Grey Whale Slum, Kirigakure
"MOM!" I open the door and see my mom laying in bed. Although she's thinner now and sweating a lot, she always has the sweetest smile while welcoming me.
"Look, look, I got the medicine! You can take it and feel better in no time! Look! I told you I can bought it! And Im not stealing it this time, I just bought it. Like you said. Hehe" I show my mom the medicine I just bought, It's so expensive but it's the only medicine that could help mom.
"Oh my sweet child, come here let me see your face." She look at me while lying on her bed. I should wash her now. She's sweating again.
"Did you eat the fish? I tried to follow how the street stall prepared it, so perhaps it won't taste that good." I give the medicine to my mom and preparing a bucket and a towel.
"What are you taking about? It was the tastiest food I've ever eat. Did you awaken your talent or something? My my how my baby boy grows" She eyed the medicine for a while and try to getting up while answering my question.
"Hehe really? I do want to become a cook, so I can make you all the good food and make you fat again haha" I said while I started washed my mom feet, then her hand. That's when she grab me and start tickling me.
"Youuu, I'm not fat, I'm slim. Now repeat it, slim. s-l-i-m." She keep tickling me! How could I be still ticklish? I'm 6, I shouldn't be ticklish.
"Hahahahahah yes yes" In the end I'm surrender, perhaps I should keep away from -
*cough* *cough*
That's when she started coughing again. And there's a lot of blood this time.
"MOM! Right, the medicine, Take it mom, I'll boil you some tea" I literally running and taking a bowl and a kettle and -
"It's too late" A voice heard behind me. Who?
"WAHHH!!"
I drop the bowl and the cup I carry.
That's the redhead mister. He following me? Since when? How?
"Don't give her that again" He keep saying with his focus only for my mom. What's happening? What should I don't give her?
"Hello, may I help you?" My mom clutching her blanket and tried to stand.
"You already know this aren't you? Don't bother, ma'am.
May I?" He crouch and asking to take my mom hand.
"I'm -"
"How long is it?" He keep asking my mom while his hand start glowing.
"More .. than a two years" Mom answered and closing her eyes.
"And you how long did you know?"
"Few months ago. I'm hiding from my family, I didn't use my chakra so I didn't know earlier."
"How bad is it?" Now my mom turn to ask him a question-
" ... " -and he didn't answer.
"Wait! What is going on? What are you talking about? It's the right medicine! Whenever mom take it, she didn't cough or sweat anymore and she's getting better. She said she's getting better! Right mom?"
"Of course baby, Now would you be a good boy and boil us some tea?" Mom said to me, her voice cracks a little. Why are you crying mom?
"Ye-Yes, mom" Is she lied? Am I bought the wrong medicine? or the medicine is not working properly?
Mom and the red mister keep talking in the background while I start to clean some cup.
I keep my head down while the kettle boiling, I feel something in me, something moving, it hurts, It's cold, I don't like it. When I came to my senses the kettle wasn't boiling anymore and have some ice-coating around it. What is happening?
"Make it quick. Please"
"Yes, maam. That's the least I could do"
That's what I heard when I give them the tea, my mom still crying and the redhead mister staring the ceiling.
"Uraume, my baby, come here" I heard my mom said to me, I don't know what but I feel something bad would happen.
I feel full in my chest.
I don't like it.
"Uraume my baby, Mommy is sick and mommy about to go to sleep, okay? This is Mister Sugito, A merchant and a healer, you will go with him and learn a lot from him.
Perhaps in the future, you will be a healer eh? Or, maybe you also learn to cook when you have the time. Isn't good?" She said to me while crying, I don't understand but I'm crying too.
"But I don't want to leave, I like with you.
Did you hate me?
Am I bought the wrong medicine?
Please, mom, don't hate me!
I'm sorry!
Please!
Please, I don't want to leave!
I want to be with you, mom, please!
I wont stealing again!
I wont fight again!
I will be good boy!
I - I will eat my green!
Please mom!
I'm sorry!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry-"
I feel something pressing my chest,
I don't like it.
I keep crying even though I'm already 6.
I don't like it. I-
"Oh, my baby.
Listen, mommy will never hate you.
Mommy will always, always, always love you.
You're my Love, my baby.
So never think that again.
Understand, my little man?"
She wipe my snot and tears and I do the same for her.
"But why?"
"Like mommy said, mommy is sick. And mommy need to sleep.
Okay. Now, how about this? We can sleep together, just for tonight. Although you're already 6, we can sleep together. Hmm?"
"Yes"
Mom smile to me and kiss my head. That was the last thing I remember before I asleep in my mother embrace. The first time in that year. The last.
"Good night my little warrior, Sleep tight, Uraume Yuki"
____
When I woke up in the next day, everything became blurry. We Cremated my mom and I stand vigil in our house. Some neighbors came and say something, but I don't quite catch it. I believe I heard that she's a good neighbor, a smart lady and other things. But what I know is she's the best mom.
She's my rock.
She's my world.
She what I had as long as I remember.
She always there.
Always.
I hope everything that just happened in the past few days is just a bad dream.
________________________________________
"Ready to go?" Mr. Redhead- Sugito-san ask me when I laying in my mom bed.
"Yes" I answered and slinging my bag.
"Did you bring everything you need? Need for me to check?"
"No, I bring mom's ash, and some change clothes."
"Good, let's go then"
We leave the house and the slum. And go to harbor. I don't know where we going but I don't have the energy to ask.
When we on top of the boat, I start to ask the most important question.
"Did I did it?"
"Hmm?" Sugito-san answer me while he laying in his beach chair and a book in his hand.
"Did I make my mom sleeping?
Did I kil-"
"Alright, I'm gonna stopped you right there. As long as I knew, a few medicine won't be able to make someone as sick as your mother. So no, you're not the reason she had that disease." He sit straight and start to pinch his nose.
"How about the medicine? I-I .. she said she getting better." I still have doubt, If it isn't me then-
"And she's right.
Look kid, what your mom had is called Chakra Poisoning.
That's happen when something foreign or malicious entering your chakra pathway. And the effects either could be instant death or slow and painful death. In your mother case is the latter, it's the slow and painful way.
It's good that she didn't use her chakra but that what also make it horrible.
Did you know that it takes 5 minutes to 5 days for Chakra Poisoning to be lethal and that's depends on how strong or how often you use your Chakra, and that's moment feels absolutely painfully horrible.
Now about the medicine.
The medicine that you bought it's called Poppy Milk, people often use it for surgery to numb the pain. High doses could make you feel good too.
Your medicine helps your mother to fight her pain but that's also make her suffer, make her to feel the horrible pain for a lot longer."
He explained to me. Even thought that I didn't understand everything, but I'm able to understand that I help my mom to suffer.
"I don't know about that, I'm sorry! I'm sorry mom!"
The tears coming out again,
My eyes hurt,
My body hurt,
But my chest, strangely it's doesn't hurt, It's just full, full of my anger, my sadness.
'If only I know better, If only-'
Next thing I know I was carried and away from home.
________________________________________
When we arrive in Tokage Port in Tea County and start looking for Inn, I feel empty in my chest.
Someday had already pass after my conversation with Sugito-san, and yet I keep falling to fall asleep. Everyday, I would have a nightmare that always wake me up, I would wake up because I see my mom laying in her bed sweating, and looking at me.
I know it's just a dream but still, I'm guilty.
When we get dinner from the Inn, I ask Sugito-san again and ask him to explain it to me. Sugito-san agreed.
"What should I do then?"
"What you want to do?"
" I don't know"
"What's about became a cook? A healer? I know you can cook"
"I don't have my mom to heal"
"If you don't do it for your mom, how about do it for your friends?"
"Huh?"
"Life is fast kid, one day we could play with the neighbors kid and the next we already grown-up and have a lot responsibility. Don't let yourself moping and lower your self. We all have different role and responsibility."
"Role? Responsibility? That's right, you said we could get Chakra Poisoning if there something foreign or malicious enter our chakra pathways right? Was that mean mom get the chakra poisoning from someone?
Do you know who done it?
Can you find out?"
"Perhaps, but do you want me to? and then what? Revenge?"
"What? Of course I want to get revenge, they kill my mom! My mom!"
"And? What if they have a family too? Would they justified to seek revenge on you because you kill their family member? And If you survive, would you try it again? Try to kill them who hurt you and try to kill you? and then what?
See?
This is a cycle who would never end.
The circle of Hatred.
You also just a kid.
A wild dog could kill you in three moves"
'It hurts to admit, but he's right' I clench my teeth.
"Then you want me to forgive them?"
"No, I want you to understand,
Why would they do that?
Why your mom?
I want you to ask questions, and after that, maybe, just maybe you could get your answer of your own question,
'what should I do?' and 'What is my role?'"
'That's not a bad Idea'
"But, I'm weak, I'm stupid, and I don't know where to start."
"It's simple then, Learn and train"
"Wha-bu- ... " Who will train me, that's what I wanted to say but the word get stuck in my tongue.
Wait, mom said he's a healer right? And he could find me even though I run around the town. Will he train me?
"Are you strong?" I need to know first.
"Right now? The strongest" He answered without hesitation.
"Would you train me?"
"I will do my best"
"Yes! Sensei!"
"Looks like you found your first step. You should know that's there's no going back in this path"
"I won't go back. I will get stronger, and I will search and I will know the truth about my mother."
"Good for you. Now go to bed, we leave early in the morning"
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