Outsiders

🍥 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚 🍥

A/N: I have no idea how to make ramen- I'm just assuming the ingredients lmao. A Pidgeon was watching me write this through the window, I think the FBI is after me smh. Comment what you think or else Shrek will give your pet rabies.

***

''THREE BOWLS OF MISO WITH EXTRA CHASU!'' Naruto bellowed from down the street, his luggage hauled over his shoulders.

Ichiraku, the owner of the ramen stand, was happy to serve his best (and possibly favorite) customer. He set to work immediately, slicing up his spring onions and brewing his irresistible, addictive concoction. He spooned three helpings into white melamine bowls, scattering a heap of shredded shallots on top and adding a pinch of salt, just for luck.

A loud, destructive whirlpool of kumquat orange and sunshine yellow whisked its way onto a padded, tattered red bar stool. The blonde, excitable genin slapped his hands together in a prayer format and roared "Tabemono-arigatō."

In his tan, scruffy hands materialized a pair of chopsticks, which he used to devour his first helping under the first two minutes. A world record for sure, for the naïve mind, that is. Under two minutes is nothing for Naruto's gut. He continued devouring while Ichiraku and Ayame stood and watched.

"He seems to be in a hurry today" Ichiraku mused, pursing his puffy lips and scrunching his matte nose.

"Yeah, it seems" Ayame caught on to her father's observation.

Naruto jolted upright, wriggling in his clothes, slapped down a couple of crinkly bills and ran out from under the tattered tapestries. The fading banner that read 'Ichiraku Ramen' flapped in his dust.

***

Shikamaru eyed his lunch from afar. No, he didn't really feel like throwing food down into the depths of the knots in his gut. It'll be a waste. Then again, come to think of it, he'd rather be constipated for a week than be pulverized by his mom. With a gulp and a swerve of his Adam's apple he began chowing down the heavy boiled eggs, his most hated cuisine.

***

Sasuke packed his bags and stared out at his courtyard. Once, this place was scattered with some of the strongest Shinobi to exist. After that night, his monster of a brother had butchered every soul that had inhabited the residence, including his parents. For three nights after that incident the young Sasuke had feared that he would come back to finish him off, but he never did.

He set down his bag on a nearby bench and rummaged through his belongings.

''Rope? Check. Tent? Check. Soldier pills? Check....'' He muttered as he rechecked his needs for the fifth time that hour.

''Do I need more kuna-''

''RACE YOU THERE, TEME'' a burst of orange leaped over his residence, breaking one of his roof tiles.

A vein throbbed on Sasuke's forehead, that was the sixth one he had broken this week. He calmed himself quickly, not giving Naruto the satisfaction of seeing him disturbed.

''Challenge accepted, dobe.'' Sasuke snickered, an evil grin climbing his face.

***

Sakura looked at herself in the mirror. She had changed recently, growing slightly taller and she had guillotined her hair to barely a shoulder length. She tightened her red Hitai-Ate, proud to be one of the leading forces used to protect her village. Her mom and dad were animatedly laughing downstairs, probably at some of those comedies they adored. She didn't understand the point of them, really. They always had some idiot doing something shamelessly in public, which she thought was pretty lame.

She sighed and picked up her bags. She had packed two tents, one to put inside the other, to protect her from perverts like Naruto.

She walked over to her bed where she had left her hairbrush. She picked it up gently and turned to the mirror. Her reflection gazed back to her. She began stroking her hair when-

*BIG GASP*

A large zit had formed on the edge of her hairline, making Sakura yelp in panic. She ran around her room in circles, not knowing what to do.

''What if Sasuke saw it-'' she fell to her knees and began cradling her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth, contemplating her previous life choices. What had she done wrong? She had rubbed on every face mask they had at the store, yet there it was, an impurity on her face.

'Sasuke would be disgusted if he saw that' she thought, tears welling in her eyes. For years she had shifted herself to see if Sasuke returned her feelings, but even after that he still wouldn't acknowledge her.

She gritted her teeth and clenched back the waterworks threatening to tumble from her eyes. They fell anyway, and she quickly wiped her sockets, looking out the window to see if anyone was watching.

She tripped to her desk and pulled out the third drawer. Inside she kept all her medical equipment. From a wooden box she produced a small vial of eye drops.

She took extreme measures not to show anyone that she had cried over something so small (yet so infuriating) and poured a droplet into each eye. A trickling coolness trickled over her sclera. She put it back to its original, dusty drawer and prepared to head out and face her enemies. Two hooded figures watched from afar...

***

Shikamaru found Naruto taking a shortcut to the gates and decided to accompany him there. Sasuke on the other hand had gotten there before anyone. He leaned on the whitewashed wall, closed his eyes and waited. If he just kept his eyes closed, he wouldn't have to see his fangirls obsessing over him. A wild purple ninja interrupted his thoughts.

"SASUKE-KUN" Ino chided, batting her artificially lengthened eyelashes. "DO YOU LIKE MY NEW OUTFIT?" She chirped, her voice artificially syrupy and sweet.

Sasuke, feeling extremely annoyed, was glad that his Hitai-ate covered the veins throbbing in his forehead. He clenched his jaw and pretended she didn't exist.

Meanwhile, Naruto, Sakura and Shikamaru had made their way onto the scene and were sniggering at Sasuke's discomfort, much to his annoyance. 

***

Kakashi Hatake, Copy Ninja, Kakashi of the Sharingan, S-rank ninja, knowing over 1000 Jutsu, had an extremely inconvenient and bad habit of arriving late, had arrived half an hour after what was due. That should be a world record for him as he normally arrived at least four hours late, (minimum). The younger ninja sweatdropped when he appeared with an orange book in his hand, a crappy excuse tumbled from his lips. Sakura sighed and motioned everyone to follow her out of the large, wrought iron gates. 

***

"Hurry, this way" whispered a hooded figure. From the depths of the darkness of its hood, a few locks of hair colored like the flesh of a grapefruit peeked out from under the drapes.

"I'm right behind you, Tayuya" another hooded figure whispered, visibly triggered about being bossed around. The gleam of his Hitai-ate revealed the symbol of a quaver (musical note) carved into the metal. The two of them poofed into puffs of smoke, vanishing into thin air...