In my mind, there is still hope.
"My duty." he says to no one in particular. It is a mantra that he keeps repeating in his head. He stares at the headband in his hand, tracing the symbol of his home. He stands on a hill that overlooks his home. His dull blue eyes staring wearily down.
A small sad smile crept its way on his face. The irony, he though. "My name is Naruto and I am a Leaf Ninja." he says. He defines himself that way. "And I'm going to be the next Hokage. Believe it!"
It is his duty to say that. He knows that there were many sacrifices made to protect this village. And he has put aside his own desires and his happiness, so as not to put the sacrifices in vain. He does not want to be hated but it cannot be helped. He takes everything with a smile on his face, because he does not want to let them down. He is the embodiment of the sun. The legacy of a great leader, he does not want to disappoint them.
It it by his will, that he stands against odds with no fear in his eyes. Eyes that are like the sky and hair that are like strands of the golden sun, he is Naruto. ("You know, the Yondaime sealed it in you for a reason," said the frog sannin off handedly.
They are in a ramen stand, and Naruto is gorging himself with ramen, as Jiraiya drinks his tea.
"He knew that you'd be able to handle it." he continued,"Oi! Brat! You listening?"
Naruto turns to the frog sannin, flashing him a foxy grin. "Of course, Ero-sennin!" replies Naruto, he truly is listening.
Jiraiya nods, "Good, good." Jiraiya drinks his tea and Naruto keeps eating his ramen.")
He is older now, and people say that he is the spitting image of the late Yondaime. "He is my father." He says. It is with faith that he still hopes. He hopes for a future. He hopes for happiness. The sun is only a star that will go out sooner or later, just be patient. Like the sun, Naruto hopes that he will go out to. He will not admit it, but he is sad. Because he has hoped for so much, and has been given so little. It is unfair, he thinks. ("What do you want gaki?" it growled.
Naruto stares defiantly through the bars. "I need your chakra." he says.
The demon laughs, a noise that he does not like. Moments later the familiar red chakra encircles him. He feels the bloodlust, but does not let it get to him. It is his duty.)
("There are many things that are unfair here. Life is unfair, you just have to deal with it." says Tsunade, she is drunk now.
Empty bottles of sake littering her desk and floor. Naruto nods, he knows all to well.
"Ne, ne baa-chan! Why do you always drink sake and get drunk?" questions Naruto.
Tsunade's eye twitches, "Don't call me that Brat!"
Naruto thinks that it is because she does not want to know. Life is unfair, and she does not want to live in that reality. He thinks she drowns herself to a stupor where she'll forget. He pities her.)
He sees the look in their eyes. He knows they pity them. "It is a shame."
The sky is grey today, and there is no sun. "I am alright, I am okay, there is nothing wrong." He knows though, that there is something wrong. He is selfish too. He is angry that it is not fair. He wants to taste what love is like. He wants to do many things that he cannot do.
"It is my duty," he repeats again,"So I cannot." They look at him sadly, as he smiles back at them. They see him falling apart, and they are worried that he will break.
"I will not break. I have faith." It is with faith he continues on. He stands by his belief, it is his motivation. "I will not fall, because I cannot." If he falls, everyone will suffer, and everything will be for nothing.
"I must not fall." he says again, this time with more vigor. "My faith will save me." He stands in the rain now, bloody and bruised. "I will not fall. I will not be selfish. I cannot. I won't." He feels the need to sleep, but he cannot. "I will protect them, because it is their dream."
("It is our duty as ninjas to protect our village." says Iruka, he is trying to motivate the new genin, he is trying to teach them what is the purpose of the ninjas. Naruto sees this and listens.)
"What is your dream?" asks the girl.
He is under a tree now, and there is a girl next to him. He does not know who it is. "I...do not know," he says hesitantly, "My name is Naruto and I am then next hokage, believe it!"
The girl looks at him questioningly. "I think that is my dream." Naruto says.
"How can you be unsure?" she asks him.
"I am not sure. I know it is my duty, and therefore I must fulfill it. Their sacrifices will not be in vain, I have faith that I will not fall."
"That's not your dream though." the girl says. The girl confuses Naruto, but he does not voice it out.
"Then I do not have a dream." They hear him and are troubled. They do not know who this person is.
"I am Naruto." he tell them.
"And who is Naruto?" they ask.
Naruto shrugs and thinks for a moment. "I do not know."
Here he is on his last breath, "My faith will save me." he croaks out once more, he hopes that it is true. Because he does not want everything to be for naught.
End.