Chapter 2: Break Down

Hinata watched as Naruto struck the dummies with his Rasengan, each impact bloodying his hand with splinters and dirt. She heard him call out his last blow "Rasen ..." then he collapsed on the hard dirt ground and began to cry, she thought it was because of the pain he received from all those hard blows, but it was then he began crying out Jiraiya's name. She could not control her actions she ran towards him at super fast speeds she had never displayed before "NARUTO-KUN !". His cries became screams as the grief tore through him, he felt alone and Jiraiya was one of the few adults that accepted him for who he was without calling him a Fox demon or a monster.

She dived down on her knees and lifted Naruto to her chest and hugged him with as much comfort as she could muster. He tried to push her away so he could be left alone but she would not let him "Naruto-ku... I mean, Naruto ... why are you crying ?" in such a situation as this, she preferred to call him by his real name. "please Naruto, don't cry i am here for you" her own eyes began to water. Naruto pulled back and stared into her eyes with such sadness, she began to cry herself. "Hinata ... Pervy-Sage was killed by the Akatsuki ... hes all i had left" Her tears flowed to the ground and joined with Naruto's.

"Naruto that is not true! i am here for you, and i wont leave you ... ever" She pulled Naruto into her and Naruto in return hugged her back, she let him cry on her shoulder as she rubbed his back and spoke encouraging. "I am so weak ... i cant even protect myself" Naruto's comment shocked and hurt Hinata. "Naruto ! you are not weak, you are a great Ninja and a great friend, i will not let you discourage yourself like this!" Naruto was taken aback by Hinata's outburst, he never knew she could be so strong willed when she needed to be "Hinata ... can you walk me home ? i really need a friend right now and i don't want to leave you ..." Hinata linked her arm around Naruto's back and helped him limp his way towards his house, it seems his leg was cut up from the chunks or wood shrapnel he made.


Ino was almost finished for the day, she had just finished watering the Camellias and the Sunflowers when she heard footsteps at the front of the shop. "Sorry we are closing up now, come back tomorrow she called over her shoulder. "Jeez Ino Pig, do you treat all your friends like this" Ino's eyes flared, there is only one Baka in Konoha who could be stupid enough to call Ino such a thing.

"you can talk, billboard brow" Sakura flared as well, they both stared into each others eye then laughed like the best of friends, "i think we can move on from the old childhood fights cant we ?" Ino questioned, "yeah ... or we could contiue to have fun tormenting each other" Sakura said with a devilish grin "yeah or we could do that hahaha, so whats up?". Sakura's expression changed, she looked somber now "you haven't seen Naruto around have you? h stormed out of Tsunade's office and not even Anbu can find him" Ino looked puzzled "why did he storm off ?". Sakura would hate to go around telling everyone about the News, but Ino was a close friend and Sakura thought she deserved to know "Well you see ... Jiraiya-Sensei ..." Ino looked out the Window and Saw Naruto and Hinata walking down the street, it looked like Naruto had a slight limp, she turned to Sakura "There he is right there, he looks fine what are you talking about" Sakura knew he was hiding it "Ino, use your mind transfer and take a look for yourself".

Ino winked and focused her chakra on Naruto. Ino activated her Mind swap Jutsu and went into Naruto's mind. Ino was only in Naruto's mind for three seconds when she pulled out and stood there blankly "Are you alright did you see ?" Ino slid down the wall and Began to cry, her tears came strong and her sobs were more than audible, she looked into Sakura's eyes and whispered in a Croaky voice "We need to gather everyone ... this ... this sadness goes far deeper than the Death of Jiraiya ...S..Sakura ... his sadness is overwhelming" she then began to cry harder.


Hinata helped Naruto climb the stairs to his apartment, he opened the door and let her in, as soon as she stepped inside she felt a hard pang of sadness and sympathy for Naruto, this apartment was so huge and empty, she couldn't believe he lives alone like this, it made her heart hurt. "Naruto ... i mean Naruto-Kun, i will go and fetch Sakura she can heal the wounds on your hands and leg". Naruto nodded, tears still in his eyes he just sat on the coach looking at his hands. "i promise ill be back", he just continued to stare back at his hands. this was as good a answer as she will get, so she stepped out of the apartment and headed towards Ino's shop, she might know where Sakura is.

When she arrived she saw Ino huddled against the wall and Sakura comforting her "Ino! what is the matter ?" Ino only stared up at Hinata, her eyes widening. Sakura turned to her "Hinata where did Naruto go, we saw you walk him somewhere". Hinata was relived "oh good you saw us, I left Naruto in his apartment he needs your medical treatment, he hurt himself". Ino's eyes widened "NO! you left him there alone! oh god we need to hurry... i was in his mind i know what hes going to do" tears began streaming down her face "Hurry !"


Naruto waited for Hinata to leave, she was so nice and caring, he felt warmth in him when he thought about her 'no im just feeling heat from training, im pathetic trash and don't deserve to be with any of them, maybe in death i can meet up with Mom and Dad and Jiraiya, then i can escape this horrid reality' he locked the door behind her and went to his room. His room was messy and needed a good clean, but of course that would not matter in a few minutes.

He grabbed cold bowl of Ramen from the fridge and began eating his last meal "oh Ramen you have got me through hard times" he sighed as he lost his appetite. He sat back on the coach and drew his Kunai and tested its sharpness, it was sharp as expected "hmph Kakashi-Sensei always made sure we kept our gear at best" he raised the Kunai knife to his chest and looked over to the photograph of Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and him "i couldn't save you Sasuke, i couldn't even save myself ..." he heard a knock at the door, but he was not paying attention. He grabbed his Kunai by the handle and plunged it and himself into darkness.


"Naruto open up, its me Hinata i brought Sakura and Ino" she knocked again for a second time. "Goddammit there is no time!" Ino screamed, this brought the attention of Kiba, Choji Lee,Ten Ten, Shikamaru, Neji and Shino who were walking towards the commotion, they began running as they realized something was serious here. Sakura shouted "DAMMIT ill buy a new door" she kicked in the door and walked inside, Hinata and Ino followed. Sakura saw the blood puddle and the huddled figure of Naruto Uzumaki with a Kunai clutched deep in his hands and stomach. The trio began screaming.

Sakura ran to Naruto and flipped him over, his eyes were blank with expression "hes unconscious but not dead!" she yelled through tears. The rest of the gang ran in and saw the blood spilled over the floor and Naruto clutching the very knife that almost took his life. Lee ran outside to vomit, tears streamed down his eyes, Ten Ten followed. "Oh god Naruto why!" Shikamaru held his head in his hands, tears were falling down everyone's faces now, even Neji who began to respect Naruto as a great friend. "Out of my way, we can still save him!" Sakura screamed, she leap from the window with Naruto deep in her arms as she sprinted to Konoha hospital.

Shino, who was known to be a very silent person, fell to his knees and began to heavily cry "Naruto is my friend, no matter how much he forgets me, he is still my friend and my heart hurts so much knowing i was not there for him" Kiba came up to Shino and embraced the Aburame "you will be there for him and i know it" kiba went outside to check on Lee, he felt sick himself