I needed more interaction between Sachi and Shibi.

Chapter 14

If it's not one thing it's another

It was the day following Sachi's excursion to the Aburame compound that her life was destined to get much more complicated.

As was typical of the end of Sachi's shifts at the bookstore, she heard the buzzing of an insect user waiting outside. She smiled to herself and hurried out the door. When the person turned to her she passed her chakra over them and was surprised to find it was not Shino as she had expected but Shibi. She frowned.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here, Shibi-san."

"Apologies for the disappointment," his gruff voice answered.

She winced. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just didn't think you would be here. Is Shino-kun back then?"

"No, he won't be back for at least a few days. I'm sure he regrets not being able to tell you himself."

"That's fine. I'm sure he would have if he had the time. Did you need something then? You seemed like you were waiting for me."

"Yes, I was. I was hoping you would let me treat you to a meal. We have matters to discuss."

"Uh, sure, I guess. Lead the way then." She fell into step next to him as he began their trek. "So, what matters do you mean?"

"What did Shino tell you about that insect when he gave it to you? I know it is not the same Kai-san as before."

Sachi didn't question his knowledge. Either Shino had told him or since he was most likely out of the village for the duration of Kai-chan's hatching process, he probably was perceptive enough to pick up on the differences.

"He said a female kikai can live up to a year and I have to work harder to keep other insects from following Kai-chan."

Shibi sighed in exasperation, a quiet action that only Sachi seemed to pick up on as her chakra passed over him in curious worry.

"It seems he neglected to tell you that giving a female kikai to an outsider is an old form of a marriage proposal."

Sachi stopped dead in the street. Shibi had to pivot slightly to regard her as embarrassment colored her face.

"What? No, no, no, no, no! No!" she rushed out. "We're not- I just- I only just met Shino-kun a few weeks ago," she continued bashfully. "I didn't agree to marry him. We just started dating two days ago. He's great and all and I really like him but that's too soon!"

"I understand. You do not need to worry. It hasn't been an official practice since the time of the first Hokage. It has long since been a thing of the past. But that is what we need to talk about."

She caught up with him as they entered into a restaurant.

"The elders of our clan have been made aware of your relationship with Shino as well as both the kikai you have possessed. While it may not be the marriage proposal it used to be it still implies a serious relationship. It is not something to be done frivolously. Neither is it something done for good friends. It speaks of a bond beyond friendship and unwavering trust, something I believe to be an apt description of your relationship."

"I guess so. But how did the council know about the kikai? I haven't been telling anyone."

"Each time you passed into the gates of the Aburame compound you have met with a gate guard, yes?"

"Oh, you really can't get anything past an Aburame can you?" she asked.

Shibi's lips twitched in amusement.

"The council has a few problems with this. They only know of you through what they have heard from the gate guard, Shino and myself. They consider any positive qualities they hear to be either entirely false or embellishment. And the facts that you are both blind and a civilian do not please them as they assume Shino has already made his decision to bring you into our clan. This is the first issue. They believe you to be of undesirable lineage to bring into the clan." Sachi scowled at this but let Shibi continue. "Initially they were willing to overlook your possession of the male kikai due to its short lifespan and lack of profound meaning if it had been a gift. Now that you possess a female they believe Shino is going behind their backs possibly to elope with you against the council's will.

"Of course I believe none of the accusations towards Shino or you. And such accusations, unfortunately, do not end there. There have been accusations of you stealing clan secrets and Shino to be a traitor. Thier ultimate aim is to discredit you as a potential partner for Shino and thereby have the right to take the insect from you."

Sachi let out an undignified squeak. "They want to take Kai-chan?"

"Yes. You may not be aware but clans take significant steps to keep their secrets within the clan. Hence the reason Shino is in hot water over this. They don't wish to charge the clan heir of treason, especially without justification and evidence. We are already so few in number there is no one more suitable to take up the mantle if Shino were renounced as clan heir. Which is why they wish to put all the blame on you."

Sachi felt the all-too-familiar burning in her chest when others considered her less than normal or worthy because of her eyes.

"I know my son. He would not have entrusted you with another insect or let you keep the first if he didn't trust you to keep our secrets."

"So, they are saying we can't be together because I am not worthy of a clan heir?" she bit out harshly. "Why? Because I am a civilian or because I am blind? And what's all that about Shino-kun maybe being renounced as the clan heir?"

"They do not wish you to be together for both reasons you have indicated. There is no evidence of your genetic line bearing strong shinobi, which is something expected of a clan heir's spouse. In addition to the fact that you are blind and they do not wish that trait to be passed down into our clan. As for your last question, when Shino becomes the clan head he will be expected to produce a viable heir to enter the shinobi profession and carry on our traditions and secret as all his predecessors have. Shino comes from a long line of shinobi with strong blood. If his children prove to be inadequate to take up the mantle expected of clan heirs he will be discredited and they will have to search the clan for a member strong enough to be the next heir."

"For one thing," she began, irritation bleeding into her tone, "there is no evidence that my family cannot provide good shinobi. And for another, my blindness isn't a genetic trait. It's specific to me. So you can tell those stuffy old elders to keep their opinions to themselves and shut up about things they do not know about! If they don't want us together then why not just say so?" She finished with a haughty huff.

"Your anger is misdirected at me. It is the Aburame elders that share these viewpoints, not myself. I told you yesterday I approve of you."

Her anger melted away at once as she recalled his words to be true. He had said as much just yesterday. "You do?" she asked for clarity.

"Yes. The elders have not had the opportunity to meet you. They have not seen a first-hand account of how powerfully attractive your chakra is to the kikai. That trait alone is desirable enough to wave any question of your genetic line. It is one of the reasons it became a practice to gift a kikai to an outsider upon a marriage proposal. If the kikai accepted the new host it was clear they would be genetically compatible."

"So, is it safe to assume that when Kai-san abandoned Shino-kun for me that he claimed me at least acceptable?" she asked curiously.

"In the rare cases like yours, where a kikai chooses you rather than simply accepts you, it becomes clear your genetics are golden when combined with that of an insect user. The council would be fools to try to discourage you from entering our clan.

"As for forbidding you and Shino to travel down the tentative path you have chosen for yourselves, the council has no official authority over marriages of clan members. You two could very well marry and the council would have to accept it. But as there has been no official engagement the council wishes to interfere before anything more serious can come of your relationship."

"Wait, wait. Let me get this straight. They think Shino-kun and I are engaged and because we aren't they will want to kill Kai-chan? But because they think we are engaged they want to be as bothersome as possible to scare me off?"

"In summary, yes. I have asked them for their patience, to wait until Shino returns to the village but they denied my request. No doubt Shino had a plan that would have made this go over much smoother but without him and time to plan we will have to do our best without him."

"You're going to help me?"

"Yes. I'm sure it's what Shino would do if he were here. Without him, I will take up the responsibility."

"So when is this happening? And what exactly is going to happen?"

"They have requested your presence tomorrow morning. They wish to convince everyone that you are unfit to be the mother of future clan heirs as well as confirm that you are not already formally engaged. If they are successful they will forcibly remove your kikai and terminate her."

"So what do we do to try to convince them otherwise?"

"We must impress upon them your willingness to be with Shino in a romantic sense. That as well as prove your genetic compatibility with the Aburame. They will no doubt argue every point and undermine you at every opportunity."

"You mean they are just going to humiliate me and insult me the whole time?"

"Essentially. Which is why we must prepare ourselves for what may come tomorrow."

I know some of you will be upset that Shino isn't going to be the one to help Sachi through this. But the council realized Shino probably had a plan and jumped at the chance to catch them off guard. I also felt it was very important to have more interaction between Sachi and Shibi. So I hope you won't hate me for Sending Shino away for a chapter or two.