A.N.: Alright, well this is my first attempt at a fanfic so don't be too harsh :P. Criticism is all good and well but seriously, please no flaming. Also, this first chap is mainly about the back-story so sorry for people wanting immediate action.

First, Danzo may or may not have a slightly larger than normal roll in the story. Haven't decided yet but I'll leave it up to you guys. But either way, he won't be like most fanfics portray him to be. He'll be slightly misguided in his actions but have good intentions.

Second, I'm not entirely sure if I will be doing any pairings in this at all but again,I'm undecided. The girls that I'm willing to put in here are

Ayame (for obvious reasons)

Anko M (again, for obvious reasons)

Mei T (I know, kinda random, but I like this pairing)

Shizune (again, random I know but with how I want naruto to be, she could balance him out)

Those are the only girls that I'd be willing to put in the pairing right now. So unless you can provide a DAMN good argument for any others, don't bother saying you want someone else. Oh, and no harem...yet =3

Third, the gennin in this fic will all be in their mid-teens. Not be prepubescent 12 year-olds that are beating the crap out of each other and older more experienced shinobi. Naruto will probably be around 16 since he failed the graduation exam 3 times. Everyone in Naruto's class will be around 15, with everybody else's age based off that.

(AN: sorry for the long opening author's note guys -_-' he...he)

I got the idea for this story from "laughter of the broken" by Danasca and decided to try to write my own. Enjoy the first of the hopefully many chapters of "Why So Serious?"

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

"Demon/Summon Speaking"

"Demon/Summon Thinking"

Scene & Time

– Time Skip –

( author's notes)

DISCLAIMER!DISCLAIMER!: I DO NOT own Naruto or anything referenced to in this fic besides any OC's that might be added in. If I did own them do you honestly think I'd be writing this?

X Konoha X

Every year on October 10, Konoha would hold a celebration lasting an entire week that was dedicated to the defeat of the Kyuubi no Yoko and the death of the Yondaime Hokage. It was on this date 5 years ago that the Kyuubi had attacked the village without warning and would have destroyed it had the fourth not stepped in. But unfortunately, he could do little to nothing to actually HARM the beast.

That only left one option. He had to seal it away.

There was only one seal that he knew could hold the beast but the sacrifice would be great. Knowing that he had no choice, he used his own son as the container for the great demon and sacrificed himself to seal it in him.

His dying wish to the newly reinstated Sandaime, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was for Naruto to be recognized as the hero that he was and not how all other jinchuuriki were treated. He knew that it was a fool's hope but he couldn't help but hope against hope that the villagers would accept his wish.

His initial thoughts had been correct though. Upon the Sandaime's revealing that the child had the Kyuubi sealed in him, the civilian council wished to put the boy to death. It had taken the entire shinobi half of the council and Danzo, surprisingly, to hold back the old man from killing the civilians.

Despite many days of trying uselessly to get them to see otherwise, about 90 percent of the civilians refused to see past the Kyuubi when having anything to do with the child. Most of the shinobi were like that as well. Dismayed at this, the Sandaime made a law stating that anybody who mentioned anything about the Kyuubi being connected with Naruto to the younger generation would be punished with instant execution.

Despite this, many of the bolder, and rather less intelligent, civilians along with a few chuunin immediately began protesting by saying things about how the 'Demon' must have influenced the Sandaime for him to have thought of such a law.

Their objections were quickly and violently silenced by ANBU appearing in front of said people before quickly ending their lives with precise slashes made from their kunai.

Finally getting the picture, the crowd dispersed. Of course, just because they couldn't say anything doesn't mean they couldn't get around the inconvenience.

As he grew up, Naruto had been shunned and hated by the villagers. They charged him ridiculous prices for even the items in worst condition. He usually had to resort to foraging for food in dumpsters and other unpleasant places.

They told their children not to play with him, saying that he was a demon in disguise and that he would kill them. Children, being children, had believed their parents without a second thought and had refused to even acknowledge the blonde.

Growing up alone, in a hostile environment, and having to literally go through hell and back just to survive, it wasn't the least bit surprising that the young child's sanity was slowly slipping away. No one knew this ofcourse, courtesy of the smiling face he put on all the time.

But this year, during the festival on Naruto's birthday things would be a little different. This year, he just might not be able to hold onto his deteriorating sanity. This year, he really might just snap and let his fragile grip on reality slip. Showing the world the true thoughts in his young messed up mind. This year, is where our story begins...