Shino walked down the moonlit street at a steady, even pace. His sandals scrapped rhythmically against the packed gravel of the main road. There was something soothing about Konoha at night. The hustle and bustle of the day always surrendered to the tranquility of the night, where all was bathed in shimmering moonlight. Its bluish hue seemed to smooth the rough edges of the village. But his very favorite part was the melody of insects that could be heard in their secret places. He absentmindedly categorized each by name and primary function as his eyes focused on the main gate where the Head Gatekeeper stood patiently at his post.
The position was routinely given to a Shinobi recovering from injury. It was an opportunity to regain strength without the risk of over-exertion. This time the position was held by a middle-aged Hyuga male with a bandage wrapped around the left side of his face which completely covered his ear. Shino recognized the slight grimace on the man's mouth, the twitch of the corner that threatened to curl in disgust. It was one of many expressions Shino was familiar with. What was it about the Aburame Clan that unnerved so many villagers? At least this man made an attempt at civility with a curt bow. Shino inclined his head slightly while his back remained erect. His pride wouldn't permit common courtesy to a coward.
"Aburame, Shino. Registration number 012618 reporting for Night Patrol," his voice purred through his high-necked collar.
The Gatekeeper double-checked his schedule and nodded as he checked the Genin's name with a marker. "Acknowledged," he grunted. "Sentry at Eastern Post til sunrise."
Shino hesitated in spite of himself. "All teams are to report to their assigned posts together. I remind you of this regulation because my assigned comrade has not arrived yet. I suspect that he will be tardy, my assigned comrades usually are."
The Hyuga blinked in surprise before shaking his head with a gravely guffaw. "Your 'assigned comrade' is not the tardy one. You are."
The Genin's brow furrowed. "I am never tardy," he said resolutely. "I have arrived precisely on time."
"So you have, so you have," the Jonin nodded in agreement. "But she signed in a full half hour before you did." He held out the data log and tapped on the name written just under Shino's: Inuzuka, Isae.
Shino's eyes widened in surprise; a fact that was not noticeable through his dark shades. The Gatekeeper turned back to his outpost with a slight limp in his step. It took Shino a few seconds to recover before turning on his heel and leaping onto the roof. As he leaped from rooftop to rooftop in an eastern direction his mind struggled to process this new information. This had never happened before. No one seemed to prize punctuality as highly as he did. He always had to wait for his comrades to catch up. It was unnerving to be the tardy one this time. The disgrace left a sharp twist in his gut. He had to divert his thoughts before he sunk into shame.
Isae Inuzuka. That name was vaguely familiar, and not just because she bore the same surname as his teammate Kiba. What was it? Oh yes, he remembered there was some dishonor associated with that branch of the clan. Konoha was generally a unified village; the will of fire bound them together as family. But past prejudices or grievances take time to overcome, and for some forgiveness is never granted. His comrade Naruto immediately sprang to mind. For years the boy was spurned, reviled, and ridiculed because of the demon sealed within him. His ignorance of that fact did not spare him of their hatred and fear. Progress was being made in that respect, Naruto had a way about him that inspired recognition and even grudging admiration. He suspected that Naruto would one day earn the villagers trust. Would the same be said of Isae?
Up ahead he saw her silhouette in the tree that marked the Eastern Border. As he drew closer, he could make out her features. Her ice-blue hair was kept close-cropped and she wore a sleeveless, fur-lined red sweat-shirt and black tanktop. Her midriff was kept banadged like Ino's was once. Her black shorts had zig-zagged patterned strips connected to the waistband and her knees were encased in fishnet armor. She turned her head slightly as he touched down beside her on the sturdy branch. Her sapphire eyes were expressionless as she nodded in acknowledgement. Her cool expression was judgement-free, her mouth resolute but far from critical. Her composure wasn't common for an Inuzuka. From his experience, they were a rowdy, bold, and sometimes too emotional clan for his taste. This girl seemed solid in her stance, though poised for action. Her gaze shifted back to the surrounding area. On the ground her hound sniffed about stealthily in the underbrush. He lifted one arm out the side with the fingers extended. A soft shadowy form slithered out from his sleeve and flew off into the night. His insects would canvas the surrounding area and alert him should something unusual appear.
"You are early," he said bluntly.
"How observant of you," she said dryly.
He waited but she didn't appear to be forthcoming. "I hate explaining the same thing twice."
"There should be no need to. Your first statement was accurate."
His brow furrowed slightly, not sure if she was being sarcastic. Kiba spoke it as a second language but this girl appeared to be completely serious. He settled down more comfortably on the branch, trying to make as little noise as possible. He went back and forth in his mind on whether to push the issue further but decided to drop it. "My name is Shino Aburame."
She didn't appear to hear him so he tried again. She swiftly cut him off. "We only are partners on a temporary assignment. There's no reason for us to get all chummy."
"I did not need your name for personal reasons," he said matter-of-factly. "I only require such information so as to notify your next of kin should you die while on duty."
At this she let out a snort which she quickly covered with her hand. Her face went pink from the slip-up. "Well that certainly clears things up." She said with a gentle smirk. She reached into the striped band on her arm and pulled out a dog tag on a chain. "You can give this to the Hokage should I met an untimely demise."
He frowned slightly as he accepted it. "The Hokage only?"
She flinched at the implication. "Yeah…she's enough."
Silence lingered a bit uncomfortably as he slipped the chain into a pocket within his jacket. Normally Shino preferred silence. Kiba tended to prattled on and on, seemingly making up for the fact that Hinata rarely spoke. It wasn't that Shino was opposed to conversation. He found it revealing in others; it gave him further insight. Isae seemed content to remain silent as she remained diligent in her search within the darkness. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, her gaze discerning. Her hound lifted her nose as she stared in the same direction as her master. Shino remained relaxed as his insects located its source. "Teenagers, nothing more."
Up ahead some riotous laughter echoed among the forest, followed up loud shushing. Isae and her dog relaxed. She grumbled something negative under her breath.
"You do not appear to value comradery," He observed.
She sighed softly. "There is…a place for it," she muttered as if to herself. Her gaze lowered as she reflected on her own team. Her feelings for them…were stronger than she felt comfortable confessing. Friendship wasn't something she was all that familiar with. She felt his eyes on her and fidgeted slightly.
"Kiba told me-"
"He says a lot of things," she growled abruptly.
He blinked in mild surprise. "You do not like him?"
The corner of her mouth twisted in an awful grimace. That spoke volumes.
This revelation was most intriguing. He knew that Kiba had told him that the Inuzuka prize themselves on comradery. The community was tight-knit, their loyalty unfailing and their teamwork flawless. As annoying as he found his teammate sometimes, he had never met someone who didn't like Kiba. He seemed to possess the power of popularity.
She sat back against the tree trunk and rested an arm on one knee. "Don't believe everything you hear," she whispered.
He turned his head towards her. "Meaning what?"
"Not everything is as simple as it seems. Hero and Traitor depend solely on your perspective."
He inclined his head thoughtfully. "And which are you Isae-chan?"
She giggled softly with a wry smile. "Time will tell I suppose but I don't define my worth by the definition of others."
"That sounds most wise," he concurred.
Nothing more was said for the rest of their shift. Each was content to keep to themselves as they carried out sentry duty. Before long dawn broke over the mountain range where the Hokage Faces were carved, signaling the end.
Palm upward, he summoned his insects home. She stood up and lightly stretched her limbs. Then she jumped and landed gracefully on the ground. Her hound hurried to her side and she affectionately ruffled her dog's long black ears. She produced a treat from a pouch strapped high on her thigh. "That's my girl Hiro, good girl. Let's head home."
Shino touched down behind her and reached into his jacket for the dog tag. "You have met with no harm so you may have this back."
"You almost sound disappointed." She looked a mix of exasperation and amusement in spite of herself. He held it out to her. "No, you hold onto it. After all we have a full week of sentry duty to fulfill. Who knows which night I'll happen to meet that dreadful demise."
"You sound awful causal about your fate," he surmised as he pocketed it once more.
She shrugged and turned away with a short backward wave. Hiro trotted obediently by her side. He watched after her, finding himself slightly intrigued. The Inuzuka were generally too obvious in personality but for once…he found a mystery among their members. The Lone Wolf, so to speak.
