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Chapter 3: The Calm

Blue and Brown stare quietly at one another.

"Excuse me?"

A sigh is his response.

"I can't give you those lessons."

"Seriously? Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Ple-"

"Naruto."

Another sigh.

"Fine. Can you at least tell me why?"

Brown just stares.

"Of course not."

Naruto quietly walks out of the ROOT base with his hands in his pockets. He fumbles idly with a note in the right one.

"Hey, Son. I hope you like the apartment. It was actually my old place, from way back when. Bills have been handled for the first two months. I know you'll probably want to handle that, as I did when i was your age. Drop by the office around 3, you'll be meeting your person of interest at 6. More info when you drop by." - Minato

Good intentions. But, why does it still piss him off? Oh yeah, he just left the reason why everything the Namikaze clan does pisses him off. Man, fuck them.

Losing himself in his edge, he doesn't notice where he ends up walking to.

Which is a damn shame.

Because it hits his stomach like a locomotive.

Ichiraku Ramen.

Gagging, Naruto looks around for a trashcan. And promptly sprints to it and throws up in it,

Fuck, he hates that smell so damn much.

"I'm not the biggest fan of ramen either. But, geez what someone torture you or something?"

More vomit is the response.

Silence, well relative silence.

Hard to be silent when someone is vomiting their entire stomach.

A sigh.

"Troublesome."

Naruto finally finishes.

He detaches himself from the trashcan, and wipes his mouth. He turns to the Nara heir.

"You can say that. How can I help you Deer Prince?"

Shikamaru looks him up and down, "I'm not seem familiar, but also not. Have we met before?"

The Namikaze (ex) Prince shrugs, "Maybe. Not like it really matters, if you don't remember."

"You're not very friendly."

"I got a rough exterior, what can I say?"

"So, a soft interior?"

A chuckle, "Not on your life."

Shikamaru shakes his head, "Troublesome."

Naruto looks up at the sun, "Hey you got the time?"

"You can't tell?"

"You can?"

"2:30 PM. Give or take a few minutes."

A raised eyebrow.

"I watch clouds."

As if that explained everything, Naruto just nods absently.

"Thanks, Deer Prince."

"Don't call me that, you drag."

Naruto snorts.

A yell from behind the Nara heir gets his attention. "Shikamaru!"

Ugh, Ino. "Hold up you troublesome woman."

Ino reaches him and tilts her head, "Why?"

"Whaddya mean why? I'm talking to someone."

"Uh, there's no one else here."

"Wha-" Shikamaru turns back to where Naruto once was, only for there to be no one there.

His eyes sharpen.

Quick. DIdn't even feel chakra usage.

Wait.

"Fuck."

Ino glances at her teammate. "You ok, Shika?"

"Nothing, I just remembered something."

More like forgot.

The Yamanaka Princess puts her hands on her hips.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's too much of a drag to explain."

I didn't ask for his name.

STRENGTH

Naruto walks towards the office with his hands back in his pockets. A small smile on his face. He enjoyed playing with Shikamaru when he was younger; it was nice seeing his old friend even if he wasn't remembered. A small ache in his heart due to that fact makes itself known, and a voice returns.

Youth Taken.

All because of your family.

Why are you still here?

Ignoring the voice like always, because acknowledgment would just cause it to stay longer, and he was tired of the reminders. He reaches the Hokage Tower, and walks up the ridiculous staircase, until Minato's secretary comes into view.

She smiles at him, and says, "Go on ahead, honey."

A nod is her response.

He opens the door. His father sits quietly at his desk with multiple folders open in front of him, and a couple more closed by his feet.

"Hello Hokage-sama."

"Hey, Son."

A folder gets tossed at the Namikaze (ex) prince. The number 1 neatly written on it.

Naruto opens it and scans it swiftly. His eyebrows raise and he looks up at his father.

"Odd place to start."

Minato smiles while still looking down at his desk, "I want to know where you're at skillswise. He's the best one to test you. He'll meet you at Training Ground 7 with the rest of the details."

Naruto closes the folder and tosses it back at his leader. It lands on the desk, with a single picture falling slightly out. Only a small piece of silver can be seen from it.

"Understood, Hokage-sama."

He heads back towards the door.

"Ah, one more thing, son."

Naruto glances back at the Namikaze Patriarch.

"Dinner tonight, 9."

Fuck.

"Understood." His hand reaches the doorknob.

Minato adds excitingly, "We're having Ramen."

Naruto's hand stops. His entire body shakes.

Fuck.

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