Chakra Wizard
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Alright, lots of drama last chapter! Let’s see where it goes from there! xd As always, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 090: Refusal
Airon: THIS IS BULLSHIT!!! You can’t just keep me out of the fighting like this!! I need to be out there!!
Kei and Inase quickly snuck into the hallway to join their mother as the argument escalated further, what was originally to be a three-on-one discussion having morphed into an all-out shouting contest between their father and older brother.
Boruto: You NEED to be here at home, keeping your mother’s mind focused on whether or not I’M okay, not her children!! Think about her for a second, why don’t you, instead of some childish grudge you’ve got-
Airon: Don’t assume you know what’s running through my head, Dad!! I’m not a goddamn pessimist like you when it comes to whether or not I’ll live through a fight!!
Boruto: YOU’VE NEVER BEEN IN A FIGHT WHERE YOUR LIFE WAS IN DANGER, YOU LITTLE PRICK!!!
Airon: (He clenched his fists in anger, responding with a more snobbish persona.) And what, you have? No, of course not. You know what you are? You’re just someone who was born into peace times twenty years before I was. I’m not nearly as used to the lack of conflict as you are. And I’m not as likely to suffer from it when I make the shift.
Kei and Inase kept their heads poked just outside the hallway entrance throughout the course of the argument, but they were quickly forced to pull back out of sight as Boruto raised his hand and proceeded to slap their brother across the face. The sound of hand meeting cheek echoed to the end of the hall, where Inoue clasped her hand over her mouth in shock, nearly in tears by this point, while her husband glared down at their oldest son without the faintest bit of remorse.
Boruto: I’m your father. I kept that forehead protector from you for nine years and I could take it away again in a heartbeat if I wanted to, so I’d recommend you drop the subject now and see about saying goodbye to your friends that’re leaving.
Airon made no response, far too preoccupied rubbing his bright-pink cheek to even suggest he heard a word his father said. When he finally looked up, though, where Boruto suspected to find sadness and regret he found only brimming amusement, highlighted by a devilish grin.
Airon: Go on…slap me again.
His insolence was enough to warrant a slap across the face, so the almost degrading tone in his voice practically forced his father’s hand to close against his will. When he raised it up and lunged forward to hit him, though, he stopped himself in midair – not because he had come to his senses, but because there was nothing there to hit. Realizing he’d teleported away before he could strike him again, Boruto stood up straight and began adjusting his sweatshirt in an almost triumphant manner.
Boruto: Coward, always running at the first sign of trouble.
His moment of victory was cut short as a long object suddenly found itself wedged against his back, a quick glance out of the corner of his eye revealing it to be none other than Airon’s sword – sheathed to avoid any real injury.
Airon: Cowards show their backs to the enemy. …I make the enemy show its back to me.
His gritted teeth close to cracking under the pressure, he spun around at a pace few but the Namikaze clan could attain, only for Airon vanish beneath his grasp once again, reappearing behind him and prodding him with his sword a second time. This cycle went on for several seconds, Boruto’s rage and speed growing with each iteration until, at last, he moved in time to send his fist crashing into Airon’s newly emerged chest. The tremor from the impact caused a pillow on the sofa to blow off and the drapes on the window several feet away to flutter about, evidence of his long-surpassed boiling point, but Airon’s fingers remained steady as he caught his hand between them, the absence of any visible chakra-induced enhancements indicating just how superior he was to his father in strength. Seeing the smirk on his face, Boruto’s shock returned to anger and he attempted to pull back, only prompting Airon to sink his fingers deeper into his skin, prompting him to grit his teeth at the steadily increasing pain.
Airon: You still think I’m helpless, old man? I’m obviously more equipped to fight in this war than you are, and I’m sure as hell more likely to come out alive. …Besides, you couldn’t stop me from leaving even if you did win this argument, so what’s the point in even trying?
With this, Airon released his hand as he made one last attempt to pull away, prompting him to stumble back several feet before recapturing his footing. He looked up at his son with wide eyes as he rubbed his thumb over the indents left in his hand, only now realizing that Airon had at some point surpassed him in height, adding further to his feeling of defeat as he gazed down at the floor.
Boruto: No. You’re right. There’s no way I can stop you from leaving. I see that now. …But if you do, just know that you’re breaking your mother’s heart…and losing any claim you have to being my son.
Airon said nothing, but then again, what could he say? Just moments ago, Boruto was using a physical approach to embarrassing effect, and now he was using his emotions in order to get his way. He had no room to speak, of course – he had just attempted the same thing through humiliation – but all the intelligence in the world couldn’t change the fact that he was still too young to understand that. The emotion having run dry from his face, he turned around and began tying his sword back around his waist, refusing to look his father in the eye as he gave his response.
Airon: For seventeen years, I’ve been learning everything I ever needed to get by from my grandfather. And in all that time, the only thing you ever did for me was hold back my progress. …Good riddance.
Inase: Airon!!
His sister ran out from the hallway to stop him, but by the time Boruto turned around, Airon had already vanished from the room, and more than likely from the entire house. Watching two people she loved dearly fight was one thing, and hearing Airon’s parting words was another, but Boruto’s apparent indifference was what pushed her the edge, bringing her face-to-face with her father before she smacked him on the arm in anger, meanwhile Kei watched silent and helplessly from the hallway.
Inase: You ass!! You’re just gonna let him leave after saying that!?
Boruto: Don’t you start mouthing off to me, too!! Airon made his choice!! And I’m not going back on my word!!
Inase: (She backed off and stared at him in disbelief.) Yeah, really mature of you, Dad. Cause that’s what Grandpa really wanted that nindō to be used for when he taught us that.
Boruto: (He opened his mouth to retaliate, but stopped at the last minute and looked away in a fit.) …You kids just don’t realize what’s happening here.
Inase: But we do, Dad! That’s the point! Countries fight, they wage wars…people die, that’s how it works. Maybe we haven’t done it in a long time, but that’s history for you. …You just mistake our self-confidence for arrogance.
Boruto: (He looked back down at her, enraged that his own child would question his notions.) I’m making NO mistakes in what I see in you three! You and Kei have talent, but you also know your limits! Airon’s a cocky little shit who’s never had to fear anything, including death!
Inase: And maybe that was true three weeks ago. He’s starting to learn, though. He’ll be more cautious. We’re all confident, Dad, but we’re not stupid. We know when we should back off from a fight, even Airon. …What do you think he really learned the Flying Raijin for?
Boruto’s eyes dilated almost against his will. The Flying Raijin was indeed a powerful offensive and transportational tool, as stories of his grandfather’s endeavors so aptly suggested, but defensive applications were more or less an afterthought, though one that made perfect sense as he reminisced on it. The subject at hand was Airon, though, and any notions of him using a jutsu for anything beyond attack measures fell flat in his mind.
Boruto: My decision’s final, Inase. Nothing you say is gonna change that. …Go find your brother if you want, but he’s staying here. If our forces start moving out in eleven days and he’s with them, he will never set foot in this house again. Are we clear?
A hesitant nod was the only response Inase gave as she left the house, a quick glance from their father prompting Kei to run after her. With the dust having finally settled, Inoue emerged from their bedroom and made her way down the hall, having clearly shed more than a few tears over the past few minutes. Boruto moved to wrap his arms around her in hopes of comforting her, plans which ended in vain as she stepped back out of reach.
Inoue: Now you’re gonna kick him out? …After all these years?
Boruto: (He rested his hands on his hips, put off by her remoteness and annoyed by her remark.) Don’t guilt-trip me like that. This is for his own good.
Inoue: And what if it isn’t? What if the war ends and he comes back with no home to return to? What then?
Boruto: (He heaved a sigh and reached for her hand, the anger vanishing from his face when she made no attempt to pull away.) I’m trying to convince him to stay here with you, Inoue, where there’s no chance of something other than that happening. Don’t you get that? I’ve got nothing else to convince him with.
Inoue: (She stared straight ahead for a moment of consideration before looking away.) …Then just let him go.
Boruto: (He dropped her hand out of shock.) Are you shitting me? You’re not the slightest bit concerned that he won’t come back alive?
Inoue: After what I just saw, I’m more concerned that YOU won’t come back alive.
Boruto: I have a drive, Inoue. A wife and children to come back to.
Inoue: In the same way he’s got his siblings and friends. You don’t think he knew that when he tried to convince you to let him go?
Boruto: (He bit his lip in frustration and looked over at the kitchen window.) I think he was too blinded by his own desires to pay much notice to that.
Inoue: And what’s your excuse for leaving? …You don’t think I want my husband to stay here with me instead of heading off to war?
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as he brought his hands up to caress her head. It was true that he felt the strongest sense of remorse leaving Inoue at home while he went off to a fight he might not return from, but it was a life that both of them agreed to years ago, long before the thought of the peace being disrupted by war even crossed their minds.
Boruto: I have a duty to my village, Inoue.
Inoue: And so does he.
Boruto: His duty is to his family first.
Inoue: And yours isn’t?
Boruto: (He lifted his head and looked down at her in frustration.) Why are you doing this? You’re trying to convince me to let him fight and I’m telling you the same thing I told him and Inase.
Inoue: Then you could at least be honest about your reasons.
Boruto: (He turned his head in growing annoyance.) How am I not?
Inoue: Boruto, if your main concern was me, you wouldn’t be preparing to leave yourself. Just admit it.
Boruto: Admit what? What am I not admitting to you?
Inoue: …That you’re more afraid of something happening to him than I am.
He ceased all movement with his mouth still opened halfway, primed to counter a statement he no longer felt capable of responding to. He just stared down at her, meeting her gaze with a look that demanded further explanation for her apparent indifference to her oldest son’s fate. The answer couldn’t help but make her smile as she gave it.
Inoue: I know I’m his mother, Boruto, but in all this time, I’ve never once feared for his life. I’ve seen what he can do, and I believe in him too much to think he can’t overcome anything thrown his way…so why can’t you?
Boruto: (He struggled to find a new argument, his prior ones centered around her worries now completely nullified.) It’s because I know the realities of the shinobi world, Inoue. I know more about what he’s getting himself into.
Inoue: …Then it’s up to you to convince yourself that he’s ready for it.
She moved her hand around the back of his head before standing up on her toes, giving him a small peck on the cheek before silently walking into the kitchen. Boruto turned around after a moment of silence, leaving the house upon finding Inoue preparing dinner, seemingly settled on giving him time with his own thoughts. The moment the door closed behind him, though, she walked to the edge of the counter and picked up the telephone, gazing the window to see what direction he was heading off in.
Airon: Awww, but why not!? I’ve been a ninja a whole year now!!
Boruto: (He locked his bedroom door and walked back out into the living room.) You’re only four years old, Airon, that’s why. When you’re older, you get your headband and you can go out on all the missions you want.
Airon: (He threw his hands behind his head and jumped up and down in a fit.) But Manako’s already graduated, and Uncle Itachi didn’t take HIS away as soon as he got it!
Boruto: (He sat down in his recliner, picking up the novel sitting on the coffee table and opening it without once looking up at Airon.) Manako is Uncle Itachi’s son, not mine. You are, Airon, and as long as you’re living under my roof, you live by my rules, got it?
With no end to the argument in sight, Airon kicked at the base of his chair and ran out the front door, presumably to find Manako. Watching them cluelessly from the kitchen table, his triplets siblings ran off after him once they’d polished off their lunch, presumably thinking he was running off to the playground without them. They quickly stopped after being called out to by their father, waiting for their mother to help them put on their winter attire before taking off as she watched them from the nearby window. Once they were out of sight, she walked behind Boruto’s chair and snaked her arms over his shoulders and down his chest, to his initial surprise and amusement.
Inoue: You know he’s gonna start out with low-level missions, hon. It’s nothing he can’t handle yet.
Boruto: (He heaved a reluctant sigh.) I was twice his age when I was doing those low-level missions, Inoue. And I was three times his age when I was doing stuff that most jōnin in this village wouldn’t be asked to do. He’s gonna rise quickly, probably quicker than he can handle. So, for now, he just needs to work on his own thing, and when he gets to be that age, he can make it official.
Amused by his ever so cautious attitude towards raising his children, Inoue smiled and rested her head atop his as he grabbed ahold of one of her arms, caressing it gently as he resumed his reading, her resulting frown suggesting advances on her part which he failed to take hint to.
Inoue: There’s only so many times you steal a bell from your father before it starts to get boring.
Boruto: (He pointed up at her accusingly after his initial amusement wore off.) Then he can go try and steal bells from his grandfather, then…and he only won that game one time! Don’t dangle that over my head!
Inoue: (She giggled softly, kissing his forehead before standing back up.) …You’ve only played it with him one time, Boruto.
She ran her fingers through his thick hair before returning to her kitchen duties, gathering up Kei and Inase’s dishes as she walked back to the sink. Boruto spent more than a few minutes contemplating the hidden meaning behind this last remark before shrugging it off and looking back down at his book. His eyes widened after half a page and he stood up and looked back at Inoue, tossing the book and throwing his head back in frustration when she shook her head to denote his missed opportunity.
The sun was still visible enough to be considered daytime, but its position relative to the distant mountains created an orange hue that slowly stretched across the sky as the day went on. In spite of this, the streets of the village were surprisingly empty, common goers no doubt preferring to be at home with their families at such an hour until it came time for their loved ones to be wisped away by the calls of war. This left Boruto mostly alone as he walked the streets closest his home, pockets stuffed with his hands and mind stuffed with his thoughts. He stopped momentarily to buy a popsicle from one of the few vendors still keeping their stores open, walked a little while longer until he found a empty park bench that conveniently gave him a clear view of the Hokage Monument. He must have sat there for a full fifteen minutes, not even touching the frozen treat melting in his hand, until the silence finally broke.
????: Well well, fancy meeting you out here, Bolt.
Recognizing the voice, Boruto looked up in surprise at the new arrival. His dark-gray kimono and wrinkled hair and face made him a far cry from his younger self, but the scar across his nose made him impossible to mistake for anyone else.
Boruto: Iruka.
Iruka: (He replied with a smile as he sat down beside him, pointing at the popsicle in his hand.) You might wanna eat that before it melts all the way.
Boruto: (He held it up and stared at it for a moment.) …Yeah, probably…I don’t even know why I got it now.
Chucking into the nearby trash bin, he spread his arms across the back of the bench and waited, mostly convinced by now that Iruka’s arrival was no coincidence.
Iruka: Some trouble at home, I hear?
Boruto: (He rolled his eyes, already anticipating the answer.) From Inoue?
Iruka: Hmhmhm, no, this I heard from Naruto, actually.
Boruto: (He looked away momentarily in surprise.) Dad…wait, so she called him and he told you?
Iruka: You got it.
Boruto: (He stared straight ahead.) But…why?
Iruka: (He smirked in amusement.) Well, he said that I would know more about your particular dilemma than he would…and sure enough, he was right.
Still not the least bit moved, Boruto leaned forward and clasped his hands together as he awaited Iruka’s attempt to persuade him.
Iruka: I took part in the Fourth Shinobi War, too, you know. Your father probably mentioned that at one point. I never stepped on the battlefield, of course, but I was given a very important job instead. …The job of ensuring he didn’t leave to join the fighting.
He nodded in the direction of Naruto’s sculpted face on the mountain overhead, Boruto’s eyes following it solely out of respect. It was indeed a story he’d heard from his father before, and not one he felt would have any impact on his decision.
Boruto: Dad wasn’t your son, Iruka. It’s different from my situation with Airon.
Iruka: (He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.) …Is it, though?
He looked away again and resumed speaking after meeting Boruto’s glare, the latter seemingly offended by the harmless inquiry.
Iruka: With only two Tailed Beasts still out of Madara Uchiha’s hands, the entire focus of the war was to protect their jinchūriki. In a way, you could say the focus of this war is to preserve the peace for the next generation, protecting them in a sense…kind of like you’re trying to do with your children, right?
Neither fact was one that he hadn’t heard or thought of before, but to hear them compared in such a way, Boruto couldn’t help but perk his ears in newfound attention.
Iruka: I underestimated just how much he’d grown since he was my student, though, both as a ninja and as a person. He used to be such an oaf, always getting into trouble, failing miserably at whatever he did, getting aggravated at even the simplest problems…hmhmhm, I’m sure he told you otherwise growing up, but he was the worst student in his class. And now he’s one of the strongest ninja alive, who would’ve thought?
He chuckled loudly at this, and Boruto couldn’t help but smile along in spite in himself. The laughter quickly stopped, though, and Iruka turned to ensure he still had his full attention before getting into the real essence of his argument.
Iruka: He was also a loner, though, never anyone to look out for but himself. But, by the time the war came along, he not only had a ton of friends who genuinely liked him, but a bunch of other people in the village and abroad who admired and respected him for his talents and for the person he is, regardless of all the flaws. People he would willingly give up his life for, even if they intended to do the same for him. …Now, maybe Airon is still the overconfident punk you’ve made him out to be all this time, and that overconfidence might get him seriously hurt in the long run…but if there’s any trace of your father inside him, then I know that his reasons for wanting to fight in the war are anything but selfish. …He just wants to protect the people he loves, whether it’s his duty to or not…just like your father did.
To deny his words would’ve been denying his son’s very humanity, but regardless, accepting them retained much of the difficulty he originally envisioned it would. As Inoue pointed out, his top priority was and always had been the safety of his children, even if it meant shielding them from where there was no danger. Airon had grown beyond his limits, though – their earlier standoff proved that – and now where he once felt anger towards his son there was only fear, fear that however the next eleven days transpired, he would end up losing his son no matter what.
Boruto: You failed to keep Dad from heading off to war.
Iruka: I did. For the same reason you failed to hold back Airon.
Boruto: (He closed his eyes and collected his thoughts before turning to him again.) …And what did you do after that?
There was no smile on his face as Iruka turned to him with widened eyes, only firm resolve, resolve that brought one to Iruka’s as he realized it was somehow different from before.
Airon’s legs dangled over the roof of the Hokage Mansion as he awaited the arrival of his siblings, having spotted them scouring the village during their search for him. With his sister’s powerful Byakugan in tow, it wasn’t long before they ascended the roof to join him, Inase taking a seat beside him while Kei stood a short ways behind them, still visibly perplexed by the entire ordeal. Their arrival did nothing to break the silence, though, nor did it prompt Airon to look away from the scenery below until Inase finally spoke up about what had just transpired.
Inase: You didn’t mean that.
Airon: Hm?
Inase: (She turned to him with a frown.) …You didn’t mean what you said about Dad never doing anything for you.
Airon: (He did feel that there was truth to the sentiment, but heaved a sigh upon deciding that hiding this was the better alternative.) …No, I didn’t. I was just angry at him.
Inase: Why?
His persisting silence made his hesitation to share these feelings all the clearer, but anyone familiar with them knew this wouldn’t stop Inase from intruding further.
Inase: (Because Manako’s going to war?)
Airon: (…Among other people, yeah.)
Inase: (Nakama?)
Airon: (Everyone, Inase. Everyone who’s going. Irezumi, Ide, Shikaru, Chōzen, Kūrogane, probably Minto and Taigen, too…all people I love dearly going off to fight and maybe even die, yet I’m stuck here worrying they might instead of going with them to help keep that from happening? What was the point of being a ninja if I couldn’t even do that?)
Inase: (…What about them?)
Airon: (He frowned at her, this being the second time today he was accused of selfish reasoning.) (Masurao’s a missing-nin. If I run into him while we’re out there, it’ll be purely coincidental. And if someone manages to defeat Dageki before I get another shot at him, that’s fine by me. My reasons aren’t selfish, though, so get that out of your head.)
Airon was no fool, as most people knew, and he had more than enough talent in genjutsu protection to keep even Inase and Manako from scanning the deeper corners of his mind, where his true emotions hid. For such reasons, Inase remained skeptical of his motives, but nonetheless nodded to assure him she understood.
Inase: (Okay…do you still plan to run away to fight, though?)
Airon: (He heaved a sigh and ran his hand over his face, faced with yet another question that had a complicated answer.) (…No. I love my family too much to risk not seeing them again, but...it’s just not fair. My whole life, he’s done nothing but say I’m not ready for things I’m already more than capable of. …Why can’t he just see what Grandpa sees in me, or Manako or Nakama or Minto…or you guys?)
Inase: (She rested her hand on his and managed a feeble smile after some hesitation.) (I think he does…I know he does, but he’s just not willing to let us take risks as ninja, especially when it comes to our lives. It comes off harsh at times, but it’s always out of fear and love…you know?)
He did know. As much as he hated this aspect of his father’s personality, he never once thought he didn’t love them, nor did he think his intentions were good, however misguided. The fact remained, though, that his intuition impeded his progress again and again, causing him to turn violent when he stopped him the moment he felt he was needed most. The past twenty minutes had been spent brooding over this very thing, but he still wasn’t ready to face his father after what had just happened – and what he himself had done to him. Nonetheless, he displayed his gratitude to his sister with a warm smile that she returned in kind, both which persisted as they were joined by another – far older – member of the family.
Airon: Took you long enough.
Naruto: (He gave a sarcastic smirk as he walked up behind him.) Well, cut me some slack. I normally head up to the Academy roof and you’re right there. …You’re a smart kid, Airon, but that was pretty stupid of you.
Airon: (He expressed some amusement as his smile gradually disappeared.) Yeah, I know…but you know what that’s like, right?
Naruto: (He gazed out at the now vanishing sun.) Way more than you can imagine.
Airon: (He shot him an understanding glance before looking back down at the village below.) …Well, what do you think?
Naruto: (He crossed his arms.) Well, if it were up to me, we’d be away training for the war right now. But then again, I’m only your sensei and your grandfather. …It isn’t my mind you’ve gotta put at ease first.
Airon nodded, already well aware of this, but still doubtful of his ability to make such a thing happen, especially after so many past failures. Such negative emotions were well within Naruto’s range, though, so he didn’t even need to hear this from his mouth to know he required some reassurance.
Naruto: If it makes you feel any better, I’ve got an expert on the case right now.
Just moments after Airon turned wide-eyed in his direction, they were joined on the rooftop by Boruto, the ailing Iruka following slowly behind, much to Naruto’s amusement.
Naruto: Hehe, speak of the devil.
Both Airon and Inase immediately stood up upon seeing their father, who walked past Naruto and wrapped his arms around the former, pulling him in for an embrace awash with sorrow and repentance that he quickly returned. Leaving them alone for the moment, Naruto walked over to help his former teacher onto the roof before joining him in watching their reconciliation unfold.
Naruto: What’d you tell him?
Iruka: Exactly what I told you.
Naruto: (He smiled warmly as he recalled the day he left to fight in the Fourth War.) …Thank you, Iruka.
Iruka: Hehe, please. You just make sure you keep up your end of that deal.
Naruto: (He smirked in anticipation.) That depends on if he asks me nicely.
Breaking away from Airon at last, Boruto turned to face his father, biting his lip in hesitation before placing his arms firmly to his sides and falling into a deep bow.
Boruto: Dad…please protect my children!
Naruto kept a straight face for a total of six seconds before he threw his head back and began cackling loudly, Iruka burying his face in his hand to avoid doing the same as Boruto stood there frozen, his embarrassment preventing him from straightening out his back.
Naruto: Hehehahaha! I like it! Don’t you worry about a thing, Bolt. I’ll see to it nothing happens to them.
Boruto: (He nodded in appreciation, a gesture he immediately followed with a glare in Iruka’s direction.) Was the bow really necessarily?
Iruka: Hehehe, hey, you just asked what I did. You didn’t have to act it out down to the last detail.
Boruto dropped the ordeal a moment later and turned to face his children, all of them still too afflicted by the day’s events to find as much amusement in this as they normally would. He moved to get on one knee before speaking, stopping short when he realized that both Airon and Kei nearly surpassed him in height while Inase trailed not too far behind. Further indication of just how much he failed to notice their growth over the years.
Boruto: Just promise me one thing, Airon. …All of you promise me this.
Airon: (He clenched his fists.) Name it.
Boruto: (He cleared a lump in his throat before giving his request.) …When the war’s over…please come back home…to me and your mother.
The prospect of fighting in the war was not as exciting as it might’ve seemed in hindsight, but to receive their father’s permission to do so was a greater thrill than the three could ask for at the time, one all of them answered with dazzling grins – two of them, at least.
Kei and Inase: Yes, Dad.
Boruto returned their smiles before looking at Airon, who had yet to answer. Just a hour earlier, he had been making a fool of him in his own house for denying him this very opportunity, so he couldn’t help but stare in disbelief as the tables turned before his eyes with such seeming ease. A nod and a smile from both Iruka and his grandfather made it clear that the moment was real, though, and he proceeded to answer his father with both.
Airon: We promise…and we never go back on our word.
Boruto will allow his children to fight – preparations start now!!!
The End
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Chapter 090: Refusal
Airon: THIS IS BULLSHIT!!! You can’t just keep me out of the fighting like this!! I need to be out there!!
Kei and Inase quickly snuck into the hallway to join their mother as the argument escalated further, what was originally to be a three-on-one discussion having morphed into an all-out shouting contest between their father and older brother.
Boruto: You NEED to be here at home, keeping your mother’s mind focused on whether or not I’M okay, not her children!! Think about her for a second, why don’t you, instead of some childish grudge you’ve got-
Airon: Don’t assume you know what’s running through my head, Dad!! I’m not a goddamn pessimist like you when it comes to whether or not I’ll live through a fight!!
Boruto: YOU’VE NEVER BEEN IN A FIGHT WHERE YOUR LIFE WAS IN DANGER, YOU LITTLE PRICK!!!
Airon: (He clenched his fists in anger, responding with a more snobbish persona.) And what, you have? No, of course not. You know what you are? You’re just someone who was born into peace times twenty years before I was. I’m not nearly as used to the lack of conflict as you are. And I’m not as likely to suffer from it when I make the shift.
Kei and Inase kept their heads poked just outside the hallway entrance throughout the course of the argument, but they were quickly forced to pull back out of sight as Boruto raised his hand and proceeded to slap their brother across the face. The sound of hand meeting cheek echoed to the end of the hall, where Inoue clasped her hand over her mouth in shock, nearly in tears by this point, while her husband glared down at their oldest son without the faintest bit of remorse.
Boruto: I’m your father. I kept that forehead protector from you for nine years and I could take it away again in a heartbeat if I wanted to, so I’d recommend you drop the subject now and see about saying goodbye to your friends that’re leaving.
Airon made no response, far too preoccupied rubbing his bright-pink cheek to even suggest he heard a word his father said. When he finally looked up, though, where Boruto suspected to find sadness and regret he found only brimming amusement, highlighted by a devilish grin.
Airon: Go on…slap me again.
His insolence was enough to warrant a slap across the face, so the almost degrading tone in his voice practically forced his father’s hand to close against his will. When he raised it up and lunged forward to hit him, though, he stopped himself in midair – not because he had come to his senses, but because there was nothing there to hit. Realizing he’d teleported away before he could strike him again, Boruto stood up straight and began adjusting his sweatshirt in an almost triumphant manner.
Boruto: Coward, always running at the first sign of trouble.
His moment of victory was cut short as a long object suddenly found itself wedged against his back, a quick glance out of the corner of his eye revealing it to be none other than Airon’s sword – sheathed to avoid any real injury.
Airon: Cowards show their backs to the enemy. …I make the enemy show its back to me.
His gritted teeth close to cracking under the pressure, he spun around at a pace few but the Namikaze clan could attain, only for Airon vanish beneath his grasp once again, reappearing behind him and prodding him with his sword a second time. This cycle went on for several seconds, Boruto’s rage and speed growing with each iteration until, at last, he moved in time to send his fist crashing into Airon’s newly emerged chest. The tremor from the impact caused a pillow on the sofa to blow off and the drapes on the window several feet away to flutter about, evidence of his long-surpassed boiling point, but Airon’s fingers remained steady as he caught his hand between them, the absence of any visible chakra-induced enhancements indicating just how superior he was to his father in strength. Seeing the smirk on his face, Boruto’s shock returned to anger and he attempted to pull back, only prompting Airon to sink his fingers deeper into his skin, prompting him to grit his teeth at the steadily increasing pain.
Airon: You still think I’m helpless, old man? I’m obviously more equipped to fight in this war than you are, and I’m sure as hell more likely to come out alive. …Besides, you couldn’t stop me from leaving even if you did win this argument, so what’s the point in even trying?
With this, Airon released his hand as he made one last attempt to pull away, prompting him to stumble back several feet before recapturing his footing. He looked up at his son with wide eyes as he rubbed his thumb over the indents left in his hand, only now realizing that Airon had at some point surpassed him in height, adding further to his feeling of defeat as he gazed down at the floor.
Boruto: No. You’re right. There’s no way I can stop you from leaving. I see that now. …But if you do, just know that you’re breaking your mother’s heart…and losing any claim you have to being my son.
Airon said nothing, but then again, what could he say? Just moments ago, Boruto was using a physical approach to embarrassing effect, and now he was using his emotions in order to get his way. He had no room to speak, of course – he had just attempted the same thing through humiliation – but all the intelligence in the world couldn’t change the fact that he was still too young to understand that. The emotion having run dry from his face, he turned around and began tying his sword back around his waist, refusing to look his father in the eye as he gave his response.
Airon: For seventeen years, I’ve been learning everything I ever needed to get by from my grandfather. And in all that time, the only thing you ever did for me was hold back my progress. …Good riddance.
Inase: Airon!!
His sister ran out from the hallway to stop him, but by the time Boruto turned around, Airon had already vanished from the room, and more than likely from the entire house. Watching two people she loved dearly fight was one thing, and hearing Airon’s parting words was another, but Boruto’s apparent indifference was what pushed her the edge, bringing her face-to-face with her father before she smacked him on the arm in anger, meanwhile Kei watched silent and helplessly from the hallway.
Inase: You ass!! You’re just gonna let him leave after saying that!?
Boruto: Don’t you start mouthing off to me, too!! Airon made his choice!! And I’m not going back on my word!!
Inase: (She backed off and stared at him in disbelief.) Yeah, really mature of you, Dad. Cause that’s what Grandpa really wanted that nindō to be used for when he taught us that.
Boruto: (He opened his mouth to retaliate, but stopped at the last minute and looked away in a fit.) …You kids just don’t realize what’s happening here.
Inase: But we do, Dad! That’s the point! Countries fight, they wage wars…people die, that’s how it works. Maybe we haven’t done it in a long time, but that’s history for you. …You just mistake our self-confidence for arrogance.
Boruto: (He looked back down at her, enraged that his own child would question his notions.) I’m making NO mistakes in what I see in you three! You and Kei have talent, but you also know your limits! Airon’s a cocky little shit who’s never had to fear anything, including death!
Inase: And maybe that was true three weeks ago. He’s starting to learn, though. He’ll be more cautious. We’re all confident, Dad, but we’re not stupid. We know when we should back off from a fight, even Airon. …What do you think he really learned the Flying Raijin for?
Boruto’s eyes dilated almost against his will. The Flying Raijin was indeed a powerful offensive and transportational tool, as stories of his grandfather’s endeavors so aptly suggested, but defensive applications were more or less an afterthought, though one that made perfect sense as he reminisced on it. The subject at hand was Airon, though, and any notions of him using a jutsu for anything beyond attack measures fell flat in his mind.
Boruto: My decision’s final, Inase. Nothing you say is gonna change that. …Go find your brother if you want, but he’s staying here. If our forces start moving out in eleven days and he’s with them, he will never set foot in this house again. Are we clear?
A hesitant nod was the only response Inase gave as she left the house, a quick glance from their father prompting Kei to run after her. With the dust having finally settled, Inoue emerged from their bedroom and made her way down the hall, having clearly shed more than a few tears over the past few minutes. Boruto moved to wrap his arms around her in hopes of comforting her, plans which ended in vain as she stepped back out of reach.
Inoue: Now you’re gonna kick him out? …After all these years?
Boruto: (He rested his hands on his hips, put off by her remoteness and annoyed by her remark.) Don’t guilt-trip me like that. This is for his own good.
Inoue: And what if it isn’t? What if the war ends and he comes back with no home to return to? What then?
Boruto: (He heaved a sigh and reached for her hand, the anger vanishing from his face when she made no attempt to pull away.) I’m trying to convince him to stay here with you, Inoue, where there’s no chance of something other than that happening. Don’t you get that? I’ve got nothing else to convince him with.
Inoue: (She stared straight ahead for a moment of consideration before looking away.) …Then just let him go.
Boruto: (He dropped her hand out of shock.) Are you shitting me? You’re not the slightest bit concerned that he won’t come back alive?
Inoue: After what I just saw, I’m more concerned that YOU won’t come back alive.
Boruto: I have a drive, Inoue. A wife and children to come back to.
Inoue: In the same way he’s got his siblings and friends. You don’t think he knew that when he tried to convince you to let him go?
Boruto: (He bit his lip in frustration and looked over at the kitchen window.) I think he was too blinded by his own desires to pay much notice to that.
Inoue: And what’s your excuse for leaving? …You don’t think I want my husband to stay here with me instead of heading off to war?
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as he brought his hands up to caress her head. It was true that he felt the strongest sense of remorse leaving Inoue at home while he went off to a fight he might not return from, but it was a life that both of them agreed to years ago, long before the thought of the peace being disrupted by war even crossed their minds.
Boruto: I have a duty to my village, Inoue.
Inoue: And so does he.
Boruto: His duty is to his family first.
Inoue: And yours isn’t?
Boruto: (He lifted his head and looked down at her in frustration.) Why are you doing this? You’re trying to convince me to let him fight and I’m telling you the same thing I told him and Inase.
Inoue: Then you could at least be honest about your reasons.
Boruto: (He turned his head in growing annoyance.) How am I not?
Inoue: Boruto, if your main concern was me, you wouldn’t be preparing to leave yourself. Just admit it.
Boruto: Admit what? What am I not admitting to you?
Inoue: …That you’re more afraid of something happening to him than I am.
He ceased all movement with his mouth still opened halfway, primed to counter a statement he no longer felt capable of responding to. He just stared down at her, meeting her gaze with a look that demanded further explanation for her apparent indifference to her oldest son’s fate. The answer couldn’t help but make her smile as she gave it.
Inoue: I know I’m his mother, Boruto, but in all this time, I’ve never once feared for his life. I’ve seen what he can do, and I believe in him too much to think he can’t overcome anything thrown his way…so why can’t you?
Boruto: (He struggled to find a new argument, his prior ones centered around her worries now completely nullified.) It’s because I know the realities of the shinobi world, Inoue. I know more about what he’s getting himself into.
Inoue: …Then it’s up to you to convince yourself that he’s ready for it.
She moved her hand around the back of his head before standing up on her toes, giving him a small peck on the cheek before silently walking into the kitchen. Boruto turned around after a moment of silence, leaving the house upon finding Inoue preparing dinner, seemingly settled on giving him time with his own thoughts. The moment the door closed behind him, though, she walked to the edge of the counter and picked up the telephone, gazing the window to see what direction he was heading off in.
– Thirteen Years Prior –
Airon: Awww, but why not!? I’ve been a ninja a whole year now!!
Boruto: (He locked his bedroom door and walked back out into the living room.) You’re only four years old, Airon, that’s why. When you’re older, you get your headband and you can go out on all the missions you want.
Airon: (He threw his hands behind his head and jumped up and down in a fit.) But Manako’s already graduated, and Uncle Itachi didn’t take HIS away as soon as he got it!
Boruto: (He sat down in his recliner, picking up the novel sitting on the coffee table and opening it without once looking up at Airon.) Manako is Uncle Itachi’s son, not mine. You are, Airon, and as long as you’re living under my roof, you live by my rules, got it?
With no end to the argument in sight, Airon kicked at the base of his chair and ran out the front door, presumably to find Manako. Watching them cluelessly from the kitchen table, his triplets siblings ran off after him once they’d polished off their lunch, presumably thinking he was running off to the playground without them. They quickly stopped after being called out to by their father, waiting for their mother to help them put on their winter attire before taking off as she watched them from the nearby window. Once they were out of sight, she walked behind Boruto’s chair and snaked her arms over his shoulders and down his chest, to his initial surprise and amusement.
Inoue: You know he’s gonna start out with low-level missions, hon. It’s nothing he can’t handle yet.
Boruto: (He heaved a reluctant sigh.) I was twice his age when I was doing those low-level missions, Inoue. And I was three times his age when I was doing stuff that most jōnin in this village wouldn’t be asked to do. He’s gonna rise quickly, probably quicker than he can handle. So, for now, he just needs to work on his own thing, and when he gets to be that age, he can make it official.
Amused by his ever so cautious attitude towards raising his children, Inoue smiled and rested her head atop his as he grabbed ahold of one of her arms, caressing it gently as he resumed his reading, her resulting frown suggesting advances on her part which he failed to take hint to.
Inoue: There’s only so many times you steal a bell from your father before it starts to get boring.
Boruto: (He pointed up at her accusingly after his initial amusement wore off.) Then he can go try and steal bells from his grandfather, then…and he only won that game one time! Don’t dangle that over my head!
Inoue: (She giggled softly, kissing his forehead before standing back up.) …You’ve only played it with him one time, Boruto.
She ran her fingers through his thick hair before returning to her kitchen duties, gathering up Kei and Inase’s dishes as she walked back to the sink. Boruto spent more than a few minutes contemplating the hidden meaning behind this last remark before shrugging it off and looking back down at his book. His eyes widened after half a page and he stood up and looked back at Inoue, tossing the book and throwing his head back in frustration when she shook her head to denote his missed opportunity.
– Present-Day –
The sun was still visible enough to be considered daytime, but its position relative to the distant mountains created an orange hue that slowly stretched across the sky as the day went on. In spite of this, the streets of the village were surprisingly empty, common goers no doubt preferring to be at home with their families at such an hour until it came time for their loved ones to be wisped away by the calls of war. This left Boruto mostly alone as he walked the streets closest his home, pockets stuffed with his hands and mind stuffed with his thoughts. He stopped momentarily to buy a popsicle from one of the few vendors still keeping their stores open, walked a little while longer until he found a empty park bench that conveniently gave him a clear view of the Hokage Monument. He must have sat there for a full fifteen minutes, not even touching the frozen treat melting in his hand, until the silence finally broke.
????: Well well, fancy meeting you out here, Bolt.
Recognizing the voice, Boruto looked up in surprise at the new arrival. His dark-gray kimono and wrinkled hair and face made him a far cry from his younger self, but the scar across his nose made him impossible to mistake for anyone else.
Boruto: Iruka.
Iruka: (He replied with a smile as he sat down beside him, pointing at the popsicle in his hand.) You might wanna eat that before it melts all the way.
Boruto: (He held it up and stared at it for a moment.) …Yeah, probably…I don’t even know why I got it now.
Chucking into the nearby trash bin, he spread his arms across the back of the bench and waited, mostly convinced by now that Iruka’s arrival was no coincidence.
Iruka: Some trouble at home, I hear?
Boruto: (He rolled his eyes, already anticipating the answer.) From Inoue?
Iruka: Hmhmhm, no, this I heard from Naruto, actually.
Boruto: (He looked away momentarily in surprise.) Dad…wait, so she called him and he told you?
Iruka: You got it.
Boruto: (He stared straight ahead.) But…why?
Iruka: (He smirked in amusement.) Well, he said that I would know more about your particular dilemma than he would…and sure enough, he was right.
Still not the least bit moved, Boruto leaned forward and clasped his hands together as he awaited Iruka’s attempt to persuade him.
Iruka: I took part in the Fourth Shinobi War, too, you know. Your father probably mentioned that at one point. I never stepped on the battlefield, of course, but I was given a very important job instead. …The job of ensuring he didn’t leave to join the fighting.
He nodded in the direction of Naruto’s sculpted face on the mountain overhead, Boruto’s eyes following it solely out of respect. It was indeed a story he’d heard from his father before, and not one he felt would have any impact on his decision.
Boruto: Dad wasn’t your son, Iruka. It’s different from my situation with Airon.
Iruka: (He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.) …Is it, though?
He looked away again and resumed speaking after meeting Boruto’s glare, the latter seemingly offended by the harmless inquiry.
Iruka: With only two Tailed Beasts still out of Madara Uchiha’s hands, the entire focus of the war was to protect their jinchūriki. In a way, you could say the focus of this war is to preserve the peace for the next generation, protecting them in a sense…kind of like you’re trying to do with your children, right?
Neither fact was one that he hadn’t heard or thought of before, but to hear them compared in such a way, Boruto couldn’t help but perk his ears in newfound attention.
Iruka: I underestimated just how much he’d grown since he was my student, though, both as a ninja and as a person. He used to be such an oaf, always getting into trouble, failing miserably at whatever he did, getting aggravated at even the simplest problems…hmhmhm, I’m sure he told you otherwise growing up, but he was the worst student in his class. And now he’s one of the strongest ninja alive, who would’ve thought?
He chuckled loudly at this, and Boruto couldn’t help but smile along in spite in himself. The laughter quickly stopped, though, and Iruka turned to ensure he still had his full attention before getting into the real essence of his argument.
Iruka: He was also a loner, though, never anyone to look out for but himself. But, by the time the war came along, he not only had a ton of friends who genuinely liked him, but a bunch of other people in the village and abroad who admired and respected him for his talents and for the person he is, regardless of all the flaws. People he would willingly give up his life for, even if they intended to do the same for him. …Now, maybe Airon is still the overconfident punk you’ve made him out to be all this time, and that overconfidence might get him seriously hurt in the long run…but if there’s any trace of your father inside him, then I know that his reasons for wanting to fight in the war are anything but selfish. …He just wants to protect the people he loves, whether it’s his duty to or not…just like your father did.
To deny his words would’ve been denying his son’s very humanity, but regardless, accepting them retained much of the difficulty he originally envisioned it would. As Inoue pointed out, his top priority was and always had been the safety of his children, even if it meant shielding them from where there was no danger. Airon had grown beyond his limits, though – their earlier standoff proved that – and now where he once felt anger towards his son there was only fear, fear that however the next eleven days transpired, he would end up losing his son no matter what.
Boruto: You failed to keep Dad from heading off to war.
Iruka: I did. For the same reason you failed to hold back Airon.
Boruto: (He closed his eyes and collected his thoughts before turning to him again.) …And what did you do after that?
There was no smile on his face as Iruka turned to him with widened eyes, only firm resolve, resolve that brought one to Iruka’s as he realized it was somehow different from before.
Airon’s legs dangled over the roof of the Hokage Mansion as he awaited the arrival of his siblings, having spotted them scouring the village during their search for him. With his sister’s powerful Byakugan in tow, it wasn’t long before they ascended the roof to join him, Inase taking a seat beside him while Kei stood a short ways behind them, still visibly perplexed by the entire ordeal. Their arrival did nothing to break the silence, though, nor did it prompt Airon to look away from the scenery below until Inase finally spoke up about what had just transpired.
Inase: You didn’t mean that.
Airon: Hm?
Inase: (She turned to him with a frown.) …You didn’t mean what you said about Dad never doing anything for you.
Airon: (He did feel that there was truth to the sentiment, but heaved a sigh upon deciding that hiding this was the better alternative.) …No, I didn’t. I was just angry at him.
Inase: Why?
His persisting silence made his hesitation to share these feelings all the clearer, but anyone familiar with them knew this wouldn’t stop Inase from intruding further.
Inase: (Because Manako’s going to war?)
Airon: (…Among other people, yeah.)
Inase: (Nakama?)
Airon: (Everyone, Inase. Everyone who’s going. Irezumi, Ide, Shikaru, Chōzen, Kūrogane, probably Minto and Taigen, too…all people I love dearly going off to fight and maybe even die, yet I’m stuck here worrying they might instead of going with them to help keep that from happening? What was the point of being a ninja if I couldn’t even do that?)
Inase: (…What about them?)
Airon: (He frowned at her, this being the second time today he was accused of selfish reasoning.) (Masurao’s a missing-nin. If I run into him while we’re out there, it’ll be purely coincidental. And if someone manages to defeat Dageki before I get another shot at him, that’s fine by me. My reasons aren’t selfish, though, so get that out of your head.)
Airon was no fool, as most people knew, and he had more than enough talent in genjutsu protection to keep even Inase and Manako from scanning the deeper corners of his mind, where his true emotions hid. For such reasons, Inase remained skeptical of his motives, but nonetheless nodded to assure him she understood.
Inase: (Okay…do you still plan to run away to fight, though?)
Airon: (He heaved a sigh and ran his hand over his face, faced with yet another question that had a complicated answer.) (…No. I love my family too much to risk not seeing them again, but...it’s just not fair. My whole life, he’s done nothing but say I’m not ready for things I’m already more than capable of. …Why can’t he just see what Grandpa sees in me, or Manako or Nakama or Minto…or you guys?)
Inase: (She rested her hand on his and managed a feeble smile after some hesitation.) (I think he does…I know he does, but he’s just not willing to let us take risks as ninja, especially when it comes to our lives. It comes off harsh at times, but it’s always out of fear and love…you know?)
He did know. As much as he hated this aspect of his father’s personality, he never once thought he didn’t love them, nor did he think his intentions were good, however misguided. The fact remained, though, that his intuition impeded his progress again and again, causing him to turn violent when he stopped him the moment he felt he was needed most. The past twenty minutes had been spent brooding over this very thing, but he still wasn’t ready to face his father after what had just happened – and what he himself had done to him. Nonetheless, he displayed his gratitude to his sister with a warm smile that she returned in kind, both which persisted as they were joined by another – far older – member of the family.
Airon: Took you long enough.
Naruto: (He gave a sarcastic smirk as he walked up behind him.) Well, cut me some slack. I normally head up to the Academy roof and you’re right there. …You’re a smart kid, Airon, but that was pretty stupid of you.
Airon: (He expressed some amusement as his smile gradually disappeared.) Yeah, I know…but you know what that’s like, right?
Naruto: (He gazed out at the now vanishing sun.) Way more than you can imagine.
Airon: (He shot him an understanding glance before looking back down at the village below.) …Well, what do you think?
Naruto: (He crossed his arms.) Well, if it were up to me, we’d be away training for the war right now. But then again, I’m only your sensei and your grandfather. …It isn’t my mind you’ve gotta put at ease first.
Airon nodded, already well aware of this, but still doubtful of his ability to make such a thing happen, especially after so many past failures. Such negative emotions were well within Naruto’s range, though, so he didn’t even need to hear this from his mouth to know he required some reassurance.
Naruto: If it makes you feel any better, I’ve got an expert on the case right now.
Just moments after Airon turned wide-eyed in his direction, they were joined on the rooftop by Boruto, the ailing Iruka following slowly behind, much to Naruto’s amusement.
Naruto: Hehe, speak of the devil.
Both Airon and Inase immediately stood up upon seeing their father, who walked past Naruto and wrapped his arms around the former, pulling him in for an embrace awash with sorrow and repentance that he quickly returned. Leaving them alone for the moment, Naruto walked over to help his former teacher onto the roof before joining him in watching their reconciliation unfold.
Naruto: What’d you tell him?
Iruka: Exactly what I told you.
Naruto: (He smiled warmly as he recalled the day he left to fight in the Fourth War.) …Thank you, Iruka.
Iruka: Hehe, please. You just make sure you keep up your end of that deal.
Naruto: (He smirked in anticipation.) That depends on if he asks me nicely.
Breaking away from Airon at last, Boruto turned to face his father, biting his lip in hesitation before placing his arms firmly to his sides and falling into a deep bow.
Boruto: Dad…please protect my children!
Naruto kept a straight face for a total of six seconds before he threw his head back and began cackling loudly, Iruka burying his face in his hand to avoid doing the same as Boruto stood there frozen, his embarrassment preventing him from straightening out his back.
Naruto: Hehehahaha! I like it! Don’t you worry about a thing, Bolt. I’ll see to it nothing happens to them.
Boruto: (He nodded in appreciation, a gesture he immediately followed with a glare in Iruka’s direction.) Was the bow really necessarily?
Iruka: Hehehe, hey, you just asked what I did. You didn’t have to act it out down to the last detail.
Boruto dropped the ordeal a moment later and turned to face his children, all of them still too afflicted by the day’s events to find as much amusement in this as they normally would. He moved to get on one knee before speaking, stopping short when he realized that both Airon and Kei nearly surpassed him in height while Inase trailed not too far behind. Further indication of just how much he failed to notice their growth over the years.
Boruto: Just promise me one thing, Airon. …All of you promise me this.
Airon: (He clenched his fists.) Name it.
Boruto: (He cleared a lump in his throat before giving his request.) …When the war’s over…please come back home…to me and your mother.
The prospect of fighting in the war was not as exciting as it might’ve seemed in hindsight, but to receive their father’s permission to do so was a greater thrill than the three could ask for at the time, one all of them answered with dazzling grins – two of them, at least.
Kei and Inase: Yes, Dad.
Boruto returned their smiles before looking at Airon, who had yet to answer. Just a hour earlier, he had been making a fool of him in his own house for denying him this very opportunity, so he couldn’t help but stare in disbelief as the tables turned before his eyes with such seeming ease. A nod and a smile from both Iruka and his grandfather made it clear that the moment was real, though, and he proceeded to answer his father with both.
Airon: We promise…and we never go back on our word.
Boruto will allow his children to fight – preparations start now!!!
The End
