Is my father Houdini?

Shikaku had been anxiously awaiting orders for months and when they finally arrived, he felt the weight of his duty bearing down on him. As he sat in the living room with his wife and newborn son, his emotions were in turmoil. He felt the burden of leaving his family behind, uncertain of when he would be able to return to them.

He tried his best to maintain a calm exterior for the sake of his family, but inside, he was overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. His thoughts were consumed with worries about the dangers that lay ahead and the possibility of not returning to his loved ones.

As he held his son in his arms, Shikaku couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt for leaving his family behind. He knew that his duty to his village was important, but he couldn't help the feeling that he was abandoning his family in their time of need.

As he sat in their living room, trying to process the news, Yoshino could sense that something was wrong and asked him what was going on.

Shikaku mustered the strength to tell her about his deployment, knowing that it would crush her. Yoshino's heart shattered as she heard the news. She couldn't bear the thought of being apart from her husband for an extended period, especially with a newborn child to care for. But she put on a brave face for Shikaku, trying to stay strong despite the overwhelming emotions.

Shikaku clasped Yoshino's hand in his, feeling a lump form in his throat. He tried to put on a brave face, but he couldn't hide the overwhelming emotions that were coursing through him.

"I'll be back before you know it," he reassured her, his voice faltering slightly. "I'll be thinking of you and Rai every single day, and I'll do everything in my power to return to you both unscathed."

Yoshino tried to keep her composure, but her tears betrayed her as they streamed down her face. She knew how dangerous the war could be, and the thought of losing Shikaku filled her with dread.

"Please promise me that you'll come back," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of her weeping.

Shikaku's heart ached at the sight of his wife's distress. He squeezed her hand tightly, trying to offer some comfort.

"I promise," he said firmly, his voice quivering slightly. "I will do whatever it takes to come back to you both. You mean everything to me, and I love you more than words can express."

As they clung to each other, Shikaku's heart was heavy with the knowledge that he would soon have to leave the warmth and safety of his family behind. He tried to memorize every detail of the moment, from the soft scent of Yoshino's hair to the gentle rise and fall of Rai's breathing. He knew that these memories would be his anchor, his lifeline, as he navigated the chaos and danger of the battlefield. Despite the pain of separation, he was grateful for the love and support of his family, and he prayed that he would return to them safe and whole.

Shikaku was deeply immersed in his thoughts and almost unaware of his surroundings when he heard a small voice calling out to him. He was brought back to reality by a soft, high-pitched sound that filled the room. "Da-da," the voice said again, making Shikaku's heart skip a beat. He turned his gaze towards Rai, his baby boy, who was looking up at him with curious, innocent eyes.

It was the first time Rai had ever said anything and the word "Da-da" was like music to Shikaku's ears. A wave of emotions washed over him as he realized that he would miss many more of Rai's firsts while he was away at war. It was a bittersweet moment that he had been anticipating for months but the timing of it was heart-wrenching.

Shikaku felt a deep sense of regret that he wouldn't be there to witness all of Rai's milestones in person. He couldn't bear the thought of missing out on his son's first steps or first words or any other moment that he would cherish forever. But he knew he had to leave for his duty and serve his village to the best of his abilities.

As he held his son close to his chest, Shikaku promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect his family and return to them as soon as possible. He would hold onto this moment with his son tightly as a reminder of what he was fighting for.

He felt a sense of pride and love swelling inside of him. He looked down at his son, who was still smiling up at him, and he felt torn.

"Da-da"

That was the last straw as tears started streaming down his face. He held his son even closer. He felt Yoshino hug him from behind and for a moment he felt all his worries vanish. He dearly wished that he could stay in this moment forever. But The reality was completely different. He had to go to war, leaving his newborn child and wife behind.

He knew that his child would be safe and well-cared for by his loving wife, but he couldn't help but feel anxious about being so far away from them. At least, the fact that Yoshino had retired from active duty helped lessen his worries. He couldn't imagine how he would cope if both he and Yoshino had to go to war, leaving their child behind.

"Are Inioichi and Choza going with you as well?" asked Yoshino

"Inioichi is. Choza has received orders to standby at the village. I need to take care of some logistics but....aah who cares I'll just send a shadow clone. Dealing with logistics is such a drag." Said Shikaku as he created a shadow clone.

The clone disappeared with a complaint about being tasked with the tedious duties, muttering, "Ugh, why do I always get stuck with the boring stuff?".

For Shikaku and Yoshino this was something completely normal, but little did they know that they had just broken their little Rai.

*

As Rai was embraced by his father, he reflected on the timing of his first words. He had always planned to surprise his parents with them, but now that he had blurted them out in the midst of his father's departure, it felt anticlimactic.

However, he also knew that he had made the right decision. He had been waiting for the perfect moment to say his first words and surprise his parents, but fate had a different plan. In that moment, he realized that life was unpredictable, and he couldn't take any moment for granted. If anything were to happen to his father, he would never forgive himself for not speaking up when he had the chance.

"....cares I'll just send a shadow clone. Dealing with logistics is such a drag" , he heard his father say and suddenly there was a puff of white smoke. What walked out of the Smoke was a complete carbon copy of his father.

Rai's eyes widened with shock and amazement. He felt confused as to how his father could suddenly appear at multiple places at once.

"Ugh, why do I always get stuck with the boring stuff?".

He watched in fascination as he heard the clone sound exactly like his father but the very next second, the clone vanished. He felt as confused as he felt amazed. All the times his father suddenly appeared in the room. It wasn't a dream. He had been right all along and then it hit him...

"OH DEAR GOD, IS MY FATHER HOUDINI."