Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! I know this and it belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The O.C.'s I did create along with most of the events in this story.
Author's Note: There maybe references to the world of Naruto quite frequently so if you are ignorant of most of these terms then I would keep Narutopedia opened or handy while reading this. I tried to explain most of the terms in the chapter. I rated it Mature for now and there will be lemons later on but I will give you a warning far in advanced before anything happens. I might take some liberties with Shino's character but I will try not to. There is not much to work with so cut me a little slack. Forgive any grammatical errors I did proofread many times.
I hope you enjoy the first chapter of The Bird And The Bug.
~Sono Tori Ken Sono Konchuu~
Chapter 1: Meetings
She was tired of traveling. It had been a week since Mizuki left the remnants of her destroyed village behind. The last wishes of her family were for her to flee to Konoha. "Go, run to Hatake-san in the leaf village. Only there will you be safe, Mizuki."
Would she be safe in Konoha? She was not so sure she could be safe anywhere anymore. But she could not ignore their wishes. Mizuki only hoped that the village would soon appear in this dense forest.
The sun could not even reach the lower canopy in which Mizuki was traversing. She was not aware of the types of animals that lived in this forest but she could not care in her state. Dehydration and exhaustion had overtaken her. It was then when she was attacked.
It was quick, sudden without time for thought or realization of what had occurred.
F
A young leaf-nin was patrolling a restricted area of forest just outside of Konoha. This place was particularly dangerous because it houses a number of foreign bug species that pose a high threat risk to surprised travelers and ninja.
The young man was tall but not quite six feet and his appearance was mostly hidden. He was wearing long black pants and opened toed boots along with two jackets. The first was a thin undercoat of black with a high collar that went to the bridge of his nose. It was fastened in the front by three clasps positioned slightly to the right and there was also a rectangular cut out in the front for easier mobility. The overcoat was of medium weight and was beige grey in color. The hood of it covered the man's head and barely revealed his forehead protector. To add to his mysterious air even his eyes were concealed by wrap around sun glasses.
He was of the Aburame clan, wielders of specialized insects that feed on chakra called Kikaichu. (AN: This will be shortened to kikai.) It were these bugs that led him to the fallen victim of a giant forest scorpion. He watched as the scorpion scoped out its unconscious prey; a girl around his age.
She had raven colored hair. He could tell it was long even though she had it pulled up. She was wearing a violet shirt and gloves with black shorts and thigh length boots. He did not see any injuries besides a minor concussion she appeared to have gotten from being slammed from a tree branch. The branch in question was shattered and lying in pieces around the scorpion and the girl.
Shino had never heard of a forest scorpion attacking without reason. Their life usually had to be in jeopardy before they would harm people. This girl did not seem like she could pose a threat to such a creature.
A kikai he had used to scout the girl flew to his cheek. Powerful chakra. That's what had caused the scorpion to attack. He smirked. She must not know how to control it if she was this unaware of an attacker.
He quickly created a clone from his kikai to use as a distraction. Once the scorpion was safely attacking it Shino collected the unconscious girl and headed to Konoha's hospital. Hopefully a certain pink haired kunoichi was working so he would not have to answer so many questions.
As he studied the unconscious form closer he noticed her violet shirt hung off her shoulders and she appeared to have a black tank-top underneath it. She did not carry any weapons that he could see but there were a few scrolls in a pouch attached to her left side.
Her face was heart-shaped but with a slightly pointed chin. Her nose was small and her cheek bones delicate. Her eyes were perhaps her best facial feature; with her eyes closed her long lashes feathered out creating a halo for her lids.
Shino had never found this much interest in a woman's face before. It was not that he had not seen beautiful women; because he had. It was more the mystery that her dainty features mixed with her strong aura created.
His kikai shared this attraction; if you could call it that. They skimmed across her form sampling the feel of her raiment and chakra. She had two distinct chakra types: fire and wind. He liked that combination. They seemed to fit her well.
A few moments later Shino landed outside the hospital door. He waited for a nurse to open it for him before asking, "where is Sakura?" The woman looked nervously at the unconscious girl.
"Sakura-chan is taking her break on the roof. What happened to her? Is she okay? Do I need to call in a room and a doctor?" Shino shook his head and stifled a sigh.
"I'm going now. Thank-you." He quickly jumped up to the roof. His entrance startled the very kunoichi he was searching for.
"Shino-san, what are you doing here? Who is she?" Sakura ran her hand through her pale, pink hair. "I hope it's nothing serious. I'm on my break ya' know."
Shino frowned. He knew this was an inconvenience to her. She did not have to point it out. "She has a minor concussion due to being knocked from a tree by a giant forest scorpion. I just wanted you to take a look at her and give her a bed until she wakes up." Sakura nodded.
"This way." She replied motioning for him to follow her. As she lead him to an empty room on the fourth floor she wondered what the girl was doing in that part of the forest. She was not from the area, but there were also signs at all of the trails leading into that forest. She would have had to have been traveling through the trees in order to have missed it. Shino did say that she was knocked from a tree. Maybe he meant into a tree.
Sakura looked over her shoulder at the girl. There's no way she is a ninja. There's no chakra coming from her and she's too delicate to use only taijutsu like Lee. Hmph! Delicate, yes, but she still has bigger boobs than me! Sakura was sensitive about her femininity. She hated the fact that her breast were smaller than most others.
"Lay her down here." Shino placed the girl on the plain bed and stepped back. Sakura moved her head to one side felt around until she found a knot on the top right. Yeah, she'll be out for a while judging by the size of this thing.
"Shino-san, she'll be out for a little while. You can wait here or come back later when she comes around. I have to get back to work now." Sakura left the room and shut the door behind her. Shino watched her go. He could not decide whether he should quickly go and tell his father what had happened or wait until she awoke and then go. He thought about what Sakura said. He then decided to stay.
Mizuki's head ached. Not a full force, screaming for release, ache but a dull, nagging ache that made her groggy and irritated. She reached to her side for the pouch that contained a few soldier pills. It wasn't there. She tried to open her eyes. They wouldn't at the moment.
She felt around herself. It was soft, warm. A bed. Why am I here? Ugh. What happened? My head is killing me. Where is that pouch? Is there someone else in the room? Her thoughts were groggy and disoriented. She reached further to either side and finally found her pouch on a small table. She popped a soldier pill and chewed. It quickly worked its way through her system. Her head still hurt but she was alert.
As her eyes adjusted to the light pooling in from a window she picked up on a chakra source coming from the left side of the room. It was hard to give it a solid shape in her mind, she noted with confusion, because it was shifting inside the person's body. A normal ninja's chakra is a steady flow that gives an outline to the body, but this ninja's chakra was spotty and the concentration was sporadic.
Mizuki's eyes finally focused on the origin of her confusion. It was a male ninja. That she could tell but it stopped there. The only exposed part of his skin were his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. His skin was so pale and smooth that Mizuki caught herself imagining how aristocratic his features must be under his layered coats.
She could not help but scowl at the direction of her thoughts for this stranger. "Where am I?" Of all questions running through her mind that was the first she wanted answered. The young man made no move to answer quickly. Mizuki calmed her face in an attempt to quicken his reply.
"You were traveling through a rather dangerous part of the forest. A giant forest scorpion knocked you from a tree where I found you during my rounds. I brought you here to Konoha's medical hospital." His voice was deep and masculine but also smooth.
Just like his face…Mizuki could not control her thoughts which caused her to scowl again. "This displeases you. Any other person would be grateful to the person that rescued them." For a moment Mizuki just blinked a few times and stared into his tinted glasses.
"Thank you." She stared out the window. "Konoha, you say? Does Hatake-san still reside here?" She looked over at him, her eyes holding a questioning glance.
Shino frowned. The only Hatake he knew of was Kakashi Hatake. How does she know him? "There is a Hatake here in Konoha." He replied curtly. Her face brightened slightly.
"Can you take me to the Hokage then? I need to speak with her." Her eyes were eager. Shino sighed inwardly and nodded.
"We will leave through the window so no one will ask questions. You might wonder why I would mind questions but it is simply the fact that I want to wait until after you meet with Hokage-sama before having to deal with them. Are you able? Yes, of course you must be to insist going to see the Hokage." Does he always speak in monologues? She wondered. Mizuki slid off the bed and stretched her shoulders.
"Please, lead the way." Moments later she was following this stranger on the rooftops of village buildings headed towards a large white building with red and black accents. They walked down a series of hallways until they reached the doors to the Hokage's chambers. Shino made no move to knock on the door. Mizuki was slightly impatient in her hustle to get this meeting over with so she knocked herself.
"Come in." Ordered a voice. Mizuki cautiously opened the door. The Hokage-sama was seated behind her desk.
The hokage appeared to be in her late twenties with her blonde hair pulled into two low, loose pig tails. Her brown eyes were the only source of her true age as they shone with wisdom, experience, and boredom. She wore a grey sleeveless kimono shirt with black stripes and a green kimono jacket. A small purple gem was located on her forehead. Mizuki smiled and walked into the chamber. "Who have you brought me Shino?"
He did not follow Mizuki into the chamber. "I believe she would want to speak with you alone." The hokage sighed and waved him off. He left after shutting the door, but he did not go far. Mizuki sensed him a few meters down the hall. It seemed like he was waiting for her. She pushed the thought out of her mind.
"What is your name?" The woman asked leaning back into her seat.
"My name is Mizuki." She gave no surname which surprised the hokage. Tsunade was to curious to let it slide.
"And no surname? For what reason?" Mizuki swallowed.
"My village was destroyed a week ago. I have been traveling to Konoha since. My relatives advised that I forget all about my past life and start fresh here. If I require one-" Tsunade cut her off.
"No, it is not required. I am sorry for your lose, but…you seem so calm for something that has happened recently. Can you tell me where you come from or the details of the destruction?" Mizuki held her breath. This was the one question she wanted to tell no one but Hatake-san.
"My village was just outside Konohagakure's boarder. I was out collecting suitable wood for arrows. When I returned the village was ablaze and everyone was either dead or dying. I found my mother lying in her own blood. She was barely alive but she told me to come…to travel to Konoha and that I would be safe here."
"I see and how did you meet up with Aburame Shino?" Tsunade shifted the conversations focus. So, his name is Aburame-san. Mizuki stored the information while she continued on.
"I woke up in the hospital. Aburame-san took me there after I was attacked by a giant forest scorpion in the restricted part of the forest. I was traveling through the trees and did not see the warning signs. He then brought me here on my request."
Tsunade nodded and stared at Mizuki for a few moments. She was lean and had the build of a kunoichi. She also had a strange aura about her. I wonder… "Mizuki, are you a ninja?" Mizuki was caught off guard so she could not stifle the small gasp that escaped her lips.
"Yes, ma'am. I was trained by my family and other village ninjas. I have no headband to prove it. There were not many of us, only about fifty, so we never consider ourselves much of a ninja village."
"What are your strong points?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed in anticipation.
"I'm an archer. I specialize in long distance ninjutsu, stealth, and genjutsu. My taijutsu is average for the most part. I do not like to risk injury to my hands or arms so I fight mostly with my feet in close combat." Mizuki stared into Tsunade's eyes hesitantly. Tsunade smiled.
"You seem accomplished enough. I will require you to complete our ninja academy course and then I will see what I can do about pushing you through a special exam to place you at chunin level. If that does not work out then I'm afraid you will be stuck as a genin in a three-man cell until the chunin exams roll around again. It would help if you would tell me what you are hiding." Tsunade smirked when Mizuki's eyes widened. "Your eyes give away so much." She added with a laugh. "It can be forgiven after what you've been through."
Mizuki met Tsunade's gaze. "I will show you if you tell me where I can find Hatake Kakashi-san." Tsunade was now the one to be caught off guard. She set up in her chair.
"Fine, but why him?"
"He was a friend of my family. I was sent to find him here." Mizuki took a steady breath. Sumirehime. Tsunade watched as the girls eyes changed from jade green to a shocking violet. Mizuki's chakra was revealed and the hokage watched flames of violet chakra dance around Mizuki's body.
Her aura is so strong. And this amount of chakra could overpower most of my jonin. What is this technique? "I call it Sumirehime." Mizuki answered the unasked question. Violet Fire Eyes…How fitting. Tsunade chuckled.
"How can you possible master stealth when that amount of chakra has nearly alerted all of the village to your arrival?" Mizuki released Sumirehime. To Tsunade's amusement every trace of her chakra vanished. If someone walked in they would never believe that Mizuki was the one who had just released that insane amount of chakra.
"While Sumirehime is active I can not hide my chakra because it is required for the ability. Any other time I can fully repress my chakra to or almost nothing. I can also read other chakra signatures with accuracy whether its active or not. It gives me the ability of a sensor naturally." Not to mention the special techniques I have, but I'll save that information for now.
"That's amazing. I've never seen anything like it." Mizuki frowned.
"And you won't with my village annihilated. Now will you please summon Hatake-san?" Mizuki asked impatient for the second time that day.
A tall silver haired ninja walked into the Hokage's chambers. He was wearing standard Konoha ninja regalia that includes: a long sleeved black shirt, green vest, black pants and opened toed shoes. He also wore a mask and his forehead protector covered his left eye. He was carrying a red book in left hand and had a dazed look on his face. "You summoned me?" He questioned in a bored voice.
"Kakashi, this girl asked to see you-" Tsunade did not get to finish much before Mizuki ran towards him. He struggled to catch her as she jumped into the air above him.
"Hatake-san!" Mizuki voice was strained with emotion. Kakashi remembered how she hated to cry in front of others.
"Tsunade-sama, I'll be right back." He used a body flicker technique to quickly teleport to the roof. He sat the girl down who looked like she was on the verge of tears. "What happened, Mizuki?" He asked softly.
"Someone destroyed the village, Hatake-san. Everyone was slaughtered except for me." This is the point when Mizuki started to sob onto Kakashi's shoulder. He held her close and whispered soothing words into her ear. "Mother ordered me to travel to find you. She said I would be safe here. I was so scared that whoever did that was going to hunt me down and do the same. I hardly stopped the whole way here. I can't tell you how many soldier pills I consumed." She held on to him tightly.
"Did you see anyone when you found the village?" He asked. She shook her head.
"I neither saw anyone nor sensed and unusual chakra while I was away." Mizuki hung her head. She felt responsible for not picking up on the intruder. Kakashi lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. The pain she felt was so evident there.
"Mizuki…" He started smiling sadly beneath his mask. "You know that it is not your fault. There is no reason to blame yourself. Be thankful that you were not in the village when the attack occurred. I know I am." He hugged her again. "Now," he continued more sternly, "dry your eyes. You need to be the strong kunoichi that I know you are." Mizuki took a deep breath and dried her eyes. When she looked back up at Kakashi they were filled with determination.
"We should go back. I'm sure the Hokage-sama is confused." Kakashi agreed and the two flicked back into chamber.
"So you do know one another?" Tsunade asked with an eyebrow raised. Kakashi and Mizuki smiled and rubbed the back of there heads.
"It's been a few years since I've been to Mizuki's village, but I knew her father." Kakashi explained.
"Would you mind lending her your surname, Kakashi? Since you know each other it will be easier to explain her appearance here by stating she is a cousin or something than trying to explain the truth."
"I would not have Hatake-san do something like that for me. There are plenty of people who give up their surnames. I do not see why you can not say that I am just a traveling ninja who decided to settle here." Kakashi patted her shoulder.
"It does not work that way," he stated. "We are very cautious about who is allowed in and out of the village." Tsunade nodded.
"It will be easier for you to have some connection to a respected ninja here." She added.
"I do not mind, Tsunade." Mizuki stared gratefully at Kakashi. He held tighter to her shoulder and smiled.
"Well, it seems the next order of business is finding a place for Mizuki to stay. And it can't be in that small apartment you live in Kakashi." Tsunade sighed. "Who can we impose upon until she can earn her own money by accepting missions?"
A knock sounded on the door capturing the attention of the three in the room. Tsunade mumbled something before commanding, "come in." Aburame-san walked in.
"She may stay at my family's compound, Hokage-sama." His voice betrayed nothing. A simple gesture of inconvenience on his part. Mizuki eyed him warily. Why would he go out of his way to help a stranger. I didn't even notice him coming closer.
"Do you object Hatake Mizuki?" Tsunade questioned. Mizuki glanced back towards her.
"I do not mind, Hokage-sama." Tsunade sighed as she leaned back into her chair.
"Then it is settled. You are dismissed but Kakashi you have a new assignment." Mizuki shot Kakashi a worried look.
"Shino will show you around, Mizuki. I will check on you as soon as I can." Kakashi gave her a thumbs up as she left with Shino.
Why am I going out of my way for this stranger? Shino did not understand it himself. He never had delved into the business of other's before. Why for her? She was nothing special. He hoped now that his father would not mind him bringing her home. Aburame Shibi was not a ninja you wanted to cross. Shino frowned. Why had he taken this risk for her?
The two walked through Konoha in silence. Mizuki was curious about how much of her conversation with Kakashi and the hokage Shino had overheard. She was a little hesitant about asking him outright. She quickly got over her fear as her curiosity built.
"Aburame-san?" She called his name gently and waited for his reaction. She noticed he stiffened a bit but made no other notion that he had heard her at all.
Shino flexed as soon as he heard her soft melodious voice call his name. His frown deepened into a scowl under his jacket. He despised the control even the sound of her had on him. "Yes." He replied after he regained his composure.
"How much of the conversation did you overhear earlier?" She kept her voice light to tempt the information from him. He did not answer at first but kept walking. Mizuki did not push him. She knew the best way to receive information was to let the person you are interrogating tell you himself.
"Just the part were Kakashi agreed to give you his surname and that you needed a place to stay." He glanced towards her but she was staring intensely at the ground as she walked. Did he overhear the reason why he agreed to let me use it? As if he read her thoughts Shino added, "I did not hear why he did this. Only that he did." Mizuki nodded and inwardly breathed a sigh of mental relief.
"Good afternoon, Shino-san." Mizuki looked up at the source of the voice. It was a man with a high collared coat and dark sunglasses. An Aburame? She looked around. The compound was neat and clean. There were plenty of trees and the buildings had a simplicity that made them beautiful despite their lack of decorations. Mizuki also noticed that there were plenty of men and women dressed in the same coats and sunglasses.
They continued up a dirt pathway to the largest of all the houses. Shino walked up the wooden steps and opened the screen door. He waited for Mizuki to pass before he closed it back again.
They walked down a short hallway to a chamber that looked as if it was used as a chamber for audiences. Although, Mizuki did not know it at the time, this room was for the audiences of Shibi, Shino's father.
She surveyed the room. There were four pillars on either side of the room and raised platform in the front with three chairs. The largest was raised the highest and was placed in the center front of the platform. The other two were of the same size and were placed a little lower and slightly back from the center chair. There was also someone seated in the middle chair.
He was just under six feet with the same spiky chestnut colored hair as Shino. He wore the same high collared coat and sunglasses, which Mizuki now comprehended was the trademark of an Aburame. His features were just as fine as Shino's and he seemed to have the same air about him. The only difference was that this man had a small moustache. Mizuki tried to imagine Shino with a moustache and had to quickly subdue her laugh before he trickled out for the two to hear.
The man looked up from the document he was holding. He looked from Shino to Mizuki before speaking. "Shino, who is this?" Shino bowed.
"Father, this is Hatake Mizuki." Mizuki bowed gracefully when Shino spoke her name. She rose but never quite made eye contact with Shino's father.
-To Be Continued-