Chapter Six
Tsunade sighed. Word of Shino's return spread, but she at least got the message to the Aburame herself, instead of them hearing it on the street. But really, how could it not, with Hinata's cousin being the one to find him. She limited his visitors to herself, Kurenai and members of the Aburame. There were too many unknowns with his situation.
The insects were acting as a mild poison, not enough to permanently damage, but enough that Shino was often lethargic, unresponsive, confused. She wondered if her former teammate Orochimaru was involved – she'd gotten word of his experiments, but he was not the only ninja who wanted to experiment in this way- there could be others, and that's what she hoped Shino could tell them. She would give it time, but if necessary, she would ask the Yamanaka Clan to help him regain his memory.
Kurenai and Tsunade waited outside the door of Shino's hospital room, to greet his father Gen, who was returning to the Village tonight. When he arrived, Tsunade noted he was casually dressed, for an Aburame and looked somewhat harried, but she thought in all honesty he was calmer than she would have been. Tsunade took him aside to brief him.
When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Shino up out of bed, making his way to the door.
"Dad?"
Shino was slightly slumped, holding onto the bed frame. A silent conversation took place, as Shino took a step forward, winced, then stopped himself, as if afraid what his father would say to him.
Tsunade could take a guess- though she never could truly understand what it meant to be apart of the Aburame, she knew they communicated not only with their words, but with their hives, and Shino was without his, the hive that in all likelihood his father had passed down to him. A friend of hers who was Aburame tried to explain it to her once – their hives were allies, servants, family, a physical tie to their clan. As they spoke to each other, so did their hives recognize and speak to each other.
"Like the Inuzuka, with a dog pack? Each member has their own partner or partners, but the partners recognize each other?"
"Yes, but dogs are loyal, faithful – a pack as you said. Insects are more of a group mind."
When Gen reached out and pulled his son into his arms, she saw Shino relax. The moment was so tender, Tsunade wished she could give them space, but she still did not trust what was lurking within. They sat down to speak, and she was pleased – Shino was the clearest he had been. He remembered the escort mission, the poison smoke bombs, moving Hinata to a safer location, but even his beetles didn't give him total immunity.
He was already disoriented when he felt someone attack him from behind, and when he woke up, he was in a holding cell. He spoke of a young woman who called herself Keiko – a scientist – who said her mission was to experiment with new types of insects. None of the experiments went well, he could not control the replacements well enough for them to ever be viable in battle. The current ones seemed alright as long as he didn't try to get them to leave. Unfortunately, even retelling this tired him, and he fell back asleep.
She had hoped he could recall something that would aid them in removing these insects, but they were left with what they already knew- this hive was highly resistant to poison, Shino could not control them and they did not want to leave.
Kurenai spoke with Gen out in the hall.
"Thank you for being with him."
"Of course."
"It's so strange. I am relieved, but… I felt for sure he had died."
"I understand. I felt the same."
As Kurenai returned home from the hospital, she recalled a night some months ago. She'd had a dream about Shino, where she was walking along in the village, and passed by the bridge her team often met at. Shino was standing on the side closest to her, appearing as the age she had first met him at. To her surprise, he had a gift for her.
It was a small box, and inside was a pendant with a cicada on it.
"Thank you, but Shino, what is the meaning of this?"
Just then, a woman called out to Shino, and he turned toward her. She was on the other side of the bridge. "I'm sorry, Sensai. I need to go."
"Wait!-" But Shino walked across, and greeted the woman. Kurenai was struck by her beauty, but did not recognize her, and wondered how Shino knew her. She woke with a start, Asuma asleep by her side.
Life and death were constants in any ninja village, as well as stories of ghosts, visitations, dreams. She did not doubt this was Shino's way of saying goodbye. She rose from the bed, and looked out onto the village. She always enjoyed the view of it at night, and she noted the full moon shining bright. While she was profoundly grateful for the dream, her heart ached and eyes teared up, because until now, she had hope that Shino was alive, somehow.
"What is it, Kurenai? Can't sleep?" Asuma asked from the bed.
"He's gone… Shino."
"We can light a candle at the temple for him.
"It's alright, he found his way."
Asuma stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back against him, and absently looked down at his hands touching her stomach. They had been trying for a child.