Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto

"NARUTOOO!"

"SASUKEEE!"

These words roared throughout the valley of the end. The sources coming from a blonde haired boy, bloody and beaten and cloaked in a red demonic essence; and a raven haired boy, with hand mutations coming out of his back, and a traitor to his home. They both stared at each other in rage as their hands began to glow with powerful chakra.

Sasuke held his arm as it began to crackle with dark chakra, smirking as he held it toward the blonde across the river. The whisker marks on the blonde's face only thickened, as his fangs grew sharper and sharper in his rage. His blood red eyes moved down to his hand, as the demonic chakra cloaking him formed a perfect orb in his hand, watching it spiral in its condensed shape. They both glared at each other, before lifting off from where each stood, flying in the air toward each other at blisteringly high speeds.

They threw their techniques forward, the only thing on their minds: I MUST WIN!

"CHIDORI!"

"RASENGAN!"

The techniques clashed and immediately exploded out, creating a swirling mass of power around them. That didn't stop them from having one final brawl in the eye of the storm. Naruto swiped at his would be friend, hoping to cripple the fool. Sasuke easily avoided the attack, swooping in and punching the blonde hard in the gut, causing him to stagger. Sasuke wasn't done yet, though... He continued his onslaught, punching Naruto in the gut repeatedly. He then kicked him in the face, sending him flying out of the torrent of power.

Naruto trembled as he laid in a heap, looking up as the torrent faded away, leaving Sasuke slowly descending toward him. Blood ran from the blonde's mouth, as his cloak left him. He was defenseless, and his body refused to move.

You damn demon! NOW you decide to stop helping me?! He shouted toward the demon within him, he heard nothing in response.

His eyes widened as he was picked up by the collar of his jacket, he stared down at the boy before him, his now cerulean eyes meeting Sasuke's yellow, snake like eyes. "W-Why don't you just get it over with, Sasuke...!" He growled out, coughing up blood. "I know you want me dead...! Just get it over with!" He told the raven haired traitor, fully accepting his fate.

Sasuke threw the blonde against the cliff side, his face engulfed in shadow. "No... There is no value in killing the likes of you..." He said to Naruto, throwing several kunai into the blonde's being, pinning him to the wall. "I know you secretly hold a hatred for me... Good... I want you to hate me, to detest me..." He said to him, before turning away. "That way, when we fight again... I'll actually take pleasure in killing you, Naruto..." He finished, slowly walking toward the forest. He then pulled off his forehead protector, and throwing it at Naruto's feet as he descended into the shadows.

Naruto gritted his teeth, as he looked down. "You... You were... My friend... You bastard..." He whispered, before falling unconscious.

Kakashi rushed through the forest, his eye narrowing as a bad feeling washed through him. "This is bad... We have to hurry!" He looked back at the pink haired girl behind him, who nodded in response.

"Yes, Sensei!" She agreed, picking up the pace, and following him closely.

Kakashi sighed inwardly, looking forward. He didn't want to bring Sakura, but she wouldn't back down.

"This is something I need to see, Sensei!" Sakura told her teacher, looking up at him with worry and determination. "I won't take no for an answer!" She finished, causing Kakashi to sigh heavily.

"I'm going to get such an earful for this..." He muttered, before looking back down at Sakura. "Fine, but you must stay by my side... No matter what." He ordered, as Sakura nodded in acceptance.

"Sensei..." Sakura started, causing her teacher to look back at her. "What... What do you think we'll see?..." She asked, almost grimly, before looking down.

Kakashi could only frown, before looking back. "I don't know, Sakura... But, I'm sure it'll be alright." He tried to reassure her, giving her an eye-smile.

Sakura smiled sadly, trying to stay positive. "Thank you, Sensei..." She thanked him, before blinking. "Sensei, I see a clearing!" She told him, causing the Jounin to look forward.

Kakashi's eye narrowed as they reached closer and closer. "We're here..." He told her, jumping out of the clearing and onto the rocky shore. He looked around, trying to find them. What he found, was a massive battlefield.

These two... How long were they fighting for, to cause this much damage?... He asked himself, as his eye caught sight of something yellow and orange. His pupil shrunk at what he saw.

"Sensei? Do you see anything?" She asked, as she began stepping out of the woods.

Kakashi's pupil stayed shrunk, before looking back at Sakura. "Sakura! Don't. Leave. The woods." He ordered her. Unfortunately, he was too late.

Sakura stepped out next to him, raising an eyebrow. "Huh? Why are you sayin..." She trailed off, her eyes meeting the sight he had laid his eye upon. Her pupils slowly shrunk as she began to process what she was seeing.

There were pools of blood everywhere by the water fall, torn bits of clothing, and the blonde himself. He was pinned against the cliff side, stabbed in several parts of his body with kunai, and blood was rushing from his body.

Sakura's pupils started to shake, as she started to breathe rapidly, her hands slowly going over her agape mouth. "N-N-N..." She could get the words out as she kept breathing rapidly as tears started running down her face. All she could do, was let out a blood curdling scream. "NARUTOOOO!" She screamed out, falling to her knees as her body trembled.

Kakashi immediately got down on a knee, holding Sakura by her shoulders. "Sakura, stay with me!" He told her, keeping her gaze focused on him. He started beating himself mentally, he never should have brought her.

Sakura looked at Kakashi, as she cried heavily. "B-B-But...!" She tried to choke out, as Kakashi looked back toward the blonde.

Kakashi sighed heavily. "Sakura, we don't know if he's dead, alright? Now stay...!" He trailed off as Sakura got out of his grip and rushed over to where Naruto was pinned down to.

"NARUTOO!"

The blonde's eyes slowly began to open, his vision was blurry and he felt heavy. He looked around at his surroundings, and he saw a white room. He groaned as his vision became clearer, he had an IV strapped to him, and his legs were in braces.

My head is killing me... He thought to himself, before noticing someone else in the room. Sakura was sleeping in a chair next to his bed. Sakura-chan?... He thought in confusion.

"Sakura-chan?..." He said out loud, causing a stir from the pinkette. She slowly opened her eyes, and then they fully opened immediately at the sight.

Sakura's jaw quivered as she tried to keep herself together. "Naruto...! You're awake...!" She pointed out, smiling sadly as tears built in her eyes.

Naruto nodded slowly before looking down. "Y-Yeah, I am..." He said to her, staring down at his blanket. "...How long was I out?..." He asked her, judging from her reaction, it was longer than he would've wanted.

"A week." She told him, hugging herself in sadness. "Naru..."

"Ah, so you're awake." The two looked over to see the new Hokage walk into the room, as she looked down at the blonde.

Naruto stared at her for a minute, before looking down. "Baa-chan..." He said quietly, as he grabbed his bed sheets tightly.

Tsunade folded her arms, while looking at the boy. "So, you didn't recover Sasuke." She pointed out, causing Naruto to hang his head further. She then looked toward Sakura. "And you... You defied a direct order, and went with Kakashi to recover Naruto anyways." She pointed out, causing Sakura to bite her lower lip.

Tsunade sighed heavily, while looking at the pinkette. "I don't understand, why did you even bothe-"

"-I wanted to see Sasuke-kun for myself... I wanted to see if Naruto actually did it, and beat Sasuke-kun to bring him back..." She told Tsunade, admitting that the original reason was not for the blonde's sake.

Naruto stared at his bed with empty eyes, slowly letting go of his blanket. Silence filled the room, as Tsunade shook her head. "Well, you're not going without a punishment, Sakura. You will be unable to take the Chunin exam next year. Being a Chunin is not a simple task, and you need to show that you won't disobey a direct order, for such selfish reasons. Understand?" She ordered, causing the pinkette to sink further into her chair.

"...I understand." She said to the Godaime, her grip tightening on the chair.

Tsunade nodded, before looking at Naruto. "Good. Now then, Kakashi has already debriefed me, so all you need to do is rest. Got that, kid?" She asked Naruto, who could only nod silently in response. "Good... If you'll excuse me." She then walked out, closing the door behind her.

The two sat in silence, neither of them would look at each other. Sakura rubbed the back of her head, as she looked at Naruto. "Na..."

"I think you should go, as well... Sakura." He said to her, causing the pinkette's eyes to widen.

Sakura looked down, before standing up. "...If that's what you want..." She responded, before walking out, closing the door behind her.

Naruto laid back, staring up at the ceiling. His thoughts going back to his fight with Sasuke, remembering the words that Sasuke had said to him.

I want you to hate me, to detest me... He said... Why?... He thought to himself, a frown forming on his face. Why did Sasuke want Naruto to hate him? So there would be no remorse in their next fight? So they both could go all out?...

'I wanted to see Sasuke-kun for myself...' The blonde's eyes widened as Sakura's words, like a knife cutting deep into his heart.

She couldn't have just left it with the promise... She also had to see if I had actually done it, in order to believe it?... He asked himself, biting his lower lip.

Then staying at my bedside... Acting like she cares about me, I know Sasuke is her only priority... He thought sadly to himself.

Tears slowly built in the blonde's eyes, as the thought of nothing ever changing between him and Sakura left a hole in his gut. He wanted Sakura to be happy, she deserved it, but... He craved happiness as well, to hold the woman he loved... But he wouldn't. He wouldn't be happy. Sakura didn't love him, she loved Sasuke, and the dream of her ever looking toward the blonde haired boy was becoming more distant than ever before. Tears slowly ran down the boy's face, as his eyes began to glisten. "Why won't I ever learn..." He asked himself, gritting his teeth in a vain attempt to hold back the tears.

The blonde slowly raised his hand toward his face, covering his eyes. "I'm so stupid... To think that would ever change between us... That she... Would ever care...!" He told himself as he wept. "I'm such a god damn fool...!" He said to himself, crying into his hand.

Sakura was standing with her back against the door, her eyes wide at hearing Naruto's words.

No... No you're not, Naruto... She thought to herself, hugging herself tightly, before walking away.

Well that's a thing that happened!

This is the first chapter of my newest story, Pain and Pride. A spiritual successor to The Lonely Fox!

Now I have no idea how long this story will be, but it's gonna be angsty as fuuuuuck.

I do understand that this is a short chapter, but this is more for setting up what's to come.

Later!