CH_11: What If…?

CH_11: What If...?

Maruboshi and Takuma sat together in front of each other in the middle of the field. The morning's gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the abundant trees in and around the Leaf village, bringing about a harmonious summer sound.Reêad latest novels at novelhall.com

"Seeing that you have tried to practice chakra on your own. Tell me about your experience so I can know what you understand," said Maruboshi.

"... Nothing. I felt nothing, made zero progress," said Takuma in a voice quieter than his natural tone. Despite his lack of proficiency in literally every aspect of being a shinobi, Takuma made progress in everything he was taught, no matter how minuscule it may be, he had improved. But not in chakra— it was as if he was trying to access that wasn't there.

What if it wasn't there... at all. Bells blared in his mind as the thought emerged in his mind for the first time. What if he didn't possess chakra?

'No, no, no! All lifeforms on this planet possess chakra,' he thought.

'But you're not from this planet,' said a treacherous voice in his mind.

'This body is!' Takuma screamed back.

'So, what?' said the voice, sounding infinitely blaming. 'Didn't you say so yourself? Chakra is a product of combining physical and spiritual energies. The body produces the physical aspect, but it's your soul that doesn't produce the spiritual aspect— because it's not native to this world. You're an outsider; you can't wield chakra! Get out!'

The chilling thought made her body shudder more than a dip in the cold water of a freezing winter morning. He couldn't accept it— a life without the ability to use chakra in this world. The number of people who didn't use chakra dwarfed those who did use it, but Takuma didn't want to be part of that majority.

His vision turned blurry as his ears started to ring harshly. The glass of milk he had drank threatened to come out with the rest of his stomach juices. His body felt hot as the broad open field started to feel too small and congested, there was not enough air to breathe. The early sun felt dim, the rustle of leaves sounded deafening, and the morning breeze felt heavy like lead.

Takuma looked down at his body. The body that wasn't his. It wasn't his skin he was wearing. He was a thief. He needed to get out of it... get out... now!

"Takuma!"

The old voice pierced through the noise, and Takuma felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked up with his eyes wide in shock as though he had seen a great ghost spelling the end of his life. In a matter of seconds, Takuma's entire body looked like he had been in the sauna, dripping with sweat.

Seeing the trembling Takuma in front of him, Maruboshi jumped forward and laid Takuma down on the grass. Takuma's chest heaved up as he looked up at the blue sky. It was coming down, or so it looked to Takuma. He immediately curled up in a ball in response.

"Takuma, can you hear me?!"

Maruboshi hurriedly weaved a chain of hand signs before grabbing Takuma's head, resting his palms between Takuma's temples. A green glow of Iryo Ninjutsu illuminated Maruboshi's palms, but Takuma's breath remained erratic and labored, and every muscle seemed restless and ready to jump out.

"Takuma, focus on my voice, child."

Maruboshi frowned. It wasn't working. He gazed at the distressed Takuma for a moment before canceling the jutsu and rushing out of the field while carrying Takuma in his arms.

-.-.-

Maruboshi sighed as he sat by Takuma's bedside in the hospital. He stared at the child he had taken under his wing with worry. Just an hour ago, the face now sleeping peacefully was twisted in pain. Looking back at it, he hadn't had the time to process the last hour completely. All of it was so sudden that he had followed his instincts like he would during a mission.

Because of that, he ended up bringing Takuma to the shinobi hospital instead of the civilian hospital, as he should've done. Unlike him, Takuma was still a civilian and, according to the correct procedure, should've been admitted to a civilian hospital.

It was thanks to the good fellows in the hospital who had allowed Takuma a bed until he woke up, after which he was going to be moved to the civilian counterpart for further treatment if needed.

If needed, Maruboshi sighed. He prayed there wasn't a need for any.

"Ah."

"He has no one to rely upon, it was a coincidence we met, or maybe it was fate that I accepted, but now that I have taken the responsibility, I will not walk away from it," said Maruboshi. "And as you said, Lord Hokage, children are the treasure of the village. The future. I am simply doing something very small, hoping that future will be a happy one."

He hadn't agreed to teach Takuma on a whim. There were many orphans who needed an adult influence in their lives, someone to guide them as they grew up. He couldn't help every one of them. So, he chose one that would benefit from his guidance and would appreciate it. He had observed Takuma for days from the shadows to see if teaching Takuma would be worth it or just a waste of time.

In that time he had seen a lonesome child who didn't fit in with the rest. Always alone, but never lonely. Never once had he seen Takuma look at his classmates or other children with other parents with even a hint of wanting or desire in his eyes. He always seemed so indifferent to everything. Living his life running around, not stopping even for a second to look around to appreciate the simple things. Never relying on anyone. That wasn't how a child was supposed to live.

Then he realized. Maybe the reason why Takuma never seemed to care was that he never knew what the joy of companionship felt like in the first place.

The sentiment saddened Maruboshi, and he had only thought about it. What about Takuma? What if he was living it.

Maruboshi didn't know if his thoughts were correct; after all, he didn't know what Takuma was thinking. But even if there was a chance that he was right, he didn't want any child to live that sort of life. Especially a child in front of him, one he knew, even if only shortly.

So, he decided... He would train Takuma. Not for the purpose of making him a fine shinobi. No, what he wanted was for Takuma to know the joy of companionship— what it felt like to rely on others, to share joy and sadness all the same.

"Then maybe you feel ready to guide others in need," said Hiruzen.

Maruboshi matched eyes with his Hokage and firmly shook his head. He wasn't ready for that. He was never going to be ready for that. Training an academy student once a day with no life-threatening stakes and consequences couldn't compare.

He didn't put his thoughts into words, but Hiruzen understood the head shake and dropped the conversation, something Maruboshi was thankful for.

Hiruzen stayed a while, gazing at Takuma. He even asked Maruboshi about Takuma. Maruboshi was surprised. He had been around longer than others— he had served under Lord Second, Lord Third, then Lord Fourth, and Lord Third again— so he knew how busy the seat of Hokage was.

But he told anyway; after all, who was he to deny the Hokage?

He recounted the progress proudly Takuma had made. How much he had learned in a short time. He told the Hokage about how smart Takuma was for a young child, that he held wits and cunning beyond his age. And the tenacity and will to persevere through anything thrown at him without a squeak of a complaint. Never once had Takuma requested to slow down or do less. Never had he refused to complete any task he had asked of him.

Takuma was a good student; nothing anyone else might say could make Maruobshi think otherwise.

Hiruzen listened until it was time for him to leave.

Maruboshi felt embarrassed; he had spoken too much. He apologized for keeping the Hokage for so long. But Hiruzen waved it off.

"It is a joy to hear that such a bright child will be joining our ranks soon," said Hiruzen with a smile. "Maybe the next time we meet, I will hear about him from the person himself."

When Hiruzen left, Maruboshi sat beside Takuma. He hadn't taken a mission; he had nowhere to be.

"Wake up soon, young Takuma..."

He hoped Takuma would.

His mornings had begun to feel lonely.

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