22 March 2014

Hi All! Ok so this is an idea that's been bouncing for a while. Also this pairing doesn't get nearly enough cred. Can't guaranty that the updates are going to be super fast I first want to see if you guys like the world and set up first :). Feel free to correct me on anything! I proof read but little things always escape through. Otherwise please enjoy.

I do not own Naruto

Ice and Dust

Prologue

If you were to say that the city of Raika was wealthy, you would not be wrong. If you were to say that the city of Raika was organised and well structured, you would not be wrong. If you were to say Raika was booming with 'businesses', you would definitely not be wrong.

If you said Raika was a model city, law-abiding, generous, non-volatile or safe . . . . . . . . . . then you'd be very wrong.

Aburame Shino, the eldest son to Aburame Shibi and heir to his clan - Aburame being a prominent Fraction of the Uchia gangland - was sitting idly on some rubble contemplating his latest 'mission'. The Aburame Fraction, who found their use and claim in infiltration and stealth, had no place dabbling in explosives and ambush.

Well, as far as Shino was concerned, anyway.

The Job had not ended awfully; in fact some might even go as far as calling it a success. True, what was set out to be accomplished had been done, and there were no extraneous failures or losses. But the ordeal could have turned out a lot tighter and neater than the outcome had been.

If only Itachi had gotten the Akimichi to do the job in this first place. However, the Uchia Itachi would neverassign a Fraction to a job that another would be more suited to. So Shino suspected that the Akimichi expertise were needed elsewhere today.

There was talk.

Behind walls, through coded speech and between glances of the higher-ups. There was talk.

It was often believed (or mistaken) that silence meant ignorance. Though still a high school student, Shino caught the intricacies of subjects and information the adults might rather want t keep hidden. He neither feigned ignorance nor confirmed his knowledge of such subject matter.

He just remained silent. Almost verging on indifference. Through this technique he was able to observe and accumulate data that someone of his current status should not be privy to.

The politics and secrets of the Gang were as intricate and dangerous and as spider's web. All of it a seemingly tangled mess, when it was, in fact, well laid out with all the threads leading to one spot. The most dangerous parts were invisible until you stumbled into them, and by then it was too late.

Though heir to his clan, and of a higher station to many of his contemporaries, Shino was still 'low on the food chain' in the view of the Organisation. A foot solider, to put it in more comprehensive terms. And a good one at that. He had yet to lead or orchestrate a job, but his calm demeanour and level head made him a favourite for selection. Especially with infiltration and recognisances missions. And in the high school he was Susuke's head of Intel.

High school. Leaf College, as it is known to some. Uchia Daycare as it is referred to by others. And Shino's fish bowl, for lack of a better term. He'll be graduating next year, and then 'running with the big boys'.

"Shino!" a loud, raspy voice called behind him, "Shoot, you guys don't play, huh?"

Shino looked over his shoulder to see Kiba observing the rubble before him. Examining it with something between amusement and admiration on his face.

"Playing is for children and pets", Shino replied in a monotone as he moved to stand.

Kiba shot him a look at the obvious insinuation to the male's canine companion, Akamaru, and replied with, "Imma knock your bug box over". Shino felt the corners of his lips twitch in amusement. Though the action was hidden by the collar of his trench coat.

He surveyed the scene of his clan's handiwork once more. The used-to-be-bricked-shed now lay in mounds of rubble and smoking wood. Its owners were small-scale timber distributors and when it had been found out that they had been subtly noting the turf, the Uchia sent orders to the Aburame clan to 'clean house'. Where the couple is now, was anyone's guess.

Shino turned and headed to the car that Kiba had brought. His surveillance of the scene was over. The fact that Kiba was here was a sign that either the cops or the clean-up crew would be arriving soon.

"The Huuga?" Shino asked when they were both settle in the front of the car. Akamaru happily perched in the centre of the back seats.

"Pacified, for now." Kiba replied as he pulled away from the curb, "Itachi went directly to the station apparently. Worked out some sort of deal with the commissioner to delay the cop cars from showing up for a few hours. Should be long enough for them to plant something."

"Do you know what kind of deal?"

Kiba gave him a look that said 'As if I'd know'. More like as if they'd relay such information to foot soldiers. Shino would keep his ears open.

"Have you heard anything about Akatsuki or Subaku? Things have been quiet lately, and it's putting me on edge." Kiba asked after a while.

"Not much to make a solid conclusion," Shino replied as he gazed out the window as Kiba ran a red around a corner, ". . . but there's talk."

Kiba eyed him as he straightened the car. Not many people outside his family, with the exception of Kiba, could detect the tightness in his voice. He was worried too.

"Yeah." Kiba said, "there's talk".

So. . . . . . . whadda you think?

Ash-Quills