Naruto: A Rogue Story

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the associated characters appearing in this fanfiction. The only characters I claim are the original characters that this fanfiction will introduce. The following work is mine as well.

NOTE: This story takes place after Naruto and Sasuke's hospital fight in Naruto: Part 1 and starts to diverge from the canon around that point. However, there are some non-canon scenes from before the fight that have been created to enhance the narrative. Also, I've chosen to remove the ability of the toads to reverse summon Naruto for obvious reasons.

P.S. This story does not try hard to follow the canon closely because it is diverging very clearly from the canon. This should be obvious based on the nature of the story itself. Of course, some elements of canon will be followed, but not all. So, if you see something that's different from canon, it's most likely intentional. The only exception to this would be if I overlooked something on accident. If you think that is the case, feel free to point out what you think I missed in the review section or in a PM (which I would prefer since I could let you know personally if I overlooked it or changed it). Thanks!

Outcast

Multitudes of green leaves rustled together, and skinny brown twigs split in two as Naruto furiously shoved aside a network of green branches, forcing his way through the brush. Every branch shoved aside forged the path forward and as he neared the end of the brush, a beam of light illuminated the right side of his face. There it was – the light at the end of the tunnel.

The web of branches at the end of the brush split with a final shove and out rolled Naruto, who unfortunately took a face full of dirt instead of sticking the landing. The momentum of his legs almost sent him into a flip, but they hovered above him for a moment before crashing back into the ground. A groan of pain echoed from his lips as he sputtered out a mouthful of dirt and shakily rose to his feet, casting a weary glance behind him. Different green trees and shrubbery were the only things that fell on his eyes; a very good thing considering how persistent the ninja following him was. Maybe he'd lost them.

His chest rose and fell as the exhaustion of the fight started to take its toll. Adrenaline had been his friend at the start of this encounter but now it was wearing off.

"Just my luck," he said, breathing raggedly. "Fighting some weird ninja in the middle of the forest."

"That weird ninja," Kurama emphasized. "Is currently responsible for those gashes across your upper body."

"Yeah," Naruto said, grimacing as he examined the deep gashes lining his upper body. The ragged wounds were oozing blood at an alarming rate and it was now to the point where the upper portion of his outfit was soaked in blood and looked more red than orange. Groaning, he tore his eyes away, looking to the forest to try to calm his mind. It didn't work though. It only fueled his dread. He still hadn't caught a glimpse of who was chasing him and looking into the mix of greens and browns while standing in eerie silence was beyond unnerving. Finally, he shut his eyes, taking a breath. His voice came out silent and shakier than intended. "Think he's the guy Mayumi was talking about?"

Kurama paused, an uneasy silence passing between the two. "I don't know," he replied silently. "But whoever he is, he's resourceful."

"Yeah, what gave it away? The giant hawk or the rabid dog?"

"Joke all you want but he's obviously skilled. And if he's who we think he is, it's even worse than that."

"Yeah, definitely worse..." Naruto breathed, lips barely moving as he nearly fell out of consciousness.

The pain was pulsating from every gash and it was getting to be unbearable. The only thing that seemed to help was when he shut his eyes. He would give the world right now if it meant just a few minutes of sleep, but instead, he was greeted with shivers. His body felt like an uncontrollable mess of nerves and it didn't take long to realize that fighting the shivers was no use; he was going into shock. Within seconds, his breathing rate had increased, and every breath felt like it was being pulled through a filter – a very dirty and clogged one at that.

"You alright?" the fox asked.

"What?" Naruto said, straightening up to gather what little strength he had left. "You gettin' sleepy?"

"Well, at least you've still got your sense of humor."

Naruto chuckled then steeled himself, balling up both fists and taking a deep breath. After he had recollected himself, he said, "If we've got someone this powerful on our tail, then we're almost in the clear. We've just gotta keep pushing."

"Alright, Kid. Let's see if you've got what it takes."

"You better believe it," Naruto replied, turning his attention to the forest ahead. With a squint, he eyed the closest tree and leaped up to the nearest branch. No fear. No pain. No tears. Just the will to press on and the knowledge that it would be worth it in the end.

Naruto Uzumaki wasn't always a rogue. Like everyone, he was once a child, and like any child, he had hopes, dreams, and aspirations. But the world he grew up in was unkind to him. Years of abuse and neglect were heaped onto his shoulders and, over time, he came to accept that the way people treated him was a burden he had no choice but to carry. Sometimes, the thought of being a runaway would cross his mind, but these thoughts were usually pushed into the recesses of his mind as foolish. Where would he go? Konoha was his home. It was all he knew, and it was probably all he would ever know. Still, the thought never quite made its way out of that thick skull of his. He could never forget the first time that thought crossed his mind. It was on his first day at the academy.

...

Dull kunai blades clanged against each other as a group of schoolboys played outside during lunch break. They all looked to be in some faraway land. Carefree. Unburdened. Joyful. All Naruto could do was look on with blue eyes sparkling in wonder. The genuine laughter tickled his ears as the children traded blows and hurled fierce battle cries at each other. It was a kid's paradise in every sense of the word.

Naruto let out a deep breath then left his place on the swing and started his sprint towards the spirited playground. His kunai was already firmly lodged under his fingers and a determined smile could be seen on his lips as he launched himself into the middle of the playful skirmish. His eyes brimmed with excitement as he landed in front of one of the schoolboys and energetically dropped into his battle stance.

Time seemed to slow to a halt as Naruto waited for the boy to respond, but it didn't take long for him to realize that he was waiting in vain. The boy never responded and as Naruto looked around, he noticed that it wasn't only the boy in front of him. All around, the joyful sounds surrounding the lively playground had died down and, one by one, the other boys had turned to look at him.

Some of them looked at him like he was a rain cloud on a sunny day and others settled for an uncomfortable glance in his direction. The grin Naruto had been wearing slowly faded as he noticed he was now the only one in a fighting stance. If the rejection and shame showing on everyone's faces didn't kill him, the nasty stares they sent his way would do the job. His eyes landed on a skinny kid with spiky red hair who was now walking towards him. He could hear the words on his tongue before they left his lips. "Get lost."

"But why can't I play?" Naruto asked, a stubborn pout crossing his face.

"Loser!" a random voice called out.

The spiky red-haired kid sighed then said, "Sorry. Real ninjas only."

"But I am a real ninja! We're both in the academy remember!"

"Getting into the academy doesn't make you a real ninja."

"Then what does?!"

The spiky-haired kid used his index finger to scratch the side of his cheek as he thought about it. "Well," he said, looking down on Naruto. "Real ninjas have to be a certain height. Yeah…that's it. You're too short."

"What?!" Naruto yelled. "But what about that kid?!" he said, pointing an accusing finger at one of the boys. "He's chubby and about a foot shorter than me!"

"Oh…" the spiky-haired kid replied, examining the boy who had been accused. After a moment of thinking, he lifted a spiny finger pointed towards the tallest boy in the group, and said, "Well, his brother is tall enough for both of them. Now get out of here."

Naruto gritted his teeth and balled his fists until his knuckles were white. What a lame excuse. The worst part was that there was nothing he could do about it. By now, he knew that this was just how things were. He stared down the spiky-haired kid for a while then shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away. He left with a lot of anger showing on his face, and even more of it hidden in his heart. But as angry as he was, he didn't throw a tantrum, neither did he cry. Doing any of those things would just make them think they were getting to him and that was something he would never let them see. So, no matter how much he hurt on the inside, he promised himself one thing – he would take it.

Shikamaru was leaning against the wall of the academy with both arms crossed and couldn't tear his lazy eyes from the spectacle. The Nara's sharp eyes lingered on Naruto until he had made his way back to the swing. After a while, Shikamaru turned his attention back to a shogi piece he had been fidgeting between his fingers. A sigh escaped his lips as he spoke to his wide-bodied companion. "They couldn't even give him a break on the first day of school."

Choji was leaning against the wall just a few inches away with one hand halfway down a chip bag. The solemn look on his face revealed that he didn't know what to say. In the end, he simply whispered, "No, doesn't look like it."

Sakura's eyes were usually a vibrant green, but their usual brightness faded as she watched the ordeal from under the shade of the academy building.

"Do you know?" she asked, staring sadly at the scene.

"Know what?" replied a curious Ino.

"What makes people hate him so much?"

Ino cast a glance towards Naruto then gave a disheartened shrug and softly said, "No."

As Naruto sat on the swing, a silent thud fell on his ears. A glance behind him revealed the stoic form of Sasuke Uchiha, darkened by the shade of the tree. Naruto only knew who he was because everyone had to introduce themselves on the first day of class, but it was already obvious that he was one of those serious types. The two stared at each other for a bit longer, then Naruto crossed his arms. "Well, what are you lookin' at?!" he half-yelled.

Sasuke's hands fell into his pockets as he turned and started walking away. His footsteps faded into the background, but before he fell out of earshot, Naruto heard him mutter three words. "Grow up…loser."

Naruto watched Sasuke's retreating form for a moment before lowering his eyes and returning to his original position on the swing. "Jerk…" he mumbled, wiping away a sniffle with his forearm.

...

Later that day, Naruto found himself sitting at one of the stools of Ichiraku Ramen with a piping hot bowl of ramen steaming in front of him. The thin chopsticks twirled in his fingers as he slowly stirred the meal. He assumed it was obvious he was having a bad day because Teuchi told him his bowl was on the house and Ayame added an extra helping of pork to the bowl. There was no doubt that the kind gesture had brightened up his day, but it wasn't enough to shake earlier events from his mind. Ichiraku's had turned into a place of comfort for him over the years, but the sight of empty seats every time he came to eat just reminded him that he didn't really have anybody. There were a few days here and there when Iruka would treat him to a few bowls, but the gloomy days when he had to eat alone far outweighed the brighter days. He wanted more. Maybe that was selfish of him, or maybe it was normal. Whatever it was, that was the first time he felt it. What if he ran away?

Naruto sat on the familiar playground swing rocking back and forth as he looked on at the other kids enjoying themselves a few dozen feet away. The swing felt the same way it always felt. The wooden base was uncomfortable and hard, and the brown ropes holding it up were rough enough to callous your hands if you gripped too hard, but worst of all, the seat was lonely.

He always sat there watching all the other kids play, but no matter what he did, there was always some reason to leave him out. It had been two years since Kani made up that stupid height requirement rule, but now that Naruto had grown a few inches taller, Kani told him that he also needed to be skilled enough to beat him in a spar. No one else had to beat Kani in a fight to be a part of the group, but Naruto did. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he accepted it. He promised himself that he would beat that jerk one day and earn his place with everyone else. Today would be that day. He had failed in the past, but after a few months of training, he was sure he could do it.

The wooden swing lurched in the opposite direction as Naruto jumped to his feet and marched up to where the other kids were playing. He squatted down into his usual fighting stance with his kunai in hand, digging his foot into the dirt to secure his footing.

Kani sighed, then gave Naruto an almost sad look while spinning his kunai into his hand as usual. The playground was already starting to fill with cheers from most of the other kids and before long, a small circle of cheering children had formed around the two.

"Put him in his place, Kani!"

"Yeah, get him!"

Naruto and Kani were now both in their fighting stances and carefully eyeing each other from opposite edges of the circle. Each of the fighters had one hand firmly gripping a kunai just inches from their bodies and their steps were barely audible as they slowly stalked the edge of the makeshift arena.

Naruto eyed his opponent, then let out a steadying breath to slow his breathing. For some reason, the air felt stuffy now and it was harder to breathe. It was a familiar feeling. Maybe there was more dust in the air than usual. He forced himself to focus and blocked out all of the cheers until they faded into the background. The only sound he heard now was that of his own heartbeat. It was a steady two beat thumping sound...it grew louder with each passing second-

Messy red hair blitzed towards Naruto and his grip on his kunai tightened. A streak of silver was all Naruto saw as Kani's kunai came dangerously close to tearing right through his chest. He slid his right foot against the dirt just in time to lean back and avoid the blow, but Kani's onslaught continued. The kunai spun around in Kani's hand as he tried jabbing at Naruto from above, below, and every angle in between. Defensive blocks and sidesteps were all Naruto had to offer. Every swipe, blow, or kick from Kani was so aggressive that Naruto couldn't find a spot to land a single blow of his own. In past attempts, he had tried waiting for an opening, but that method had proved unfruitful. It was infuriating. What he needed was to find some way to land a punch, despite Kani's onslaught.

He waited until Kani launched a one-legged kick, then rushed forward trying to force a hit, but the only thing he felt on the end of his elbow was a cool breeze. All of that energy had connected with absolutely nothing.

As his elbow flew towards empty space, he realized his mistake and tried to recover, but it was too late. That single moment was all Kani needed to disarm him and, without even realizing how it happened, Naruto found himself slammed to the ground with the cool blade of a kunai pressed against his neck. As the cool dirt rubbed against his face, he found himself struggling under the weight of Kani's knee. It was no use and the position his body was in confirmed what his mind already knew – he was beaten. The violent writhing under Kani's knee slowed to a stop and Naruto shut his eyes, letting his body fall slack.

Kani spun his kunai into his pouch then lifted his knee from Naruto's back as he rose to his feet. Cheers once again echoed from the crowd of children and a few insults were mingled in for good measure. The taunts fell on deaf ears. Naruto had heard all of the insults before, and tuning people out was a well-developed skill of his. As he started pushing off the ground to get up, he felt a hand grab under his shoulder to help him up.

"Leave him alone," Kani said, helping Naruto off the ground.

"He might be a loser," Kani paused, taking a moment to brush some of the dust from Naruto's orange tracksuit, then said, "But he's a determined one."

A baffled Naruto cast his gaze to Kani and saw that there was no hint of teasing on his face. He meant exactly what he had said. A determined loser. Volleys of insults had assaulted Naruto's ears before but never before had someone actually complimented him. To be honest, it wasn't even a full compliment, but did that really matter? Naruto spent the rest of the day trying to figure out the answer to that question. In the end, he concluded that it didn't. Being a determined loser was better than being a flat-out loser any day, so he was going to take this small mercy and hold onto it as tightly as he could.

That year at the academy, Naruto finally started to feel like he fit in somewhat. Before that year had ended, he had a small circle of people he could call friends. They included people like Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and another boy named Kiba Inuzuka.

With time, a few more kids warmed up to him, although most remained somewhat hostile. Most of those who associated with him affectionately called him the funny loser. Considering how people had treated him before, he couldn't complain. Being a funny loser was an improvement.

By his final year, he had graduated from funny loser to class clown. The variety of pranks he pulled not only got him the acknowledgment he desired but also resulted in the complete removal of the loser moniker he seemed to be stuck with. If he was honest, he didn't quite like the title of class clown, but it didn't have loser attached to it, so he couldn't complain.

As graduation time neared, Naruto couldn't help but feel like there was some distance forming between him and the academy. The classrooms started to feel like part of an eternal genjutsu that he couldn't escape. Everything was the same. Teachers gripped chalk to scribble lessons on boards and expected children to follow along, take notes, and learn. Groups of kids formed mini tribes while others (like Sasuke) kept to themselves. To put it short, every day consisted of going to the same stuffy classrooms, seeing the same familiar (and sometimes hostile) faces, and living the same drab life.

He couldn't wait for the day when he became a genin. That day seemed to come at a snail's pace, but he strengthened his mind and endured. The hope that life as a genin could offer more than what he currently had was what kept him going. What he could not have known was how becoming a member of Team 7 would impact him. At first, he hated a lot of things about his team. His sensei, Kakashi, was a smut lover who suffered from a serious case of chronic lateness, and his male teammate, Sasuke, could be described in three words – dark moody bastard. The only redeeming quality was the fact that the third member of their team was Sakura, the pink-haired girl he had a crush on. Unfortunately, even she was tainted due to having taken a liking to the Uchiha. Ew.

Initially, the team suffered from obvious incompatibility issues, but the various missions they embarked on strengthened their bond as a team. They fought together, watched each other's backs, cared for each other. Eventually, Naruto realized that he had found something. Whatever it was, he had never felt it before, but he knew it was special. True, they all had their differences, but even with those differences, they were still able to come together to work towards a common goal. As time passed, he realized that being a member of Team 7 was probably what it felt like to have a family. He wasn't sure since he had never had a family of his own, but he imagined that this was what having a family would be like.

Without even looking for it, a lot of the things he had been wishing for fell into his lap, but the same experiences that brought the team together, started to push them apart. Egos and agendas entered the equation, further complicating things, and before long, Naruto found himself learning lessons he didn't know existed. The hardest lesson he learned was that nothing lasts forever and his hospital fight with Sasuke marked the beginning of the end.

Author's Note

PLEASE leave a review on this story if you're enjoying it. It is more encouraging than you know and I really enjoy reading them (however short or long they may be). Constructive criticism is also welcome, and you can even PM it to me if you don't want to feel like you're flaming the story lol. In any case, be sure to drop a follow and a favorite if you enjoy my work!