Hokage - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Summary: One-Shot from Naruto's POV. A look into what Naruto thinks of himself.
Nettie's Note: I wrote this in about 10 minutes. It's my personal interpretation of Naruto, who is one of my favourite characters in the series. Feel free to comment.

Hmph!

Everyone thinks that it's so straightforward with me. Uzumaki Naruto, the clumsy, grinning braggart.

Ha! How wrong they are.

I'm so much greater than that.

I suppose there's a lot more to everyone than meets the eye. However, most people surely aren't as heinously underestimated as I am.

It's almost criminal how my talents are overlooked!

No one really expects much from me. To most of my friends I am essentially an idiot. A lovable one, surely. But an idiot nonetheless.

They are wrong! And one day I will prove it to the world. Of course, I don't hold their ignorance against them. It's not their fault that they fail to see the wondrous guts, strength and cunning that is me.

Rest assured, if they knew of my true power they would keel over, tears of awe shining in their admiring eyes. "How could we have missed it? Naruto is truly the greatest ninja alive!"

Okay, so I'm not very modest.

I can't help it. Boasting is an old habit I developed back when I was that lonely, hated kid called 'monster'. I had nobody to encourage and praise me, so I learned to do it myself.

I'm unashamed to admit that I talk to myself a lot. When I'm home alone, in my cosy little apartment, I find myself chattering away about nothing in particular. Anything to drown out the deafening silence that wraps around me as soon as I'm deprived of human company.

I crave the presence of others. I always have and I probably always will.

Feeling sorry for myself is not the answer, I learned long ago. I grew tired of crying. Tears brought me nothing but more pain to wallow in.

In order to gain the respect I crave, I must bury my old feelings of loneliness and bitter hate. I must live life with a bright attitude.

So I look to the future with as much optimism as I can. I have my ultimate goal to aim for. Hokage.

It's never easy.

Mainly because I have an almost impossible promise to keep, a weakening seal to cage the Kyuubi within me, and the evil organisation Akatsuki bent upon my destruction.

Admittedly, I always feel the pressure. Though I rarely doubt my own ability, despite the fact that almost everyone else does.

If only they could feel the passion I bear within my heart.

I will show them my worth.

My devotion to my dream: to surpass those gods of Hokage whose faces are carved into the mountainside. A monument to the most brilliant Shinobi of Konoha.

Nothing will stand in the way of this dream.

Upon my honour, I swear it.

I will fight to protect this village I love.

This mighty tree called Konoha.