Chapter 13: Knowing, and doing it right

Naruto sat at the Ramen stand. It was the first time in his probably entire life he was just poking at the food. He gave a low sigh. As he reflected on what happened the night before he wasn't looking forward to finding Sakura and Sai to tell them they know where Sasuke is, and the Fourth and the other two were supposed to go and get him but that was just it…what would Sakura say. Would she care if it meant handing the fourth over?

No….she wouldn't, but he has been wrong abut the super strong pink haired girl before.

As Naruto poked more at the food, Ayame leaned over the side and looked at the blonde for a few moments, and then said.

"Naruto? Is there something wrong with it?" She asked as she looked at her fathers number one costumer. Naruto tilted his head slowly up, his face showed no expression just troubled sadness.

"What! you are not eating MY! Ramen!! Then there must be something wrong, let me fix you up another…"

"No, there's nothing wrong with it. Just me" muttered Naruto as he tore the chopsticks apart and began to eat.

He sat there eating for quite a while, it was now mid day and he slowly placed his money on the table and walked away. His hands were in his pockets. His head was low, he didn't know what to tell her this was hard…he's never had to deal with something this hard involving people in so long. As he slowly walked down the road many thoughts filled his head. He wasn't even sure she should tell her.

'Maybe I can just not tell her?….no the Hokage wanted the four of us to go…damn…..maybe I can just tell her about Sasuke and not the Yondaime part….yeah that could work…but still she would give anything for that jerk to come back…what am I to do?' Thought Naruto as he kicked a few loose pebbles.

As he continued to walk down the dusty road, it started to rain slightly first it was just minor but after a while it came down harder. Naruto looked at the sky and gave a short glare at it. '

That's right make the mood more depressing and tragic'

Thought Naruto as he stared straight ahead to see a magenta haired girl trying to get the children to go inside before they got to wet and cold. Naruto to a glance over to the girl, there eyes meant for an instant then they both turned away without another word. Hinata and Kiba never did go out after, he had found an interest in a young ninja from a friendly village, leaving

Hinata alone. He had never actually wanted to ask her out, it was just a crush but then someone else came by. And Hinata hadn't told Naruto or remotely spoke to him, he had heard it from Shino one day at the Ramen stand. And Naruto had no intention of speaking to her till he felt it was right. As he continued to walk away in the rain Hinata took a step forwards to act as if she wanted to reach out to him, but pulled away at the last second and silently watched once again like she had her whole life as Naruto walked away looking depressed.

Naruto had noticed that she had actually tried to talk or move but then stop like she normally had done, he tilted his head downward and stared down at the ground once more. As he wandered around he found himself always passing the Hokages faces, no matter where he ended up walking he would end up there. As he silently stopped walking he glanced up towards the faces without any emotion what so ever. He just stared as if to find an answer to all his problems like he would when he was a child always thinking there was a reason behind the peoples hatred. And when he found out he wished he didn't. He just looked and stared first there was the two brothers. The first two Hokages who had been brothers. Alas the brothers Hokage.

Then he gazed at the third.

'Old man Hokage…I wish I could get advice from you now when I need it most.'

Then he slowly gazed at the fourth and a pang of hurt went threw him, he then clutched his chest and looked at the fourths face the thing with Naruto was he didn't want to lose the blonde idiot. But he was scared that if the fourth actually went then he might not come back, And not just for a short while but forever. Naruto didn't want to think of loosing the blonde man…but why? Why was it Naruto was so attached to this man.

It was strange he couldn't figure out why this man was so different from everyone else. He had an un-real connection was it the fact that Naruto thought of him as a father figure.

'No…I don't think of him that way…'

Muttered Naruto over and over in his head. Then he swiftly looked at the fifths face, and he gave a slight chuckle. It always made him laugh to see her there, he probably knew her the best out of everyone his age, and he wasn't very scared of her really except when she hit him.
And he then pointed to the carved stone to Arashi's face and gave his cheeky huge grin and said.

"One day, one day I will surpass you!" Smiled Naruto as he gazed at the stone some more. Then he felt a presence behind him and the rain suddenly stopped around him. As Naruto looked there was Sakura looking t him like he was an idiot.

"Naruto what are you doing out here in the rain you'll get sick" Said Sakura as she looked at the blonde.

"…."

"What's wrong Naruto? You seem a bit out of it. I know you normally talk to the mountain but you look a little odd"

"Sakuraaa…I do not talk to the mountain….and…maybe you should sit down first" Said Naruto as he lead her, still not under the umbrella to the shelter at the school. The only place close enough to them. And since everyone was in class he could talk freely to her. Once they were under the shelter he looked at the bag she was holding and looked kinda scared.

"Naruto…what is the matter?"

"Before I tell you, you might want me to hold onto that"

"Naruto I am capable of holding a bag"

"…"

"Naruto!"

"…Sorry Sakura."

"So what is this about?"

"I recently got a letter from Sasuke"

"…" Her face was emotionless. He figured she had no idea of it.

"…And we have to go to the border to get him….bu"

"Sasuke…" Said Sakura as she then just let the bags drop making Naruto quickly get them before they fell.

"…Yeah, were to meet him and Orochimaru there…we are brining the fourth, you, Sai and I…and Jiraiya will come as back up, but stay a little ways away in order just in case you know something happens" said Naruto as he stood up and saw that Sakura had eyes as wide as plates.

"You mean we could have a chance to bring Sasuke back?" Smiled Sakura, but then a frown came just as quickly. "Naruto…why did they ask us to come what's going on??"

"…."

"Naruto…what are you hiding?…."

"Sakura would you do anything to have Sasuke back?"

"…Yeah why?"

"…I thought so…" Muttered Naruto as he passed her the bag and slowly turned around and began to walk in the rain.

"Wait! NARUTO! WHAT DO YOU MEAN!" Yelled Sakura as she waved to him trying to get him to come back. But he just kept his head down and headed back home, or to Arashi's home, his was just getting done by the time they come back from getting

Sasuke it would be complete.

Naruto continued to walk passing Ino's family's flower shop, he then stopped in front of it and turned and walked in. Hair drenched, clothes sticking to him badly, just wet as a dog he was. He walked in and gave Ino quite a scare. She then realized who it was. He picked a bunch of white flowers, and laid them on the counter.

"Naruto, are you crazy! It's raining out! Your all wet!" said Ino as she put her hands on her hips and looked at him he just forced a cheeky smile upon his lips, and slowly pulled out his money.

"That will be…$11.47" Smiled Ino as she took the money from Naruto and giving him his change….she then gave a smile as she watched him shake his head a bit to get the rain off. That's when she noticed a depressed look upon his face, never once had she known him for him to be looking gloomy. Maybe when Sasuke left, but now? Then she just had to ask.

"Naruto…is something the matter?" Naruto stopped what he was doing eyes a little wide for a moment and just smiled and said.

"No, well I'll see you later, say Hi to Choji and Shikamaru for me" Smiled Naruto as he left.

'Wonder who the flowers are for?' Thought Ino as she watched him look up at the sky and glare at it, probably for it to continue to rain, and she expected him to dash off quickly like normal but instead he just walked slowly.

Naruto rounded a few corners and ended up at the training grounds, he gave a small smile and placed his hand a top the wood. Rain slowly fell onto his hand sliding down the sides of it and onto the wood, and slowly running down the side of it till it reached the ground.

He remembered when Kakashi took them there , for the stupid bell practice. But he had to admit it was good.

'He…maybe I'll remember to use it on the kids I one day train with' Smiled Naruto as he continued to walk. Maybe for at least another 5-6 minutes he made it to the dark stone with a few flag poles around it.

He gave a short smile and walked to it, slowly placed half the flowers down and closed his eyes to pray for those who have been lost. Then slowly stood up, but noticed one more there, a little more wilted then his maybe at least an hour or two older. He knew right away who's flower it was. It was obviously from Kakashi. Then he turned away and continued to walk for maybe another thirty minutes till he got to the burial ground were the third and Asuma were laid to rest. He placed the remaining flowers on each of the graves. And stood up, and looked to the sky. Why was it always the ones surrounded by him to leave.

The third had always understood Naruto even though he was a pain in the ass to him, always kind. Asuma on the other hand Naruto hadn't known well but he remembered the day he stopped by Shikamaru's to get advice about how to manipulate his wind element.

And gave a small smile, he still wasn't able to make knives as sharp as that though but he did continue to try.

Naruto knew he wasn't alone he slowly moved to the right as to leave, the person wasn't behind him or around him but he knew they were there. He then quickly jumped up and created about 5 shadow clones each went in the direction of the person. And with a small yelp the culprit was captured. And there was that noisy little kid that bugged Naruto quite a lot. Naruto then placed his hands on his hips and looked down to the brat. But Naruto had to smile a bit this kid was a lot like him, even though they had different up bringing.

They were almost the same.

"Konohamaru…what are you doing out here?"

"Training I thought you were sensei…but then when about four of you attacked me I knew it wasn't." Pouted the boy. That's when he noticed Naruto more soaked then him, and were they were.

"Big brother what are you doing out here!" Said Konohamaru. After a certain point Konohamaru started to call Naruto his elder brother.

"…Thinking"

"Its not like you to think" Smiled the young boy. Naruto didn't even respond just gave a soft smile.

"Naruto…what's wrong?"

"Ah!…ha-ha well I better be off" Smiled Naruto as he waved to the boy not wanting another person to worry about him.

"BYE BIG BROTHER"

"The more you yell the more easy it is to find you!" Smiled Naruto as he walked away.

"That pervert would never find me in a million years!"

"What was that?" Smiled the closet pervert as he touched the dark haired boys shoulder.( sorry can't remember his name, just know that Naruto called him the closest pervert)

"ARGHHHH!"

Naruto continued to walk until he reached the blonde Hokages house, he didn't go threw the front but walked his way around to the back, and went over to the pond. And looked into it only seeing himself and then plopped himself down hard. His wet but landed on the wet grass. Un-known to him a certain blonde was looking at him threw the door, well leaning on the door and looking at him. And didn't bare a smile. Naruto then looked at him self more and splashed the reflection away, and when it returned he yelled at it and threw a Kunai into the water. Arashi gave a sigh, he new Naruto was probably thinking of a million things at the moment but couldn't just leave him alone. So as the blonde made his way over to the shorter blonde, he put his hands behind his head and smiled. There was Naruto glaring at the water with such hate as if it was the cause of all his problems. And then threw another Kunai this time it hit one of the wire sunder that waters surface and it snapped up causing it to fly by his head and loose a few hairs.

"What did the water ever do to you?"

"…."

"Naruto come in, your getting wet…er"

"…Why is it that everything is going wrong"

"…huh?"

"…It's never been right here in Konoha…ever since I have been alive everything has just gone wrong"

"….Is that what you really think?"

"…Yeah"

"Naruto you have done great things for this village in your short life span"

"…Because it started off with me being trouble"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Let me tell you some things that you have done to save the village, that you didn't help start"

"….Such as?"

"Such as…"

Canadain-Girl