Sasuke's onyx eyes glared at Naruto's cerulean eyes, warning him to back down.
"Give up." Sasuke said smoothly, keeping his eyes on Naruto.
"I won't let Konoha down, you bastard."
"Fine. Pay the price."
They had been fighting for over an hour now, Sasuke was winning the whole way through. Naruto yet again found himself trying to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, he was by himself this time, though.
Sasuke darted towards Naruto, raven hair blowing in the wind.
Naruto flailed helplessly as Sasuke charged at him, not sure of what to do. He was truly tired, Sasuke was stronger than he had ever seen him before.
Sasuke launched a punch at Naruto, using as much force as he could possibly use.
Naruto flew backwards, crashing into a nearby tree in the forest they had been fighting in. Hopeless, blonde-haired Naruto's eyes widened as he saw Sasuke stab him with a kunai.
Naruto blacked out.
XXX
"Naruto? Are you awake?" Sakura questioned the semi-conscious teen.
Naruto bolted upwards and looked around him. He was in the hospital in the village of Konoha.
"Thank god, I was afraid you were dead." Sakura brought Naruto a glass of water.
"Sasuke had really packed a punch on you, I came just in time."
Naruto frowned. He had failed once again at retrieving Sasuke from Orochimaru's clutches.
"Don't be so pensive, you tried your best, you'll get him next time.
One good thing was that ever since Sasuke had left for Orochimaru, Sakura had been much nicer to him.
He had once had a crush on the pink-haired girl, but he grew out of it, aware of the fact that she didn't like him like that in the least bit.
Naruto stared inwardly at Sakura's green eyes. He found them to be mezmorizing.
Sakura turned her head slightly in confusion. Naruto usually was so full of joy no matter what happened. He always had an ear to ear smile on his face, teeth shining brightly. But not now, now he looked very serious, as if he had no time for fun and games.
Naruto shook his head to release himself from the trance, and then he smiled. Sakura looked as if she was going to turn her head all the way around if he hadn't shown his pearly white teeth to her.
"Che, I'll get him next time. I am going to become the hokage some day, so I can do this! Eh, Sakura-chan?"
There it was, his light-hearted smile.
Sakura couldn't help but smile back, considering it was the smile to brighten everybody's days.
"Well, I'm going to go train, otherwise I won't be able to catch him!" Naruto climbed out of the hospital's window.
"Wait-!" But before Sakura could finish, he was too far away to see.
"Idiot..."
XXX
Naruto strolled past the stores of the village, on his way to the training grounds.
"Hey, Naruto-kun!"
It was his friend, Lee. The spirited boy from the team of Gai.
"Hey, bushy-brow!" That was the nickname Naruto gave Lee, because his eyebrows were quite big.
"I see you have come back from a mission, if I am not mistaken."
Naruto nodded.
"Well, will you be up for some training?" Lee questioned.
"Of course!"
They had a race to the training grounds where they practiced for what seemed like hours.
Sweat dripped down both of their faces, tickling their noses in the process. They were panting from the long workout, as they always did after a good day of training.
Before either of the boys could even think of wiping the sweat off of their red faces, a tall man came inbetween them, facing Naruto.
"Naruto?"
Naruto looked up at the man, "Yes?"
"Tsunade-sama has requested you go to her office."
Naruto nodded and waved to Lee as he started towards the hokage's tower.
XXX
Naruto walked into Tsunade's room and stood right in front of her desk.
"Naruto-kun, I have a mission for you."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"
"Sasuke has been spotted close to Konoha, and I would like you to go after him once more, if you are ready."
"Yes! Of course I'm ready to catch Sasuke!" Naruto's eyes glimmered to the thought of finally catching the boy.
"Okay, he was laste seen to the west of the gate."
"Alright, see you, Tsunade-sama!"
Naruto bounced right out of Tsunade's room, heading towards the gate.
XXX
Naruto sprinted through the forest west of the gate, faintly hearing noises.
Naruto immeadiatley took those noises as being Sasuke's and ran in the direction of the voices.
He passed many trees, finally realizing the murmur was not coming from the direction.
He stopped in his tracks to listen where it was coming from. It seemed to be coming from everywhere, or so he thought.
Blinking, he thought he saw a flash of Sasuke right in front of him, but it faded away quickly.
"Where are you, bastard?!" Naruto bellowed, birds flying out of various trees.
Naruto gasped as Sasuke appeared behind him, a kunai to his throat.
"Got you." Sasuke smirked as he cut Naruto's throat.
Naruto blacked out once again.
XXX
"Naruto, are you awake?" Sakura questioned.
Naruto blinked as he once again saw the hospital, but this time hearing Sasuke's voice still.
"Where are you?! Tell me!" Naruto leaped out of the hospital bed knocking over appliances.
"Naruto! Calm down!" Sakura shrieked.
Naruto jumped out of the window, to find himself still seeing flashing images of Sasuke.
"NARUTO!" Sakura hollered.
Naruto ran as far away as he could and then grabbed his head and screamed, still seeing the images of Sasuke flash before him.
Naruto closed his eyes, as he could not bear the pictures anymore.
They were of Sasuke sitting before him, smirking. Blood everywhere on the ground. Searing pain as he thought about it. He couldn't think straight, the pain was too horrific.
He let out another scream, "WHERE ARE YOU?!".
"I'm right here."
XXX
Naruto opened his eyes to see Sasuke sitting in front of him.
He looked at the ground, blood was everywhere. He was in the same forest he had been for the first fight.
Naruto thought the blood was coming from Sasuke, but was proved wrong as he glanced at his stomach to see a kunai peircing it.
The searing pain was back, it was unbearable.
"Got you." Sasuke said as Naruto blacked out for the last time.
XXX
Yes, I went from humor and romance to drama and tragedy. I was feeling like writing something like this for a long time now. Well, I hope you enjoyed it, please R/R.