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UberChimerism — x. Opportunities
#iruka #naruto #pilot #umino #uzumaki #pilotverse #100themeschallenge
Published: 2016-11-14 02:53:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 839; Favourites: 2; Downloads: 0
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Leitmotif: “Laura Plays the Piano” — Silent Hill 2 soundtrack-:-
When a Ramen Ichiraku opened in Mount Oinari, Naruto Uzumaki knew that the woman behind the counter, Ayame Miketsu*, was his new favorite person. Now he could have those tasty tasty noodles as much as he wanted! Wait ‘til Kuroda heard about this!
As he gorged on what had to be his third or fourth bowl, he heard to his right, “Can I sit here?”
And froze.
No way. Could Takashi really have…!
When he turned and saw the scarred face of his former Academy sensei, Iruka Umino, Naruto didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. “Sure, I guess.”
Iruka, visibly deflated, gave an awkward chuckle as he took his seat. “Hey, I’m not that scary, am I? For a moment there, you looked like you saw a ghost.”
“More like I thought I heard one. So, what are you doing here, anyway?”
Before they knew it, the scarred Academy sensei and his erstwhile student found themselves bonding over their mutual love of the pulled noodles. Iruka spoke of how his parents, Ikkaku and Kohari, always took him to the Inaho Ichiraku whenever neither of them had missions. They had even promised to take him to the Land of Noodles†, the place of Ichiraku’s origin, upon his graduation from the Academy.
Due to certain events from twelve years ago, that never came to pass.
The kitsune in turn found himself telling Iruka of his own sojourn to Inaho. Of meeting Kuroda, who loved ramen after a drink…when he was awake to appreciate it. Of meeting Takashi, who despite being a total stranger gave encouragement to a young fox boy on his training journey, even reaching out to him only for the boy to shy away.
The morning after and ever since, the kitsune regretted never taking that hand.
A silence most somber settled over former sensei and student, the latter’s next mouthful of noodles less enthusiastic than the rest.
“Is this Takashi the ghost you thought you heard?”
Iruka watched as Naruto faulted ever so slightly before finishing his mouthful and nodding. “Yeah.”
“I see. I’m sorry you had to go through that, Naruto.” And Iruka wasn’t just saying that. As bratty as the kitsune had been, he did not deserve to be robbed so cruelly of someone willing to befriend him, much less framed for their murder.
“Thanks.”
The blonde then turned to face his old teacher, looking at him as if really seeing him for the first time. “Now that I think about it, you actually remind me of him.” And it wasn’t just the voice either. Take away the scar bridging his nose and the constant furrow, Iruka’s face looked just as kind as Takashi’s.
You will have many chances…
“Hey Iruka-sensei.”
“Hmm?”
When Iruka turned back, he saw Naruto holding out an outstretched hand. “Let’s shake.”
The chūnin was perplexed.
“It’s too late for me and Takashi to be friends. But maybe not for you and me.”
Understanding flickered in the Academy sensei’s eyes before a soft smile graced his features and he reciprocated the fox’s gesture.
-:-
When former sensei and student parted ways, the sun was just below the horizon, and Naruto felt the same happiness he had after the Symbol incident. Not only had he found a place to get a ramen fix, but he had found someone to share it with. A bond borne of noodles (and some of his allowance).
And in his heart of hearts, the kitsune knew this one of the many chances, the many opportunities, Takashi had spoken of. And as Inari was his witness, he would not let them go to waste.
Never again.
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Comments: 10
Everybody board the FEELS train one way ticket to screaming town.
Omg I love how you kept comparing Iruka to Takashi when they shake itself as if Naruto was able to get a second chance with his old friend and gain a new one as well.
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What did you think of my incorporation of the Land of Noodles?
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Yesssss the land of noodle omg hi salty this would have for right into regular Naruto verse too.
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A good and interesting story!
Liked the Land of Noodles bit, that is all very possible.
And the story made my eyes water...
Started on the next chapter of Another Destiny.
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Let me know when you've finished that chapter ^^
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“Hey, I’m not that scary, am I? For a moment there, you looked like you saw a ghost.”
“More like I thought I heard one."
): Why do you need to hit me with the feels train
s o l a t e a t n i g h t?
(real question is why do I insist on standing on the tracks?)
Oh man, but that part hit me. Right off the bat, you start off with a good start, grabbing the reader's attention. Even for someone who doesn't know of the pilot-verse, this is still interesting enough to stand on its own. Even the parts about when Iruka is talking about his dead parents, and Naruto is referred to as a kitsune and talking about his dead friend and they're sharing their sorrows and regrets, we know the significance of this exchange. The reader who is out of the fandom would not understand in the same way we do, however, they would still have enough to go on to become intrigued by the mystery. You build a great set-up and sprinkle in the hints at their connection and that is done beautifully. Also, I listened to the song while reading this. Great choice of music, as always.
...it wasn’t just the voice either. Take away the scar bridging his nose and the constant furrow, Iruka’s face looked just as kind as Takashi’s.
This part, and when they shook hands, has to be my favorite part however. The fic really did surprise me at how touching it was for such few words. I often find myself typing pages and pages and getting frustrated at not being able to get my point across, sometimes becoming scared to write something I'm thinking about constantly because I fear it'll take too many pages to write, but then with this, you remind me how that a single moment can hold such a powerful message. This one was friendship, and hope even in the face of loss because he has yet another chance. I loved this Uber. You did a great job at writing this.
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And what did you think of my inclusion of the Land of Noodles?
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Thought it was a nice call back, to be honest
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Also, I'm glad I wrote an effective way for Naruto and Iruka bond, considering that the Mizuki Incident couldn't have happened in the pilotverse as it did in the manga...
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I agree, it's awesome. Y'know, I had to actually look up Mizuki at first to remember who he even was, but damn. Oh I remember him, and he was.... well, he was something else, and that's putting it politely. He's a character I'd have loved to keep in my version of the pilotverse, but there's no way I could, and even if I did, I couldn't manage to parallel canon with that scene because then my story would get too convoluted.
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