Naruto had been wandering around Konoha. He wanted to train more but Iruka was busy preparing for the graduation exam. Only a month and a half remained. Naruto figured the time he gets to train with Iruka would be shortened. The man had other responsibilities he needed to tend to.
Naruto thought about what he should do. He could practice making more clones but that would be really boring. He could prank the third Hokage but he didn't want to incur his wrath just before the graduation.
He could find the old man he had met before, Asuma and hope he would teach him some cool wind style jutsus, but besides his first name, he didn't know where Asuma lived and he doubted anyone would help him find Asuma if the passing glares were anything to go by.
Naruto sighed. He was so bored. Just when he was thinking about going to ichiraku he saw a familiar person passing by.
"Where is that bastard going?" Naruto wondered. "This could be fun." He thought as he rubbed his hands together mischievously. Naruto decided what he would do to ease his boredom and went on to follow the person.
Naruto kept a few feet behind him and tried to hide as much as he could. Iruka, unfortunately, could not help Naruto work on his stealth skills as Naruto was not willing to part with his orange jumper and his tendency to not be quiet.
Naruto was led all around Konoha, from the marketplace, through the slums and to the most isolated and faraway part of Konoha. He was growing tired and wondering if this was worth it. But the dirt he may find on him was the current motivation for him.
Eventually, he was led through a forest and to a small clearing, with a pond and small pier. where kunais were lodged in trees and shuriken littered the grass. There were even some scorch marks on the ground. The trees surrounding the were quite a distance away from the scorch marks, implying that whoever made those marks, took care to not burn the forest down.
"What has he been doing here?" Naruto wondered. Just then, his target stopped abruptly and pulled out a kunai. Naruto peeked from the tree he was standing behind when suddenly a kunai was thrown at the tree, barely missing Naruto's face.
The blonde Uzumaki turned as pale as snow and tripped on his own feet. He looked up to see the attacker blocking the sun and staring down at him.
"Why are you stalking me, you loser?" Naruto jumped up and pushed him away, "why the hell would I stalk you, bastard!?"
He yelled in defence.
The boy Infront of him wore a blue shirt and white shorts, with white arm warmers covering his hands. He had spiky black hair and black eyes. He looked at Naruto weirdly.
"You've been following me for the last forty minutes. If you don't call that stalking…" He didn't finish the sentence.
Naruto took a step back, "I-I wasn't s-stalking you, S-sasuke. Why do y-you think I would follow y-you?" Naruto stuttered, knowing he had been caught.
He looked everywhere but did not look at Sasuke. The boy named Sasuke Uchiha scowled. This was getting annoying.
Naruto would be the last person who would follow Sasuke anywhere, for half an hour, quietly at that. As quiet as Naruto could be.
Sasuke suddenly took a step behind, "Don't tell me," he started, "You're going to try to do it again?" Sasuke quickly covered his mouth and put a few feet between him and Naruto.
"You okay? Why are you covering your mouth and why did you jump away?" Naruto asked, confused.
"It's okay you… go that way Naruto, but I don't share the same preference as you." Sasuke explained. "What do you mean by-" A few seconds passed after Naruto stopped talking. He finally understood Sasuke's reaction.
"I don't swing that way you bastard!" Naruto exploded. "Why would you think that I like boys? And even if I did I would sooner kill my self than even think of liking you!"
Sasuke looked at Naruto with narrowed eyes, "forgive me for thinking that when you literally just… just… kissed me the other day!" He yelled, annoyed at being reminded of that. He wanted to forget that forever. He wanted to forget Naruto forever. Just thinking about that was enough to make Sasuke puke.
Naruto had gotten jealous when Sakura was fawning over Sasuke. In anger, he jumped on to his desk and stared at him, crouched. A kid behind Naruto pushed him accidentally with his elbow, resulting in Naruto falling and kissing Sasuke, accidentally.
"That was an accident and you know it!" Naruto pointed an accusatory finger at Sasuke, "Someone pushed me from behind! It's not my fault." Naruto stepped closer towards Sasuke. He wanted to explain to Sasuke that he hated it as much as him, if not more.
Sasuke stepped back, "Don't come any closer!" Naruto didn't heed his warning and kept walking towards him, trying to explain himself which was falling on deaf ears.
Sasuke had an excellent memory so that scene kept repeating in his head. He was an avenger, damn it! He had no time to wallow in disgust. He wondered what that man would have said had he seen the event. How he would have laughed at him, mocked him. He could imagine that man staring at him with those red eyes of his. Looking at him with pity. "How pathetic." He would have said.
Sasuke scowled, his eyes narrowing in anger as he forgot about everything around him for a second. Only he and the laughing, mocking figure of that murderer stood. "Shut up." He whispered. Naruto got closer. "Shut up." He said again, this time a bit louder. "What was that Sasuke?" Sasuke growled, "I told you to Shut up, you murderer!" He yelled, and punched at the image of that man.
His punch connected with something and he came to his senses. A few feet in front of him was Naruto sprawled on the ground clutching his bleeding nose.
Sasuke looked a little guilty and ran to Naruto. He had lost himself in his rage. He hurt someone innocent, just like him. He was truly pathetic. He might not care for anyone or anything else besides that man and his own vengeance but he didn't want to bring innocent people into his mess.
For more than one reason.
"Naruto, I didn't mean to pu-" before he could finish his sentence, Naruto jumped up and grabbed Sasuke's collar, "That hurt you bastard!" He growled and slammed his head with Sasuke's, leaving both disoriented and on the ground.
Sasuke clutched his head and felt something wet. He pulled his hand away and saw red blood. He looked at Naruto, a bit shocked and angry.
Blood was also flowing from Naruto's head. The whiskered boy stood up and looked at Sasuke defensively with his guard up and his blue eyes narrowed.
Sasuke couldn't believe he got hit by this loser. This loser, who was a deadlast only a few months ago. He had told himself at first that it was natural to be shocked and confused when someone who sucked so much got better.
Sasuke stood up. He felt that hit. Naruto had grown stronger. Call it pure coincidence, fate or just someone behind the scenes wanting a show, but Naruto and Sasuke during their time in the academy had butted heads, sometimes literally, in spars more times than should be possible.
He never felt it before. He never saw it before. He didn't pay attention. Now this loser had gotten the strength to draw his blood.
"You've gotten stronger, Naruto." He said calmly. Naruto was taken aback. Sasuke seemed too calm right now, even with that blood flowing from his forehead. Sasuke had a strange glint in his eyes. It put him on edge. He could feel something. Something in the air. Something bad.
Sasuke spread his legs out and dug his feet into the ground. He pushed his hands out and entered the Uchiha taijutsu style. His right hand extended with his palm facing Naruto and his left hand was bend in a ninety degree angle with his hand resting near his ear.
"I wonder how much stronger you've gotten." Naruto was startled. Why was Sasuke acting so weird? "S-Sasuke, did I hit you too hard?" He laughed trying to lighten the tension
.
Sasuke scoffed, "Exactly." Without giving Naruto a chance to prepare, Sasuke sped towards him, with speed no pre-genin should have. He kicked Naruto directly in the stomach and watched as Naruto flew towards a tree.
Naruto's back hit the tree and saliva spat from his mouth. He gasped for breath and looked towards Sasuke for an answer. "What are you doing?" was the question written all over Naruto's face.
Sasuke stood straight but did not let his guard down. "Come Naruto. I want to see where you and I stand."
Have I been playing around too much? Have I sweat enough? Bled enough? Trained enough? These thoughts raced through his head.
Sasuke was no idiot. He was the last of his clan. He was smart enough to know that there are bigger fish than just him in this world. He was just too lax to realise that the bigger fish may be closer than he had thought. No. He just wasn't smart enough to understand that a small fish could grow bigger, if fed enough.
This encounter with Naruto that might have started with jokes and no ill feelings had triggered some feelings and memories that Sasuke would rather keep locked away.
He was an avenger. And as an avenger he should not be weak. He should be the strongest. He should be a true Shinobi.
He beckoned Naruto with his hand. "I know you want this too, Naruto. I know how you look at me with envy and anger. This is your one chance. A fight where there is no teacher to stop us. A fight where I can test where I truly stand. And a fight where you can let out your anger as much as you want."
Naruto looked at Sasuke seriously, "Sasuke, what are you talking about?" Sasuke frowned. "Enough talking. If you won't come to me, I'll just come to you."
Sasuke ran at a more on guard Naruto. He pulled his fist back and punched the Uzumaki. Naruto braced himself and blocked his strike but was still pushed back. "What strength!" Naruto thought to himself. "Stop it Sas-" He couldn't finish talking as Sasuke was already upon him, showering him with punches and kicks.
He was hit thrice. The first kick connected with his stomach, the second punch was an uppercut and threw Naruto up in the air. Sasuke then raised his leg up and brought it down like a hammer.
Naruto was smashed into the ground. Sasuke stood over him. His lips formed a straight line. He showed no emotion.
Naruto wondered what was going through this bastard's head. He may be a broody asshole but this was not like him.
Naruto was gradually getting angry. He tried to get up but Sasuke sat down on him, preventing him from doing so.
"Why do you not fight back, Naruto?" Sasuke punched him. "Are you still the same loser you were a few months ago?" He punched him again. "Was I wrong about you?" Another punch. "Say something you scaredy cat!" He went for a punch again but this time his punch did not hurt Naruto as Naruto had grabbed hold of his fist.
"Just shut the hell up already!" Naruto all but growled. He punched Sasuke hard, sending him flying back. He crashed through multiple trees before another stopped his fall. He slid off the tree. He slightly trembled from the pain but as he stood, there was a slight smile on his face.
"Yes, prove me right Naruto." Blood dripped down his face and into his eyes clouding his vision. He looked at Naruto and noticed something different about him.
His whiskers had ever so slightly darkened and his eyes took on a purplish hue. Of course he couldn't tell clearly. But there was something different about him. Something darker. There was… malice.
"You finally ready, Naruto?" Sasuke wiped the blood off his mouth. "Bring it you bastard!" Naruto growled, his voice a little deeper and rough. His face was beaten and bruised. Blood trickled out of his mouth. His cheeks were filled with cuts caused by Sasuke's fast punches.
Both ran at each with fist drawn and struck each other at the same time. One was sent flying further than the other.
"He's gotten faster." Sasuke thought to himself as he threw two Shurikens at Naruto mid air. Naruto quickly noticed the two Shurikens and dodged them. "Is that the best you got Sasuke?" He mocked.
Sasuke smirked in return. A stinging pain shot through both Naruto's arms as he saw two shuriken embedded in them. He looked closely and saw strings, no, ninja wire attached to them leading to Sasuke's hands.
He growled and grabbed the wire. He pulled the wire with such force that Sasuke was pulled towards him. Naruto's hands bled as the wire dug into his palms and fingers but he did not care. Or maybe he just didn't feel it. He was immersed in the fight.
Sasuke wasn't the only one who had pent up feelings, frustrations. Naruto, unconsciously, was letting out his frustrations even if the bigger part of Naruto's mind wanted to stop this fight.
Sasuke was shocked Naruto willingly injured himself but he realised that Naruto was too unpredictable. Alas, he realised too late as Naruto kicked Sasuke in the stomach. Sasuke spat blood. The momentum created from Sasuke flying towards him at high speed hurt him brutally and nearly knocked him out but his resolve kept him going.
With his conscious wavering, Sasuke saw Naruto rushing towards him. His vision darkened. He trembled. He was afraid. The taste of iron in his mouth. The splatter of red on his pale skin. The pain and numbness that ran through his body. He wondered if that man would consider this painful or pathetic.
He was losing consciousness. He was done for. "I see.. I am weak." he whispered to himself.
"If you want to get revenge then become stronger. Hate me, despise me! And then someday, when you have the same eyes as me, try to kill me!" The image of him standing over his parents body, with his Red eyes spinning, yelling these words to him was his sole motivation.
"...I'm sorry, father, mother. …I'm weak." His head slowly fell and his eyes slowly closed. A single tear dropped down from his eye. He saw Naruto rushing towards him. His face, beaten and bruised just like his.
"I.. ta… chi."
"I.. I…" he whispered.
His hand gripped the dirt underneath him as he steadied himself. His vision returned and was sharper than ever. He grit his teeth and glared at Naruto with defiance.
"I… I…" He smashed his fist into the tree behind him and stood up. New resolve burning in his eyes.
"I refuse to accept this!"
The world became slow. Naruto's rush was reduced to a slow run. Sasuke saw everything clearer than before. Slower than before.
Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke was already upon him. A moment ago, he saw Sasuke by the tree and the next moment he found himself in pain.
Sasuke punched Naruto's stomach. Saliva mixed with blood spat from his mouth. Naruto was taken a few feet off the ground and then kicked away.
Naruto stood up, shaking on his feet. This was going too far now! How did following Sasuke turn into a spar and then to a fight!? He wondered.
"No time for thinking." He thought. He looked at Sasuke who looked at him determinedly. Naruto knew there was no stopping Sasuke. He had to give the Uchiha what he desired to calm him down. Naruto looked straight into his eyes.
Purple met Red.
"Ready for round two, Naruto?" Sasuke smirked.