Chapter 13: The Crow That Ran Away From Home
When very young, facing people or animals that evoke fear or disgust, perhaps this is how one acts?
Kitahara turned his head and saw the children's actions.
Amidst the little girl's startled cries of protest, stones were thrown from the children's hands... arcing through the air, they flew towards Uchiha Itachi...
Silly little kids' games, as if you could hit him...
"Caw... Caw... Caw..."
Kitahara gripped Itachi's clothes tightly, his body swaying precariously...
These Konoha children, aspiring to wear headbands, had decent stone-throwing skills. At an age where they weren't permitted to use shuriken, they practiced with small stones.
Uchiha Itachi, relying on his chakra perception, easily dodged. But the half-baked crow on his other shoulder, dizzily trying to avoid the projectiles, was finally hit by two stones on its wings.
There wasn't much pain, like wind blowing through feathers...
The problem was, those bratty kids immediately found something to laugh at: "Look at that ugly crow, it's so hideous! Hit it, hit it!"
"It flies around the village all day, it must be stealing food everywhere, stone it to death!"
"You... you guys, don't hit Itachi..."
"I practice shuriken every day, I definitely won't miss!"
The lovely children seemed to have shifted their target; they had found new amusement... That pathetic crow was such an eyesore!
"Caw..."
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Uchiha Itachi's young voice echoed as a giant fireball erupted from his mouth. The sound of stones exploding filled the air, and the flames scorched the ground, leaving behind a patch of black char.
One little boy was so scared he burst into tears on the spot...
The remaining children stood rooted to the ground in a daze... Even Izumi, the more mentally mature little girl, slowly had tears welling up in her eyes, "Itachi..."
"Caw..."
Kitahara raised a wing in a thumbs-up... Well done!
Itachi helplessly closed his eyelids and pressed Kitahara's back, "Let's go, to the training grounds."
"Ahhh..." The little girl raged impotently behind them.
...How amusing. With skills like these, you want to be my cub's puppy?
Every little thing in the world doesn't just disappear without a trace. It always leaves some ripple in people's hearts and will trigger the next event.
Uchiha Mikoto was discharged from the hospital not long after. Life at home slowly returned to normal. Having an extra little puppy certainly brought some changes. Because of this, Fugaku revised Itachi's training plan.
The reason was his young age. Practicing taijutsu and shuriken throwing in the morning, and ninjutsu training in the afternoon, was too intense...
"As for the timing, arrange it yourself. Pay attention to your body..." Fugaku's gaze on his son was a bit unfocused as he continued, "Usually, Itachi, you can also make more friends."
"Yes, Dad." The little boy knelt obediently.
Fugaku continued, "The Uchiha Hazuki family recently returned to the clan, but they haven't moved back to the clan grounds yet. Itachi might still..."
"Waaah... Wooo... Waaah..."
Before he could finish, the little infant in Mikoto's arms suddenly started wailing. This conversation seemed unable to continue.
"Caw!"
The crow's call instantly silenced little Sasuke's crying. Kitahara, standing on Mikoto's shoulder, watched wide-eyed as the baby retracted his tears... and his mouth started to puff up...
"Pff... Pff... Pff..."
The little guy actually wanted to spit... The crow, naturally, wouldn't show weakness, its crimson eyes staring intently at him!
"Caw!"
"Pff... Pff..."
"Sasuke is very energetic..." Uchiha Mikoto squinted and smiled, "And he seems to really like Kitahara!"
The father and son present: "..."
Forgive me for being blunt... I didn't see that at all...
Uchiha Fugaku's original intention was to have Itachi go out more and make more friends... His eldest son's reclusive personality was already known outside!
The only unexpected thing was that, the day after their conversation, Uchiha Itachi, with a bag slung over his shoulder and Sasuke in his arms, joined the ranks of baby-carriers...
On the streets and alleys of Konoha, a little boy appeared, wandering around carrying an infant... Of course, occasionally he would also push a baby carriage as tall as himself... That child named Uchiha Itachi... Was the Fugaku family serious about raising him?
It had to be said, the sensible Itachi made things much easier for the couple. Uchiha Mikoto's postpartum life was going well... As she wished, the home indeed had more of a lively, domestic atmosphere.
A new problem also arose... The crow and Sasuke couldn't stand each other and often bickered... It was unknown how two species that didn't speak the same language communicated, but they could even determine a winner and loser!
Ichiraku Ramen.
Because the little boy had learned to cook, Kitahara hadn't come to eat ramen for a long time... Today's situation was a bit special.
"Tap tap tap!"
The sound of the sharp beak hitting the menu was exceptionally loud. A little girl beside him shrieked, "A crow! Dad, there's a really scary-looking crow!"
"..." Another day wishing to be human again...
"Ayame, don't make a fuss, that's too impolite..." Uncle Teuchi was as kind as ever, "Oh, is it little Itachi's crow? It's been a long time since you last came..."
"Caw!"
"One bowl of Tonkotsu ramen!" Teuchi looked at the menu and went off to make the noodles, leaving his daughter, Ayame, timidly looking at Kitahara, "Um, if a crow eats noodles, will it pay?"
"..."
Little kids, their focus really is different.
Little girl, you're really something... you actually thought of a problem I hadn't even noticed!
"It's alright... Mr. Crow is our regular customer..." Uncle Teuchi patted his daughter's head and brought out a bowl of ramen. "This bowl is on me... Besides, we still have many 'ramen on the wall' that haven't been sold out!"
The "ramen on the wall" was left there through Kitahara's communication with Uchiha Itachi.
The Third Shinobi World War had just ended, and many orphans had drifted into Konoha. Charitable activities were beyond what Ichiraku Ramen could manage on its own.
That day, Uchiha Itachi had bought four bowls of ramen and proposed the idea of "ramen on the wall"... Uncle Teuchi solemnly made a promotional sign.
Any customer who came, if they were kind-hearted, could purchase extra ramen, which Ichiraku Ramen would then distribute to homeless children.
Most ninjas had witnessed the horrors of war, and quite a few generously donated. Ichiraku Ramen became even more popular... becoming a regular dining spot for many ninjas returning from missions.
Perhaps, the initiator never expected that he himself would also enjoy such treatment one day...
Little Ayame was very curious about the crow that came alone and chattered a lot. Other customers, hearing that this was the pet of the little boy who initiated the charity, also became much friendlier.
Until the Konoha Military Police Force surrounded the ramen shop, most of them looking fierce and aggressive...
Little Ayame's favorable impression of the Uchiha clan ended there and then... A father and son hurried over, and the little boy carried the crow away...
"Even if you lose an argument with Sasuke, you can't run away from home! Dad almost took action!"
"He's not even two months old yet, he only knows how to spit, why would you two argue?"
Young Ayame heard the last two sentences spoken by that little boy. She remembered a name: Sasuke.
Later, she learned from her father that the little boy carrying the crow was Uchiha Itachi.
Say what you will, the little brat was quite good-looking, just that the pet he kept was too fierce...