Konoha: Market district
"I luve yu guysh" Came the slurred voice of the female member of the sound four. She was currently dead drunk and hanging off the arm of one of her teammates, namely the bone user Kimimaro, who could apparently handle his Sake much better than she could.
The five were currently sitting in a little ramen stand named Ichiraku ramen.
Meanwhile, Jirobu and Kidomaru were staring at this…unbelievable sight in almost slack jawed fascination.
"Hey Kidomaru…"
"Yeah Jirobu?"
A slight pause which was broken by Tayuya giggling like a little school girl.
"I…what am I seeing?
"I don't know Jirobu…I just don't know."
Sakon blinked several times as he stared at the bottle of sake as if it was a new form of poison…or a miracle cure. "Damn, this shit must be good." He muttered before he began chugging it down like his life depended on it.
Kimimaro eyed the girl clinging to him and shrugged. "They do say sake makes one act strange."
Tayuya giggled and suddenly appeared between two severely freaked out Jirobu and Kidomaru as she placed her arms around them. "Yu guysh are the besht team mathes any kuni…kumo…ninja girl could ask for." She slurred as she smiled up at them, not noticing, or perhaps simply oblivious to the terror ridden expressions on their faces.
She giggled and looked over out of the stand. She looked but then pointed and happily squealed. "Look, it's the creepy guy with the mask…"
The other four occupants craned their heads back in order to see who she was pointing at. When they did they each paled to some degree and turned back around very fast. Jirobu, Kidomaru and Sakon went as far to hide behind the menu while Kimimaru settled for simply sipping his sake.
Ichiraku walked out from the back room, wanting to see what all the commotion was about. What he found was one drunk Kunoichi, a somewhat nervous looking Kimimaro and three very nervous looking idiots hiding behind one menu sheet.
He then looked out and found the source of their nervousness. It was a cloaked individual wearing a metal face mask. Ichiraku couldn't see his face but he didn't have to.
The slight sag of shoulders, heavy steps with no destination, resolutely staring ahead and nowhere else and the invisible weight he appeared to be carrying on his back told him that this was a person with a lot on his mind.
So without further ado he spoke. "HEY BUDDY!" He yelled making Naruto and the (currently coherent) members of the sound four…err five, swivel their heads to look at him.
With the attention of his target firmly set on him he waved him over. "You look like you got problems…a good bowl of ramen will do ya some good."
"I do not believe that will be necessary…" Naruto replied before he began walking away again.
"Come on!" Ichiraku called again. "First one's on me eh? You look like someone who has not had ramen in a long while. It'll do ya some good." He grinned.
Naruto paused in his stride and looked to the sky. How long had it been since he had ramen? Had he ever had it…he couldn't remember…
Ichiraku couldn't help but smile as the cloaked individual turned towards the shop.
The entire sound team just wanted to melt into the wall and floor at the moment. It was a healthy respect they had for this individual, as well as a good amount of fear since he single-handedly wiped out the Hyuuga clan. Orochimaru had often said that the Hyuuga clan was the only thing in Konoha that was any real threat to him. To defeat more than half of them on your own was nothing short of monstrous.
So they were obviously less than pleased when Tayuya giggled, giving away their position as Naruto entered the stand. He looked to them, his blue eyes faintly shining beneath his hood as they reflected the light that got to them.
He gave them a nod before he continued his walk to one of the stools and sat down.
It was soon after that Naruto found a full and steaming bowl of ramen infront of him.
He silently lowered his hood and began removing his face mask.
The sound five watched with almost baited breath, even Tayuya seemed to have sobered up, they had never really seen his face, only a brief glimpse of his blond hair when they had been waiting on the roof of the council room for the planned overthrow of said council.
Finally he removed his mask and set it down on the bar. While Tayuya had to stop herself from outwardly gaping at his features her comrades could only notice one thing.
He's younger than all of us…'
He snapped his chopsticks and took a bite. He swallowed and then looked at the grinning Ichiraku.
"This…" He spoke slowly. "Is very good."
Ichiraku only chuckled in response.
Naruto's small moment of peace was broken however as a chuunin entered the stand. "Naruto-sama! A messenger has arrived from the north west garrison. He says it is urgent.
Naruto nodded before he stood and put his mask back on. He placed some money on the counter but was stopped by the chef. "Hey I said the first ones on the house. Tell you what, take a rain check and come by next time, they'll be a bowl here waiting for ya."
Naruto slowly nodded and placed his money back in his pocket before he followed the chuunin back to the Hokage tower.
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