The Village Hidden in the Leaves, also known as Konohagakure.

A peaceful village like any other.

Only this particular village held the mightiest power in the world.

Enough power to turn the entire world into ash, at least it is what some may claim.

However, on any normal day, it was no different from any other village that one would find anywhere around the world.

It was certainly true for today of all days; at the very least. 

Simply put, it was just another average day in Konoha, similar to so many others that had come before.

The weather was quite warm, but also slightly windy.

Which was rather typical normal weather for those living in Konohagakure.

Truly, it was just another normal day with nothing extraordinary happening or affecting the lives of the people within the village, in fact, it was rather too calm.

At least, for the lively streets of Konohagakure.

It was mostly because most were already at work, it was noon after all.

However, for the very young and the elderly, this time period is always the calmest time period of the day.

For the young, or at the very least for those who were very young, and did not need to focus on their studies or work for their livelihood; this time period was the time they spent playing outside.

Such was the case for Naruto Uzumaki and his so-called friend, the boy who always caused more trouble than himself, Homura.

- Yo Homura, kept you waiting, huh? Come on, say it. - said Naruto while beaming a bright smile.

He wanted to show off since Homura always complained that he would always come late to whenever they decided to hang out.

- *sigh* Hey Naruto. Yeah, you're on time... seems like it only happens when it is time to eat ramen though.- said a rather stressed Homura; he had a lot going on in his life at the moment and had suffered from stress issues due to the events that had occurred during tryouts; which only subsided recently.

- Pfft! You're just jealous because you lost to me in the race! You have to let things go... you know, I worry about you sometimes. (Naruto)

- What!? The heck is this about you worrying about me!? And why is it only sometimes!? Also, you didn't win!

- Huh?- Naruto could not help himself but involuntarily voice out his surprise via a small grunt at Homura's claims.

- It wasn't a race! I asked around and they told me that you didn't pass me by! You fell down right after you thought you had won! Meaning I won! (Naruto)

- Pfft! Losers always try to cheat themselves from reality, let's just agree to disagree. A winner like me has to be forgiving after all. heh heh heh (Naruto)

Naruto laughed Homura's comment off while rubbing a finger under his nose.

- (where did this sudden burst of maturity come from? )....you're right.. Naruto. (I swear, I will give you the beating of a lifetime one day...but not today.) *beaming smile* Funny as always. Man, today is a great day! Let's celebrate to our hearts' content!- Said Homura trying to put up the best fake smile he could muster.

- Finally something we can agree on. Besides I saw on TV tips on how to make ramen more delicious, well it was cup ramen but I am sure it can work on restaurant ramen too! (Naruto)

- Huh? Y-You watch TV?!... (I did not expect that answer... I always forget that TVs do exist in this world as well.)

- Of course, I do. What? You don't? (Naruto)

- Huh...

For a brief instant, Homura's brain froze at Naruto's rebuttal question.

Although the technologies for apparel and the entertainment industry are more or less the same as in Homura's previous world, the general culture or way of life in this world makes a lot of people apathetic towards them, for the most part; at the very least that is mostly true for the older generation.

There are simply much bigger threats and more pressing issues for the average person living in this world, that very few even bother trying to keep up with the newest technologies or bother with escapism entertainment that requires a lot of money or apparel that needs a power grid in order to be useful.

A lot of people still live in rustic shacks or wooden houses without any form of advanced infrastructure.

This is especially true for the smaller villages, which would render such technologies almost obsolete due to their range, lacking the infrastructure to support long-distance broadcasts available for general use for normal people.

In fact, most of the broadcasts or entertainment-related projects, usually are centered around the areas they are being operated in, and very rarely are to be shared with people from other locales. 

This is due to the large funds that are needed to maintain such demanding projects, and the fact that it is harder to see steady income if not sponsored by someone or an organization with enough resources.

For Homura, who used to be from another world, where he had spent so many years watching the adventures of the boy with whiskers marks and bright yellow hair right next to him, this revelation was quite surprising.

Since somewhere around the corner of his mind Naruto was still somewhat a fictional character, a fictional character that was a pain in his ass but a fictional character nonetheless.

It was a stigma that was still deeply in-grained within himself, not only that, but it was hard for him to see the little rascal next to him as the savior of the world and the calm and serious father that he was portrayed as in the future by the sequel series of the original show.

Hearing Naruto saying that he enjoyed watching television was not just quite surprising, but it was akin to a fictional character saying that they play their own franchise games in-universe.

This posed so many questions.

What would a fictional watch on television? Even more fictional programs, or would they watch something closer to normal reality; such as hyper-realistic programs? Did he become a fictional character as well? Was he being watched now that he existed in this world as well in some other universe?

It was simply a pill that was too hard to swallow, for the boy who had not completely acclimated himself to his current surrounding even after all the years he had spent in this particular reality in which he had found himself.

Thus, Homura struggled with what to think about Naruto's question, or even how to respond in general. Telling the boy next to him what was really in his mind would only raise eyebrows and cause concern about his mental stability.

He doubted that anyone who knew him up to this point, thought that he was normal.

He was a stranger in a stranger-er world.

So, he could only respond to the question asked, with mundane half-truths.

- N-No. Konoha's broadcasts are kinda boring. Besides we don't have a TV station where I live. ( Besides, there's too much-undisguised village centrist propaganda... for a village that teaches its people to be deceptive and stealthy, that's a really big disparity. Well, they don't teach that to normal people but still... Also, does he even own a TV station?)- thought Homura, as he tried to keep up the pace with Naruto, while walking alongside.

The 2 boys had decided in spending the afternoon hanging out, no different from what normal friends would usually do.

Except these 2 were not quite normal friends or spent that much time together ever since, Homura had decided to focus more on his training due to wanting to get stronger, and doing odd jobs in order to save some money; since his previous money-making schemes ended quite abruptly, to say the least.

So this day was rather special for the two boys.

Since they had decided to celebrate their acceptance into the ninja academy together.

However, little did Naruto know that his so-called friend had seen this little outing as a way to get back at him, for some of the things that he had believed Naruto had done to him.

Today, was the day that Homura would make Naruto experience some of his pain, the reason for the outing was nothing more than a pretext that he could use and lure his target.

Not that Naruto needed much convincing to leave the house due to how lonely the boy was, and his craving for connections.

Since it was factual, common knowledge in the village that the boy called Uzumaki Naruto, was well known within the older demographics of the village for being the nine-tail fox's avatar... a monster that had killed so many of their close relatives, lovers, and friends, thus garnered the hatred of the people within the village for that fact alone.

And that said hatred was still fresh in the mind of many.

Their hatred of the boy stemmed from pure pettiness and fear.

Not only that but they had used him as the outlet for their misguided anger; since it was far easier than accepting the truth of the matter at hand.

Regardless of that knowledge and the occasional vile stares, that Homura himself would also receive for purely associating with Naruto, he hardly cared for the consequences of being mistreated by a few people of Konohagakure's population.

At the end of the day, Naruto was able to endure a much worse treatment, compared to that he had it easy.

Even Homura felt saddened by Naruto's mistreatment but there was very little he could do besides show some amount of support.

Still, it made it hard for him to try to cozy himself with an apprenticeship with many or even just try to find easy ways to get goods or other things.

He wanted to increase his knowledge and know-how for the future, but books cost money, there were other ways available but first-hand knowledge is still the best and fastest way to learn any type of trade.

Nonetheless, he could not stop himself from fraternizing with Naruto, since either way it would have been too late, at this point.

Although he was nowhere near suffering as much as the boy next to him had, it was already a thing of the past.

He knew that he would ultimately gain nothing from stopping himself from being friends with Naruto.

Naruto was just too important to him, to just choose to break his ties with him, at least it was mostly for all the wrong reasons.

 Though that did not stop him from being an utter douchebag; to Naruto.

And Naruto himself was also a troublemaker at heart.

Thus the 2 did enjoy each other's antics to some degree, even if they had a hard time admitting it to each other and overall pulling all sorts of pranks around the village.

The regular people in Konohagakure were easy targets for small-scale pranks.

They enjoyed teasing them, as well.

Perhaps, it was some sort of self-medicated therapeutic endeavor.

Something that only children could unconsciously come up to, to openly lash out their feelings onto an unjust and uncaring world.

Not that other kids within their age group did not take similar actions, there were so many children with too much free time roaming around the village.

Those with clear aspirations and goals were usually fine on their own, but those without talent or particularly gifted had a much harder time finding their footing resulting in pseudo-delinquency or just your average run-of-the-mill delinquency.

So, with mostly nothing better to do with his free time, a few days after Homura received his acceptance letter from the ninja academy, he decided to invite Naruto out for lunch with a secret agenda behind his decision.

What had transpired during the tryouts was still a very fresh and painful memory for Homura.

He still partially resented Naruto for ruining his plans during the tryouts, at least for what had occurred at the end.

Nonetheless, he also soon realized that even if Naruto wasn't there to push him past his utmost limits, Sasuke would have done the same either way.

Naruto was hardly the only person he was mad at, but since he and Sasuke were not especially close or were not on friendly terms towards each other either way, Naruto was simply the easier target for Homura to be petty towards.

In fact, Naruto may have helped him.

By pushing him past his limits Homura went beyond what he may have achieved.

And probably managed to impress a few of the people at the academy, solidifying their decision into allowing him to garner a spot for the upcoming academic school year. 

Thus, he became less angry at Naruto, but that did not mean he had thrown away all ideas on how to get revenge on Naruto that he had cooked up after the tryouts.

Besides, what had happened at the academy was not the sole reason for Homura's misgivings towards Naruto.

He had decided to pay him back for old grudges as well, and now was a good enough time as any to get even and wipe the slate mostly clean.

As a child and friend of a reluctant friend of Naruto's, a prank or tricking him to get into trouble was the best way he could get back at Naruto for once.

He could not wait to make take the little rascal down a peg or two.

Homura was simply that kind of person.

Though Homura was also quite challenged in the extrovert type of activities department, in fact celebrating anything or inviting others to have a fun moment was simply weird to him.

Something he had trouble understanding, he knew why those things happened, but he just couldn't understand why people would choose to spend time with others; unless there was some kind of profit or something to gain.

Thus, he didn't come up with the idea of having a celebration on his own, he was nowhere near that caring or crafty, he was rather thickheaded and planned very little ahead besides vague speculations of possible ways he could tackle certain issues.

He had the idea from some of the children from his orphanage.

Though Homura and Naruto decided to celebrate them passing the tryouts for the Konoha's academy tryouts together.

Homura could have also celebrated his good fortune, with the others from his orphanage who had also passed the tryouts.

Surprisingly, almost everyone he had close ties to; had also been accepted to the academy.

Making him wonder just how hard exactly it was to get accepted into the leaf's ninja academy.

Thoughts and questions full of disarray flooded his mind to no end.

Was he simply overreacting? Or it had something to do with the decisions taken by the people in charge of the academy?

Sadly for him, he had no idea of the exact process or the decisions involved on how candidates were deemed to be worthy to be accepted into the academy.

However.

To put it mildly, he was not exactly content with the overall outcome.

Homura believed that he had trained extremely hard in order to pass the tryouts and kids who hadn't suffered nearly as much as he did, managed to accomplish the same thing with significantly less effort... in other words, it was simply unfair.

And if they were to be put in the same class as Naruto then, it would truly be the final nail in the proverbial unfair coffin.

However, those aforementioned reasons were not as to why Homura had refused to celebrate with them, but it was mostly due to Naruto.

Although, most of the kids Homura was close to did not mind Naruto, it was simply too awkward for them to just now try to talk to him.

Since they were told to not get close to Naruto, ever since Homura started to associate himself with the lonely bright colored-haired child.

Though not everyone felt that way.

Saya had talked to Naruto several times prior, and without Homura ever knowing about it. Not that he ever thought or bothered to ask such questions.

She thought that Naruto was quite the funny individual due to hearing Homura talk about his and Naruto's misadventures around the village.

Uryuu had also done the same, he had spoken to Naruto prior due to him having some things he wanted to find out, and since he cared very little for anyone or their opinions he paid the warnings no mind and was always busy with his own matters.

Only Zen and Toshio actually felt awkward about the entire matter.

But since they all lived far away from the center of the village, they never had the chance to become close, in other words, they simply lived too far away from the usual spots Naruto frequented; that they never had a chance to properly familiarize themselves with him either.

Even Homura who slept in the same room as them, mostly only saw them at the end of the day or when they had chores to do or have a meal together, since the places needed for his training and doing shady dealings were usually around training grounds.

In other words, it couldn't be helped.

Either of them would only rarely meet each other.

Konohagakure was simply a very vast village with a ton of land mass, for kids as young as them to properly and casually be walking around all day in the hopes of just meeting someone they wanted to meet by pure luck.

Their best bets would have been on the main street or the food and entertainment districts, though those were always packed and mostly frequented by adults anyway.

Children tended to play around parks or other specific locations next to where they lived or where their friends would be, but since those were usually all around the village, children tended to go to the ones closest to them.

Though some children would refrain from playing around altogether and either work all day or spend most of their time training such as Homura.

But he was a particular case anyway.

Regardless, this meant that at the end of the day, everyone was ultimately left attending to their own personal matters.

There wasn't really a norm at all, for the proper or normal behavior of how most would spend their days in Konohagakure.

This could have been due to how the village was first created.

Which were a pastiche of different clans with their own and slightly different customs and ways of life coming together in order to avoid, them having to fight each other for dominance, or control of a specific area or resources.

In fact, children in Konoha tend to be very independent with their actions or how they would spend their days since the village was relatively safe from the adults' perspective of what 'safe' consisted in this world.

Though, this was mostly true for academy children since they would be forced to endure a very harsh training regiment; in order to prepare them for the reality of the shinobi world.

This would soon apply to Homura and his friends even more than before.

After getting accepted into the academy, they were allowed to apply for one of the dorms managed by the academy due to their special circumstances did allow for it to be done.

It would be hard for them to keep a curfew, live far away from the academy, or lack the appropriate resources for them to complete their training.

Shinobi training would not only be intensive but also costly.

Thus, the need for students to properly have access to the necessary available resources for them to focus on their training.

A dorm room and an allowance would be provided to them by the academy, which would allow them to properly train, and not waste their time on other matters such as having to work.

Needless to say, all those who could not have access to the necessary conditions for their training were the first ones to apply for these types of benefit programs.

Which, was definitely the case for Homura's roommates.

They all did apply for a spot for these benefit programs as soon as they were given their acceptance letters.

Not Homura though.

Even though Homura, knew such incentives did exist, he had ultimately no idea that he had to apply for one of the available programs after getting accepted into the academy.

He thought it was just something that he would be granted immediately after filling in his application form.

Ignoring that not everyone's situation was exactly the same.

Some who qualified for those assistance programs may have only or partially been qualified for others.

Several of the applicants needed money for equipment, others needed shelter, food, and equipment.  Some even though filled all those specific requirements did not need help from the academy due to them having an inheritance, other relatives taking care of them, or even belonging to a clan.

Thus, the need for each case to be properly handled.

Depending on the level of the need for the applicant, several packages were to be provided.

Eliminating Homura's stupid claim that they would know from just him writing that he was an orphan in his application, and that he would be given all the perks that come with it by becoming an academy student.

Though after being laughed off, by Toshi and Zen about his ridiculous claims, and finding out he was dead wrong, he properly applied to the academy with the proper forms he needed at a much later than everyone else; but was still regardless able to submit his application.

Nonetheless, they could only move to the dorms a week before the academy resumed operations, at least if they managed to get lucky enough to grab a spot.

However, none of that mattered in the meanwhile since they had still plenty of time prior they could move out.

- Hey, what are we going to order? (Naruto)- Asked Naruto as he realized that they were getting closer to their destination.

- Order, huh? I guess it will be the usual, it is only ramen after all (I will be happy enough if Teuchi doesn't do anything to my food...though I did repay my debts, he could still be mad... I will get my revenge on him too one day. But his daughter is such a pretty girl and will be single for a very long time...she could be my potential future bride... If she ends up turning out anything like in the show, she will have a homely vibe and looks, which is the best combo for me... at least if I find someone better. Still, I will have enough time to repair my relationship with Teuchi in the future, but Naruto must get his comeuppance!)

- What? I know all ramen is delicious- (Naruto)

- (Fully disagree...but I am not gonna die on that hill against this ramen freak.)

- but this is a special occasion! I'm ready to splurge a little bit on my saving and will eat cup ramen for the next 2 weeks. Urgh... but it will be worth it. (Naruto)

- Cup ramen, huh? You truly are serious about this...(How is he that poor? His father was the Hokage at one point, right? Did he spend it all in his pursuit of learning fuinjutsu or were all other Hokage after Hashirama poor?)

- Of course, I am! I will finally get to experience the ramen above 500 on the menu... I've dreamed about this happening my whole life.(Naruto)

-Hm...I see. (A bit of an exaggeration, but I am quite surprised that he has that much self-control and money-managing skills...Children in this world can be very surprising sometimes, though I can't tell if it was the same in my previous world though.)- thought Homura while giving Naruto a subtle but questioning look.

He was not overall convinced about Naruto's story.

He wasn't sure if Naruto was good at saving money or not but Naruto's lifestyle was simply too messy for him to fully believe that story so far.

Although Homura refused to go to Naruto's apartment to spend the day, he remembered from his memory that Naruto's apartment was a mess most of the time.

Though Homura can be considered lazy and a bit messy, and take showers only when couldn't mask his smell any further, he could not tolerate other people's mess.

-...but couldn't you have celebrated with your other friends? - said Naruto with a tone of voice that seemed a bit more insecure and meek than what his voice usually sounded like.

- Of course not! You're the one that gave me a run for my money, my eternal rival. I will beat you next race! ( There won't be a next race, I have to become stronger than this cheater...though it is true that I was also invited to celebrate with them... actually, only boss did. The others didn't invite me... But I refused anyway because I was going to spend my day celebrating with Naruto he is so alone...I need to give him...a bit of comfort... yes that's what he will get... the precious comfort he so desperately seeks from washing dishes at Teuchi's place he loves so much... then when he loses his money and cries...no...later. Come on Homura, keep it together. Your thoughts are going to leak out, this guy is incredibly sharp at weird moments)

- Homura, you-hm? What's wrong? You seem to be looking like you're trying to hold a fart?- said Naruto, after watching Homura's expressions changing rapidly due to the latter debating over what to do. 

- As if! Aren't you the one always farting without notice and tries to blame on other things.

- So you noticed after all. I always thought you were quite gullible sometimes hahaha!

- *nerve* Of course I did, but I always thought it was quite funny. Hahahaha!- Though Homura had uttered these said words and laughed on the left corner of his forehead several veins had popped out and were seemingly pumping blood at a much faster rate and amount than usual.

Though Naruto failed to notice it but just happily laughed at Homura's rebuttal.

- hahaha...still it would be nice to have more people around.  (Naruto)

- Well, we live quite far from the center of the village and they had already planned something else, but I am sure that now that we're going to be academy students we will be able to hang out with lots of people. (...I can tell the guys in the orphanage don't really dislike Naruto but at this point...I have no idea what is going on with them...is it because of the sisters?)

- Y-Yeah, you're right! The academy...*giggled* (Naruto)

-hm? (Just what is this guy imaging right now, meh! Who cares! I am about to leave the non-canon to enter canon territory. So those guys will be going bye-bye for all I care and the same with hanging out with Naruto... just need to get to the main class and I will be good... Don't disappoint me Hiruzen... fufufu).

The two boys continued walking for a while longer until suddenly Naruto's eyes lit up as he saw the shop he was yearning for this entire time.

- Ha! We're here! I can't wait anymore! Let's go in! Hurry - Said Naruto while pointing at Ichiraku's ramen shop.

- I can see that...(This store is never full, at least whenever I come by... Will my plan even work? If Teuchi is faster than me I'm kinda screwed... I won't lose my spot at the academy if I get arrested, right?)

- Huh? What's wrong with you, why do you always freeze like that? Come on! the shop is empty we can sit wherever we want.- asked a rather impatient-looking Naruto who was definitely unable to control his need for ramen any longer.

However, for Homura, this was the time to decide to either go through with his plan or risk his hopes of burning an entire heroine's route, for a petty revenge plot that might not even work.

Sadly, Homura was more self-centered than anything else at the end of the day, so his choices tended to be quite predictable.

- (Screw it!) I can see that... Actually *giggle*

Chapter end

*Sorry for the delay in releases, but plumbing issues got worse, way worse, but it's being taken care of gonna need a week or 2. Anyway extra large chapter due to being late and 5 stars review. Have a great weekend. Ps Sorry for the content heavy chapter would need another day to properly trim it down. ;p*