Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Long Gone: Strange Dreams ❯ Bad News ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Chapter 3 of Long Gone, A Strange Dream
Bad News
It was morning or what passed for morning when living in the Underground, and Kyuubi was out early, normally only the earliest risers would be out, but since today was a festival every good shopkeeper worth their salt was out setting up for what was sure to be a busy day. Waving at his favourite ramen vender (couldn't help but add it XD), who was preparing the ramen that Kyuubi loved so much, or rather, he was directing his daughter Ayame with the spoon he held and was watching her intently, making sure she wasn't slacking off. On what was bound to be the busiest, and most profitable day of sales of the entire year, no one could afford to slack off. Noticing him Old Ichimato smiled at him, forgetting about poor Ayame temporarily, who took the opportunity to slip off while her father wasn't watching her, and waved him over with his spoon.
Kyuubi loved Old Ichimato like he would his own father if he had one, the man hadn't discriminated against him just because he was an orphan on the street who didn't care much for the law. In fact it was Ichimato who had practically raised Kyuubi as early as he could remember. Even though Kyuubi didn't want to intrude and had moved out as soon as he was old enough to fend for himself, Ichimato fought his decision all the way before finally accepting that Kyuubi wouldn't be coming back. Even now, whenever Kyuubi stopped by he was treated to as many free bowls of ramen as he could eat, Sakura too, although she didn't seem to appreciate the wonders of ramen as much as he did and would only finish one bowl when she came. She claimed that all that salt wasn't good for you.
Taking a seat, Kyuubi practically drooled over the bowl the steaming bowl of pork ramen that was placed in front of him on the counter. Barely sparing time for an “Itadakimasu”, he dug into the ramen, shovelling it down his throat like he hadn't ate in weeks, which knowing him it could be true. After topping off five bowls of his one and only love, he put down his chopsticks and sighed contentedly. Ichimato took his bowl and carried it off to the kitchen to be cleaned by Ayame later, whenever she decided to come back. No teenager or adult even would miss this festival if they could help it, which got Kyuubi thinking of all the wonderful stuff he and Red could steal, the vendors would be busy and less likely to notice two scruffy teenagers, especially since the main part of the festival where all the entertainment would be held was in the main square of the inner city, a place poor common folk like him could only step foot in on this one day of the year. And as such none of those poor unsuspecting shopkeepers would be on the lookout for them and even if they did get caught they could easily get lost in the crowd of thousands that was sure to amass in the square.
Humming gleefully, and lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Ichimato's return until he was rapped sharply over the head with the man's spoon. “Oi! Old man did you have to do that?” Kyuubi glared up at the man clutching his head, the other man just smiled.
“Well brat, maybe if you listened to what I was saying instead of daydreaming then I wouldn't have had to hit you.” The man casually went over and stirred one of the many steaming pots of ramen. “ Anyway since you weren't listening next time you come I guess I'll have to forget you're my favourite customer, who never has to pay for anything might I add.”
Kyuubi grumbled, but the thought of losing the chance of getting free ramen was to much for him to handle. “Hey! Old man, I'm sorry for not listening to your mindless nagg- I mean,” Kyuubi corrected hastily noticing the cook's sharp glare, “to what you had to say.” The man sighed exasperated, and Kyuubi grinned knowing he was forgiven.
“Anyway, as I said before I want you to be careful. I know you and Sakura won't stop stealing but I heard that there have been some pretty shady people around town lately.” Kyuubi gave him a look that said `and I should care why?', the man glared at him briefly before sighing, “and you should care Kyuubi because rumors say that their from Genesis.” Kyuubi froze and shuddered at the thought. The dark cloaked members of Genesis weren't known to be kind, if they asked you to join and you refused then you died, or they found some way to make you join anyway. They were known for taking family members and threatening their lives until the person agreed. Many people joined of their own free will because they hated the government, but in Kyuubi's opinion Genesis was worse because they were supposed to be better.
This wasn't good news for him and Red, because if there were even rumours of Genesis being nearby, then members of Shinobi would almost certainately be out patrolling at the festival just in case the rumours happened to be true. In which case he had to be very careful when he was stealing, so he didn't
draw attention to himself or Red. Because when Shinobi had you they had a very uncanny way of finding out any secrets you didn't want to tell. And if Shinobi found out that he and Red could to do very strange things indeed, then they would almost certainately be taken, and most probably killed.
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