(A/N: Okay, this'll be my first oneshot, so bear with me. This fix will be a bit AUish and OOCish to fit the storyline. Hope you all enjoy!)
Because, by the time Naruto was born, everything went downhill from there.
Because, by the time Uzumaki Naruto was at the beginning of his academy regime, he couldn't cooperate with anyone, due to a fact that he was the odd one out. Being that he was only 5-years-old while the rest of the first years were at least two years older and a head taller than him, no one would cooperate with him. Another reason, being that he had a 'small' problem in his stomach that everyone knew of, except him.
At the same period, Naruto grew to this unfriendly habitat, adapting and owning the fact that crying won't solve anything. And at this time, he grew an unnatural, but natural, mask, plastered on his face. However, this mask wasn't like any normal mask. This mask couldn't be displaced.
One day, while testing this 'mask', Naruto decided that his academy teacher would be his test subject. Naruto began this experiment by trying to make his teacher mad enough to yell hurtful things to him.
Naruto began by painting the walls with fish cakes all over it and drawing out his name largely on the glass windows. When the teacher came inside the classroom, he saw the walls and windows, instantly blaming Naruto.
The words hurt like knives cutting through your skin. Each blow of sentences penetrated Naruto's heart like needles, making him almost into the verge of tears. However, Naruto still kept that goofy grin plastered onto where his face was at. Everyone in the classroom, the students, were laughing at Naruto. This changed when Naruto also started to laugh, now being that Naruto was laughing with his peers.
In the end, Naruto only got harsh remarks from his teacher during the teaching session. However, during the end of the class, students complimented Naruto on his humor while suggesting that he do more.
At this time, Naruto took the suggestions at heart, and started to 'prank'. Even though most of his pranks were fun, Naruto still had a hole in his heart, of which he hid with his mask. At this point, Naruto wasn't fit enough to pass the next two years classes.
The next two years have gone by slowly for Naruto, as he didn't have anything to do at school or at home, for that matter. Naruto still felt that small hole in his heart, deepening throughout the years, that not anyone could fill. Even though his Jiji had a special place in Naruto's heart, that still didn't fill the small hole.
That small hole became a bit larger when Summer hit, symbolizing summer break. To this, the other students were grateful for, however, to Naruto, it only meant 104 days of loneliness.
To block this hole from going though his heart, Naruto filled it with pranks and masks.
During Naruto's next three months of nonsense, Naruto was eager to find out that children his age would be in his class. He decided that he would open up just a little this year and to familiarize himself into his age group.
When it was the first day of school, Naruto saw that everyone was his age. A small smile appeared, thinking to himself that this will be the year he will change from his mask. Getting into the classroom at the appointed time for once, Naruto behaved as a good boy would.
However, every time he tried to familiarize himself with his fellow peers, they would snide him off and call him hurtful names.
The teacher from two years back was still his teacher, who of which already knew Naruto's 'true' attitude. The teacher, too, did not want anything from Naruto.
Naruto just sat in the classroom day-in and day-out, disappointed at the fact that nobody ever wanted to be his friend. Even when he urged to be the good boy he really was, Naruto was always thrown off by lies that people tell him.
Even though Naruto was never taught any manners, he still knew when someone was being plain rude. Still sitting in his desk for the past three hours, or so, Naruto purposely fell sleep, wanting to get some attention. His action was granted when the teacher came up to his desk and banged it so that he could get up.
Mean words spilled from the teachers mouth that even Naruto didn't understand. Either way, Naruto knew the difference between a nice and hurtful word even though he doesn't know what the particular word even means. Naruto just groggily sat up his desk, pretending to not care what the teacher said. The hole on Naruto's heart grew a little larger.
The next day after the incident, Naruto found a spark of hope to familiarize himself with a person. That person had pink hair and was called 'Sakura'. Naruto stared at her as she was being bullied, realizing that 'Sakura' and him were the same. The hole in Naruto's heart shrank just a little.
During that same time, Naruto had one small reason to try this school year.
Naruto's eight summer was long and lonely. When the next school year was due, Naruto told himself that he was going to care.
Meaning to be a good boy this year, Naruto sat on his chair, anxiously awaiting for the new teacher. Having been said that this teacher would be his teacher for the whole academy years, Naruto aimed to be on the teacher's good side.
When Naruto saw his new teacher, he saw that the teacher was named 'Iruka'. Looking at 'Iruka's' face, Naruto saw that 'Iruka' had a scar going across his nose and was in a high pointed ponytail- just like that kid called 'Shikamaru'.
Naruto tipped his head to the right, wanting to see if the teacher already liked him or not. Looking straight into the teacher's eyes, Naruto soon found out that there wasn't any compassion inside the teachers heart for him, but for the rest of the students.
Stopping himself from the tears from spilling, Naruto remembered that crying won't solve anything. He grinned plastically and shouted from across the room, having everyone's attention.
Some students laughed while others complained about him being annoying.
Either way, Naruto still had some attention- be it good or bad. This led him to 'like' the color orange, wearing it everyday.
However, one day, that same teacher started to recognize Naruto as one of his students- his normal student. Naruto wouldn't have known anything about caring if it was put for that same teacher.
Naruto looked disbelievingly at Iruka, almost into a verge of tears. Stopping his tears mentally, Naruto smiled at Iruka's invitation to ramen. And at that time, Naruto's favorite food became ramen. To that day, Naruto's hole grew a little smaller.
On Naruto's ninth birthday, many people called him mean names that were untrue about him. As time passed by, these mean words sunk in, to which Naruto started to downgrade himself. At this time, Naruto wanted to set up some values for himself.
Per to say, Naruto tried earnestly to keep these values. However, these same values broke his mask, in which making these values useless.
Narrowing his eyes solemnly inside his small apartment, a small candle was the only source of light for the room because he forgot to pay the electric bill. Thinking to himself of these values, Naruto remembered one that said to always be your true self.
This one value was a huge one for Naruto because, practically, Naruto has never once been his true self since starting the academy. Well, for one, Naruto could only become his true self in front of Jiji for by himself in a candle lit room.
Naruto sniffled a little when a soft whimper came from his throat- he realized that he was never true to anyone or himself.
His sorrowful echoes were short and sound as possible, not wanting the neighbors to hear. Even now, Naruto couldn't be his true self because one of his values were to let everything out loudly when you're about to blow.
Just outside happened to be 'Jiji', who in person wanted to give Naruto his birthday present. As the Hokage enters the small complex, soft whimpers could be heard from the living room.
The Hokage frowned sadly, thinking about the now, 9-year-old Naruto. Getting up from his hiding spot, the Hokage went into the living room to comfort Naruto just like any Jiji would do. To that day, Naruto's hole stayed neutrally the same as that nights events were balanced.
The tenth year of Naruto's life had been based inside the large classroom that Iruka-sensei taught at. Now, at a daily basis, Naruto screamed and shouted, pranked and joke, and so on just to get the tiniest bit of attention. It wasn't that Naruto dislike this particular lifestyle, it was just that Naruto wanted to make real bonds with the more real things.
Now that Iruka-sensei deemed it necessary to begin 'sparring' for the first time, Naruto found this news exciting. Putting on his goofy grin, Naruto walked alone outside. While going outside, he saw 'Sakura' and another group of girls yelling next to a boy that had spiky weird hair and a high collared shirt.
Naruto frowned while looking at Sakura because normally, she would also be by herself. Shrugging his shoulders, Naruto decided that he was kind of jealous of the 'spiky-weird-hair-and-a-high-collared-shirt boy'.
Out on the small sparring circle, names of student pairs were called out to fight each other. When the spiky haired boy was called, Naruto was called up next.
Deciding to try his best today, Naruto put in a good fighting stance in front of Sasuke. Yelling and screaming came from the majority of girls. Naruto saw Sakura squealing for Sasuke and downgrading him, Naruto. This had hurt Naruto's feelings a bit, gnawing slowly at the certain little hole.
Naruto shook his head when Iruka-sensei shouted out to start. And almost instantly, the girls cheered as Sasuke brought Naruto down. In Naruto's eyes, Naruto stated to feel something more than jealousy to this high collared person- hate.
What Naruto didn't know at the time was that he just made a bond with someone.
The next two years came by, and Naruto still felt that small hole in his heart. Smiling and laughing while feeling down hurt a bit at times. Being that he was Naruto, everyone didn't see through the strained smile.
One day, Naruto felt that small little hole open up, almost thoroughly cutting through his heart. That day was the day that only bad things happened. It was graduation day, which he failed, but didn't fail, miserably and the day he found out that small little problem that was the root to all his problems.
Realizing and coming to a conclusion to this manner, Naruto, for once, didn't feel as optimistic as his mask said himself to be.
Of all the time he tried to fit in and get attention, it was all for nothing because his little problem couldn't be fixed.
Trying to feel optimistic about the next day where he could finally become a genin, it hurt him like a ton of bricks because he was about to try again- by trying to fit in even though this action would inevitably fail.
The now 12-year-old lay on his bed, thinking about tomorrow's outcome.
Staying almost positively and as Naruto-like during the test that the person called 'Kakashi' gave them, Naruto had the desire to become a real genin. The reason being is because he wanted a sign to show if he was in the right path.
Then, at the right moment, Naruto was tied to a tree stump while Sakura and Sasuke didn't get any bells at all. Knowing what will happen, Naruto felt the big hole in his heart almost penetrate his being. The talk that Kakashi gave them was gnawing even more to Naruto's heart.
However, a light chance was given to Naruto and his team from Kakashi. At the point when Kakashi was gone, Sasuke and Sakura offered him some food. Naruto felt heartfelt as this small hole was closing, giving in completely and eating.
When Kakashi suddenly came into the clearing, the whole team shook up. But then, the unexpected happened- Kakashi passed them.
A small little speech was given from Kakashi,"All the others, I failed. You guys are my first genin team.", he smiled lightly. "A team, such as this, is practically going to be your family because a team shows the same characteristics as a family. These charecteristics include: cooperation, care, familiarity, values, and bonds; all of which are important to hold this family together. I hope, for this team, that we can show these characteristics throughout our period of time together."
To Naruto, this was his chance- to become what he really was because now, the hole in his heart was completely gone. And with that in mind, Naruto became the truly happy and free self. Because then, Naruto's undisplacable mask was no longer his mask, Naruto realized that he has always been his true self.
He then goofily grinned and called out to his teammates to untie his off of the tree stump brashly.