3 years and 6 months later

Yumi

“What are you drawing, Shin?”, I asked as I bent down to see what he was drawing.

Since his first encounter with art, he has spent his time drawing everything he observes, with a special predilection for animals. Now his new hobby is drawing people.

My father was almost in tears when I told him that the first person he drew was him. Shin said it was Grandpa Bear because he was as big as one. The bad thing was the argument that followed to see who got to keep the drawing. Fortunately, Shin likes to repeat his drawings. Byu once said that to be the best at something you have to practice it many times.

This stuck with him, especially watching him practice shuriken jutsu, when Byu said it.

Since then, Shin likes to repeat the same things, especially drawings. Only when he likes how it turned out does he move on to drawing new things.

“Mom, do you like it?” he asked me.

I could see Byu's drawing, with a kunai in each hand. It wasn't perfect, but it's a good drawing for a child under four years old. He had talent.

“It's beautiful, son. Dad will love it,” I said as I hugged him. Shin laughed.

“I never imagined I'd have such a talented son. If you keep this up, you'll be one of the best artists,” I said, proud, though also worried.

I'm sure Shin is very advanced for his age. Despite his childish thinking, his behavior and questions show intelligence beyond that of other children his age. My father and Byu say I exaggerate. They claim that although he speaks well for his age, he learns new words fast and his talent for drawing is only somewhat remarkable, similar to what some child geniuses show. They say he is just very advanced for his age, nothing more.

I would have believed it, were it not for the fact that weeks ago he started writing and understanding kanji. It is true that my father taught him to see writing as drawings by having him use a large brush on scrolls. However, a child under the age of four doesn't usually do or understand that easily.

Part of me feels bad for wishing my son was normal, but I know enough cases of genius ninjas, and how most end up, Hatake Kakashi being one of them, becoming a Genin at the age of five. I understand that we are at war, but there are boundaries that should not be crossed. I thought turning children into Genin was a thing of the past. It's one of the things the First Hokage fought for.

Apparently, if you are a genius, you lose your right to be a child or have a normal childhood. I don't want that for Shin. We haven't talked to him much about ninja life or had him train for that reason. But I know the day will come, and I don't see myself being able to stop him if he wants to graduate early.

“MOM!” Shin shouted at me.

Apparently, I was lost in my thoughts. “Sorry, Shin, Mom was a little distracted.”

“Mom, is Dad coming soon?” he asked me with expectant eyes.

“It will take longer than usual for him to come back. The mission he has to do is far away, but don't worry, we'll get a message when he's about to return,” I told him.

At first, Shin was fine with Byu's absence, until, a few months before, he had to stay inside Konoha. He got used to playing with Byu every day. I clearly remember Byu's expression when Shin started crying as he said goodbye. It looked like Byu was making the hardest decision of his life. I had to tell him to leave before Shin made his little eyes at him, and be able to make him not to leave, and declare him a - missing-nin - for not fulfilling his mission.

Byu took a special mission away from the battlefront. I was to head to Kusagakure prison to prevent the ninja from escaping and joining Amegakure. It was a complicated mission due to the lack of information; it was only known that they requested urgent support. Sakumo was given the responsibility of the mission and chose to send only his elite Chunin selection, as it was not possible for him to assign a Jounin.

Byu was the only Genin among those who went. It is a perfect mission for what he was looking for; if it goes well, no matter how much the Shimura talk, his promotion will be inevitable.

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Although the mission is dangerous, they are unlikely to face Jounin level criminals.

Moreover, in these years, Byu has trained non-stop. Although he is not at the level of a Jounin, he is very close, according to my father. Byu could withstand a few minutes alone in front of one.

I changed the subject so Shin don’t think about it anymore. After dinner, I read him more stories, the few he still liked. Soon I think it will be time to start sharing with him readings about history, especially because he really enjoys when we talk to him about legends or the First Hokage.

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In the night

POV Shin Gokan

I don't know where I am; I just saw strange images passing by. Out of nowhere, I was in a rocky field. There are many people, I am trying to talk, but they don't hear my voice, and the people don't see me.

Suddenly, a horrible feeling came over me, and then I saw him. It was a huge man with brown skin, horns on his face, red eyes and ten big hands coming out of his back. It was horrible. I started to scream, but I could only hear the man's mighty roar. I called for help, but no one could see me and I couldn't find mom or dad anywhere. Everything went black.

Mom was at my side, wrapping me in a warm embrace. My throat ached. Still, I wanted to tell her about the ten-handed demon, how ugly and big it was, but I was so afraid. I was shivering like when it was cold, and I was also drenched in sweat. I didn't understand what was wrong with me.

I hugged her with all my strength until I could no longer continue.

When I woke up, I felt very tired. I was very thirsty, but at least Mom is with me, and I have other pants on.

“Mom, mom, mom.” I woke her up. I realized my voice sounded different.

“Mom, the ten-handed demon, Mom. We must find daddy to take care of us”. The discomfort in my throat was increasing and I started coughing.

“Shin, take it easy, it was a bad dream. It's alright. You're home, there's no demon,” she told me.

“You screamed a lot yesterday. Your voice is hurt. Try not to talk too much, son.”

However, I couldn't help but keep insisting. I felt it. Maybe he's gone, but he'll be back for sure. Dad is very strong; surely he can defeat him, or at least we can run away.

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3 days later

Mom doesn't believe me, but I know the ten-handed demon wants something to do with us.

He comes back every night. I don't know what it wants, but it won't leave us alone. I tried to draw it for Mom, but I don't quite remember it. Last time I realized he has a shell like a snail.

At least I managed to convince mom to have grandpa come. My dad told me he was very strong and stopped doing missions to protect the village. At least with him and mom we could protect ourselves.

Grandpa says they are “nightmares,” but I know it's not normal to have them three days in a row. Besides, it's getting clearer and clearer, as if it's coming.

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2 days later

I yelled at mom today, I feel so bad and I miss dad. With him here we would be safer.

When mom left, I talked to grandpa. I wanted to apologize to her, but I didn't know how. He suggested we go out and buy her some flowers, which I thought was a good idea.

“Don't worry, we all make mistakes. I'm sure she'll forgive you,” Grandpa told me as I sat on his shoulders. I was too tired to walk back from the flower store, I got tired faster lately.

“I just don't know why I did it. It just came out of me, I didn't mean to hurt Mom.”

“It must be because you didn't sleep well. When we don't get enough sleep, we get angry and don't do things right. It's very important to rest, that's why we're very worried about you, Shin,” he told me.

He may be right. Dad used to say that on his missions it was crucial to find a good place for all the ninjas to rest. I guess, if they don't get a good night's sleep, they won't do their.... ninja stuff.

“I'll try to rest during the day, Grandpa. It might help,” I said as I played with his hair.

“It will be for the best. If you can't sleep, I can teach you kanji until you get sleepy,” he laughed, remembering when I fell asleep and got ink all over my face.

“I was just tired that day,” I said, tapping him on the ears, remembering how Mom said it bothered him.

“You little ruffian, I'm sure Yumi said something to you,” he said, and then started tickling me.

I resisted admirably, though in the end I had to admit defeat.

We waited for Mom to come home. I handed her the flowers the store girl recommended and apologized. I told her that what I did wasn't what I wanted, and that maybe it was because I hadn't slept well, but Dad always says we should be responsible for our actions. Avoiding them or making excuses is for bad men.

Mom just hugged me and told me she understood. I explained that, as a good man, I had to apologize and make amends for my mistakes. I don't quite know what “make amends” means, but Dad says it often.

I'm sure I would have looked like a ninja following his -Nindo-, if it weren't for Mom yelling out how cute little gentleman I was.

At least the apology went well.

Next Day

Mom took me to a mind doctor, or something like that, for the supposed nightmares. I was upset because they didn't believe they weren't just dreams, but I remembered that Mom just wanted what was best for me to sleep. I was also tired of not getting a good night's rest, so I didn't say anything else. The candy she promised me might have helped, but I only agreed

because I wanted to see the doctor.

Quickly, I realized that the lady doctor didn't believe me either, but at least she was interested in what the 10-handed demon looked like. I showed her my drawings, and she even complimented me on them. She suggested that, if I dreamed the same thing again, I should draw other things or people, and not just focus on the demon.

I told him it wasn't easy to ignore a huge screaming demon, but she still asked me to try. I told her I would try.

The next night I tried. True, it helped a little, but I was still waking up shaking, although less afraid. According to Mom, I was no longer screaming. I have to give the mind doctor credit, her advice worked pretty well.

I drew the people I saw, but I couldn't quite remember the faces. The clothing was varied in color, but most wore ninja jackets. There were people of all heights and sizes, with black, blond, white and even pink hair.

The next day, I dreamed of a 9-tailed orange fox/rabbit in a forest, fighting a wooden statue.

Apparently, that reassured mom. She said that maybe I dreamed it because lately I had read about the first Hokage, who fought the Kyubi, the 9-tailed fox. But I still didn't understand who the other person was there.

Nor why the next dream was of a blond boy talking to the Kyubi.