Chapter 15: Sad Fury

Airi looked up at the night sky from her campsite. "Wow, so pretty…"

"Dinner was very good," Kurenai said. "Thank you Aurion."

"You're welcome my gorgeous beauty!" Aurion said as his eyes filled with hearts. "Now how about a kiss?"

Airas slapped him in the back of the head. "Quit it!" She cleared her throat. "So, Kakashi, what are you going to do now that your mission is complete?"

"I don't know," Kakashi answered.

"You don't know?"

"Well, I'm not sure if I should continue to travel with you guys, or go back home."

"Oh, I see." She looked at Shino. "And what about you Shino?" Everyone stopped and looked at Airas. "Wh-What? Why are you all staring at me like that?"

"You just called him 'Shino'," Kiba said.

"You usually call him 'Aburame', but you say it with contempt," Naruto added.

"Sh-Shut up! I'll call him whatever I want, okay!"

"I have to bring peace amongst our clans, so I'm going to continue to fight," Shino answered.

"Good for you Shino," Aurion said as he stared at Sakura. "Sakura, it's a nice night, huh?"

Sakura turned to him. "Well, uh, yeah, I guess."

"Good!" Aurion reached behind Sakura and touched her butt. "Nice!"

"PERVERT!" Sakura screamed. She slapped him, then punched him in the stomach. She got up and sat next to Hinata.

"Aurion, I swear, if you don't quit it, I'll-"

"Relax sis!" Aurion laughed. "I promise I won't do it again." He put on a serious face, then reached behind Kurenai. "Ooh, soft."

"Aurion?" Kurenai shouted. She got up and moved as well.

"That's it!" Airas shouted. She held up her staff. "Restrain!" Vines from the trees wrapped around Aurion's body and he fell to the floor. "Down boy!"

"Thank you," Sasuke said. "I was about ready to kill him."

Airi smiled and turned to Shino. "How are you feeling Shino?"

"I'm feeling better. And yourself?" Shino asked.

"I feel wonderful, partly because I'm happy. I know that this is a very weird time to be happy, but…"

Shino got up and sat next to her. "I can understand why you're happy. I mean, you just got your soul back after all."

"That and now I know a new summon! I can summon Inochi, the greatest spirit in my village! And I also learned a new seal thanks to Inochi. It's a healing seal, my first one ever!"

"So what if you got Inochi?" Airas asked. "You only mastered two summon techniques. I now have three and Aurion has four."

"What exactly do you do with those Summon Spirits?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, let me show you Sakura! I haven't summoned in so long, so this should be good practice," Airi volunteered.

Aurion managed to sit up. "Yeah Airi, go for it!"

"Just don't summon Inochi," Airas said. "I don't think you have enough vital energy for that just yet."

"Vital energy?" Kakashi repeated.

"That's what you call chakra. In our clan, we call it vital energy."

Airi stood up. "Shino, Shino! Watch me summon, alright?" He nodded. "Okay, here I go!" She closed her eyes and put her hands together.

"It looks like she's doing a hand sign," Hinata said.

"I call upon the hound of the ever lasting inferno," Airi said. "I summon thee, come, Kaji!" Little red orbs suddenly appeared and they swarmed into a circle. Next, the orbs transformed into a dog like creature. Airi opened her eyes and looked down. "I did it! I did it! Kaji, I summoned you!"

The dog looked up at Airi. "Airi, long time no see!"

"It talks!" Sakura asked.

"Yes, he does. Not 'it', okay?" She picked up Kaji. "This is my clan's Summon Spirit of Fire, Kaji."

"Airi, I missed you!"

"I missed you too Kaji!" She looked at Kiba. "Hey Kiba, do you think Akamaru would like to meet Kaji?"

"Oh, sure!" Kiba looked up. "Come on out Akamaru." Akamaru poked his head out from Kiba's hood. "Akamaru, go say 'hello'." Akamaru barked and jumped down from Kiba's head.

"Hello Akamaru," Kaji said. Akamaru barked. "Oh? You want to play? Okay then!" The two dogs chased after each other and barked happily.

"Can you summon too?" Hinata asked Aurion.

"You bet I can, my sweet angel," Aurion answered with a smirk.

"How did you get free?" Airas asked.

XXXX

Airi sat wide-awake at the campsite. "For some strange reason, I can't sleep…"

Shino tapped Airi on the shoulder. "Airi, are you asleep?"

"What? Shino? Oh, no I'm not asleep."

"Would you like to go for a walk, then?"

She blushed. "Yes, I'd like that." She got up and they walked into the forest. "It's so peaceful out here." She waited for Shino to respond. "…Oh, that's right. Shino, you're the quite type. 'Idle banter' isn't your thing. Well, then you don't have to respond to my next statement, but I'd just like you to listen." She smiled. "When I was separated from my body, I thought of everyone dear to me in my life. I thought about my friends and family." She looked at him. "But the strange thing was that out of all of the people, the only person that I actually missed was…" She blushed again. "You. Shino I um…I-I…" She sighed and shook her head. "Thanks for being there for me."

"…Airi, I have a reason for inviting you out like this," Shino finally responded.

"Hmm? What's the reason then?"

"…Before we get to close, I have to tell you something very important."

"Oh, really? Well, go head, I'm all ears." She smiled at him.

Airi, this won't be easy… "Airi…I know who killed your family…"

Her eyes became wide as she stared at him. "Wh…What did you just say?"

XXXX

"…Airi, I'm really sorry for everything," Shino said.

Airi stared at Shino in disbelief. "You…You murdered my parents and my brother?"

"Airi, you have to believe me when I say that-"

She started to laugh hesitantly. "Shino, the guy that I thought was my friend murdered my…" She smiled. "What irony…" She looked down sadly.

"Airi, I-"

"I don't want to hear it."

"What?"

"…How could you! Shino you…" She made fists and closed her eyes. "…Damn you…" She opened her tearful eyes and glared at him. "I challenge you Shino! I have to avenge my parents somehow! All of my pain and suffering was your fault!"

"What! Airi, that's not true!"

"Yes it is!"

He glared at her. "You're being selfish!"

"Shut up and let's fight for real!"

XXXX

Shino and Airi panted heavily from their fierce battle. "Airi, you're so selfish! Quit blaming people and yourself for your suffering! What's done is done! I already told you that it wasn't my fault!"

"Pyrosis Seal!" Airi yelled. A wave of fire came right at Shino. "Ire Seal!" She threw three tags into the flames, which caused the flames to have electricity surging through them.

Shino jumped out of the way and threw Shuriken at Airi. "Shuriken barrage!"

Airi dodged the attack. "It's over Shino!" He put her hands together. "Tengoku Taiga Secret Attack, Pri-"

Someone grabbed her arm. "Stop it right now!"

"Ow!"

Shino tilted his head. "What?"

"You too!" shouted another person as they grabbed Shino.

Aurion emerged from the shadows holding Airi. "Airi, what're you doing!"

Kurenai shoved Shino forward. "Are you insane?"

Everyone else came to the scene with sleepy yawns. "Wh-What's going on?" Sakura asked.

Airas stretched. "Is everyone…" She looked at Airi, then to Shino. "Airi!" She ran over to her little sister. "Are you okay?"

"Don't show her any sympathy," Aurion said.

"What? Why not! Can't you see she was attacked by Shino!"

"If anything, she started it!"

Airas looked at Airi. "Airi? Is…Is Aurion telling the truth?"

"I…" Airi closed her mouth.

Aurion looked at Shino. "I apologize for this. But you shouldn't have continued with the fight."

"But Aurion, he-"

"Quit being selfish!" Aurion hissed. "I'm sure he already explained how it wasn't his fault! Airi, put the past behind you!" Airi's eyes glistened with tears.

"Aurion, don't be so hard on her…" Airas said. She took her sister's hand. "Come on, let's go back to camp."

Aurion looked at them. "…Agh." He rubbed his head and ran after them. "Hey, Airi, listen…."

Shino felt horrible. …I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have said anything.

XXXX

The sun slowly began to rise into the sky, painting it with many different colors. Shino woke to the buzzing sound of bugs. "…Uhn…"

"Glad to see that you're awake."

Shino jerked up and looked at the person sitting next to him. "A-A…?"

Airi looked at him. "Everyone else is already awake." She pushed a plate over to him. "I saved you something from breakfast. My brother made it. He's a really good cook, you know."

"Airi…"

"Don't say anything. L-Let me go first. Shino, I…I'm so sorry about last night. I was such an idiot and I was acting selfish. I don't know what's wrong with me…"

He looked down. …My feelings… "Airi, I have something that I've wanted to tell you for quite some time now. You see-"

She held up a small wrapped item. "Here Shino."

"Huh? What's this?" He took it.

"This is my way of saying I'm sorry. And it's also a birthday present."

"Birthday present?"

"Shino, you were in a coma for month, remember? You missed your birthday. I know it's kinda late but…"

Shino opened it. "It's…" He looked at the beautiful jewels in the shape of a bug.

"It's a bug charm. I used some magic so that it will increase the attack power of your bugs. I'm still not comfortable around bugs but I'm getting there."

"This is really nice Airi. Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome! I know that you like bugs and stuff, so I knew you'd like a bug charm. Happy belated birthday!" She pushed some hair out of her eyes. "So Shino, what did you want to talk about with me?" He sat quietly and stared at her. "…Sh-Shino?" He leaned forward and kissed her. "Umph!" Sh-Shino! Again! This is like that last time… This time, she started to give in. "Sh-Shino…I…" Wait…I…! She pushed him away. "I can't!"

Shino studied her face. "I…I'm sorry, forgive me. I shouldn't have…"

Airi looked away. "…Shino…You said that you wanted to continue to fight to bring peace between our clans…" He looked at her curiously. "…You're trying to be a hero, Shino. That's not a bad thing but…sometimes heroes have to walk away."

"What?"

"Shino…we can't be together." She got up and walked away.

Shino just stared at Airi as she walked off. What…What did she just say? He touched his lips sadly.

"I knew this would happen. Why? This is terrible. What am I supposed to do? They're both hurting inside but…I…I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle this."