Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
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Chapter 2
1 year and 7 months later
I'M A GIRL!
There was probably no need to shout that, but you must understand. I finally know my gender. After months, and months of practice I can finally walk, and as an extension take my pants off. I honestly didn't know what to expect since I can't remember my gender in my previous life, but when I didn't see a little hose in between my legs that was the indicator that I was a girl.
I'm fine being a girl. I'd also be fine if I was a boy. I just wanted to know which side of the spectrum I belonged to, and now that I know I can finally be at ease.
Now I know it seems strange. It took me nearly 2 entire years just to find out my gender even if I couldn't walk. Well, the entire problem can be summed up in 1 word "kikaichu". That's right I got them, and I would be totally excited if I had the strength to be.
Apparently hosting kikaichu inside the body is terrifyingly exhausting. Who would have thought? You see when kikaichu are introduced to the body they immediately start feeding on their host chakra.
A.K.A me
And when I say feed, I mean feed. As much as I already love these things that are swarming inside my little body. I would be the first to admit that they are little Savages. When an aburame is introduced to kikaichu it is important that both the host and the kikaichu are on the same wavelength, meaning since I was just born it is important that my kikaichu are a new generation of insects. They are little more than babies and they eat like a baby too.
With no filter.
Since chakra is the basis of life. All living things thrive on chakra. That means that chakra is basically its own stamina bar. Anything and everything you do takes chakra. Obviously, ninjutsu and genjutsu require chakra. But what a lot of people either forget or don't know is that even taijutsu takes up chakra.
You see when a person moves their chakra activates. The more strenuous the activity, the more chakra is used up. Walking, running, jumping, studying, shoot, even while you're eating you are using up chakra.
Obviously, the chakra usage for all these actions is minimal at best but that's considering you are at least a child, and if your chakra reaches zero then you would clearly die.
Then there's me and my special case. That's when things got a little bit dicey. Moving takes up a lot of chakra for a newborn baby, but it still shouldn't have taken me 2 years. The reason why It took me so long to move was that my kikaichu was eating most of my chakra. Roughly 95 percent. The more chakra a person uses the more their body is affected both physically and mentally.
I have a calendar in my room. On the day I was drugged to get my kikaichu. It was the middle of spring. The next time I woke up it was the middle of summer, and it didn't get much better from there. I literally Had no strength in my limbs. My colony started out small, no more than 100 kikaichu, but that was more than enough to drain me dry. I slept most of the time and when I was up I was no different than a catatonic vegetable.
That's right my kikaichu only had enough common sense to leave me alive, nothing more. They were using me as a living battery to feed themselves and make them grow. I thought this was temporary that they would stop taking this much soon enough, but no if anything they took more. It got to a point where I had enough
I thought that having kikaichu was going to be a partnership, friendship. I provide the chakra and shelter, and they would do what I say in return. I'm so stupid. I forgot what insects are in the first place. They are creatures of opportunity if they see something they want they will take it and take it unless there is something to discourage them.
It seems I overextended my kindness. They had the audacity to use me. The one that is providing them shelter and food. I was nothing more than unlimited livestock to them. They didn't respect me. They don't even acknowledge me as part of the colony.
This wasn't the symbiotic relationship that I had imagined; this was nothing more than parasitism. I was a fool. I thought I should treat them like friends, as companions, but that was a mistake instead I need to treat them as subjects. They will listen to me, or they will die. I made sure to let them know that.
The funny thing about kikaichu is that they don't eat living flesh. The only thing they consume is chakra. I have been acquainted with my chakra for quite some time now and I got a pretty good handle on its flow.
I can't do anything impressive with it, but I can control the flow and its release, and that is because the kikaichu keep greedily taking it from me. When I took control of the flow and stopped releasing a steady stream the kikaichu had no food source to consume.
When they grew hungry, they couldn't eat mine, so the only other available food source was each other. Which they started doing almost a day after I stopped giving them my chakra. They can't replenish their chakra as fast as I can, and as fast as they eat nearly 70 percent of my colony died within 2 weeks.
Kikaichu aren't stupid not at all. In fact, they are incredibly smart. They knew I did that on purpose, and they never dared to try me again otherwise their fate was sealed.
That was the first day I got control of my insects. It was also the day that they talked to me. Well, more like the queen did.
Apparently, the queen is positioned right in my parietal lobe. This place controls my five senses, and it processes and interprets somatosensory input, and the queen is literally right on top of it.
She was always capable of talking to me, she just never bothered, and as an extension, the hive was capable of it too. Since all chakra is connected, all they need to do is pass their chakra along to anyone of my senses and the queen translates the intent of the chakra to me. I remember it very clearly.
Flashback
"Whhhhyyyyy?"
Wow, this is the first time they're talking to me, and their voice sounds like millions of teeth grinding together all at once. This got me excited, finally some communication.
"So, you finally decide to speak huh."
"How dare mere livestock provoke the hive."
"You are nothing more than nourishment, sustenance, nutrition all to ensure the hive survives. All to make the hive stronger. It is an honor to even be chosen yet you rebuke your rightful place and deny us what is rightfully ours."
She is already pissing me off. She told me I was nothing more than food to be feasted on at their leisure. Well, I got news for her I'm nobody's meat bag
"Listen here, how dare you treat me as livestock. I'm the one providing the food here you think you can just eat without repaying your debt"
"Debt the hive does not need such things. All the hive needs is food. The hive needs chakra. Supply it now".
….
This bitch.
At that point, I was lost for words. I literally had nothing more to say to her so instead I responded with my actions.
I cut off the flow of my chakra completely and while doing such a thing won't kill me. It does make me immobile. But I'm a baby so hardly anything was lost, and I let them starve. I did this for so long that it came to a point that there was hardly 10 percent of my hive left.
It really did hurt my spirit to do this to them. I'm an insect lover at heart, but they need to learn who the true queen of this colony is, and if this is the only way to teach them then so be it.
It wasn't until the colony reached 5 percent that the queen spoke to me again nearly a week and a half later.
"Stop please, you're killing us. Killing the hive"
I didn't respond. She was smart. If she wants to get out of this, she knows what she needs to offer.
"What do you want? What can the hive give you to stop this pain."
"Serve me"
"WHAAAATTTT"
"Serve me, and I will stop"
"Why should the hive serve you"
"Because I can assure your survival. I can not only ensure that the hives live for generations, but also that they are strong. This was my goal from the start, but you guys didn't respect me and didn't listen to me."
…
" Can the hive really be granted such promises? Can the hive truly believe you?"
"Of course, I'm also a part of the hive. My survival depends on you guys just as your survival depends on me."
….
"The hive accepts your proposal Moriko Aburame. Make the pain go away. Prove you are with us and assist the hive"
"Awesome. Oh, by the way"
"Whaaat"
"If you ever pull crap like this again, I will personally ensure that your next punishment will make this hell seem like a pleasant evening stroll, am I understood."
…..
"Yeeeeesssss"
"Amazing. We may have had a rocky start, but I think we will get along just fine. Hehehe"
(-)
And that was that
That was 6 months ago and after I started portioning and controlling their meals the colony increased once again this time without draining me dry. Once I got the colony under my control I immediately Focused on my body. I was nearly 2 years old, and I couldn't even crawl yet but that was fine. I did what was most important and got control of my kikaichu. I was able to crawl 3 months later and able to walk by the time I was 2.
Finally, I had mobility, but I seriously didn't expect this to be so difficult. I thought as soon as the kikaichu were introduced to me we would immediately achieve symbiosis, But the universe hit me with a big ol psych
AGAIN.
I was thinking that this was just like the anime. That this world is similar to the manga, and while this world comes with its own sets of rules different to my original world. Some rules just won't change. Like injecting kikaichu into a child, and just expecting them to automatically help them.
I also learned another thing. I was naïve not just with the kikaichu, but with this world in general. I still possess my original mindset from back home. I'm far too trusting. Far too easy to satisfy. If a ninja were to see that type of mentality, I'll be taken advantage of in more ways than one. This is the ninja world it is either use or be used, and in the case of my kikaichu, I was the one being used.
However, I'm glad I was used. I'm glad it was in a controlled situation because it taught me to always keep my guard up. Otherwise, I'm in for a world of pain both physically and mentally.
I seriously can't believe Shino, or better yet Kishimoto never showed nor explained this experience. This had me thinking about what else he did not explain.
Questions for later.
On another note, I am ahead of the spectrum. Children of the Aburame clan don't usually learn to control their insects until they are 3 and don't usually learn to walk until they are nearly 4. So, when I learned to walk at 2 I did garner a bit of attention. However, it's not like I set a record or anything. There were children in the Aburame clan that got control of their insects before they were even 1. With the record holder being 6 months old. So, while I was above average, I wasn't the best. How do I know this my father told me.
That's right, I can understand the language. That was the only thing I could do these past 2 years as a vegetable, listen. I'm struggling with communication a bit, but I get the gist of it, speaking of my father. Ever since I got my kikaichu he has been around a lot more. I don't know what was with the sudden change. Did the Hokage allow him to take it easy on missions now because he had a child or is it because I simply was not worthy in his eyes because I did not possess kikaichu. Whatever it is, I am glad he is around? I'm tired of being around the caretakers all the time. It always felt so impersonal.
So, during my time as a vegetable, my dad was always by my side. While he still had his duties as a ninja of the leaf, he tried to be with as much as he was able to, and I honestly appreciated it. Especially since He was all that I had. That's right it wasn't long before I found out my mother was dead, and while I never really knew her. I did spend what seemed like an eternity in the womb hearing her disembodied voice. The voice always brought me comfort, and when I was born, I longed to hear it again, but was saddened to find out I will never be able to feel that warmth that her voice brings ever again.
So having my dad around is nice. Especially now that I can walk. Because once I was able to, I wanted to explore, and when I told my dad that he immediately said yes. Just give him a week. Why do we need a week to explore the village? I don't know, but I was still able to explore the compound, and as big as my room is, the compound has to be ginormous right? And with those thoughts, that's exactly what I did.
1 week later
It's finally time today's the day I finally get to explore Konoha and I'm excited. Why well that is because I will finally be able to narrow down what time period I'm in. All I need to do is look up at Hokage mountain. While it won't tell me exactly where I am, it will give me an estimate. I should have been able to tell what it was from the clan compound. After all it is a literal mountain, but our home is covered by a literal jungle. Seriously, all I see is green. Finally, but most importantly I am going to have some fun. This is Konoha, a literal place of fiction turned into reality. You best believe I'm going to explore.
Finally, my dad asked if I was ready, and when I said "yes" we took off together.
(-)
2 hours later.
2 whole hours, that is how long it took us to get out of the clan compound, and into the village. That is seriously B.S. I mean I understand I'm 2 years old. I have little legs and that our home is big, but still, it shouldn't have taken so long.
By the time we made it to the village I already wanted to turn back. I was so tired. My father offered to carry me several times, but I refused. This can only be considered training not only to strengthen my body but also to strengthen my resolve. If walking is this hard, and I am already giving up then I might as well kiss the shinobi life goodbye along with my life.
Once we made it to the "village", and yes, I did use the air quotes because this place is so big. It is ridiculous. While it is not "City" big it definitely should be considered "Town" big. It might have been a village once upon a time, but it obviously surpassed that years ago.
I must say this place is beautiful. It literally looks like the personification of happiness. I see kids running, couples hugging, people just smiling in general for no reason, and is that a rainbow across the Hokage monument? This place is literally nothing but sunshine. Even though I know the darkness that lurks beneath this place, I must admit Konoha is a wonderful place to live. I can see why ninjas would fight and die for this place. Compared to all the other villages I would want to keep living here too.
Finally, I could clearly see the Hokage monument, and I can only see three heads. This made me sigh in relief because it means I have a chance. A chance to grow powerful enough to face the monsters of this world. I know who I am. I know I wasn't blessed to be born with magic copying eyes. Or a literal chakra beast. I'm just a girl with her insects which means threats like pain, Madara, and Kaguya. I wouldn't be able to deal with it until I was an adult. Not a 16-year-old hyperactive idiot who had unlimited chakra and got strong through the power of friendship.
Don't get me wrong, I loved Naruto. He was very funny and easy-going, and I loved his never-quit attitude. However, you have got to admit his road to power was a bit unrealistic. I honestly never really saw Naruto train. I mean it's obvious that he trained in order to be a ninja, but what training did they actually show that he did? All I remember him doing is chakra control, learning to make a bigger Rasengan, sage art, and mastering Kurama's power, and I'm sorry, but to me, It didn't seem like he learned it on his own. To me, it seemed like he learned it through the power of plot, and that really pissses me off. Not because of Naruto but because of how dirty they did him, and it wasn't just him. All of the rookie 12 were treated like trash, none of them seemed significant after Naruto.
For example, we all remember Rock Lee how he was fighting beyond Jonin level at the age of 13 with nothing more than taijutsu. Even though he was a bit much at times he was honestly a cool character. Yet they barely made him relevant when Shippuden started, and that made me sad.
Another example would be Choji. This man literally had the power to become as big as a towering skyscraper, yet he only had at most 4 relevant fights where they showed how awesome he is. The rest of the fights he was literally beaten like a rag doll.
And then there is Ino, I honestly don't know what to say. Forget Ino. Her entire clan is underrated. When you have the power to literally enter someone's mind. One of the most fragile parts of the human body, and the best you can do is take over their body for a limited time and still lose. That's when we have a problem.
Every clan of Konoha has so much power at their fingertips. They can literally be gods among men yet the only clan whose abilities were ever really explored were the Uchiha. That's just my honest opinion.
Gosh, I'm tired. This walk Is really taking its toll. My father stopped asking me if I needed help a while ago, he is a very taciturn individual, and it's not just him all Aburame are like that, and for good reason. When you are sucked dry by your own kikaichu for years on end it puts some serious trauma on the mind so much that you would rather remain silent and just listen to the sound of your own thoughts, and the buzzing of the kikaichu themselves.
I always wondered how an entire clan of people can have a personality as dry as sandpaper, and it's not just them. My personality is starting to shape that way as well. While my thoughts run a mile a minute. You would be lucky to hear my mouth move 5 times per day. Therefore, it was surprising that my father asked me so many times if I needed help. He usually only speaks in very short, clipped sentences. We usually just bask in each other's silence. It's not that I mind him talking, it's just that this is different.
My father is a man in his mid-20's and is around 6.2. He wears the signature Aburame glasses, he has short dark brown messy hair, a tanned complexion from being in the sun for too much, a medium-sized nose, and when he takes off his high collared jacket you would see a permanent frown etched on his clean-shaven face.
As for me, I looked at myself in the mirror before, and I'm just adorable. I got my mother's skin tone, and her emerald green eyes. My hair is entirely black but not smooth like my mother's. It is more like a slighlty wavy length and reaches just a little bit below my ears. My nose is small, and I wear the signature aburame glasses as well with the standard high-collared jacket. I honestly thought the glasses that aburame wears are just for show, and part of their signature looks, but I was wrong.
You see, the Aburame clan compound is quite dark. It isn't engulfed by pitch darkness. But you see more black in there than you do light. What would happen if a child was raised in this compound for the first years of their life? Obviously, their eyes would get adjusted and they would have pseudo night vision. Now try to have that child go outside where there is light, and that's when we have a problem. Yup these glasses are for my own good. The light hurts, and the only time I'm ever taking these things off outside the clan compound is during nighttime or If I find something cooler to wear that protects my eyes because this look just isn't it.
Pretty soon I started to get hungry, and I saw a food stand selling red bean buns. My stomach growled and I asked my father if we could get some. I had never tried it before and I was excited.
While we were waiting. I noticed people giving us the side-eye and giving us a wide berth. However, I just don't care, I'm used to the isolation. I know that pretty much 90 percent of the human population fear insects or find them repulsive. I knew that and i'm used to people trying to avoid me. I am sure my father is too. However, I can also blame the apprehension on my father. He is a very intimidating man just standing there alone. He is the type of person you would not want to catch in the back of an alley alone because after you see him chances are you won't leave said alley.
After we got our red bean buns from the slightly trembling hand of the chef we continued our leisurely paste or in my case very strenuous pace. Everything is so peaceful and eating this surprisingly tasty red bean bun relaxed my mind and finally made me blurt out what I wanted to tell my dad for a while now.
"I want to become a ninja"
He immediately responds with an "ok".
….
The hell.
I honestly thought that I was going to have to fight to convince him to make me a ninja. Why did he immediately agree?
Is this what they mean when they say the universe bends to your whim?
BZZZZZZ
(-)
Akui Aburame pov
If I was a lesser man then I would have laughed at the expression my daughter made when she heard my answer.
Why? She asked
Do I need a reason to help you with your goals?
With that answer my daughter grew silent.
However, I'm glad.
Happy even that Moriko wants to be a ninja. Why? Because that means she won't be weak.
I meant what I said about how weaklings are quick to lie, quick to deceive, and quick to betray.
I want my daughter to be strong. If she is strong then she won't be used nor will she be a deceitful individual whose only strength is to break the faith and trust that others put into her.
I made a promise that I will always stand by her side and support her in anything she endeavors to do. However, I can't lie and say I'm not ecstatic that this was her choice.
As much as I loved Yayoi and even though I acknowledge how strong she was in spirit there is no denying that she was weak.
Her life could be taken by the strong, and even though I was with her there are always accidents. Perhaps if she was stronger she could have survived.
However, that is all in the past. Now I want Moriko to be strong so she can decide on her own faith. I want her to live her own life freely without being restricted by those stronger than her.
Strength builds character
Being strong grants freedom, and that is all I want for her. With that thought I made up my mind.
"But you have to promise me something Moriko"
She looked at me questionably. "What is it you want me to promise?"
"I want you to promise me that you won't be Weak."
…
She was silent for a moment, but soon she looked up at me, tilted her head, smiled, and said four words that I'll never forget.
"I'll be the strongest"
BZZZZZZZ
(-)
Chapter 2
End
