Ramen Doodles
By Andrew J. Talon
Disclaimer: I do not and probably never will own Naruto or any other copyrighted works mentioned in this story. I am not writing this for profit.
Author's Note: When I have writer's block, I often write a lot of random snippets of ideas, omakes, and continuations of other author's ideas that kind of petered out. As I'm afflicted with a bit of writer's block regarding Key Through the Heart (again), I've decided I'm not going to leave you guys in the lurch. Therefore, enjoy some writing I've been doing over at The Fanfiction Forum.
Snow wasn't as common in Konoha as rain, but it was common enough that Naruto knew two things about it. It was awesome to watch and play with, but really, really cold.
Right now, it was very, very cold, and his apartment building had been locked up for the night. So the nine year old was left to wander around the outer districts of Konoha, the sun long gone. He shivered, rubbing his sides underneath his simple cloak.
"Stupid manager," he grumbled. "I get my rent in on time, and he does this to me!"
The village seemed so quiet right now. Naruto didn't like quiet. It made him want to fill the emptiness with something. Anything.
"Stupid snow... Stupid silence... HEY! HEEEEY!" He shouted up at the sky. "HEEEY!" He scowled up at the tumultuous sky above, and turned away.
"Nothing..." Naruto stuck his hands in his pockets and shivered. "Hngh..."
He trudged further in the snow filled streets, passing a few people here and there. None paid him any mind, and he paid them no heed. It was a lousy day and it was turning into a lousier night.
"Exactly what do I do now?" He thought aloud. He looked around. "Huh?" He didn't recognize where he was. There were more trees now than buildings.
"Now what...?" He'd never been around here. He pulled his cloak more tightly around his body and shivered.
"Great... Maybe I can make an igloo?"
A snatch of sound hit his ears, and he turned in the direction it seemed to come from.
"Huh? What's that...?"
He saw lights, drifting between the tree trunks. He moved towards them, and as he did the sounds became a little more clear. Singing?
"Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild;
Thou canst save amid despair..."
Naruto saw figures in the snowstorm, people. And in each hand, they carried candles in lamps. Together they sang, marching along a path. He stumbled a bit in the snow, his short legs unable to keep him upright in the deep drift. He felt a strong arm catch him, and he looked up.
"O-Old Man T-T-Teuchi?"
The ramen chef looked back and shook his head. "Naruto! What are you doing out here? You'll catch your death of cold."
"Um, m-my apartment is l-l-locked out," Naruto got out through chattering teeth. A smaller figure in a coat appeared, long brown hair waving slightly in the wind.
"Naruto! Oh Dad, we can't leave him out here..." Ayame reached down and hugged him. Teuchi chuckled.
"No, I suppose we can't... Well! Come on Naruto."
"Wh-What are you d-d-doing out here, anyw-way?" Naruto asked. Teuchi smiled, wrapped his larger cloak around Naruto and his daughter, and led him after the other people.
"Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled -
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria...!"
"It's a very special night, this night," Teuchi said. Naruto looked up through the cloak, seeing a small, wooden building that everyone with a candle was heading for. Up top were two poles-One sticking up from the roof, the other across it in a cross.
"Wh-Wh-Why?"
And around them, the singing continued.
"Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem this down of eider piled,
If thy protection hover there..."
"It's Christmas Eve, Naruto!" Ayame said eagerly, as they entered the building. It instantly felt warmer, the heat of a fire and of gathered people in various pews. In front, there was a podium, with another cross symbol behind it.
"The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer,
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!"
"Christmas? What's Christmas?" Naruto asked. Teuchi led Ayame and Naruto to a pew, and they bundled up on the seat. Naruto felt nice and warm between Ayame, who kept her arm around him, and Mr. Ichiraku.
"I'll tell him, Dad," Ayame said. She looked over at Naruto. "See, it's about the birth of Jesus."
"Jesus?"
"Ave Maria! stainless styled.
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair..."
"It's a long, complicated story... But we have time," Ayame said with a smile. And so, set against the backdrop of the continued singing, Naruto was told a story. The stories she told him were always good, but this one was different. There was a sense of adventure, sure, she always included that but it wasn't the ninja fighting kind.
"We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria..."
About duty, sacrifice, love, compassion... It made his head spin. And as always with Ayame, it was well told. And the singing! It seemed to score the story perfectly.
"Ave Maria!
Now your ageless bell
so sweetly sounds for listening ears,
from heights of Heaven to brink of Hell
in tender notes have echoed through the years..."
"So... A son of God dying like a human... For us?"
"Mmhm... For He so loved the world He gave us his only Son,' that's what it said, right Dad?"
"Yes Ayame," Teuchi said.
"Why haven't I heard this before?" Naruto asked.
"Aloft from earth's far boundaries
Each poor petition, every prayer,
the hopes of foolish ones and wise
must mount in thanks or grim despair.
Ave Maria!"
"Well, it isn't very popular, given everything with ninja," Teuchi admitted. "The Sage's Path grants great power, the ability to heal, to destroy... Things that God grants but uh... Not as easily." He smiled at Naruto. "But... It works for me."
"Hmmm..." Naruto smiled. "Well... Is there any reason I can't be a ninja... And a Christian?" He kind of liked this thing.
Ayame giggled and hugged him. "Well... If anyone can figure out how to do both... It'd be you, huh?"
"You're right...! I'm gonna be Hokage someday!" He said with a grin. With that, they turned to the podium, Naruto trying to follow along with the song.
"Ave Maria! Heaven's Bride.
The bells ring out in solemn praise,
for you, the anguish and the pride.
The living glory of our nights,
of our nights and days..."
He didn't get most of the words right, and his singing voice wasn't the best thing around. But nobody around seemed to care. He had never seen any of these people before, but they seemed so... Connected. So different...
"The Prince of Peace your arms embrace,
while hosts of darkness fade and cower.
Oh save us, mother full of grace,
In life and in our dying hour,
Ave Maria...!"
And that community, well... He found it was all he really wanted.
Well, some ramen would help, but Ayame and the Old Man supplied that. One ramen for free, to use when he really needed it, no questions asked.
But he was so reluctant to part with the ticket, his first gift, he stuck it into a box under his bed, and kept it. He didn't want to part with Christmas just like that.
Yeah, I know, flamebait. My muse was insistent. Still, I've always wanted to write a story involving a Christian Naruto having to reconcile his faith with his mission and his duty as a ninja. Especially as in this time, Christianity is a minority religion in light of the Sage of the Six Paths and the Ninja Way, which is understandable-Chakra gives you all sorts of amazing abilities that Christianity doesn't provide except in certain circumstances, like if you're inflicting plagues on Egypt and stuff. This isn't a rip on it, mind you, just a different POV.
But, as usual, if you liked it, tell me. If you didn't, tell me that too.
Merry Christmas either way!