The slightest change can have the largest difference. Uzumaki Naruto finds out what it's like to have precious people earlier on. Haruno Sakura learns to look underneath the underneath. AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot or any OCs.
AN: After reading so many new beginnings and alternate paths stories, I decided I wanted to write my own. I'm not too caught up in the Naruto manga universe and all that, I'll try my best to make it as canon as possible. Same for the characterizations, I'll try not to make it too OOC but since it's my first time writing a Naruto fic (let alone a fic in general for years), just cut me some slack. Read and review please : )
***EDIT: I decided to change the filters to make some people happy. I don't see how it was a problem originally as Naruto & Sakura since they are the main characters, regardless of their relationship. People can be offensive and disrespect the opinions of others, but c'est la vie. I will accept it, if only to make life easier.
Oh and pairings, it'll be pretty gen. for a while until they're older since I'm planning to take this into Shippuden too. I'm planning on doing pairings later (prob. NaruHina for sure, but Sakura is still up in the air for now)
Prologue: The Beginning
Haruno Sakura was lost.
She had been shopping in the market with her mother, Haruno Akemi until a whole crowd of people had caused her to lose sight of her mother. Sakura wasn't scared though, at 5-years-old, she was an intelligent girl and knew she was safe in the village.
From early on, she was able to speak at 8 months old and read pretty decent-sized books at age 3. Her parents called her their little prodigy but kept it to themselves about her intelligence. They knew the shinobi would likely draft her if they knew, and Haruno Kenji was not about to let the village take his daughter away to teach her how to kill.
This led to her hiding her thoughts from others and trying to stay unassuming, because that's just what she was taught. Her parents treated her as if she were a normal child, though teaching her logic and morals early on.
Startled out of her reverie, she looked at the source of commotion nearby. There was a man with gravity-defying grey hair and a hitaiate over his left eye with a rambunctious man in a green jumpsuit.
Inching closer, she watched them with inquisitive eyes.
"Ha-ha! My eternal rival, I challenge you to a ramen-eating contest! I shall endeavour to win or I will do 500 push-ups with my pinky and run around Konoha in punishment for my lack of youth!" The bowl-haired man in green pointed his finger at his rival, nearly poking him in the eye. Sakura was impressed by the bright white of his teeth.
"Hm." The other man simply hummed, absentmindedly turning the page of an orange-covered book. Sakura had the suspicion that it was one of those books that her mother forbid her father from reading, though he still read them in secret while her mother was out.
The man in green seemed to deflate entirely, his eyes round and watery. "My rival! Why must you be so cool? Alas, Kakashi you are a formidable foe!" With that, he seemed to blur away, though one could still hear him shouting distantly about regaining his youth.
Kakashi? So that is his name. Sakura contemplated the strange man as he disappeared into the crowd, still indifferent to his surroundings.
She knew they were shinobi, tell-tale by their forehead protectors. On the outside, they didn't look very intimidating or strong but Sakura had a feeling they were. Maybe it was because of her own self, knowing that she didn't look like much either but had a way of thinking logically that children her age often didn't.
Sakura liked the idea of being underestimated, because the surprise and shock when the mask is shed would be gratifying-at least, she thinks it would be. She knew her parents didn't want her to become a shinobi. The Haruno clan wasn't very large nor was it a shinobi clan, it was made up of civilians and were prominent in the merchant world. They simply wanted her to become a part of their work as well.
But Sakura knew she couldn't. Not while she wanted to experience the thrill and be able to do what the ninjas did. Unassuming as she was, she could often see the shinobi running along the rooftops and making impressive leaps, and she wanted that for herself too. It looked freeing and exciting, something other than a boring merchant life.
Ending her musings, she heard her name being called and turned towards her frantic mother breaking through the crowd.
After a good lecture and a relieved hug, Haruno Akemi dragged her daughter away and continued home.
Uzumaki Naruto was not a stranger to pain.
From the very beginning of his life, he was subject to glares, threats, and abuse. He never knew the reason why and had an ever-growing sense of hurt in his heart, wondering the maybe he was just a defect-trash that nobody wanted after all. It was what everyone said before, calling him monster and demon.
That was before though, now people just ignored him as if his existence was nothing. It was worse than the abuse and glares. At least then, he knew they saw him.
He tried to change it with pranks and jokes on the village, but they only seemed to hate him worse. As if his actions validated every rumour and mean comment thrown at him as a truth. But even so, he would do anything just to have that attention. Because any attention was better than none, right? He thought so.
Now he was just tired, a little beaten by the group of villagers who he ran into earlier after an Ichiraku lunch with the Hokage. The ANBU watching him only stopped them once it looked like it would get serious and he was sent off again with a rough shove.
Absently he found himself at the playground and pasted a grin on his face. Running towards the other kids, he shouted happily "Can I play with you too? I'm good with a ball!" Some children immediately left, disgusted looks on their faces while a few tentatively said yes.
Unfortunately it was not to be, as parents spotted him and grabbed their children away to a different area of the park. His smile faded and curved into the saddest expression anyone would've ever seen on a child.
Watery cerulean eyes watched the other children on the playground and heaved a sob. Nobody wanted to play with him. All he wanted was someone to talk to. A friend.
So he sat, by himself on the lonely swing-set where nobody else ventured for fear of the demon.
Alone.
Swinging her hand clasped in her mother's, Sakura was having a nice stroll home with her mother, enjoying the path they took through the park. A cheery smile was on her face, happy to be spending time with Akemi.
A flash of yellow caught her attention as she watched the other kids on the playground. It was a boy, sitting by himself on the swings, looking downtrodden.
"Kaa-san, who is that?" Sakura questioned quietly, unable to hide her curiosity. She pointed at the boy.
Akemi's lips drew tight in a line and began to push her away gently towards the opposite direction than the playground. "No one you need to concern yourself with Sakura-chan, he's someone bad you shouldn't be around."
Sakura planted her feet firmly to the ground, unwilling to move. She turned around to look her mother in the eyes, the same green reflected back. "Why?"
Her mother frowned further, "Because he is. Everyone knows he is a demon and a monster, nothing but trouble. You'd do well to stay away, Sakura." The loss of the -chan clearly stated she was serious.
The young pink-haired girl narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, lips pursed in contemplation. "What makes him a monster, Kaa-san? You said to never judge someone by what other people think, aren't you doing that just now?" It wasn't meant to accuse, but rather Sakura stated it as if a fact.
Stunned, Akemi stammered and scrambled for a response. Deep down, she didn't know either. She knew about the boy being a jinchuuriki and thought it was enough for her, since her neighbours all spoke of his devious actions and his terrorizing the village. But Akemi had always prided herself on her morals and how she would give people the benefit of doubt.
She didn't know the boy, but it felt like it was ingrained in her to hate him. To hate him for what he was and for the destruction he rained on their village, 6 years ago.
But.. even so, as she looked at the boy sitting on the swings now, she couldn't help the motherly instinct inside that cried out at her to pull the boy in her arms.
He just looked so defeated. It didn't make sense for a sadistic demon monster to look like that. Sighng, Akemi looked into the eyes of her daughter and smiled sadly. "Yes Sakura-chan, I-I think you're right. He sure doesn't look like a monster. Maybe we should get to know him then, ne?"
Sakura beamed at her mother and broke away from her, pattering with short legs to the dejected figure in orange.
Akemi followed slowly behind, arms hugging her sides. She was still wary, but decided to give the boy a chance because she would feel like the monster herself if she ignored this sad child.
"Hello! My name is Sakura, what's yours?"
Naruto flinched first, half-cowering at the sudden voice in front of him. He had been staring at the ground, shifting the dirt with his feet when the sight of happy kids playing hurt too much to bear. Naruto clenched his eyes shut in wait, and when no blow came, he slowly brought his eyes up to see a small girl.
His little heart beat a little faster. She was pretty, with glowing green eyes and pastel pink hair. But Naruto swallowed nervously and stayed quiet, unable to force his vocal cords to work.
Tilting her head in confusion, she asked again.
"Ah! I'm-I'm uh.. Naruto! Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!" He stammered, nearly shouting nervously. It was the first time someone talked to him without hate, other than Teuchi and Ayame at the ramen stand and the Hokage himself.
Sakura let herself giggle a bit. He looked adorably confused as to why she was talking to him. "Want to swing together?" She liberally sat down next to him and added, "We can be friends if you want." She felt something compelling her to do this, because it felt like the boy would be someone special to her.
His blue eyes widened. Naruto didn't know if this was a joke but she seemed like she was telling the truth. Her bright eyes stared hopefully and expectantly at him. He hesitated for a moment before he smiled widely enough for it to hurt. Naruto had to blink back tears before he nodded repeatedly, feeling like his heart was about to burst.
His first friend! He could hardly believe it, "Of course, Saku-chan!"
Sakura flushed a little, happily surprised about the nickname and they both began swinging earnestly.
A little further away, Akemi found herself an unoccupied bench and simply watched them, specifically the expressions on the two kids. They were just so happy. She shook her head a little, smiling resignedly.
She knew what she had to do.
After some time had passed, Sakura reluctantly stopped swinging and turned to Naruto, who was also slowing to a stop as he saw his new friend do the same.
"I have to go home now, Naru-kun. Kaa-san has to cook dinner and Tou-san is coming home soon." She was a little sad to leave her friend, who was starting to look upset again. "We can play again soon? I think your parents would want you home too!"
Naruto shook his head sadly. "I.. I'm an orphan. I never knew my parents..."
Sakura gasped, horrified and upset for him. "But, where do you live then?" As smart as she was, Sakura was still a 5-year-old and couldn't fathom not having a home with loving parents.
He faked a big smile and waved his hands sheepishly as he saw Sakura getting upset. "Ah.. It's okay Saku-chan, Ji-chan got me a place. It's not much but it's home, you know? I'll be fine."
She shook her head vehemently, flinging her pink locks back and forth. She clenched her fists and whacked him in the shoulder. "It's not fair for you! You should have a home!" Tears gathered in her eyes as she spoke.
Naruto felt himself starting to cry too. "Ne-ne, S-Saku-chan.. don't cry! Or.. or else I will too! Wahh.." He rubbed his eyes with his bright orange sleeves.
Akemi walked up to them as she saw the kids had stopped playing and was startled to hear them start crying. Running up to her daughter, she smoothed her hair gently with one hand and held her close, shushing her quietly.
She turned to Naruto and hesitated, but she looked at him determined and pulled him in her embrace as well, comforting both children as they ran out of tears.
Naruto was shocked, but got over it quickly as he snuggled deeper into the motherly hug. So this is what having a mom is like. He held on tight, feeling the warmth penetrate his very being.
Stepping back, she looked at Sakura and Naruto, who were both still bright-eyed but no longer crying. Smiling softly in a way that only mothers can, she held out her hands and said, "Let's go home now ne? Naruto-chan, you can come stay with us if you have nowhere else to go."
Sakura quickly put her hand in her mother's and encouraged Naruto to do the same. She couldn't be any happier to help her new friend.
As for Naruto himself, he was gaping at Akemi, face flushed from crying. He could hardly believe this, that a family would invite him into their lives like this. He pinched himself and still saw the open expressions on both mother and daughter.
Naruto made his decision and took her hand firmly. "Okay."
They all smiled brightly, one boy's a little more brilliant than the rest. Together, they walked back to the Haruno home, hand-in-hand.
AN: So this is the beginning, please read and review! I'd like to know how you find the first chapter and the idea. I've always wanted to try it, so hopefully the beginning isn't too bad.