RTN: Ch. 1
So I just rewatched Road To Ninja The Naruto movie and I have got to say, as tear-jerking and as happy as it was, there weren't as many precious scenes of Naruto with his family, and I hate that Sakura somehow felt Naruto's pain. Total bullshit, and we all know it! Hell, you don't act mean to someone like Naruto if you know what he's been through. So, I'm going to do just that. Also, there was a shocking lack of fanfics dedicated to this story, and I feel that's just a tragedy.
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"And then I proceeded to defeat Madara who was using Menma's body as a vessel Tsunade-sama."
"This is… disturbing. What do you think of this Minato?"
Aware of the fact that Tsunade only dropped the honorific chan when she needed him to be professional, so he chose his next words very carefully.
"Men- Naruto-Chan has more than proven to have Konoha's interest at heart when he went after the man who destroyed Konoha. At least, this is what we can tell the general public. For now though, he hasn't given us a single reason to not trust him."
Naruto tried to hide the flinch that occurred when Minato added the chan that had previously never been present before.
"I see." Tsunade said, with a motionless face. "For now, then, welcome Naruto. Sakura, you're free to return to your apartment, and it will continue to be free until the village is fit to assign you ninja missions."
"Hai Tsunade-sama."
Sakura had to pull Naruto away, who couldn't help but glance at Kushina possessively clutching Menma. Once they were outside the large tent that was acting as the Hokage's current office.
"Hey Sakura, you got your place all to yourself, right?"
"Uh… yeah." Sakura said, not liking where this was headed.
"Offer for me to stay with you already."
Sakura had already screamed Baka and was aiming to club Naruto over the head when he grabbed her wrist rather tightly and stopped her mid-swing.
"Sakura-chan. I'm not in the mood and I need a place to stay right now, away from, them. Don't make more out of it than there is." Naruto said coldly, looking away from Sakura.
"Uhhhh, alright then Naruto." The pinkette said, rather scared of a serious Naruto, and the fact that he had hurt her. Sakura didn't think to get more angry though, as she could recall the only other time Naruto had hurt her when he had let the Kyuubi take control of him. And despite all that, she felt even more need to be cautious around Naruto now then back then.
"We're here. Open the door."
Her head whipped up to realize that she had her head downcast and was lost in thought the entire trip there. She looked up at her barely standing building and realized that she was lucky to even have a home to come back to.
"Oh, ok. Lemme get that."
"Even in fake realities, Konoha still manages to get destroyed. And there were even more casualties this time. No one to bring back the dead from this."
"That's… awfully perceptive of you Naruto." Sakura responded timidly, not certain how to respond. She walked into her home and sat down on the couch.
He responded with such a simple answer that still managed to give Sakura goosebumps.
"Hn."
"So… Naruto. Do you want to talk?"
"Not right now Sakura. Just head to bed already." The blonde said in that damned monotone voice of his that he'd recently adopted.
"B-Baka!" Sakura screamed, once more taking a swing at Naruto. This time though, he only moved out of the way to let her stumble onto the floor.
"Again, Sakura. Don't make anything more of it than there is. Unless?" Naruto said, with a bit of a smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at a flabbergasted Sakura.
"No. No. Ahhhhh! I liked you more when you weren't as good a ninja."
"Get some sleep Sakura." Naruto said flopping down to the couch and facing away from her.
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The Next Morning
Sakura had to admit, waking up with someone else in the house, even is she couldn't tell it, felt nice. Not that she was about to let Naruto know that. Although, she had to admit, she fancied herself up a bit before stepping out of her room. The sight she saw was almost enough to break Madara's genjutsu.
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"Achhoo."
"How strange. He never shows any sign of sickness."
"Yes. Quite odd. What's the matter Tobi?"
"Be quiet Zetsu. You surely imagined it."
"Oh, he's feisty today."
"Don't need to tell me twice." Zetsu said to his other half as he faded away from the grouchy Uchica.
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"Naruto? Are- are you cooking actual food?" Sakura said, all thoughts straying away from her mind at this amazing spectacle.
"What? You don't think I survived only on ramen. Believe me, I tried. Jiji forced me to eat some vegetables now and then, and usually ordered an ANBU to do it too, and boy, did he suck. Just plain out. I ended up learning how to make myself something just to give myself a break."
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"Achoo."
"Was that a sneeze Kakashi-san? How unyouthful your body is! A few laps around Konoha should ease that cold right away!"
"I'm fine Gai." Kakashi said, trying to keep his gaze on his book and hope that Gai wouldn't go through with his announcement.
"Yosh! You're already delirious! Don't worry friend, I won't be so easy to quit on you!" Gai sayed, grabbing Kakashi's arm and forcing him off towards the closest wall.
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"Yeah. Food's ready anyway. Here's your plate, I didn't know what you liked so I went out and bought a lot of things. Stuff's a lot easier for me to buy here. Evem with a destroyed village."
Sakura hadn't really caught most of what he had said as she stared at the feast of food in front of her. It certainly looked tempting after a week of only her favorite dessert for her meals. Had she been paying attention, she would've also seen the small frown on Naruto's face as he sat down and started picking his own food.
"Wow, this is amazing food Naruto. I'm proud of you! Really!"
"Of course, all I have to do is amaze you to get you to acknowledge something about me."
"Whoah? What's with the snarkyness Naruto? You've been like that ever since the Menma thing. Are you alright?"
Looking for a quick way to change the subject, Naruto finally noticed the rather poor condition of the dying plant in the center of the table.
"What's with the death?"
Sakura didn't understand his question until she followed his qaze to what was left of the wilted rose that Sasuke had given her, which had meant the world to her at one point.
"That's just something Sasuke got me."
"Tch, figures. Only in an alternate reality right?"
"Na-Naruto! Look, I get that having been with what you think is your family has been an emotional roller coaster for you! But that does not give you the right to talk like that! You think you're the only one who knows loneliness? I was here the whole week without my parents! I know what it's like, and it feels like what a majority of my childhood felt like! So don't you go and…" By now, Sakura had noticed that Naruto had gone into Sage mode. "Eh, what are you doing?"
"Calming myself so I don't do something stupid to you that I might regret later." Naruto said with an air of tension-filled silence.
"I'm going to say this once, Sakura-chan. You'll be the first of my friends besides the Temme to know this. And before I start that, just realize that Sasuke actually seems to like you in this universe. This, loneliness, you say you feel? Complete and utter bullshit. Not only do you think that you lived my childhood in a week, but you managed to feel alone with an approving village and people actually talking to you. You know what happened when my parents died for my village? It became an S-rank secret that only around 12 people knew. The citizens? Free food? Hah! The only reason I grew so fascinated with ramen was because the Old Man was the only person who'd give me a fair price like everyone else and actually allowed me to eat inside! The bright orange jumpsuits I wore? The only thing I could afford. Every god damn merchant banded together and charged prices Shion would have to think of twice, and that's if they even sold anything to me! Jiji watched after me, but when I finally got my own apartment and away from the damned orphanage full of more adults who wouldn't tell me why they hated me, a six year old child! Villagers would constantly glare and sneer when I was around, and the things they said that they didn't imagine "that thing" could hear. Every adult that would've been associated with our parent's generation, hated me. If they didn't, then they sure didn't mind being indifferent. They warned their children to stay away from me, and I'm willing to bet your's did too. So before you go off and tell me that you know what I went through, think for once in your life!"
And with that, Naruto vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving a petrified Sakura to consider all that she had just heard.
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Wow, that speech was hella wicked to write. In case anyone has any doubts, regular writing is White Zetsu, and italic writing is Black Zetsu. How will Sakura react? Not in some gushy bull like everyone else, come on guys! Give me some credit! Next off, Naruto manages to snag some sorta Dad n' Son quality time, sorta. I'll see you all, in the future!