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Ch.2 "I'm Hungry..."

There was only one thing Tsuta could say as he entered the city, and that was "OH BABY!" His green eyes lit up like a kid who just got a new toy. He was in awe of it's overall size. Compared to this, his village was a backwater shanty town. One thing especially caught young Tsuta's eye. He cocked his head upwards to gaze upon the faces of Konoha's precious leaders. The giant faces where etched in stone, forever watching over the citizens of the city . He shook the cobwebs loose of his head and quit his daydreaming.

"This is so much bigger than the hidden sun..." He looked around him at all the stores and buildings that made up the city. There was hustle and bustle wherever he looked. All the stores where beginning to spring to life . The sleepy city seemed to just be waking up .

Tsuta just continued to wander around aimlessly, looking at nothing in particular. He just took in the site. "Boy do I ever feel like a country bumpkin!" The young man stated . He started to attract odd looks from passerby's. The boy did look a little out of place, like he just didn't belong. His outlandish green hair and odd fashion sense made him stick out like a sore thumb. He didn't seem to care very much though. Tsuta tended to daydream a lot if he wasn't focused on a goal of some sort so their glances went unnoticed.

After about twenty minutes of wandering, Tsuta heard a low rumble immerged from his stomach. "Oh yeah, I should prolly eat something." He said while placing a hand on his stomach to stop the rumbling. "I really worked up an appetite while beating on those jerks this morning. Better go get some breakfast!" He proclaimed excitedly and looked around for someplace to eat .

He didn't have very much money to spend on things so it had to be cheap. He fumbled in his bag for his wallet. It was unsatisfying and light. He let out a long and exasperated sigh. "I need to find a part time job or something." The beast would wait no longer as it growled even louder than before. As if sent by some divine entity, he spotted Ichiraku Ramen just around the corner.

He went inside and sat on a stool nearest the entrance. He set his bag at his feet and looked around at the patrons. It wasn't very busy so that made it more comfortable for him. He didn't like to be cramped in with too many people when he ate. He wasn't used to being around a large crowd. It made him feel a little uneasy.

The man behind the counter came over to Tsuta and glanced over him quickly. "What can I get for you stranger?"

"I'll take 3 bowls of spicy shrimp ramen please!" Tsuta's eyes was beaming. 'This is gunna be so good!!" he thought as he licked his lips.

"Comin' right up sir" He went back to cook the young man's meal. Tsuta waited , rocking back and forth in his seat. He was really hungry and he could barely wait for his ramen to come. He hadn't eaten a good meal in a week or so. He usually camped out and just ate berries and the like, and when he stopped in small towns, he picked up some rice balls for an on the go snack. After what seemed to be eons , Tsuta's ramen came. The old man set the bowl down in front of the young man. "Here you go . Eat up."

Tsuta broke his chopsticks and began to dig in. He slurped down the noodles so fast, it was a surprise he didn't choke. "Oh baby! This is the best ramen that I've ever had!" His comment made the old man chuckle warmly.

"Well I'm glad you like it!" he said with a big friendly smile on his face. The boy continued to stuff his face as if he had never tasted food before. He made short work of the first two bowls , and as he began work on his third, a boy wearing a loud orange jacket and pants walked in.

"OI! Old man! How ya doin!" the blonde haired boy said with a ear to ear smile. The youth practically eradiated confidence. It was almost blinding!

"Oh, Ohayo Naruto-kun! So the usual for you today?" he asked instinctively.

"That's right!" he nodded in response. Tsuta then peered upwards , towards his forehead, and noticed the metal plate that framed his head. He was a ninja! Though he sure didn't look like one. But who was Tsuta to judge.

Tsuta then turned his attention back to his still steaming bowl of ramen. He lifted the bowl to his lips and emptied all of its contents into his belly. A loud gulp sounded as it made it's way to the abyss known as the stomach. He set the now empty bowl down on the counter and let out a long and satisfied sigh. "Oh baby! Did that ever hit the spot! Look's like you found yourself a new fan Pops!" Tsuta then bent down to his bag and shuffled through his various belongings.

Naruto looked down at the stranger and watched him explore in his bag. Something caught Naruto's eye though. He definitely saw a kunai in his bag. Naruto eyes then fell upon what he initially thought was just an ordinary bandana. This boy wore a ninja headband around his neck. It was an unfamiliar symbol to Naruto though. "A picture of the sun?" he thought. He would have to ask Kakashi-Sensei about it.

Tsuta pulled out his wallet and removed what little it contained and put it on the counter. "Thanks for the meal Pops!" He pulled drawstring of the duffle bag tightly and closed it. He flung it around his right shoulder and started to walk out when Naruto called out to him.

"Oi! You don't look like you are from around here. Where are you are from?"

"Oh, Me? I come from the village of the hidden sun. It is about a two week treck on foot to the eastern coast and a day of sailing ." said Tsuta, very matter of factly.

"Are you a ninja? What are you doing in Konoha?" Naruto began to fire off questions quickly. He began to grow suspicious of him. He didn't want another incident like the hidden sand's attempted invasion of Konoha. Konoha didn't need another invasion, not now, and not while he was around to say anything about it. He strode closer to Tsuta and almost stood with in only about a two feet between there eyes.

"Long story short, I don't live there anymore. Trying to leave behind some bad memories..." he trailed off looking towards the ground in defeat.

The angry glint left Naruto's eye as soon as he saw the sadness that came over Tsuta. 'I know that expression all too well. He must be remembering sad memories.' Naruto thought. He of all people knew what it was like to be sad . If anything sadness was his only friend.

"Oh I see..."he said ,regretting of the tone he had used before . "Well what is your name? I'm Uzumaki Naruto ,and I'm going to be hokage one day!!" he proclaimed with his fist thrust into the air , brimming with enthusiasm.

"My name is Tsuta Hanya, youngest of the Hanya Clan of the hidden sun. Nice to meet you Naruto-kun." Tsuta said with a slight bow.

Naruto then came to the conclusion that this Tsuta seemed like a good guy. He then broke out one of his signature smiles. Naruto's wild smile could blow away any sense of remorse. His courage saved him and many of his colleagues in the chunin exams. This was his signature, his mark, his smile.

"Well Naruto, maybe we will cross paths again sometime." Tsuta said as he turned his back and exited Ichiraku Ramen.

"Hmmmm...interesting guy." Naruto said to himself as he walked back to his seat to his awaiting ramen bowl.