Hello All, I'm back with another little passion project I decided to write after getting some inspiration from a few stories I've read while in writers block, I was always a big fan of Naruto growing up but never got to writing a story because of how intimidating the world was size wise not to mention all of the different concepts.
One of the concepts I noticed was used a lot was the Naruto banished concept and I decided to take a stab at it, quick disclaimer this is not a Dark Naruto fic and Naruto will not be OP will he will be stronger I always try my best to write the characters as close to how they are in world as possible but liberties will be taken occasionally.
I'm having a lot of fun writing the story so far and hopefully I can keep it that I also hope you can also enjoy it, feel free to review and leave constructive criticism I am always happy to learn how to get better at my favorite craft.
Thank you again for reading and I hope you enjoy.
- Ken
I don't own Naruto by the way, I'm a bit of a mad man who loves writing so that's probably a good thing. :)
Chapter 1: Live
A slight clenching noise could be heard as fingertips came into contact with metal, the hand shook slightly with its white knuckles grip on the object in the hand of the holder. The object was being held as if it were the most precious item in the world to it's wielder.
"...I'm sorry."
A voice of an older woman said while the wielder of the object lifted it along with his head toward the source of the voice, blue eyes filled with confusion, anger, and even a hint of betrayal met with the slightly distraught face of the voice.
"You're sorry!? I… I just don't get it! What the hell did I do?"
The voice of the young man raised while the older voice sighed, "The failure of the mission to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha has been attributed to your inability to do what needed to be done due to the state of your relationship with him... Not to mention the potential threat of the Kyuubi sealed with in you being unleashed again" The older voice said while she could barely look at the boy trembling in front of her.
It was official.
Tsunade, one of the three great Sannin and currently the 5th Hokage of the village hidden in leaves, hated her job. The near endless piles of paper were one thing, the political ass kissing of the council to keep the peace was another.
But this moment above all else made her hate her job more than anything in the world.
She wanted to run.
Tsunade wanted nothing more than to hold the boy standing in front of her, hold him close and turn her back on all of those that wanted to hurt him.
She wanted to cry for him.
However…
She couldn't allow him to see any of it.
Naruto Uzumaki didn't deserve this cruel fate the village council decided in a manner that left her powerless to act against it, she had been practically forced to make this decision and she was unable to change a thing.
Despite being the Hokage, the greatest ninja in the village. The one that everyone looked to for prosperity and protection, the very same kind of ninja that the boy in front of her strove to be.
She felt useless.
"That's a load of crap! I fought Sasuke tooth and nail to bring him back! I just… I just wasn't…"
Naruto trailed off while his grip on the object in his hand tightened before his fingers slowly relaxed, his arm went limp in front of him. His blonde hair slightly covered his face while he exhaled slowly from his nose in an attempt to calm himself.
"...I wasn't strong enough."
Naruto said while Tsunade closed her eyes taking her own breath to compose herself before she opened them again, "...This punishment will be effective immediately, a Jonin has been assigned to oversee your departure and is currently at your residence where you will pack any necessities and be escorted to the village gate." Tsunade said while the teen in front of her looked toward her with a pained expression.
"Granny…"
Naruto trailed off while Tsunade briefly broke eye contact looking down at her desk, "I'm sorry Naruto… you'll have to leave it." Tsunade said while the blonde looked toward the object in his hands before his gripped clenched around it.
He wanted to slam it down.
He wanted to yell at the top of his lungs and call bull on this entire process, however all of those feelings were overwhelmed by the overwhelming feeling of dread completely swallowing any words of protests the boy had.
The blonde placed the object on the desk of the Hokage while Tsunade struggled to keep eye contact on Naruto, the blonde's head quickly lifted his blue eyes directly meeting Tsunade's while she embraced her well deserved verbal lashing.
"Hey granny…"
Naruto trailed off while his fingers trailed on top of the metal of the object in his hand resting on the desk, "Yes?" Tsunade asked, nearly failing to hide the emotion in her own voice hidden while her eyes widened, getting a look at his face.
"Thanks… for everything."
Naruto said in a defeated tone his tears silently ran down his while Tsunade felt her heart shatter to pieces, his hand finally left the object on her desk. He turned around leaving Tsunade only the back of his jacket to look at while she reached her hand toward his retreating form, the words that she wanted to speak clung to her throat.
By decree of the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire, Naruto Uzumaki was hereby banished from the village due to his failure to retrieve the last Uchiha of the hidden leaf as well as the danger his existence poses on the village being the container of the Kyubi.
This is what the official records will state.
Wood splintered underneath the grip of Tsunade's hand while thunder clapped rumbling the sky with a similar fury that the blonde Hokage felt toward her position, her hand that had been forced, and even those who she knew would celebrate upon his departure.
Tsunade hated her job.
Not just because of the piles of nearly endless paperwork, not just because of the political ass kissing she had to do with the council.
But because she had become the reason for that look on his face.
The boy who had faced down her stubbornness as well as forces that were far beyond his own power even the darkness that was left in her heart from her previous losses from years in the world. Without a chance in hell yet he had saved her.
How did she repay him?
By getting rid of him to appease the public.
The sound of the door closing finally allowed that sickening sob to exit her throat, she could've chuckled at the irony. Everytime she had loved she had lost just as quickly now she was directly responsible for it.
Tsunade quietly sobbed while her other hand stamped the sheet of paper on her desk making the order official, she didn't dare look up at what Naruto had left on her desk while the few rays of light hidden by the storm clouds in the sky shined on the object.
The symbol of the leaf shone on Naruto's headband in the sliver of sunlight as Tsunade trembled while her desk continued to crack under her grip.
{...}
-5 Days Earlier-
A door slid open revealing Tsunade with her other hand pushing some of her hair out of her face, following behind her was a clearly nervous Shizune who looked around slightly before Tsunade groaned.
"Nearly the entirety of the council is here… did something big happen?"
Shizune asked before Tsunade shrugged, "Who knows, probably a civilian squabble. Just relax and let the old people gripe… gah hangovers suck." Tsunade said while the black haired woman gave her mentor a look mixed with slight worry and exhaustion from her typical antics that she has unfortunately become adjusted to under her tutorage.
Only she of all people would walk into a possible super important village council meeting hungover, usually Shizune would have helped her deal with her mentor's hangover as part of her medical ninjutsu focusing on illnesses practice... at least that is what Tsunade always called it despite Shizune always knowing it was an excuse to make her feel better.
This time however the summons were urgent meaning they had little time to even speak amongst each other before leaving to the conference leading them directly to the meeting area for the elders and council, Shizune couldn't shake off her nervous feeling that was creeping over her entire frame almost as if something bad was about to happen.
Maybe it was because of the multiple super important faces in the room or maybe it was because of the fact that Tsunade was obviously in not the best shape to properly participate due to her nightly escapades but something felt off to the young woman.
"Tsunade, good of you to join us. We have much to discuss, hopefully keeping this meeting quick."
Homura, one of the teammates of her own sensei the former Third Hokage said while another older woman nodded her head, this one being Koharu she was also on a team with Hiruzen together they were the main heads of the council meaning they were both pains in the ass to deal with.
However the one face that made Tsunade pay a bit more attention was one that had been covered by bandages, Danzo Shimura one of the village elders and perhaps the most stubborn and selfish old bastard Tsunade has ever had the displeasure of meeting.
"Lady Tsunade."
Danzo greeted in a calm, almost glad tone, one that Tsunade knew was riddled with falseness. She resisted the urge to scoff before she looked toward the other two elder councilors, "All due respect but what is he doing here?" Tsunade asked while Danzo chuckled.
"I'm merely here as a representative of the people you could say, they could always use a proper voice. A village is a family after all."
Danzo said, making Tsunade's eye twitch at the elder's use of her former teacher's words while Homura nodded his head, "Danzo brings with him a valuable opinion in regard to our discussion for today." Homura said while Koharu slowly nodded her head in agreement to his words. Tsunade quickly understood what kind of meeting this was going to be.
"Shizune… leave."
Tsunade said while Shizune gave Tsunade a look of confusion, "..." Shizune wordless reacted she wanted to refuse in case something happened but she could feel the way the atmosphere of the room suddenly changed, as much as she wanted to be there to support her mentor she knew that had she had no place here in this meeting.
Shizune bowed her head before she turned to exit out of the room while Tsunade took her seat at the table with the other elders, "What's on the agenda today? More discussions of war potential? I believe I made it clear that war is the absolute last option I would resort to for anything." Tsunade said, rubbing circles on her temple hoping that would shut them up as usual.
"Lady Tsunade, our discussion today is in regard to Naruto Uzumaki."
Koharu said while Tsunade suddenly felt her throat go dry for a moment before she sat up fully in her seat now fully concentrated hangover be damned. The blonde's brown eyes immediately flicked over toward Danzo's one exposed eye looking back at her. He was watching her, that old bastard already had some kind of plan up his sleeve, she could feel it.
"What about him?"
Tsunade asked while keeping her composure Koharu looked toward Homura before the man looked toward Tsunade, "We believe he should be restricted in his movements." Homura said while Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"On what grounds?"
Tsunade asked while Koharu lifted one of her fingers, "His recklessness for one, not to mention his most recent failure in his mission to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha, nearly the children of multiple village heads killed. While no one was killed admittedly it was still a massive risk, the slap on the wrist was too light of a punish for the mission failure." Koharu stated while Tsunade's eyes widened.
"You can't be serious, they are all fully fledged shinobi. Extremely capable ones, every shinobi is fully prepared for death on the battlefield, that's nothing to blame a single shinobi on."
Tsunade said while Danzo placed his hand on the table gently, "Pointless deaths… Death is one thing and a shinobi should die a death that benefits the lives they swore to protect. However Sasuke, while being an asset to the village, wasn't worth nearly all the lives of those who will inherit the village. Certainly not for a failed mission." Danzo said while Tsunade gritted her teeth.
"I'm in agreement with Danzo, had the mission been successful than admittedly even we could have turned an eye. However if they had died and the mission was still a failure then their deaths would have been pointless and we would have had major losses."
Homura stated while Koharu nodded, "Naruto needs to be reprimanded for his failure in some way, honestly you've been far too light on the boy… considering what he is." Koharu finished while Tsunade gritted her teeth fighting back the growl in her throat.
"Naruto Uzumaki is a shinobi of the hidden leaf! While I can agree he deserves some kind of punishment I hardly believe that restricting his capabilities as a ninja is the proper answer!"
Tsunade raised her voice before she quickly closed her mouth again looking toward Danzo whose expression had become a tiny smile, the blonde Hokage had screwed up she could feel it in that damned smile of his.
"I'm in agreement with Tsunade."
Danzo said while the rest of the room gave him looks of shock, "She's passionate about the well being of the shinobi and yes officially Naruto Uzumaki is a shinobi of the hidden leaf so he hardly deserves to be restricted." Danzo said while Tsunade merely blinked at the man.
She had no idea what he was going on about; she was expecting a debate full of resistance from Danzo instead he seemed rather accepting.
No.
Something was off.
"Instead as a leaf shinobi who failed this mission nearly costing most of the village heads their children, the punishment is obvious…"
Danzo said Tsunade's glare never left his one visible eye while Koharu and Homura looked toward the man with bated breath while he slammed his bandaged fist on the table.
"Exile."
Danzo said while Tsunade froze for a second looking toward the stoic man, her head turned toward Homura and Koharu who to her worst fears didn't seem to be against the idea at all, Tsunade gritted her teeth standing up out of her seat.
"You can't be serious! Exile?! He's just a child!"
Tsunade yelled while Danzo gave her an apathetic look, "He's the container of the Kyuubi, his very existence is a threat especially given his own history with the leaf... Who knows, maybe the real reason why Sasuke got away was because Naruto deliberately let him go." Danzo commented snidely while Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the elder.
"Danzo, you know that's not true in the slightest!"
Tsunade growled while Homura looked down toward the table, "We also don't know if it isn't true, they were both friends. There could have been a bias there allowing Sasuke to leave as he wished." Homura commented coldly while Koharu nodded her head.
"Meaning that the mission to retrieve him would have indeed have been pointless. Including any deaths that could have been involved."
Koharu commented while Tsunade felt a wave of sickness wash over her, she had personally seen Naruto's injuries. That boy should have died twice over from what she had to heal, he had given it his all and this man had the audacity to undermine that.
"Naruto is still a leaf shinobi, it should be precisely because he's the container of the Kyuubi that he remains in the village. Allowing a Jinchuriki to the devices of the rest of the world is more dangerous than a foolish kid."
Tsunade argued while Koharu and Homura's eyes widened slightly, "Lady Tsunade brings up a really good point, while yes Naruto does deem a threat to the village the fact that we have the Kyuubi here means we can monitor it." Homura commented, prompting Koharu to nod.
Tsunade's brow rose watching Koharu lift a finger, "Unless there's a reliable method to eliminate the Kyuubi as a threat for certain then Naruto being away from the village could be more detrimental than beneficial." Koharu said while Tsunade looked toward the two elders while the sick feeling she had slowly vanished.
Tsunade slowly sat back in her seat giving Danzo a challenging look, 'You'll have to do better than that Danzo, Naruto is crucial despite how much you or anyone else may hate him. I'm not backing down so easily.' Tsunade thought to herself while she waited for the expression on Danzo's face to crack instead she felt a chill.
The tiny never left his face, it only grew.
"Lady Tsunade… Have you ever walked around the Village of the Hidden Leaf? Just a stroll, to greet its people? To watch the families working and playing?"
Danzo asked while Tsunade tilted her head in confusion toward him, "Of course, I don't understand the relevance that has here." Tsunade said while Homura and Koharu were also confused looking toward their fellow elder.
"Everything that I do is for the peace and prosperity of this village, it is my home. The place that I've bled for and killed for in order to protect from those who wished to harm it. The only thing I have ever wished for is what's best for the village."
Danzo said while Homura and Koharu looked toward each other while Tsunade was trying to understand his angle.
"Ikkaku Umino."
Danzo said while Tsunade blinked, "Danzo." Tsunade said in a warning tone while the man merely gave her a look, "Kasai Uchiha, Hana Izukami…" Danzo continued while both Koharu and Homura's faces slowly morphed into somber ones.
"Goro Masato, Kohari Umino…"
Danzo said while Tsunade roughly placed her hand on the table, "Danzo… What's the relevance of this?" Tsunade asked while still confused while his dark colored eye made direct contact with hers coldly.
"Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze."
Danzo finished while Tsunade's blood ran cold, those names. They were all…
"Victims of the attack of the Kyuubi, precious lives that were a part of our family as a village snuffed out by that beast on a whim. They died protecting their village and all of that for what? A boy who only caused trouble? An unpredictable ninja unable to be controlled to properly contribute to atone for all of the destruction wreaked on the village."
Danzo said while Homura looked away while Koharu kept her eyes on the table, "He was just a baby Danzo, that hatred is unwarranted! He still contributes to this day as a ninja by working harder than anyone else, Naruto doesn't need to be controlled." Tsunade said while Danzo blinked.
"Oddly enough Lady Tsunade… I agree with you. He was a baby and a sacrifice used to protect the village left to us by the Fourth Hokage, however have you stopped to consider what those same families you've observed had lost? Watching that boy walk freely and cause havoc around the village while they lay flowers on the graves of their loved ones?"
Danzo said while Tsunade went quiet, the elder pulled a couple of scrolls from his clothing before unraveling them on the table. The scrolls contained lists of names from across the leaf village, one of them was labeled 'Stay' the other one was labeled 'Go'
"A quick survey from the entirety of the Leaf Village, just to see what the public thinks about Naruto Uzumaki. I will say I'm impressed this was a lot closer than I thought it was going to be."
Danzo said while the three other individuals looked at the scrolls, Tsunade paled seeing the names on the 'Go' marked scroll outnumbering the ones on the 'Stay' scroll.
"How do we know these aren't doctored?"
Tsunade asked while Koharu gave her a look, "Danzo wouldn't stoop so low as to do that!" Koharu raised her voice while Danzo put his hand up, silencing the anger of the older woman.
"Koharu, while I appreciate your faith. It appears that Lady Tsunade has grown an attachment to the boy, so much so it even seems like she's ready to ignore the concerns of the people to protect him. Admirable I'll admit."
Danzo said while Tsunade gave the man a death glare, she wanted nothing more than to wring his neck there and then but Koharu and Homara kept their eyes on her. He was trying to make her look bad in front of them, he was manipulating their faith in her.
With a few words and the names of the people, Danzo had turned every person in the room with her into an obstacle. Tsunade was silent for a few moments before she narrowed her eyes at Danzo before putting her hand on the table pushing the scrolls.
"Naruto Uzumaki is a hero of the Hidden Leaf, not only is the container of the Kyuubi but he has repeatedly sacrificed life and limb to protect his home even though it despised him. During the Chunin Exams let it be known that the one who defeated Shukaku the Ichibi was not Sasuke Uchiha but Naruto who bested the beast and protected the village from ruin."
Tsunade said while Koharu and Homura's eyes widened, even Danzo raised an eyebrow at this. "This information was hidden from the people in order to maintain peace as instructed by this very council after the death of the Third Hokage." Tsunade said while she stood up again looking toward Danzo.
"It goes public."
Tsunade said while Homura turned toward her, "If the village discovers a tailed beast had attacked it would send them into a panic!" Homura said while Tsunade shook her head at the older man before she spoke.
"They will know that Naruto Uzumaki protected them, that he gave it his all to insure they would live. This new era we are moving forward in will not be paved in hatred, Naruto's contributions should have him honored as hero not as a monster."
Tsunade explained while Koharu and Homura looked toward the calm expression of the woman standing in front of them, she dared him. The blonde Hokage dared him with her eyes that were kept narrowed directly on him.
"The Leaf Village's shackles of loneliness and prejudice… end with me."
Tsunade said while Homura and Koharu were taken aback by the passion in the Hokage's voice, she seemed completely willing to bear that burden despite still being so new to her position. As Danzo said, it was admirable.
But…
"Hatred… you bring up a good point. However you have to remember that hatred goes both ways, we call Jinchuriki containers, however their relationships are actually more complex than just that the Biju are sentient creatures after all."
Danzo said while he stood from his seat, meeting Tsunade at her level while she glared at him, "I'll ask you this… Do you remember what the last thing those who died remembered from the attack better yet what those are left remember from the attack?" Danzo said while Tsunade gritted her teeth while the man kept eye contact with her.
"A man riding the top of the Kyuubi as it completely destroyed everything in its path the minute it was unleashed."
Danzo said while his hand reached into his sleeve pulling out pictures before he dropped them to the table without breaking eye contact with Tsunade, "Have you ever stopped to wonder, was Naruto Uzumaki ever truly alone?" Danzo asked before Tsunade's eyes looked toward the pictures on the table in front of her.
Her blood ran cold.
It almost felt as if she was drained of strength while she took a look at the pictures before she trembled, the blonde Hokage slowly looked back toward Danzo while Homura and Koharu looked at the pictures on the desk with horror.
The pictures featured Shukaku from the Chunin Exams and his opponent was Naruto Uzumaki as Tsunade had said in her speech.
Riding on the back of the Kyuubi.
"These… These are fake…"
Tsunade tried to argue while her words fell on deaf ears, "Imagine being Naruto Uzumaki just for a moment, the village hates you for being a monster. No one to turn to at all… except for the monster sealed within his own body. Feeding him its hatred, his only friend and it wants nothing more than to take vengeance on the Leaf for sealing it away." Danzo said while Tsunade's mouth went dry.
"We have no idea what kind of things that the Kyuubi has said to the boy, but from what it looks like they may have the kind of relationship where they can work together. Two different forces, the same kind of hatred."
Danzo said while Tsunade shook her head, "That's ridiculous, Naruto wouldn't let hatred overtake him! Especially not from that monster!" Tsunade raised her voice while Danzo gave her a look, his expression eerily calm.
"How do you know?"
Danzo asked while Tsunade gritted her teeth again, "A shinobi long forgotten once said that Hatred was born to protect Love. His hatred may have been born to protect himself from the atrocities the villagers have committed against him." Danzo said while Homura stood up.
"...I am in agreement with Danzo, while the boy will be recognized for his efforts he should be banished from the village. His potential relationship with the Kyuubi makes him a massive threat to the safety of the village, if anybody would be close enough to conspire with the demon it would be that boy."
Homura said while Tsunade looked toward him while Koharu stood up as well, "This is the best punishment for a Shinobi, the only other peace we could hope for the boy during exile is potentially his death meaning we can be rid of the Kyuubi as well." Koharu said while Tsunade stood back up.
"This monster is a monster of our own making! If the Leaf Village's hatred is the root of Naruto's own than as the Leaf it is up to us to end that vicious cycle! That boy is strong enough to face this. I know he is… his heart is good… Hatred isn't going to make things better."
Tsunade said her own voice beginning to choke up while Danzo gave her a look filled with pity, "A Hokage does what is best for their village, not based on faith but off of facts. In order to protect their families, to protect the people, to never have another child in the air again to witness a man riding a monster to bring them death…" Danzo trailed off while Tsunade's breathing began to quicken.
"You know what must be done."
Danzo said while Tsunade fell back into her seat while their gazes bore into her, "If this proves to be too much for you then feel more than free to choose a successor who is more capable of carrying out such a hard decision." Danzo said while Tsunade glared at the man.
He won completely.
She hated it, she hated it so much.
Tsunade stood up before she quickly turned back toward the door to exit the room trying to calm herself, "By the way, about the Chunin Exams incident. Everything has already been made known to the public, it's not fair to keep information away from the villagers as you said. I do mean Everything." Danzo said, placing emphasis on his last word.
Tsunade leaned against the door frame feeling weakened while it took everything in her not to tear the room apart.
They were watching and it was what he wanted after all.
With a broken heart, Tsunade left the room to make sure it was fully shattered to pieces.
{...}
-Current Day-
Naruto could feel the way that the looks of the villagers burned into him as if he was a monster just like it has always been if not worse, if he had to guess it must have had something to do with the latest issue of the newspaper that was delivered at the beginning of the week. The one that featured him on top of a transformed Gamabunta as the Kyuubi.
Probably not the best decision looking back at it, not like he had a lot of choice in the heat of the moment.
A flying rock pelted into the side of Naruto's head hard while the boy slowly looked toward the direction where the rock came from to spot who threw it while the blood from the new cut ran down his face past his cheek, a young boy kept his eyes glared at Naruto while the blonde blinked.
Naruto remembered himself as a little kid again while the other kids back then pelted him with rocks on his birthday as some kind of messed up tradition.
Naruto clenched his eyes shut tightly as he walked, the glares from the villagers felt heavier and heavier as Naruto walked before his walk became a run and his running became jumps unfortunately for the blonde...
He wouldn't ever be able to fly away from this pain.
Naruto eventually made it back to his apartment or what used to be his apartment, he looked at the section of building he lived in noticing it had been vandalized to the surprise of no one. Naruto walked up to his room pushing the door open before meeting his escort.
"Yo."
A gray haired man greeted while Naruto's eyes widened, "Kakashi Sensei…" Naruto said slowly while the man walked toward the young blonde before Naruto turned away.
"Or should I just say Kakashi now?"
Naruto said sadly before he was suddenly taken into an embrace, "Kakashi?" Naruto said in a confused tone while the man hugged the blonde tightly. In all of his time knowing Kakashi he knew the man was never the overly affectionate type.
"I'm… I'm so sorry."
Kakashi apologized before Naruto felt himself tearing up before he hugged the man back finally allowing himself to cry while the gray haired man held onto his student, his own wrath only being contained by his duty.
"I'll make sure you're safe all the way up until after you leave the gates… it's the least I can do."
Kakashi said while Naruto nodded into his chest, the gray haired Jonin felt like a failure of a Sensei holding his former student close. However in the eyes of the village he had been made into a monster all over again.
And there was nothing he could do about it.
"So, I guess they destroyed pretty much everything right?"
Naruto said while Kakashi nodded his head, "The minute the news was announced. Hell probably even before I was assigned to escort you. Guess that's on me for being late again." Kakashi said while Naruto shook his head.
"Don't beat yourself up about it… I'm not surprised. I'm a monster after all."
Naruto said while Kakashi narrowed his eye, "I don't believe that." Kakashi said while Naruto looked out the shattered window.
"They do."
Naruto said while Kakashi went silent, "I do have at least some good news." Kakashi said trying to lift the mood while Naruto raised an eyebrow, the gray haired man revealed a small potted white colored flower to the blonde causing his eye to widen.
"This hardy little thing survived the onslaught, I like to think it means something, perhaps a good omen?"
Kakashi said while Naruto gingerly grabbed the potted flower before holding it close to him with all the care in the world.
The flower brought back memories.
A younger Naruto was walking back to his apartment after academy was over, the same glares he had always faced made contact with him. He tried his best to ignore them but he never really could, there was one look that was odd to him.
"Hey weirdo!"
A voice called out while Naruto stopped he turned toward the voice spotting short platinum blonde hair and bluish green eyes, the girl was holding a pot in her hand with a small growing sprout in it .
"Um… Hello."
Naruto said while the girl looked around before coming closer, "Great news, you've been picked to be my first customer!" the girl exclaimed while Naruto tilted his head.
"Customer?"
Naruto asked while the girl nodded, "Yup! Ino Yamanaka from Yamanaka flowers. When I grow up I'm going to work there and be the most beautiful ninja at the same time!" Ino declared while Naruto just gave her a blank look.
"So why are you talking to me? If you're so great then why am I your first customer? Is it some kind of dangerous plant?"
Naruto asked cautiously while the girl huffed, "No! Flowers are beautiful, not dangerous! Also you're my first customer because… I just picked you randomly." Ino said while Naruto sighed. Nobody else wanted the flower huh?
Guess he and it had that in common.
"Ok."
Naruto said while Ino blinked at him, "Ok?" Ino said while Naruto nodded his head.
"The flower, I'll take it."
Naruto said digging into his pockets for Gama-Chan while his fellow blonde just blinked at him.
"I'm I don-hey why are you crying?"
Naruto said while the other blonde was wiping her face with her free hand, "You really want it?" Ino asked while Naruto nodded.
"I do."
Naruto said while Ino shook her head, "Here!" Ino exclaimed, pushing the flower pot into his hands while Naruto nearly dropped it.
"Woah wait I don't think I have enough to-"
Naruto was cut off by a finger being pushed against his lips, "You get a weirdo discount just this once, next time I'm charging you double!" Ino exclaimed again while Naruto sweatdropped.
"Double!?"
Naruto yelled out before the two kids started laughing, "Take care of that flower, I worked hard on it Weirdo!" Ino yelled before she quickly ran off. Naruto reached out toward her but she was out of reach, his attention went back to the little sprout while Naruto teared up.
Wasn't this… Kind of like a birthday present?
Naruto held the pot in his hands in the current days while sighing in relief, he looked at the fully bloomed flower. Honestly it had bloomed multiple times but Naruto made sure to take care of it so it would keep blooming.
He could hardly believe that something so precious survived, he was thankful.
"Kakashi, I'm pretty sure there's nothing left here for me to take… We gotta make a stop before I go."
Naruto said while Kakashi nodded his head, "Wherever you want to go." Kakashi agreed while Naruto looked at his old apartment one more time, this place had always been a dump. However when he really thinks about it he grew up here.
He was genuinely going to miss it.
"Let's go…"
Naruto said while Kakashi looked at his former student and nodded quietly before they departed, a cracked picture frame with Team 7 smiling in it laid amongst the rest of the ruin Naruto once called his home.
A little further ahead of Naruto's former home Kakashi stood by while Naruto approached the store doors, 'Yamanaka's Flowers' was read at the top of the building while Naruto thought about opening the door, his hand stopped however.
If she wasn't there then how was he supposed to give it back?
Naruto looked at the door before he sighed, placing the potted flower beside the entrance before he jogged back toward Kakashi who waited for him. Naruto lingered for a moment longer before he pair then began to walk away from the building, the petals of the White Clover swaying slightly at the breeze that had passed through it.
A simple 'Thank you' was written on the pot.
{...}
Kakashi looked out at the wilderness past the gate of the Leaf Village, he looked toward Naruto who walked toward the wilderness, "Wait." Kakashi said while Naruto stopped turning toward his former sensei.
"Naruto… I was a pretty bad teacher. I should have been there for you all a bit more than I was, this is my fault in part…"
Kakashi said while Naruto looked at the Jonin, "Kakashi-" Naruto was cut off by another bag being thrown at him. The blonde caught the bag noticing the scrolls that were stuffed inside of it, his blue eyes blinked while Kakashi sighed.
"There are the necessities, food, water, and because I'm so nice there are even a few surprises that I'll let you find out for yourself in there… I really wished there was more I could do for you, Naruto. If you end up hating me I won't even-"
Kakashi was cut off by a running hug from the blonde boy, stopping his sentence completely, "You were a pretty crap teacher…" Naruto said while Kakashi chuckled while he hugged the boy back.
"I would never hate you though."
Naruto said while Kakashi's eye widened at his words, Kakashi remembered himself being in a similar position once before.
It was the time that Rin had died.
No… the time when he had killed her.
A young Kakashi still covered in blood of his last teammate stood outside of the gates of the Leaf Village; he didn't have the strength to take another step; instead he could only look toward his home in horror, unable to face himself for what he did.
Standing at the gates was his own Sensei who had his own somber look while Kakashi stood there frozen, the blonde man approached Kakashi while the gray haired young man was ready for whatever punishment came his way.
Instead he found himself surrounded by warmth.
"I could never hate you."
Kakashi remembered those words while his own voice trembled at the blonde holding onto him, what an awful irony.
Naruto let go before he looked at his former teacher, "Hey… Tell Iruka and the others I'm sorry…" the blonde said while he turned around quickly while Kakashi reached his hand out. His vision had seen both Obito and Rin running off along with Naruto away from him.
The Jonin was devastated.
Yet again, another one slips out of his hands due to his own inability to change.
Oddly enough Kakashi's thoughts went to the look on his own father's face shortly before he would never see the man's eyes filled with life again.
Was throwing aside duty that awful?
Kakashi pondered to nobody but himself as another name was added to his personal burdens as the rain fell running across his cheeks.
Perfect timing.
{...}
It just had to rain.
Right around the time Naruto needed a fire to keep himself warm and possibly cook a meal for himself, today just refused to be his day no matter what.
Naruto quickly found himself a spot where he could stay as dry as possible, it was at this moment that it was all really starting to hit him.
He really just lost everything.
His friends.
His teachers.
His one opportunity to become somebody others could recognize.
He supposed that this was the way it was supposed to be, he was just as bad as the demon within himself after all.
Naruto was utterly alone.
The blonde curled up into a ball while the rain fell heavily around him, he felt himself sinking into that feeling, the one he always forced himself to ignore as a kid. It felt as if it was choking him, it was hard to breathe.
Worthlessness.
Everything he fought for, it was now so far out of reach. He couldn't become Hokage, there was no one to recognize him. No friends, no family. It was once again just him and the rain together again at his darkest hour.
Should he just do them a favor and go away?
Naruto hadn't had these kinds of thoughts since he was a young child, it was always like a dark hand gripping his shoulder trying to pull him down into its nothingness.
Yet they would always come back.
No matter how many 'Believe it's' he said when he was alone those thoughts became the strongest when he was reminded of what he was.
If he died right here…
Would they be happy?
Naruto sat there just waiting for the rest of the world to swallow him up so it could potentially end for him, at least that could be the one thing that he could end up doing right for the Leaf Village to take out both himself and the Kyuubi.
Naruto kept his eyes tightly shut; the rain was the only sound he heard until a familiar one rang, the sound of his stomach growling. It should be easy to ignore he was used to the being hungry part so it'll go away eventually.
Yet it persisted.
Naruto deliberately tried to shut out the sound of his body begging him for food, if he waited and waited eventually his body would ask him for food again.
Then it'll be over.
"You hungry?"
"..."
"Your stomach is growling pretty loudly…"
"..."
"I know a place… it's got the best food ever."
"..."
"It's called Ichiraku's, I'm telling you one good bite and you won't be hungry anymore."
"...Really?"
"Wanna find out?"
"..."
"Name's Iruka by the way… you got one?"
"...Naruto."
Tears fell down Naruto's face while he held one of the scrolls in his hand, he found his body moving on autopilot. Naruto kept trying to put the scroll down but he had already unlatched it, summoning forth the item stored within it.
The scent was the first thing that hit him.
Naruto's eyes widened while he stared at the steaming bowl of Ichiraku's ramen in front of him, it was a homely scent that filled his senses, almost breathing a new life into him.
"You wanna hear something crazy?"
"..."
"There's a reason why your stomach growls when you're hungry.'"
"...There is?"
"I know how easy you might think it is to just disappear… but when all else fails your stomach is always your ally."
"Why?"
"When your stomach growls it means you're hungry and when you're hungry you wanna eat."
"..."
"And when you wanna eat that means you wanna live…"
"..."
"So eat up and live long Naruto."
Naruto kept crying while he shoveled the ramen into his mouth while memories flooded his head, the times Iruka took to the ramen restaurant usually after bad days, the times he dragged his team there to celebrate a mission completed, all the meetings he had with his friends the Rookie 9 of the Hidden Leaf at the restaurant, the way him and Choji would race, Shikamaru would roll his eyes, Kiba laughed obnoxiously loudly, Ino would complain about the calories, and the smiles from the old man and Ayame.
Was Naruto Uzumaki really alone?
Naruto drank down the broth before he sighed, the rain had begun to slow down while Naruto looked at the empty bowl before he looked further into the expansive forest ahead of him. No set path ahead of him to follow.
Naruto's eyes widened as he came to a realization.
He could go anywhere.
He could get stronger.
He didn't want to die.
Naruto slapped his own cheeks before he stood up looking into the forest, they were all waiting on him. He couldn't be recognized as a shinobi of the leaf anymore, but that doesn't mean that he no longer meant anything.
He wanted to see them all again one day.
While a large part of his life was spent all alone and by himself he couldn't just forget about the bonds he created and the people who were waiting to see him again especially the people who were waiting for him to do something with himself.
"Alright! You hearing this Kami!? I ain't dying yet! I've got friends now! I'm going to get stronger no matter what. I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"
Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs into the forest and open air to no one in particular, Naruto pounded a fist against his chest while he got ready to yell again.
"I'm going to live! Believe it!"
Naruto yelled, fully pushing back those thoughts that tried to drown them, the image of his team as well as the rest of the friends filled his vision while the blonde grinned as widely as he could before he grabbed another scroll.
The world was a big place.
Filled with uncertainty and adversity.
Yet.
Naruto had the pleasure to have made friends all over the world, that meant there was only one thing he had to do.
He had to go and visit them of course.
Naruto tore into another piece of food while tears still fell from his eyes but there was a grin on his face, he wasn't done yet.
His stomach growled that meant he was hungry and as long as he got hungry he was going to live no matter what. No matter what the road ahead of him had waiting for him, no matter who stood in his way.
Naruto was more than ready to fight for his place in the world.
Believe it.
