"I appreciate your willingness to watch Hiro in my absence," Shibi thanked Kakashi yet again as he paused by the door on his way out. She was settled comfortably on the couch, snuggling with the summoned Ninken. Their surrounding warmth brought security that at last helped her drift off to sleep. Ever since Shino had left, she'd been in such an agitated state. With a mix between a whine and a growl, she limped about the house, restless to venture outside again. Her desperate pawing at the door left fresh scratches on the screen over past repairs. It'd made him worry long before he received the missive that gave him reason to.
He casually waved him off. "Not to worry, she'll be well looked after. I just hope you don't find Shino-kun is worse shape that you expect," he said sympathetically.
Shibi's mouth hardened into a grim line as he gave a curt nod. He turned on his heel and hurried away. He did his best to suppress his rising sense of panic. Kurenai's message was clear that he hadn't come to injury, but his removal to ANBU Headquarters couldn't be a positive sign. At the main gate, Ozuru Nara approached him with expectation. The slender man lacked the athletic build of a shinobi. If memory served him right, he was a historian of Nara origins. He gave a short bow of greeting with a smile that didn't match his nervous eyes. "Good afternoon Shibi-san. We're both bound to the same location, so I figured-"
"Then let's be off," He cut him off abruptly as he ran ahead. He wasn't inclined to share hollow pleasantries at a time like this. Ozuru caught up and pulled ahead. Shibi drew back slightly in silent recognition of his guide. Normally he would have found the silence that followed reassuring, but anxiety began to gnaw at his insides. "I don't suppose Shino has found himself entangled in the details of that Sealed Case?" He ventured cautiously.
"I really hope not, for both of your sakes," the Nara said sympathetically. That did little to reassure him, and the rest of the journey continued on in silence.
At the entrance, the guard had been doubled, a most unusual sight. Ibiki Morino waited in the front for them, with a snap of his fingers the crowd parted for the three men to pass through. At the door he used a hand-sign to gain entry. Ozuru looked troubled by this. "Is such tight security necessary? He squeaked in surprise.
"Imperative," Ibiki said tersely as he turned sharply down the right corridor towards the basement stairs. This bunker was an absolute fortress, in most situations. A posted security guard helped him complete a duo hand-sign that allowed the heavy bolted door to unfasten in a series of clicks and gears. As the door slowly swung open, Shibi felt a chill crawl up his spine. Invisible to the naked eye, his insects relayed the change in environment to their Master. A dark aura crackled with sinister energy that seeped from the depths to poison the air. Ibiki hurried down the stairs without recognition that the Aburame had frozen at the top. Ozuru turned back mid step and reached out with his hand. "Come, time is of the essence." His urgent tone did have a note of compassion that spurred his senses to act.
At the bottom of the stairs, they were sealed into what looked like an interrogation room. A long table was in the center with four chairs and a lone light flickered in the ceiling. Shibi frowned up at it curiously. Was the bulb shorting out, or was the flicker meant to invoke unease? Suddenly a low rumble gently shook the room, enough to shake the bulb out. It plunged the room into darkness, shattering on the tabletop. Small lanterns activated as the generator kicked in. They cast a strange orange glow, more antique feeling than sinister.
It was then that Shibi noticed two young ANBU seated at the table, both looking contrite with heads bowed. "Explain yourselves traitors!" Ibiki slammed his fist on the table among the glass shards.
One in a bear mask flinched instinctively but his companion in the wolf mask wasn't as easily intimidated. "We're not traitors," she said stubbornly.
"You leaked a clan-sensitive jutsu to an Aburame, far too potent in both power and understanding." He bellowed with such insolent fury. "His death will be on your head!"
Shibi stepped back, feeling like a punch to the gut. Ozuru's mouth hung in shock. "Shizako-chan…you didn't-"
"He wanted to help," She pressed in explanation. "He knew the risk-"
Ibiki reached out to snatch the mask from her face and smashed the porcelain on the tabletop. "He did so blindly, and you know it! He isn't privy to such secrets so he can't possibly understand the risk." He drew himself up to an imposing height. "I'll see you court-martialed before you rot in jail."
"Woah, hold on now," her companion came to her defense. "He isn't dead yet! He may still-"
Shibi leapt on this desperate hope and cut in, grabbing hold of Ibiki's shoulder. "Where is my son? I must see him."
Ibiki shrugged him off with a grim chuckle. "What's left of him, you mean?" He crossed the room and lifted the blinds. He beckoned for him to approach. "If you insist."
Shibi noticed that the two ANBU lowered their heads regretfully, unwilling to turn and look. He cautiously approached and looked out the thick window. He frowned in confusion at the scene below, he couldn't quite make it out. It was a large arena-style room, most likely for mass containment in evacuations. A thick darkness blew about the room with gale force wind. It crackled with dark chakra that burned with black flames. An ungodly roar shook the window, causing the corner to crack. Ibiki pulled him back a step as a jutsu spread across the window, reinforcing its strength.
"What is going on down there?" Shibi asked warily. "I can't see a thing."
"Look to the left," Ibiki instructed, his stern tone softened somewhat.
Shibi squinted through the shadows; there was something massive, monstrous in height. He tapped the side of his shades to activate other sensitive settings. A great hulking figure, upright on two legs, was writhing in agony. Its surface shimmered with movement; it looked like insects. Another swift tap showed a familiar chakra concentrated in the center. His brow furrowed. "Has he been consumed by-"
"No. He is the monster." Ozuru concluded as he observed beside him. He let out his breath in an impressed whistle. "How has he survived this long?"
"You speak as though there's hope for recovery," Ibiki huffed dismissively. "He's been consumed by demonic hatred; it's feeding off him as we speak. There will be nothing left." He turned towards Shibi with such solemnity that he knew what he was about to ask and stubbornly shook his head. "You cannot ask that of me. I won't give up my son. I can't…lose him." He suddenly found it difficult to swallow.
"He is already lost," Ozuru said sympathetically. "Would you have him suffer further when you can spare him such a gruesome death?"
"Details first," Shibi demanded as he turned on the seated duo. "What do you know of this?"
The two exchanged worried glances but it was Shizako who spoke. "Forgive me Shibi-san-" She began sorrowfully.
"If you have damned yourself, you are past anything I can possibly offer. Tell me how this happened." His tone wasn't raised as Ibiki's had been, but it wasn't any less dangerous.
"You may recall," She began carefully, "Shino's disastrous rescue mission a few years ago?"
He nodded silently. How could he ever forget? Shino still carried scars despite making a full physical recovery. She exchanged a quick glance with Ozuru, asking permission to elaborate.
He threw his hands up in exasperation. "You might as well, he'll have to be sworn to secrecy obviously. But if he's to agree to an execution he has to know what's truly at stake here."
"Keep it short and sweet. No need to elaborate," Ibiki warned her.
Shibi felt the need to explain what he knew. "I know that he was sent to rescue an Isae Inuzuka who deserted the village and failed to do so."
"Yeah, that's the shortest version." Satoru admitted.
"It wasn't just to save her, but to save her from herself," she further explained. "She transitioned into a Kumori, a shadow demon."
Far from surprise, Shibi nodded in confirmation. "Just like her Father then."
"How did you know that?" Ibiki demanded of him this time.
Shibi shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "He appeared mortal, but his chakra certainly wasn't. Any Aburame worth his jonin status would have noticed. He didn't seem to pose a threat to the village and did much to secure its safety. I figured the Hokage knew what he was doing, and I also suspect he was under surveillance his entire residency so there was no need for me to intervene."
Ozuru couldn't help but chuckle at the awkwardness. "Well now, I had no idea it was such an open secret."
"The Aburame know how to keep a secret Ozuru-san. Continue then," he instructed Shizako.
"Kumori are essentially dark manifestations of chakra; a shadowy, shiftless creature who give in to the darkness in their hearts. Our friend couldn't rise above hers to retain her humanity."
His eyebrow rose in recognition as he recalled that she had been their teammate. That stirred some empathy within him. Comradery inspires many to act beyond the duty required of them. But he knew it wasn't that simple in Shino's ambition to right this wrong.
"The Nara have a forbidden jutsu to imprison such creatures in suspended time. I…taught Shino the jutsu in his continued quest to find her, mainly for interrogation purposes."
"We know he used it, but its outcome isn't so clear. He was in the middle of explaining when, uh, that happened." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the window.
"He was in over his head," Ibiki said darkly. "Even this young Nara shouldn't know the jutsu. It isn't common knowledge."
"Its not that hard to find, if you know where to look," she couldn't help but smirk impishly.
"That kind of reckless disregard for rules has no place in ANBU," he said sternly.
"Did he say anything else of value?" Ozuru pressed.
"He did say that he killed her." She said in a haunted tone. Ozuru sputtered in shocked surprise. She shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know how that's possible, even if he wanted to. He knows its weak spot, but I doubt he knows any jutsu strong enough to damage it."
Ibiki and Ozuru turned on them with sharp rebuke but Shibi tuned them out as he approached the window once again. He watched the monster tearing itself apart, gouging out pieces of itself that melted in its fiery grip. It was an agony he recognized in himself at his wife's sudden death. How much worse would it have been if he had been responsible for it? His son's chakra signature was unraveling at an alarming rate, there wasn't much time left. A decision had to be made.
"It won't be satisfied with devouring just his soul," Ozuru explained in a grave whisper as he joined his side. "This sort of creature is ravenous in its unrest and it will continue until its destroyed."
The window cracked through its center, spiraling out despite the seal's attempt to correct it. "Asking you is a formality." Ibiki joined them now. "It's fury is contained for now in this bunker, but it will wreak havoc on the outside if it escapes. We will act in Konoha's best interest regardless of your permission."
Shibi's brow furrowed in despair. He knew what duty required but he couldn't bring himself to comply verbally.
Just then a bright light cut through the chaos, a sudden flare as if reality itself had split open. Through it emerged a flickering figure, darker even than the surrounding gloom.
"What the hell is that?" Ibiki snarled irritably. He hated things happening beyond his control, especially when things couldn't possibly get any worse. He raised his hand to call the attention of the ANBU positioned on all sides of the room below them. It was time to bring this to an end.
"Hold Morino-san!" Ozuru blurted out, catching hold of his wrist to stop him.
He easily shook him off. "There's no-"
"The white flame! Can't you see it?" The Nara insisted. The young ANBU pair looked startled. They bolted up from their seats, only to be reminded of the charka chains that secured their wrists to the table. They tugged uselessly, intent to see for themselves. Shibi tilted his head curiously as he too observed the lustrous flame. It cut through the darkness like a divine beacon. The monster across the room roared, its massive, clawed hands raised menacingly high. Intrigued, he tapped his shades to sharpen his focus. The flame that engulfed the newcomer's hand pulsed with compressed chakra, it reminded him of the electric style. But it didn't crackle chaotically like Kakashi's Chidori, barely contained. This form rippled with complete control and yet was fluid enough to spread down towards to floor. No wait, another tap confirmed his suspicions. It wasn't just chakra, a sword had formed in its hand, long and elegant like an Odachi sword. It was such an impressive size, but the newcomer seemed at its ease. It brandished it with great flourish and shouted. "Release him NOW!"