Yeah…This is just a little one-shot I thought I would give a shot. This probably'll sound like a bunch of the other stories out there since a lot of people like these kinds of stories (I think?) and I kinda got this idea from a story I had read…(I hope it isn't too alike! I don't mean to copy!!) 'Cuz I mean, everyone always do these stories with Naruto, so I did it with Sasuke…It might be weird. I'm sorry. Anyways, I hope you guys like it and please review! ((smile))

I disclaim any claim that Naruto belongs to me, because it does not…All the pasts of some of the characters are really sad…I cried. (Dunno how that came up…)

The Failure
By Laine Squirrel
12/12/06

The raven-haired 23-year-old bent over, his head bowed, hands resting on his knees, panting for breath. He had to catch up before he was left behind…He straightened, focused, and threw another kunai at the target. It landed just outside the bulls eye. So close…! Just a little more…A little more…I can do this! I can… Uchiha Sasuke aimed another kunai and tossed. He was so tired…but he couldn't give up then! There was still such a big gap separating them…

He looked up when something glinted at the corner of his eyes. He tilted his head to the side, thinking of what was over there…That's right! he figured out. That's where the Memorial Stone is! I think… He started toward it to double-check. Suddenly Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were in front of him.

"Sakura? Ino? What do you guys want?" Sasuke asked, impatiently. Now he felt the need to go over to where the Memorial Stone was. Sakura and Ino seemed to be hovering over him a lot lately. He tried to shove past them when they just looked down and didn't answer. They each grabbed one of his arms.

"No, Sasuke! You can't…," Sakura faded off, glancing down again.

"Can't what?" Sasuke was irritated now. They were not only preventing him from going where he wished but also wasting his time!

"You can't…uh, you can't be so mean! You said you'd take Ino and me out for lunch!" Sakura looked to Ino for confirmation; the blonde-haired girl nodded eagerly.

"That's right, Sasuke! You shouldn't break your promises," Ino agreed, almost a little too quickly.

"…I never promised to take you two out for lunch," Sasuke told them informatively.

"Yes, you did!" they disagreed in unison. Almost desperately they began tugging on his arms. "Come on, Sasuke!"

"…Hhh, Fine," Sasuke finally nodded. He knew they weren't going to leave them alone until he said yes, anyways; they always were so persistent. "Let's go."

The girls nodded happily and led Sasuke away, now cheerful and carefree. When Sasuke suggested they go to the Ramen stand to see if Naruto was there, their smiles turned upside down and shook their heads, whipping their hair back and forth, saying that they couldn't because they wanted to eat somewhere else.

After they had eaten, Sasuke didn't even pay; the two girls covered it between themselves. This just added to Sasuke's confusion; they didn't want him to go to the Memorial Stone, claiming Sasuke said he would buy them lunch, and then pay for their meals themselves, and his. Sasuke frowned.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" the pink-haired girl asked him. Her eyes shone with concern.

"Nothing, Sakura." Sasuke looked away. He stood up. "Well, now that you guys have had your lunch, I'm going to go back to training."

Ino got up and ran after him, grabbing his sleeve. "Why, Sasuke? You've been practicing seven hours already! Aren't you tired?" Sakura got up, too, and joined them.

"No, I'm not tired. I'm fine." Sasuke wrenched his arm free of Ino's tight grip and walked off. He didn't understand why he was mad. He just knew that he was angry, mad at something, not forgiving someone, forgetting something, something important. He walked back to the Memorial Stone without realizing it. He looked at it, shining in the sunny sky. He stood there, watching the rock as it lost its shine and began to dull as clouds started to cover the sky. There was the sound of thunder.

He turned around when he heard his name and saw Nara Shikamaru, Inuzuka Kiba, Akimichi Chouji, Hyuuga Neji, and Uzumaki Naruto walking towards him, Naruto grinning and waving.

"Hey, Sasuke!" he called, bouncy and cheerful as usual. "What're you doing? Standing there, all dazed out. Hmm? Is something wrong, Sasuke?"

Sasuke stood there, frozen. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He tried to warn them; he tried to tell them. But his brain had died, and everything refused to listen to what was struggling to give commands. He watched in horror as the five of them were ambushed, and despite their struggle, their surprise had given the enemy too much of an advantage; they were killed.

Sasuke cried out and fell to his knees, and when he looked up again there was just rain. Sasuke looked around frantically, trying to find his friends. He looked up with a smile when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "That wasn't very…" It faded off. Sakura stood there with Ino close behind.

"Sakura? Where's Naruto and the others?" Sasuke asked her, confused. They had been right there…He had to find them, and make sure they were alright.

Sakura shook her head. She seemed sad. Sasuke looked at Ino. The usually bold blonde would not meet his eyes.

"Naruto…?" Sasuke stood up abruptly, knocking away Sakura's hand on his shoulder. She tried to grab him, but he shook her off. His eyes landed on the names that had been added to the Memorial Stone.

Nara Shikamaru…

Inuzuka Kiba…

Akimichi Chouji…

Hyuuga Neji…

Sasuke froze, suddenly stiff.

Uzumaki Naruto.

Sasuke stumbled forward and knelt in front of the shiny, glassy rock, placing his hands over the names. The group had gone to retrieve Sasuke when Orochimaru had taken him. They had failed, but the determined group had set out again. They had succeeded, and had brought Sasuke back. Orochimaru had followed. They had died. Because of him. He would never forgive himself for being the cause of his friends' deaths.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. He didn't care who saw him cry. Far away he felt warmth being wrapped around him as Sakura hugged him.

They had gone ahead, and had left him behind. No amount of training would allow him to catch up now.

The end…I hope it wasn't too weird…or unusual, or unlikely, or…yeah, you know. ((shifty eyes))

Please review, because this is my first Naruto fanfic and I would like feedback, thank you…

Laine Squirrel