"Welcome to the third year of the academy…" Jinbei said, squeezing out as much enthusiasm as he could.
"In front of you are the books you'll need for the upcoming year, included among them are scrolls containing something I'm sure you're all very excited for… Jutsu!" said the teacher. Although his voice was a tad droney and didn't inspire much excitement, the content of his words were enough to make the classroom erupt in cheers.
Everyone was excited to learn Jutsu, why wouldn't they be? It's ninja magic, one of the biggest distinctions between ninjas and civilians; a testament to the mystical energy that inhabits all of our bodies.
'Laugh it up.' I thought, not sharing an iota of the same enthusiasm the others did.
I looked at the scrolls in front of me, they were the same ones Jinbei had handed me halfway through the second year. They were beat up and frayed at the edges, worn out from overuse.
But I had nothing to show for it.
I…
I can't do Jutsu.
I don't know why... I don't know if there's something I'm missing… something wrong with me… I just don't know.
I've conjured up that demented stickman, seen myself bald and tripped over at least a million times; more than enough for my spirit to be thoroughly crushed.
Was someone praying on my downfall? Did a deity think I needed humbling? This is sabotage.
I've used the dissatisfaction I've built up to hone my body further, I've progressed enough to bench press my bed and can crank out hundreds of push-ups before I get tired. Still, the allure of Jutsu evades me.
Jinbei went on to demonstrate the Jutsus to invigorate the class, I paid close attention to see if there was something I was missing, but like all the times I've observed Jinbei do this before, I found nothing helpful. I've gone to Jinbei enough times to be a nuisance and each time he's tried his best to help me, but he couldn't do much himself.
By this point I half expected him to kick me out of his office, but I was immensely grateful for him doing his best to help whenever I asked him.
I can't sit or wait around any longer, a few days ago I made up my mind to ask Jinbei something quite demanding, I wondered if he'd laugh at me but I honestly had no other choice.
Chances are that it'd work, but I had no guarantee.
School progressed as normal, playing Hunter at lunch let me blow off some steam but instilling fear in kids didn't hit as much as it used to; the taste of failed Jutsu seemed to be souring my fun.
Once classes finished, I went up to Jinbei and put my pride aside; I couldn't allow myself to rot any longer.
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[THIRD PERSON POV:]
Jinbei stood at the Hokage's office with a slight frown, he had relayed the news to Lord Third but was slightly perturbed by the old man's reaction.
"Hm… and when did he ask this of you?" asked Hiruzen, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Yesterday, Lord Third." Jinbei said a little curtly.
The Hokage shot an eyebrow up at his subordinate's tone but didn't question it, he had made his dissatisfaction quite clear over the past few months.
Jinbei met with the Hokage many times, each a result of Aoki pestering him for more help; he felt that somewhere along the way, he had been relegated to the position of babysitter instead of school teacher.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Although he was slightly annoyed at Aoki, he was more upset at Hiruzen; Aoki is still a child and his behaviour is to be expected, the same cannot be said for the Hokage.
The child's inability to do Jutsu was a point of great worry for the boy, and as such he relentlessly pestered Jinbei about it throughout the second half of the year. The first instance of this happening, he filed a report to the Hokage as instructed to do when something of relevance changed in Aoki's life.
The very next day Jinbei was called into the office and fed instructions that to this day, he didn't agree with.
"Instruct him, but no more than what's covered in class." said the Hokage.
Jinbei was shocked at this 180-degree shift in how the Hokage wanted Aoki treated, first, it was to give him special treatment and now, to deprive him of it. In fact, Jinbei would have given more advice even without the special treatment order, yet now he could not help Aoki at all.
The teacher didn't know what the Hokage was playing at, but it made him uncomfortable.
"I know that this may be confusing for you Jinbei, but trust that this is for the good of Aoki's future." said the Hokage in a sagely voice.
Jinbei nodded. As confused as he was, he didn't believe that the Hokage had any malicious intentions, his wariness was borne of confusion, not suspicion.
The Hokage smiled in return and answered Jinbei's question, "Tell Aoki I accept his request, I'll visit him soon."
"Hm... and when should I tell him you'll do this?" asked Jinbei, slightly surprised that the Hokage had switched back to giving Aoki special treatment.
The Hokage mulled it over before replying, "In a week or so..." in a thoughtful voice.
'After his classmates have already tried the Jutsus...' a stray thought popped up in Jinbei's head, one he knew contributed to the Hokage's choice to take a week to visit the child.
Jinbei nodded and didn't say much more, the Hokage thanked him for the good work he's done so far and dismissed him with a wave.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair with a satisfied expression, Aoki had taken a lot longer to crack than he expected; but cracked, he had. The old man took no joy in the boy's worry but it was necessary.
Aoki's first instructor "Tokei" had discovered that Orochimaru's research into the boy could not be trusted, with how volatile Aoki's presence could be to the Leaf, further investigation was required.
Making the child go through the arduous process of being "researched" on again forcefully might alienate Aoki, unearth unpleasant memories and damage his connection to Hiruzen. No. Hiruzen needs Aoki to be the one to ask for further testing, this way he can gain the boy's favour and better understand the changes he has gone through.
Once Jinbei reported Aoki's inability to produce a clone, the old man knew that this was an opportunity he couldn't let go of. As expected, it had yielded positive results.
Beneath the satisfaction, there was a slight well of guilt that threatened to surface. The Hokage throughout his career has done things that he has been ashamed of, even if manipulating Aoki is for the good of the Leaf, he took no pleasure in it beyond the satisfaction of achieving what he set out to do.
"I'll give him a gift to make up for it… I'm sure little Sasuke's looking forward to our meeting as well" the Hokage thought out loud with a light chuckle.
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[AOKI POV:]
"Aoky! Aki! Look!" Numa shouted, waving his hands at me to grab my attention.
He's done this three times today already, and every time he does it, Sasuke bursts into laughter, encouraging the brat to do it again.
"Substooty Jutsu!" he said, bumping his fists together in a make-do hand seal.
After he shouted out the Jutsu, he dramatically pirouetted and collapsed onto a pillow he had placed on the floor; elegantly replicating my fall.
'How long has this joke been going on for…' I complained internally, putting on a strained smile and clapping at Numa's show. Kuma seemed to be trying to replicate the hand sign, I prayed that he too wouldn't forsake me as his brother had for a few laughs.
"Now, now boys… be nice to Aoki," Tomo said, scooping up Numa and pinching his nose.
We all had varying reactions to my inability to do Jutsu, I was depressed, Sasuke was confused, the twins thought it was funny and Tomo was glad. I bet that some small part of her hoped that this means that I couldn't be a ninja.
She was wrong.
Even if I can't do Jutsu, I'll find some way to grow stronger. Rock Lee managed to do it and I am 100% sure that my body's capabilities far surpass his, whatever my fate is in terms of ninjutsu, I have made up my mind to pursue this goal regardless.
What annoyed me however was the fact that some kids in my class had already managed to learn a Jutsu, in particular, Yakumi had been using his clone Jutsu whenever he got the chance.
I was able to stay in the crowd of people who couldn't do it yet and not attract much attention, but the Uchiha did try to provoke me a few times. Whenever he did, his cousin Byakko would just smack him upside the head, which I always enjoyed.
I played with the kids for a while and helped out Tomo with the chores before the knocks of my saviour rat-tat-tatted on the door.
*Ratatat!*
My heart was beating fast, if he couldn't help me, chances are that no one can. Even if I have steeled myself to pursue the path of a ninja regardless of my Jutsus, I would much rather have it than not.
My heart laced with worry and hope, I opened the door.