8 A Day of Fateful Encounters

Gin had an annoying habit of observing people silently. This habit goes back as early as his days as a youth in one of the Rukongai districts. This habit is was developed mainly as a mean to kill Aizen, but it had nonetheless become part of his daily routine.

He watched as Obito, tried to knead his chakra into fire and failed multiple times. 'Hmm....is manipulating chakra really that hard?'

"Obito, I'm going for a walk." Gin said, as he proceed to walk towards the gate of the small courtyard of his house.

'Where does he go?' Obito thought to himself. He would've loved to follow Gin and solve the mystery, but right now he needed to figure out the Fireball jutsu.

Gin walked around the entire village almost aimlessly. He would sometimes stop and look at something or someone before continue.

'This village is so peaceful in even times of war...' Gin was perplexed over whether or not he wanted to learn how to use chakra. 'I picked up my sword to take back what was taken from Rangiku.....now what do I have to take back?'

Just as Gin was lost in thought, he heard someone call out to him.

"My smiling friend, are you enjoying the passions of youth?" A youth with bowl-style haircut, started running towards Gin while waving his hands from afar.

Hearing this Gin felt a shiver run through the back of his spine. 'Shit. I need to run away.'

Although Gin was fast compared to Obito, the youth named Might Guy was abnormally fast. He closed the distance in a second and quickly grabbed hold of Gin's hand.

"My smiling friend, me and father are going fishing. Would you care to join?" Asked Guy, giving Gin a thumbs up.

'This guy is as random as ever.' Gin thought silently, while wearing his usual smile. "Why are you inviting me?"

"Hehe, my dad told me that I could invite my friends if I wanted to. My masked friend (Kakashi) was busy training, but luckily I ran into you." Guy spoke, while laughing. "So you interested?"

'Well, I have nothing going on..' Gin smiled. "Alright then."

"Great. Alright, follow me youth." Spoke Guy, as he started dashing towards the riverside.

'Even you are considered a youth....' Gin thought silently, as he tried his best to keep up with Guy's monstrous speed.

As the two of them reached the river, Gin saw another figure. The figure looked extremely similar to Guy. The man was tall, and had bowl-style haircut. He had a bristling moustache with a small goatee and stuble which made up the rest of facial hair. He wore a green jumpsuit, just like Guy's, with orange leg warmers.

"Guy my boy. Are you enjoying the passions of youth???" Asked the man, striking a 'nice guy' pose.

"Yes dad." Guy replied zealously.

It was then that the older man noticed a black haired boy next to his son. The youth wore a black high collar, t-shirt, with black pants, which was almost exclusively the outfit of the Uchiha clan. The youth's black hair was noticeably smoother than that of the spiky hair of the Uchiha. The youth's eyes were half closed, and an eerie smile hung on his face, making his expression resemble that of a snake.

"Who is this young man?" Asked the older man curiously. 'He seems familiar.'

"This dad, is my friend who shares my passion of youth. His name is Gin Uchiha." Guy exclaimed proudly.

'Gin Uchiha...Miyabi's son?' The older man was taken aback. "It's nice to meet you Gin Uchiha. I am Might Duy, Guy's father."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Duy." Spoke gin with a smile.

"Alright boys, let's catch some fish." Duy exclaimed as he jumped into the river.

Guy soon followed him and jumped into the river. After a while, the father-son duo stared at the black haired who stood on the shore, staring at them. Both sides stared at each other in confusion.

"Gin....Why aren't you jumping in? Don't you want to catch any fish?" Asked Guy curiously.

"..eh.." Gin was extremely confused, and his facade collapsed. "...what about a fishing rod?"

"Hmph." Snorted Duy, as he looked away.

Guy quickly mediated the situation. "My father says that real men dont need fishing rods, and can catch fish with their bare hands."

"Ah, I see...." Gin sighed. 'So this is were he get's his weirdness from.....'

"Come on jump in." Spoke Guy.

"No I'd rather stay on the shore." Gin scrambled to think of an excuse. "How about I'll start a fire, while you guys catch the fish....?"

"Hmm, seems alright then." Guy then looked towards Duy and spoke. "Father today I'm going to catch more fish than you. The passion of youth will help me!!"

"You can dream on son." Smirked Duy, as he started moving in the water at abnormal speeds.

Gin sat on the shore, tending to the fire he started with a few branched and twigs. 'Father-son bonding...?'

Gin hadn't noticed that Duy was already beside him, with two fish in his hand. "Ah, Mr. Duy, I didn't notice you coming."

"It's alright." Duy spoke as he impaled the two fishes on two branches and rested them over the fire. "So you are Miyabi and Reina's son..."

Gin was slightly surprised and he spoke. "You knew my parents?"

"Miyabi and I go way back. We both were Genin togther. Although he became a Jonin, but I'm still a Genin." Laughed Duy. "We both were untalented in ninjutsu and genjutsu, so we decided to create the ultimate technique for taijutsu, and we became close friends while doing so."

"I see..." Gin replied, with a smile.

"Miyabi was a fine man. He was the only one who treated me as a peer. Oh and please don't believe any of the rumors you hear about him being a traitor. He carried on the will of fire, and would've even given his life to protect the leaf." Spoke Duy, as a longing for the past appeared in his eyes. "Guy told me about you want to lead a normal life....."

"Eh....." Gin looked up at Duy in surprise.

Duy's line of sight followed the shore to Guy was still swimming around aimlessly trying to catch a fish.

"You know, my son Guy doesn't have any talent for Ninjustu or Genjutsu, but he still wants to be a ninja." Duy spoke, losing his over enthusiastic attitude. "He might never even become a Jonin in his entire life, afterall look at me...."

'What is he trying to say?' Gin looked at Guy who was swimming. "No talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu..."

"You know although he will never admit it, he's exteremely frustrated at his inability. He is jealous of those who can perform ninjutsu and genjutsu. I know it, because I was the same way before." Duy sighed as he spoke. "You being from the Uchiha probably won't understand this. Afterall even without trying, your dojutsu will allow you to climb up to the rank of a Jonin in no time."

"Despite all that, do you know why he keeps training everyday till his bones creaks?" Duy spoke, as he smiled looking at his son

Gin's eyes slightly opened, as he listened more closely.

"It's the Will of Fire. Having something you love and want to protect gives you immense strength." Duy's voice grew slightly louder in excitement. "It's something that can't be explained by mere words alone. It's a way of life. That's the source of my determination, that's the source of my son's willpower and that was the source of your father's strength."

'Will of Fire..? Determination? Willpower?' Gin pondered over he meaning behind the word.

"So I'm not questioning your decision to lead a normal life, but when you are blessed with talent and strength, don't you think it's a waste if you do nothing with it?" Duy asked Gin, with a slightly pained expression.

"...I have nothing to protect...." This was the first time in his life, even counting his time in soul society that he had truly opened up to someone. Something about this man made him extremely trustworthy. '...Shit I said something unnecessary by mistake...' Gin immediately cursed himself after realizing his mistake.

"I see. I hope you find something that's important enough for you to want to protect it." Replied Duy.

"...I hope so too." Spoke Gin, nonchalantly.

"But what if one day you do find something or someone and you don't have the strength to protect it?" Asked Duy seriously.

Gin was caught of guard and couldn't reply. '...don't have the strength.....'

"I..." Just as Gin was about to reply, a youth in a green jumpsuit came running towards the campfire, holding two fish in his hand.

"Father, I caught two. I guess we are tied." Smirked Guy, as he proudly stuck out the two fish.

"I caught them sooner than you. So it's my victory." Duy immediately dismissed Guy's claims. duy proceeded to pick up the two fish grilled fish and handed on to Gin and the other Guy.

"Eat it while it's hot."

Gin wasn't in a mood to eat, as his mind was still stuck on the conversation he was having earlier.

..............

"Alright then, see you later my smiling friend." Guy exclaimed, overenthusiastically waving goodbye to gin.

Guy and Duy, departed shortly after they finished eating, and Gin stood alone on the shore gazing out into the horizon.

After a while, the sun started to set, and Gin decided to head back. "I guess it's time I go home...."

'Home..? When did I start calling that place home?' Gin wondered.

As he Gin began to walk back home, he saw a couple figures standing near the entrance of the Uchiha gated community.

Two of the figures wore a black cloak, with white masks which was the typical attire of a Konohagakure Anbu. While the last figure had a bandage covering his right eye, a X-shaped scar on his chin and his right arm was concealed by a robe, which he used as a sling to support the arm. In his left arm he held a cane.

Just as Gin neared the community, the man with cane turned to look towards him.

Gin immediately froze. He felt goosebumps all over his body. '...This man....he's evil.'

Gin stared into his one eye, which seemed to be filled with digust towards to him. 'His eye, he's digusted at me....but why?'

Just then another person walked out from the community and spoke. "Lord Danzo, please come with me. Lord Izuru will be with you shortly."

As soon as the other man came out from within the community, the digust and cold look vanished from his eyes and was replaced with indifference. The man named Danzo and the two masked figures followed the man through the community towards the main hall.

'...Did he reveal it to me because he thought I was a child who wouldn't understand..? Does he hate me...no. Does he hate our clan....?' Gin thought. '..He's dangerous....I guess this place isn't different from the soul society.' Gin thought back to how he alongside Aizen and Tosen 'betrayed' the soul society.

'...Danzo....' Gin silently vowed to remember his name.