Tears
Having fulfilled his promise of a lifetime, he saw that his bid for Haruna Sakura's hand had ended in ashes. Though it crushed his heart, it finally opened his eyes to the world, and let him see further opportunities, both in his working life and in his social. One such opportunity turned out to be a woman by the name of Hyuuga Hinata, the second in line of the Hyuuga house's heirs. Forsaking her place in line as the Hyuuga heir for her love, they were married after an eight-month courtship.
-From the History of Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime Hokage
These words are true, as far as they go. You can find them in any truly major library, whether in Konoha, the Country of Fire, or any other location worth its name. However, they are far from all encompassing. The tale of young Uzumaki Naruto is the stuff of legends, and the incidental details tend to be looked over when history has its say. What happened in this period of time, before the Fourth Secret World War? That, my reader, is what this volume seeks to reveal.
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Konoha is celebrating. Why can't I feel happy?
An eighteen-year-old Uzumaki Naruto, alone once more, sits contemplating in his apartment. I should be happy. My promise is fulfilled! I did what none of them could. I brought Sasuke back. Now, why can't I feel happy? Why can't I bring myself to join my friends? All I feel is… numb.
It had been like this for over a day, ever since the three had finally returned. Itachi dead, Orochimaru… worse. It had taken him and Sakura weeks of travel and several brutal encounters to find Sasuke, and two more to free him from Orochimaru. Though his face would always bear the mark of the snake, he was no longer under that vile one's control.
A knock on his door and a shout interrupted his melancholy. "Oy! Naruto!" It was Kiba, at his most insistent. Even Naruto winced at the volume. "Come on, man! We're celebrating downtown, the whole group is there! You're one of the stars, I can't just leave you here!"
"I'll… be there in a few minutes, Kiba"
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Everyone here is celebrating, but even though I'm here with them, I just can't really join in the spirit.
Hyuuga Hinata, recently demoted to second heir in favor of her younger sister, knew that the private shame was not the cause. If the past six years had proven anything, it was that eleven faces were not the same thing as twelve, and one important face was missing from this group.
"Kiba… I thought you asked Naruto to come to the party?"
"Don't worry, Hinata. I found him in his apartment. He said he'll be a few minutes, but he'll come."
That's not like him! Naruto isn't the kind of person to delay anything. He either charges in immediately, or flat out refuses. What happened out there, anyway? I… I have to find out!
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Where the heck is that little dobe? For once, I have a lot to thank him for, and I wanted to make it public. Naruto saved my life and soul. Much as I hate it, I can never repay him for that.
Uchiha Sasuke, now the last of his line, stood with his new (or newly official, anyway) girlfriend in his arms, feeling that it was just the two of them even in this crowd. He still found it incredible that this spitfire under a wide brow and that pink hair could inspire such feelings of peace within him. Then again, he reasoned that he'd never given her the chance to, before.
"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? You're home with us, now. You can start forgetting about the last six years."
"Sakura-chan, you know that I'll never be able to. Every time I look into a mirror, I'll see my mistakes. But where is Naruto? The one time I actually want to see him, he disappears."
---
All around Konoha that night, people celebrated the defeat of two of their village's greatest threats, and the return of their most promising young shinobi. However, dozens of the wiser ones all wondered what had become of their smiling mascot. Uzumaki Naruto left his apartment one time that night, for less than a half-hour. It was not to go out and celebrate. Instead, he had a solitary bowl of ramen at Ichiraku's, paid and left without saying more than three words together. It probably would have been less, except that he had to say "One Miso Ramen." He missed the stunned look on the owner's face when he turned down a free second bowl, and the worried one on his face when he left.
Most of Konoha may be celebrating, but a select few could only mourn the loss of their world's brightest cheer.