Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Time scheme: After Tsunade became Hokage but before Sasuke's betrayal. (If that time exists.)

The Naruto Before Christmas

Chapter 1
This is Halloween


Twas a long time ago,
Longer now than it seems
In a place that perhaps
You've seen on TV.

For the story that you are about to read
Took place in the world of Uzamaki.
Now, you've probably wondered where holidays come from.
If you haven't I'd say it's time you begun!

For the holidays are the result of much fuss and hard work
From the worlds that create them for us.

Well you see, quite simply that's all that they do.
Making holiday after holiday
Each year for me and you.

But once, a calamity ever so great,
Occurred when two holidays met by mistake.


October 10
20 days left till Halloween


Run.

That was all he could do.

Just run.

Just run from the villagers that are attacking.

But why was it always today? Why on his birthday? Wasn't turning five a good thing? But then wasn't it also the Kyuubi anniversary? Shouldn't that mean that old man Hokage was too busy to help him today? So why shouldn't the villagers attack? Why should he be asking these questions when he's about to be caught?

He ran faster.

He stopped in the Konoha cemetery. He was able to escape them for a little while, but they'll be back. He couldn't outrun them forever. He had to hide.

He saw it. It was the biggest grave with the tombstone being a large stone angel with an open book in its hands. Below were the doors. There he could hide. As he came closer to the doors, he saw there was something different on them. A jack-o-lantern pumpkin in blood red painted straight down the middle between the doors. He ignored them. He threw open the doors and ran in. He ignored the fact that there were stairs instead of a grave. He closed the doors behind him.

He leaned his ear against the doors as he heard noises. They were footsteps upon the fall leaves, a bit of murmuring, and then more footsteps fading away.

…They were gone.

Naruto sighed in relief. He pressed up against the doors so he could leave.

…They didn't move.

He panicked as he pressed harder. The doors were too heavy. He was trapped. He started to tear as he sunk down to sit on the step. He just cried. And cried. And cried.

…And then he opened his eyes in hope. There was light. Faint, but still light. He turned to it and saw that it was at the bottom of the stairs. He carefully stepped down them one by one as his curiosity wiped away all sadness. He reached the bottom and he saw something come into view.

He came up to something he has never seen in his whole life. It was a scarecrow on a post crucifix style. It had a jack-o-lantern head that provided the light, barely illuminating the sign above it. Naruto read it in confusion, as he unknowingly set into motion a long set of events that were to change his life forever.

"Halloween Town?"

A wind suddenly picked up and the scarecrow turned. Naruto then noticed the right hand of the scarecrow was pointing in the way the wind left. He turned in the direction to see a small clutter of lights. He slowly took one step after the other towards it.


The image rippled in the water surface before it faded out. It was in a pitch-black cauldron in an unknown place. Above it were two monk style robed figures, one significantly taller than the other was.

"So, this is to be your apprentice?" the tall one asked.

"Yes. Yes he is. He already is bound for great things Pensrap. Besides. He is to need certain training factors to improve his still developing ninja skills. But most importantly, that terrible hell hole that is his home shall no longer be his only home. He shall make much needed friends, guidance, and true homes in where he shall be sent. Halloween Town is just to be the first."

"…Sai, you do realize the potential problems that will arise from this, don't you?"

"…Yes, I'm well aware of this. But then again, anything worth doing has its risks, doesn't it? Now shut up Pensrap. After all,"

The short figure then seemed to materialize a chessboard from the darkness around them with a white pawn piece already moved,

"the games have begun" he finished looking at the Naruto shaped pawn piece.


October 31, present year. Time: 10:46 p.m.

54 days until Christmas.

Hinata quickly ran into her preplanned hiding spot. She's been doing this year after year for some time now. She never wanted to miss the show. She was hiding somewhere in the Town Square, the gargoyle fountain spilling out the green water. She then raised her head and smiled. The music began as creatures came into the square singing their part.

Shadows:
Boys and girls of every age,
Wouldn't you like to see to see something strange?
Come with us and you will see,
This our town of Halloween.

Ghosts:
This is Halloween!
This is Halloween!
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night!
This is Halloween!
Everybody make a scene!
Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright.
This our town! Everybody scream!
In our town of Halloween!

Creature under the bed:
I am the one hiding under your bed.
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red!

Creature under the stairs:
I am the one hiding under your stairs.
Fingers like snakes, and spiders in my hair.

Crowd:
This is Halloween! This is Halloween!
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Vampires:
In this town, we call home,
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin song.

Mayor:
In this town!
Don't we love it now?
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!

Crowd:
Round that corner man,
Hiding in the trash can,
Something's waiting out to pounce and how you'll

Harlequin:
SCREAM!

Werewolf:
This is Halloween!

Harlequin:
Red and black!

Melted man:
And slimy green!

Werewolf:
Aren't you scared?

Witches:
Well that's just fine!
Say it once, say it twice,
Take a chance and roll the dice.
Ride with the moon in the dead of night!

Hanging Tree:
Everybody scream! Everybody scream!

Hanging men:
In our town of Halloween

Clown:
I am the clown with the tear away face!
Here in a flash and gone without a trace!

Wind:
I am the who when you call 'Who's there?'
I am the wind blowing through your hair.

Oogie Shadow:
I am the shadow of the moon at night.
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright!

Crowd:
This is Halloween! This is Halloween!
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Corpse Kid and Bat Boy:
Tender lumplings everywhere,
Life's no fun without a good scare!

Corpse Parents:
That's our job
But we're not mean.
In our town of Halloween.

Hinata then smiled. Everybody started to split apart to make room for the final people to enter the town. A zombie-like man with an axe in his head, known as the Behemoth, came entering; dragging something behind him tied to a rope he held. There were two straw horses, each with the same rider. It was the scarecrow; the sign still above his head. But the one behind him looked exactly the same except for height. This one was much shorter. Suddenly, the scarecrows came to life, each grabbing a nearby, lit torch from one of the citizens. They placed it in their mouths, setting themselves on fire as they danced along.

Mayor:
In this town,
Don't we love it now?
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!

Crowd:
Naruto and Jack might catch you in the back,
Scream like banshees; make you jump out of your skin!
This is Halloween! Everybody scream!
Won't you please make way for two very special guys?
Naruto and Jack, Kings of the Pumpkin Patch!
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin Kings now!
This is Halloween! This is Halloween!
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Soon as the song reached closer the end, the scarecrows leapt up in the air and swan dived into the fountain, splashing water behind them.

Corpse Kid and Mummy:
In this town, we call home
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin song.

Crowd:
La! La! La! Halloween!
La! La! La! Halloween!
La! La! La! Halloween!
La! La! La! Halloween!
Whee!

As the song ended, the water in the fountain broke as two figures arose from it. Was very tall, had a back pinstripe suit with white stripes, a white shirt beneath, and a bat tie. Oh, and he was a skeleton. This, is Jack Skellington, The Pumpkin King of Halloween. The second figure was dressed the same way, but he was very much human. Hinata blushed at how good he looked in the outfit and smiling that smile. It wasn't that smile he always flashed back home, oh no. This was an actual smile. One that he only wore whenever he would come to what he liked to call his true home.

This, is Naruto Uzamaki. The Pumpkin Prince of Halloween.


Date of Update: 10/31/06