Yet there was something both villages both shared and that was the vibrancy. People bustled through the streets, vendors peddled their wares to passersby and everywhere he looked shinobi were going about their business or relaxing in various cafes and restaurants, obviously between missions or training. It brought a smile to the young monk's face that even hundreds of miles away these people were still recognisable as just that, people. No matter where they lived they were all still human with the same needs, desires and wants that came with it; it was comforting.
Of course humans were also rude, as quickly evidenced by an impatient merchant jostling Naruto as he hurried by, forcing the young monk to steady himself with the shakujou. Ignoring the man, Naruto took to wandering the village for a while, taking in the sights of the vibrant and friendly people. He was not used to the slight inclinations of the head and occasional wave that were tossed his way as people passed him by. He wasn't sure if it was because he was dressed as a monk or because the people were just naturally this friendly. It was a stark contrast to his treatment in Konoha where he might as well have not existed.
After a while though he began to grow hungry so he stopped in what looked like a small park. There were swings and slides and other equipment associated with children yet strangely there seemed to be nobody about. He took out a sealing scroll from one of his pockets, unsealing the box inside; absently he noted he was running out of the rations Chiriku had given him at the start of his journey. He had put them to good use during his trek through the desert, although finding drinkable water was a whole other issue.
He briefly wondered what he was supposed to do for money now that he was outside of the temple. In Konoha he had received a weekly stipend from the Hokage after leaving the orphanage. It wasn't a lot and he tended to be overcharged or refused service in most places but it was enough to get by. He guessed he would have to do jobs for people to earn food or money once his ran out. With shadow clones and chakra-enhanced muscles he could be an excellent labourer, he wouldn't even be asking for much. He decided to think on it later as he noticed the doors to a large building across the park open and a rush of young children maybe a year or two younger than him run out.
He realised with a slightly raised brow that this must be Suna's shinobi academy as he saw a few shuriken and kunai holsters on the young students, probably blunted. He watched with amusement as the kids began to play in the park during what was obviously a recess from their studies. He sighed though as he realised he too would be doing this had he stayed in Konoha. As he watched the children naturally congregate into their various friend groups he wondered what kind of friends he might have had, if any.
He didn't miss the casual glances he was getting from the nearby chuunin instructor but those quickly stopped when Naruto made no move to do anything. Eventually he got up, broken from his melancholy as the children were ushered back inside by a loud bell that obviously marked their break as over. He walked past the front of the academy, intent on finding somewhere he could get some food or work. However he paused as he heard rather heated voices coming from a small alleyway that ran around the back of the school.
Quieting the jingle of his shakujou with a thin application of Chakra through the staff he calmly walked towards the voices, surprised to find three boys that were probably last-year academy students all surrounding a younger girl who seemed to be from the year he had just seen playing outside. None of them seemed to notice him and he didn't bother hiding himself, just leaning on the wall of the alley as he listened in with interest.
"Please, I have to get back to class or Sensei will be angry with me." It was the girl who spoke; she had brown hair that hung straight around her head down to her shoulders. Her voice was timid and full of fear as he bowed her head submissively to the three older boys.
"What's the point huh? It's not like somebody like you could ever be a shinobi." Naruto raised an eyebrow at that; the boy had a contemptuous sneer that the blonde recognised growing up.
"Yeah, what kind of ninja is afraid of weapons anyway?" As if to emphasise his point one of the others pulled a kunai out of his pouch, except these weren't the standard blunted weapon used from practise, this one gleamed in the weak light, the edges very much sharp and deadly. The effect on the girl was instantaneous, she tried to back away from the boy with the kunai but was blocked by the other two. Naruto was simply appalled by this; was this how shinobi of the same village treated their own?
"Maybe we should correct your little fear of weapons with a demonstration eh? Let us show you just how effective they can be." Suddenly the girl was grabbed from behind in a strong hold, one arm thrust out in front of her as the boy walked closer, kunai glinting ominously. However before the sharp edge could be applied to her skin the small weapon suddenly flew from his hands as if drawn by some invisible force. When the three turned in the direction it had flown they saw Naruto standing there, the kunai in his hand as he observed it idly.
"Did you know the kunai used to be a gardening tool? They were used in royal gardens and monks temples alike, a wonderful multi-purpose tool used for levering and digging. It was the ninja who turned it into a weapon; cheap to make and simple to sharpen. Suddenly a simple item used for gardening had been turned into a weapon designed to kill." Naruto looked up as he began to bend the kunai in his hands, using chakra to enhance his strength.
"Hey, who the hell are you?" The tallest of the three boys stepped forward to face the newcomer, obviously either the leader of the trio or the resident hothead. Naruto simply chuckled as he let the kunai drop to the sandy ground, the weapon bent out of any kind of useful shape.
"Me? I'm just a simple travelling monk." The boy sneered, the earlier impossible feat forgotten as he immediately dismissed the boy smaller than he was.
"You're just a runt, get lost! We're fifth year academy students, practically genin already!" Naruto sighed in an exaggerated manner, taking the opportunity to rest his staff against the wall of the alleyway.
"I weep for your village the day people like you are legally allowed to become shinobi." The boy growled angrily, affronted that some brat kid would speak to him like that. He immediately drew out a second kunai as Naruto dropped back into a Taijutsu stance none of them recognised. The 'almost genin' stopped for a moment before laughing at the blonde.
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