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Chapter - 15

Preparations for the Unification Festival
were finished on schedule. Buildings were decorated commemorating the anniversary of the West's unification. Different lights hung from even the tallest skyscrapers that made up the downtown area of the Capital. Restaurants and food vendors were all lined up on the alley dubbed "Restaurant Row". All types of food could be found here like sushi, steak, chicken, fish, donburi, bento, BBQ, sweet snacks, savory snacks, desserts, and even ramen. Noticeably, the biggest vendor on Restaurant Row was a fan favorite, not only among the people but the Emperor as well.

Ichiraku Ramen was a very large ramen restaurant now. It was no longer just a small, ramen stand. Naruto had made sure to give his two favorite people all the appliances and space they needed to make Ichiraku Ramen a success. What was old man Teuchi and Ayame doing here in the West you ask? Well, it's really not that hard to figure out.

Flash Back

Ever since Naruto was banished, Teuchi and Ayame had longed to get back their favorite customer. Ayame missed the boy she considered her younger brother and cried heavily when the news of Naruto's banishment became public. Teuchi as well, not only had he lost his best customer, but he also missed seeing the usually cheerful Naruto enjoying his ramen. In the past, Teuchi left ramen hot for Naruto, knowing that the young blonde would be hungry late at night. No matter if the shop was closed or even if it was at three in the morning, Teuchi would make Naruto ramen. After Naruto was banished, however, Teuchi still did this routine. However, he would always come back to the shop, staring at the bowl he left for Naruto, then would shed tears, sad that he was helpless in preventing Naruto's banishment.

A year or so after the Empire of the West had been established, Ichiraku's received a letter that was sent by the Emperor himself. The Emperor explained that he heard of Ichiraku's great ramen and wanted to experience it for himself. He offered Teuchi and Ayame a place to set up shop, a house, and anything else they needed in order for them to make a move West. He promised protection and great profit, but he also offered them a chance to see Naruto again. The Emperor explained that they would need to keep this a secret though and to tell no one that Naruto was in the West. If they accepted, they would meet at one of the West's merchant shops and show the guards the letter. They would then be transferred to the West.

Teuchi decided that it was time to make a move. Even if the letter was fake, they would at least have a chance to make some money, seeing as though their popularity in Konoha had dwindled since Naruto left. People saw how well Teuchi and Ayame treated the young Jinchuuriki in the past and ostracized Ichiraku's because they never talked bad about Naruto. Also, even if the chances were slim to see Naruto again, it was a risk Teuchi and Ayame was willing to take.

Teuchi and Ayame requested to the civilian council to approve of their move. Teuchi cited that he wanted to study different types of ramen from other places so that he could perfect his craft. The civilian council quickly accepted, wanting to get rid of anyone who didn't agree with their thinking when it came to Naruto.

Teuchi and Ayame packed all their belongings and packed up shop. They headed to one of the West's Merchant's shops, south from Konoha, and showed the guard the letter they received. The guard ushered them in and set them up in a room for the night. The next morning, a knock came at their door. When Teuchi opened it, a young woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail met them at the door. She wore short cutoff denim shorts and a black crop top, leaving her tanned skin belly exposed. She didn't say a word but motioned for Teuchi and Ayame to follow her.

As they got to the main lobby, the woman signaled to the rest of her crew, who were sitting down at the bar. A tall, muscular African-American man, a taller caucasian man with blonde hair, and a Japanese man in a suit stood up and followed them out the door. They made their way to a ship both Teuchi and Ayame had never seen before. They got onto the ship and went below deck.

The younger Japanese man introduced the group to them. He said that his name was Rokuro Okajima, the taller African-American male was Dutch, the blonde man was Benny and the woman who greeted them at the door was Revy. He mentioned that they were sent by the Emperor to escort them to the West. It would be about a one day trip and to make themselves as comfortable as possible.

The group got to their destination without a hitch. They strolled into one of the large ship harbors and were greeted by Tatsumi who escorted them to the Emperor's chambers. Teuchi and Ayame were amazed at the scenery in their new home. They noticed how the buildings, which stood even taller than the Hokage monument, were placed next to each other. They noticed the liveliness of the city, as it seemed like people were always walking around no matter where they went.

Yachiru explained to them that this was the Capital, the main city in the Western Empire. This is where all the business usually occurs and that the large buildings and skyscrapers were built in a few months, citing that the technology they had in the West was much more advanced to that of the East. There were so many questions that they had, yet had very little time to ask them. Tatsumi assured them that all of their questions would be answered after they meet the Emperor.

When they reached the Emperor's chambers, Walter greeted them outside and allowed Tatsumi to take a break. The butler then ushered Teuchi and Ayame into the Emperor's throne room, where the Emperor and the Empress were waiting for them. Off to the side were Yusuke and Hiei, leaning against the wall as they watched over their respective assignments.

Teuchi and Ayame bowed quickly, showing respect for the Emperor and his wife.

"No please, do not bow to me. I am no better than any of you. Please, rise," Teuchi and Ayame did as they were told. They noticed that the Emperor wore a Tengu mask while his wife didn't have one on. They noticed her beauty, and also her radiant smile as she looked upon the two former Konoha citizens.

"We would like to thank you for your kind letter, Emperor-Sama. We are grateful for the opportunity," Teuchi spoke as he lowered his head a bit.

"No need to thank me, Teuchi-san. The one you should thank is Uzumaki Naruto. For he is the one that recommended you come here. I too, am a big fan of ramen and he mentioned that you were the best that he had ever had. So of course, I did what I could to bring you here," the Emperor explained as Ayame stood up and moved towards the throne of the Emperor and Empress. Tatsumi and King sped into action, halting her progress.

"Please. Please tell us where he is. We have missed him so much. I have so many things to tell him, so many apologies to give him. I just want to hug him and let him know that we were always supporting him," she said, tears flowing from her eyes as the Emperor stood up from his seat. He motioned Tatsumiand king to let her be, as the two bodyguards moved out of his way.

The Emperor then put a hand on Ayame's shoulder, comforting her. "Do not worry Ayame-san, you will meet him soon. He is currently on assignment, but when he returns, he will be the first to see you. He will also be the first to try your ramen, so don't worry about that. Now, I would hope that you enjoy your stay here. I have already made preparations for your new restaurant and your new residence. I hope you rest for a few days before you go to work. I am very excited to taste your ramen," the Emperor said as Ayame smiled a little before returning to her father. They were then escorted to their new home, a nice apartment space that was bigger than their old one, ten-fold.