Chapter 4: Ichiraku Ramen
Tenzen found himself in the same line he had been in early that day, and couldn't help but wonder what was so special about this place, its just ramen.
"Why isn't the line moving?" Tenzen asked to no one in particular. He couldn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with this place. "We haven't moved in ten minutes."
"Hush you. It's your fault we're here." Kushina said having enough of the boy's complaint. Although she was very happy that her Minato was going to stay in the village instead of going off with that pervert, she slowly realized that she might get stuck with an even bigger pain than Jiraiya.
"My fault! You're the one that wanted to go here!" the yellow-eyed boy exclaimed to the crazy eyed lady. Since Tenzen's and Kushina's first encounter they instantly began to act like siblings. Minato didn't find it surprising both were loud mouthed and had a little rage problem.
"Yeah but you're the one that kept Minato-kun and me from our original dinner plans!" the red head said getting in the smaller boys face. Both stood there staring into each other's hate filled eyes.
Minato knew that it wasn't real hatred just annoyance. But, neither would let the other know that they liked each other already, too proud or something.
"Hey, come now you two. Look we are almost to the front lets just enjoy the rest of the evening." The Hokage in training said trying to calm the two hotheads down.
"Just tell your student to stop complaining so much it's getting annoying." Kushina said then turned here back on the boy with a hmph, then folded her arms across her chest.
"Then tell your psycho girlfriend to shove it." The angered white hair boy said to his sensei. Both Mianto's and Kushina's eyes widened at the word psycho, and she quickly turned around and got in the boys face once again.
"Are looking to die?" she said with malice and true hatred in her voice. Kushina's eyes were back to the way they were when Tenzen had first met her, deadly, looking for the next thing to beat the living crap out of. "Well!?"
"N-n-n-n-n-n-no ma'am." Tenzen said shakily "I-I-I-I-I'm sorry."
"Gooooood." The angry women turned away slowly making sure Tenzen got the message. "Now lets eat ramen!" It took Tenzen a few minutes to recover from pissing himself, and when he did he noticed they were the next in line. The kind looking man behind the counter gave all three of them a big smile and greeted them.
"What can I get for you?" the stand owner said if smile ever present. Tenzen still couldn't understand the buzz about this place. It was just a normal stand with a few booths and a front counter, which now made him understand why the wait was so long.
"I'll have the Shio Ramen please." Minato said placing his order as kind as ever.
"Coming right up, and for you little man?" the owner directed his question towards Tenzen who was drawing a blank. He had only had instant ramen like two times he had no idea there were so many types he didn't know what to get.
"Two Miso ramens please." Kushina blurted out before Tenzen had time to say anything.
"Coming right up." The ramen chef said as he turned around and started to get to work on their food.
"Hey why'd you do that!?" Tenzen exclaimed "I don't even know if I like Miso ramen."
"Trust me, you're going to love it." Kushina said with a confident smile on her face. He still wasn't sure, but he was so hungry it probably didn't matter what was set in front of him, he was going to eat it.
So he just turned away from the red head to watch the chef cook the ramen. Tenzen wasn't any good at cooking. He had most of his meals made for him up until now, so that was no fun to watch. He decided he might as well try to get some idea about Minato's training methods.
"Minato-sensei, when are we going to start training?" the enthusiastic boy said turning his head quickly towards his new teacher.
"We can start tomorrow if you want, or whenever." The Yellow Flash said like he didn't have a care in the world.
"Come on sensei. Start acting like a real sensei." The white haired boy said with slight irritation in his voice.
"And how is a 'real sensei' supposed to act?" the prodigy said with a small smirk on his face. "Should I boss you around? Force you to do anything I say? Tie you up by your toes for doing something bad?"
"Eh… is that how sensei's usually are?" the confused Tenzen said getting a laugh from both Minato and Kushina. Was it going to be that hard to become a ninja? But, he quickly found his resolve. "Fine then! If that's what sensei's do then I'm ready for it. Bring it on!"
Both adults stopped there laughing at the boys outburst and now had look between shock and admiration. The kid sure the spirit that was for sure. It reminded Kushina of how Minato once was, although a bit more quite. No wonder he couldn't help himself but to give the boy a chance to prove himself.
"Calm down Tenzen, that's not what sensei's do." Kushina said drawing the boy's attention. "Sensei's help teach the will of fire to their students and help them realize their ninja way."
"But, I thought they taught people how to fight and hide and stuff?" the young Seishin said getting another laugh from the other two.
"They do that too, but it's important to remember where you come from and what you are working for. That is the true strength of a ninja." Minato said adding to what Kushina was saying. "Fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. That is my nindo, my ninja way."
Tenzen had always thought being a ninja was about kicking butt and taking names. But, maybe they were right. He wasn't strong enough to protect his family.
"Hai! I want to protect the people that mean the most to me and never let anything bad happen to them. That's my nindo!" the young boy exclaimed giving his sensei a big grin and a thumbs up.
"That's a great goal Tenzen." Kushina said giving him a soft smile of approval.
"Here you go folk one shio and two miso. Dig in." the chef said placing the three bowls in front of them to eat. Both of the adults took out there chopsticks and broke them apart.
"Itadakimasu!" both exclaimed putting there hands together. They then began to dig in. Tenzen just sat there and looked at them funny and went to grab his chopsticks. Before he could even get his chopsticks in his ramen Kushina smacked his hand with her chopsticks.
"Hey what was that for?" he said scowling at his attacker.
"Give gratitude for your food." She said calmly before returning to her food. He sat there for a second pondering what she meant. Does she mean that goofy little chant they did?
"What do you mean?" he said looking for clarification from the older woman.
"What were you raised in a barn?" she said scowling at him "Okay… like this." She then brought her hands together and once again did her little chant.
"Itadakimasu!" she exclaimed then looked to Tenzen to do the same. He just sat there giving her the same funny look he gave her not a minute ago.
"I don't want to do that." He said shaking his head back and forth.
"You will or you won't eat." Kushina followed up not giving the gaki an inch. Tenzen felt his stomach growl, h was starving but there were a ton of people around he didn't want to look like an idiot. But, his hunger got the best of him and he put his hands together in front of him.
"Itadakimasu!" he exclaimed and then looked around to make sure no one was looking at him weird, and thankfully no one seemed to notice.
"There you go now dig in before it gets cold. Nothing worse than cold ramen." Minato said giving his student a playful pat on the back.
Not wasting a second, Tenzen brought his chopsticks down into the ramen lifted up to his mouth chewed it for a bit, then dropped his chopsticks on the ground. Both Kushina and Minato looked at him worriedly, even the ramen chef turned around to see if the boy was okay.
"Tenzen are you okay?" Minato asked, genuine worry covered his face. The boy simply sat there for couple of seconds, and then swallowed his food before talking.
"This is the best thing I have ever tasted." Was all the Seishin said before attacking his food like a ravenous beast, getting a few strange looks from the other patrons.
"Another bowl please." the yellow-eyed boy said holding his bowl up to the ramen chef for another helping. The chef gave a light chuckle before he came back with another bowl for the little monster.
"There you go my boy. Eat as much as you like." The ramen master said setting the bowl down in front Tenzen. He wasted no time digging into the new bowl.
"Easy Tenzen, you don't want to choke." Said his blonde haired sensei with a light chuckle.
"I told you, you would like it." Kushina said chuckling along with her lover. The Uzumaki could tell that having this boy around would be anything but boring. She could get used to seeing that boy everyday, though she would never admit it.
"Keep em' coming!" the student of the Yellow Flash said finishing his second bowl, and presenting it to the ramen chef once more. The noodle chef turned around and filled up the boys bowl for the third time and handed it back to him. Tenzen wasted no time in devouring his whole third bowl.
"Uhg, im stuffed." The white haired boy said holding his stomach, and then he let out a big satisfied burp
"Tenzen! Manners!" Kushina shouted swatting the boy over the head. In response, Tenzen grabbed the back of his head and gave a wince. Both the ramen chef and Minato gave a laugh in the boy's expense.
"You got a name kid?" the ramen master asked the boy who just engorged himself in three helpings of noodles.
"Seishin Tenzen, student of the Yellow Flash." The yellow-eyed boy said with a big grin on his face. The stall owner gave a hearty chuckle, and then extended his hand for the boy to take.
"Teuchi, pleased to meet you Tenzen." The noodle maker said shaking the boys hand. Then, Minato placed down enough Ryo for their tab and stood up to leave. Kushina and Tenzen followed suit, but stopped when the noodle chef began talking to them once more.
"Come back anytime." Teuchi said with a wave to his now favorite customers. Tenzen gave him another wily smile and waved.
"Will do, see ya." The young student of the Yellow Flash said before taking a few quick steps to catch up to Minato.
"So did you like it?" Minato asked not really needing the answer.
"That was the best food ever. Can we go back there tomorrow sensei?" the eager boy asked practically bouncing with delight.
"I don't think do Tenzen. It's not good to eat too much ramen." The boys sensei said. The boy just gave a hmph and folded his arms in annoyance.
The trio continued on down the road in silence until they reached a small apartment complex.
"Isn't this you Tenzen?" the blonde haired man asked turning to his student for confirmation, which came in the form of a head nod.
"See ya later then." Minato said giving a slight wave then turning around and walking away.
"It was nice to meet you." Kushina said before following behind Minato.
Tenzen just stood there and watched the two of them walk away. He couldn't help but feel saddened by their leaving. Today had been hard on the boy from losing to Minato, then Asuma finding about family, and then Kushina bringing up his parents. It had been over two years since the death of his family, and he rarely felt this way anymore. Especially now that he had all these emotions swirling through his head, he just didn't want to be alone. But, he saw his sensei stop and turn towards him.
"I almost forgot. Do you know were training ground six is?" Tenzen's blonde haired sensei said. The boy gave him a slight nod of understanding. "Good, meet me there at 7 tomorrow morning, and wear something a little more sporty."
Then Kushina gave him another wave, and then the two of them turned around and continued to walk away. Tenzen's emotions did a complete 180, he had totally over looked the fact that he would see Minato-sensei for training all the time. In his happiness he did a little jump and skipped on inside his apartment, excited for what was to come.
End Chapter 4
Yay! The relationship between Tenzen, Minato, and Kushina is already blossoming. Coming up in the next chapter we will see Tenzen's first training session with Minato, and figure out a little bit more behind the Seishin massacre. Please continue reading and let me know what you think. I would also like to know what you guys think on pairings. Clearly Minato and Kushina are together, and that isn't going to change (we want Naruto to be born don't we). But let me know what you are thinking for Tenzen's age group (that's Kakashi, Rin, Obito, Asuma, Gai, Kushina, Genma, and I'm just going to throw in Anko, Yugao, and Hayate even though they are a bit younger.) Let me know what you are thinking. Thanks a ton.