~Author's Note~
Yo, thanks for reading and stuff. Hope you're enjoying my story so far.
Also, sorry for not updating in a few weeks if you were really looking forward to it. I kinda rely on being inspired to write good stuff and obviously that doesn't happen on a regular schedule. I won't abandon this story, so just bear with me lol.
Also also, please please PLEASE let me know if there's anything I can do to make the story clearer or more enjoyable to read. If you're ever thinking "idk what's going on here" then LET ME KNOW and I'll rewrite it or find a way to explain it or something.
Also also also, I'm sort of experimenting with a new way of writing dialogue where I don't really directly state who is talking, as in, (character) does (action), "blah blah blah." Like, you know it's (character) speaking because yeah. I don't write "blah blah blah." said (character). Just let me know if it makes sense.
Anyway, enjoy the longer chapter.
Rapid knocking on my front door startles me awake.
Huh? What? What's going on? Where am I?
I blink away the fog and try to sit up, but the dull throb in my brain forces me back down. Suddenly, it all comes back to me.
I tried to mold chakra last night, and it hadn't gone well. I still hurt a bit, but it's definitely a lot better than before.
The knocking still hasn't stopped.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming, just give me a bloody second to get my shit together!"
It stops.
Well, now I have to stand up whether I like it or not. Just gotta roll over, ow, get on my knees, ow, use my hands to support myself, ow, and ta-da! I'm standing.
I feel horrible, but unusually satisfied and well-rested. Like I spent the last few hours doing intense exercise, but got a full combo on one of the hardest songs in a rhythm game.
Maybe it was the crying. Eh, who knows.
I trek over to my front door. There's no peephole, so I don't know who the heck is visiting me at god-knows-what-time in the morning. I haven't seen a single clock or watch around (maybe I just wasn't paying attention?), so I genuinely don't know what time it is. It's pretty early, though. Maybe around 10ish?
I throw open the door.
Standing in front of me are none other than Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Well, except Sasuke is standing 5 meters back and facing away from me, arms crossed and probably pouting.
Okay, I get it, you're mad at me. Big deal. Good job on the social distancing, at least.
Kakashi is nowhere to be seen, but he's probably close by.
"Alright, what do you guys want?"
Sakura opens her mouth to speak, but Naruto beats her to it.
"We need to give you a tour of the village. It's our mission, ya know."
Ah, so that's what the old man meant when he wanted to find somebody to show me around. Wait, didn't these guys only meet Kakashi yesterday? Did they already do the bell test? Why can't I remember? Gosh my brain is literally so dumb.
Sakura shoves Naruto away and looks at me with an innocent smile.
"So, is now a good time? Do you want us to come back later?"
For some reason, it was only then that I remembered that I had slept in my clothes. I probably look terrible.
"Give me ten minutes. You can wait in the living room. It's in the kitchen, last door on the left."
I gesture behind me with my thumb.
I leave the front door open, and head back into the bedroom. I close the door behind me.
Behind it, I hear a few sets of feet walk in, stop for a few seconds, and continue walking down the hall. Good, they took off their shoes.
After a few seconds, another set of feet comes in, pauses, and continues. I hear the front door close. It's not very heavy, so it probably isn't Kakashi. He can just teleport inside whenever he wants to, anyway. Which means...
That must be Sasuke.
Heh. I bet he's curious about where I live. Well, there isn't much to see, sorry. Maybe I'll invite you back when I decorate a little. Ok, I'm distracted. I need to get ready.
My hair is messy, so I let it down.
Oh. I don't have a hairbrush. That sucks.
I run my fingers through to try and detangle the bigger knots, and tie it up again.
Hmm… It's shorter than it was before. And a weird bluish-gray color too. I kinda dig this, actually.
I unwrap the bandages around my middle and calves, and take off my crop top. I swap my fishnet? shirt with a clean one from the box, and put my crop top back on.
I'll have to wash the shirt later in the sink or something, since there's no bathtub. And take a shower. Well, at least I look less homeless now. Hopefully.
I leave the bedroom and walk to the bathroom, taking my used shirt and bandages with me. I pee, then wash my hands and place the shirt on the edge of the sink. I look at the bandages.
How am I meant to put these on? These kinds of things need an instruction manual dammit.
I start wrapping one of the bandages around my leg, going up from my ankle to just below my knee. I tie a knot to hold it in place, which is probably not how I'm meant to do it. I do the same with the other leg and my torso.
Alright, I think that's about it.
I leave, and head to the kitchen where the door to the living room is. It's a bit inconvenient, not having a direct entrance. The door is closed, and I can hear a bit of commotion. I open it.
"Alright guys, let's g—"
A kunai shoots at me and narrowly misses my head as it lodges in the doorframe.
Damn, now I'll have to get that fixed.
Sasuke is yelling. So is Naruto.
"Are you stupid, Naruto!? Don't pick fights in other people's homes!"
"Oh yeah? Then maybe you shouldn't insult strangers you haven't even met!"
"Then what's up with you calling her a spy yesterday, huh? Does that not count?"
"No, because I didn't know she wasn't dangerous, and you do!"
"She is dangerous!"
"She isn't, ya know!"
As they continue berating each other, I sit on the floor and wait for them to finish.
It's crazy how they didn't notice me come in. Or maybe they did and are just ignoring me. Wait, where's Sakura?
"CHAAA!!"
Naruto flies across the room, which is now silent.
Never mind.
I stand up and clap my hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, nerds, I don't know who threw it, but there's a kunai in my doorframe that was THIS CLOSE to giving me a lobotomy. You guys are responsible for the damage as a team. C'mon, let's go."
I leave without another word, but I take the kunai. As I stare at the heavy, unfamiliar weapon in my hand, I come to a realization. Where am I meant to keep this? I don't have a weapons pouch, and I can't just keep this in my pocket, I'll stab myself!
I quickly toss it in a random drawer in the kitchen.
Sakura follows right away, muttering something about it being 'stupid Naruto's fault'. Naruto follows too, but not without shooting a dirty look at Sasuke, who shoots one right back.
"Hn. Loser."
Naruto gasps.
"Excuuuuse me, bastard."
I bang the wall with my fist.
"Hurry up, we're already outside!"
Eventually, we all manage to assemble in front of my house. I remember to lock the door this time.
"Alright. You said your mission was to show me around or something?"
They nod collectively. Sakura nudges Naruto, who looks confused for a second.
"Oh, yeah. We have a map of the village, ya know."
He pulls a scroll out of his pocket and hands it to me. I open it, and there's a very detailed, labeled picture of the village. I roll it back up. It's small enough that it fits in my pocket.
Coulda sworn I said I needed a map before.
"Thanks. This'll help a lot."
"By the way, miss, what's your name?" Sakura asks.
Miss? How old does she think I am? And did Lord Third not tell them my name?? Freaking dumbass.
"You can call me Kaishi. And drop the miss. How old do I look to you?"
Sakura studies my face for a few seconds.
"Maybe 17? 18?"
"I'm 16. So, not much older than you guys, right? You're like, 12 or something."
They nod again.
And if Itachi is around 6 years older than them, that would make him 18. Hmmm...
Wait a bloody second. You know who'd be exactly my age?
Deidara.
Oh yeah.
But that's for another time.
Sasuke starts walking down the street, hands in his pockets and head down. Iconic.
"Come on, you can talk while we do the tour. Stop wasting time."
And with that, my first official trip around Konoha commences. We walk through all the streets, with Naruto and Sakura pointing out shops and landmarks. Sasuke trails behind us, sulking.
I've gotta try to talk to him. And apologize. But first, I should get them to trust me a little more.
"So, guys. What, uh, what cool jutsus do you know?"
Naruto hops in front of me.
"I know the best jutsu out there, ya know!"
He forms a hand sign.
"Sexy jutsu!"
And with a puff of smoke, Naruto turns from a tiny 12-year-old into a well-endowed, naked female version of himself. Ah, a classic.
I clap slowly.
"That's a high quality transformation. Good job"
He releases the jutsu and smiles at me.
Ahh. My crops are watered.
I can't resist ruffling his hair, earning a soft smack to my arm.
"Cut it out, I'm not a pet!"
"Yeah, yeah. Alright, who's next? Sakura, do you know any jutsus?"
A soft blush spreads across her face.
"Well, I can throw shuriken, but Sasuke's much better than me."
I turn to him.
"Okay, then. Wanna show me what you can do?"
He looks away, scowling.
"Hn. Fine. Let's go to the training grounds."
And so we speedwalk all the way to the training grounds, where Sasuke is probably planning to use Naruto as target practice.
We enter the large fieldish area, and I sit down near a tree with Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke moves to the clearing in front of us, and starts stretching and warming up a little.
I mentally rub my hands together.
Aw yeah, this is gonna be good.
"Alright, let's enjoy the show."
There's no reply, but I know the two next to me are paying close attention. For different reasons. Probably.
Sasuke inhales deeply, and with a quick motion of his hands, a bunch of shuriken appear between his fingers.
Speedy. I didn't even see him take them out of his pouch.
He jumps up super high, and does some crazy air breakdancing. Multiple thunks are heard as each of the shuriken that were in his hands find their way into the trunk of a tree in the surrounding area. Each one hits dead center.
We start to clap, but stop when Sasuke turns away from the trees and starts spamming hand signs.
Wait a second, that's the—
"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!"
A huge ball of red hot flames bursts out of Sasuke's mouth, and dissipates a few seconds later.
Wow. That was wild.
We start clapping again, and Sakura cheers.
"Just what you'd expect from the Sasuke!"
Lmao simp but honestly same tho.
Naruto is a little less enthusiastic.
"Yeah, I guess it was cool..."
We stand up to greet Sasuke as he returns to the group.
"Good job, that was impressive."
I reach out to pat his head, but stop when he glares up at me. He crosses his arms and turns his head away.
"Hn. Whatever."
Little bitch. But he's still adorable, just look how short he is! Naruto and Sakura are absolute beans too.
Sasuke turns to look back at me with a particular expression on his face that I recognize, but can't seem to grasp. Beside him, Sakura is looking at me with the same expression. I feel something tugging on my arm, and look down to see Naruto holding onto me.
"Yeah? Need something?"
"Duh! It's your turn to show us something cool, ya know!"
Oh, crap. So that's what they wanted. Obviously. I knew it'd come to this eventually, but I didn't expect it to be so soon! What am I meant to do? Give an excuse? Yeah, that'll work. I'm so smart. Good idea, Kaishi.
"Uh, you see, I would, but uh, I'm all pooped out from training last night and I still haven't fully recovered. Sorry, but maybe next time?"
Ugh, why do I keep doing Itachi things? I really need to apologize to Sasuke.
Naruto tugs on my arm again, and his big, blue eyes stare right into my soul.
"Pleeeaaaassseeeeee? Pretty please with ramen on top?"
Ow, my heart. A wide smile spreads across my face.
"Okay, okay. Just give me a minute to think of what to do".
Naruto cheers and runs back to the tree where Sasuke and Sakura are already sitting down. They start to whisper among themselves, but I can't hear anything.
I assume a 'thinking' pose. It probably looks like I'm deciding on which 'cool jutsu' to display to the eager tweens, but on the inside, I am in fact panicking.
This is bad. I still don't know how to use chakra, and it didn't exactly go well the first time I tried to mold some. I only know the hands signs for the shadow clone, fireball and phoenix flower jutsus, but I can't guarantee they'll work. What a pain. Should I just give one a shot and blame any issues on being tired? Would they believe that? Am I going to die? Well, only one way to find out.
I crack my fingers and shake my arms a little.
Alright, here goes nothing.
I form the single most iconic hand sign in the Naruto universe; a cross using both hands' pointer and middle fingers.
Right away, a familiar feeling spreads throughout my core, but instead of striking pain, it's a buzzing warmth instead. I feel more energized than before.
Is... is this what using chakra properly feels like? Definitely not what I expected. It's nice.
"Shadow clone jutsu!"
The warmth suddenly leaves my body, leaving me empty and cold. A flash of dizziness washes over me, but disappears before I know it. With a puff of smoke and a pop, a perfect replica of me appears to my left.
We notice each other at the same time.
"Woah, it worked!"
"Woah, it worked!"
It really shouldn't have, though, considering the amount of chakra it would have needed. When Kiba tried doing one for the first time, it looked kinda pathetic, and that was with a lot more chakra training than I did, which is none. Wait. Is it possible? Could I be...
We look at each other.
Special?
We both smirk.
Nah. Background character for life, yo.
Suddenly, I'm tackled and let out an 'oof' as my back hits the ground. My clone points at me mockingly.
"Ha, loser. You got folded by a 12 year old."
"Shut up, nerd."
I look down to see exactly who decided it was a good idea to attack their superior.
It was Naruto, obviously.
"Where did you learn that jutsu? Was it from the scroll of forbidden jutsu? How did you get it?"
"Stop yelling at me, and get off already."
"My bad. Sorry."
Naruto steps off my stomach and stands there awkwardly as I slowly stand up.
With a sigh, I explain.
"Okay, look, despite being forbidden, the Shadow Clone is actually a fairly well-known jutsu."
My clone jumps in.
"Most ninja know it, since it's a useful technique and the hand sign is so simple. It's just forbidden because it uses up a lot of chakra, which is super dangerous."
We look at each other with a slightly concerned expression. It didn't feel like a lot to me, though.
Naruto points to Sakura and Sasuke, who are still sitting near the tree.
"We didn't think you'd actually do something, since you're not a ninja."
"What makes you think that?"
"You don't have a headband, ya know."
Oh shit. That makes sense. Now, how do I get out of this one? Wait.
"If you didn't think I was a ninja, then why'd you ask me to do a jutsu?"
"Well, you asked us first. It was worth a shot, and it was only fair."
"Eh, can't argue with that."
I stand up, and speak loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Alright guys, we're done here, so let's get going. I'm hungry and y'all probably are too."
Naruto runs to join the other two, and I turn to my clone.
"You can like, disappear or whatever."
"How?"
I blink once. Twice.
"What? You're the clone, why would I know how you're meant to disappear?"
"Does it look like I've been a clone before? The heck am I meant to do?"
"I don't know, man, try the hand sign again maybe? If that doesn't work I'll punch you or something. Or I could ask the others to beat you up."
"Okay, okay, fine. I'll try the hand sign."
"I'll summon you again later so we can discuss stuff. Two heads are better than one, after all. Gotta we wary of ANBU guy, though. D'you reckon he's still monitoring us?"
"Well, you can't be too careful, I guess. Alright, here goes nothing."
My clone forms the hand sign again, and disappears with a puff of smoke.
Huh, it worked.
Immediately, the clone's memories rush into my head. Memories of seeing me right after being summoned, of Naruto tackling me, basically the whole ordeal.
Very cool. Definitely gonna be useful in the future.
"Kaishi, come on! We'll leave you behind!" Sakura yells.
"Coming!"
I yell back as I jog over to the trio. We make our way back to the main part of the village, and continue walking through the streets.
"So, what do you guys want to eat? We can grab some snacks from a store and have a picnic or something. How does that sound?"
It sounds great, obviously, and everyone likes the idea. We head to the nearest store, but I stop before we go in.
"You guys can head inside, I just need to do something real quick and then I'll join you. Cool?"
"Cool."
"Cool."
"Cool."
The main characters enter the store, leaving me standing outside in the street.
I quickly check my surroundings, making sure to look as suspicious as possible, before diving into an empty alleyway beside the store.
I whisper-shout.
"Hey. I know you can hear me. Get over here."
I hear that all-too-familiar whoosh sound.
"What is it this time?"
Heh. My master plan, a success!
"Ah, ANBU guy. What a coincidence, I was just looking for you. Isn't the weather lovely today? It's simply a beautiful day. Birds are singing, flowers are bloo—"
"Do you need anything?"
"Yes. Lend me some cash, will ya?"
"..."
"Aw, cmon, just a little?"
"Don't you have your own?"
"No? I was never given any. Did you guys think I could summon food out of thin air or something? I'm not a miracle worker, ya know."
"Sorry. I'll take it up with the Hokage. I don't have any on me right now, but I can get some. How much do you need?"
What's the currency here again? Mora? Yen? No, dumbass, Ryo. How much is that stuff worth anyway? They really should've gone into more detail about this in the show. What a pain.
"Uhh, a bit? For some snacks and stuff?"
"Alright. I'll be back in a moment. You should head inside, the others are probably waiting."
"Right. Oh, and before you go, I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Do you have, like, a code name or something I can call you by?"
"Not really. I'm not supposed to give out my real name. You can pick one yourself though, if you want."
This seems very OC-ish... I don't like it. And how am I meant to come up with a name on the spot? Something common should work.
"Okay, uh, how about Haru?
"Sounds good to me. I'll be off now."
And with that, he goes.
I leave the alley, and enter the store. There's nothing special or unique about it, unfortunately. I didn't really know what to expect, I guess. Ramen and merchandise on every shelf? Plastic kunai and shuriken? Ninja action figures? Who knows.
I spot the trio at the back of the store. Sakura and Sasuke look like they're yelling at Naruto, who's holding a— oh my god is that a pack of instant ramen? Why's it so big? It's the bloody size of Naruto's head, what?
I quickly head over.
"Calm down guys, what's the problem?"
Naruto speaks first.
"I found an ultra-rare, super limited-edition legendary mega instant-ramen, and these fools don't want me to take it!"
He points at them accusingly. I nod.
Sakura speaks next.
"That's because it's literally 200 Ryo, and—"
"A small price to pay for ultra-rare, super limited-editi—"
"Wait. Stop." I interrupt them.
"So, is 200 Ryo, like, a lot? Or..."
They all stare at me like I'm stupid. Even Naruto, who wanted to buy the damn thing in the first place.
Sasuke cuts in.
"Yes?? That kind of money would pay for everyone's stuff. It's a ridiculous amount for a single, ridiculously large pack of ramen. Naruto hasn't got enough for it, and he wants us to pitch in."
I rub my invisible goatee.
"I see..."
They continue staring at me as if I'll suddenly come up with a solution that'll solve all their problems, but before I even start to think, there's a whoosh behind me. The trio gasp in unison, and I rotate 180 degrees.
That was quick!
"Haru!"
"Hello."
He holds up a small, full-looking bag/pouch thing.
"I brought the money."
I take it.
"Cool, thanks. See ya."
And Haru disappears. I turn back around, and I'm greeted with 3 equally shocked faces.
These guys don't get how compatible they are.
I snatch Naruto's comically large pack of ramen, and put it in the basket I definitely grabbed earlier, ignoring his cry of protest.
"This is mine now. I'll pay for it myself. Go get some other snacks, and make it snappy. All of you."
They slowly scatter. But, as Naruto passes by me, he points at my face and whispers menacingly.
"I'll get you back for this, ya know."
I smirk.
"You wish, shrimp."
And I quickly head in the opposite direction. That was such a cool exit. I'm so cool. The coolest around.
I eventually end up in the fruit and vegetable section, which looks quite promising. After quickly scanning the produce, my gaze lands on a pack of bright red cherry tomatoes.
Perfect for a picnic, and delicious too.
I approach the pack, but just as I grab it, another hand latches on.
Wait, I recognize those stylish arm guards!
I look up.
Sasuke smirks.
"Hn. I see you recognize quality."
His expression turns cold.
"Hands off."
"Okay, chill."
I remove my hand from the tomatoes. His expression softens as he admires the pack in his hands.
Weirdo.
I turn to walk somewhere else, but freeze mid-rotation.
Realization! Did I just say realization? Ugh, whatever, I'm alone with Sasuke, so now is a good time to apologize. Duh.
"So, Sasuke."
He doesn't look up from the tomatoes, but his eyebrows furrow.
"What?"
"I wanted to, uh, apologize or whatever for poking you in the head. Yesterday."
He doesn't say anything for a while. We stand there in an awkward silence until he speaks.
"Why did you do it?"
"I… don't know."
His head snaps up.
"You don't know."
I nod.
"I don't know."
"And why are you apologizing?"
"I mean, you looked pretty disturbed when I did it, so I probably shouldn't have done it. You're meant to apologize when you do things you aren't meant to do."
He looks down at the tomatoes.
"Disturbed, huh?"
Sasuke's voice goes quiet.
"My brother used to do that all the time. The finger thing. But then he murdered my whole clan. Now, I only live to get my revenge."
Whoa, depressing backstory already? That was quick! Wait, how am I supposed to react to that? 'Sucks to be you I guess'?
"That's rough b—"
"KAISHIIIIIIIIII!!!"
Sasuke and I rapidly turn our heads, looking for the source of the scream. I turn to Sasuke.
"Was that Sakura?"
"Sounded like her."
"I'll go check it out. Hold this."
I hand him my basket, and dash off in what I hoped was the right direction.
"Sakura! Where are you!"
"Over here! Help!"
That came from outside!
I sprint out the store entrance, but before I can see what's going on, a heavy impact to my back knocks the wind out of me. I fall to the ground again, though this time I catch myself by my arms.
"Sakura! Now!"
Huh? Was that Naruto? What's going on?
A small ball hits the ground in front of m— shit! A smoke bomb!
Gas explodes from the compact sphere and quickly engulfs the surrounding area, making it impossible to see.
"Naruto! Sakura! You shouldn't be using ninja thingies in public, it's bad manners!"
I stand up, and slowly start walking out of the smoke. I don't make it very far when Naruto's voice comes from right behind me, stopping me in my tracks.
"Then you should've thought twice about taking my ramen, ya know."
I swiftly turn around, but there's nobody behind me.
"Seriously, Naruto? Is that what this is about? I was actually thinking of giving you the ramen anyway after I paid for it, but now—"
Naruto appears in front of me with stars in his eyes.
"Really? You'd give it to me?"
I roll my eyes, and pat Naruto's head.
"Yeah. Just get rid of this smoke somehow before we all get in trouble."
"Roger!"
He starts running in circles inside the smoke and flailing his arms around.
Whatever works, I guess.
I turn around and head back to the entrance of the store. I spot Sakura standing in front of the store, a little to the side, trying and failing to look like she had nothing to do with this.
She's the one who threw the smoke bomb, right? I wonder how Naruto got her to help with his plan…
"Hey, Sakura."
"Y-yes?"
"Go help Naruto get rid of the smoke, will ya?"
"Uh, right!"
She dashes off towards Naruto and also runs in circles while flailing her arms. I chuckle quietly to myself. They look so dumb.
I re-enter the store and head to the fruit and vegetable section, where Sasuke is waiting for me with my basket.
He raises an eyebrow.
"So? Were those two acting like idiots, as usual?"
'Those two?' How did he know Naruto was with Sakura? Eh, whatever.
I take my basket. Sasuke had put his tomatoes in it.
"Well, uh…"
"They were, weren't they."
"…Yeah."
Sasuke sighs. I also sigh, and change the subject.
"So, are you only gonna have tomatoes, or do you want to take something else?"
"Nah, that's it."
I nod.
"Cool."
I walk over to the juice section, with Sasuke slowly trailing behind me. Awkward…
I grab a bottle of lychee juice (the best juice, it's the quenchiest) and stick it in my basket. I discreetly look behind at Sasuke. He's standing at the end of the isle, looking at the juices longingly.
He obviously wants some… Does he not have enough money?
I walk over, and when Sasuke notices me coming closer, he looks away, as if I hadn't already seen him.
"Yo, Sasuke."
"What."
"Do you want to get some juice?"
"No."
"I'll pay for it."
"…"
He quickly grabs a bottle of tomato juice and yeets it into my basket.
Heh. That's more like it.
Sasuke stomps off towards the checkout, and I quickly follow him. We barely make it to the end of the isle when two short figures zoom in at top speed, coming to a stop in front of us.
"Naruto, Sakura. I trust you've dealt with the uh, issue?"
They both nod enthusiastically. Sasuke looks confused.
I pat Naruto's head, and he smacks my arm again. When I move towards Sakura, she dodges my hand. Pain.
"Alright, you two. Go grab something quick before we leave. Sasuke and I already got something. Meet us at the checkout in five."
They both salute for some reason.
"Right!"
"Right!"
They dash off.
When did they get so obedient? Weirdos.
"Hn. Weirdos."
"I know, right?"
We finally make our way to the checkout. Sasuke pays for his tomatoes, and the shopkeeper scans my stuff.
"That will be 240 Ryo."
I still don't know how much that is in Euro. Well, if the ramen was 200 and the two juices were 40, then… ugh, idk, I just hope I have enough.
I pull out the bag Haru gave me to pay for the juice and ramen. I untie it, and pull out a few of the bills stuffed inside. There are a few 50 Ryo bills and a few 100 Ryo bills. I hand the shopkeeper 3 of them, and put the rest back in the bag.
"And your change is 10 Ryo."
He hands me a single gold coin, which goes straight into the bag.
"Thanks."
Hmm… 10 Ryo… one coin… one Euro? Sounds about right. That would make the ramen 20 Euro and the juice 2 Euro each. That's some expensive ramen. It is huge though.
I look at the large, oddly shaped pack of ramen in my hand.
Does Naruto even have a bowl that will fit this?
As I leave the checkout area, I spot Naruto and Sakura approaching with some stuff in their hands. Naruto has a bag of ramen-flavor potato chips, and Sakura has a salad box thing. Makes sense, since she wants to look healthy around Sasuke.
They both pay for their things. I hand Naruto his ramen, which he gently takes as if it were some priceless artifact. I also give Sasuke his juice.
"And we're all set. Let's get going."
We leave the store, and continue walking down the street with our snacks in our arms.
"So, where do you guys want to eat? Is there a park around or something?"
Sakura hums in thought.
"Well, there's one at the academy, but it's reserved for the students."
"I see..." What a shame. I would've loved to sit on the swing.
I look around for ideas.
"A-ha!" I point at the largest landmark in the village. "What about up there?"
Sakura looks a little uneasy.
"I don't think that's allow—"
"OH HELL YEAH!!"
Naruto interrupts her again. Our annoyed expressions get the message across quickly.
"Er, I mean, why yes that is indeed a good idea, absolutely splendid indeed."
I ignore the fact that we might be preparing to commit a crime.
"Alrighty then, shall we?"
We quickly make our way over to the side of the cliff that the Hokage's faces are carved into. We walk up the stairs, which takes ages by the way, and eventually we end up on Lord First's head (because it's the smoothest).
We all sit down, sighing one after another. We lay our food down around us and start to eat. Sakura tries to look like she's not scarfing down her meal. Sasuke slowly sips his juice. He hasn't touched his tomatoes yet.
I look down at the village below us. God that's beautiful.
Naruto sticks a handful of chips in his mouth, then puts the bag down. He looks at me.
"Hey, Kaishi."
"Yeah?"
"You know the guy in the mask that teleported into the store then gave you a bunch of money and left?"
I take a long swig of my juice. "What about it?"
The three stare at me in disbelief.
Why are they looking at me like that? It's not a big dea—
I smack my head. "Oh, right! He's an ANBU, and he's like, monitoring me because of some stuff. It's a secret, so I can't give you any details."
Would they buy that? It's basically the truth anyway.
Sasuke speaks next.
"Alright, keep your secrets. What about earlier, when you did the shadow clone jutsu? Naruto told us you said it was a forbidden jutsu that uses a lot of chakra, but you never explained how you could do it even though you're not a ninja."
Darn, I thought I got out of that one. Ok, look, it's not like I won't be a ninja, since I've already submitted my application form for the academy.
I grab Sasuke's tomatoes (which he doesn't appreciate) and take one out of the pack. I eat it. He snatches them back.
"Well, I haven't been to the academy yet, but I'll probably go soon. I've been training. So I'm technically not a ninja, but I will be."
The three seem to relax slightly after that. We continue eating and talking about nothing for a bit. Eventually, Sakura clears her throat. She looks up at me, but quickly breaks the eye contact and looks down at her hands instead.
"Um, nobody brought this up yet, so, uh..."
She twiddles her fingers.
"Yesterday when we were meeting Kakashi-sensei for the first time, you kind of... appeared? And then Kakashi-sensei got all serious, and he called the Hokage over. They looked really tense, because you showed up out of nowhere. Do you know what's going on?"
Hoo boy...
"Well, uh, I don't really know where to begin. I guess I'll start by saying I'm not a spy, and I'm not a danger to any of you or any of the people in this village." Except Danzo lmao
"About what happened yesterday... I..."
I lick my lips. They lean in, paying close attention.
"It's... classified? I'm gonna be straight with you guys, I have no idea if I'm allowed to talk about this or not, but I'm just gonna assume I shouldn't, so yeah. I'll tell you about it when you're a little older."
Naruto pouts. "Seriously? That's it?"
"Yeah. That's it. You three only became a team, what, yesterday?" They nod. "Maybe I'll consider telling you guys earlier if you get stronger."
"Hn. I was going to get stronger anyway."
Yeah, we get it.
"So, do you have any more questions?"
They think for a moment, then shake their heads.
"Cool."
We continue to eat slowly in silence, enjoying the view. Eventually, a chill runs through the air.
"Alright, y'all can go report to your sensei or Lord Third or whatever. It's getting late, so I'm going home. See ya."
We say our goodbyes, and I head off. I don't know what the 3 of them did after that. I finish my juice on the way home, and toss it in a rubbish bin (or trash can).
I arrive at my house soon enough. I go inside, lock the door, take off my shoes, wash my hands, the usual.
I enter my bedroom, and flop on my bed. I yawn.
Ugh, I'm so tired. I did so much today. I wonder how long that took. The sun's already setting. I think.
Without getting up, I look out the window. I can sort of see Naruto's apartment. The sunset behind my house is reflected in the windows.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so that means my house faces east. I wonder what I'll do with that information. Its too bad I can't see the sunset from my bedroom.
I yawn again, and rub my eyes.
Is it too early to go to sleep? Maybe.
My stomach growls.
Some juice isn't enough to keep me alive for a day. I should probably eat something. I should've bought some actual food earlier. Haru gave me enough money, too. I could go now, but all the shops are probably closed. Damn. Guess it's ramen time. At least I can pay for it this time.
I sit up, and sigh.
Right, I wanted to talk to a shadow clone about stuff. I'm probably too tired for that. Don't wanna risk chakra exhaustion or whatever. Next time it is.
I get up unwillingly and walk to the door. Just as my hand grabs the lock to turn it, there's a knock at the door, startling me.
Oh my GOD I swear—
I turn the lock in one swift motion and throw open the door, startling the mystery person standing behind it.
"Oh! Good evening. You must be Kaishi, I take it?"
HOLY SHIT IT'S IRUKA-SENSEI.