YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE

Konoha feels empty. There's nobody in the streets tonight, except for this rain. Now, if you were to look outside, what would you see? You'd see the fog. It's white and thin and it's everywhere. You'd see a street full of puddles and the light reflecting on them. And finally, you'd see him. A boy running in the rain.

You'd see Naruto Uzumaki. And who is he, you might ask? A teen, a ninja, a punk. Watch him sprint through the village like death is chasing him. I won't tell you where he's headed because I don't know, and he doesn't, either; he's been searching for someone. And he's about to find her.

There's a lonely park in Konoha. It's old and it looks sad and nobody really goes there anymore. Let's assume that's why Sakura Haruno chose this place. After all, it's easier to think if you're alone, and she has a lot on her mind right now. But I bet I can summarize it in one sentece: "why did you leave me, Sasuke?"

It's hard to let the people we love go. And she's just a thirteen, maybe fourteen-year-old girl. And I know shinobi grow up quicker than you and me, but no one has taught her how to deal with that kind of feelings. It's loss but worse. Anyways. Let's be understanding. It's not bad that she's crying. Let's just give her some space until Naruto arrives.

"What are you doing here? You trying to catch a cold?" Naruto stands before her, drenched in rainwater. "Let's just... let's go home, Sasuke. It's late already."

There's a stone bench under the flickering light of an old lamppost and Sakura is sitting there looking as miserable as she feels. And now, as she looks up towards him, the light hits her right on her crying, sad face. Her swollen green eyes are still beautiful somehow. Shimmering with sadness, they search for Naruto's. And they lock eyes.

"Sasuke is gone", she says, her voice soft, low, defeated. "I couldn't do anything to stop him. It's not... He wasn't kidnapped, Naruto! He just went with them. With the Sound. I..."

"He's a fool. Always causing trouble." Good work, Naruto, pretend to be strong. Don't ever show how hurt you really are. "Let's just leave. There's no point in getting soaked like frogs. Let's go find Kakashi-sensei, he'll know what to do."

"He's on a mission. Almost all the jonin are. You think I didn't ask for help? It'll take time, that's what they said. And they don't even know how much. A few hours? Maybe a day or two?" Sakura laughs, her voice bitter. "Will Orochimaru wait a a few days? Do you think he will, Naruto?"

"Well I'll find someone else then. It's a ninja village, damn it! There's gotta be somebody that can help us."

"They don't want to, Naruto. Get it through your thick head!"

"Then I'll go."

Don't you find that sometimes, when you decide to do something, you immediately know it will go wrong? It's like human intuition, a premonition. Even someone as dense as Naruto can predict a catastrophe every now and then. If you don't believe me, just peek into his thoughts for a second. "Although I'm not sure if I can do it," he's thinking, "because I'm not as strong as your Sasuke."

Don't you find that sometimes, when you offer something to someone, you secretly hope they say no? Maybe it's because we're foolish, but we do those kinds of things. And even a silly person like Naruto knows what it's like to walk into the lion's den: a part of him, perhaps hidden, perhaps small, hopes she'll say, "I can't allow you to put yourself in danger…!"

"Bring him back," that's what she actually says. Two tears spill from the corners of her eyes. It's incredible that he find her beautiful even now. "Please, Naruto, promise me. You have to bring Sasuke home. Don't let him go with that monster… you're the only one who can do it." And she drops her head, slumps her shoulders… takes his hand. It's so strange to see her like this. "Sasuke had to leave," Naruto thinks, "for you to want something from me."

I guess we don't always do what's best for us.

"I give you my word, and you know I never take it back," he says. "I'll bring Sasuke home, even if it costs me my life." And even though Naruto looks for some sign of concern on her face, he only finds an obvious, sincere, relief.

There are words that, when you pronounce them, seem to seal some kind of fate. People used to tell Naruto to keep his damn mouth shut. Have you ever considered that we should follow the advice we're given more often? But of course, for that to happen, we'd have to learn from the things that happen to us. And that's a lot to ask for some people. Like me. Or like Naruto Uzumaki. Let's take a closer look at him now: his face is a poem. Maybe he already knows what's in the future for him. And if he doesn't, there's someone who does. Tune in, and maybe you'll hear it. It's that laughter coming from somewhere deep in his stomach; that deep, almost guttural voice that laughs at the boy's destiny.

And even though the scene dissolves into a black background, the laughter continues for a few moments. Because maybe we don't know what's going to happen. But the Nine-Tails Fox knows.