"Dattebayo!"
Maya was shocked. Naruto was the first child in the village to walk at six months, but now he had spoken? She asked sharply, "What? What did you say?"
Naruto lowered his gaze and said guiltily, "Dattebayo."
Even though it was just a set of letters, it wasn't the typical childish babble Maya expected. She decided to build on this milestone and they continued walking hand in hand.
She made sure that Naruto truly was from the Uzumaki clan as they walked two kilometers with Naruto holding her hand, and sometimes, he even walked by himself. Naruto had been practicing for a month, but now it was time to teach him to speak.
The next two months were spent on learning to talk. Naruto was slightly taller than most his age. His test results and therapist evaluations all showed excellent health. Maya taught him syllables, demonstrating them by example. It was difficult, but eventually, Naruto could speak.
Shinobi children usually started walking at around eight or nine months, and began speaking at nine months. Naruto was a diligent student, obedient, and tried not to get distracted. Of course, he got a light scolding whenever he picked up bad words on the street.
Naruto's baby teeth were almost all erupting now. He and Maya walked through the park before heading back to the ward. In the ward, there was only one bed left—for Naruto.
It was a typical weekday evening. Maya was reading stories about the great shinobi who once lived in this world.
"And so! That's it, Naruto. Time for bed."
"Sister Maya, can you tell me more?" Naruto asked hopefully.
"No, Naruto, it's bedtime."
"Okay. Good night, Maya-chan."
"Good night, Naruto."
Maya kissed Naruto and covered him with a blanket. Naruto never complained of insomnia. On the contrary, he slept like a log, and Maya was thankful for that.
Maya lived in the hospital primarily because of Naruto. After all, the head doctor had ordered her to keep a close eye on him, ensuring the jinchuriki didn't get out of control.
But no one really knew everything going on. This night would be one that Maya would never forget. She was washing clothes—both her own and Naruto's—in the bathroom where the children were usually bathed. Suddenly, she heard a scream.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Startled, she rushed into the room. Upon entering, she saw Naruto had fallen off the bed and was crying. He was biting his fingers until they bled from the pain in his stomach.
Maya hurried over and started checking his forehead. His temperature had risen, and he was folding in half from pain. Frightened, Maya picked Naruto up, put him on the bed, and ran to get an IV.
Returning quickly, she injected him with a painkiller and at the same time used her mystical hand to examine his stomach. When she finished, she was shocked. Naruto's small chakra channels were starting to grow.
Typically, shinobi children experienced this growth around age three, and the pain wasn't as intense. But for ten-month-old Naruto, it was unbearable, and Maya had never dealt with something like this before. She stayed beside Naruto until morning.
When she woke up, she heard, "Sister-in-law, get up. Are you sick? Is there anything I can do to help?"
Maya opened her eyes, "Naruto, when did you wake up?"
"About an hour ago! I didn't want to wake you. You must be tired." He continued, shifting from foot to foot. "I just wanted rice balls, but I can't reach them."
Maya smiled, ruffling his blonde hair, and then remembered the events of last night. She immediately rushed to check on him. Naruto was cheerful and didn't seem bothered by the previous night's events. But then her eyes fell on his bitten fingers. The bite marks were gone. She decided to ask, "Naruto, do you remember what happened yesterday?"
"I had a stomachache last night, so I couldn't sleep."
Hearing his tone, she asked, "Naruto, why do you talk about it so easily?"
Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "My stomach hurts all the time. I thought it was normal. You said when my gums hurt, it's normal because my teeth are growing."
Hearing his innocent reasoning, Maya boiled up and flicked his forehead lightly. "Naruto, you must tell me everything that happens to you."
Naruto's eyes widened with fear, and he began rubbing his bump. "Okay, Maya-chan! I won't do it again! Well, I will, but... I'm confused."
After calming down a bit, he continued, "Maya-chan, I didn't want to bother you because I saw how tired you were."