Love, Life, and Lost Ch. 1

Love, Life, and Lost
Chapter 1

Naruto and Sakura talk:
[Naruto sits quietly on a bench nearby the Ninja Academy, until...]
Sakura: Naruto?  What are you doing out here?
Naruto: Just thinking about a lot things…
Sakura: Like what?
Naruto: Like… what Hinata said to me…
Sakura: Oh… right…  Well, I'll leave you alone then.
Naruto: Nah, its alright, I could use the company.
Sakura: …so Hinata told you, right?  About her feelings?
Naruto: …yeah.  I never knew…
Sakura: …well, I knew…
Naruto: You did?
Sakura: We all did.  Well, except maybe Kiba…
Naruto: Why Kiba?
Sakura: Because he's a even bigger idiot than you.
Naruto: Well, I can't disagree with you there…
[Both of them laugh.]
Naruto: Wait!  If you knew about Hinata's feelings, then why did you do "that" at the Gokage Summit?
Sakura: Well, I was desperate, I didn't know what else to do, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  [She frantically talks, trying to come up with excuses.]
Naruto: It seemed really weird and out the blue.  I mean, not only did you backstab me, but also Hinata, and in front of Bushy-Brow, and Sasu-
Sakura: I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS FROM A HYPROCRITE LIKE YOU!  YOU HAVENT EVEN THANKED HINATA YET!
Naruto: …
Sakura: …I'm…  I'm sorry.
Naruto: No, you're right.  I mean, I want to thank Hinata but…  I don't know what else to say, I don't know how to approach her, I don't know what I should do…  I'm… actually afraid to look at her face.  That's why I couldn't even look in her direction when the twelve of us were discussing Sasu-
Sakura: Well, you have to say something!
Naruto: I know, but I…
Sakura: I'm sure she'll understand no matter what you have to say.  Hinata will always love YOU, no matter what.
Naruto: … [Naruto goes into deep thought about Hinata, until Sakura decides to break his brainstorm.]
Sakura: Naruto, can I ask you something?
Naruto: Hm, what's up Sakura-chan?
Sakura: What do you think of Hinata?
Naruto: …well, I didn't think much of her at first, but she's a very sweet and thoughtful person.  I used to think she was just this quiet weirdo, but I can see that she really is a strong, noble, and likeable person.  This is the second time she saved my life…
Sakura: Hm, I see…  Well, I guess the three of us all have similar backgrounds then.
Naruto: Huh, what do you mean by that?
Sakura: Well, you were always looked down on by the villagers because you were the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox.  That must've hurt, right?
Naruto: …
Sakura: I suppose you want someone to tell you its going to be alright.  Well, its not.  Things ARE going to get worse, but we have to keep moving along, even when all the pain and suffering keeps knocking us down.  Sometimes its depressing enough to give up all hope.
Hinata: But if anyone can overcome all the pain and suffering, it'd be you, because you never lose faith in yourself, Naruto-kun!
Sakura: Or at least that's what Hinata would say…
[Naruto was stunned as he imagined Hinata through Sakura.]
Naruto: How is it you know Hinata so well?
Sakura: Well, both Hinata and I were both looked down on too.
[Naruto looks at her confused.]
Sakura: Of course I didn't have it as bad as Hinata but, when I was young I used to be a shy girl exactly like her.  Other kids made fun of me because of my abnormal-sized forehead.  People used to call me a weirdo and everything.  I used to always cry about being the shy weirdo everyone made fun of.  That was until I meant Ino, and she made me feel better about myself.  I don't know if she went through the same thing or not, but she never showed that the other kids calling her a "pig" got to her.  She always seemed proud about herself.  I guess that's what I always admired about her…
[Naruto thinks about the similarities between him and Sasuke.  But his thoughts switched over to Hinata for some reason.]
Naruto: Sakura-chan?  What did you mean by that Hinata had it harder than you?
Sakura: Well, Hinata told me about the first time she saw you.  She overheard you yelling about being Hokage in a crowd of people.  As you ran off, people called you the Nine-Tails and how talking about it was forbidden.  She asked her trainer and caretaker Ko Hyuuga what that was.  He just told her that she didn't need to worry about it, but that she must never associate with you.  Hearing you speak out to a large group, Hinata became inspired to become a great ninja, one who was as strong as her father and as kind as her mother.  Hinata was always undergoing strict training with her father, but he could never get her to show any potential.  Ko told Hinata not to be sad and that the reason why Hiashi-sama was so strict was because he had high hopes for her.  In an attempt to cheer her up, Ko took her to the Ninja Academy and told her that one day she'll enter the academy.  She was worried if she would make it as a ninja, but Ko told her she would and to her best.  Her attention was then pulled away by someone rocking back and forth on a nearby swing.  She looked over to the sound and recognized you as the boy from before, but now you had a very sad look on your face.  Ko noticed you and told her again that she shouldn't associate with you.  She questioned "But why?", she wanted to know why everyone avoided contact with you.  He quickly changed the subject that it was time to get back to training.  She still wanted an answer though.  Back at the training dojo, Hiashi-sama only showed more disappointment when she was always losing sparring matches to her younger sister, Hanabi.  She became so depressed that her father saw her as a disappointment, that she ran away crying.  Ko gave chase after her, but lost track of her.  She then accidentally ran into three boys, and they got upset when they saw their spilled ice-cream on the ground.  They pulled her into the trees nearby your tree swing, and recognized her as part of the Hyuuga clan.  They saw her as a punk kid who thought because she was in a high, noble, and powerful family, she could look down on them and do whatever she wanted.  She told them she wasn't like that, apologized, and tried to run, but they quickly grabbed her arm and demanded a real apology.  She apologized again, but they demanded a better apology, as they pushed her head to the ground.  So she began to cry, apologizing over and over again.  "Cut it out!", said a voice behind the boys.  The boys turned around, and Hinata looked up and saw that voice came from you.  The boys wondered what you wanted and quickly recognized you as "that guy" who always pulled pranks, always get gets in trouble, and everyone hated.  You then made it clear that you had a name, it was Naruto Uzumaki, and as usual you shouted out that you were going to be Hokage.  At first they were taken back by this outburst, but they found it hilarious and laughed.  Hinata then remembered back to the first time she heard your outburst of being Hokage, it was just that very morning.  She gasped when she realized how much faith you had in becoming Hokage.  She gasped a second time when one of boys punched you in the face, telling you that an idiot like you could never become Hokage, and she buried her face behind her hands as the boy punched you a second time to the ground.  She uncovered her face to see if you were okay, and saw you getting back up on your feet with a smirk.  This ticked the boys off and they expected a fight.  You gave them a warning as you prepared a hand seal, they backed away wondering what you were going to do, and you performed your own original jutsu!  The Failed Clone Jutsu!  Everyone was shocked to see your pale, goofy, and wobbly clone collapse to the ground in a matter of seconds.  Shock turned to hilarity as they couldn't believe what they just saw.  While they were caught off guard, you grabbed one of the boys and held him down as you punched him, again saying that you'll be Hokage.  Overhearing this, Hinata watched as you continued to punch the boy.  However, the two other boys pulled you back and all three boys started taking their revenge.  Hinata closed her eyes and looked away as you were getting pummeled unconscious.  Just then Ko finally found Hinata and called her as he ran to her location.  The boys decided to make a run for it.  He asked if she was okay and then noticed you.  He grabbed her hand and told her yet again that she mustn't get involved with you, but she tried to tell him that you were just trying to protect her and she wanted to make sure you were going to be okay.  And as she was being pulled away, she looked behind her at your unconscious body.  After a period of time, she eventually enrolled in the Ninja Academy, she noticed you with your proud self in line, and she blushed seeing you.  She waited until you left the school grounds to talk to you.  When she saw you walking out, she blushed and gathered enough energy to approach you.  "Naru-" was all she could get out before she was interrupted by your stomach and you ran off to Ichiraku Ramen of course.  As she watched you run off, she decided that she'll thank you another time, that she'll become stronger herself, and be patient of one day winning your acknowledgement.
Naruto: …wow.  I… never knew… I mean… she's… mm…
Sakura: …
Naruto: …Hinata…
Sakura: Its always made her sad that she felt that she couldn't do anything for you.  That's why whenever she could, she would keep a close eye on you to make sure you were okay.  I actually caught her spying on you a few times.  I asked her if I should help her win you over, but she turned down my help, saying that she'd rather win your acknowledgement on her own.  Its kind of like she's your guardian angel.  I remember something Captain Yamato told me, he said it doesn't matter what little things you do for the person you care for, sometimes it's the little things that have a big impact.
Naruto: …
Sakura: You should talk to her.  I mean, when it comes down to being face-to-face with someone, you always speak from your heart and know what to say…
Naruto: …Sakura-chan… [More thoughts of Hinata go through his head, and he compares Sakura's crush on Sasuke, with own his crush on Sakura, along with Hinata's crush on himself.]  Do you still love Sasu- [He realizes that Sakura is already gone.]
Naruto: …Hinata…

Narrator: Naruto dashes off in an unknown direction.  Where is he going?  What is he planning on doing?  Why are you asking me all these questions?  How the hell should I know?  I'm just the narrator.  Does the writer even know yet?