Disclaimer: How many of the writers on fanfiction own Naruto? None? Well that includes me.
A/n: This story takes place during Shippuden, and starts a little after the three-tails arc, but before the invasion arc.
"Shino. Care to explain your rather cryptic message?" Tsunade asked, her voice dangerously calm.
"The girl awoke, had a panic attack at being in the hospital, launched herself out the window and begged me not to make her go back and be an experiment when I caught her. So I took her to my house which would hopefully be a more comfortable setting for her. I asked you to send Sakura so she could take the glass shards out of her and heal her." He explained calmly.
"Very well. She will stay with you for the time being, and report in anything you learn about her. Especially a name would be useful. Then we could ask around about her."
Shino nodded and left.
When Kumo awoke she was in a bed, but not in hospital. Bug-man was sitting in a chair next to the bed, and she couldn't tell if he was looking at her or not because of those stupid dark glasses.
"Good. You're awake."
"Where am I?"
"My house."
"That's kind of creepy. Why am I here?"
He shrugged. "You refused to go back to the hospital."
The silence stretched out. She still couldn't tell if he was looking at her, and it was bugging her.
"Will you tell me your name?" he finally asked.
"You can call me Kumo."
"You wish to be called 'spider?'"
"Yeah. What's your name?"
Shino was tempted to give a sarcastic reply to mirror her not very helpful answer to his question about her name, but his logical side won, as it always did, and he said "Aburame Shino."
"I suppose that sounds better than 'bug-man.'"
"Are you willing to tell me anything else about yourself?"
"I don't want to be human."
"Anything you wish to share that I don't already know?" Shino clarified.
"I don't like sour candies." Where did that come from? Shino wondered.
"Anything else?"
"Sure. Maternal instincts are a myth, and being a spider's not that bad." Oookkkaaay.
"Are you from Iwa?"
"Not by choice."
"Are you a ninja?"
"No."
"But your chakra signature is that of a shinobi."
"I didn't say I had no training. I just said I wasn't a ninja. You're not very smart are you?"
That stung, but Shino ignored it and continued his questioning. "Who trained you?"
"A ninja." She said helpfully.
"Did this ninja have a name?"
"Several of them."
"Will you tell me any of them?"
"Not unless you tell me about yourself. I don't want to be the only one giving away answers." Her answers are not very helpful, but perhaps she will be more willing if I comply with her request. "I am Shino. I live in the ninja village Konohagakure. I am a chunin. I use kikaichu."
"Care to tell me something I don't already know?"
"What do you wish to know?"
"Why do you wear sunglasses, even inside?"
"It is a family tradition."
"Why is it a family tradition?"
"You asked the last question. We will alternate who asks and who answers."
Sigh. "Fine. What do you want to know?"
"How old are you?"
"I don't know. I don't remember how long I was a spider. Now answer why your family has a tradition of wearing those creepy glasses."
She finds them creepy. Perhaps she would be more comfortable and helpful if I removed them. He removed his glasses, revealing one brown eye and one dark grey eye. "My family wears glasses to hide our eyes because many people find eyes of 2 different colors disconcerting."
"Does everyone in your family have 2 different colored eyes?"
"It is my turn to ask a question. How old were you before you became a spider?"
"15. Now answer my question."
"Yes. All of us have eyes of two different colors. What was the name of the ninja who trained you?"
"No one can have a name unless someone acknowledges that they exist. No one else acknowledged he existed as anything but a weapon while I was alive, so the only name he had was that of mine for him. Father. Now tell me about that ninja who forced me into this shape."
"Kakashi is the name of the jounin who undid your transformation. Now answer my question, why do you want to be hated?"
She stiffened. "I deserve to be hated." Her voice was dead and flat.
Shino didn't want to hurt her, but he gently asked "Why do you deserve to be hated?"
"I was weak. I couldn't stop him."
"Who couldn't you stop?"
Kumo shook and remained silent, so Shino put a hand on her shoulder gently and asked again.
She just shook her head and buried her face in his chest. Shino froze in shock. He had never been this close to a female who wasn't a family member or he had been sparring with. Awkwardly he put his arms around her. Obviously she's not ready yet to talk about "him," whoever he is. Perhaps I can find out without asking her directly. If I watch her reaction when I talk about a friend or brother or father, her expression may give away whether her trauma had anything to do with a friend or relative. When she stopped shaking, Shino quickly released her.
"I want to sleep, now get out."
Shino nodded silently and left the upset girl to calm herself down. He had a report to send to the Hokage.