YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE

There's somebody out there. It's him.

A storm falls, and he's running though it, all wet, exhausted and desperate. The rain is hard, the fog is thick and the puddles reflect the lights of a broken village. Konoha was crushed not too long ago, the Hokage was wounded, and hundreds died. Still, they won the war, and lost many things in the process. It wasn't worth it.

The boy wants to go faster but can't. There's something wrong with him. His body aches, and his heart is beating fast. It burns. He needs to let it out, but he doesn't know how.

"Where the hell is she?" The streets are lonely and dark. There's nobody else outside. The windows are closed, and the doors are locked. Everyone is asleep or pretending to be. Then he notices a ninja staring at him from a rooftop, partially hidden by the shadows of the night.

When Naruto tries to ask for help, the ninja vanishes in silence.

There's an old park on the outskirts of Konoha. It's dark and lonely and that's where he finds her. Sakura is sitting on a wooden bench with her legs crossed. A streetlight shines over her with its flickering yellow light, making her rain-soaked skin glisten.

"Why are you here?", she asks.

"I could ask you the same damn thing."

"Just go away."

"You know, no. I don't think so."

She shudders when he touches her shoulder, hugging her arms to her chest. Naruto sits by her side on the rain-soaked brench, noticing how cold she feels against his fingers. How long has she been there?

"You trying to catch a cold or what?"

"I'm trying to be alone, Naruto, and you're ruining it."

"It wasn't your fault, you know that, right?"

Sakura looks at him with sad eyes.

"I couldn't stop him", she says. "I couldn't do anything. He's gone, Naruto."

"Then we'll save him."

"Save?" Her eyes shine with a strange glow. "From who?"

"What do you mean who? The Sound, of course."

She laughs bitterly.

"As far as I can tell they're his new allies."

"He's a fool. Always causing trouble. But he's not the kind to betray his friends." Naruto looks at her, then at the flickering light. A moth flies in circles around it. He sighs. "Let's go find Kakashi. He'll know what to do."

"He's on a mission! Almost all the jonin are. You think I didn't ask for help? Do you know what they told me?" She opens her green eyes wide. "It'll take time, that's what they said! When I asked how long, they said they didn't know. How much will we have to wait, then? A few hours? A couple of days? Will Orochimaru wait a few days? Do you think he will, Naruto?"

Naruto gives her a blank stare as she looks up. The rain has dwindled to a drizzle and it ligthly falls over her pale white face.

"They don't give a damn about you and me", she says. "And you know they never liked Sasuke, being who he is and all that."

"I can relate to that."

"I know you can. They wanted him out of the village—and now they got their wish. Who cares if it's Uchiwa or the Sound? He's gone, and that's enough for them."

She shakes her head. The moth lands on the streetlight, its tiny body suddenly glowing with light.

"They'll just declare him a missing ninja", she says. "Then he'll start showing up in bingo books alongside his brother."

"The old man wouldn't allow that. He knows Sasuke. He'll understand."

"He's barely there, Naruto. The Third is a shadow of his former self. He won't make the decision—the Council will."

"To hell with those geezers", he mutters. "Sakura, we live in a god-damned ninja village. There's gotta be somebody that can help us."

"Who?"

She sounds desperate. Naruto and Sakura lock eyes. They look at each other, in silence, for what it feels like a long time. But it's just a couple of seconds.

Naruto looks away.

"I don't know", he says. "I'll find somebody. I'm thinking Shikamaru... Kiba. Maybe even Neji. They'll lend us a hand."

"They never liked Sasuke."

"They didn't like me either", he replies. "And now we're friends. We fought together during the invasion. They won't let us down."

"Will you bring him back?"

She places her hand on his arm—Naruto's skin feels warm even now. It always is. He shudders a bit, then looks up at her green, shimmering eyes.

"Sakura, I..."

Sometimes we say things we regret instantly.

"Please", she says, holding his hand. He looks at their interwined fingers, then at her bright green eyes.

The moth crawls into the lamp, where a bigger shadow awaits, hanging by a thread.

Goddamn.

"...I'll bring him back", he finishes. Although I'm not sure I can do it, he's thinking, because I'm not as strong as you think I am.

"I know I'm asking too much", she says with a sad voice. "He left and still... I... we can't lose him. I couldn't handle it. Naruto, please promise me you'll bring him home."

Her eyes fill with tears, her lower lip trembles dangerously. Two drops spill from the corner of her eyes and travel down to her chin. And even now he finds her beautiful. So beautiful that it all feels unfair. Maybe it is. Sakura covers one of his hands with hers, then drops her head as she cries. It's so strange to see her like this.

"Sasuke had to leave", Naruto thinks, "for you to want something from me."

"Naruto...", she mutters.

"Yes?"

Sometimes life hits you in the face. And it doesn't matter if you see it coming. Doesn't matter if it's in slow motion. Some things are bound to happen, even if it's only to make us suffer.

"Please."

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 relief.

There are words that, when pronounced, 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 you. 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 store for him. And if he doesn't, there's someone who does. Tune in and 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.