A/N: Hello! I'm going to make this Author's Note short and sweet- it's been a few months, but hopefully this chapter's length would compensate for the long update period haha. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter (ik a lot of you guys like Shino's perspective alot) and so, here it is! I hope you enjoy this, and thank you so much to those who leave a kudos and comments - they mean a lot to me!
The moment he opened his eyes, he knew he woke up to an empty household.
Typically, the house was this quiet. And dark. Shino did not enjoy the morning light - he would take any opportunity to prevent any contact with the sunlight, especially when he woke up in the morning, before he had an opportunity to put on his glasses, the shades helping mediate his eyes to the new light setting. Drapes, long, thick, blackout drapes hung over his windows, limiting any rays from entering, save for the one corner where he knew that, from where his home is located in the Village and from where the sun rose from the eastern end, a single sliver of warm yellow could get through.
Shino did, however, enjoy the quietness the house had to offer, the only sound really being the sparrows chirping outside on a tree nearby, singing to one another.
The Aburame neighbourhood was typically quiet; everyone was awake at the crack of dawn, yet, nobody went out of their way to do anything outside in the morning. Not many people walk, though if they did, it would usually be alone, and they would be silent until they reached the outside of the neighbourhood. Not a lot of people mowing their lawns either - typically they have a neighbourhood arranged time to handle outdoors maintenance as to maintain the noise level low, as to not disturb anyone living there at odd hours of the day.
The Aburame neighbourhood had to be relatively quiet compared to other places in Konoha. They were, after all, raising various types of insects here and there, and too much noise can disturb the insects, making insect research and breeding more difficult since they are much more sensitive to noise vibrations and frequencies. And so, maintaining a peaceful neighbourhood was a priority, not only since it appeases most of the Aburame, but because a portion of their livelihood depended on it.
The insects inside Shino were especially calm this morning. Perhaps, Shino had heard, they were tired from yesterday's test. He can't deny that yesterday's test did a number on him as well; his muscles ached in ways he did not expect, and he had to sit in a tub of warm water longer than he normally would.
Shino did not like to move and fight - it was pretty obvious from how he depended heavily on his kicks rather than his fists, and it was highlighted in yesterday's fight with Kurenai. He managed to score a B in Taijutsu throughout his Academy years, honing his skills in mostly footwork, knowing that his relationship with his insects would not necessitate him to be the most skilled physical fighter. However, it is clear that the Academy training drills spars did not reflect an actual fight.
And he did not have the luxury to sit in a salt water tub in order to soothe his achy muscles; the water had to be plain, with limited pH imbalance as to not harm the insects that roam under his skin. So he had to sit in the tub for longer than usual...alone...with his thoughts.
Mostly about his teammates. Mostly about what had happened. Replaying the events that occurred in succession in his mind, he could hear what they had said to each other, how they willingly listened to Shino as he laid out the strategy, and executed with communication that even Shino didn't believe they could have.
Shino had looked down at his hands, the skin wrinkling under the water, clear water running off between the gaps between his fingers, streaming into the bathtub. He could feel calluses forming on his once softer palm, along the parts that held on to the kunai, especially sore when Kurenai parried with her kunai. His knuckles, a milky white along with the rest of his body, were reddened on the prominent parts, from when he had to spar Kurenai off, cornering her near the tree that he would have thrown his kunai with his kikaichu.
The sight was foreign for him to see on his own skin.
However, he knew that it was not even half as bad as how Kiba's hands were when they were done. He saw it, how his nails, typically long in length, were chipped and bloodied from his own method of fighting, his knuckles a deeper red with some purple, obvious bruising forming, yet, Kiba didn't seem half as preoccupied about the conditions of his hands compared to Shino.
Hinata as well. He didn't expect Hinata, with her long, slim fingers, to be much of a close range fighter, she opted for a style that used her palms and the edges of her fingers instead, causing the sides of her hand to be red in comparison.
They all had their different styles of fighting. The only thing that truly united them were their tracking abilities.
When Shino had told them his strategy to integrate all of their abilities, he had unwittingly done the very thing that Iruka had said was the reason why they formed this specific team - to get the optimal turnout for a mission. And it worked.
Clearly.
He was surprised at how well they were able to follow everything that was laid out. Even though they had a few hiccups here and there - with Shino having a mild headache after the Kiba crash landed right onto his forehead, making him mildly disoriented - they managed to carry out their part and support one another with their abilities.
What was most surprising, however, was what they had to say about him when Kurenai was baiting them to choose one person to continue to become a Genin. Especially from the young Inuzuka.
"If anything, most of these strategies are because of Shino. So he should get the headband."
He felt undeserving of the headband at that moment, he won't deny. The adamence Hinata and Kiba had for him...an undying belief in Shino's abilities and his strategy...made Shino feel an inkling of guilt for underestimating both of them beforehand.
It is because of them I made it this far, Shino had admitted to himself while he sank into the tub, trying to extend his legs to stretch, the pain of his muscles contracting making it hard. Maybe...we can get along…
Yet, remembering how loud the Inuzuka was, how long it took to get Kiba to listen to his words, how quick he was to fight against Kurenai...maybe he could just tolerate him.
For now.
He may have continued to think more about it, that was, until the door of the house swung open with a near silent creak - it would have been negligible if Shino wasn't used to the house being dead quiet, the slightest sounds and movements echoing throughout the house.
He had told his father about the, he supposed, good news.
"I am officially a shinobi," Shino had simply said while his father was standing in the kitchen, staring at the teapot, a white, rounded teapot, that had a portion of it's lid open, a metallic tea infuser inside, the thin silver chain hanging out of the lid opening to the side.
His father, Shibi Aburame, was a man much taller than Shino, nearing 6ft tall, but was more on the thinner side. Because, likely, he grew up in Konoha during different critical points of time where food was often rationned amongst civilians and the Shinobi troops, particularly his adolescence spent through the Third Shinobi War. Though, at first glance, you would never think he was thin - he is often found wearing a bigger high collared coat that covers most of his face, hiding the stubble along his jaw, chin, and upper lip, and the body of the coat ended at his waist, hanging over his frame, making him look bigger. His legs, while muscular as it typically is for shinobis, may give it away, being slimmer in comparison, related to his skeletal frame, and he covered most of his legs with longer pants that tightened around his ankle, typically a beige or dark colour.
Shibi wore small, oval shaped glasses, much like Shino's, duelling as both a prescription and sunglasses that cover his narrow eyes. Though his glasses had a single tassel swinging on the side, a red and gold one...Shino never asked why he had it, just being a part of his father's image, though maybe it was some old-fashioned style from way back when.
"So I've heard," Shibi spoke, his voice low and steady, slow in it's pacing. "Congratulations Shino. I heard Kurenai gave your team a hard time. I'm glad to see that my advice about never underestimating your enemy has proven to be useful."
"Yes," Shino had replied, though truthfully, he had initially underestimated Kurenai. Or rather, he had underestimated his teammates and thought of himself as much more capable...how wrong he was. Perhaps, his father's words held much more meaning now than it had before.
However, one thing was for sure, this confirmed that Shibi knew about this test, without having to hear it from Shino first hand. Shino wanted to be a bit accusatory, asking his father how long he had known, but...he decided that for now, he would refrain. He knew his father had just come back from a mission. "It provided a good compass to determine the best strategy for my team."
"That's good," Shibi continued, lifting up a hand, a golden tan like the rest of his body, from his coat pocket to lift up the tea infuser by the chain, before setting it out onto a white saucer that sat nearby. He closed the teapot, as he said in the same tone, "We should celebrate. We should invite everyone to the hall and enjoy some festivities there."
" Yes, that would be nice , " Shino agreed, pausing slightly. "Since...It has been a while since the clan has gathered together to celebrate."
The last time they gathered for a big celebration was at Shino's birth. 13 years ago, to be precise. The last time they had gathered together otherwise, however...
"It's about time our clan had something to celebrate, isn't it." A statement, not a question, Shino knew. His father liked to speak that way.
Shibi turned around towards the window that sat against the wall above the sink, facing the backyard of their home. There was the slightest opening through the panels, letting in a sliver of air through.
Gently, Shibi lifted a finger up towards the opening. Shino can hear the singular buzzing emitting around Shibi, a black dot from where he stood flying around his head, before landing on his finger.
"Notify everyone that we will be meeting at the hall to celebrate Shino becoming a Genin in 2 hours," Shibi directed, and the black dot buzzed in response, before flying around until it went through the sliver of the window. "In the meantime, I will make arrangements. Shino, please get ready."
"Yes, I will dress casually, then," Shino did not see the point of asking anymore questions about this celebration - if his father said he would handle it, then he just would have to put his full trust in him. He turned around at his usual pace, ready to walk down the hallways. However, before he could go, he heard his father say something that made him almost stop fast in his tracks.
"I'm proud of you, Shino."
I'm proud of you…
He has never heard his father say this to him up until this point, or at least, he never heard his father vocalize it in such an explicit manner. He did not know what to make him say this to him. Was what Shino did really that spectacular? Maybe... he was one of the few who made it through to becoming a Genin yet...now he feels, while his father showed him support, now he feels a slight weight on his shoulders.
Once Shino quickly changed into his...all black formal attire, as formal as they could get with black slacks, a black shirt and his coat... Shino found Shibi waiting for him at the front of the house, leaning against the wall, waiting for him. They made their way to the hall down the road, on the edges of the neighbourhood near a hall that was near the forest that stood between the Aburame neighbourhood and the nearby civilian neighbourhood.
They didn't speak throughout their trip, the glowing silence between them speaking more than any words could at that point, side by side.
The hall was fashioned the way most fancy buildings tended to be designed, not too large in size, a singular floor with a tiled roof that sloped down and curved outwards made of clay that fades into an orange colour, pointing outwards over the walls of the wooden structure.
They prided themselves in simplistic designs, much more in tune with nature compared to the extravagant designs of other noble clans.
They were one with insects, and therefore, one with the land and sky that surrounded them. Majority of the natural layout of the land they lived on had never seen any form of renovation, depending on natural materials of wood and paper rather than stone- there were no brick or cement streets, because what was the point of adding on to the dirt path that is already sturdy and flat from their walking? The trees and flowers in the area harvested fruits in their appropriate seasons, and while they did fall to the ground and would be considered a mess to others who walked by, there is a reason why they had those types of trees in the land to begin with, and removing them would only cause imbalance to the living beings there.
Upon walking up the few stone stairs into the hallway , the low table at the front of the hall had a few Aburame clan folk kneeling in front, preparing the layout that Shino caught a glimpse of three wooden bowls spaced across in equal spaces. Behind the table, on a platform a bit further in, was a tall wooden statue, that sat on a seat, her long leg down and the other leg up on the seat, the carved fabric of her pants tightened her ankle. Her slender arm sat on the knee of the leg that sat up on her seat, the other arm up to the side and held on to a handheld lantern, a slightly different material from the rest of the statue. The top of the wooden lantern was flat with the edges curved out, the body of the lamp had a grid surrounded, a glimpse of a faint, yellow light emitting through. The top of her head was not exposed, overed with a carved hood that hung over her, her painted midnight black hair peeking through behind the nape of her neck, the rest of the coat carved loosely on her body. Her eyes were long and curved on the wood, and you had to look hard to see her pupil underneath her lids, that stared down. The detail of her long, protruding nose and small lips stood out the most, symmetrical and elegant in nature, catching the light from the lantern, flickering and dancing against her chestnut skin.
The hall was filling up, shades of greys, greens, and black fabrics streaming through the entrance in amicable silence, greeting one another in low voices, barely echoing through the room. Shibi led Shino to the table, and Shino could see what was in the bowl. Despite the dim lighting in the room, he could see the varied auburn to golden yellow shells inside, different sizes and textures, reflecting back the light from the lantern out.
"Thank you for providing us with the Kaikonosanagi, Ema," Shibi spoke to the person who stood with the three other people near the table. They all wore black glasses of varying style- Ema, however, wore rectangular ones, thicker around the rims, covering most of their face and pinching on to their smaller nose, sliding down here and there. "The cold weather makes the hatching much slower, and I know there are limitations to your silk business."
"That is true," the person, Ema, spoke in a smooth tone, equally as soft as Shibi. "However, this is a very special occasion. It's been a few years since one of the Aburame graduated and became a shinobi. I want to send Shino off with the best pupae I had."
"We are thankful for your consideration," Shibi responded, a slight nod of his head. "We will wait before commencing the ceremony. Most of the clan should be here in approximately 10 minutes or less."
Shino mildly remembers the ceremonial procedures that took place during the shifting tides from child to adult for the Aburame - the last time he had attended one was when he was a child, perhaps around when he was 5 or 6. It was not everyday that the Aburame had to celebrate the officiation of the clan's children into the Hidden Leaf Shinobi Forces, a sign of renewed ties with the Village and the next step into adulthood. There were very few who were around Shino's age at this point, most of the clan's people were adults.
The ones who would have graduated from the Academy in recent years have gone off to do other things with the Village…though those were not worth celebrating. They were more bittersweet than this moment.
Since Shino was still here.
With the clan.
Shibi gestured to Shino, towards the pillow behind the table, facing to the rest of the room, the statue standing right behind him, looming over him with a watchful eye. The Aburame started to seat themselves behind the low tables, long and stretching across the floor, a distance between them and the table that Shino sat on.
Shino was unsure of what indicated that they should commence, however, he saw Ema and the others take a seat, not without bowing towards the elderly person that walked towards his table, wearing a black draped coat over their small frame, black hair pulled back into a low bun, no glasses over their sharp eyes, carrying a small bowl filled with water. The elder, a woman, was the only living Aburame from her generation, Shino knew. Just as her namesake, Ishi, she was an unmovable force in their clan, having the prestigious reputation from her time, fighting in wars that are but distant tales that are mentioned in history class. She took over the responsibilities of being the temple caretaker, for their matron goddess, taking up the role of performing the rituals as the eldest of the clan.
"Shino," the elder greeted Shino as she knelt in front of him, her voice finely aged with years of wisdom. "Congratulations on becoming a Genin."
"Thank you, Obasan," Shino replied, controlling his arms as he placed his hands properly on his knees and lowered his head deeply. She was not his blood grandmother, though, she was much like a grandmother to him as his own; her guidance and words were indispensable resources that Shino found intriguing to listen to.
"You have grown to be quite the young man," Ishi replied. "You know, you should come visit me more often. I feel as though I haven't seen you here often, even though it's been 2 years since you started training to become a shinobi."
"I will attempt more now that I have graduated," Shino said, lifting his face back up. He tried not to move his hands from its place as he felt his glasses fall, but thankfully the ridge of his nose stopped it. "It should be easier now that I am a Genin. I doubt I will be gone as often as father and the others."
"Hopefully," Ishi said. "We will start the rituals soon."
She leaned over to the two items that sat beside her, a paper lamp, reinforced by dark wood, and placed it on the table. "As always, perform harae before you proceed. You will take the fire that burns in Abura-Hime's lamp, without putting out the light, and it will be placed at the foot of her statue. Then you will proceed to eat what is laid before on this table. You have witnessed this before, and I am sure you will do it all just as well as the others have."
I will try, Shino wanted to say, but didn't respond, affirming by lowering his head as Ishi stood up, standing to the side. She announced, still in a lower tone, no more than a speaking tone, "We have gathered here today to witness Shino Aburame, first born son of Shieri Aburame and second son of Shibi Aburame as he transitions from a child into an adult as an inaugurated member of Konohagakure. Abura-Hime, bear witness for this one, and provide guidance as he lives and carries your flame throughout his life."
The rest of the family, Shino could see, did not move, did not tilt their head towards his direction, yet, he knew that they were watching him carefully. There was silence as Ishi mumbled words, sequences of chants together, heard throughout the chamber, and Shino reached into the bowl of water that laid before him, hands rubbing through the salted liquid carefully. Once he was done, he reached over to the paper lantern, and carefully made his way towards the large statue, the amazonian figure never moving, simply watching.
He raised the lantern up with a hand, and he whispered a command, focusing his chakra to communicate internally. "Pick up the lantern and return the fire to me."
Small chatter oozed out of his hand as his insects built up underneath the base of the lantern and it floated through the air, towards Abura-Hime's lantern. A few more reached into the lantern, Shino could see, and he commanded to pick up the oiled wick inside a clay pot, carrying it carefully through the small windows of the grid surrounding the matron goddess' fire. A singular flame lit on the tip of the wick, and floated back into the paper lantern, his chakra to communicate to be careful as the pot sat back firmly on the base of the paper lantern, emitting a pale, yellow glow.
The lantern returned to his hands, the skin that had pierced open mended as soon as the black mass returned under his skin. Shino placed the lantern beneath the base of the statue, bowing his head slightly, closing his eyes, as he gave a single thought.
Please guide me as I continue on with my team and allow me to achieve success.
Shino lifted himself up, straightening his back as he returned to the table, taking a seat. The three bowls he saw earlier were still there, and he immediately knew what it was.
Insects were just as much predators as they are prey- and the kikaichu were definitely predators as they saw the candied treats in the bowls, chattering away excitedly. 'Yes…a treat...a treat...finally...a treat…'
Ishi continued, pronouncing the words clearly in a still voice, "Inago to remember the land you come from...Hachinoko to rejuvenate your body of sickness...and Kaikonosanagi, to give you the physical strength to move mountains."
Shino looked at the bowl that was the on his right, the size of the content smaller than the other bowls, the shape slender and short- the inago, the grasshopper, shone an amber, and it was hard to see the actual insect inside, but Shino knew it was there. Beside it, in the middle, was the Hachinoko, the bee larvae, curried in a sauce, small and thin, chewy in texture. Lastly, there was the Kaikonosanagi, the silk pupae - it was rare to have silkworms in the Village, the production of silks were typically found in the southernmost part of the Land of Fire, where the warmer weather were optimal for raising the silk worms that produced the finest kimonos of the land. The pupae were yellow, about the size of a coin, ridges in between with a dusk of amber over their shells.
Shino tried his hardest not to think as he ate from each bowl- thankfully, they were all a spoonful, nothing more, nothing less. It was sweet, candied in nature, and the crunchy texture of the grasshopper and pupae preferable for his tongue than the chewiness of the bee larvae, but he ate it fully, pushing through, trying not to show evident signs of cringing or struggling.
All eyes were on him.
Once he was finished, Ishi continued with a few more adoration chants for the goddess, and now they returned to the rest of night with the newest adult of the clan.
That evening was filled with conversation and talks in a low, soothing tone, just as Shino is used to and just as Shino liked it. It made his ears feel better listening as the adults around him spoke about missions and research in what would be considered a mundane tone, no out of the ordinary inflection in their voice, no arguments with yelling...he needed it, especially with how much yelling Kiba did that day. The food was adequate to Shino's taste ; rice was always a staple, some grilled vegetables here and there, and plenty of fruits to go around.
Shino had an easier time sleeping that night. And in the morning, when he woke up, he felt a bit...lighter? Is that a way to describe it? The night before his final test to become Genin, he was restless, the anxiety and stress of having to team up with Kiba and Hinata (but, mostly the first) causing him to twist and turn in his bed, not unusual for Shino to begin with, but it was getting on his nerves how he couldn't close his eyes for a single second. The insects were not helping his case, jumping about and chattering amongst themselves, making him try to calm down by staring out the window, trying to take moments to take a few deep breaths, keeping his mind clear.
But last night, he slept right as he laid down in bed. And he woke up, not feeling groggy or agitated, but a bit...happier, he believes.
He glanced over at his clock that sat right next to him on the dresser, squinting his eyes, trying to make out the numbers through his blurry vision. 06:00 AM. A typical time for him to wake up. And a typical time for his father to leave the house as well, especially when he had a long mission. Shibi had mentioned to Shino that he had a mission outside of the Land of Fire, to the neighbouring country, the Land of Grass, and would be away for two weeks or so.
It is not too long for Shino to worry - he had adjusted himself to being alone at home. It would make no difference if Shibi was home; the house would still be quiet, and Shino would still find himself alone, whether in his room or leaving the house to go to the local Library or forest to read about...insects.
Shino pushed the white duvet off of his body, sitting up slowly, feeling the muscles on his bottom back stretch as he stared at the wall in front of his bed. He had to blink a few times, adjusting to the already dim setting of his bedroom, though he couldn't see much of anything without his glasses, everything a meld of blurry colours, with minimal lining to them. It helped, though, that the colour palette of his room offered stark contrast from one another- his nightstand was blank, and while the walls were grey, his bed was white, with white sheets and pillowcase sticking out. The floors were a deep brown, and his desk stood in the corner of the room beside the window, black as well. His closet was a door against the wall, an obvious brown door that stood out against the grey walls.
He ran a hand along his forearm, wearing a black shirt that let his arms be free, feeling slightly sore, and he tried to roll his shoulders back, but they were unusually stiff. Perfect. Now Shino had to look into remedies that helped with his flexibility. Because he knew that, if he didn't stop the problem, he would have to see a doctor. And he didn't want anyone to be touching him too much, the sensation annoying him to no end as they probe his mouth and ears with their latex white gloves, pushing their hands against his skin, making him uncomfortable.
He managed to make his way to the bathroom down the hallway, as he pushed himself off the bed, standing up straight to the best of his abilities. Perhaps he should start joining the elderly folks at the local park to practice some morning Tai Chi with the music playing from the radio. That might help him alleviate the soreness.
He quietly walked out of his room, barely making a sound as he walked down the hallway to the bathroom. Shino had a particular order of what he did in the morning- go to the washroom before anything, brush his teeth, wash his face with a mild soap...always moisturize and put sunscreen on after patting his face with a towel, specifically...and he attempted to comb through his hair, but to no avail. The comb kept getting stuck through his hair, he ultimately had to use his hands to shape it appropriately. For some reason, his hair was very curly, tiny coils that, while not unusual for the Aburame, was a trait he did not inherit from his father, who had straighter, yet coarse hair.
He assumed he got it from his mother.
He returned to his room to put his glasses on.
With a hand on his head, rubbing the side of his temple, the other hand towards the black rectangular case, right in front of his clock, and picked it up, opening the case to reveal a black pair of shades. Now that he can see properly, he made his way to his closet.
What should he wear today?
Same as always , Shino thought as he grabbed the grey trench coat that hung, a few in a row, before picking up one of the cargo pants, taupe coloured.
He could hear the sounds of the insects starting to buzz inside, murmuring... eat...eat...eat… At times, Shino tends to neglect eating breakfast, but he knew that it was the most important meal of the day...it was a good thing the kikaichu tended to remind them.
Toast. Toast was good. Toast and butter was a tasty combination along with some green tea that sounded appealing to Shino. As he walked through the dark hallways, through the ircases, he was on staircases, he could see that the light from the living room window illuminated the main floor in a light orange hue over the floors, the table, the counters. It must have been 7 by now.
Kurenai wanted them to meet them at the front of the Hokage Building that hosted the Hokage's Office first thing in the morning, found nearby in front of the Hokage Rock along with the Academy and the Konoha Archives Library. Morning, however, has different meanings for different people…
Yesterday, Kurenai had told them to meet them at the Hokage Rock at 0900 sharp, and Shino can confer that is likely the time she would want them to meet again. If he remembers correctly, the Hokage Building and the Library were technically "open '' 24/7, however, desk services such as checking out books and the actual Hokage's Office hours opened between 0830 to 0900. Likely, Kurenai was going to go about getting their contracts from one of the services in the Hokage Building. It shouldn't take him too long- making breakfast, eating breakfast, walking to the Hokage Building will only take him 20 minutes with his pacing…
Shino set out to exactly what he planned in his head, taking out the bread and slicing two pieces, putting them into the toaster, before setting the kettle down on the stovetop, twisting the knob to a low heat. The birds were chirping a bit louder, closer to the window that oftentimes remained slightly open in the kitchen. He opened the window with a quick flick of his hand, waving his hand to shoo them off the ledge of the window, away from the house. They did not want an incident where the birds could potentially eat one of their insects while out on a message delivery.
The smell of toasted bread and the bubbling of the water in the kettle indicate that they were ready to be used and served; after cutting a 1x1 cm square of butter from the glass butter dish that sat inside the fridge, he meticulously spread on both of the toasts, a light yellow glistening across the white fibre, before taking the kettle off the stove and pouring it into the teapot that sat on the dish rack beside the sink. He carefully poured the water from the kettle, not too close and not far from the opening, the water a singular stream with no splashbacks. He reached up to the cabinet that sat above the stove, finding the tin can labelled 'Green Tea - Land of Tea'.
Using a teaspoon cutlery he fished out from the drawer, he pulled out the dry leaves inside, greens and browns merged together harmoniously, and dropped it into the tea infuser, before placing the metallic piece into the teapot. He watched at the moment the tea leaves touched the water, swirls of dusky green colour seeping through.
It was so simple, yet so elegant to watch. So calming for his mind, something he needed before the inevitable storm he was going to enter soon enough.
He glanced up towards the clock that hung over the television in the living room. 0730. He was having an excellent time. Just enough time for…
He picked up his plate with the buttery toast and the cup of tea he poured, and he walked out of the kitchen towards the dining table, just near the living room for him to be able to see the television. Shino picked up the remote that sat on the table, and pressed the 'on' button, the black screen glitching a white before enveloping the television in blue. He waited, since the television had to pick up the signal from the satellite, and an image appeared, before the program played.
"Relations between the two nations are heating up as the Fire Daimyo meets with the Wind Daimyo in the Land of River in order to discuss about potential trade openings between the lands-" a woman with a bob spoke behind a table in a pink blazer, and as much as Shino liked watching the 24 hour news channel and their anchors, he switched the channel.
He reached the channel he wanted to watch, and he was delighted to see the program showing images of a giant hornet, with its orange head looking around, its brown antennae twitching and waving up in the air, as a deep voice spoke in the background. " The Fire Giant Hornet, or the Vespa Mandarinia, may look like an adorable fuzzy creature. Yet, this is considered to be one of the most dangerous insects found in the Land of Fire. Finding a home along the central and southern parts, the Fire Giant Hornet has a stinger that is typically 6 millimetre long, storing an incredibly potent venom… "
Shino took a seat on the chair as he took a bite from the toasted bread, the crunchiness just right for his mouth, and he watched as the program continued, savouring the buttery treat.
Pure bliss before the inevitable misery to come.
When Shino arrived at the front of the red building, shaped in a different layer of circles on top of one another, through the path that led towards the small, stone stairs towards the mahogany coloured doors, he saw a familiar head of blue hair standing at the bottom of the stairs. No one else was around the area - not on the path Shino walked and not in the lawn in front of the red building. The sun is higher in the sky than when Shino left his home, and he knew it was about time that stores must have started opening up by now, civilians beginning their morning at this time.
Has she been standing here for long? Shino thought as he approached the figure, and the closer he got to her, he saw her staring up towards the giant white circle that hovered above the giant red symbol for 'fire', 火, embellished on the surface, facing out towards the rest of the Village to see.
Shino did not say anything as he stood parallel to Hinata, a good distance between them though, watching her from the corner of his eyes. Hinata's pale pupils remained fixated at the sign, her eyebrows pulled in slightly, attention never wavering. Her fingers were clasped together in front of her, holding onto each other tightly and moving around slightly, fidgeting but never separating.
He could only assume that she was nervous. Should Shino say hello to her? Or has the time elapsed for him to say hello and should he wait until she notices him? It would be weird to stand in silence nearby, waiting and not saying anything….but, he did not want to take her by surprise, making him more nervous than before...what would be the best course of action in this case?
"Oh, Shino!" Hinata said as she turned her head around, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise, eyes opened and wide as she lifted her hands to her chest. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't see you there! Good morning."
She did a slight bow, Shino noticed, and he wasn't sure what to do. Was he supposed to bow back to her? Did people typically bow while saying good morning amongst peers? They didn't really do it unless it's for their seniors or someone of importance...did he miss the page from how to talk to humans when he was younger?
"Good morning…" Shino said, bowing back at the same level, and Hinata stared at him for a moment, before shaking her head.
"U-Uh, Shino, why are you bowing?"
"Oh." Shino stared at her through his lenses. "You...bowed to me first so I thought...I should show you the same respect."
"I bowed?" Hinata asked, blinking, before she raised a hand to her mouth letting out...a small giggle. "Sorry...Sorry, I didn't realize I did that. Force of habit, I suppose. I...yesterday and today, I was essentially bowing my head the whole time…"
"What for?" Shino asked, and reflected on his own question. Oh. Wait. "Did your family...celebrate your acceptance as a Genin?"
"I guess you could say celebrate, yes," Hinata said slowly, unsurely, rubbing the back of her neck while glancing around slightly. "It was nothing big, we were just planning a ceremony this weekend, and I had to go through some formalities. You know how it is…"
An implication, Shino supposed, to how he was another noble clan within the Village. And yet, he knew nothing much of other clans' customs. He was sure that for the Hyuuga, they must have done something much grander than what the Aburame had done.
He presumes, though, that they were the type to be much stricter about procedure. Much more…
It piqued his curiosity, actually, to know.
"How does your family celebrate these types of things?" Shino asked, and he started to walk towards the staircases. When he realised that Hinata did not follow him immediately, he looked back towards her, and gestured to the stairs. "Would you like to...sit down? Because it seems like we might be here a while…"
"Y-Yes," Hinata replied, and scurried towards him, taking a seat beside Shino, not too close so their bodies were touching, but close enough that Shino could hear Hinata as she continued, "Hopefully Kurenai-sensei and Kiba come soon…"
I wouldn't bet on Kiba , Shino wanted to say, feeling the words rising in his throat to his mouth, but pushed it down immediately.
No, he should not, he told himself he would tolerate the Inuzuka for now. He will not stoop to his level of petty insults. Besides...Kurenai and Shino were not late, per say, maybe Shino and Hinata were quite early if anything. He would say they had 10 more minutes till 08:30.
"They may be on their way as we speak," Shino replied instead, and Hinata nodded, her bangs bobbing up and down with her gestures. Shino wonders if she curls her hair to make it that straight and out. From the way it curved in slightly at the tips, he assumes it was from a hair roller.
"Was planning tedious?" Shino simply asked.
"Oh! Y-yes, I guess you can say that," Hinata replied. "It requires the whole clan to be present, so the best time would be this Saturday... The whole day is going to be a ritual and then we have the chanoyu ."
A tea ceremony… Shino thought. He is not unfamiliar with tea ceremonies, though his clan does not seem to consider it a mandatory custom for celebrations- rather, it was something that would occur if they had an external meeting with another clan or with members of the Village Council.
"I have to prepare for the tea ceremony...I'm the one who has to prepare the tea so…" Hinata continued, now glancing down, her fingers reaching in towards one another and started to twirl them around one another. She continued, voice inflecting low, "It's...been a while since I've performed one…and it's going to be for the Main House too, and I'm especially..."
She trailed off, not finishing her sentence, but Shino was more focused on what she had said.
"The Main House?"
"O-oh...I guess you guys don't do that," Hinata explained. "We have a sort of two family system...The Main House and the Branch House...so for the Main House is...myself, my sister...and my father. And my grandmother and grandfather, of course."
She didn't mention her mother , Shino noted. Could there be a reason for that?
"And the Branch House are the extended families...I mean, technically, we have different levels of relations with one another, but the Main House is representative of the clan and runs the family's internal and external affairs while...the Branch House protects the clan."
"It's interesting," Hinata continued, her voice almost as though she was thinking, reflecting. "I thought most of the noble clans run like that. I know the Yamanaka Clan has something technically like that though...I suppose ours would be a more... traditional form of it."
"We don't typically separate the families in that way, no," Shino replied. "The head of the clan is guided by the elders...usually it has a lineage in one family, but...it does not have to be that way necessarily."
"Oh really?" Hinata replied, nodding along. "B-but I'm sure you had to go through all the rituals and ceremonies right? Or is it different...for you..."
We eat insects in front of the goddess and call it a day. "You could say that we do a coming-of-age ceremony. It is not as formal as what you are doing; it only lasts for 10 minutes and it's mostly for the clan to get together in a celebration."
"That sounds nice," Hinata said, a small smile growing on her face, her face softening slightly. "It sounds a lot more fun compared to what we do."
"Yes," Shino replied, recollecting the pieces of information from the night's conversation, the most intruding ones stirring up in his vocal chords, rising through his throat and...here comes the word vomit. "Recently, there have been research projects that are progressing very well, and it seems as though we might have a breakthrough when it comes to a new breed of insects to utilize in the upcoming years. Because it has been a while since this has occurred for the clan, it has caused a lot of buzz in the clan."
Literally and figuratively speaking.
"I-I see," Hinata responded, and while her eyebrows pulled in slightly when he had mentioned the word 'insect', she never strayed her glance away from him, nodding. "Is that something you might consider doing in the future?"
The future, she says. Shino hadn't thought much about what he wanted to do beyond graduating from the Academy. He did have an ultimate goal of hopefully discovering a new species and having it named after him...however, he hasn't given it much thought about how to go about it.
The future…
There's so many futures to choose from...
"Uh, Shino?"
Ah. He realised that he didn't respond to Hinata immediately.
"Perhaps," Shino said instead. "When the time comes."
"When the time comes," Hinata whispered, glancing down to the floor. "Like a faithful timing? When the universe decides the timing is right…"
An odd question to ask suddenly. How interesting. "You don't believe in that?"
"I'm not sure," Hinata said, and Shino could see from his peripheral view her eyes lifted up towards the sky. The white puffs traveled across the now blue sky slowly, at a steady pace, never astray. Her next words came out in a sigh, "I'm not sure what I believe in."
Shino was not sure how to respond to her words. Does she expect him to reply? Or would it be best to remain silent? As was always taught in his family, perhaps silence spoke louder than words can. Perhaps for now, his silence might be what Hinata wanted from him.
And so he didn't say anything. There was an ant, small and black, walking across the pavement of the path leading to the very stairs they sat on...hmm… it was a common black garden ant, from what Shino could deduce from this distance. Not a carpenter ant, a much more interesting ant in Shino's humble opinion…
He could see the ant continuing through his path horizontally across the floor, towards the other side where the grass laid.
Can we eat it? Let's eat it? He heard the buzzing chattering inside his arms, and he had to mumble to himself.
"No."
"Hm?" Hinata suddenly perked up, looking over at Shino with a glance. "Sorry, did you say something, Shino?"
"No, not at all," Shino replied quickly, feeling the nape of his neck warming up. He hoped that the collar of his coat was covering his face, oh Abura-hime, was he that loud?
He suddenly heard a distant sound, almost like a puppy's bark, and he focused his attention away from the insect towards the sides of the road ahead. There was a momentary pause, before another bark could be heard suddenly, a bit clearer than before, nearing their location.
Oh no.
"It appears…" Shino started, pausing hesitantly, when he heard the bark again. Much louder. Should be about...50 meters away. "Akamaru is almost here."
"Oh?" Hinata hummed, and another bark could be heard, before a distinct voice sharply yelled, 'Alright! I'm with ya!'. The edges of her lips turned up slightly, and she nodded, "Yes...he is pretty close…"
Immediately, they saw white and grey dots rising up from the path on the horizon in front of them, up the hill that led to this building they stood near. Shino glanced down towards the ant that was on the pavement, seemingly frozen in the middle, the ground shaking underneath its feet.
Shino felt his throat go dry. He knew what kind of person Kiba was- he barely paid attention to what was in front of him, nevermind what was beneath his feet. If this ant didn't move quickly, it was going to end up as an...ant pancake.
...A p ant cake.
Shino quickly stood up, and walked towards the area where the ant stood. He stood further to the side, around the ant, and stood in front of it. He heard sandals hitting the pavement in small steps, hesitant with gaps in between the movement, but it followed the same path he took.
The young Inuzuka and his companion pup came charging through the dirt street onto the pavement path, stopping immediately in front of Shino and Hinata.
Shino glanced back with a minor tilt of the head, and saw the little black dot start to scurry away along the path he was originally following, scurrying into the grass on the side.
Shino can finally breathe easy.
"Ugh...made it," Shino could hear Kiba mumble between pants. He immediately stood up after catching his breath, taking a step towards the two. "Kurenai-sensei isn't here yet?"
"No," Hinata spoke first, gently. "She must be getting something.. ."
"Oh yeah?" Kiba nodded, pausing to gulp, as he placed his hand in his hoodie pocket. "How long...were y'all here?"
"We…" Hinata started, before Akamaru walked in front of her, wagging his tail, and gave a little bark in greeting. Hinata, it appeared, was more preoccupied by the puppy than answering Kiba's question.
This dog has taken a real liking to Hinata, it was obvious since they were assigned a team. He must have sensed Hinata's gentle demeanor immediately and took a liking to it...Akamaru only started to be around Kiba during their last year at the Academy, a fresh pup. They didn't have much group work during their final year...it was unlikely Akamaru really encountered Hinata much unlike Kiba's many times throughout the years.
Hinata bent down and gave a little pat on Akamaru's head, and his white tail flopped around side to side, faster.
"A while," Shino spoke in her stead. "...What...took you two so long?"
Kiba opened his mouth, inhaling sharply, probably about to run his mouth at Shino...it's not as if he said it maliciously... he was curious why the Inuzuka was panting the way he was. Instead, he paused, letting out a sigh.
"You know how it is," Kiba sighed. "My Mom got wasted on booze so I had to make a dash to the convenient store to get some meds before coming here."
"Your mom got…Wasted?" Hinata repeated, head snapping up towards him, inflecting up at the end, disbelief in her tone. Kiba did not notice, however.
"Yeah, she was making everyone there drink too. I swear, they just use any good news as an excuse to drink," Kiba scoffed. "And it was supposed to be a celebration for me, but I ended up having to run around and serve the guests!"
"You served the guests." Shino repeated, now curious. Who would have thought that the Inuzuka were equitable.
"I had to. My Mom was doing some shit for some mission she went on and didn't come back until night. So I had to help out and hand tea and whatever to them," Kiba replied, before rolling his eyes. "I would never do that, but I felt bad, so I had to . But it's whatever- it was all just clan members, you know?"
An excuse, perhaps, or an attempt to seem more macho, as if he was the last resort and wouldn't typically do so. Though...Shino was doubtful. It appeared that Kiba would be the type to listen to his sister or mother, funnily enough.
"I mean that's nice," Hinata said in a mild tone. "You helping them out..."
Kiba stared at her, a bit...confused, it appeared, his eyebrows were furrowed in more than it usually is. He blinked, then continued, his tone a bit light, "You think so?"
"W-Well, I mean…" Hinata stumbled, now taken aback by her question, glancing away. "Yeah, helping out is always nice, right?"
"...Guess so," Kiba replied, glancing slightly away.
Huh.
Weird. Why did he react like that?
Though Shino was unsure of whether to press him...not that he cares to ask Kiba much of this kind of stuff, it makes their relationship more...personal than what he wants to maintain. He wants to keep the line of professionality there.
"Seems like we're all here," a smooth voice suddenly said behind them, and they glanced back. Lo and behold, there stood their sensei, wearing her red dress with white bandages, her long black hair flowing behind her. Her makeup was vibrant on her clean skin, the purple bright and the red freshly painted, ready for the day ahead. Shino's eyes strayed towards her arms on the side, holding a manila file securely in her hand. Kurenai gave a small smile, her head tilting slightly, "I hope you all had a good night's sleep?"
"As good as it can get," Kiba spoke up first, Akamaru following up with a small bark. "What about you, sensei?"
She probably had a good night drinking… Shino thought mildly, while Kurenai set out a slight sigh. "I guess I could say the same. I had to come back here to give a report to the Hokage. Soon you will be doing that too."
She held the package up in her hand, waving it slightly. Kurenai continued, "I got your contracts and the documents here. We just have to go and pick up your IDs and then we can find a place to discuss everything you need to know as you progress as a shinobi."
Kurenai led them through the tall doors, emerging into a main hall. The layout of this building was unique in that the circular concave of the outer red walls were not simply for aesthetic purposes; the floors themselves were shaped as a circle as well, providing a space that you would not typically see in Konoha besides the entrance of the Academy, sitting nearby this building and connected through an underground corridor.
The floors were tiled by a pale red travertine, a type of stone specifically from where most of the Land of Fire's popular hot springs were, near the border by the Land of Hot Water, Shino remembered Iruka saying when they took a class trip around the premises. The centre of this main hall, much larger in size than the other floors, had a receptionist desk that was in itself circular, with two people on chairs, one on the computer and the other reading a book. Right at the entrance that they walked through, there were a few lines of chairs, seating spaces for civilians and Shinobi alike. On the perimeters of the hall, behind where the main circular pillars stood, there were long, deep pune brown desks that had glass partitions on the top side of the desk facing the hall, with signs hanging from the low ceiling in front of them, various services written on the white planks in red letter: Marriage Licensing, Birth/Death Certificates, Parks & Recreations, Training Ground Rentals … the works.
Most of the services, Shino noted, were ones the civilians would be able to use.
"From now on, to receive missions, we'll go down this hallway," Kurenai pointed out a hallway against one of the walls, leading diagonally out of the space they were in. They followed Kurenai to the entrance of the hallway, open, and Shino noticed immediately how the tiling changed from stone to bamboo. The walls were reinforced with a paper like material, a traditional Konohan vibe to them as they were lined with deep brown wood, handles and structures. "It leads to a separate building where civilians can file a request for our services. This part of the building is connected directly to the Academy through the basement floor- I'm sure you may not have accessed it much while you were students, but it is easily accessible in cases of emergencies and whatnot."
"What about that one," Kiba asked, pointing to the other hallway, against the wall as a mirror of the hallway they were going through. "Where does that hallway go?"
"That building is specifically for Jonins," Kurenai replied. "You can go there when you become one."
When? I don't think that is logically possible. Shino nearly scoffed. Kiba as a Jonin...he can't really imagine that. Jonins are, after all, the 2nd strongest shinobi in the Village, the title is reserved only for those who have proven themselves highly capable.
"I'm sure you have already had a tour of this building during a class trip," Kurenai continued as she walked away from the hallway, towards the side of the foyer, where there were stairs leading up around the walls, above the ceiling. "So consider this a refresher. The second floor is typically the offices directly for the Village Council and workers under their stead. If there is an incident that occurs during a mission, you would have to submit papers in room 204. You'll find yourself there quite often."
Injuries , Shino presumes. Though, as a Genin, he wonders what kind of injuries would warrant a visit. They walked up the stairs, entering a circular hallway, in the middle a wall made of wood concave out a circle in the central part of the floor, darker shades of brown doors separated every 10 meters as they walked through the hall.
They passed Room 204, from the red plaque bearing the white letters inscribed. The door to the room opened, two taller people walking through, one with dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders, a blue bandana with the silver plaque with the Konoha symbol on his forehead, and a long toothpick...or was it a senbon... in his mouth. The other had short brown hair, the headband brandishing his forehead and...to put it lightly, he had a scar of sorts running along one side of his face, vein-like that made it hard for Shino not to focus on. That, and well, he had a crutch as well, under his right arm. They both wore the green flak jacket - Chunin or Jonin, Shino was not sure.
"Alright, we'll see you around," the one with the bandana headband said into the room, the other one limped out while giving a wave to whomever was inside, using his crutch to balance himself. Shino saw his left foot was covered in a white cast, thick plaster that covered most of his ankle and foot.
"I don't need this stupid thing," the man with the crutch grumbled, holding onto it with his right arm and pushing on the ground, forcing himself forward. "And I can't believe they dragged us out here to file all those papers."
"You should've been more careful then," the other man said, hands in his pants pocket, a deep navy blue that matched the long sleeve shirt he wore. He glanced forward, looking directly at Kurenai, before his eyes trailed down towards...them. He immediately stopped walking, making the other man stop as well. "Well, look at that. These are the new Genins, Kurenai?"
"Yes - all three of them," Kurenai replied, nodding. She glanced over towards them, raising an eyebrow. "Go ahead- introduce yourselves. They're technically your superiors and you might have to work with them eventually."
"Don't scare them like that," the one with the bandana said lightly, giving them a glance. Shino saw Hinata's face looking down towards the ground, her fingers twiddling with the strings of her hoodie, eyes straying around. "You guys sure are quiet...did you do something to them, Kurenai?"
"Of course not," Kurenai suddenly snapped, now frowning. "They're just shy. They're new, after all."
"That won't do well in the field," the man with the crutch said gruffly.
"They're just kids," Kurenai insisted. "Straight from the Academy. You know how it is."
"We couldn't afford to be that way back then," the man replied, shaking his head.
Clearly, the man with the crutch was not having a good day...or maybe this was just how he typically was.
"I'm Shino Aburame," Shino found himself speaking suddenly, giving a short bow towards the man. This must have caught Kiba's attention, and he immediately followed suit, bowing as well.
"Kiba Inuzuka."
"I-I," Hinata started, stumbling over her words, taken by surprise by their sudden introduction. Her eyes never looked up towards them, however, through quivering lips she spoke, "I'm Hinata Hyuuga...it's a pleasure to meet you...uh…"
"Genma Shiranui," the man with the bandana replied, a little nod.
"Namiashi," the man with the crutch followed, with Genma rolling his eyes.
"I have never called you Namiashi in my life. We all call him Raido," Genma said, waving his hand slightly, glancing over at his companion who shot him a glare. His piercing eyes returned back to Shino, Kiba, and Hinata, and continued with the same mild tone, "You kids are in luck. Kurenai will teach you well."
Raido let out a low hum from his throat, keeping his gaze towards Kurenai. "I heard Asuma's team passed as well."
"But you already knew that, right?" Genma asked. To this, Shino saw the way Kurenai's lips faltered down, a slight twitch in the corner of her mouth, her eyes suddenly narrowing at his words.
Asuma...Has he heard that name before?
Kurenai's face returned back to its neutral state almost immediately, so quickly that if you weren't watching, you would have thought she had always had that face on. Instead of answering Genma, her eyes scanned over Raido, and continued, "What happened to you?"
"Raido here wasn't paying attention- tripped over a tree trunk and twisted his ankle," Genma immediately answered, chuckles escaping as he spoke. "You should've seen the way he flew across the forest - it was hysterical!"
"Yeah sure...real funny," Raido replied sharply, his eyes narrowing towards the other man.
"All this for a twisted ankle?" Kurenai pressed, and one of her fine black eyebrows raised up slightly, tilting her head. Disbelief or disappointment...Shino felt it was a mixture of both. He noticed that she did this face often...
Raido shook his head.
"Don't listen to this guy," Raido huffed. "We were on a capture mission...and well, Genma did not coordinate his move properly and I broke my ankle."
"I find it hard to believe that you two are supposed to be the Hokage's finest bodyguards," Kurenai said mildly, the tip of her lips lifting.
"Only the best for the old man," Genma replied. "Are you going to visit him?"
"No, I'm just giving them a tour and their contracts," Kurenai replied. "We have to pick up their IDs. Do I go in there?"
She nodded her head towards the door the two men had just walked through.
"Should be," Genma replied, shoulders rising up and down quickly. He looked over towards them, the edge of his lips slightly up, a smirk. He continued walking along the side of the hall, Raido following by his side. "Hope you kids took a nice picture. You can't change that for another 5 years."
"Say what now," Kiba asked suddenly, a bit louder than he had spoken up until that point. Genma gave a slight wave as he continued to walk down the hallway, towards the direction of the staircase they had just taken. Kiba turned around to look at Kurenai, glancing up towards their sensei. "Did I hear that right? 5 years? Did he just say 5 years?!"
"You heard right," Kurenai replied, her tone a bit softer than how she spoke before, yet still with a similar command as she typically had. She started to walk, forcing Shino and the others to quickly follow. "It's a good enough time to look noticeably different."
"What if my photo is bad," Kiba asked quickly, "Can I retake it?"
"If you could do that, then everyone in the Force would have retaken theirs," Kurenai commented with a slight sigh. "Photos are expensive, you know - you can only use a film once. They have to import them as well. Whatever they capture is what you get."
"What does your ID look like, sensei?" Kiba asked as Kurenai held the door open into Room 204.
Kurenai ignored him.
...Good thing I fixed my hair that morning…
Shino wouldn't say that he looked horrible in his Ninja ID Card though...there was much to even be seen to begin with. The card was a white, 86 mm x 54 mm rectangular shaped object. Slightly flexible, but not too flimsy, and should fit most people's pockets and wallets. The photo on the card was in colour, sitting on the right hand side of the card. Shino's photo stared back at him...or he assumed he was staring forward, he doesn't remember really looking at the photographer when he got his photo taken. The black lenses of his glasses helped hide his eyes and where his pupils strayed. His face was facing forward, and you could see his nose and his lips...but immediately beneath his lips were covered, his chin and neck never exposed, hidden underneath the collar of his coat.
On the right half of the card was his relevant information, his name was stated broadly on the top, last name before first name. Underneath was his date of birth...then his shinobi ranking...and then his Ninja Registration Number.
Full name: Aburame Shino
D/O/B: 23/01/xx
Rank: Genin
NRN: 012618
Date of Issue: Jan xxxx
Date of Expiration: Jan xxxx
They were currently on the rooftop of the Academy, shifting over towards the building after picking up their cards and finding a spot underneath the trees that were planted in rectangular aisles, behind the small stairs that lead out to the railing that faced outwards to the Village. Kurenai stood in front of them as they sat on the edge of the elevated border surrounding the trees. Hinata had found herself sitting between Shino and Kiba… and Shino wouldn't want it any other way.
Shino glanced over to the side, finding Hinata staring at her ID card intensely, holding it with both hands, between tight fingers. Her head was tilted down, the card so close to her eyes, a slight frown on her face.
Kiba had been much more vocal about how his photo looked, letting out a groan when he got the card in the office and shoving it deep into his wallet immediately, before tucking into his beige pack.
Akamaru, on the other hand, wagged his tail when he saw his photo...and yes, Shino hadn't known that even ninken needed to be registered with the Village, or even that they were considered their own ninja entity, however, he will not venture into the legalities of the Leaf Shinobi System.
If anything, why does Akamaru get an identification card and not Shino's insects? Sure, there's plenty of them, but is one animal truly superior to the other? They would both be considered below humans if you were to take into account of their capabilities, and yet, the dog is being treated like -
"Now that you're settled in, I'll go over your contracts and the procedures as a shinobi of the Leaf," Kurenai spoke, pulling Shino's attention away from Hinata. "If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask me at all. This is a legal document. The contract you sign is a life-long agreement binding you to the Village. The procedures and expectations as shinobi are also included here. I want to make sure you all understand what to expect and where to go when you agree to be binded to serve and protect this Village without any doubts in your mind. Do you understand?"
Shino looked down at the stacks of papers, binded together with a staple, the front page etched in black, 12 point letters. Service Contract & Agreement was written in big bold letters, the Konoha leaf symbol painted boldly underneath, with the word Konohagakure written underneath.
"Let's begin," Kurenai said, as she flipped over the cover page. "The first page is basically some words about your honourable job as a shinobi serving the Village and words of courage...you know, whatever your Academy sensei must have told you after you graduated. The next page has a few definitions and terms that you should get yourselves completely familiarized with, such as the rankings and missions. You know that upon completion of your graduation from the Academy, you are automatically assigned the title of Genin. There are a few definitions included in this, including what a Genin is and the other titles. I'm assuming that you know the difference between a Genin and other shinobis?"
"Yeah, you can't do anything when you're a Genin," Kiba replied suddenly, his voice drawlings bit. The paper she had given them sat on his lap. "Like, you're basically doing chores in and out of the Village."
"Well, as Genin, you do not have the skills to be going on any sort of missions," Kurenai replied. "You've only just got out of the Academy, only learning skills through a controlled environment. Genins are the lowest ranking shinobi for the skill set, I won't deny that. However, as you proceed throughout the year, you'll be able to gradually increase it through missions. And it's not as if you will be one forever if you wish- the next rank after that, Chūnin, reflects this change in skills. And then after that we have the second-highest ranking shinobis- the Jonins."
"Which is you," Kiba replied, and Kurenai flashed a smile.
"Exactly. As you gain skills and experience, eventually you'll be able to achieve these ranks. And the only way to build these skills is through mission. There are 5 ranks when it comes to missions, all based on their priority and the type of skills you need to effectively carry out the goal."
Shino glanced down at the ranks listed on the page, bolded with their definitions beside it. They learned this in the Academy, though, it does not hurt to have a refresher...
"The lowest rank, D rank, is the one that doesn't pose a risk to your life," Kurenai continued, lifting up her right hand, holding up five, slender fingers up. "Typically that's what you three will start off with. Typically civilians in the Village and nearby places would ask for aid; farming, caring for their loved ones, and general community help falls under D rank."
"So yeah, I was right," Kiba sighed. "We do the chores."
"Think of it this way," Kurenai started, her voice careful and slow. "While you're not going out there and putting your life at risk, you're still learning foundational skills. You're helping your community out and establishing a relationship with people in the Village. And you'd be surprised how many skills you'll pick up from doing these types of missions."
"Sure, whatever you say, sensei," Kiba replied, glancing back down at the page. The tip of Kurenai's lip twitched up slightly, Shino could see, but whatever she may be thinking at the moment, she did not show explicitly.
"The next rank up is C rank," Kurenai sighed out, folding her thumb in. "These missions have a minimal chance of combat against another shinobi, but there is a risk of injury. You will only start getting these type of missions after you have a bit of experience as a Genin. Typically, these are also done by inexperienced Chūnin as well. Then we have B-rank , assigned mostly to experience chunins and have a likely risk of encountering other ninjas. A-rank and S-rank, though, are only reserved for Jonins. These ones require a special type of finesse in skills, not only physical, but mental as well. They mostly involve the Village or the state-level affairs...but I will spare you the details of those. I doubt we will be doing any of that this year."
"Those sound like the most fun," Kiba mumbled under his breath. Shino had to agree...he doesn't know if he can handle running around the Village taking care of the business of civilians, typically the elderly, for over a year…
"Now that you understand your role and what to expect," Kurenai continued. "There are few services and benefits that you'll receive as shinobi of the Leaf. Isn't that great? The longer you're in the forces, the higher your proportion of your pay will be per mission. That, and you'll get an increase of an extra week of paid vacation every 5 years."
They must be expecting us to die before we can get half a year's worth , Shino thought mindlessly, glancing down at the pages again.
"You get health benefits as well on top of the ones you already have as citizens of Konoha...To be frank, the Village covers most of the health services for everyone anyways, but for additional services such as rehabilitation, psychiatrists, massage therapists... therapies in general ...they cover those. You just have to submit a form to the Village and those services will be covered. Trust me...you'll need those."
"Therapies?" Kiba replied. "Like what, like yoga and meditation therapies?"
It was bad that Shino automatically assumed that as well.
"Well, you know, the typical ones shinobis need," Kurenai said. "Mental health, addictions...all those fun stuff. Most people don't use it, but if it's there, then you should use it."
I hope she takes her own advice .
"Take advantage of these too," Kurenai sighed. "I would have loved having these as a Genin. Also, you get a discount on onsens and hot springs if you show your ninja card around selected places."
"As well...You automatically have life insurance that covers death while carrying out a mission that puts your life on the line - so any B rank missions and above. Automatically, the Village will give the insurance to the first immediate family member, however, if you get a will in order you will be able to determine who can claim the insurance. You might want to consider getting that in order as soon as possible…"
"If we're only going on D rank missions, then what's the big deal?" Kiba scoffed.
"Be happy they even implemented life insurance," Kurenai replied, shaking her head slightly. "You know, before they had this, when a shinobi died in battle, the Village would just give 10,000 ryo to the family and call it a day."
"Back in the War days," Kiba asked cheekily. "Were you a shinobi during those time?"
"Actually, I was," Kurenai replied. "I must have been a Chūnin around that time."
"Really?" Kiba asked, eyebrows perking up, surprised. "Wait...How old are you, Kurenai-sensei?"
"...Moving on to the occupational health section...the Village requires you to report any and every injury that you experienced during a mission. This is both mental and physical injuries," Kurenai said, ignoring his question. "Obvious worst case scenarios are enduring torture, losing a limb, all of those things. They have a list of them here."
"As well, if you are ill in any way that requires you to rest and stay home you are obliged to inform the Village by submitting a Health report as well as the approximate time it would take for you to heal," Kurenai continued. "Even if it's a mild cough...even though it may not affect your regular D rank missions, for anything above, you must report whether you're sick or not. We want our shinobis to carry out their health in tip top shape- we can't afford to send out Shinobis to the field, especially for missions that could involve encountering another shinobi."
"So if I'm sore after a mission," Kiba asked. "I can just take a few weeks off."
What a stupid question, Shino thought, bitterly. He's just asking questions for the hell of it...why does he feel the need to talk so much?
"If you don't need medications and rest, or any other medical help, then not necessarily," Kurenai said. "Being sore requires you to stretch and rest...typically after a mission, you would have enough time to rest in order to resume working. It also depends on the ratio of shinobi currently in the Village and the amount of missions we get. D rank missions typically last a day...typically for Genin who only do D rank missions, you should expect an off day once every week. If you work on a holiday, you will be given twice the portion of payment from a mission that is on or lasts during the holiday."
"This is most relevant for the girls," Kurenai continued. "On the topic of when you are required to report that you are unable to go on a mission related to your health. You are obliged to not go on any C rank or above missions when you are on your period. Do you know why that is?"
Shino could see the way Hinata's face started to flush pink, creeping up along her neck to her cheeks first, spreading across like water paint on a canvas. She pushed her chin deeper into the collar of her jacket, hiding her face.
"Don't be embarrassed," Kurenai said, raising an eyebrow, her voice still smooth. "This is natural. And this isn't something you should shy away from, especially since you are going to train as a tracking team."
"The smell," Kiba suddenly mumbled, mustering enough to look up towards Kurenai, though his ears were still flushed red. "It's easier to track down. Like most things from a person, though."
"Exactly," Kurenai said, nodding. "Honestly, this is for any bodily fluids. You were already taught this in the Academy, I'm pretty sure, on how to hide your trail...making sure nothing, not even a strand of hair, was left behind. If you get it during a mission, it's fine, but you would have to report it if it could potentially pose a threat to you and your teammates safety."
Surprisingly, he wasn't such a pervert about it, Shino thought, glancing over at Kiba, who seemed to be slightly hiding his head into his hood now. He seemed more embarrassed than Hinata at this point...Then again, he was raised around women. Shino doubts that they would attempt to hide anything like that from him, judging by how rambunctious the Inuzuka were...
"Refer to the clause at the bottom as well, because this is probably the most important thing you need to remember," Kurenai said, and Shino noted how her voice deepened slightly...a bit of biting and sharper tone to her voice. "If you decide to leave the Village - as in, if you decide to defect from your position as a Leaf Shinobi without being honorably discharged by the Hokage...the Village will be forced to see you as a traitor and you will be branded as a Rogue ninja."
Of course , Shino thought, glancing over the clause. It only made sense. As a shinobi of Konoha, you had the duty to your Village before anyone else. You are charged with keeping the Village and the people in the Village safe from harm's way, whether through explicit or implicit means...and...
"You all come from families that are entrenched in the Konoha Shinobi system, so I won't draw this out longer than it has to. Shinobis carry the secrets of the Village...intentionally leaving the VIllage means that you no longer hold the safety of the Village at hand...," Kurenai continued. "The only way for you to leave the Shinobi Forces is to be discharged by the Hokage themself."
"I mean, what other way could there be?" Kiba said, his voice a bit humorous, a bit of a smile on his face. Shino could see the way Kurenai's eyes hardened suddenly, her jaw flexing as she clenched her teeth, however, she relaxed her face within a second.
"...Well, being killed in action is one way," she simply responded.
There was a sudden silence that fell over him, or even moreso, the atmosphere dropped in a heartbeat. Kiba's smile fell slightly, still tight, but a little less enthusiastic. Shino could see Hinata's eyes widen, and while she never looked up towards Kurenai as she said those words, Hinata's hands tightened into each other.
"Sorry," Kurenai suddenly said, her voice dropping to a soft tone. "I should have said it in a nicer way, but there is no other way to say it. But the life of a shinobi always has that risk. I think I told you this yesterday as well."
The shinobi world is not fair , she had said. There are no rules out there...no such thing as rules for shinobis, at least.
"Kill or be killed," Kurenai continued. "Always keep that in mind."
That's the law of nature, Shino thought, glancing down to the ground. Even though he couldn't see, there were likely tiny critters lurking between the crevices of the tiles, hiding from those who could potentially eat them. The natural world, he thinks, is much kinder...animals don't torture each other. The only thing compelling them is to eat and procreate...Humans, on the other hand…
"Don't think too much about it," Kurenai suddenly said, tilting her head on the side. "Like Kiba said, we will mostly be doing chores around the Village. And with that, the rest of the contract just covers more of the logistics if you're interested in reading it. The last page...is where you sign with a blood print."
Shino flipped to the back, taken aback by the difference in texture of the paper, a beige tone rather than the pure white of the other pages. It was thicker...almost like the parchment found in a scroll. The writing was not from a print, rather, it was handwritten with the calligraphy of a master, dancing along the page.
"If you sign this, you're bound for life to serving the Village," Kurenai repeated, watching them with red irises, reading their every movement from that moment on. "Remember that."
Shino looked down to his right thumb. There was nothing else for him to doubt. This was the path he worked for...and this is the path he ended up choosing for the rest of his life. No matter where it may lead him.
Come, Shino commanded, and suddenly a black dot oozed out, squeezing and pushing through the skin, as the bug broke free, blood pricking out as a spherical blob. He pressed his thumb at the bottom of the paper, the blood spreading out under the pressure, into the crevices of his thumbprint. He lifted his thumb up, and lo and behold, his thumbprint was permanently on the page.
His life was no longer his.
From his peripheral view, he watched as Kiba lifted up his thumb to his mouth, his canine teeth baring as he bit through his skin, blood spilling out as he pushed it onto the page. Shino supposed that he was signing for both himself and Akamaru. The dog just watched as his master took his paw, smearing his blood over Akamaru's padded foot, and placed it on the same paper, beside Kiba's fingerprint.
Hinata was much more hesitant. She had a kunai in her hand, holding it against her index finger, holding the blade against her skin, but she did not move it for a moment. Then, she moved it across her skin quickly, and the blood dripped out. Hinata's hand was shaking slightly, the smallest of vibrations, and she pushed it to the paper quickly pulling it off as soon as she placed it.
Once Hinata finished, Kurenai lifted up her hand, making a ram sign. The contracts that were in front of them suddenly were engulfed with puffs of white smoke, and as the smoke settled around them, the contracts have disappeared- leaving the other pages behind.
"Congratulations! You are now officially inaugurated as a Shinobi of the Leaf," Kurenai said lightly, walking towards them. "We can now start with a mission! Come along."
Kiba immediately stood up, Akamaru by his side, and trotted alongside him as Kurenai walked through the aisle towards the staircases leading into the building they were on. Shino stood up as well, and started to walk when he noticed that Hinata was still sitting down.
Staring off somewhere. Her eyebrows were furrowed in.
It was as though she were in deep thought...
"Hinata," Shino said, and Hinata perked up, standing up immediately as she looked towards them.
"S-sorry, I'm coming," Hinata said as she walked quickly towards Kurenai and Kiba. Should he ask Hinata if something were wrong?
It's not my place, I think, Shino convinced himself, and he followed along, not saying another word.