POV Shin

Today I felt better than ever, after waking up at night and seeing dad I could sleep peacefully, and even better I had no nightmares. As soon as I woke up I went to look for my drawings and my notes, although I was not very good at writing I had still improved. I had written down the most important things, although it was not a very nice handwriting I understood myself. As my grandfather used to say, the most important thing is to understand yourself, and then that others understand what you write.

When I tried to tell dad about my dreams, he told me to have breakfast first and then we would talk about it. I was annoyed, but the delicious aroma of breakfast made me forget about it. It would only be a few minutes and we would eat together like before. After a while, mom got up and sat down to eat while dad served her.

I was very happy to be at the table all together, and even happier when Dad said he wouldn't have to leave the village for some time, so he would be home more.

As mom finished eating, I showed dad my drawings. I felt a sense of relief when he started asking serious questions about my dreams. I knew dad would believe in me.

I answered all his questions, from my first dream with the ten-handed giant to my last one with the scorpion-libellula, however I don't understand why he asked about what I felt inside the dreams, smells, tastes or sensations. He also complimented me on my drawings.

"I've only been gone a few weeks and you already draw better than your parents. You really could be an artist son, I'm very proud of you, not only for your skill but because I see you've practiced a lot," he said as he stroked my head.

I couldn't help but smile, Dad saw all my drawings, from the first time I drew the ten-handed giant to my latest drawings of other beasts.

"I took your advice dad, to be good at something you have to practice a lot." I remember how he practiced throwing several shuriken at moving targets while running, it's some of the most amazing stuff I've ever seen.

Dad just laughed, "You're right, I told you, but I didn't expect you to remember. Never forget Shin, effort and hard work always pays off, regardless of talent. With effort everyone can be better."

"Dad, What is talent?".

"I heard about a boy named Kakashi, they say he's one of the most talented in the village. But, talent is not just being very good at something," I asked.

He thought for a while and then reached out his hand, I took it and put it on his shoulders.

He organized my Kyubi drawings, from the first to the last. "Which one is the best and which one is the worst for you?"

Obviously, the worst was my first drawing and the best was my last. I was able to draw his face better too.

"You’re correct, as I said the more you practice the better you draw, but something you don't know is that each person improves at their own pace."

He pointed to my first drawing, "It took you a few weeks to go from this drawing to your best drawing, but that's not normal for other kids, it would normally take them many months of practice to achieve what you did".

"You are very talented Shin," Dad said. Mom put her hand on his and they looked at each other for a few seconds.

Mom let out a sigh and headed off to do the dishes.

"Son, ever since you were little we knew you were very smart. That's why it's hard for you to make friends your age. Not only do you speak and understand new words fast, but you are very good at drawing," he told me.

"And you are amazing for this, just don't forget that talent only improves the result your effort, if you don't practice, if you don't strive to be better, your drawings will never improve, something that talented people forget, is that they should try harder to take advantage of blessings they were born with."

"Can I be like Kakashi?", I asked. According to Hiroto that's the most talked about in the village, how he became a ninja very young.

I heard Mom drop a plate, and Dad's face changed.

"Kakashi is an exceptional case, being a ninja so young shows that he is a genius, but you don't have to follow his footsteps if you want to be a ninja. The normal thing is to graduate from the academy at 10 years old, besides you will make many friends and learn more, the academy is a very nice experience Shin, most of your best friends will be make in the academy, there is no rush to graduate, even if you could it's not always the best" he told me, but it sounded weird.

Besides, I don't know why dad thinks I'm not sure of being a ninja, my parents and grandfather are, obviously I'll be one too and I'll protect the village.

"Shin we hope you will take full advantage of the academy, plus with your talent you can focus on other things, you could take drawing classes or classes in other things you want to learn," said Mom.

"It's okay, I'd also like to do more things than study to be a ninja," I said about having drawing classes is something mom has told me before, and I love the idea.

"By the way you forgot to show this drawing," Mom said, pulling out the drawing of Dad with the two kunai in his hands.

"MOM! It's not finished yet," I said, trying to grab the drawing.

Dad took it earlier, smiling. "It looks amazing son, I look incredible, we should frame it."

I couldn't help but feel embarrassed that the drawing hadn't turned out well, the face hadn't looked very similar, I wanted to see him again first, to draw him another one.

"Dad, it's not very good. I'll make you better one" I said as I tried to take it from him.

"Don't worry son I love it, I'll go buy a frame. Get ready, when I get back we'll go for a walk around the village." Then he disappeared.

I looked at mom angrily, I had told her that the drawing wasn't ready and that I would do another one for dad.

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"Don't pout Shin, I told you daddy would love it. Get ready quickly if you're late there won't be any candy."

I crossed my arms, but mom started to say how cute I looked so angry. After a few minutes I realized that I would not achieve anything like that, so I went to take a bath for the walk.

We visited several places in the village, we entered the aviary, I had come here before with dad, in his family they have a tradition of raising and training messenger birds or hawks. He told me that when I grow up he would teach me how to raise them, and I would have to take care of my own birds.

It's something I was really looking forward to, although I didn't understand why Dad named them according to their color or patterns on their feathers, plus a number, instead of giving them prettier names for each one. He always explained to me that it was to make it easier to remember the names, that when I have a lot of birds I would understand, but I wasn't convinced by the reason.

We also greeted the hawks, dad was telling me that he was breeding more, as many had died on missions, or were captured, he told me that hawks are usually more difficult to breed, usually one person has no more than 3 hawks.

Dad's hawk is named Darin (Japanese for sky). Dad explained to me that it is easier to raise new hawks if you have some trained ones, or they are his offspring. That's why he doesn't use Darin anymore, he is raising his children and helping to train them.

Then we went to -Memorial Stone-, where dad paid his respects to the rock with names, explained to me that here are the names of the ninjas killed in battle for the village, dad lifted me in his arms and showed me two names.

"These two names are from the Jounin my family had, your grandfather and my uncle."

I saw the names that said Nioi Gokan and Noizu Gokan.

"They were great ninja, who fell in a battle facing 15 Jounin, and gave time for reinforcements to come, they did not give in to the enemy advance, as a ninja there is no more honorable way to die," dad said but his voice was muffled, he was sad. I could tell.

I hugged him.

"For sure the village is proud of them dad, their names are on the top of the stone," I said, trying to cheer him up.

Dad just nodded, Mom hugged us. We spent a few minutes looking at the names of the family I didn't know. I was sad I hadn't met them, I'm sure they were cool like my grandfather, and they would have told me more about what it's like to be a ninja.

Then we went to eat at a steak restaurant of the Akimichi clan, it smelled delicious from a block back, you could smell the aromas of the meats and sauces, when we arrived it was not long before my grandfather arrived.

I greeted him with a hug, and we sat down to eat. I couldn't help but smile, we were all together and the food was delicious. It would have been a perfect day, until my dad started talking to my grandfather.

"Old man, look what my son did to me," he said, pulling out a portrait with my drawing.

"DAD, NOOO!", but it was too late, my grandfather already had his portrait in his hand.

"Not bad, but my grandson did me something better," I saw Grandpa pull something out of his sleeves, when I saw that it was one of the first drawings I did of him.

"Grandpa, don't use that one I gave you a better one!". I yelled, in that drawing he didn't even have normal ears, he had bear ears.

"I keep all the ones you give me but that's my favorite," my grandfather replied, to which I could only be speechless.

They started comparing drawings and I couldn't be more embarrassed, I would have gone outside, but dad said if I got up there would be no candy and the ride was over.

Then mom started saying how cute I looked angry while touching my cheeks, if it wasn't for the candy after lunch it wouldn't have been such a good day, at least mom took pity on me and bought some candy for later.

Grandfather had to leave, we went up to the Hokage Rock and sat down to watch the sunset. Dad and mom were very happy. I took the opportunity to ask them to show me a ninjutsu, they always tell me that later or when I grow up they will show me one.

I only know four jutsus, one that makes copies, the one dad used to disappear, the green light mom used to heal and one to camouflage.

Dad to my surprise agreed, he told me to stay with mom and he will show me his strongest fire jutsu, which took him years to master.

-Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet -

A fire dragon came out of its mouth, rose up into the sky, the dragon made of fire released ANOTHER flame from its mouth, and then disappeared. I hadn't realized that it was now hot, the dragon had to have been so hot that I could feel heat from meters away.

I could do nothing but scream

"DAD, THAT WAS AWESOME!"

"You have to teach me how to do it," I said as I jumped toward him.

Dad laughed. "If you decide to become a ninja, and you become strong enough, I will teach it to you but it is a very complicated jutsu, even I have a hard time using it in combat."

"Dad of course I will be a ninja like you, mom and grandpa!!!, I'm in a family of ninjas, my only path is that, I can't wait to enter the academy," I was very excited, I didn't know you could make fire dragons.

Maybe I could make other fire creatures, maybe I could even make my drawings on fire.

I didn't realize my parents were silent, and they were looking at each other. I asked if something was wrong.

"It's okay Shin, but you'll have to be very strong to do that kind of jutsus, you'll have to try really hard," Mom told me.

"Of course I will, I will be very strong and I will protect you, grandfather and the village, so there will be no more wars, and there will be no more monuments because they will only be empty ideas without names", I said.

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1 week later

Pov Byu

"Honey relax, your promotion is assured, when you come back we will go celebrate," Yumi told me, it was something I knew but I needed to hear.

Today I was called to the Hokage's Office, and I was a little nervous, this was what I had been fighting for. I said goodbye to Yumi, Shin was still sleeping.

If anything made me happier than my promotion is that Shin is sleeping better, he still had nightmares, and sometimes he would wake up, but he was able to go back to sleep with no problems. Things were getting better and this is just another step.

On the way, I couldn't help but think of all that had been taken away from me in this war, so many friends and family. I was tired, I had a lot of faith that it was true that the war would be over soon.

When I arrived I was surprised to see only the Hokage, I paid my respects and asked why I was summoned. I knew it, but I must still play my part.

"Byu Gokan, good to see you, how have you been?", asked the Hokage.

"Very good Hokage, happy to be able to share more time with my son and wife," I responded truthfully and maybe it will help me with my request to spend more time in the village.

"Ah right, your son Shin Gokan, I'm glad to know that the embers of your clan still burn despite the difficulties, surely your son will uphold the legacy of your clan with pride," he said to which I just nodded.

"Byu Gokan I called you here for what I'm sure you already know is your promotion to Chunin, but also to ask you a question," he said to me as he touched his beard.

"You know that even though you are the last ninja in your clan, it is still a clan recognized by the village, so you have the benefits of a normal clan. Why didn't you use your rights as a clan to have your promotion and instead decided to get it on merit in the war?"

"Because it wasn't the honorable thing to do, my clan is very weak now, I don't want the reputation of being a Chunin who didn't earn his position, or who takes advantage of the rules because of his clan," I replied.

"Byu the Gokan clan has always been loyal to the village, your clan's reputation or yours has never been in doubt, despite the accidents in the Chunin exams, you have been known to have the strength of a Chunin for years," the Hokage continued.

"I appreciate your words towards my clan, but in the war it was seen that certain people still have doubts about our loyalty, it was better to make sure that my clan's reputation is never questionable," I replied this time looking him in the eyes.

I knew perfectly well that I was referring to the Shimura clan and how everything unfolded after the sabotage mission. I love the village but it doesn't mean that I forget the offenses towards me or my clan.

The Hokage gave a sigh.

"I understand that the resolution of that mission was not the right one, and I appreciate that you did not use your position as a clan head to make that problem bigger."

"It was never an option to do that Hokage, my clan always thinks of the village, even if it is necessary to suffer injustice, it is not the first time my clan sacrifices itself for the greater good," I know I am just being petty now, but I was not going to let this go, my family sacrificed themselves in this war and the previous one, and in several dangerous reconnaissance missions, for them to have doubted our loyalty.

"You should know that as Hokage I couldn't get much more involved either, at least I couldn't without drawing more attention to the case, and doing so would have been worse for the morale of the army," he said as he lit a pipe

"I understand well Hokage, I may be young but I understand politics, despite this, does not mean that I should like the injustice committed, nor that it should be forgotten," I replied not wanting to make this more difficult for the Hokage, but I had to make it clear that my clan does not suffer offenses like this and forget them.

"I understand your feelings well Byu Gokan, that's why even if I can't make amends for the past I can do this," he left two scrolls on his desk.

I approached to read them, when I saw the first one I was impressed, it was -Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning- a known jutsu of the Sarutobi clan, in fact it was a jutsu that I knew well, it would be an improvement to my combat style with my -Smoke Clones-. It was a good gift, although it is not a very powerful jutsu and it is difficult to use, for me it was a very invaluable jutsu.

The next scroll, which left me speechless, was a letter of recommendation to become a Jounin.

"Hokage this..."

"It is just as you see Byu, it is in my freedom as Hokage to recommend whoever I want, with that when you have the strength of a Jounin your promotion is assured, take the jutsu as a gift for you and the letter as one for your clan. Your clan has always been loyal to the village, and I do not forget that, I hope that soon you can achieve the resurgence of your clan," said the Hokage.

I was at a loss for what to answer, I could do nothing but thank him deeply, for his support in me and especially in my clan. As I left his office I remembered that I didn't even ask to be assigned missions near the village. Although if I had remembered, I don't think I would be able to ask for it after having received so much.