*tip*
A bead of sweat fell on to the floor.
A sharp exhale.
His lungs burned as he forced his leg to move for one more step. He no longer had the wall for a support.
Satoru fell to the ground, breathing deeply. His crutches fallen beside him.
He crossed the last checkpoint by three meters.
He slowly grabbed his crutches before standing up at his own pace. He moved just enough to lean against the wall as he made his way back into his wheelchair.
'Two weeks...two weeks since I fought Ay. Crazy how time passes by...' Satoru thought as he melted into his wheelchair. The chair creaked as he shifted his weight.
Chakra strings came out his fingers and attached themselves to the wheelchair, allowing him to move the chair without using his healing arm to push the wheel.
He slowly made his way to his room to finally go back to sleep, when he heard someone call out to him.
"Satoru? What are you doing all by yourself? Do you need me to push your wheelchair?" Nurse Aoi asked, impressed with his usage of Chakra strings.
"Thanks for offering, but this is training." Satoru replied, making a complete turn by turning the wheels.
"Training?" She asked, curiously looking at the complex network of chakra strings wrapping around the wheel and it's parts.
"I guess this could be seen as a form of training as well? Pushing my entire body weight with just my chakra strings."
"I see...well then, don't go to sleep just yet! I know you always sleep after therapy, I'm coming with some medicine." She said, before leaving Satoru.
Satoru went to his room on chakra powered wheelchair, impressing all the old people who were using a wheelchair of their own.
---
Satoru laid down on his bed, his eyes shifting from his book and the the clock on his wall.
'Shinichi-sensei should be coming any minute now. He said he wanted to show me something.' Satoru thought, as a few minutes later he heard the door open.
Mitsuki-sensei and Shinichi-sensei stood near the door as Mitsuki forced a smile as she looked at Satoru.
Shinichi held a bag which had its zip partially left open. Satoru could see papers as Shinichi placed the bag near his feet and sat down on a chair.
"How have you been Satoru? The nurse said you surpassed your previous limit and if you reach the required math you can be discharged."
"Three meters. But then my right leg felt like it was burning." Satoru answered, his hand lightly massaged his leg.
Satoru then looked at Shinichi who opened the bag and took out some case Files.
They looked old, with a small amount still on them and its papers had already begun yellowing.
Shinichi opened a file and showed it to Satoru.
It had a profile of a criminal.
"Kuroda Arata...that is his name. He was a fellow brother-in-arms. He was good at what he did, he made the team proud.
Due to the 'dangers' of the jobs...us Anbu shinobi tend to get paid very handsomely, mostly in jutsu scrolls, Healthcare and lifetime assurance of our families in case we die.
But unlike others he spent all his benefits on money. Money which he use for many illicit acts...He would often sleep around with many women, often killing them if they got pregnant." Shinichi's voice felt charged with cold rage.
"He was given students to guide...among them was Hibari, a prodigy, the kind you see once in a while. Arata didn't care for any of it, often trying to have his way with her. No matter how much she would try to deny him...he wouldn't stop."
"I've heard about this before. It came on the news. Twelve year old girl found battered and near death condition. She had suffered for years from the hands of that man." Mitsuki said, with a grave expression.
"What...does it have to do with me? Why do I need to know?" Satoru asked, looking at the both of them.
"She is still suffering...and he is still not." Shinichi said, in an almost defeated tone.
"Is he still out there?" Satoru pieced together the information.
"Listen Satoru, in my years as a shinobi, I have seen many people who cannot bring themselves to kill anyone no matter how justified it is. That is why people like Arata manage to slip through the cracks of the justice.
If we...if only we had someone who had the capacity to do...things like this. Maybe, channel their urges for goo..." shinichi was instantly interrupted by the nurse's approaching footsteps.
"Medicine time!" Nurse Aoi said, in a cheerful tone.
Nurse Aoi placed a tray of medicine on the table before taking out some pills.
"Thanks for keeping him awake, this guy, sleeps like a log after therapy and it's soooo hard to wake him up!" she chuckled as she handed him the pills.
"I can relate with that, back when he was my student, he used to sleep so deeply during training breaks I just had to give up and let him skip the lessons." Mitsuki replied with a smile.
"Back when he was your student? You're his mother, right?" The nurse asked, as she filled a syringe with a liquid.
"I was his teacher when he was in the academy. I decided to adopt him recently." Mitsuki said, her firmly gripped Satoru's.
"That is so nice! With so many orphans out here from the last war, we need people like you. Most people just adopt babies when they cannot make their own...but you gave an older kid a chance." Nurse Aoi said, looking at Satoru with sympathy.
"Yeah...he needs me." Mitsuki said softly.
Nurse Aoi injected the syringe into Satoru's forearm "Since you are recovering quickly, you will be discharged tomorrow."
"Really? Finally...I can eat something that is actually tasty." Satoru said, holding the cotton ball where he was injected.
"Oh, And here! Your friends have made an appointment to meet you later today." She said while handing him a letter.
"Sleep well Satoru!" She said happily as she bowed to Mitsuki and Shinichi before leaving.
Shinichi eyed the retreating figure of the nurse till she was out his sights, before releasing a sigh he didn't know he held back.
"You must never get caught!" Mitsuki paused, "when you will do...those things."
Her hand made the motion of tracing her neck with a finger.
"I see..." Satoru said.
"Ahem..."
Shinichi cleared his throat, taking a sip of water.
"Back on topic, people like Kuroda Arata...deserve to die. They cannot change, they don't want to change and will only bring pain and suffering to this world." Shinichi explained, making Satoru think deeply about himself.
'Can I change? I want to...I don't want her to die.' His eyes briefly fell on Mitsuki who was looking at the photo of the victims sadly.
"You must always be sure that you only target people who absolutely deserves. Only the worst of humanity. It will be your fault and responsibility if you mess up by killing someone who could be redeemed."
"Redeemed?" Satoru was confused.
"Killing should never be your first answer to people like Arata. Never." He rubbed his forehead, "give them a chance...even if they don't deserve it."
"This is too much for him to think about for now, Shinichi. How about we continue later, hmm?" Mitsuki said, making Shinichi sigh before agreeing.
"I'll bring something from the cafeteria, do you want anything?" Shinichi stood up and walked to the exit.
"Chocolate cake, please. These nurses will kill me from feeding me all those healthy vegetables." Satoru answered.
"Sure."
Shinichi left the two of them alone, and the letter quickly grabbed the attention of Mitsuki.
"Oh! I wonder what's that? Do you want me to read it?" Mitsuki asked, waving the letter in her hand.
"Okay."
"Are you sure? It's from your girlfriend, what if it's something nasty?" She had mischievous grin as she asked Satoru.
"I'm twelve years old." Satoru replied with a deadpan.
"Okay then...here we go..." Mitsuki opened the letter and began reading.
"Satoru,
I hope this letter finds you well. Congratulations on winning the exams. I heard the final round was demanding, so I keep wondering whether you're eating properly and resting when you can.
Please don't push yourself too hard...you've always had a habit of forgetting your own limits.
Mitsuki looked at Satoru for a second before continuing.
My mission has been…ordinary. Tatsuo and Hiten have faught non-stop over everything! Especially food! Speaking of food, his cooking does not have the same taste as yours, no matter how much he tries! Just what do you put in them?
The terrain here is dull, the stake out and investigation is boring as hell. We spend most of our time waiting.
I suppose that's a good thing. Peaceful missions make me think the village is doing something right. Still, I find myself counting the days until I can return."
There were some lines which were scratched and it was barely legible, Mitsuki silently read through it.
"Is that it? That didnt sound like an ending of a letter." Satoru asked, closing the file and eagerly looking at Mitsuki.
"Yeah, yeah, one second." She said before continuing.
I couldn't give you a gift in person, ans I'm sorry, I have kept a gift for you. When you can, head over to the clan compound and ask Shizu for it.
With love,
Keiko.
'A gift? She didn't have to, it's not like I won fairly...or alone...'
"Satoru..." Her voice cut through his thought process.
"People like her...have nothing to do with what you are learning to do here. Never, never in your life should people like her should die." Mitsuki warned, her tone was sharp and left no room for discussion.
"Do you understand?"
"Ouch!" Satoru swatted his shoulder, only to find a dead bug, which he flicked away.
"Satoru! Do you understand?" She repeated.
"Yes."
*knock*
Mitsuki opened the door to see Shinichi with a box of chocolate cake.
"There were some doctors who were asking for your assistance, I'll watch over him for awhile." Shinichi said, as he handed Satoru the cake.
His eyes quickly noticed the tiny bump on his shoulder.
"What happened? It looks like a insect bite." Shinichi asked pointing at his shoulder.
"It is, way too painful for a mosquito, probably some weird one which crawls on trees." Satoru replied.
"All insects crawl on trees, Satoru." Shinichi said, looking at the insect, before reaching out to pick it up.
'This is a sterilized environment...insects shouldn't be here!' He thought, a certain probability became more and more plausible.
He picked up the insect and suddenly he stopped as if his blood froze in fear.
His eyes narrowed as his fingers trembled, causing the insect to fall to the ground again.
It was a kikaichu beetle of the aburame clan.
'It's over, he knows...' shinichi thought.
"What happened? Is something wrong?" Satoru asked in concern.
"Nothing...you should rest." Shinichi said.
Shinichi and Satoru sat side by side in silence, but for different reasons.
Satoru thought about his future, thinking about what he would do with the rules imposed on him.
Shinichi thought about whether Satoru will live long enough to put those rules into practice.
---
It was a cold dark room with only one window, mostly closed by the curtain which only allowed a little light to enter.
The evening sunlight fell on the sunglasses of one of two figures present in the room.
It was a man wearing ROOT anbu armor with sunglasses usually worn by the aburame clan. He kneeled as he waited for the other figure to give an order.
Danzo Shimura, rested with a relaxed posture, a sake cup and a bottle were placed on his table.
His eyes were stuck to the kikaichu beetle which was moving around the cup.
The beetle accidentally moved to close to the cup, only to be squashed to death.
Danzo flicked the beetle towards the operative who didn't react to the beetle's remains hitting his sunglasses.
"A code, huh? Been there..." He took a sip, "...Done that." He placed the cup back down, refilling it.
"Trying to contain someone's nature by pushing down and suppressing their true self, only allowing parts of it to surface when necessary." Danzo mumbled, his words slurred from intoxication.
"Does that sound familiar to you?" Danzo said, suddenly looking at the operative, ordering him to speak.
"Sounds like us...and Lord second..." The operative suddenly realized what he just said, " I apologize, Lord Danzo, for talking about Lord Second that way."
The operative quickly got on his knees and touched his forehead on the floor.
"Danzo didn't even bother responding and continued. "There used be rumors that Tobirama sensei, used to enjoy the things he did. Maybe this rumor began when Madara Uchiha found out that Sensei kept the eyes of the Uchiha he killed with himself.
Some would interpret it as Sensei doing research...others would call them trophies. I was raised by him and...I'm not certain." Danzo's arm reached into his clothes and his fingers traced what appeared to be a tattoo.
"He had such control over himself, that no one was sure what he was...and I doubt, Satoru will ever reach that control with his loophole filled Code."
The tattoo began partially glowing, revealing itself to be a curse mark.
"Just rules aren't enough...if you don't have anything enforce it, or prevent breaking it. We, are not like Sensei. People like us...need a leash."
The curse mark glowed brighter and suddenly his drunken stupor quickly disappeared, preventing himself from losing control from the intoxication.
"Summon Shigaraki. Now." Danzo said, his voice no longer slurred.
Within a minute, Shigaraki arrived kneeling on the floor beside the aburame.
"Lord Danzo, how may I serve you?" He said, prompting Danzo to stand up and walk towards the exit.
"Start preparing the curse mark. I need it within a year." Danzo said, leaving the room.
---
A sheet of paper fell off the large pile of forms which were filled, ready to be taken away.
Hiruzen stood to pick it up, only to accidentally make the entire pile fall off.
"Mother fu..." Hiruzen began rearranging all the piles.
"Are you even listening? It's only a matter of time before he becomes a threat. We need to control these people." Danzo scowled
"Uh huh? Why control them?" He made eye contact, before continuing. "Why not just kill them all and be done with it?" Hiruzen said nonchalantly, before placing the stack of papers back on the table.
"Do you not remember the conversation you had with that boy? What you told him?" Danzo asked.
This behavior was unfamiliar to the world, but for him? It felt routine.
"Of course I remember. I was just messing with you!" Hiruzen smirked, "Don't act as if you have a stick up your ass all the time."
"What are you planning to do? Answer me." Danzo relented.
"Just check the top paper on the pile." He pointed to the pile he just rearranged.
Danzo picked up the paper as Hiruzen wore his coat and was getting ready to leave.
"You are going to start tracking everyone like him and monitor their actions? How many operatives are you planning to deploy for all this?" Danzo slammed the paper on the table making the pile fall again.
"You are fixing that, I'm getting out of here." Hiruzen said, opening the door to leave.
"Not yet."
"Have you seen your nephew's grades? You should out there helping him and enjoying your retirement. I'm leaving and am going to be a great dad..." Hiruzen said, leaving the room.
"Damn you Hiruzen!"
On that day, a decision that would determine life or death of hundreds was made...by two bantering brothers.