone together.
"Thank you for all this," he finally spoke. "This was probably your idea. I've never really celebrated my birthday before, it was fun."
She smiled. "I'm very glad you enjoyed it Naruto-kun. I know how lonely birthdays can be sometimes and I wanted you to have a good one." She paused and gathered herself. "So, why don't I give you my present?"
"O.k."
From out of her coat pocket she produced a small glass vial with a pinkish liquid inside. "Here," she handed it over to him.
He looked at it curiously. "What is it?"
"A potion of dream summoning," she told him. "It's a very special magical potion that will allow you to speak to the spirit of someone long dead within your dreams. In this case it will allow you to speak to your parents."
"Wh… what?" he stared at her not believing.
"If you drink this potion you will fall into a deep sleep and enter the dream realm, where your parents' spirits will be summoned. There they will be able to speak with you."
He felt the blood drain from his face. "For real? It won't just be a dream?"
She shook her head. "If you take that potion it will be absolutely real Naruto-kun. It will only be for a few hours, but for that time their spirits will be with you and you can talk to them."
He looked down at the small vial.
"I have to warn you though," she said. "What they have to say to you may not be what you want to hear. Please understand that parents aren't always what we want them to be." Melancholy thoughts about her own mother and father flashed through her head. "I hope it is not the case but meeting them might hurt more than never knowing them."
He slowly nodded. "I understand, but I have to know. There are things I have to ask them." He took a deep breath. "Moka-chan, thank you for this. I don't know how this is possible but you've given me a chance I never ever thought I'd have. However this turns out you have my thanks forever."
She nodded; she'd known he would decide to take it. But he'd needed to hear the warning just the same. "If you're going to take it why don't you come lie down on my bed? You can stay here until morning."
He began to blush just at the thought of sleeping in Moka's bed. "I was planning just to go back to my room and take it there. Is there any special reason why I should take it here?"
She looked down feeling embarrassed. "No, it's just; I would like to be able to watch over you while you are in this deep sleep."
Hearing that fresh warmth filled him. "All right, if you really don't mind."
XXXXXXXXXX
Her bed was surprisingly soft. There were red satin sheets that felt like silk to the touch. He was lying on top of her bed. His shoes and jacket off, but the rest of his clothes still on. She was sitting in a chair right beside him.
"I'll just sit right here until you wake up," she said tenderly.
"Thank you for this Moka-chan." He unstopped the vial and gave her a salute. "Sweet dreams." In one motion he tossed the liquid down his throat, it was surprisingly bitter. Almost as soon as he swallowed it his eyes grew heavy and his head hit the pillow.
She put away the vial and made sure he was sleeping comfortably. Then she sat back down to watch over him.
"Sleep well my dear one," she gently touched his face. "And dream of wonders."
