Chapter 5
Kama breathed, and shakily sat up against a tree.
He watched as the cloud of insects swirled back to him, their demeanor completely different. Their small, audible little insect calls were like a strange sort of purr.
Screeee! They all cooed.
He sat breathing and heart pounding, watching the insects for the first time with his own eyes (as they had never ventured out from inside him before). They crawled over his skin, the ground around him, and buzzed about in the air.
"You saved my life", he said, still in shock.
You were in danger
We can't let anything hurt our host
We need you
…
We like you…
…they added more softly at the end.
Kama couldn't help but smile at the feeling of contentment he felt from them as a group.
…
Spring came a few weeks later.
The kikaichu remained.
Yuki did not question it.
Kama went back to practicing his ninjutsu, but went through his tai-chi less vigorously because of his muscle pains. The moment he began his practice the kikaichu stirred with interest.
What's that?
What are you doing?
They said in not so many words.
And so Kama explained about ninjutsu to them. They listened intently…
…
Mid Spring, he was jarred with a strange feeling.
It's mating season…
The insects abashedly informed him.
We should be seeking out hosts for our young this time of year.
...
The insects were calmly informed after a silence to not worry about finding other hosts.
Summer came.
The kikaichu remained.
Yuki had her baby, a healthy little girl.
The heat of late summer came.
Kama fell ill with a fever.
Yuki questioned him.
"I've noticed those destruction bugs are still with you,"
"…they are."
"Were they not supposed to be able to leave by spring?"
"Things…happened."
"I know, I remember. You said they saved your life,"
"That's not all of it."
He explained to Yuki about how he had been including them in his ninjutsu training. The kikaichu were able to manipulate chakra as well as any human. They could create clones as believable as usual ones, but with using a tenth of the chakra. They would alarm him of danger while in the forest long before he could ever sense a thing (They had since saved him from bandits twice that summer). Also the fact that they could swarm onto any enemy and eat their chakra. And this was only the beginning of what he had discovered…
"Imagine what else we could do together!"
Yuki was also excited about what he had told her. But, she then lowered her yes, "But…what is it doing to your body? You've grown so pale since winter, and you've lost weight…"
"I'm fine."
"You are not fine! Those insects are eating you from the inside out…"
Kama clenched his teeth and Yuki could swear she heard a not-too-happy insect-like noise welling up from him. He went to say something back to her, but just shook his head and left.
Fall came.
When Yuki held Kama close she could now obviously feel their vibration from within him.
His aches grew worse…but Yuki kept her faith in her husband's judgment.
Winter came.
A pair of sunglasses on him became a usual sight.
Yuki did not question it.
Spring came.
Yet his high-collared winter coat remained.
Yuki questioned him…
"Kama…" she sighed.
"Hum?" He replied not looking up from his book.
"…I was a little curious about the sunglasses…but now the jacket?"
"What?" he looked up. All of his face that she could see was his eyebrows and nose bridge.
"If you are going to hide your face from me, can I at least see your eyes?"
"…" he starred at her.
"It's like…you're trying to hide something from me. I can't remember the last time I saw your eyes since you started wearing those glasses."
"…" he looked down.
"And that's another thing, you're much more quiet."
"I…I'm sorry Yuki, you're right…" he motioned for her to come closer. She sat next to him.
"At least you seem to be feeling better…" she smiled.
"That's true, I am." He smiled back, not that she could see it, "I just have to tell you…I love you, and I trust you. You…have not questioned me much this past year and I thank you for it."
She put on a somber expression, the way he was talking it sounded like he was going to tell her he was dying or leaving her or something.
"Kama, what is it?" she said seriously.
He reached up and un-buttoned his jacket, then slowly slipped off the glasses.
She couldn't help but gasp, it was like a reflex.
Where Kama's eyes should have been were two dark eye sockets.
"I was right when I said they were eating you from the inside out this summer…" she said softly with a hint of horror.
"No, Yuki, it's alrig-"
"You're BLIND how is that alright?!" Her frantic tone was very uncharacteristic of her. He had rarely seen her lose her cool.
He remained calm, hoping it would translate to her.
"I can still see."
"H…how?"
He continued to look at her.
"The insects?" she said questioningly.
He nodded.
"…" she breathed, and hugged him, not knowing what else to do. He embraced her slowly back, nuzzling her head. She could easily hear the insects moving about inside him from where her head was on his chest.
Summer came.
Their clan neighbors began to question why he trained alone in the forest.
One of them followed him secretly.
Rumors began to spread.
One morning, they approached Kama.
"Kama, you've been acting…strange."
"Strange?" He looked at them as if he had no idea what he was talking about.
"Training in secret…keeping to yourself…"
"The sunglasses…"
"The coat in the middle of summer."
He looked down.
"You seemed ill all past season."
"Not quite yourself…"
"You are more quiet than usual,"
"I'm fine." He said defensively.
"We know about it Kama."
"…about what?"
"You are using insects in your ninjutsu…we are just not exactly sure what though…"
"You can tell us."
"We're worried about you."
He stayed silent, and raised up his arm. From inside his long sleeves crawled a few of the kikaichu along his hand. The crowd gasped and some stepped back as they realized what kind of insect it was.
"Those are destruction bugs!"
"It's okay!" Kama reassured them, "They won't hurt you."
"But…aren't those dangerous?"
"They can kill a grown man in under 10 seconds!"
Kama motioned to one of his fellow clan members who he had taught insect language to. Within minutes, no one in the clan was backing away, all were grouped closer, intrigued and interested. By that afternoon, a strange tone fell over the little clan.