Chapter 2 – I Am Who?
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The frantic, light tapping of feet echoed through the room as Arjun—no, Tobio—finally came to terms with the situation he had stumbled into. The haze in his head had mostly cleared now, and reality was settling in like a slow, creeping fog. Partly, that was thanks to the memories bleeding into his mind—memories that didn't belong to him, but to the boy whose body he now inhabited.
His new name: Tobio Gekkō. The man who single handily gave birth to a ship none would forget, yet it never quite made it to the finish line that sasunaru didn't sail long.
"Tobio Gekkō… who?" he muttered aloud—not out of necessity, but out of humor and disbelief. It wasn't like the question needed answering. He had already fused with Tobio; he wasn't just Tobio anymore, nor was he simply Arjun. He was something in between—someone new.
He was a blend of two lives. A brash teenager with a laid-back, impulsive streak, sure—but also someone clumsy, easily embarrassed, and emotionally scattered. A unique personality had formed. Not Tobio. Not Arjun. Just… himself. Singular. Oddly complete.
He was Tobio Gekkō, younger cousin to Hayate Gekkō, the Tokubetsu Jōnin known for his skill in kenjutsu. Hayate had been the one to carry the Gekkō name into Konoha's awareness, even if only faintly. Their clan—small, barely recognized—had been born during the First Great Ninja War, founded by their grandfather, who laid the groundwork for a future that never quite bloomed.
There were no large branch families, no ancient bloodlines, no famous kekkei genkai. Just two families now: Hayate's and Tobio's. A fledgling clan clinging to its roots by a thread.
"Ah man, I guess I'm the one who has to carry the burden now," he groaned, flopping back on his bed. "Bring in that Naruto x Sasuke bromance energy for the fans, huh? Pfft. Yeah, okay—that's not happening."
He kicked his legs weakly as he laid back, nervous energy buzzing in his limbs. The bed felt familiar, yet strange—like a dream he'd half-remembered from childhood. Something about it made his skin crawl. Not from fear, but from a nagging sensation tugging at the back of his mind.
There's something I'm forgetting.
He couldn't place it, but the feeling gnawed at him. A dull, invisible weight pressing into his thoughts.
"Uhhh… what is it? What could it be?" he murmured, sitting upright. "Ah! The lucky block box thing—yeah!"
His eyes widened, and he sprang to his feet with the urgency of someone chasing a fleeting memory. He scanned the room wildly, but the search didn't last long. Whatever strange force had brought him here had also kindly delivered the box—a large, rectangular container, sitting neatly at the foot of his bed.
Right where it needed to be.
As he undid the latches and opened it, a surreal green glow burst from inside, illuminating his dim, moonlit room with an ethereal, otherworldly light. His breath caught.
Inside… sat something odd.
Something unfamiliar… and yet, somehow, hauntingly familiar.