"Why is ramen so delicious?"-thinking
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu- jutsu
YOU LITTLE BRAT/you little brat- demon speech/Inner Sakura
Tempered By Divine Winds
Chapter 1:The True Meaning of Perseverance.
Perseverance.
Never giving up when the going gets tough.
Never quitting when things seem to stand still.
Never stopping when the odds are insurmountable.
The power to overcome destiny.
The will to break the limits that exist.
The strength to do the impossible and even more.
But there is a problem with this scene.
All that we have are a bunch of words.
True perseverance can not be defined...it must be felt...experienced...lived.
In the world of the ninja, perseverance has been found time and time again in the hearts of many individuals. But true perseverance comes once in a lifetime.
It exists in many forms and places. It can be found in great lands, small countries, in the heart of a family or even... a child.
A young boy with almost everything against him.
Eyes as blue as the sky, a smile as bright as the sun, fire burning strong in his heart and sheltered in the leaf...well not for long
He lost his first love.
Flashback
"Sakura-chan, I did it! I brought him back."
"Naruto, how could you?"
"...What are you talking about?"
"Look how injured he is! HOW COULD YOU?"
"Sakura-chan! He tried to kill me! I had to..."
"I WISH HE DID KILL YOU! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A HORRIBLE MONSTER! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE! I HATE YOU!"
He lost the trust of his first family.
Flashback
"Tsunade-baachan!"
"That's Hokage-sama to you, genin."
"Come on, Tsunade-baa..."
"THAT'S HOKAGE-SAMA TO YOU, GENIN!"
"O-o-okay, Hokage-sama, you called me?"
"Yes, I just finished reviewing the medical report of your Uchiha Sasuke. The injuries you caused to his person are very extensive. Why did you see fit to injure him so extensively?"
"Well, after he started using the curse seal, I had no choice but to draw upon Kyuubi's chakra..."
"And you lost control."
"Well..."
"You couldn't control the Kyuubi's chakra properly and you injured your best friend severely."
"No, you don't understand..."
"SILENCE! It will take a long time for you to gain my trust after this. Leave but expect to be punished for your actions. Dismissed."
As he left the office his eyes met Shizune's eyes and in them...he saw disappointment.
All hope was not lost though
Flashback
"Kakashi-sensei?"
"Naruto...I'm sorry.
"...What?"
"I taught Sasuke the Chidori to protect his friends not to kill them with it. Deep down I knew that Sasuke was unbalanced but I refused to see because I hoped he would change. Because of my carelessness, you are being punished."
"Don't worry Kakashi-sensei, now we can knock some sense into his head."
He hugged his teacher and felt the storm in his heart calm down.
But the worst was yet to come
"Uzumaki Naruto, step forward."
Gulping, he strode forward and looked into the impassive face of the Godaime Hokage.
"It is our decision that you be banished from Konohagakure no Sato and Hi no Kuni for three years. After which you will be allowed to return and resume your duties as a ninja. You must leave in three days."
He had lost his dream...he had nothing to live for.
Flashback
He looked at the gates one last time and steeled his resolve.
"If I come back to Konoha...it won't be because I want to. They do not deserve my protection anymore. Now I live my nindo the way it was meant to be lived. The path of no regrets."
He turned and jumped through the foliage, disappearing within the leaves.
A/N: This is my first banished Naruto fic and I have quite a few ideas for this fic. None of the others have been abandoned, expect updates. R&R