Naruto Age Regression

Chapter 1

Naruto was quite happy that day. After all, it was spaghetti day in the cafeteria, he got to go to his art group and color, and flower girl was coming to see him. He liked flower girl. He sat down at his favorite table in the cafeteria and dug into his spaghetti with enthusiasm. The cafeteria was slightly chilled, because the air conditioning didn't work the right way, so it was overly cool instead of just right. But Naruto didn't care. He was quite used to the chill as his art group took place in the basement art room. The high ceiling loomed over him as he looked up through the pretty skylights. The room was long and rectangular, with smooth white wash walls. There were no windows except for the ones in the ceiling, and they let in minimal light. Mostly the place was illuminated by narrow track lighting covered in plastic. Flies flitted about, stuck within their new prison, much like those humans below them. At the wall farthest from the door was the lunch line, where behind a thick pane of glass the cooks worked. A small hole in the glass at the bottom near the counter was where the food was passed through and placed on the patient's plate. Large metal picnic like tables were arranged in uniform rows, children and adults alike dotting them, sprinkled throughout the room in either small groups, or remaining alone. Naruto had sat down at his favorite table which was closer to the door, his back to the entry way. The sun shone through the skylights down onto his face, and Naruto liked to think that the sunshine warmed him a little.

"Hello Naruto, how are you today?" A familiar voice greeted.

Naruto spun around, a look of absolute glee spreading across his face, "Flower girl!"

There she was, standing before him smiling as usual. Her short pink hair was held back by her funny headband she liked to wear, and her green eyes were gleaming. She was in her plain white work outfit, so he guessed she'd just left the hospital for her daily lunch with him. But she had the afternoon off today, so that meant she got to come to art group with him. Naruto clambered off of the bench he sat on and threw his arms around flower girl excitedly. When she didn't hug him back, Naruto pulled away feeling confused and slightly hurt.

"Guess what I brought for you today Naruto?" Flower girl smiled even more brightly.

"A coloring book?!" He gasped, getting anxious to head to art group at the thought of having a new coloring book. His feelings of hurt were immediately washed away.

Flower girl nodded and handed it over. This one had all different kinds of animals in it; unlike the last one she gave him which only had kittens and puppies. He eagerly flipped through the pages as he sat down in his original spot, already deciding which ones he was going to color first. Naruto lifted a leg back over the bench so he could continue eating his spaghetti while he looked at all the different animals. Flower girl sat down on the other side of the table, facing him. When she didn't start telling him about her day at the hospital like she usually did, Naruto glanced up at her in confusion. They had a very clearly defined routine. Naruto like routines, they were the same. He liked things that stayed the same.

"Why so quiet flower girl?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto, there's a very important friend of mine that came home a few days ago from a very long trip."

"So you won't be able to stay after lunch?" He frowned expectantly.

"No, that's not it. It's just that I've told him so much about you that he'd very much like to meet you."

"Oh, well sure! I like flower girl's friends!" Naruto nodded.

"Would you mind if after lunch I went and got him? So he could come with me to your art group today?" Flower girl looked anxious, as though Naruto would say no. Naruto thought this was silly of Flower girl; he'd met all of her friends and liked them very much. She had nice friends. Why would this one be any different?