Main Character(s): Uzumaki Naruto
Side Characters: Mentions of Umino Iruka and the Sandaime Hokage
Rating: K
Pairing: None
Genre: Slight Angst/Hurt/General
Time frame: He's around ten or eleven years old.
Now, Naruto wasn't a stupid boy. He may be ignorant, naïve and even oblivious, but he wasn't stupid. He knew he isn't going to be Hokage. He learned early in life that you don't get what you want unless you have the right connections.
He had no connections.
The only possible connection he had could be Iruka-sensei. But, even that's doubtful. A Chunin can't help to nominate the Hokage. Especially a Chunin who's a schoolteacher!
Iruka is probably the only one to have faith in him. He gave him help with the academy jutsu who couldn't seem to get down. He gave him help with studying the things a shinobi needed to know. He was always there when he fell down and he was the one to pick him and take him out for ramen. Old man Hokage never did that.
Old Man Hokage never did anything.
Yes, Naruto liked him, but he can't help but feel that the Hokage could do a little bit more for him. A little love was all he was asking for. A little care and nurturing; it wasn't like he was asking the Hokage to train him (Not that he hasn't, of course. He'd been given the excuse that he had other important duties). He just wanted company.
Was that too much for an orphan to ask for?
He lived in an apartment all by himself. The landlady didn't like him; the neighbors didn't like him; the shopkeepers didn't like him; the adults didn't like him; and worst of all, the kids at school didn't like him. They were the people he'd be doing missions with in the future! If they didn't like him now, then they'd never like him then. How were they going to work well in three-man teams?
Oh, yes; he knew about that. Iruka had told him about how ninjahood works. Three-man squads; teamwork was an important concept in the Leaf.
But, since it was so important, why didn't anyone want to work with him? He bathed (well, tried to) once a day. He brushed his teeth and combed his hair (which refused to be combed) and made sure his clothes were clean for the next day. He couldn't see why no one wouldn't want to work with him.
It's not like he was some sort of demon who'd kill anybody if someone got close enough!
He was the boy no likes; the boy no one gets close to; the boy the kids laugh at and pick on; the boy whose dreams have been broken; the boy they call a demon.
But, he won't give up. He won't let those people have the satisfaction of seeing give up. He was going to chase that impossible dream and maybe he'll get stronger along the way.
Maybe they'd change their minds and they will like him.
And, maybe…
They'd see the real Uzumaki Naruto.
...Maybe.
Daez: Hey! Just rambling a bit. It might become a series of his point of view of things. It's a sad little one-shot, but I think I got the effect I wanted. I think I might've portrayed him as he is supposed to be. A lost little boy. I don't like it when people don't go a little into depth with Naruto. They immediately label him as an idiot. But, oh well. I hope I got him in the right light. Review please!