The next few months were rough. Azuki's mother had to come pick both him and his father up from the office. She was beyond worried, the news was covering what was going on which didn't help. His father had to help him walk all the way down to the car, Azuki was incapable without help.
When they arrived at the car, they were both almost hugged to death by Azuki's mom, who was more then happy that the body had worked and they were both alive. Azuki's father had to break the news to her, which made Azuki's mother break down. They all rode home in grief and silence. Gu was a family member to all of them.
Life had to go on though, the Sheishin's knew that. Azuki's mom took a break from trying teach Azuki academics and helped him learn to walk, along with his father, who was told to stay home until everything was cleaned up.
It was the hardest thing Azuki had done, even harder than long division. He couldn't remember the last time he had weight to himself, that he had to balance to keep walking. Every time he fell he could feel it. He couldn't feel the carpets texture or the wind, hot or cold, but he could feel the impact, he could feel the solidarity of the object he was touching.
That was a miracle all by itself, that he could touch and interact with the world around him. He could use a pencil, open doors, sit down on a chair. He could even turn on the computer all by himself to watch hero compilations, although now it was for different reasons.
Two weeks after the incident, the Sheishin family would be attending Gu's funeral. Not many people were there, he had no immediate family. He never got married or had kids, he always exclaimed he was too busy to settle down. It was just Azuki's family and colleagues and a few friends he had made over the years as a Doctor.
It was brief, he was given a hero's send off, and then they laid him down to rest. Azuki couldn't help but smile at that thought. Anyone who knew Gu knew that he never rested, he put all his time and effort into helping others and Azuki knew wherever Gu was going next, he would help people in that life as well.
The Sheishin family arrived back home and continued to live life to the best of their abilities. Azuki's father went back to work shortly after the funeral, with recognition to his bravery and the fact the body he built for Azuki worked, they gave him a promotion, to one of the three lead designers. He now had a team of his own he had to coordinate to work on whatever gadget or item they needed to get done.
Azuki's mother hung a picture of Gu in their kitchen where Azuki studied and did schoolwork. It helped him to remember why he needed to make sure he did everything he could with his life. Even after extensive efforts, it took Azuki almost two months to finally learn how to walk and he enjoyed every bit of it.
Every fall was enjoyable, every step a challenge. He persevered through it all, the impact made it all worth it. Just the fact that he could feel through this all was worth it.
After Azuki had learned to walk, his mother tried even harder to teach Azuki everything she could, but it was getting to the point where he would have to be enrolled in middle school.
"Do I have to Mom? Why can't I stay here and you can teach me everything, just like before? Azuki whined.
His mother shook her head "I'm sorry Azuki, but I know only so much, if you want to learn more you'll have to go to middle school with the other kids. Your father and Gu built that body for you so you could have a normal life, a middle school is something everyone should have memories and experiences from." His mother explained.
Azuki knew she was right, but he couldn't be any less nervous. "But what if the kids make fun of me for my body? For my height?" Azuki asked worriedly.
"Don't fret dear, what kid is going to want to pick on a one hundred and seventy centimeter tall metallic boy?" His mother said smiling.
Azuki's father, wanting for Azuki to have a respectable height, made his body bigger then a normal kid at his age would have. This let Azuki use the same body into his young adult years, which meant another body would not have to be built.
"If anyone really gives you trouble, just give them a flick on the head and tell them to stop, that should work" his mother said thoughtfully.
"Wha-what? I can't just flick anyone that gives me a bad time mom" Azuki exclaimed.
His mother shrugged "Well if you don't, then I will just have to spank them myself"
Azuki's jaw dropped, or at least he wanted it to, he didn't exactly have a mouth.
"Mom, you can't do that either!" Azuki yelled.
His mother grinned "Well why are you so worried then? Surely bullies don't worry you do they? Or is it girls?"
"Nooo Mom, it's not girls, just everything about school makes me nervous." Azuki explained.
His mother nodded "Yeah I understand that, well let's get back to learning then".
Azuki sighed, that was close.
Girls, it was definitely girls.
Life went on without many significant events. His father worked better hours so he would get home at decent times which meant Azuki would see him more.
His mother kept teaching him academics, although the sessions were getting smaller and smaller, as his mom ran out of curriculum. In this newfound free time Azuki had acquired, he pursued the many hobbies he had wanted to have.
His parents got him a bass to play and practice on. Azuki preferred a bass over a guitar because the strings were stronger and he felt like he could strum better. Azuki spent many a hour teaching himself how to play.
He read books, he enjoyed stories of Fantasy, of Samurai protecting the innocent from monsters and demons while going on epic quests. He tried his hand at cooking, but that wasn't something he had the knack for.
He didn't want to see his parents choke down the charred mess he had made and pretend they liked it. Somewhere along the lines he found something else that he enjoyed, something that wasn't necessarily a hobby.
He would watch birds.
He would often look out the window in his bedroom to gaze at the birds. There weren't very many usually, that was just the situation when you lived in a city.
Regardless, he asked his parents to buy him some bird seed, so he could have a bowl of it on his windowsill to attract his feathered friends.
It mostly just attracted pigeons, but those were interesting enough still. Once in a while he would go down to the nearby park and spread around his extra bird seed to feed the birds around there.
The birds in the park were much more beautiful and elegant then the ones around his house, but he liked them all, everyone of them. All the ones that he thought were special he would blink twice and take pictures of.
He put all his pictures into a scrapbook his mom had gotten for him. The pages filled more and more over time, with big birds and small birds, ones that were colorful and ones that were not.
One night while he was watching a hero compilation, trying to somewhat prepare for what heroes had to deal with in the field, a small little birdy had flown to his window to eat from his bowl.
Azuki paused his video to admire the creature, it was a small thing, but it seemed to eat a lot. It was so late, Azuki couldn't imagine why this little guy was up and around. In a black flash, the small bird was gone, and in its place was perched an owl, black in color.
It had what looked like two giant ears or horns coming out from its head, but Azuki realized it was just it's feathers. The owl swallowed, and stood there for abit on the windowsill. Azuki couldn't believe his eyes, he had never seen a bird so magnificent.
It was tall and regal, like the king of the skies, king of the night. Azuki blinked twice, taking a picture of this noble bird so he could cherish this memory forever.
Azuki got up from his chair and crept slowly towards it, maybe trying to touch it or get a better view of it, he did not know. He was mesmerized.
The bird clacked it's beak at him and ruffled its wings before calming back down. As Azuki got into touching distance, he slowly raised his hand to feel it.
The bird must have been curious as to what Azuki was because it tilted its head from side to side at him, trying to figure him out. Azuki put his hand on top of its head, and pet it. One pet was all he got as the owl squawked and flew away leaving Azuki with a single feather of this magnificent bird. Azuki was ecstatic, he jumped up and down from the excitement, but soon stopped after realizing the people below him would hear it.
Owls signified good luck and Azuki couldn't help but feel like this encounter had meant something. He twirled the feather in his hand, he wish he could have felt the owl, to feel its feathers ruffle. Before he resumed his video he printed out the picture of the owl, which he named King of the Night. He framed the feather on the wall above his computer.
Many nights afterwards, Azuki would watch his windowsill motionless, waiting for it to return.
Before Azuki knew it, he was almost leaving for his first day of middle school. Azuki's mother went through his backpack for the fifth time, going over everything to make sure he didn't leave anything.
"I'll be fine Mom, if I'm missing a pencil or anything it won't kill me" Azuki said sighing.
"Oh I know, this is just such a big moment for us I want to make sure it's the best it can be" Azuki's mom said, while zipping up his backpack and giving it to him.
Azuki slung it across his back, it was heavy, like his mom packed everything he would ever need. As Azuki stood there, in front of the door way in his black school uniform and weighty backpack, his mother started to tear up.
"What's the matter Mom, I'm not gonna be gone for that long, it's just six hours" Azuki said assuringly.
His mother just nodded up and down but the tears kept on coming. "I know, it's just I never thought we would be at this point, I'm so happy you can have a normal life now, attend school and make friends, find the job you want. Maybe you'll even talk to a girl or two" His mother said smiling, knowing full well how Azuki felt about that.
Azuki couldn't help but feel sentimental as well, he had come far, two years ago he never would've guessed he would be here now. Azuki gave his mom a hug, a long hug. One of the reasons Azuki wanted a physical body in the first place for giving his parents hugs and he felt like he hadn't been doing that enough, so starting now he would make up for it.
He could almost swear that the metal of his body was creaking from the pressure his mother was exerting.
"Ok Mom, I got to go before I'm late, I'll tell you and Dad all about my day when I get home" Azuki said gently.
His mother nodded her head and let go, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and waved him goodbye.
Azuki got to school in time and found his class. As he entered the classroom, the students all looked at his gleaming metallic body, to which he waved nervously and took his seat at the back of the class.
Everyone looked at him for what seemed like forever. Were they judging him? Wondering what this metal boy was doing in their classroom? Already finding insults to hurl at him? Azuki would've been sweating profusely if he had the glands for it, but much to his surprise the students just went back to chatting in the middle of the classroom.
He never saw so many individuals with quirks. Some had animalistic traits, or other things like arms that were long and stretchy. Most the kids probably had quirks they had to activate and weren't on the surface level.
A few students were just sitting at their desks. One was a girl who had long earlobes, as Azuki looked closer he saw that were in fact earphone jacks. Her short dark hair swayed as she listened to music, presumably to the beat. She was pretty Azuki thought.
"So uh, what's your name?" Said a monotone voice.
Azuki shook himself out of his daydream to see a fellow classmate standing over his desk. One that had a seemingly normal body but with one glaring difference, his head was a cactus. Azuki couldn't see a mouth or eyes or ears, it was just a cactus, a smaller one at that.
"Weird ain't it? Not many people look as good as this do they?" He said, voice still flat.
"Yeah not very many people, I mean look at me I don't look very normal-" Azuki was interrupted as the cactus kid interjected "yeah you are pretty odd looking".
Azuki was dumbfounded. He had tried using some humility to joke around with this kid but he took him seriously.
The kid stuck out his hand "The names Mazi Kakutazu, pleasure meeting you" Azuki slowly raised up his hand to which Mazi remarked "I'm not gonna bite, I literally don't have a mouth".
Azuki shook Mazi's hand. Mazi then immediately took the seat right next to Azuki, making Mazi the last seat in the classroom.
A small frail aged lady entered the room and took her place at front of the class. The students then took their places at their seats. The lady cleared her throat, before she bellowed out in a deep voice that was not befitting her size.
"Hello class, my name is Sensei, that's what you will call me now until you leave this school. We are not friends, you are my students and I the teacher. Now, we will start this class off with the classic 'go around the class and introduce ourselves' routine, so introverts prepare yourselves" Sensei finished, cackling to herself.
Azuki gulped, he wasn't prepared for this. He hardly had talked to anyone yet and the one kid he had talked to said he looked odd.
As the class went through their names and a random fact about themselves, Azuki racked his brain for what he would say for his intro. He liked playing bass, that's what he would say. It was the earphone jack girl's turn.
She stood up and said "My name Kyoka Jiro and I play instruments". She then sat down, not knowing she had sent Azuki into a panic. What would Azuki say now?
He couldn't say he played an instrument because it would seem to everyone that he was copying her. Then everyone would think he was a weirdo and make fun of him and no one would talk to him and and and...
Before he knew it, it was Azuki's turn. He stood up shakily and blurred out to his classmates "My name is Azuki Sheishin and I like birds" and then sat down in a rush.
He could see some kids snicker at him. He was positive that the metal on his face would be melting from embarrassment. Mazi then stood up to finish this wonderful social interaction between them all.
"My name is Mazi Kakutazu and I think my mom should've just swallowed me" and with that he sat down, indifferent to the laughs and jeers he got out from the class.
Jiro didn't seem to laugh, although she wasn't really paying attention. Teacher cleared her throat again "Well, with that over we can start the rest of our day..."
Her voice trailed off in Azuki's mind, his head was on his desk with his hands over his head, trying to reassure himself that the rest of middle school wouldn't be like this.
It would be.