Zetuo had always known the difference between dreams and reality, never once mistaking the two no matter how bad or shitty the real world seemed to get. The main reason being that, more often than not, the current existence was quite a bit crappier then those belonging to a mere dream. Even the nightmares were nothing compared to how far downhill his life could get and this fact made it so simple to discern the fiction from the nonfiction.
Most of the time this ability to recognize when he was awake helped him through various scenarios, such as the time he was subjected to drugs by a so called 'scientist' trying to perform a number of experiments. Able to tell hallucination from truth had come into play when he was being pumped full of toxins designed to fuck up the mind and deteriorate the senses. Life was truly much worse then that of a dream and it was only due to Zetuo's own acting skills that he managed to escape the situation.
However, in this particular instance, he actually began to doubt his ability, and with good reason. It was hard to remain logical when everything that was happening around him was completely illogical.
For starters, there was the kid with the unnaturally blonde hair, Minato Namikaze. For some odd reason, the strong hint of danger emanated from him, causing Zetuo's instincts to rear its head and his palm to itch like crazy. An inexplicable feeling emerged within the black haired youth that he had never experienced with someone near his own age, the feeling of fear.
While it wasnt an overwhelming fear, it being more of a controlled one, it was more of the fact that he even felt fear at all. Having bested circumstance after circumstance had numbed the youths sense of fear by quite a bit, leaving a calm and collected mind that could sort through irrational negative emotions such as fear and anxiety in order to face any given task. He hadnt felt fear in the true sense ever since he was around eleven and even then he was able to nearly nullify it entirely. It made little to no sense that this 12 to 13 year old kid could enlist such a reaction that even deranged psychopaths could not.
Setting that aside, the kid himself paled in comparison to the real mind-boggler. Namely an entire freaking Village that had appeared seemingly out of thin f*cking air.
While it wasnt entirely unlikely that while he was unconscious he had been moved to a separate location, the odds of being moved to somewhere of this magnitude was slim. Additionally, from the first time he had been knocked for a loop to the first time he had woke up, he hadnt been moved very far, having only been out of it for at least an hour to four hours. The traffic in New York wasnt exactly the best so getting very far in such a short amount of time wasnt looking like the play.
It seemed so implausible yet here he was, being walked down a dirt lane by the same kid he had sensed danger from. Old japanese style buildings lined both sides of the street and Minato happily pointing out places that he deemed interesting. It was like a page from a story, one where the main character got whisked away to a different world, where the MC could begin a new life in a much easier place.
(("Yeah, like that'll ever happen,")) Zetuo thought inwardly as Minato gestured to another construct. (("Even if that was the case, this'll probably be more like my own world, where I could potentially die at any moment."))
What truly bugged him was how nonchalant everyone around him was acting, the people passing by and even Minato not even questioning who he was or why he was here. While it could be attributed to general kindness or just plain old fashioned minding their own business, he had to wonder why they had even bothered to kidnap him of that was the case. If he hadnt experienced the likes of an ACTUAL cult then he would sincerely wonder if this was something akin to it.
"Hey Minato," Zetuo said, interrupting the youth as he began to talk about some other thing he wasn't listening to. "Where am I exactly? I know you told me previously that this was the Hidden Leaf, but where exactly is that? New York? New Jer- never mind. Vermont? Pennsylvania?"
Minato looked at Zetuo with a confused expression, clearly not getting the question the black haired youth had asked. "I dont know about any of those places you mentioned but the Hidden Leaf is located in The Land Of Fire."
(("Land Of Fire? So was I really on the mark with that ridiculous theory? Am I in another world or is this dude just crazy?")) Zetuo, who was usually rational and fully confident in himself, began to doubt his own sanity.
Minato, seeing Zetuo's lost and confused look, smiled. "Its okay. I heard you lost most of your memories so its fine if you dont believe me for now. Just follow me and we'll get you checked out at the hospital to make sure you're not injured in any way."
Minato felt sorry for the youth, he truly did. He himself couldn't imagine what it would be like to just go to sleep one day and then wake up not even knowing anything besides his own name.
(A/N- No clue about when he became a chunin)
Having just turned twelve and being a genin, Minato had been on all sorts of low ranking missions. This was perhaps the first time he had to escort someone around the Village, and a amnesiac on top of it. Of course he wanted to do his best on the job, but he figured it couldn't hurt to befriend the kid as he could probably use the emotional support.
While Minato was a bit confused on the aspects of the mission, one that was given to him out of the blue by Inota Yamanaka, claiming he'll inform Lord Third, he desired to do his best for this stranger. Hence, he brought as much enthusiasm and cheerfulness as he could muster, aiming to help the lad to smile and look alive. However, when the kid named Zetuo asked him the question of where he was, it truly sank in just how lost he was. It made him feel like he wasnt trying hard enough even though truthfully he had been going all out from the start.
In an attempt to deviate the topic from more depressing news, Minato shifted the conversation.
"So, want to hear about a new jutsu I've been developing?" Minato asked, pretending to look around before leaning in to whisper it. "Ive just started it but I think its going pretty well."
"Jutsu?" Zetuo asked, his facial expressions morphing just enough to indicate his confusion. "What's that?"
"Ah." Minato remembered once again that the guy didnt have his memory and quickly aimed to rectify his mistake. "Well, a jutsu is a technique of sorts that comes to life when you combine hand seals and your inner energy known as Chakra. I'll be happy to show you later if you like?"
Minato wanted to get closer to the kid he deemed as depressed and lost, a personal quest of wanting to see him at least lose the confused look in his eyes. He couldnt exactly explain his newfound feelings but he had the strong urge to help Zetuo back up onto his feet and reinstate him into the world. Even if he got his memories back, the kid seemed interesting enough and had no doubt that he had stories to tell, one look at his arms and legs telling him quite a bit.
On the other hand, it was almost like Zetuo was reading a book with how open the kid in front of him was, full personality on display for the world to see. Maybe it was because he was relaxed around him, but Minato hadn't deigned to force any kind of emotion on his face, indicating his full trust despite them just meeting some twenty five minutes to a half hour ago. This could easily be attributed to the fact that the blonde was under the assumption he had memory lost, but Zetuo rather believed that this guy was just simply a nice guy.
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(("Speaking of things nice, why havent I had any bad luck as of late?")) Zetuo raised his guard as he looked around precariously, trying to pinpoint any danger. (("I know I ran into masked guys and got knocked out by an old man but its still been a while since I had any issues. Did traversing worlds cause it to delay or maybe disappear entirely?"))
Of course, such luck didnt exist on Zetuo's plane of existence and every fiber in his being told him that he was still indeed cursed. Whether it be now or later, something was bound to happen that he needed to be prepared for. For him, misfortune had never been a matter of if, only when.
"So, you wanted to show me this 'jutsu' of yours?" Zetuo asked, a small smile on his face. At this point he was on full 'Fuck It' mode and could care less about what happened. If unicorns appeared and went on a rampage then he wouldn't even be surprised. "Id like that. First, we need to get that checkup right? I feel like that's a must."
Minato seemed delighted that Zetuo had agreed and eagerly nodded, expressing his emotions directly which made Zetuo grin inwardly, actually brightening his day. It had been a while since he had had any real conversations with someone that wasnt a person from the orphanage and he was thoroughly enjoying it.
"That aside, let's continue. You can point out all the various landmarks on the way. Help me get a feel for the lay of the land."
Zetuo was ready to follow the cheery blonde youth when he detected movement out of the corner of his eye. Tilting his head ever so slightly, he narrowed his gaze to the very top corner of a nearby roof where a man garbed in grey and donning a Kirin mask was perched, staring at him.
Right then, two things hit him like a bullet, two important pieces of information that simply clicked.
The first was that this individual had been tailing him since the beginning and there was likely more then one. It made perfect sense considering that he was a stranger that was on their land and, him being new, they werent entirely sure of who he was. If he really had been transported to a different world then it only made sense that someone kept an eye on him so as to not cause a ruckus or trouble. On top of the that, it was clear these guys WANTED to be seen, to make it clear that he wasn't trusted.
This lead him to the second piece which was that these guys wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he made a wrong move. He had seen their speed, their inhuman strength, and was now aware of their jutsu, something which he couldnt hope to match. Dealing with something that was completely out of his realm of comprehension, Zetuo could only play along and fall in line in order to keep himself off the chopping block.
"Zetuo, you coming?" Minato asked, stepping up next to the black haired youth. "We really should pick up the pace a little."
Zetuo looked at the blonde and then back towards the roof, unsurprisingly finding the masked individual gone. "Yeah, Im ready to go. Just lead the way Minato."
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"So, I'm gonna put this simply. Physically you appear fine which is actually quite remarkable considering that your chakra pathways are all blocked up."
"Chakra pathways?" Zetuo asked as he hopped down from the bed.
The nurse shot a confused look over to Minato, of whom was currently positioned by the window, overlooking the checkup Zetuo had been going through. The two of them had made it to the hospital around thirty minutes ago and were in the process of getting the dark haired youth through a physical exam. Things had been looking great up until this point with no broken bones, damaged arteries or really anything out of the ordinary. It seemed the only problem had to do with chakra, something Zetuo knew absolutely nothing about.
"Oh, Zetuo has amnesia and cant remember anything. He doesn't know what chakra is." Minato let out a small laugh as he readjusted himself in his chair. "To be honest, he doesnt really know much of anything besides his own name."
"Ah. Well, chakra is the combination of both your physical and mental energy and is used in both ninjutsu and genjutsu. Your chakra pathways are simply the routes your chakra flows through." The nurse explained passively as she continued to pat various places over Zetuo's body. The youth could feel strangles tingles emanating from her palms which felt rather odd and almost made him back away. "Your own pathways seemed to be blocked. As of right now, the only places with chakra are your brain and heart. Its amazing you have the strength to stand."
"Is lack of chakra a bad thing?" Zetuo asked curiously, remaining completely still so as not to disturb the nurse.
"Well as long your chakra isnt completely blocked up, the damage is minimal. However removing chakra from the body effects you physically, weakening you considerably hence why I said its amazing your walking around like its nothing."
"Okay? So then what happens next?" Zetuo was now highly curious about the concept of chakra and whether or not he possessed this form of 'energy' as well.
"Well it'll take some time to open them back up. Just give me a few minutes and I can reestablish the flow." The nurse moved her hands to Zetuo's chest and narrowed her eyes.
For the next couple of minutes, Zetuo and Minato didnt move much as the nurse worked around the youths body. Apart from the same tingling sensation he had experienced from her palms before and having to stand stockstill, the unlucky youth didnt really feel much of anything. He wasnt sure if it was working or not, but he assumed that this person knew what she was doing so he couldn't say a single word about the ongoing process.
"Alright, I'm done," the nurse said after risking to her feet, having knelt down to touch Zetuos feet. "Your chakra is flowing once again. I recommend taking it easy until your body fully recovers from the lack of chakra you had previously. If any more problems arise again feel free to stop by and I'll check you out."
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"Well? How do you feel?" Minato asked as thet exited the hospital. "Any different?"
Zetuo closed his eyes, momentarily stopping where he was to try and feel for any noticeable change in his body. After a solid minute of experiencing absolutely nothing, hee opened his eyes and shook his head. Having never went through such a process before, he couldn't be sure if said method worked correctly or of it was merely a hoax. He was torn between being relieved nothing had happened and slightly disappointed that he couldn't ascertain the feeling of the energy they called chakra.
"I dont feel it," Zetuo said as he opened and closed his fist, checking for any kind of physical reaction. "I'm just the same as before."
Minato frowned slightly, his expression shifting into slight regret and a hint of disappointment. He had actually been rather curious about the strange kids predicament and had hoped it would be cleared up, making him one step closer to a nice recovery. At this point, even without a mission, he was too enveloped in the case to simply leave the kid alone.
"How about we ask the Hokage? He's the leader of the Village and that's where I'm supposed to be leading you next." Minato figured if he didnt have any answers for this new friend of his then odds were one of the most intelligent figures in the Hidden Leaf would. It was actually quite convenient that that had been their next stop in the end anyways.
"I guess thats fine." Zetuo didn't really have any room to argue. Meeting the head of the Village was most definitely something that needed to be done in order to get to the bottom of everything.
"Then lets go," Minato said simply, once again leading the way.
This time, instead of walking and chatting, the two of them simply strolled in silence, each buried in their own thoughts. Things were going quite smoothly, at least until Zetuo was knocked down by someone who fell from the two story building located on the youths right. One moment he was strolling behind Minato at a casual walking pace and the next he was face down in the dirt wondering why the ground was so damn hard.
It wasnt even like it was a surprise though at this point and Zetuo only blamed himself for now being aware of what this particular brand of dirt tasted like. As someone whose bad luck never failed to make some kind of entrance, he had no right to complain and could only be thankful that this was the only thing that had happened.
After a bit of struggling, Zetuo managed to wiggle free from the crushing pressure of whoever was now perched on top of him.
Being helped up by a Minato who looked to he in between worried and struggling not to laugh, Zetuo dusted himself off carefully as he gazed at the spot where the skydiver in question had deigned to land.
A head full of red hair was literally the first thing he noticed, a natural shade of red he had never seen before on anyone in his own world. The owner of the bright red hair was a young female, about the same age as Zetuo and Minato with abnormal clothes that he had already gotten used to seeing in the Village. She looked pretty normal with only her red hair causing her to truly stand out as it was light enough to pick out a solid mile away.
"Tsk!! Damned roof," the girl said as she stood up off the ground, rubbing her butt as she moved the hair out of her face. "First time that's ever happened. Never expected to slip."
It was around then that the girl seemed to register the two guys standing and staring directly at her as she immediately tensed up and glanced from Zetuo to Minato. Whether or not she had been aware that she had crushed Zetuo underneath her was put into question as she kept glancing back and forth. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of staring, she finally directly spoke.
"What do you want?"
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