Damaged goods

Stripped

"What"

The silence in the air had become thick, suffocating everybody in the office. Everybody seemed tense at the words of Lady Hokage, looking at her like she had grown two heads. Team seven didn't seem bothered. If you were to pay attention you could see a glint of glee in their blank expressions. The whiskered teen seemed conflicted, his hands were shaking, his pupils becoming small, tears building up in his eyes.

"You heard me right and well Naruto, I do not see much progress in team seven, especially in you. I had high expectations for you but I guess I shouldn't have expected any less from you. You deemed yourself useless" Lady Hokage spat out, her tone both emotionless and bitter. Her usual bright honey-colored eyes a dark shade of brown. Rookie's nine eyes grew wide while team sevens dark-haired teammate did nothing to hide his small smirk forming on his lips. Sakura failed to hide a small giggle that escaped her throat, and Kakashi just sighed.

Naruto's head was ringing, his opened mouth wavering while the tears he so desperately tried to keep from spilling fell. "H-how... could you do t-this to me..." He whispered out, his tone of voice shaky while sucking in a breath. Tsunade's eyes softened a tiny bit before becoming darker than before. She sighed and shook her head softly before speaking "There are many reasons why you are no longer a Konoha ninja. The biggest one is you being utterly useless. Konoha doesn't need your protection as you do nothing with it! You are a disappointment to Rookie nine and Team seven! To even think that you could keep up with your own team should have just been a doubt! I can't believe after the many chances Konoha has given you still haven't proven yourself to even call yourself a damn Genin! You are not worthy of the title genin! You aren't even worthy of calling yourself a proud ninja! That is why I as Hokage am stripping you of your Ninja rank and Shinobi License! The council approved of this and Rookie nine agreed! Even your sensei agreed!" She chided out, anger and disappointment lacing her normally soft voice.

The ringing in Naruto's head stopped, everything stopped. The thoughts in his head stopped spinning. SNAP. Everything snapped, his mind snapped, his emotions snapped and his body snapped. He clenched his hand, his knuckles turning white. His face paled and his eyes. His bright, lapis sky blue eyes became dull and blank. The twinkle in them disappearing. AND IT WAS ALL THERE FAULT. His breathing became ragged and shallow. Tears spilled from his blue eyes as a sob escaped his throat.

Rookie nine bowed their heads down in shame. The Hyuga prodigy clenched his eyes shut. The genius Nara pulled his head upward and sighed. The dull blonde-haired Yamanaka wiped her teary eyes, The timid shy Hyuga started fidgeting with her hands faster. The normally gleeful Lee grasped both of his hands together. The big Akimichi stood there quietly forgetting the chips he was normally always munching on. The dog boy Inuzuka glared at the ground while Akamaru sensed his owner's distress and sat down quietly. The bug talker Aburame crossed his arms. The pink-haired kunoichi expression turned into a scowl. The Uchiha heir stood tall, smirking smugly. The copy ninja Hatake stood there and said nothing, just sighing before speaking.

"It's all true Naruto. You are not, in any way shape, or form, worthy of calling yourself my student, let alone calling yourself a proud Konoha ninja. You are a disgrace to Shinobi life" Kakashi spat out with venom. "I cannot have you dragging down your worthy teammates while you stay there playing ninja, I should of never let you pass as a ninja, especially my student"

Naruto looked at his sensei and let out a bigger sob. "I t-thought.. t-that I ma-made you p-proud...k-kakas-shi se-sen-" He was interrupted by a loud voice "Do not call me your sensei, you are not WORTHY of calling yourself my student" He paused for a moment before laughing bitterly "and PROUD? Me being proud of you? A disgrace to my team? What dumb fantasy world are you living in Naruto? Why should I ever be proud of you? Rookie nine, what should I be proud that Naruto deemed worthy of being proud of?" He asked darkly and bitter. Nobody answered until a certain Haruno did.

"Nothing sensei, you shouldn't be proud of anything that has to do with Naruto" She said smugly. "Exactly Naruto, even your own teammate doesn't think you are worthy of being proud of," He said, sighing before continuing "Just give it up Naruto... Don't make it much harder for all of us"

Naruto stumbled a bit before regaining balance on his feet. He looked at Rookie nine and then at Tsuna- No, lady Hokage. He took a few deep breaths before nodding. "I-if that w-what makes y-you happy.. Then I will c-comply" He spoke, his tone raspy and voice cracking with every few words. He took off his Leaf headband and placed it on the table. He unzipped his jumpsuit jacket and took off his necklace, placing it right next to the lead headband.

Tsunade gasped quietly and looked at the headband and necklace. The necklace she gave him. "why are you giving this to me?" she questioned while looking at naruto with sad eyes. "I do not feel... worthy of wearing something as priceless as that. I am worthless and useless. I do not deserve to wear something as beautiful as the necklace you gave me Lady Hokage" He spoke quietly. Tsunade looked at him sadly, regret shining her eyes. "Very well, We thank you for your servi-" She was cut off when Naruto walked to the door and opened it. "And I thank you for bringing me back to reality," He said sadly before turning the knob and leaving, closing the door in progress.

Everybody was stunned, they had expected Naruto to beg, to yell at them but he didn't do anything. He just gave in and left. Tsunade especially was shocked, he called her Lady Hokage something she never expected from him. Rookie nine was devasted and shamed. They betrayed their own friend. Kakashi sighed sadly. "The problem is solved. Lady Hokage, do we have permission to leave?" He asked blankly, bringing Tsunade out of her thoughts. "Y-yes, you may leave" She spoke in sorrow.

Kakashi shooed everyone, silently telling them to leave.  

As everybody left, Tsunade forced herself into her own pity party, looking at the roughed up blue leaf headband. She looked at the necklace she gave him. She remembers how excited he was to receive it. And then she remembered his face, filled with sadness and sorrow but worse BETRAYEMENT. She let out a sob and grabbed her sake, chugging it down, trying and trying to forget but a voice in her head told her the truth

YOU DON'T DESERVE TO FORGET

NONE OF YOU DESERVE TO FORGET