The world doesn't welcome him.
Like an insect rejecting a bird from another brood from another island, Ban felt its rejection under his skin. He doesn't understand why the entire world refused to play with him. The winds, the trees, and the ground-they all wished they could run away from his feet.
The matrons don't like to play with him either.
They said he cried too much and scared the other kids away. So, Ban went into the forest where no one could see him cry, so that when he came out, maybe someone would play with him.
One day, a red strawberry found him. The red strawberry shifted away from the foliage to look at his crying back and asked, "Why are you crying here?"
"So no one can see me cry. Then they'll play with me."
The red strawberry gave him a strange look before he sat on the dirt beside him. He held his tears back as the other looked up at the blue floating sky, clouds absent from the spot above him.
"I'll play with you, weirdo."
He hurriedly wiped his face to stop being so weird. "T-thanks!" He sniffled, "You'd really?"
The other cocked his eyebrows, "Who says I can't?"
"But I'm… weird."
"Do you even know why they call you weird?"
Was it because he cried too much? Was it because he didn't have dreams? Those were the reasons no one liked him. But deep down, something more primal and true curdled and soured.
He couldn't let him know that. He couldn't let him know that it wasn't just the other people who found him weird-it was the everything.
Ban just shook his head.
Everything felt weird to him. Like he thinks the trees sway wrong, the sun rises and sets weirdly, and the skies muddle by begrudgingly. They move like something moved them. Should this place have life?
The other just turned to stare at the sky as he leaned back, "One of the kids said that you don't have dreams."
"What are those?"
He raised his red eyebrows, but explained, "When you sleep, you dream."
"No. No, I don't have them."
"I guess you really are a weirdo," The red strawberry sat up and he was going to leave! Instead, he dusted off his pants and outstretched his hand. Something he'd never seen before took over the other boy's face, "Come, let's make a treehouse!"
He took his hand.
"I'm Ichigo!"
"How about ya?"
"I—I'm Ban!"
"We're friends now! I'll beat up anyone who says no!" The thing he's never seen before morphed into something else, showing rows of teeth and one crooked out like a little tiger.
Ban sounded along, a little bit of the world allowed him to step atop it, "We're friends."
"Pair up, kids! It's chore time!" The matron yelled as the room swarmed with children and began to find pairs. Each grabbed the hand next to theirs or ran to their friends. In the end, only Ban was left in the middle of the room with another girl, with black hair and tanned skin. The girl began frantically turning around before finally settling on his form.
Her lips wobbled as realization, and before he could say anything- "I don't want to be with him! WAHHH!" She cried loudly as tears began streaming down her cheeks. His own began to wet with tears as oh he's being rejected again-worthless-doesn't belong-two feet in two boats each different directions ripping him apart-
"Shadup!" A hand smacked his and gripped tight, "Who says we want ya?!"
The blurry world began to come together, forms of blobs slowing their breaking and forming back into a clear view… of bright red hair before him-the girl's crying face and voice far away from him.
Between him and this weird world, a familiar figure stood.
And that will forever be enough.
"Hey, what's a dream?"
"Things you see when you're asleep."
"So I can't dream when I'm awake, right?" He asked.
His best friend, Ichigo, was barely awake, his hand frantically rubbing his blue eyes.
The morning sun rose into the window of the orphanage, then there were yellow hues, the heat from the rays beaming in... it was making him sleepy too. He should go back to sleep.
"Why'd ya ask anyway?" Came a murmur behind him as Ichigo rubbed at his eyes. The boy's short red hair stuck up in odd directions, bedhead, and his drowsy blue eyes were just beginning to wake up.
He shrugged, "I heard Kana cry last night and I had to wake up to calm her. She said she had a bad dream and I didn't know how to help her."
The other boy yawned, "I slept through that. And it's fine. Don't worry too much about dreams and whatnot," A hand landed on his head; his eyes met a sleepy grin from the other, "Doesn't matter if you have one or not."
Not knowing how to reply, Ban just smiled back. The other gave another little laugh and pat before getting up and going to the bathroom. Ban nodded as the other boy got up, then continued watching the slow ascent of the sunrise. It rose up, and up, and up until it was finally just in the right position that the hues blended from blue to orange. That was the time to fold the futons. Just as he was done, Ichigo came out of the bathroom.
Ban did his morning routine in the bathroom.
Finally, they were both dressed, just simple shirts and pants for both of the orphans, then they went out for breakfast. Only the older kids were expected to help in the kitchen since the little ones were more prone to accidents.
After, they were to sweep their rooms, then they were free to do whatever they wanted. The orphanage was rather crowded and all the matrons had to take care of the increasing number of babies.
Ichigo and Ban went about the same things they always did. They went to the playground, picked up sticks, and took a walk in the woods. Ichigo was holding a 'sword' while Ban preferred watching his friend enjoy himself. He would join in with little words of encouragement when the other one fell.
As they walked around, Ban spotted the same tree with the same spots, the route he'd walked hundreds of times before, for as long as he's been with the other boy. Ban couldn't take his mind off the fact that again, he did not have a dream.
Only darkness greeted him.
There was no fantastical nonsensical imagination that his mind made up while he slept, he just simply passed out every night. It was worrying, wasn't it? He was different from other children, and Ban didn't want to be different. He didn't need to be different either.
"Whatcha' thinking?" Ichigo turned to look at him while he was poking some random pile of leaves he found. Ban twitched then blushed, "Dreams. I'm not having them. It's weird."
"What ya mean? It's totally normal! You're normal just like me! There's nothing wrong with you," He ended with a tone of finality before moving on from his crouch to continue his walk to find more monsters. "I mean, if you're really worried, then you can just tell the doctor when the checkups come around again."
He smiled, "Thanks, 'Go."
At least, Ichigo didn't think he was weird. Even if all he had was Ichigo, that was enough.
The boy grinned back like a praised puppy, "You're welcome."
They continued on their merry way to fight monsters and enemy-nins. By the time they were done, Ichigo being mostly covered in dirt and grime, lunch had rolled around.
The duo walked into the food hall, and took their seats as dinner was served for the entire orphanage. As Ban prepared to eat his spoonful of rice, a harsh whisper came from his side. Ban was a polite boy, and polite boys don't roll their eyes. Or at least, they don't roll their eyes at their best friend's antics.
Just like clockwork, Ichigo's annoyed voice came, "Oi, Kai. Move your hands! It's digging into my elbows!"
"It's not my fault I use my right-hand, stupid." The older brown-haired boy whispered back as he chewed on his food. Just like clockwork, Ichigo pinched the other boy's thigh, resulting in the other boy actually elbowing him in the ribs. "Knock it off, guys." Ban reprimanded to save himself from a food fight. And just like clockwork, they gave each other a heated glare before turning the glare onto their food and shoving it into their mouths as fast as possible.
The loud clang from the pan came from one of the older boys as the matron stood up. "Kids! We will have a visitor tomorrow! He's a big donor and a shinobi-sama," A chorus of 'oo's' ran through, "So make sure to thank him for all your new clothes!" Then the mean matron stood up and pushed her glass up, "That means no one come to me and tell me there's an enemy-nin around the gates!"
Someone muttered "sorry" from the back.
Ban nodded and kept that information in his mind.
"Do you think he'll make the checkups come faster?"
"Checkups?" Kai repeated over Ichigo. The latter glared, "What's it to you?"
Kai's eyes lingered on his smaller form, feeling the weight of being watched above, "You want to take the checkup?"
Ban nodded, hands wringing his shirt, muttering, "Dreams. I'm not having them."
"Don't do it!" Kai blurted, before swiftly looking around. Everyone else was still talking to themselves, his little outburst barely heard over the what are you going to do? Clips are in. Yellows- He pulled them closer to him, "Avoid them."
He then left their side, looking over his shoulders like was sneaking out at night.
The sunlight streams through the windows.
Second chore time began after lunch. Ban was responsible for laundry (as in the ones putting the wet clothes on the clothesline) while Ichigo was the one to run around collecting all the laundry baskets. Everyone wore everyone's clothes anyway.
Thankfully, everyone seemed to mutually agree they'd stick to whatever single outfit they liked. Or maybe that's the only way the matrons can tell them apart?
After laundry or 'chore time,' dinner rolled around. They ate dinner at their usual seats. Ichigo and Kai were too exhausted to fight, so Ban was able to eat peacefully. Dinner, then it was time to wash up and go to sleep because all the kids needed sleep to grow taller.
"Shinobi! That man is a shinobi! I'm gonna go to him tomorrow!" Ichigo determined to himself while staring at the ceiling. The other boy could see the stars that sparkled out of his eyes. He nodded along to the boy's quiet but excited ramblings.
Ban placed his head on the futon when a cold hand came to cover his forehead. Ichigo had paused in ramblings. He turned to see the boy's smile, "I'll give you my dreams, alright?" The little voice promised him. Ban smiled back.
The next day, still no dreams. They ate breakfast, and once again played. Ichigo planned to meet him as soon as the man was within his eyesight, like some kind of crazed peacock ready to impress the man with his screaming skills and dialect.
"Ichigo... how about we meet him when it's less... crowded?" Ban suggested. It would make sense since he was a new adult and everyone was always looking for someone who would stare at them for more than a minute. Shinobi-sama must be swarmed, and Ban wasn't the type to enjoy a tight squeeze.
Ichigo ignored him and placated him with, "It's fine," and, "Join in the fun!"
When their play neared the end, they emerged from the forest. Ichigo spotted the man who seemed to have become his overnight idol. Shinobi-sama was a man with spiky black hair, bandages covering one eye and his forehead, and two distinct crisscross scars on his chin. He held himself in a regal manner.
Was that how all shinobi held themselves?
His friend shot him a look when the man had no children around him, no doubt intimidated by the strictness that radiated off him like a boiling pot radiated heat. Ichigo did not care. In fact, it seemed the man's intimidation just gave him brownie points.
Ichigo stomped up to the man, Ban making out the minuscule raise of his eyebrows as they approached. His friend determinedly planted himself before the man and beamed a grin that made Ban melt.
"You're a shinobi, right?"
His words, not so much.
Ban sputtered, shooting him a glare, "'Go! You can't just say that! I'm so sorry Shinobi-sama! He just has a very unusual way of speaking he's not known for his manners-" Ban gripped the other boy's head and forced him to do a bow the same way he did, "Please forgive us for our rudeness and intrusion!"
Ichigo shot him a look that said 'What are you doing?' Ban's eyes glared back, Saving us from disrespecting someone who can kill you in one stroke! Ichigo rolled his eyes, Don't be dramatic.
"If you're done having a mental conversation, children," The voice came from above as both children peeked up from their bowing forms. He's even more intimidating when he's speaking, his tummy hurts.
"What do you require from me?" Shinobi-sama crossed his arms. Ban felt himself shrinking as his energy seeped out, Ichigo brightening up and oh sage-
"I want stories, old man!" Oh sage, "Spit them out, please!" Oh, SAGE.
Ban mentally facepalmed. This man could murder them right there and Ban would thank him for saving him the shame of being near Ichigo when he had no filter. Shinobi-sama let out an indignant hump before glaring at Ichigo.
Ichigo did not flinch because he had guts of steel.
That just served to add to the list of admiration that Ban had for him.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" The man harrumphed, "Get a seat!"
Ban rushed off with Ichigo in tow to get Shinobi-sama a seat. They crossed the stretch before the orphanage in record time and Ichigo plopped the stool for the man. Ban they dusted off the top for further measure.
Shinobi-sama smirked and took a seat.
"What'd you want, brat?" He directed the term at Ichigo. The boy fumbled, going red in the face, before calming down and deciding to let the insult go. He took a deep breath before returning to an excitable puppy.
"Any stories! Something with cool jutsus and beating up bad guys! Shinobis are so cool!" He exclaimed, Ban reaching out to make sure he didn't punch the air so hard he dislocated his shoulders like last time. Shinobi-sama hummed, placing a hand underneath his chin as he thought, and then he opened his eyes again and began his story, "I'll tell the tale of Tobirama Senju, then."
"Who's that?" Ichigo interrupted.
The man paused, slight irritation coloring his features, "If you've ever looked left to the Hokage Mountain you'd know, brat."
Ban leaned in to whisper into his ear, "He's the second face, 'Go." Ichigo immediately understood, "Oh!"
The man shook his head and began again, "This is a recount of one of the missions that happened..."
They spent the whole morning listening to his stories, and by the time lunch came around, Shinobi-sama finished his story about Tobirama Senju and left. Ban and Ichigo continued on their routine; Ichigo also gloated to Kai over dinner how he knew who Tobirama Senju was and Kai did not.
In return, he got another elbow in the ribs. Ban winced but understood he deserved it. They finished their duties, the entire time Ichigo was screaming at the top of his lungs about becoming a shinobi and becoming as awesome as Tobirama Senju-sama, and of course, the obligatory gloating about actually talking to the 'scary' man.
"Was he really scary though?" The girl who was hanging clothes next to Ban, Komi with her hair held back with a rusty hair clip, asked. Ban smiled back, "He looks scary, but he's actually very nice."
"Nice?"
"Ichigo was being rude yet he didn't say anything about it. He still told him stories even when Ichigo demanded them from him..." Ban shuddered thinking about their first encounter. That Shinobi-sama was a saint for not lopping his head off.
"Is that so..." Komi didn't believe him but continued chatting as they hung the large sheet together and moved on to the clothing. When they were done, Ichigo picked Ban off and whisked him away from his 'work' friends.
They ate dinner, Kai was a bit more interested when Ichigo retold the story rather than just proclaiming how awesome shinobis were... They only managed to get through half of the story because Ichigo kept interrupting himself to comment on the story. Nevertheless, they were rewarded with no elbow jabs and a peaceful retreat back to their rooms, as opposed to the brawl that they both usually desired.
Ban laid down on the sheets, and this time, Ichigo went to sleep peacefully after tiring his lungs out the whole day. He stared at the moon that was high in the sky. It was a full moon today, brightly lighting up the room.