"That's mine." I said. Kiba looked at me. He was surprised.

"S-Shino-kun…" He said.

"I shall report back here tomorrow." I told the Kitsune. That said, I left for my seat.

I was needed back home. Father had yet to return home from work last night, and mother was becoming concerned.

I stood from the log in the Apiary and headed through the forest in a homeward direction.

I kept more than bees in the hives. I kept all manner of insects there. They are the meaning I find in this world.

They are organised. They are functional. They do not think of their own selfishness, putting their own desires beneath the needs of the hive.

Humans are not insects.

They are lower than them.

Mother was shedding tears when I returned home. "Mother?" I asked, knowing that she sought comfort. She grasped me and held me tightly as she sobbed; but I knew what she was going to say before she did.

"Y-your father... he…he's… he's dead Shino…" Mother choked out the words as she cried. "...I… I…"

I put her down onto the couch and began to get her some water. I knew this day would come with my father's line of work. Working in an organised crime syndicate like Akatsuki is not without having its risks.

But I knew my father was dead the night Naruto piloted the Kyuubi.

I knew that Mizuki worked with my father, and had heard plans for the capture of Naruto. Father valued my insight in his underground activities and often included me in his discussions. He often said that my logical thinking would one day be a very valuable asset to Akatsuki.

When Mizuki took Naruto from school that night, I knew that Naruto's life would end that night.

So I was surprised when he showed up in the Kyuubi in his condition; breathing.

Of course, it would by inaccurate to say that Naruto was truly still alive at that point. His eyes looked like a new member of Akatsuki did after he had made his first kill; no-one is truly capable of not dying themselves when they pull that trigger.

Their useless emotions get in the way.

Humans are truly illogical creatures.

As I changed my clothes for my rest that night, I saw an irregular marking on the palm of my left hand. It took the form of a silhouette of half of a fig leaf, obscuring the letters V, E, R, and N. Some English text was visible in a circular form from the end of the leaf, but I was unable to translate it.

I considered this to be similar to marks Naruto got before his battle, and wondered if it was some form of clue about the enemy I would face tomorrow night. I shall dedicate time to it tomorrow and attempt to decipher a meaning behind my marking.

"Hey, Shino-kun!"

I turned to face my classmate. "Kiba." I stated. He often came to talk with me, believing us to be friends.

I have no need for such bonds, but part of the hive must support all other parts of the hive, however dysfunctional they may be. "How can I help you?" I asked him.

Kiba scratched the back of his head and displayed his mirth. "How many times I gotta tell ya Shino-kun?" He asked me. "Buddies don't need an excuse to hang out with each other!" He sat down next to me as I hid my contempt for him.

"Hey… you okay?" He asked me. "I mean, with everything that's happened?"

I nodded. "Naruto's death was tragic, but I shall pilot the Kyuubi to the best of my ability."

Kiba sighed before speaking again. "Man, how do you do it?" I have no need for inhibiting emotions like grief.

"So… how do you feel about Lee-san?" Kiba asked me.

"I do not believe that he caused Naruto's death with intention to kill." I told Kiba. "However, from Naruto's obvious wounds, it would have been prudent to restrain oneself in his presence."

Kiba nodded. "I agree." He said. "But it was obviously an accident."

"Clearly." Is there really a need for this unnecessary communication?

"Hey, how do you think Naruto got beat up so bad?" Kiba asked me.

I knew the answer, but I couldn't say it.

"I mean," Kiba continued, "Seeing Naruto beat up is nothing new, the kid went around asking for trouble, but there were bullet's in him and everything!" he exclaimed.

"…I cannot say." I replied.

"Figures." Kiba sighed. "You never say anything until you got it all figured out…"

There is little point in vocalising a redundant theory.

Nor an incorrect one.

I went once more to visit the apiary after school classes had ended for the day. It was a place to escape from the madness that is human civilisation. I suppose that this could be considered attachment, a potential weakness, but it is one I allow myself.

It reminds me of what I must become.

However, I felt something… unusual as I sat on the log by the hives. It was akin to the disappointment I feel in others, only it was for some illogical reason directed inwards.

Regardless, I came here with a task and it shall be completed.

Using an English-Japanese dictionary and a note pad, I was able to translate the text on my left palm.

God's in his heaven. All's right with the world.

I never had the time nor the patience for religion. It is merely humanity's futile attempt at avoiding the inevitable, trying to find a higher compassion that does not exist when there is only a lower logic that is always ignored.

God is not in his heaven. All is not right with the world.

Humans are truly illogical creatures.

I could not decipher any meaning behind my marking, so I merely sat with my insects and waited for the battle. Mother brought me a blanket and a cup of herbal tea as it grew dark, but otherwise left me alone.

Then I was summoned into the Kyuubi.

I sat down on my log and waited for everyone to get seated. While it would be incorrect to say that I did not feel apprehensive about the upcoming battle, it would also be incorrect to assume that I felt fear.

Fear is for the weak. The fearful have no place within the hive.

Once the others sat and the chairs began to float, I drowned out their voices and focused on solely on the task at hand.

I saw a purple being come into existence before me, horned and monstrous, yet shaped somewhat like a man; like a parody of human existence. It glared in hate as it saw me, but I felt no such emotions to it.

It was merely a threat against the hive.

I will remove it.

The threat drew two green bladed knives from its back and charged at me. The others shouted, but I drowned out their voices by imagining the sound of the hive. The buzzing sound kept me in mind of the task at hand; what needed to be done.

I noticed that we were deep within the city and the enemy showed no hesitation towards damaging and destroying the buildings, as if they were merely in its way.

That will not be tolerated. I leaped forward with the Kyuubi, forcing it to the ground before I tore off its arm to limit the damage to the civilian population.

It thrashed under the Kyuubi's grip, so I took it in my jaw and leapt away from the city, dragging the enemy through the air and into the shallow harbour where less of the hive would be damaged.

The enemy machine's jaw opened, forcing its red interlocking teeth apart as it screamed in pain and hate.

It was useless. Emotions just get in the way of everything!

Then it got up and grabbed the Kyuubi's head.

People called my name, but I ignored them. I do not need distractions.

I clawed forward as the enemy leapt back.

I need to protect the hive.

I got the Kyuubi ready to pounce as the enemy screamed and regenerated its arm. It appeared that I would have to kill it all at once.

It charged at me like a berserker, and I pounced into it.

"SHINO!!" Kiba shouted, his voice breaking through my concentration. "THERE'S A KNIFE COMING OUT OF ITS CHEST!!"

That makes no sense. But it was so. I adjusted my leap to dodge the oncoming blade and ducked to trip the enemy. Clearly conventional biology has no say in the design of these machines.

But we do know that it has a weak spot. All we have to do is destroy that and the hive is safe.

Then there was a loud buzzing sound, and view to my left was replaced with a wall of green.

"My my…" The Kitsune joked. "Looks like the other guy found your weak spot first."

This is not acceptable.

I grabbed the enemy's arm that held the blade with the Kyuubi's claw. The green wall descended, but we were still blinded on the left. I roared, and fire rose from the ocean, consuming both the Kyuubi and the enemy. The cockpit's remaining vision was blocked by the crimson flames, but this was a fox.

A fox relies on its sense of smell.

Closing my eyes, I let the Kyuubi's senses into my mind while I guided its powerful jaw inside the enemy's chest. It screamed as we tore through armour and tissue, orange liquid ejecting from the enemy's wounds.

Could it be that this was actually alive?

It does not matter. By the time the flames cleared, the enemy was too roasted and wounded to move, and its core was a glowing bright red. Without hesitation, I crushed it with the Kyuubi's powerful claws.

For the good of the hive.

"That was incredible Shino-kun!" Kiba shouted, running for me. "You were amazing."

I nodded. "If that's all, I'd like to get back to my hives."

Everyone stared blankly while Kiba laughed. "Man, that's Shino Aburame for-"

"You!" Kiba shouted as Shino fell to the floor. "Huh?" He asked before squatting down to his friend. "Shino-kun?" he asked.

Shino lay still on the ground.

"Man, don't tell me you passed out from exhaustion like that?" Kiba joked as everyone stared in shock. "Come on man, get up!"

Shino lay still.

"S-Shino-kun?" Kiba asked as shock crept up his face. Hinata came and put her fingers gently to Shino's throat and wrist, then gasped. "What?" Kiba asked her. "What is it!?"

"He- He's…" The young girl couldn't say it.

"What, did Kurama not tell you?" The Kitsune asked. "Man, he was lazier than I thought…"

"Tell us what?" Temari asked the Kitsune. "What's happened!?"

"Kehkehkeh… you really don't know?" Asked the Kitsune.

"Know what!?" Shouted Ino. "What don't we know!?"

"That the price of piloting the Kyuubi" Kitsune explained, "In exchange for saving your universe, is your own life force."

"W-what!?" Kankuro shouted. "That's insane!!"

"N-no way…" Sakura gasped.

"I didn't sign up for this!?" Neji shouted. "Hinata! We're leaving!"

"What, you think you can just quit?"

Everyone in the room fell silent and stood as still as statues.

"When it becomes your turn to pilot, and it will, you have forty-eight hours to destroy the enemy, or your universe will be destroyed and you'll die anyway." The Kitsune laughed. "You can't back out of this! You are all going to die!"

"No… you… you can't be serious…" Tenten asked, pale and shaking.

"This has gotta be some kinda sick joke!" Chouji shouted.

"I saw this coming."

Everyone turned to Shikamaru. "Why do you think I didn't want to do this?" He asked. "Because something bad would obviously happen!"

"Well why didn't you say anything!?" Kiba barked. "If you knew this was gonna happen, why didn't you stop us!?"

"Shut it."

Everyone was silenced again as they looked to the calm Uchiha. "There's no use whining about what's done." He sat on his tree stump. "We're all going to die. That was gonna happen before we signed up for this. The only difference is that it's gonna happen sooner." He glared at everyone in the room. "That gives us between one and thirteen battles left to live our lives and fulfil our ambitions. I can accept that."

Then his glare turned evil. "But I will not allow anyone of us to give up or back down from this." He stood up and shouted like an evangelical preacher. "Naruto died for this. So did Shino. As will all of us."

"Sasuke-san…" Sakura whispered under her breath.

Sasuke punched the air before him with a clenched fist. "None of us are too young to die. None of us are innocent. But our fifteen lives is a small price to pay to preserve the six billion other people on this planet who will not die because we did. And if any of you even think of wasting their lives…" He lowered his hand. "I'll kill you myself."

Everyone backed away from the Uchiha's threat as he turned to Kitsune. "That's allowed, right?" He asked. "If a pilot dies outside of the cockpit, then someone else is chosen instead and we can sign up a replacement pilot later?"

"Oh yes." Kitsune replied. "I'd even dispose of the body for you."

"Good." Sasuke replied, walking into the centre of the circle and putting his hand forward. "Anyone who still wants to do this, step forward. If not, run like the little cowards you are and die a wasted death."

Rock Lee put his hand on Sasuke's before he even finished speaking. "It would be an honour to sacrifice my life for the sake of humanity."

Shikamaru was next. "It's a troublesome mess we're in, but we gotta finish what we started."

Gaara was fourth, simply because he was furthest from Sasuke at the time. "Just as long as I get my turn to kill."

One by one, everyone put their hand into the circle, inspired by Sasuke's speech. He had always been known to be dark and antisocial, so hearing this from him was even more effective than it really should have been.

"Heheh…" Kitsune laughed. "Now it gets really interesting…"

Don't forget to vote for the next pilot. Next chapter will be written when one character gets three votes.