Ch5 The Meddling Hand

Evenings were the busiest time in the streets of Konoha. Many shinobis of different ranks and statuses went out to celebrate a successful mission. While some, like Aki, just wanted a good meal after a back-breaking training session. In times like these, the boisterous and warm side of the Konoha shines through brilliantly.

"These remind me so much of my lands, gozaru."

"These remind me of so much of the lines and queues I might have to face. You see, this one time I was so hungry, but-"

"Aki-Dono, we are not sharing our observations here."

"We are not?"

"No."

"That's a bummer. Let's head home, then. I don't think any stall is free now and I don't have any money on me, either."

"Are you poor, gozaru?"

"Well, let's just say your other half is high maintenance."

On his way home, Aki bought some cup noodles and yakisoba buns. He knew better than to trust Gin for fixing dinner. For all he knew, the menace of summon was tearing his home plank from plank so he could sell them for money and buy porn.

The sounds he heard from outside his house made it seem like Gin was doing just that. Tearing his house from plank to plank. He rushed his tired body inside. And came face to face with a productive GIn.

"I'm hallucinating!"

"With brains of your size, I don't doubt it." Gin said.

"You should not talk like that, gozaru."

"Shut it, newbie."

"What are you doing with the forge, Gin?" Aki asked. "I can buy you a cigarette pack if you want to smoke, no need to inhale burnt coke."

"I'm not an addict, you ass wipe. I'm checking if the forge works properly?"

"Suite yourself. I'm too hungry to even bother."

Aki left a grumbling Gin to tinker with the forge to have his dinner. Cup noodles and yakisoba buns, a heavenly combo he could not ignore for long. Dan, the black marten in white haori, sat opposite to him, smoking his long pipe.

"It was good what you did with your chakra, using it as a thin casing around my chakra and manipulating the chakra casing to manipulate its content. Still, it is not the ultimate solution."

Aki spared some of his attention away from his dinner to Dan. The marten had a point.

"I got the idea from jelly. When it is out of its packet, squishing it makes a mess. But if it's in the wrapper, squishing it is enjoyable. Plus, you can make lots of shapes with it."

"What happened to controlling my chakra with your chakra threads? That's a rather novel idea."

"It didn't work, and I wouldn't have to come up with a way to control it if you just told me how to do it."

"Real lesson is in the discovery of the answer, gozaru."

"That's totally some bullshit."

"Aki-Dono, you should not talk like that."

"And you should not smoke when there is a non-smoker in the room."

"It's purely therapeutic."

"That's what Gin says when he peeps on women."

"Ah, I remembered. Gin said this letter was from the Hokage for you." Dan said, taking a letter out of his haori.

Aki took the letter that was covered in soot and read it. Every word in the letter was dancing. It was like they were having a party. Alphabets A and B were roasting letters C and D over bonfires. While letter Z and Y were cannibalising W with X. F and U were doing something that might interest Gin.

These damn words, why can't they stay still for once?

"You read it Dan. Lord Third's handwriting is weird. I think he's getting too old to hold a pen properly."

Dan took the letter and started reading it. Unlike Gin, Dan did like to make fun of Aki, and Aki appreciated that very much.

"Dear Aki, It's good to know you're alright-"

"There is but coming, and I can see it."

"-but, I would like to see it for myself. Why don't you come by the compound tomorrow evening?"

"Nope, old coots there don't like me-"

"Elders of the clan won't bother you. Besides, I would like to see for myself if I can put your name forward for the chunin exam."

"Tell Gin we are going to Sarutobi compound tomorrow, so he better bathe."

Aki would visit the Sarutobi's any day if that meant he would be allowed to take part in chunin exams. Not only would it mean he could take better missions, it would mean he could pursue his rogue master and make her pay for her crimes.

"Aki-Dono, wouldn't that interfere with your training?"

"I don't train at night."

"Yes, about that. You see, since I got to train you in the day. Gin said it would be only fair if he got his chance in the night."

"No."

"Gin said you don't have a choice."

"Yes I do, I can say no and sleep."

"You're being childish, gozaru."

"I'm being reasonable."

"Then be reasonable and see why Gin insists on rushing things. We both know he'd rather slack. Besides, it's still seven in the evening, plenty of time to rest after you talk it out."

"Fine, fine, if you insist, Dan. I'm only talking to him because I'm grateful for your help in my training."

Aki left the dining room and went downstairs. He saw Gin sitting on a stool drinking sake from his gourd. That was nothing new. Gin was always drinking.

"You remember the day you summoned me?"

"The greatest disappointment of my life."

"Mine too, and I've lived far longer than you." Gin said, patting the stool next to him. "So, that makes you more of a disappointment out of the two of us."

"You've a pretty sharp tongue for a drunk." Aki said, sitting on the stool.

"Not your greatest of comebacks."

"What is this-"

"Tell me, boy. Do you remember the day you summoned me?"

"Of course I do, and don't cut–"

"Do you remember the cost of summoning me? Before you say your soul, stop. That was the medium, and despite how the words may have sounded to you, your soul is not sold. It is, however, a bridge between our worlds."

"But the book of summoning said-"

"The book of summoning has been tampered with. I don't know how, but it's lying about a lot of things. Even the ritual in it is wrong. You managed it because of pure coincidence. In your ignorance, you bound the fate of two worlds to yourself."

"What are you talking about Gin, you said the book of summoning was from your world? No one other than the WATCHER could temper with it."

"That's what I was led to believe. However, it seems this is no longer the case. I did not tell you this earlier because you were young and immature. Which you still are, and let's be honest, you are never wising up."

"If the cost of summoning you is not my soul, then what is it?"

"It's the words, the promise to recompense, repent and redeem."

Aki could not even pretend to understand what that gibberish was. Things in his life were taking a new turn entirely.

"For now, think of them as jutsu you've to perform to mend the broken oaths. That will not only grant you unimaginable power, it will also save your and my world."

"Save it from what, Gin?"

"The predators, the originators, the hungry, and the calamity."

"Again with the gibberish."

"You'll understand. Now let's talk about training tomorrow. Rest for now."

"I didn't even agree-"

"I'll teach you better things than Dan."

Aki jumped from his stool and patted Gin on his head, like he was consoling a delusional child. Then, with a smug look on his face, he went to his room to sleep.

"What was that, you runt!"

"A get well soon, pat." Aki said. "Don't people usually do that to their pets when they get delusional?"

"I'm not a pet!"