A/N: Hey, everyone. So, I've been getting a lot of awesome reviews, but I'm really interested in the ones that the pen name of jivablab has been giving me. The user has been giving me good points about the story. They are long reviews, so you can check them out in the review box. But they do bring up some things in the story that I don't explain YET, but I will in the future chapters.

Also, I'm here to write fictional stories and like I pointed out, THIS IS AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE STORY, so it doesn't have to go by every single exact detail of the REAL Naruto story. It's okay if I do something original; that's why this website is called FanFICTION.

But that is okay. I love what the person has to say; they gave me GOOD criticism which is what I'm asking for. So, ladies and gentlemen, don't hold back. Give me what he/she gave me. ^^ I can't please everyone, but I can please the majority, and since all of you have been saying it's good, I'll keep going strong! Now, let's continue...

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The statement rattled her to the core when he said that. He was leaving, trying to separate from everything. What happened? What changed him? She didn't understand. This boy could bounce back from any thing, good or bad. He had been called so many horrible terms and treated unfairly, even by herself. But only now, he was just quitting?

"Why... why are you leaving?" she asked, clearing her throat and wiping her eyes.

"Sakura... Why are you now interested in what I do?" he asked, putting his arms in his pockets.

She looked up in astounding amusement. Right now, he acted a lot like Sasuke did. Always burying his hands in his pockets, not even looking at people when he talked to them, the ignorance in his voice. She a bit smiled at him as she looked down and held her hands.

"Well... it's just I realize how much you strive to prove what you believe in. You're so nice and you never give up at what you do and-"

"No, I didn't ask you why I'm so interesting. I asked why are you interested in me NOW?" she was interrupted by him as she stopped.

"H-huh? What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"You've never taken any interest in me. You've never even talked to me outside of missions; you only talk to Sasuke. Why are you taking the time to talk with me now? Is it because Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei asked you too?" Naruto said, turning around, looking at her with narrow, cool eyes.

Sakura felt the question prod at her with such accuracy. She wanted to answer, but a part of her felt like even though he didn't, he was right about that she would if Sasuke or their sensei asked her to do so.

"Naruto, can't I worry about my teammate and friend?" she asked, trying to smile.

"I... ehh, I guess so, but it feels awkward," Naruto said, looking to the side, "I'm not used to you being concerned about me."

That was a moral conviction on Sakura's part. She really never did treat Naruto well, so this sudden change of being nice to him made him have a reasonable alibi on being uncomfortable. She looked at his face, showing he really didn't care and just wanted to go on his way. But she had to try to do something.

"Well, I guess it's natural to feel that way when you haven't been treated that way for a long time," Sakura began to reminisce, "I remember how I used to treat you back at the academy and when we both just became shinobi. You always tried to outwit Sasuke at everything, I used to belittle and demote you anytime I could just to get Sasuke to like him, and he'd just ignore us. Kakashi-sensei would have his hands full with trying to deal with us, didn't he? I mean-"

"Sakura... please, that's enough," she heard, causing her to look up.

She looked at Naruto, his steadfast yet blank face looking back at her. It caused her heart to race and tears to reappear on her eyes. He didn't care though, it was enough. Too much now. It can't be allowed anymore than it was.

"I know what you're trying to do; you're trying to make me regret leaving the village by making me remember the team's great fun moments, right? I'm sorry, Sakura, but I can't," Naruto said flat out to her.

"But why? Why do you have to leave?" she asked, her voice remaining strong though tears rolled down.

"Because I'm not wanted here," Naruto answered, closing his eyes, "Nobody wants me here."

"Th-That's not true!" Sakura raised her voice at him, clenched her hands tight, "I want you here! Sasuke wants you here! All of our friends want you here!"

"Really, you want me here? Or do you want me here because Sasuke does?"

Sakura's eyes blinked, a bit surprised at the question.

"Wh-wha?"

"I asked, do you really want me to stay because you honestly feel like it's bad for me to leave and thus you're here because you feel it, or are you doing this because Sasuke felt the same way and you don't want him feeling bad?" Naruto asked.

"Does that really matter, Naruto? Someone wants you! I thought you wanted to recognized! And you have been! By Squad 7! By the rest of our friends! By our village!" she tried to argue.

"No, Sakura, the village views me as some monster... you heard Sasuke say it himself today," Naruto responded.

She gasped, realizing that earlier today that was right. But not like Naruto thought.

"He was angry because Itachi had paid attention to you more! He let his anger blind him; he even told me and Kakashi-sensei that he regretted calling you that!" she defended him.

"Sure, maybe when around others, but not when they're alone with me, Sakura," Naruto started to get angry as he took his hands out of his pockets, "If you only were there, you would know what I've been through."

"What you've been through? What about Sasuke? Don't you know what he's been through!?" She yelled at him.

The anger just began to boil inside of Naruto. He couldn't believe she was saying this. She had the nerve to warp this around? Oh, but it didn't stop there.

"Sasuke's lost all his family, Naruto! All dead! His whole clan was killed by his own older brother! He's lost everything he's ever had! And he struggles every day knowing that the one person who has taken all of it is waiting for him! Not to mention, Orochimaru and his stupid curse mark, Gaara of the Sand nearly killing him, and all these problems! Don't you think Sasuke can know your pain!?" she asked.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" a roar silence her, and caused her to widen her eyes in fear.

Standing in front of her was Naruto, enraged with his teeth bearing out and his fists clenched tightly. It was unbelievable; he was seething mad. Just the thought of how normally positive and tolerant of how she acted towards him faded with this attitude of his. It made her feel small and powerless as he roared.

"Are you serious? You're honestly gonna compare me to Sasuke!? Why is it that everything I damn do, you always have to judge me based on what Sasuke can do!? Do you not realize that since we were on a team, I've bent my back over to get you to notice me, because you know, I actually liked you and had a crush! But no, you paid so much attention to Sasuke and always complained about how bad I was to make Sasuke be impressed of you! You always made fun of every attempt I did at fighting somebody and how I sucked, even though back then, you barely did squat to help fight, and at least, I tried to do my best!"

Sakura couldn't believe the words that were being shouted at her. She never felt so scared and cold from the truth as he kept going.

"And the fact that you dare compare me to Sasuke! Do you know how much that burns me, Sakura?! The fact that every time I actually accomplish something in my barely worth mentioning life, you have the damn guts to say to my face when I ask you how I did, 'well, it's not as impressive as what Sasuke can do'!? Seriously, your fangirl attraction to him is coming off in waves! Can you not think of that guy for more than five minutes of your damn life!?"

It hurt, listening to those words, but the tears that rolled down her eyes knew that every word was the truth. She couldn't stop him or run; she listened more.

"And the worst thing; you think that Sasuke has the worst life!? Trust me..." Naruto finished raging, but kept going in a calm manner, "I'm not at all degrading what Sasuke went through. That horrible massacre is unforgivable and I feel so badly that it drives him to get back at his brother. But there is a HUGE difference between me and him, and if you knew what happened in my lifetime, you would not be saying that."

Sakura looked up weakly and asked, "A-and what is th-that?"

"Sasuke doesn't know what it's like to have everyone turn their backs on you. Sasuke doesn't know what it's like to be called every curseword and insult in the book. Sasuke doesn't know what it's like to lose all hope, because no one will respect or even acknowledge you. Sasuke doesn't know what it's like to be hated for just being alive. And Sasuke doesn't know what it's like... to be a... monster..."

The ending of what he said, it caused those hard fought tears that were forced inside to come out. He let a few sobs out as he looked at her, struggling to focus through the tears as Sakura felt horrible. She remembered back when they were first made into a team, she bragged to Sasuke about how much of an idiot Naruto was and especially how he had NO ONE... how he was all alone.

"Sasuke had a family; I get that they were killed, but he had one, Sakura. I never got to know my parents. I don't even know what they looked like or what their names were. Sasuke did for his family. And even to this day, I'm still alone. But Sasuke... he doesn't know what it's like to be truly alone. He has you, and Kakashi, and all those people who adore him or think he's cool. I've got nothing... and the fact that you are here because of Sasuke and not me, means my dream is a failure..." he struggled to say, his voice trembling.

Sakura felt terrible. She wanted to hug him, say she was so sorry for the past, but at the way it was going, he'd probably back up and tell her to go away. She just stood there. Helpless.

"Do you even really know why I wanted to become Hokage? Because I'm tired of being hated and called a monster because of what I am," Naruto said, holding his chest, "But after all the struggling and fighting I did, it's never going to change. All those battles, the exams, everything. It's all pointless. But I am gonna do one thing; I'm leaving, because I know they'll never accept me."

"N-Naruto..." Sakura said, soon crying and yelling loudly, "I'm sorry! I didn't know! You're right; I'm so ignorant to what you feel... but you can't just give up like this... please... please stay here with us. Please let us repay what we've done to you. Don't go..."

The wind blew around, causing the silence to be halted and give both a gentle breeze. They both looked at each other, the tears making their eyes grow bold with color. Sakura trembled as she sobbed. Naruto trying to regain his composure, the two just standing there. Soon, he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Sakura... but it's too late..."

Her heart sank as she closed her eyes and cried. They say you never know what you got until it's gone, and she was learning it the hard way. But suddenly, a chuckle came from his voice. She looked up to see him smile at her.

"You know, Sakura... Sasuke's right. You are annoying..."

With that, he began to turn around and walk away towards the entrance. She wouldn't let him do this!

"Don't go away from us! If you take one more step, I'll scream...!" she threatened.

"Sakura?" he asked, turning around with a smile that made her stop, then waving, "Thank you... for all the memories we've had."

WHAM!

A huge blow delivered to the back of her neck by a clone Naruto had conjured up from behind her. She flinched in shock but soon her senses began to close up on her. She was fading fast and she couldn't stop it.

"N-Naruto..." was the last thing she remembered saying as she blacked out into a deep sleep...

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And the argument comes to an end. It's not the end of the flashback, but it will be close with some more info. And we'll learn other things along the way! Keep on reading! ^^