Summary: After a certain event involving a certain Uchiha, Naruto asks the question every shinobi asks at some point. Why? Why do we fight? The answer could lead Naruto down a path of danger and betrayal…
Naruto stared at the dark sky, blinking every so often as the rain became unbearable for his half closed eyes. The loud crashing of the waterfall echoed off of the cliff walls, sounding like footsteps getting further and further away. It only helped to impress how much Sasuke leaving had devastated him. He had failed everyone, but most of all, he had failed Sasuke.
"I failed. I failed everyone….. Sakura, Ero-sennin, Baa-chan, Iruka-sensei. Everyone who believes in me, I let them down." Naruto murmured. Pakkun and Kakashi arrived just in time to hear the last part Naruto muttered.
"Naruto…" Kakashi said. He turned to Pakkun, and his visible eye shown only sadness. He nodded to Pakkun, who nodded back and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi looked skyward, and one word crossed both Naruto and Kakashi's mind at once. "Sasuke…"
Naruto drifted in and out of consciousness on the way back, with one question present in his mind. Why? He had no answer, but maybe the reason for that was his lack of consciousness long enough to rationalize any normal form of thought. The rhythmic sound of Kakashi's nin-sandals knocking against the thick tree branches lulled Naruto back to sleep. His last thought as he drifted into unconsciousness was "Why, Sasuke?"
When Naruto came to, he heard the sound of an EKG machine beeping. He instantly knew he was in a hospital.
"Well now, this is certainly a change for once." He thought bitterly. He slowly opened his eyes, knowing from experience what the insanely bright walls could do to your eyes after being used to darkness for any amount of time. When his vision cleared, he tried to sit up to survey his surroundings. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he tried to sit upright.
"Don't try to move just yet." A voice commanded. A young woman's beautiful face came into Naruto's view as he slumped back into his bed.
"You aren't quite fully healed yet. You over strained seventy percent of your muscles during your fight with the Traitor." Tsunade said. Naruto looked down at his sheets and clenched his fists.
"It's only been a day, and already Sasuke is branded a traitor." Naruto whispered. A frown creased Tsunade's forehead, as if she had not expected his reaction.
"Naruto, he tried to KILL you. Not just disable you enough to defect, he tried to kill you. He has been branded an A class missing Nin as of your return." Tsunade replied. Naruto's whole body tensed as he readied a reply.
"BULLSHIT! You weren't there, and you don't know what happened!" Naruto near shouted. He coughed as pain racked his whole body. Tsunade looked worried a moment before pressing onward.
"From what I gathered, he left you for dead, or he sensed Kakashi coming and decided to escape knowing he couldn't take on Kakashi right after fighting you." Tsunade said. Naruto let out a deep sigh before looking at Tsunade.
"Like I said, you weren't there… Sasuke and I had charged up Chidori and Rasengan respectively, and were ready to kill each other. Instead of hitting each other head on, I hit his hitai-ate and he canceled his Chidori and hit me in the stomach. Neither of us were aiming to kill. He also told me I was his best friend. Out of all the people that fawned over him, out of all the people that vied for his attention, I was the one he had wanted to kill. At first anyways." Naruto added the last as an afterthought, looking out the window to the darkening sky, the sun resting on the tip of the Hokage Monument. His face hardened as he said, "Sasuke may have run off to that Snake-bastard, but he still has hope to be redeemed." Naruto grated out. Tsunade felt great respect for the bandaged blonde sitting in front of her. To be almost killed by your best friend, and to still have hope for said friend, really meant something about Naruto's character.
"Be that as it may, Sasuke still left, and is to be brought to Konohagakure, though is to be killed if he puts up too much of a resistance." Tsunade said. Naruto winced as he took in the news.
"How much is too much of a resistance?" Naruto asked.
"If he kills any citizen of Konoha, he is to be killed on sight thereafter, unless the chance to bring him back is obviously there." She said. Naruto shook his head and sighed. Of course things would be complicated. Naruto's eyes widened as a realization hit him.
"How are the rest of my teammates? Are they all ok?" he asked excitedly. Tsunade smiled before answering the blonde Ninja.
"You will be happy to hear that your comrades are all ok. Chouji-san suffered severe chakra exhaustion from using too many soldier pills, but is okay. Kiba-san has suffered some severe lacerations to his torso, but has made a full recovery. Neji-san had a hole in his shoulder, but is undergoing medical treatment as we speak to heal him. Shikamaru escaped relatively unharmed because Temari-san came to his aid. Lee-kun is also all-right because Gaara-san came to his aide. Gaara's brother Kankurou came to Kiba's aide and helped him also. Thanks to the efforts of the Sand team, our ninja came back unharmed." Tsunade said. Naruto's face brightened up somewhat at the good news. Naruto sighed in relief, happy that his friends were all right.
"That's good to hear. I don't think I could take it if someone had died on the mission I was the leader of." A voice interrupted. Shikamaru's head was poking into the room from the hall, his ponytail brushing the doorway.
"Pineapple-head! It's good to see you!" Naruto exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
"How is it going blondie?" Shikamaru asked jovially, his lips turning upward into a slight smile. Naruto laughed, and coughed a little.
"Considering I just regained consciousness, pretty good!" Naruto said. Tsunade frowned at Shikamaru and cleared her throat, hoping he would get the hint right away. Apparently the number one genius had his dull moments too.
"Sorry Shikamaru, you need to leave. Naruto needs more rest so he can fully recover. You can come see him tomorrow though." She said. Shikamaru frowned and nodded.
"All right Naruto, see you later." He said as he left. His head disappeared from view and the door clicked softly shut. Tsunade turned to Naruto and looked into his cerulean eyes for a second. Then she turned and stared out of the window..
"I lied. If things go as planned, you won't see anybody for a few years." Tsunade said quietly. Naruto whipped his head around to meet Tsunade's gaze.
"WHAT!?".
Sup guys. I know I have like five billion other fics, but this one is going to be one I am going to stick with. I will try to continually update, that way you guys won't continually bombard me with reviews screaming "update!" I have plans upon plans for this fic, and I hope I get positive reviews for this one. I am going to write the next five chapters before I post any more, and I want at least ten positive reviews also. I get enough flames as it is sometimes. Chapter is shor too, although I hope to get longer chapters up as time goes by. Anyways, later.