Author's notes: Sigh, I know that the plot of Naruto being tricked and is affected more than the others might be overused or too cliché'…but hey, I like this kind of torture. Go on. Read.
Disclaimer: You read it last time, no need to tell you again…
Pairings: Same same…
This chapter has been revised three times. Yep, I do so love changing stuff. Version 2, version 2.
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Chapter 2: Hitori
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"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
The blonde immediately split into a hundred clones, each rushing into a random direction. Some noiselessly jumped across rooftops, others took running to the streets, and some hid in the trees.
However, each still wore the hurt and dejected look the real one was experiencing.
"How…how could I be so stupid? I'm so screwed up…" Naruto berated to himself, tears starting to stream down from his eyes." All it took to worm the truth out of me was a stupid disguise and a puppy…"
From a distance, he could sense his clones popping, and the immediate figures that followed: Jiraiya, Kakashi and Iruka. Naruto sniffed a bit, before splitting into a hundred more clones, effectively hiding in the flurry of blonde bunshins.
It was a very long night. Both for Naruto and them.
"I can't believe it…Naruto…he likes me…after all those years…" Sasuke mumbled to himself, while their respective instructors sent him and the others back to their houses.
"Maa, maa. Sasuke-kun. A moment of madness, I'm sure it'll pass by." Sakura tried to console the brunet, handing him a copy of the picture.
Sasuke took it, studying the blonde in it. Naruto looked almost ecstatic…happy…and then everything had to turn upside down in a matter of seconds.
"I do not think Naruto was too happy with you being into this…" A voice spoke behind him.
"Hyuuga…" Sasuke acknowledged the remark, facing the pale-eyed Nin.
The Hyuuga clan residences were near, and Neji and Hinata turned in for the night. His byakugan eyes narrowed on Sasuke.
"Understand that what will happen in the future, is solely your fault, Uchiha." Neji said with finality, while Hinata looked at him thoughtfully, somewhat still trying to absorb the information that Naruto liked Sasuke.
Sasuke grimaced, but managed to keep his composure straight. He did not bite back though…he can't bite back.
The group walked on, by and by thinning out until the only ones left were Sasuke, Sakura, Ino and Kiba.
"So, what do you think, Ino? Will we run this on print at the Konoha press?" Sakura thought of the idea. The frown line was still evident on her forehead.
"I don't know, Sakura-chan." Ino was starting to look doubtful. "It seemed ok the first time I heard it, but now…Naruto might not be too happy about it." She trailed off.
Sasuke was still busy on his thoughts far too much to agree or deject anything behind what they were saying.
"Psst, Sasuke…" Kiba slowed him down a bit. Sasuke turned to Kiba, noticing that they were passing through the field area.
"So, what will you do about it?" Kiba spoke, concern dredging his voice. Akamaru slid inside Kiba's snug jacket, whimpering a bit at the cold, night air.
"About what?" Sasuke decided to be thick-headed.
"About Naruto! You heard what he said!" Kiba huffed, aware of the Uchiha's deliberate negation of his question.
"Ch…that usuratonkachi…everything's turning clear though…" Sasuke lowered his gaze.
"Everything?" Kiba faced him, his interest perked.
"I'd always thought when he was always hitting me playfully, or when he would accidentally "trip" over and fall on me when I'm sleeping…or when we'd go shower, he would always turn his shower cold…" Sasuke spoke thoughtfully, more on speaking his mind, than talking to Kiba.
"Man…you've got him bad…" Kiba shook his head.
"I know… I just don't know why…" Sasuke blandly replied, walking again, his sights falling on the jacket-less clones jumping on the trees.
"You haven't answered my question…" Kiba pressed on.
"What's there to answer? I have my responsibility of reviving my clan. Don't think that Naruto can offer me an heir?" Sasuke bit back, almost a bit too harshly.
A clone fell, obviously had tripped on one of the branches and landed face-first on the ground behind them. Sasuke and Kiba turned around, expecting it to disappear in a puff of smoke.
The clone stood up, grimacing on the wound that developed on his shoulder. The blood momentarily stopped flowing and started to close right away. His eyes were set on Sasuke.
"Naruto…is that you?" Sasuke tentatively asked. He'd recognize that no clone would have auto-healing mechanisms.
The blonde smiled, though his eyes were hidden in the fringe of his hair.
"I understand, Sasuke-kun. Of course, who am I, but some village reject, to get in the way of your clan's revival. It's okay…I'll just see you tomorrow for our mission then…" Naruto spoke softly, casting a cheery glance at both of them before splitting once more and jumping off to the night sky.
Both Kiba and Sasuke spoke nothing, the same as how they felt towards the blond as of that moment.
Naruto managed to return back to his apartment, undetected. His instructors were still busy catching his clones. He figured it would take them until morning to find out he had gone back to his room.
Inspecting his closet, he found a few of the said pictures lying on the floor. He took one, stifling a cry as he slumped on the floor, finally crying.
"Naruto, you really are the usuratonkachi…" He spoke to himself, as the moonlight played shadows on the floor. "Sasuke'll never let go of this…not on his lifetime."
Fatigue took over him, as he slept on the floor, one hand on his head, the other on the picture. His half-naked figure reflected the paleness of the moonlight.
Naruto had just walked out of the apartment, his mind set on the wonderful scent of ramen wafting from the Ichiraku. The night had been a drag for him, and he was overly-bushed and overly-tired.
A rotten tomato had hit him squarely on his right cheek, just a few seconds after he came out of the door. Naruto was taken by surprise. A few more seconds, and even stones began flying towards him.
"What…the…hey, STOP IT!" Naruto tried defending himself, shielding himself with his arm. A man stepped up, a sharp stone on his hand.
"Hey, you whore! Who gave you the right to go after Uchiha Sasuke?" He spat, throwing the stone directly, contacting at the side of Naruto's head. The blonde let out a small whimper as he felt his veins burst at the contact, and blood started to trickle down his side.
"Not only are you a demon, you're also a faggot! You're the lowest of your kind!" Another came up and threw a leg bone of some animal. The force jarred his head, yet he managed to keep his consciousness up. He'd been faced with these kinds of oppression from the villagers…he knew he can withstand these once more…
Like he did before…
Like he does always…
"You think we don't know! How dare you look at an Uchiha like that! You dirty little piece of shit!" He threw a newspaper, slapping the blonde just enough to open his eyes and read it.
There it was…the picture he had in his pocket. He had burned the other copies he had found save one last. But that was not what had made his eyes wide.
"Seemingly a trick done by Uzumaki that led to this…expressed his interests upon the last Uchiha member…Sasuke Uchiha denies anything that had to do with this picture upon an earlier statement..."
…denies…
…Sasuke Uchiha denies ANYTHING that had to do with this picture…
…Sasuke Uchiha denies Naruto Uzumaki…
"No…no…" Naruto found himself unwilling to believe. The villager's indignation only increased with his blatant denial of the article and now decided to chuck more stuff at him, one that would cause more injury than just rotten fruits and stones.
Naruto tumbled back from the reach of the mob, he was however, not safe from the people he met as he ran in the streets. They pelted him as he ran, the people's roars fueling their intent on totally making sure the boy never existed in the first place.
Naruto was now crying…the tears not coming from the pain he was feeling, but rather from the words playing over and over his head.
…Sasuke Uchiha denies anything that had to do with this picture…
…Sasuke Uchiha denies Naruto Uzumaki…
…"What's there to answer? I have my responsibility of reviving my clan. Don't think that Naruto can offer me an heir?"
He couldn't force himself not to believe it was true. It was after all, the general idea.
No one wanted him here in the first place, so why was he here?
Fight back…
Naruto was weakening in the face of current events.
Fight back and protect yourself…
Naruto had immediately found himself cocooned in the darkness, his subconscious floating towards a familiar being.
Kyuubi. The Nine-Tailed Beast.
Unknown to others, both he and the demon had become one. Both soul of the human and spirit of the beast fused into one entity. If one would die, the other would follow. It was one of the reasons the Kyuubi had begun civil terms with Uzumaki Naruto.
"I don't think I can hold on, Kyuubi. After what happened last night…I can't go out facing the world like I used to." Naruto spoke somberly, his mood dampened as the noise of the riot seemed like a distant whisper in the chamber of his mind.
"Then don't hold on. Let go, and let me live for you. I will finish what they have started."
Before Naruto could protest, he found himself losing consciousness, and falling rapidly into the darkness that seemed to protect him. Kyuubi's voice had all but become a faint echo.
Red chakra was now swirling around him, deflecting any projectile aimed towards him.
The blonde did a complicated seal as he ran, exploding into a violent swirl of crimson wind that blew dust around him. Everyone ducked for cover, the chakra disappearing only to be replaced by four thousand clones of Uzumaki Naruto.
The sky grew dark as all the clones jumped into the air, dispersing in all directions from the village of Hidden Leaf. From the air, Naruto saw everyone of whom he shared part of his life.
Kakashi and Sakura, up in the bridge, waiting for both him and Sasuke.
The academy, the practice areas, the Hokage's tower. Iruka-sensei, Neji, Kiba, Ino, Lee, Gai-sensei and all others watched in awe at the awesome display of Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.
Naruto performed another seal, and each clone split into three more, resulting in twelve thousand clones. From the twelve thousand clones, two thousand five hundred each split into the four cardinal directions. The remaining two thousand left themselves behind, at least confronting one resident of Konoha.
The sky cleared up from the shadows, the figures of the blonde now retreating in the mountains and the forests. Each person was stunned to find a Naruto clone, solemnly watching them, blue eyes reflecting the sorrow within.
A few minutes passed before the clones began speaking. They spoke, in synchrony and in tune. Their tones melancholic and breaking down, voices failing at what they wanted to say.
I thank you, Konoha. For letting me live until this age. I will not hold a grudge against you, for I understand your incapacity to see through me. Not the demon you hold a grudge against, but against the container itself, a cage. I will not defer you in your idea, for it is true. We are one now, but it is also for your safety that I did it. Neither of us will be able to control the other now, but I will still hold my body and the Kyuubi will hold itself inside me.
Sadly, I believe you will still not understand. But I do. I understand you all. And it was hard for me not fulfill your wishes for the past sixteen years. But now I did, I leave you now and bring with me along, your so-called demon fox. You can now wake up every morning without the worry of the Kyuubi going through the village, even though you should know that I would never let it happen. I will never let the Yondaime down.
I cannot deny one thing to you, my dear Konoha. Before I leave, I will clear out one thing. I love Sasuke Uchiha. I have loved him as a friend, and I have loved him as something more. I do not expect that my feelings be reciprocated by him.
It was that night…I destroyed myself in front of him. He will never look at me the way he used to before. And now neither can I. Isn't that what everybody wanted? ISN'T IT?
The people winced at the snide remark the clones said. All the clones took in a different mood.
Sasuke Uchiha is not to be pressed of this matter after this day. This issue will die down along with me. He has had enough of his life to be meddled with. I should know…I've hurt myself so much for him.
Tsunade-baa-chan, I guess it may be too late for me now. I'm know now… I'm not worthy to accept the position of Hokage anymore. My dreams of being the Rokudaime…was nothing but just that…a dream. There is no such Hokage that people hate. I'd be a first if that were to happen, but then again, it wouldn't. They were right all along…dreams were but made for fools and idiots.
To people whom I called my friends, thank you for accepting me. You would be the only people who acknowledge me…even though if your views changed as of last night.
I guess I should these guys a reason why I decided to leave from this point on. I would not act like the saint I am and tell you because I did it for the village. It was part reason, but then again, majority of it is not. I guess it's too much, for fifteen years, having the village on your tail and the Kyuubi clawing out inside me,…it's very hard to contend. I don't think I'd live another year with having to bear two at a time.
My mind has been raped too much by insults and spite. My psyche is torn by the Kyuubi's continuous attempts for freedom. My mask is breaking down so fast, I can't fix it anymore and hide who I am.
The boy who cries at night each time he takes in the blame of the demon that lived before him.
The boy who curls on his bed, alone, because god-knows where his parents went.
The boy who bleeds in the morning and heals in the night.
You would think that it's fun, but it isn't, knowing you can't show what people did to you. No marks, no bruise. It is an everyday crime that has no evidence.
The clones sighed a bit, before donning a feline smile on their faces.
So, this is it, Konoha. My farewell. If you are lucky, you might not find news about me anymore. I might have died in a desert, drowned in a sea, or eaten by wild animals. Who knows what good fortune might strike. My body might be even mutilated in such a terrible condition, nobody might recognize me.
Tsunade-baa-chan…no, Tsunade-sama. I'm giving you back the necklace you gave me. It would suit the next Hokage better than on a rotting cadaver. You were the only mother figure I had. And…it was nice I got to know you. I love you so much…no matter how many times I seem so rude to you.
The clone facing Tsunade handed the necklace and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Tsunade accepted the necklace with trembling hands and teary eyes.
Kakashi-san, Iruka-san, Jiraiya-san…thank you for keeping my secret. I know you saw me behind my mask, and yet you played along your part. You fulfilled an unspoken wish some person like me would have asked. I am so sorry; I cannot return everything you taught to me.
Sasuke …yes…I am an idiot…the usuratonkachi…the moron, the fool…but you treated me like I was more. I felt it and you understood me. To tell all the truth…you were the only one keeping me from leaving this village. I have no more reason to hold this against you. I am free of our friendship and so are you.
No more will you deal of the blundering idiot that would always get in your way.
No more will you have to contend with someone you thought would always best you.
No more of the irritating smiles and the pranks that you were always irritated.
No more…
no more…
and for what it's worth to you…
I love you…
…so much.
Sasuke stood frozen, as a clone came forward and gently kissed his forehead, his eyes reflecting great sorrow and regret.
You will never hear more of me. Nothing in this village will remind of the demon that once resided here. It is my greatest and last favor to Konoha, and to the Hokages that lived and will live after me. Farewell…
The few extra clones that stood by began to crowd themselves into Naruto's apartment. The people looked on, aware of the events.
Sasuke and the others pushed through, as the last of the clones outside the apartment disappeared. Only the clones inside his room remained. A few more minutes and the clones came out carrying all of his stuff towards the Main Gate.
The people looked on, more curious than showing any hint of remorse for the blonde. Sasuke, Tsunade and the others came closer.
All of a sudden, the clones exploded into a large bonfire, destroying every possession Naruto had. Sasuke jumped back, Tsunade looked aghast and everyone else that saw what happened had at least the decency to look sad.
Sasuke cursed inwardly, unable to retrieve anything of value to the blonde. He would have tried cursing again at the blonde's stupid idea, but had vaguely remembered he admitted it all. There was nothing left to be acknowledged about Naruto.
A clone came dashing towards the fire, holding some few scrolls. He looked at the kneeling figure of Sasuke and came close towards the boy.
"Na, na. I forgot to give you this, Sasuke..." A clone came forward to give him a thick and heavy scroll.
Sasuke looked surprised at the unexpected gift, but shifted his gaze to the clone and asked what it was.
"Pictures..." The clone smiled wanly. "I used a bunshin to take these pictures without you noticing them. I'm so sorry for not telling you."
Before Sasuke could thank him, the clone dove into the fire with the remaining scrolls, burning them all into ash.
"Sasuke-kun…would you open it?" Tsunade spoke gently, coaxing the boy.
Sasuke hesitated a bit, unsure whether he needed to see this. But he bit back a tear when he saw the pictures.
It was a collection of photos, all which featured them when they were alone. Each picture was clumsily posted onto the scroll and below them was a vivid description of each picture.
"Here, was a time when fireflies gave light to Sasuke's night…" A picture then showed Sasuke resting peacefully on Naruto's shoulder as fireflies surrounded them. I remember…
"Our first hangout…" It was a picture of them at Ichiraku's. Both were eating ramen, and Sasuke just had to poke the boy in the ears for not showing some decency in eating. I did not forget…
Sasuke decided to close it for a while, deciding his heart wasn't ready for this. A clone seemingly popped out of the bonfire once more to give a final message.
"Tsunade-sama, it would be best if you would mark me as a missing nin and send hunter-nins to kill me. Please kill me as soon as possible. I might regret the promise I left behind. To you and Konoha."
The clone winked at her. He disappeared in a puff of smoke afterwards; the wind echoed his last words...
"Goodbye..."
Revised, revised. I hope this version reads better than the last one.
