9
Naruto has a bad feeling about this.
Then again, he's had a bad feeling almost from the moment he was assigned this godsforsaken mission—one that's only become thicker and queasier since he set foot in Daigo's shop. Maybe he should give these guys the benefit of the doubt.
Even after more than a decade, his scalp still prickles in anticipation of Kakashi's hand colliding with the back of his skull. His or Jiraiya's—gods rest the both of 'em.
Trust your gut, dumbass.
The old man—or at least the ghost-memory of his deeply inscribed training—is right. Naruto has seen the smile sported by the big man before. It's the kind of smile that presages an extended period of bad business. Naruto thinks of it as the sort of smile shared between hyenas as they circle a dying antelope.
"Hello, Ichikawa," Daigo says. He raises a hand in tentative greeting. "If y'all will give me a few minutes, I have your merchandise ready in my stockroom. This fella's on his way out."
Naruto nods vigorously, dislodging a desiccated pine needle from the brim of his hat. He says, "Sure was! Uh, nice to, uh, meet you folks. Or something. See you about."
Before Naruto can take a single step toward the sudden, glorious freedom of the chalk footpath, the big man begins making his way further into the shop. He spasmodically flexes his fingers as he comes. His dark eyes twitch in their sockets.
"Wait wait wait," Ichikawa says. "Who's this dude again?"
Daigo shrugs. He says, "Like you said, Ichikawa—just another traveler. Off to make his fortune in Dokusei, like every other dude who comes up this trail."
Naruto realizes that the big man is standing only a few paces away, leaning forward in a manner that he thinks is supposed to be intimidating. "That right?" Ichikawa says.
"Yeah. Sure. Definitely. I've got business in the city. So, you know. . . excuse me while I get on my way," Naruto says.
"What's in the pack?"
"I'm sorry?"
"I said: what's in the fuckin' pack?" His grin is like a moldering graveyard—every tooth gray, crooked, and sinking into gums like soft loam. The other two men titter.
Shrugging, Naruto says, "Just trail supplies, man. Ichikawa, right?" He extends his hand in a hopeless attempt at ameliorating the situation.
"Did I give you permission to speak my name, greenhorn?!" The big man barks the words like a battle mantra, as if this has been the opening to any number of dust-ups. "Cuz I sure as hell don't remember doin' so. You best be openin' that pack up as a way o' apologizin'."
Naruto lets loose a defeated sigh. Eyes half-lidded, he shakes his head slowly. Well, it was a good run. He strongly suspects that this is where the trail ends and the mission—such as it is—truly begins.