A loud, heavy impact pounded off of a huge patch of now destroyed grass; a massive Choji-sized expanded ball of stone sat upon it.

"Holy moley, bro!" I hollered to the skies above. My round childish eyes gazed upon the large boulder that had been hovering above my little body courtesy of my still developing arms, "I actually lifted a boulder." Around the same size, if not bigger, than the one that crushed and nearly killed Obito in the series, "I'm actually OP when man deeps it."

I must've been Tsunade-level of physical strength, but I was only five again. All I've done since being reborn in the Narutoverse was workout endlessly, Saitama-style. I always thought I was pretty energetic in my 20s, but apparently not! This new body of mine seeming ran on an unlimited battery pack of Duracells, essentially turning me into a living incarnation of Duracell's bunny mascot.

'I wonder if this is how Naruto always felt with his inextinguishable Uzumaki stamina.' Speaking of Naruto, guy has to find him. I quickly rationalized I was somewhere between pre-canon of part one when Dad showed me the Hokage monument when I was first born in this world. It really was a sight to behold in real life; the four Hokage's faces carved into a massive mountain towering over the village like some kind of guardian angel.

I walked out of the training field, admiring the forestry scene all around me with a bright sun blazing upon the Land of Fire in all its vibrancy. 'Ah! Man, what a region to be born into!' I loved good weather and clean air. I felt hella bad for the other regions who didn't possess this perfect weather, particularly Nagato and mandem in the Hidden Rain Village, but I had to bask in the impeccable sunlight blessed upon my new homeland.

'Really gotta find Naruto today, so he can bask in this glorious weather.' With Inspired motivation in my short muscled legs, I motored back to the village within seconds; the sound of a formula one race car trailing my immense speed, 'Huh. That was quick.' The whole scene surrounding me seemed to just morph. One moment I sauntering peacefully on the footpath of the training field before turning on the afterburners and the next I was strolling to a gentle amble through the entrance.

'Lord have mercy, that was like I was driving at 100mph down the M6 back home.' I spooked myself.

"Hey, Ichi-chan!" I perked up at my nickname being called, turning my head aside and spotting young Izumo and Kotetsu, or younger Izumo and Kotetsu, that was. They weren't old at all during part 1 or 2, being young men in their early to mid-20s and late 20s respectively, "Finished with another one of your crazy training sessions, I take it, kid?"

"Hey, boys." I greeted as I walked over to where they always sat in the anime; inside that dark-green booth gate watching people stroll in and out of the village, "Inseparable as always, I see." I smirked, "Why don't you guys just run off and get hitched somewhere? You're practically a married couple at this point anyway."

"Oh, shut up!" Kotetsu replied with no malice in his voice. I grinned smugly.

Izumo also smiled teasingly at his partner in crime being teased by a five-year-old before turning to me, "So, where you off to now, little guy?"

"To the park!" I declared brightly. I think it was quite obvious every Naruto fan from casual to diehard knew where little Naruto was at this point in the story. That fucking swing was basically seared into my memory. Thanks for that, Kishi, you bastard. (I loved you, really, though, bro), "I'm gonna make a friend." I smiled wholesomely.

"Good for you!" The boys beamed back at me, though it was Izumo who complimented me and continued with a backhanded suggestion, "Just don't go scaring them away with your freaky strength now."

I laughed, curling my arms around my gut. I loved these guys. Interacting with them in real life just reminded me all over again why I did. They were so chill, even to the shunned Naruto, that it was impossible not to vibe with them, "I will, boys," I turned to walk off, waving a hand over my shoulder, "In the meantime, you two think about tying the knot! I'm serious! You make a great couple!"

"Enough!"

I guffawed, "In a bit, lads!" I accelerated through the bustling city-sized village of Naruto's homeland, resembling a yellow and blue blur as per the short-sleeved sun coloured shirt and royal blue shorts I wore today, "Let's have it!" I was positive even experienced Jonins like Kurenai would've had trouble tracking my blistering speed. Even I could barely make out where I was travelling; the colourful buildings maxed out at two-story height blurring all round me. It looked like a little kid's innocent painting, just splashing all colours on the page for the pure enjoyment of it.

I did fortunately make out the obstruction I reached impeding my path mere seconds after blazing away from the gatekeeping boys. I smirked, "Alrighty, time to mould some chakra!" I formed a basic ram seal, crisscrossing my index and middle fingers on both hands together. A warm, snuggly feeling swirled in the pit of my stomach.

'I never grow old of moulding chakra.' It just felt so cozy everytime. 'Though I don't think I'll get used to seeing yellow chakra.' I glimpsed down at my feet shrouded in a gold-like glow in dry amusement. I knew Chakra was always designed to be yellow in the manga, but it stilll felt strange seeing its original colour given that I had grown up with the anime.

It made sense, though. Why else did you think Naruto's Kyuubi Chakra mode was yellow? As a homage to Dragonball's Super Saiyan form? Possibly partly, but mostly because Chakra was yellow so naturally a mode called "Kyuubi Chakra Mode" would also be yellow; though, now that I think about it for a second, Naruto's KCM didn't make much, if any sense at all, especially given the fact Killer Bee never had a flashy mode despite being a perfect Jinchuuriki. I think KCM only came about because Kishimoto made the mistake of having the same exact same crimson red Bijuu design for the other Jinchuuriki when the war arc played out, so he had to pull something out of his ass to make his main character stand out.

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Well, whatever.

I exploded up the side of the building blocking my way like prime Sonic before skyrocketing through the air with a deep inhale, "YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!" I roared in childish exhilaration, "Now, THIS is the motherfucking shit!" I practically sailed through the air, I had gathered so much momentum; the wind strongly blowing in my face and pushing my gravity-defying towering sky blue hair back.

'Now this is the life.' Flying through the air with nothing but your own physical prowess. There was nothing like that. I struggled to accurately describe the sensation but If I had to pick a word to give it even 5% justice, I'd choose euphoria. And euphoria was definitely something I desperately wanted to share with Naruto ever since realizing I was reborn in Naruto of all places, to save him from his terminal loneliness, and be his brotherly light in the darkness.

'…Naruto,' I mused, zoning on in the park. I had a birdeye view from my current altitude. The village was big, but not that big. As such, I was able to pick out the playground Naruto was likely camped in, if the small looking dot I could see was any indication, "Gotcha!" I bellowed, soaring downward like a shooting star in the glittering night sky.

The dot got bigger and bigger in my perspective until it finally materialized into a more girly shape that I had anticipated.

Huh.

That was weird.

Kid Naruto was never girly as far as my recognition of the series went.

I touched down on the dirt ground just outside the playground, standing up from my kneeled position with a perplexed frown shaping my face, '…This is new.' This person gawking at me like a deer caught in the headlights from my absurd show of power was undoubtedly Naru, given the distinct features inherited from the kid's family.

Blond hair? Well, it was in check, just not styled in Naruto's usual spiky way. It was actually straight like Kushina's and shoulder-length, too!

I could scarcely make out those whiskers on such a fair-skinned, snow-white complexion. Again, inherited from Kushina, not Minato. What was going on? Naruto in the series had a tanned, sorta sunburned Caucasian complexion from his father, yet this version looked pale like any other Japanese person.

Crystalized blue eyes stared at me, so that was to be expected, at least.

What wasn't to be expected was the clothes she was wearing. Oh, did I just forget to mention that important bit of information? Because It was actually kinda important! This was Uzumaki Naru I was glimpsing at, wearing a short yellow skirt complemented by her orange short-sleeved t shirt and sandals of the same colour.

'Holy shit.' I mused, blankly wandering the past open gate of the park. The little girl seemed to flinch on instinct. 'Well, this took a turn for the bizarre.' She began to squirm a bit as I made my approach, obviously not sure whether I was gonna be hostile or not and my eyes softened on reflex.

Poor little thing. Suffered so much cold dismissal and scorn she couldn't tell curiosity from disdain. Fanfiction often had a bad habit of blowing Naru's psychological abuse out of the water, often creating entirely made-up mobs to hunt down and gruesomely beat Naru half the death, as if a mob comprised of civilians could catch let alone subdue Naruto even as a toddler.

Naruto fanfiction was a dark place at times, but even in the shadow realm that was that subsection of fanfiction they were bright lights; stories that didn't use cliches troupes or exaggerate characters' personalities for the sake of bashing. I can think of many stories I'd enjoyed that didn't utilize any such fantom troupes.

I stood before the girl, unjudging gaze upon her blond crown, though she could barely look me in the eye as she fidgeted in on her seat on that lonely swing.

I thought about what to say briefly, since I couldn't ask why she was crying given that dramatic entrance had most likely been the cause of her waterworks stopping. 'Guess I'll ask why she's alone.' I decided, though before I ping the question her way, she beat me to the punch.

"Um." She hesitated, catching me off-guard. She bit her lip, trying to swallow her nerves, "Are you that strong boy the aunties were talking about?"

"Aunties?" I blinked. The local aunties were just middle-aged women that watched over all the little squirts wandering around town and playing in the park; typical Japanese culture and all that good stuff, "The aunties were talking about me?" I scratched my cheek.

Naru nodded, "They were talking about a little boy running around super-fast and flying through the air, like you just did."

"Probably had nothing good to say about it." I joked.

"Oh, I dunno," She averted her gaze.

I roared with a warm-hearted laugh, 'She's so precious wanting to spare my feelings.' She gawked at me with the most incredibly adorable expression of awe, not believing her sparky blue eyes that someone would smile with such warmth at her. She allowed herself a small smile, too. "What's your name?" I asked, jerking a thumb at my posture, "I'm Ito Daichi, but everyone just calls me Ichi for short."

She fidgeted, squirming her knees, "Um. I'm Uzumaki Naru." Bingo.

"Naru-chan, huh?" I grinned kindly, and a rosy-red blush erupted across her cheeks, "That's a nice name."

She mumbled a cute "arigato" in reply.

I suffused her with cozy comfort when I covered her hand with mine, widening her eyes. Her very desolate and darkened world of melancholy shattered around her, golden rays of pure elation lighting the skies like the sun with my next line.

"Let's be friends, Naru-chan."

"F-Friends…"

A nod, one hand gently lifting her off of her formerly lonely seat.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really, really?"

"Really, really!"

"Really, really, really?"

My warmth grew ever more. "Really, really, really," I repeated, snuggly enveloping her in an embrace. A yelp on her end, "I won't let you be lonely anymore, Naru-chan." I tightened my hold ever so slightly, "I promise."

An inconsolable shake later and soft hands found their way up my back, "Yes!" She remarked, voice cracking, "Nothing would make me happier!" And then, the waterworks flooded, drowning the atmosphere in sombre waters, "I thought! I thought!" She bawled, clutching tightly onto my shirt as though making sure I wasn't just some phantom illusion from her mind playing cruel tricks on her, "I thought this day would never come!"

I held onto her, enveloping her in an intangible aura of warm comfort. A palm stroked her glossy, longish golden hair, "There, there." I murmured sweetly into her ear, "No one is born to be alone in this world, Naru-chan."

A sniffle. Then a small squeak, as quiet as a mouse, "Uh-huh."

I pulled away slightly, though still held onto her hand, "C'mon. It's almost dinner time. You can stay the night at my place. I'm sure my folks won't mind."

She followed behind me, "O-Okay, Ichi-niichan."