"Hey, Shino, check this out," Itsu said to Shino before they began their usual stealth practice. It was the next afternoon, and Itsu was far too excited to not share his newfound abilities with his best friend.
"Hmm?" intoned Shino, inquisitively.
"I was messing with my chakra last night, and I figured out I could do something neat. Watch!"
He didn't have any void energy within him. Itsu burned through it all before going to bed and was unwilling to call upon in during the academy for fear of discovery, so he channeled his mark and felt the sensation of the void smother him again. Then, he blinked behind Shino, and immediately muted his breath, just like Shino had taught him..
Shino's head swiveled around in shock but didn't check behind him. Then, he put his hands together and flared his chakra, assuming that Itsu had put him under an illusory genjutsu. When nothing happened, Itsu reached out and touched him on the shoulder, causing him to jump.
"Hah, finally managed to sneak up on you!"
Shino stared at him. Itsu blinked across the field, and then right back in front of Shino.
"You can... teleport?" Shino deduced, the corners of his eyes stretched in a way that indicated shock.
"Yep! It's pretty costly on chakra, though," Itsu grimaced. "I call it blinking. It takes about a tenth of my reserves to pull one off, though." It didn't seem to be something that could be negated with more chakra control, only reserves training, as there was something of an equivalent exchange thing going on with his mark, which was a bit of a downer.
"It's not the only thing I can do though," Itsu's stretched grin showed, and he activated his eyes.
Shino froze. Itsu looked around. The clearing they were in was somewhat distanced from the village proper, but close enough that he could easily see the details with his void eyes.
"The house there," he motioned towards one of the few visible houses, "There's a mother on the second floor, cooking food, and a baby in the sitting room who's being looked after by the father. Oh, and there's a masked ninja in a boar mask, ANBU, probably, creeping around the rooftops and keeping an eye on the road."
"You... have a dojutsu? What exactly does it do?"
"See through walls, and highlights people. Err, highlights living things. And it helps me see a lot better! Cool, right!?"
When Shino didn't respond, turned to Shino, his eyes deactivating as they burned through the remnants of the void in his system. The boy's face was scrunched in thought, and it took a moment for him to speak.
"We need to tell my father."
Itsu blinked, a little surprised.
"Why? Aren't we supposed to keep things like this hidden, as a surprise? We are ninja, after all."
Shino took even longer to respond this time, clearly thinking very hard.
"Why? Because it's important that the Hokage knows about this. If you have a bloodline limit, that could make you a target for bloodline theft. Especially with a pair of chakra eyes, those are highly sought after."
Itsu grimaced, but acquiesced, responding, "I guess that makes sense. Just as long as it's not spread around everywhere. Just the Hokage and your father?"
"I can't promise it will just be them, but if you wish to keep a secret, it will likely not be shared around casually."
Hesitantly nodding, Itsu began to follow Shino as he turned and began to walk toward the Aburame homes.
"Do you know what your eyes look like when they're activated?" Shino questioned.
Surprised at the sudden shift in topic, Itsu shook his head.
"Nope, I, uhh, never considered it. Was kind of caught up in the moment."
"It's quite unusual. Rather than shifting the iris and pupil shifting, the entire eye seems to be enveloped in black."
Itsu was instantly reminded of the one who granted him his eyes, and the void nestled in his sockets. Yeah, unusual is a good word for it.
Seeming to think his silence to signify discomfort, Shino placated, "If it makes you a bit more comfortable, I can tell you about some of my family techniques."
Itsu's eyes widened. Shino had been notably evasive about any family techniques, and Itsu didn't push all that much, presuming it to be something of a family secret.
"How much do you know about the Aburame clan?" Shino inquired.
"Not much," admitted Itsu.
"Well, how do you feel about bugs?"
"They're alright, I suppose. Don't feel anything in particular towards them."
"Well, the Aburame clan is somewhat similar to the Inuzaka clan, though we control varieties of bug swarms instead of ninken."
Bug partners? Itsu had a feeling that they didn't give their insects forehead protectors like the Inuzakas gave their dogs. That would be quite a scene, though.
"Oh, is that why you didn't want to tell me much about your techniques? I don't find using bugs weird, really."
"Not quite. Well, it's related. Most people have a tendency to avoid the Aburames when they discover the specifics of our techniques, and where our bugs come from."
"Which is?"
Shino hesitated, clearly conflicted about telling Itsu. Eventually, though, his confidence broke through.
"The Aburame family houses bugs in our body, normally a variety that feeds on chakra, in a sort of hive. It's part of the reason we all wear such concealing outfits, as much of our body has... adapted to this."
It was strange, certainly, but not the strangest thing Itsu had ever heard.
"Does it hurt?"
Shino smiled at him.
"No, not particularly. Though we are introduced to our insects at a somewhat young age, and supposedly it takes a bit of time to get used to the feeling," Shino smirked, "Apparently, it's quite itchy."
An image of bugs crawling into a person's skin, only for them to itch and say something along the lines of "Oh, that's vaguely irritating," was just absurd enough to make him giggle a bit.
The Aburame clan wasn't nearly as ubiquitous as the former Uchiha or the Hyuga clan, and so they didn't a district of their own. Moreover, as Shino explained on their walk over, it was better they didn't have such a place so close to the village as it was a far better environment for their bugs out by the forest. Moreover, it prevented any civilians from getting too uncomfortable about the clan. Out of sight, out of mind, as it were.
That didn't mean their land wasn't large, though. As they approached the Aburame property, that quickly became apparent. The buildings weren't the uniform, compact streets of Konoha. Rather, it was dozens of simple houses, each spread apart seemingly randomly, and all with lively yards, full of flowers and wild grasses, each at least four times the size of the buildings themselves.
Eventually, the buildings seem to fade away into forests around Konoha, but from the glimpses of homes behind the trees, it seemed that it continued on regardless. There was one building that stood out, however, a comparably lavish but ultimately simple two-story home, clearly the building of the family head. The building Shino and Itsu were walking towards.
A couple of Aburame clan members, distinct with their dark glasses and covering garb, watched them as they walked towards the building. Itsu noticed a couple of bugs fly towards him and Shino, seeming to practically sniff at him as they buzzed around, before returning towards the others.
"They're just making sure we are who we are," Shino explained, "It's standard procedure to ensure nobody sneaks in."
The interior of the building was as fancy as the rest of the location, that is to say, not very. It was a nice, homely place, though a little barebones, with basic amenities like a well-worn sofa, tables, and other such standards, but not much else of note.
An unusual insect buzzed its way out of Shino's high collar, darting deeper into the house.
"Come on, sit down," Shino gestured to the beaten sofa he immediately began to lounge in. "I've sent a bug to Dad, he'll be here soon."
It was unusual to see Shino so casual. Normally he was rather uptight, and the closest thing to relaxed Itsu had ever seen were his small smiles. Was it the fact Shino was in his home?
That could explain it, Itsu thought. Shino had only mentioned it in passing on the way here, but it was clear that it was somewhat difficult for the Aburame to operate around people outside their clan. It would make sense for him to feel more comfortable in such a familiar place.
Or, Itsu thought, astounded as he sunk into the worn sofa, that he was on the single most comfortable sofa in existence. The plush cushion seem to wrap itself around him in a soft, warm velvet, and Itsu could say confidently this was the most comfortable seat he'd ever sat in. That was saying something, considering he'd traveled a good deal of the world and sat in many quality seats in his earlier years.
Itsu finally snapped out of his comfortable coma when a medium-built man with square, black spectacles, and somewhat scruffy facial hair.
"Hey, dad," Shino said, sounding almost like Shikamaru for a moment. Then, he quickly stood from the sofa and regained his composure.
"Your message said it was urgent?" Shino's father questioned stoically.
"Correct. I've found a new bloodline limit."
Shino's father tilted his head almost imperceptively at Itsu. Despite the diminutiveness of the gesture, Itsu felt as if every pore was being examined.
"Explain, please."
"Of course. We've recently begun experimenting with jutsus in the academy, and as a result, Itsu was experimenting more with chakra. He has demonstrated a dojutsu that allows him excellent sight from a distance, the capacity to see through solid walls, detect life, and a further ability to seemingly instantaneously teleport. Any other details or limits have not been studied."
Despite the dark glasses covering the man's eyes, Itsu could tell he was being stared at.
"Demonstrate," he commanded.
Itsu immediately drew upon the void at the instruction, warping across the room and back.
"And the eyes?"
Activating his void sight, Itsu glanced around.
"There is a woman sleeping in the building over there," Itsu pointed at a wall to his right, "And two men eating at a table in that building," pointing at a different angle to hs left before the small amount of energy he drew burnt out.
Shino's father had pulled out a pencil and notepad from his pocket while Itsu had been searching for appropriate examples of his sight. He hastily scrawled a message onto the paper and a small swarm of flying insects erupted from his sleeve and snatched it away.
"Come along with me, boys," He said, walking swiftly from the house.
The two boys scurried along behind him, a little confused, but ultimately compliant.
"We're going to see the Hokage. He will likely be expecting us."
They walked silently back to the village, though a large part of that was Shino and Itsu having to lightly jog to keep up with the man's swift stride. Just before they entered the village proper, the swarm released earlier buzzed back to Shino's father, dropping a much less makeshift note than the man had sent.
"Excellent, we are expected."
Itsu had never been into the Hokage Mansion. It was the residence of the Hokage and the head of their administration department, so it was quite secure and rarely allowed any but authorized ninja in.
Unlike the Aburame's simple homes, the Hokage's residence was quite affluent. It wasn't completely gold-plated or anything absurd, but everything within was noticeably well-kept and of extremely sturdy construction. The walk to the Hokage's office was quite short, and they were guided by an ANBU escort to the room after Shino's father presented the note his swarm had dropped off at the door.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, wasn't as impressive as the stories made him out to be. He was of small stature and old age, though admittedly he still managed to present a somewhat impressive presence regardless. He smiled ever so kindly at them, ceasing his paperwork upon their entry.
"Ah, Shibi, Shino, it's good to see you again. How have you been? Ah, and is the boy you mentioned?" lightly questioned the Shinobi God.
"I've been doing well, Hokage. And yes, this is the boy."
"Ah, excellent. Would you mind waiting a minute? I've called- ah, excellent"
A man had walked in behind them, his distinctive blank eyes signifying he was a Hyuga.
"You called for me, sir?"
"Ah, Hohetu. Yes, I believe you may be of assistance. Shibi has informed me that his son has found a new bloodline, would you be willing to assist in a quick examination?"
The Hyuga nodded, "Of course."
Hiruzen turned his gentle gaze to Itsu, who suddenly felt nervous under the eye of such an influential man.
"Well, then, would you be willing to demonstrate? Shibi mentioned eyes, but he didn't give many details."
"Uh, yes! Of course!" Istu said, voice a little higher than usual.
He drew upon the void— "Fascinating," the Hokage murmured— and blinked around the room.
"I can also do this," Itsu said, activating his void sight. "There are two ninja in the roof of this room, a cat mask and squirrel mask. I can see living things, their vision, and see noise."
One thing that was quite impressive, Itsu noticed, were the cones of vision possessed by the ninja around him. They seemed to have more awareness than anyone he had encountered previously. Most notably, Hiruzen's aware vision seemed to extend nearly as far as the average person's peripheral. Unconscious chakra enhancement, most likely.
"See noise?" The Hokage questioned the oxymoron.
"Oh, err, I can see the amount of noise something makes. Like if you drop a rock, or speak, I can see a visual of how much noise it made."
"I see," the old man pondered, puffing on a pipe. "Hohetu, his abilities seem to have obscured my chakra sensing. Were you able to see how it operated?"
The Hyuga shook his head, "No. There was a flare of his chakra at the beginning, and then it seemed to entirely fade. I would have assumed him a corpse if he wasn't moving. Though... there was something strange. May I see your left hand?"
Deactivating his eyes, Itsu resigned himself to displaying his mark and allowed the Hyuga to scour it. The man looked over the palm first, finding nothing before flipping it around and inspecting it further. It took a good quarter of a minute after flipping his hand palm down for the man to speak again.
"How strange, Hokage, could you look here? It functions somewhat like a genjutsu designed to divert attention away, but I can't detect any active chakra. Perhaps it has a similar obscuring trait to his bloodline?"
The Hokage rose from his chair, setting down his pipe and walked over to Itsu. Hiruzen stared at his hand for a couple of moments, brows furrowed, before his eyes lit up.
"Incredible! If you hadn't pointed it out, I wouldn't have ever noticed this... tattoo? I assume this is related to his chakra, somehow."
"That is correct. When he flared his chakra, some of it seemed more concentrated here, and the obscurement happened just slightly quicker on the left than the right."
Hiruzen turned from Hohetu to speak to Itsu, "Did you intentionally conceal this mark?"
"No," Itsu answered, honestly. After all, it was the Outsider who granted it that property.
"Strange," hummed the Hokage, studying the hand further. "It's almost like... but not quite..." The Hokage turned from studying his hand to look into his eyes, asking, "When did you get this tattoo?"
"I woke up with it the morning after... after my parents died."
"Hmmm, yes, I suppose..." the old man puffed on his pipe a few more times. "Regardless, this is quite something. It's rare for a bloodline to appear, much less one never heard of. I do not have the time to personally investigate this matter, I am afraid. Well, then, I believe I have yet to ask your name. Forgive me, I was rather caught up in the moment."
"I'm Itsu Sato, sir!" Itsu piped up, "And, no need to apologize, sir!"
Looking slightly amused, Hiruzen responded, "Well, then, young Sato. You said your parents died? I suppose you're living in the orphanage, then?"
"I am."
"Well, I suppose I will give you the option of how to go about this. I suspect you are close to Shino, there, yes?" He motioned towards the Aburame heir, to which Itsu nodded, "Well, then, I believe the best course of action would be to conceal your bloodline, at least until you are a proper ninja. Furthermore, it would be good if you found a more secure place to live, so that you can experiment and study your bloodline with some measure of safety."
The Hokage turned to Shino's father— or Shibi, Itsu supposed— and asked, "Shibi, would you be willing to house Itsu here? Till he gets to the point of self-sustainability, at least."
The spectacled man considered it for a moment, "We have plenty of spare homes. Though, most aren't comfortable in our compound. Should he be willing, we would accept."
Itsu lit up. A chance to live with Shino? Itsu smiled at his best friend, who quirked his lips back.
"I would love to!"