Sasuke had assembled the rest of the Rookie 9, and Team Gai.
He had to share the news...They had to know the truth about Naruto.
Most of the people he dragged together right now were more than a little pissed off at the Uchiha, seeing all the shit that he had made them go through of late. But they still came, because Sasuke said 'He had important news about Naruto'.
Unfortunately, Naruto found out about the meeting. Well, unfortunately for Sasuke, and what was left of his reputation...
"I recently confronted Naruto, and he admitted to me, albeit in song form, that he was not actually Naruto, but instead a body stealing demon named Madara, who has apparently been torturing Konoha since its founding."
...And Sasuke said it with such conviction, too!
"Look, I know this might be hard to believe, but can you really believe that Naruto is so talented?? It makes so much sense! Naruto isn't Naruto anymore, and now he's a demon!"
If Neji had any less self control, he'd have fallen over laughing now. But that would be too undignified.
Kiba didn't care about dignity as much, though.
"Damnit, Kiba, I'm being serious! We need to do something!"
And that's when the music began to flow through the training ground.
Sasuke immediately fell back into a fighting stance, ready to do battle with the foul demon Madara.
Shikamaru sighed. Chouji ate. Sakura and Ino probably squealed.
"No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes"
And Naruto entered the grounds.
He looked so startlingly depressed, so unNaruto-like, that everyone was shocked. Naruto was normally so upbeat...was it just a mask?
"No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies"
The girls began to reach out to Naruto...after all, this was the most depressed they'd ever seen Naruto, and apparently these girls found that kind of thing attractive.
The guys, excepting Sasuke, were thinking more along the lines of 'So is this how he really feels? I mean, to him, we were just at a meeting hearing about how he was a demon. Does he just normally hide how he feels?"
And Sasuke thought, 'Shit! The demon is subverting them! And..and...he's stealing MY fangirls, with ANGST!! I'm the only one who gets girls with angst around here, damnit! DAMN YOU, MADARA!'
"But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free"
Naruto had lifted up his head, which before had been bowed. You could see the determination in his eyes as he continued, as if to say "Even if you doubt me, even if you call me demon, I'll still keep on going. Because I have to fulfill my dreams."
A man who was willing to show angst, and then also worked though it? Ino DID squeal at this point, and only because she was a more dedicated Sasuke-phile did Sakura repress it.
'Oh, hell no. He's making it seem like I'm the bad guy here! Truly, an intelligent demon.'
"No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through"
This sealed the deal with the guys...to them, this was clearly telling them that Naruto did normally wear a mask, out of his own free will. He didn't WANT to be an angst fest like Sasuke. The pain was there, but he didn't let it rule his life.
Sasuke felt insulted...The demon was implying that Naruto had a harsher life then he?? It's not like Naruto's family was killed by, well, his family! There is no way it was as bad as his!
"But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free"
The music was beginning to pick up, and Naruto was starting to get more active. He was walking around more, instead of just standing there, but he wasn't dancing. It just wasn't the right mood for that. But he was still working the crowd.
For now, though, he had moved to one end of the group. By now, they had formed a sort of line, and Naruto began walking down it, looking at each person as he sang the next verse.
"When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool
If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat"
It was like he was telling them how much he trusted them, how much he felt he needed them. This song was building up camaraderie between the rookies and Team Gai that was being formed around Naruto, and the seeming trust he was placing into them.
'No, no, no! The demon is seducing them, too! This is the worst possible thing to happen! Damnit, Naruto, you're going to owe me so damn much when I finally get rid of this stupid demon!'
And with that, Sasuke fled the scene.
And Naruto hit the last verse.
"No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes"
Surprisingly, it was not Ino, Sakura, or even Hinata. It was Tenten who stepped forward, and hugged him. Naruto had ended as he had begun, head bowed, and as Tenten hugged him, he just looked up and smiled.
'Heh...Naruto 3; Sasuke 0'.
Author's Notes: The Song- "Behind Blue Eyes", by The Who
While the title really fits Naruto, and the lyrics, to some extent, it's just too angsty for Naruto under most circumstances. But I think it worked pretty well here.