Juugo Uzumaki - Chapter 16

Juugo felt tired as his head rolled, drooping slightly as something jostled his body. He was moving, the air tickling his hair as he felt the bounce beneath him.

His eyes opened blearily, blinking slowly as the village rooftops flittered past.

"Juugo?" he heard, as their movement slowed. "Hang on, we're almost there."

The village was busy, thought Juugo chakra bloomed below them.

"Easy now."

They landed, his body sliding as he felt his feet touch the ground. They felt, strength returning as a hand steadyied him.

Juugo came to awareness.

It was Iruka. "Juugo," he said, kneeling slightly. "How do you feel?" he'd been startled at first, then panicked as he hadn't responded.

He seemed better now.

"Fine," said Juugo, a little unsure as he clenched his fist. "I think. What happened?"

They were just outside the hospital now, standing in the way just beside their large sign. "The hospital?" asked Juugo, taken aback.

He'd just feinted, that was all as Iruka stood slowly.

"You collapsed," he said, giving Juugo another once over. "And yes, we're at the hospital. Now come on."

Iruka stepped ahead, leading him on as Juugo slowly caught up to his side. He was feeling fine now, no need to visit the hospital.

It wasn't a place Juugo needed, nor wanted to be as he thought of all the tests they could run on him.

"It's fine," he assured, swallowing back his nervousness. "I don't need to-"

"Yes, you do," snapped Iruka. "Now keep up."

Juugo did, thinking as he approached reception. The hospital was quiet, calm as the pair approached the smiling woman. "Hello, how may I help you?" she said, feeling charmed as Iruka smiled quickly back.

"We need to see a Doctor," he said, indicated Juugo whose hair just peaked above the desk. My student needs medical attention. He collapsed."

The woman seemed worried, standing as she peered at a perturbed Juugo.

"May I take your name?"

"I feel fine now."

Iruka coughed. "Iruka Umino," gesturing to himself. "And Juugo, a student at the Academy."

She nodded, jotting it down as she asked how long he was unconscious for.

"About 10 minutes," as Juugo stilled, not realising it was that long. "Too long for just a feint," he added.

The receptionist agreed, nodding as her eyes lingered on Juugo's. They were a striking colour, not one she'd seen before as she leaned away. "I'll send for the Doctor," she got up quickly as she moved from around the desk. "Please take a seat, just behind you."

She was off, as Juugo felt the collection of chairs behind them, noticing the fish as they swam weakly in a small tank.

Iruka nodded.

"Thank you!" he called, as they headed over, finding seats amongst the others who were already waiting.

Juugo glanced at his Sensei, seeing the man already flicking through the pages of a magazine he'd found. He wondered why he'd come. "Iruka-sensei," he said, keeping his voice low as the man glanced at him.

"What happened?"

Sigh.

The magazine was tossed aside, landing carelessly on the table as an old man huffed nearby.

"You collapsed," he said, as if that explained everything. "I had to do something, so I brought you here. Aoki is watching the class."

Juugo rubbed his head, having wondered about the class. "Was it really 10 minutes?" he asked, recalling the brightness before darkness overcame him.

He had been focusing too much, knowing he shouldn't have closed his eyes. Iruka shifted in his seat, thinking too as Juugo bit his lip.

"Yes," assured Iruka, looking ahead as he tried to understand. This had never happened before, not in all his years of teaching – and certainly not to him.

It was just the Ram seal as he rubbed his cheek, knowing he'd have to look into it, otherwise… he glanced at Juugo, afraid that something might be wrong with him.

Suzi, she'd be so upset as the thought of it gnawed inside him.

"Juugo."

He wouldn't be able to protect him, not forever as Juugo glanced his way. "What do you think happened?"

He watched him shake his head.

"I don't know, Sensei."

Iruka waited, pushing for more as Juugo shifted. "I was fine," he said, shooting a glance at the people around. "And then, I wasn't. Something flashed and I…" he shrugged, content to leave at that as Iruka leant on his knees.

"Was it when I said to push?" he pressed, hoping it hadn't been. "When the class raised their chakra?"

…

"I don't know. Maybe."

Iruka worked his jaw, leaving it there as the Doctor arrived.

"Iruka Umino?"

His sensei stood, indicating he follow as they bowed together. "Thank you, Doctor. For seeing us so quickly."

The man waved it off, old and jovial as he ushered them on. "No thanks needed," he said, smiling as Juugo met his eyes. "Please, follow me."

They did, walking behind through the sterile halls, the smells sharp as they stung the nose. Juugo wanted to sneeze, yet held it as Iruka did the same.

"In here."

The Doctor stepped through, holding the door open for them. "Have a seat, yes. Those two."

He chuckled, recalling the privileged few who'd try to take his seat. These too however, as he closed door close, were far from that.

"So," he declared, having sat on his comfortable chair with wheels. "What's wrong?"

Iruka blinked, a little off put as the Doctor grinned at them. "Well," he began, indicating Juugo as he went for the blunt approach. "Juugo collapsed. He was out for 10 minutes, we couldn't wake him."

The Doctor frowned, intrigued as he used his chair with speed from around his desk, coming to Juugo with interest.

"Fascinating," he said, as he presented his open hands. "If I could."

…

"Juugo, don't be difficult," said Iruka, as Juugo slowly presented his hands.

The Doctor grasped them, inspecting carefully as he turned them different way, his fingers probing as Juugo's fingers splayed.

"Stand."

Juugo did, getting up as the man continued, checking the joints along his arm. "Good muscle," he commented, noting their unusual size for a boy this age. "What did you say the boy was doing when he collapsed?"

Iruka explained quickly, the two missing as Juugo clenched his jaw.

This wasn't going his way.

"I see," hummed the Doctor, letting go of his hands as he looked away. "I'd like to try something, if I may?" he glanced to Iruka for permission, getting it as the Doctor sped away and behind a large screen.

Juugo moved to sit again.

"Remain standing, please. I'll just be a moment."

The Doctor could still see them, it seemed. As the two watched him fiddle with bits of paper.

What was he doing?

Juugo edged toward Iruka. "Sensei, we should really be getting back. It was nothi-"

The Doctor sped back, grinning as he carried a single slip of paper.

It looked like seal, as Juugo regarded it with interest. "Now, I want you to focus on this bit of paper," the Doctor held it up, pinching it neatly between his fingers. "Focus now, I'll want you to tell me something about it soon. Focus…"

Juugo listened, albeit reluctantly as he begun to suspect what was going on. This wasn't good, his panic rising as he looked at the paper.

Was there chakra in it?

Would it pulse, or could it feel him?

He glanced at the Doctor, who offered nothing as watched in silence, as did Iruka from his side.

Juugo felt his sensei tense, watching as Juugo began to shift away.

The Doctor noticed too, following with his eyes before something-

!

Juugo snapped around, flinching towards the screen as chakra pulsed loudly in his head.

"I knew it!"

The Doctor grinned, throwing his arms up in celebration. "On the first pulse too, and such a strong reaction!"

Juugo felt sick, afraid as his body coiled. Iruka stood in a flash. "What's going on?" he demanded, moving to Juugo's side protectively.

The Doctor calmed immediately, apologising before speeding behind his desk.

Iruka watched, frowning as he wrote something… he tilted towards Juugo.

He was afraid. "Juugo?" he asked, lowering softly beside him. "It's alright, nothings wrong. The Doctor's just a little strange."

They heard a laugh, not disagreeing as Juugo peered at Iruka.

"Can we go please?"

Iruka quite agreed. "Ye-"

"I'd advise against that," said the Doctor boldly, looking towards them again with serious eyes. "Not if you want this to happen again," he'd seen it before, many times as his experienced eyes focused on Juugo.

It was only his second time seeing this, and never had he heard of it in one so young. "Juugo will need some instruction to avoid this happening again, which it will if he'd not taught properly."

Iruka had been listening, not at all liking what he was hearing.

"What are you talking about?" he said, standing as Juugo stood near his leg. "Speak clearly."

The Doctor conceded, offering the two a seat once again. "Please, I'll explain."

They sat, yet remained perched as Juugo resigned himself.

It was too late now, as the Doctor addressed Iruka. "Juugo, is a Sensor." Iruka gasped, looking quickly at Juugo as the Doctor continued with a smile. "A real treat. He got it on the first one!"

Iruka frowned. "First?"

The Doctor nodded, retrieving the slip he'd been holding. "This is a trigger, part of a pair of Chakra Seals," he raised it, pulsing the seal again as Juugo twitched. He chuckled. "Juugo feels the chakra, the way it's released unnatural. Like a loud bang."

Juugo soured, curling his tongue as he noticed the seals.

A pair?

Iruka understood now, thinking of his colleague Ashida. "Amazing," he said, smiling now as he looked at Juugo. "Here that Juugo? You're a Sensor!"

He waited for some kind of cheer or happy nod, yet received nothing. "Juugo," he said, trying to help him understand. "This is a big deal, you have a valuable skill."

Sensors were invaluable, particular during espionage missions.

Juugo looked at him, shrugging. "It didn't seem that way," he said, referring to his collapse as Iruka chuckled, huffing as he looked back at the Doctor.

The man was grinning, regarding Juugo like a prize as Iruka asked for details.

"Ah, well that's the interesting bit," he said, turning in his chair as his eyes remained. "Juugo got in on the first pulse, which means he's a natural. Juugo?"

Juugo looked at him, meeting his eye as the Doctor noted their colour. "How long have been able to feel chakra?"

Chakra?

It wasn't just chakra as Juugo blinked in realisation. "Oh, well. Since I was born," he said, suddenly eager as Iruka noted the change. "I can recognise it too, and how far away it is."

It was so much more, if Juugo included sensing Natural Energy, which was in almost everything. The wooden buildings, the air, the ground, the plants the insects and even his clothing.

Cotton.

He wouldn't mention that, as the Doctor seemed shocked. "Incredible, that's very rare. Most can only feel the direction of chakra, along with size and varying range. How far can you feel it?"

Juugo hummed, thinking back to his latest observations. His range had increased, though not by much since coming to Konoha.

"About 4 miles, maybe more. It depends," he'd noticed how his range was better on raining days, finding that the hops of natural energy helped him reach even further. "The weather can change it."

The Doctor nodded, having heard that before. Usually the rain interfered, reducing the distance. "I see, that's standard for all Sensors. Thunder is the worst I believe."

Juugo hadn't tried to sense in thunder, though assumed if there was rain it would carry the same advantage.

"Right then," said the Doctor as he glanced at the form. "I won't fill this in, seeing as it's now Shinobi business," Iruka nodded, about to say as the man handed him the notes. "If you need anything else, feel free to come back to me."

Iruka browed loosely.

"Thank you, Doctor," he said, seeing Juugo stand with him. "We appreciate your help, and your discretion."

It was very important, as the the Doctor nodded goodbye, that nobody heard about this. The Hokage would need to be informed, the information safeguarded whilst training was resourced.

Iruka didn't know that much about it, but knew enough to know that Juugo would need to be protected. Sensors didn't just grow on trees, nor could they be taught to any significant degree.

In Konoha, as Iruka would soon find out, Sensors made up less than 3 percent of their forces.

Too valuable to lose, especially one of Juugo's level.

"Juugo," said Iruka, slowing as the pair passed reception. "Head back to the orphanage, do you know the way from here?"

Juugo nodded, knowing he could find it as Iruka stopped just past the exit. "Good," he nodded, smiling as he met Juugo's eyes. "I'll bring your things over later, and don't speak of this, to anyone."

Of course, as Juugo bowed.

"Thank you, Sensei."

And Juugo was, as he watched Iruka flash away. It may not have been ideal, as he headed off down the street. But at least his secret was still safe, since being a sensor didn't assume being a member of a clan.

It could be good too, admitted Juugo as he passed the sign for Barbeque. He'd get some training, maybe beyond just sensing things.

He grinned, hoping so as he arrived at the orphanage doors, knocking twice as he waited.

The doors opened.