A gentle lapping sound came from the direction of the store cat.
While the contented feline worked on a fresh bowl of cream, the front room of the Ramen shop was otherwise silent.
It was eerie. No, it was like something out of a dream. Naruto stood as stiff as a board, his eyes wide and mouth open. The patrons all held long strands of noodles on their chopsticks, or had stopped in mid slurp, their cheeks bulging. The shop owner stood with a determined look, his arms crossed, ladle in one hand and a large spoon in the other.
"Wh-… Wh-… What?" Naruto managed to stutter that much. He looked over at one long term customer. She had a sympathetic look in her eyes.
"I said that I will not be serving you any noodles today. Not a single one." The shop owner nodded to his daughter, who moved to take the orders of a young couple that just entered the eatery. "No noodles. No soup. No seafood platter. Nothing."
"B-… B-… But why?" Naruto fought down the urge to throw down his money, grab a large pot of Ramen, Udon, or Soba, and then run for his life. "I… I just got back into town today. It isn't like I've been avoiding the shop…" He swallowed hard. The patrons had all gone back to eating. Everyone looked happy and was making quite a racket eating. "I didn't do anything wrong…"
He had felt shocked. Then, he had felt desperate and depressed. Now, he felt his anger and resentment growing. The walk to Konoha had been a royal pain in the ass. His meeting with Tsunade had not been much better. Being shorn like a sheep by a garrulous barber hadn't been too terrible, except for the fact that Anko had chosen to sit on the counter, legs crossed, eyeing him the way that a vulture eyes a dying animal.
Those little injustices had been bad enough. But, the time he had spent at the baths had left him mortified. Kurenai didn't trust him, and wouldn't let him go off to the Men's Bath alone. The guys in the Men's Bath wouldn't let Anko in. So, after the washers and soakers were all convinced to leave the Women's Bath, the two jounin had brought Naruto in there. Shizune joined them, when she stopped by looking for someone else.
"First off, your robes are just too nice. You're obviously all ready for the evening, and I don't want to ruin that." The shop owner smiled. "And, I don't see a lantern or a gift, so you have some shopping to do." He pointed his spoon at a large clock on the store wall. "You don't have any time to waste."
"But… I'll be careful… and there's always time for Ramen…" Naruto almost got down on his knees to beg. All he wanted was some noodles. It was something familiar. It would make his homecoming seem right. And, the noodles out by where he and Jiraiya were training weren't nearly as good.
"No," the shop keeper said. It was the first time that Naruto had heard the man speak firmly to anyone. "Not even for you." He made a stern face and shook his head. "Ayame…"
"Yes, Papa?" Ayame walked over, handing her father a number of new orders.
"Look who it is. It's been a while since we've seen him, hasn't it? He's getting ready for the festival." The man whispered in his daughter's ear for a moment, and then went back to wait on his customers.
"I wouldn't have recognized you," Ayame said. "You look very handsome in those robes. I never would have guessed that you would go to this much trouble. But, a lot can happen in three years, right?" She smiled, showing her beautiful teeth. She raised one eyebrow when she saw Naruto make a sour face.
Naruto put his hand behind his head. Handsome? Him? She was probably just being polite. Then, his eyes snapped open even wider. If she really did think he was handsome, maybe she'd accept his Lantern. Boy, wouldn't that be lucky! Besides, she used to be second on his crush list after Sakura.
"Ummm… Ayame… would you like to…"
"No," the girl said, laughing a sweet bell-like laugh. She had predicted his question. "I'm sorry, Naruto. You're nice boy and all. There's no reason that a shinobi can't ask a civilian." She pursed her lips. "I think it's best to keep things close in age, don't you? You're not simply looking to shirk your obligations, are you?"
"Well… you see…" Naruto frowned. Busted!" "Ahhh… damn…"
"Keep your head up," Ayame said sweetly, resisting the urge to muss his hair. "I wish they had something like this when I was your age. It would have been fun." She watched the play of emotions on his face again. "It's not like it's a betrothal ceremony or anything. Don't you ever want to do something different? You can't fight or train all the time, you know." She looked him in the eyes. "Sooner or later you're going to find yourself interested in girls."
"I… you know… it's just stupid… that's all…" Naruto glared at the diners who had all chosen to listen in on the conversation.
"I guess some guys take a while to notice girls," Ayame said, teasing her father's favorite customer. "But I guess that doesn't seem to be your problem!" She narrowed her eyes, looking cross for a moment. Naruto had tried to slyly get a look at her legs.
Naruto didn't say anything. He just whistled off key and played around with a pair of chopsticks he broke apart. Having spent a lot of time with Jiraiya, noticing girls was not a problem for him. It was everything that took place after he noticed someone.
"So, what's really bothering you?" Ayame sat down at a booth and tucked her legs under the table. She motioned for Naruto to sit as well.
"There are so many dumb things that we all have to do." Naruto grimaced. "It's such a big waste of time. Boats. Paper kimonos. Bags. Messages for the bamboo. All that kind of stuff." He stuck his lower lip out and used the chopsticks like drumsticks on the table top.
"Is that it, the waste of time?" Ayame sagely tapped her finger on Naruto's hand, causing him to put the chopsticks down. "Or is it something a lot more personal." She paused, trying to gauge his mood. This was not an easy topic for anyone, especially teenagers. "Are you afraid of rejection? Is that it?"
Naruto ran a hand through his hair, shocked at how short it was. "It's not as if it would be anything new…." He looked down at his lap. He sighed.
"But it would still hurt,right?" Ayame nodded, her eyes filled with sympathy. "Especially if happens during a big ceremony, and everyone is watching." She bit her lip for a moment. She wished that there was some way that she could help him.
"Yes." Naruto couldn't deny the truth.
"Is that why you don't have a gift or your lantern? You've already given up?" Ayame frowned, a rare sight. "I seem to remember a certain boy talking about his Ninja Way between bites of Ramen. Weren't you the one who wanted to become Hokage some day?"
"That has nothing to do with this!"Naruto brought his fist down hard, startling Ayame. He apologized. This was a very sore subject with him. Normally, in everything he did, he gave it his utmost, pushing on long after everyone else would have stopped. Before leaving the village, he probably would have treated a festival like this the very same way. But, he had become very self conscious where girls were concerned.
He wouldn't give up entirely, though. He could thank Jiraiya for that. Jiraiya, and the whole moronic Slug-Snake-Frog thing. At times, looking how much coincidence there was between Team Seven and the Three Legendary Sannin, he found himself wondering if he might end up like that damn pervert. There was just no way he could let that happen!
Ayame shook her head. "A Hokage needs to do things he or she doesn't want to do. Our rulers all observe a number of traditions, and try to take the different customs and beliefs of the village into account." She looked somewhat stern for a moment, before smiling sweetly again. "They often have to try new things, without any guarantee that they will succeed, and with no assurance that the townspeople will be happy."
"Yeh… but…" Naruto muttered under his breath. Why did the things she said have to make sense?
"If the Kages always worried what people thought about them, they'd never get a single thing done." Ayame did a quick drum roll herself with the chopsticks.
Naruto's mouth hung open Why hadn't Tsunade had something like that?Why hadn't Jiraiya for that matter? Because they knew he wouldn't have listened. No, he would have listened; but, feeling contrary around those two Legendary Sannin, he wouldn't have believed a thing they said. He looked over at the sun. It was getting close toe the horizon Damn. Stores might close early on a festival night. The best gifts and lanterns were probably taken by now.
"Worried about the time?" Ayame asked, softly. "Maybe changing your mind?"
The contrary part of Naruto was ready to say something smart ass; but, he knew that Ayame didn't deserve that. While he was being honest with himself, he grudgingly admitted that Tsunade had been trying to help him, too. "Yes. I guess so." He managed a lop-sided smile. "That's all your fault…."
"Really?" Ayame smiled. "Then it's a good thing my father told me I can take some time off tonight, so I can help you. I can't be gone too long, because festival night crowds should be big."
"That would be great!" Naruto blushed, realizing how loud he had been. That would be great. You're just going to help me with the shopping part, right? Gifts and lantern. That would be a big help." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess you really can't help me find a girl, though…"
"Well, that last part is up to you." Ayame stood. She shook a finger at Naruto. "Just do your best. Ask with your heart, not your head. This isn't about tricky plans or beating the system. That doesn't work for everything, you know."
Naruto nodded his head. He had spent much of his life getting by in just that manner. But, life doesn'tt always follow the path that one chooses, just the way a fight didn't always go as planned. A wise enemy would see an opponent's tricks, and those methods would become ineffective after a while.
The two set off down the street, Ayame leading the way. Block by block, they watched as the gas lamps began turning on and workmen finished with the last decorations for the night's festivities. Naruto hoped that Ayame knew what she was doing. Everywhere he looked, lights went off in shops, or the owners pulled down their awnings and stowed away their stand-up signs and advertisements.
"Ayame?"Naruto asked, running to catch up after he realized he was too busy watching the activities on the square.
"Yes?" Ayame asked.
"Uhhh… well… you know…I've never done anything like this before." Naruto kicked at a stone on the sidewalk. "I really don't know anything about picking out gifts." He sighed. "It would be bad enough, if I knew who I was choosing it for. But…." This was beginning to feel more complicated than a B-class or C-class mission.
Ayame chuckled. "You're not alone there. That's often a failing in the male species." She tossed her hair, and then pointed at a small cluster of shops on a little-traveled back street. "You're not trying to overwhelm anyone, right? It's not about winning someone's heart or sweeping them off their feet." She watched Naruto shake his head vigorously. "This is supposed to be a small gift, right?"
"Yes," Naruto said. "But, if I'm going to do something, I should do it right." His pride had decided to make an appearance. "That's just the way that Uzumaki Naruto does things." Once he decides he wants to do something, that is. "I have plenty of money. Tsunade loaned me some" He held up the frog purse. Luckily, the Hokage said that she would get her old teammate to pay her back. Ero-sennin wouldn't mess around with her money! "But, I guess there's something more important than cost, huh?"
"Now that's the right attitude. If you want to impress someone tonight, impress them with who you are, not by what you have." Ayame patted Naruto on the cheek. That had him blushing and nearly tripping over a crack in the pavement. "You show a lot of promise. If some girl doesn't take your lantern tonight, don't you get too down on yourself."
"That kind of thing is real easy to say…" Naruto grumped.
"Now, about gifts…." Ayame ignored Naruto's complaining. "You could do something simple like chocolate. Most girls like that." Ayame smiled, thinking back to some of her past dates.
"OK. Let's do that, then." Naruto began walking with a more spirited step. Maybe he would end up being luckier than the other dopes. He had a girl shopping with him. It was almost like having a spy or paid informant.
"Of course, that often has romantic connotations," Ayame said, mostly in jest. She glanced at Naruto out of the corner of her eye, smiling when she saw him stumble.
"Forget chocolate," Naruto said. He cursed, hearing how anxious he sounded.
"I was only kidding," Ayame said. "Romance has more to do with the giver than the gift." She reached over and tugged on the sleeve of Naruto's robe, making certain that she had his full attention. "In everyday life, gift giving is an art form, Naruto. It represents friendship, honor, and even gratitude. That's one thing I want you to remember."
"Sure… art form… you got it…" Naruto wrinkled his nose.
"Ceremony is important, too." Ayame hoped this would all sink in. "The presnt should be in a gift box, or beautifully wrapped in quality paper. It should be given with great respect. Because the symbolism is what's truly important, the actual gift may be very modest." Ayame spoke about gifts as it were a passion.
"But…." Naruto heard the words, but the concepts were beginning to overwhelm him.
"I'll help. Don't worry." Ayame tried to assure Naruto. "When you offer your gift, hold it in both hands and bow, saying words that let the girl know that the gift is insignificant in comparison to her." She had Naruto repeat things after her, hoping that they might sink in better that way. "Some girls will politely refuse a gift once or twice before accepting it. If someone accepts the girt, it may not be opened in your presence. Don't take that as a refusal of the gift or some kind of insult. Some families follow that tradition." She steered him into a shop.
The interior of the store was very cluttered, filled with items of every sort. Carvings. Flower arrangements. Books on poetry. Candy. Small ornate boxes. Decorations. The wide range of finery and frippery boggled the imagination. It would take all night just to look through it all.
"Mother?" Ayame told Naruto to look around. It was her mother's shop. No wonder Ayame knew so much about gifts.
"Is this your new boyfriend, Ayame?" A handsome if somewhat thickly built woman of middle age walked out from a small side room. She was waving an ornate fan decorated with cranes and water scenes. "He looks a bit on the young side. But, he's certainly more clean cut than the last one." She smiled at Naruto. "So, what are your intentions regarding my tenth and final daughter?"
"It... I… you see…" Naruto stared at the woman as if she had just grown a snake's head.
"Mother!" Ayame made a face.
"It's alright dear, I'm just joking with the boy." Ayame's mother walked over and looked closer at Naruto, taking in his clothing. "It's nice to see that some of the young hooligans take this kind of thing seriously." She smiled, and then reached out to button one more of Naruto's buttons. "That's better. Much more dignified." She sighed, waving her fan faster. "In my youth, the Star Festival was serious business. That's how I met my husband."
Naruto swallowed hard. Husband. Husband implied wife. He told himself that this year's ceremony was nothing like that.
"Mo-ther-r-r-r…" Ayame pointed at the clock on the wall. The Hokage's opening speech was less than an hour away.
"Children these days…" Ayame's mother said. "I really need to get her married off. Are you sure you're not interested?" She grinned, seeing the look on Naruto's face and hearing her daughter sputter angrily. Then, she took him by the arm and began giving him a tour of the shop, holding a one-sided conversation as they went. Before long, Naruto had three items sitting in front of him.
"So, what will it be?" Ayame asked, wondering what Naruto's choice might be. Her mother's taste was as exquisite as usual, and she had helped the young ninja narrow things down to a number of very different choices.
"I'm not sure…" Naruto scratched his head. "This is not easy." He began running through the possibilities.
The first item was rather straight forward. It was a beautifully wrapped box, containing a small assortment of cookies and a few pieces of fresh fruit. The woman said that she would put it in a larger star-shaped box. That might do! Girls seem to like cookies. Everybody likes fruit.
But, the second item was nice, too. It was a small but delicately carved pendant that could also be worn as a pin. The shape was that of a star, perfect for the night's festival. Not only that, it glittered like one of the distant points of light. That was kind of cool, and girls like jewelryThat might do, too! How was he going to decide between them?
The third item would be a huge risk. It would be hit or miss, big time. He could truly impress someone with his ingenuity, or fall flat on his face, a laughing stock. The International Registry Office was selling something through the shop. One could purchase the rights to name a certain star in the night sky. That name would be official. It would also be permanent. No. That one had too much risk. Still…
"This is really hard," Naruto said. Then, he smiled. Froggie was full of coins again, and a girl would know what she liked better than he did. He could buy all three, and let the young lady choose the one she wanted. He was a genius! "I'll buy all three…"
Ayame sighed. She had hoped that Naruto would make a decision. Men were so indecisive!
"If that's what you want to do," Ayame's mother said. The boy's decision had her smiling, even though she believed that the giving of gifts mattered more than the gift itself. It was nice to find a young man who actually cared what someone else might like, rather than think only of himself. "I'll fix each one up very nicely for you, while you are off on the second part of your errand."
As the woman turned away chuckling to herself, Naruto heard her say "That was just how my husband did it. He brought three gifts…" He ran into the door jam and saw stars for a moment.
Ayame led Naruto to the next shop. "Does this shop belong to a relative too?" He asked the her, rubbing his forehead.
"Yes," Ayame said, laughing. "My uncle." The man was quite a character. Some people in her family tried to pretend that they were not related. "In the past, he was one of the foremost lamp and lantern makers. But, the times have slowly passed him by." She sighed. That was true with so many items and customs. "If he doesn't have something you like, I'll be very surprised."
A series of bells rang as they pushed open the old style door. Naruto jumped, startled, just as he took his first step past the threshold. A large stuffed bear, paws outstretched, stood directly in front of him.
"Uncle has been begun to work with taxidermy too," Ayame explained. "He has always loved animals." She shrugged. "I don't know why he wants to stuff them, though."
"Preserve them, niece." A tall and thin man walked over, dressed in worn old robes. "Stufgfing is something you do to a turkey or other edible fowl." His smile showed a set of impossible white teeth. It almost seemed as if he had more than most people did. "I honor creatures after they die. There is beauty in everything. I thought I told you that before…."
"Yes-s-s-s, Uncle." Ayame rolled her eyes and introduced Naruto.
"I see. One of the hopeful, then. I hope you do better than I did in my days." The old man shook his head sadly. "My disappointment still haunts me to this day."
"Uncle!" Ayame made a face. That was not the kind of thing that a young man needed to hear.
Naruto began to sweat under his heavy robes. Ducking under a Snowy Owl and a pair of marmots, he followed the man into an amazing room. One long wall was hung with more lanterns than he could count in the short time he had left. The amazing creations came in all sorts of sizes and shapes, and were made from a wide variety of materials.
"They're all lit by bulbs in the shop," the old man explained. "But, I sell them with small candles. Take your time to look around. You're the only customer at the moment."
"So many…" Naruto whispered. When the shop owner turned out the overhead lights, the wall took on a life of its own.
"The globes and small wood-framed boxes are the most popular these days, amongst the hand held lanterns, that is. As you can see, some are made for hanging, while others have legs to sit on. Many of them can be used in both manners." The old man coughed, and then continued. "The painted cylinders are popular, as well as fashionable."
"Those are my favorites," Ayame added, unsolicited.
"The animal shapes are not very popular today," Ayame's uncle said. "Probably because the old myths and legends have gone out of favor." He scratched his shin and looked over at one small portion of the collection. "Children are forced to grow up so fast these days."
Naruto looked over to where the man had pointed. He couldn't help but smile. Those lanterns were amazing. One looked like a happy frog. It almost seemed alive. He was very tempted to buy that one, for obvious reasons. But, while he liked it, the girls would probably think it was silly. The light from the brightly colored lanterns reflecting from his eyes, he looked at eagles, rats, goats, horses, sea creatures, and dogs. The craftsmanship was unbelievable.
His heart almost stopped. His hands trembled. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes for a brief time. In the center of the animal lanterns, one stood out, glowing a bright orange color. Of course. It just had to be there. He could never escape it, could he?
It was a fox-shaped lantern, one with only a single tail.
"Oh. I would not recommend that one, young man." The lantern-maker almost sounded apologetic, if not slightly anxious. "While the youth of today might find that very becoming, there are many amongst the older generation who might take offense. It would bring back unpleasant memories for them."
Naruto swallowed hard. That was the last lantern he wanted. Wasn't it? Rubbing his chin, he thought a moment. Granny Tsunade had been adamant. She had insisted that he faced his fears and doubts, taking part in the festival. There was something else he needed to face. He was who he was.
If the people of Konoha didn't want to accept him for who he was, too damn bad. He shouldn't rub things in, but his pride and anger helped him make his decision.
"I'll take it…."