Chapter 3:  Konoha Village (2)

“based on our rapport all this time there shouldn’t be any lies in his habit. Although it’s indeed full of strangeness, that’s indeed not something that wouldn’t happen to someone, and some cases about his personality could be found on some of the reports of the village. The syndrome he has and the will of his heart could sometime even overcome adults’ will. The child’s name is Hotaru, Blue haired, brown-eyed, a brat with a will of steel, and courage of adamantine. He’s anything but an actor, as he’d never be able to Fool more than 120 ANBU’s and Root’s ninjas’ surveillance for 24/7 in 2 years time. That’s what we concluded from the kid…” said the woman in a mask.

The place filled with silence, as no one seems to broke out of their thought. As if counting something, the village leaders, and elders all think about how strange the appearance of the kid named Hotaru. Although not many feel the same, as most will feel pity for the child, most of the higher-ups in high alerts.

“It’s been hectic years, many attacks on Konoha seems to commence…”

” Homura, Koharu, what do you think of this kid?”

“From the start, I’ve said that you guys are too cautious, we can’t expect a kid that survived from a tragedy to act as a spy to other villages, even the thing that happens to the kid is something occasionally happen to the surrounding village…”

“I’d have to agree with Koharu this time… even Danzo grumble about the deployment of his Roots’ member, but, Hiruzen. You seem to be too cautious these days…”

“Being too cautious won’t hurt…”

“IT IS! Do you really think overseeing some brat 24/7 for 2 years is something you do normally? It’s weird! I even suspect you do this to make sure that Jinchuriki to be observed along the way right? You waste most of our special elite just to watch over some brat?”

“Keep your mouth Danzo, even if he’s like that, he’s still the 4th Hokage’s son, counting his services doing something like this isn’t that much of a problem…” rebuke Homura

“I agree with Homura, you said too much Danzo…” assist Koharu

As their debate continued, the anbu just stand there and stare at the window, seeing the academy where the kid that’s being discussed by elders should begin his lessons…

In the classroom, he’s in another class than Naruto, although he does, he’s always found the brat after the lesson, and talk to him in his spare time, he acts like a brother, and keeping Naruto amused, along with his friends. The troublemaker of Iruka class’.

Knowing that he does trouble after another from his classmates, Hotaru barges into Iruka’s classroom without any announcement, of course, after he asks permission to the teacher in his class. He apologized to Iruka-sensei, and yell at Naruto that sleeping in the classroom, he pulled Naruto’s whisker and yell at him to wake up and take the study more seriously. It scared the shit of Naruto’s wit, and he straightens up.

The class’ became boisterous out of that scene and the mood, lighten up, being scared, also, Shikamaru straighten himself and the same could be seen to Kiba and the others with some fear embedded in their eyes. They only know that Hotaru is a kind and caring brother Naruto had in the orphanage, although he sometimes became a crybaby out of nothing and have many curiosities in him, he still full of smile and take care of them often, they straightly have a cold sweat behind their back.

Giving them a sharp glare, he apologized once again to Iruka-sensei and goes back to his classroom. The scare they hold even letting them wake up, and focus on the lessons.

“Okay, until here… good day to you all!”

“Yes! Thank you, Ebisu-sensei!”

“Oh, class rep, see me in the teacher’ office after you are done with your work”

“Understood, Ebisu-sensei!” said Hotaru, as the oldest in the classroom, he became the class representative in there. With his sense of responsibility, even those who hate to do the work will do even if they hate to do so, some even threatened him with some words like ‘my brother is a chunin you know’ or ‘I’ll kill you’. But never they even imagine that the usually meek, and polite Hotaru starts to beat them up like nothing else matters aside from that.

Somehow, seeing the act of their class rep, not even in their weirdest imagination that they’ll see a meek and polite, even sometimes crybaby like Hotaru will beat someone, no, a bunch of rowdy kids with madness… even after asking for forgiveness he’d not stop at all until the brats lose his consciousness will the person stop.

Seeing the madness in his eyes, and the technique that leaves no scar on the enemies’ body, Sarutobi’s suspicion can only grow, but, something like that has already happened by more than 3 times in the past when he’s still in the orphanage, it’s being covered by mother though…

“The scene that day won’t be forgotten by others, not even the teachers here… even on the other classes, they already call you the Class rep of madness, so make sure you don’t do a thing like that anymore…” Said Ebisu in the teacher’s room

“Hahaha…” scratching his cheeks, Hotaru can only laugh wryly. “and I heard that you just beat someone up in Iruka’s room?… you don’t do anything like those before right?” ask Ebisu

“How could I? I see Naruto as my little brother, beating him up like that won’t help me and the others… but, some threat could be used, right? Sensei…”

It’s been 4 months since Hotaru entered the academy, there’s many he sees, and many experiences he spent while doing works in the academy, he’d spent some time with the guest ninja that come to the academy, even. Looking back, Ebisu remembered that Ibiki seems to spend talking with Hotaru several times. And, Hotaru seems to be close to him.

Ibiki’s a well-known ninja in the intelligence department, and seeing how Hotaru can hurt someone without giving them some scar not even bruise shown that he’s someone that learns a lot of things from the person…

Ebisu could only sigh…

“uh… sensei? Can I go now? I still have a job to do…”  said the boy fidgety, the teacher sigh again and wave his hands towards the boy, while the boy answering him with a bow and smile, then walk out of the room. “Ibiki will surely get a babble from the 3rd…” sigh the teacher once again…

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“You’re late! Go and head to the changing room, and move faster, there are many queues behind!”

“Understood! Teuchi-san!”

Unlike Naruto, Hotaru didn’t receive monthly pocket money. He can sponge off meals from the orphanage, but that’d make the orphanage’s wallet lessen. Several weeks after his independence, on a certain day when he’s hungry after some training outside, Naruto brings him to Teuchi’s place,

seeing how busy they’re on some occasion he offered some help. And knowing that Hotaru’s an orphan, Teuchi took him and employ the kid.

Although he sometimes makes a mistake, Teuchi patiently teaches the kid about how to do a thing, and his daughter Ayame happy to have a little brother and a helper in the shop. Day by day spent working there he cheerfully sharing some of his experience helping mother in the orphanage, and even creating a new menu along with Teuchi.

The man already sees Hotaru as his little boy, even if they share no blood relation, the child is an honest and good kid. Seeing that Hotaru working in the ramen shop, the kids from orphanage sometimes help the shop and the same also happen to Naruto, seeing his ‘friends’ from orphanage helping out his favorite shop, he started to work and help Teuchi and Ayame happily and received free ramen after work.

The smile could be seen occasionally while working, furthermore, the ramen shop became even more famous than before. More and more customers patronize the shop, and somehow or another, the stall grew bigger. And it became a shop…

Hotaru’s been moving to the shop in the past 2 months, and live with Teuchi and Ayame. Living there makes him kept remembering the past, the time he lives with his parents in the village. He works and helps around the shop earnestly and happily. Knowing he, once again, have a family make him happy. And knowing that, he shared his happiness to the brother and sisters he has in the orphanage. Inviting them to work together and eat together in the place, he’s lived his life filled with activity.

Preparing many things for the shop in the morning, diligently learn in the academy after, he even became the head discipline committee on the academy, sometimes even the teacher asked him to go and bash those troublesome children, especially Naruto and co.

It’s funny that he’s got a nickname of ‘Hunter’ in the academy. Although many feel dissatisfied about him, they’re silenced by the injury free attack from the hunter, Hotaru. Hotaru locked on the prey he sees, even a chunin brother of the bastards tortured by the hunter, not long after more and more prey start to gather and ganged up on him, he smiled widely and start to obliterate the imbeciles…

At that time 9 years old Hotaru already called ‘Hunter’ by the chunin in the village, and even those that already in the middle level fear him, and those at advance or elite just scoff at it. Knowing that the kid only some academy brat only makes them see those lower chunin pitiful. To be unable to defeat even a little academy kid…

“Hotaru! What are you doing?” Said the boy with black hair and blue clothes, with an insignia of Uchiha clan in his back. Smiling towards Hotaru while asking…

“Ah… I’m on my way to Ichiraku, want to come along?”

“Sure, treat me some Ramen!”

“Sure, sure… but, you need to help out”

“kay!”

At this point in time, Sasuke and Naruto are only 8 years old, while Hotaru’s 9 years old. The boy that talked to Hotaru is the famous Uchiha clan’s genius, the person that already chunin at the age of 9, although he had the same age as Hotaru when he already a chunin, at this point of time he’s already a jonin even an anbu being in charge of surveilling Hotaru, but, alas…

Hotaru just ask him helping out in the shop when it’s busy, and he came out because he knows that Hotaru can see him following the boy around, since then, they became closer, and he’s befriended the kid 1 year older than his, spar with him sometime and train with him in his spare time. Along with Shisui they often talk in Ichiraku, and soon Ichiraku became Shisui and Itachi’s hanging spot leaving them from the fang of Danzo.

It’s funny when the strict clan leader Fugaku along with his family spent their time in a ramen shop in a broad daylight and talk with Teuchi while seeing his sons talking and bonded with another person in the village, the Konoha’s elders and even Hokage relieved. Even some police officers of the Uchiha clan start to talk to the villager and form a team with the villager.

The Konoha police department even starts to open recruitment for another clan and villager, to enter their rank from a week ago.

Amazing things’ amazing… more and more change start to reformed from the original timeline, Danzo starts to eying the hunter and start to keep an eye on Hotaru, seeing the report Danzo indeed astonished by the prowess of the kid, and sees the reason why Hiruzen always observes the kid.

He took interest in the brat, and visit Ichiraku himself…

“Oh, if it isn’t Danzo-sama, what brought you here?” ask Hotaru while giving Danzo the menu, and push his pen.

“I just want to have a breather sometime, and taste the dish even the stoic Fugaku likes…” said Danzo

“Oh, rather than that want to try our new menu? It’s my recipe by the way…” said Hotaru proudly

“Sure, give those…”

“Wasabied Ramen on the way!” smirk Hotaru while shouting those words, the patron’s eyes widened and fear could be seen from their pupil…

“someone actually dares to order the afterlife recipe from the brat…”

“last time, isn’t it honey and bee Ramen? I know he’s talented as a Ramen maker, but never once has he created a normal recipe… even those hailed from Akimichi clan dares not to order those killer menus anymore…”

His ears can hear their conversation, and he paled at that, he wants to change his order but…

“Look, guys! You can’t make Danzo-sama embarrassed, some wasabi won’t even budge the Great elder, Danzo-sama…” intercept Hotaru

Danzo wants to counter the statement, but…

“Indeed, I hear that Danzo-sama is invincible and can even eat wild grasses and raw meat when he has done his missions in his heydays… some wasabi won’t budge him…” once again he’s intercepted by some patron’s statement…

Feeling that he can’t make his image to the people, villagers to be exact, lessens, he braces himself and waits for…

“here you go! One Wasabied Ramen at your service!” Dang, the sound of a bowl dropped to the table, green fumes and green noodles along with green soup could be seen from the bowl. Every one of the patrons could only gulp frightfully at the abomination in front of their elder.

“Then… Itadakimasu…” said Danzo while wildly sweating bullets, bringing the chopstick slowly to the bowl, and scouring the noodles slowly to his mouth. His heart beating so fast at the sight of this abomination that ‘he’ called Ramen…

“Gulp” not only Danzo, even the patrons widely seen the scene where Danzo ate the noodles, even Hiruzen with his beloved glass bead seeing the scene from the Hokage office in horror, knowing the Akimichi clan member, even until now, still being treated in the hospital…

With a slight taste, Danzo one eye that’s not bandaged widen, with hurry he continued to shove one after another of the noodle, he frenziedly ate them all up, not even leaving a bit of soup on the bowl. He even asked for another bowl, seeing that even Teuchi’s eyed widen, his mouth agape, and the others patrons ordered the dish, the side switched, Teuchi became the waitress and Hotaru became the chef. “See, I told you there’d be someone who likes it!” smugly Hotaru said.

While Teuchi serves one after another of the Ramen, the other even had a taste in it. Some brave one even shoved all of it with a gulp, mimicking Danzo, but soon…

“OHHHH damn it?!!! Ny throat burnsssss, my mouth!!! Hhhheeeellllepp mmmmmeeee!”

The man brought to the hospital, and amusingly… he’s another member of Akimichi Clan…