Chapter 7 – 'A Winter's Tale'

"Kuroji, you've really outdone yourself!"

"Your welcome."

Shen ran his hand over the brand new kikai gourd. Smooth and un-dented or nicked. Protective kanji bright and cleanly carved in the lower side. He gently uncorked the top and buckled it across his torso. It wasn't exactly the same as his old one, he could tell the difference, but it was extremely close. He should get used to it in no time.

"It's alright, it's for you," He voiced to his stray kikaichu.

They screeed happily and came from all corners of his home to swoosh into the gourd. Shen tossed the cork in the air and the swarm caught it, taking it with them and sealing it in place as the last of them entered.

"Is it alright?" Kuroji asked.

"Perfect."

He nodded, and they exchanged bows.

It was a warm early-November day. Shen figured it was perfect weather for a walk to 'break in' the new gourd. He could feel his chakra flowing through its outer shell, his kikaichu inside safe and having a stable chakra source once again.

Shen was only able to have such a large gourd because he had high chakra stamina and control. Supporting 3 human's worth of kikaichu was no easy task. He had to regulate his chakra output to make sure they got enough to eat, so it was not too much (so that he would use too much chakra) or too little (starve his kikaichu). He must have been doing something right because ever since he was 15 he and his easygoing-natured kikai never had a problem. The only hiccup that ever occurred was his insects in his gourd would always be jealous of his kikaichu in his body. Sometimes they would quarrel; the insects in the gourd saying they outnumbered those in his body, trying to pull rank through numbers. Those in his body would pull rank saying they were older. Things would go though the usual complaining saying that they should take turns…etc….but such little feuds would never result to much more than Shen getting amusement from their childish bickering.

As he was heading for the clan doors, Kaho caught sight of him. She was training out in the courtyard with the clan children: 10 year old Tesuro, 7 year old Fu, and 14 year old Yusuro. Yusuro was not a child anymore, but not quite a woman yet either. Yesetteru was also there on the sidelines, mostly keeping watch on Shino for Kaho. She was due to get her kikaichu very soon; 18 days before Shino's first birthday to be exact.

"Is that the new gourd?!" Kaho ran over.

"It is. Kuroji just brought it to me,"

Kaho smoothed her hand over it like it was a new car, "Oooo…"

"Heh stop that," He mused. His kikaichu buzzed.

"Uncle Shen!" Yesetteru scampered over, struggling slightly cause she was holding Shino (who to not-quite-four-year-old was a large thing to carry). She called Shen 'uncle' although technically he was her great uncle, "I wanna touch it! May I please?" She smiled.

"Clam down, and yes you may, " He kneeled down so she could reach out and feel the outside of the gourd. Shino put his hand out too. It reminded him of his father's gourd, which he was often scolded for slobbering on…He was going to try and get closer but was yanked away by Yesetteru.

"Its pretty," She smiled.

"Ga," Shino was still starring at it longingly.

Just then, the clan doors creaked open and Fujita stepped inside, most likely coming back from a mission. He caught sight of Shen talking to Kaho. He groaned to himself…he had wanted to ask Kaho how Fu was doing with her training….

Kaho parted her lips to talk to him, but he just kept walking. Even though his eyes were hidden same as any Aburame, they could tell he was avoiding eye contact.

Fu watched the 'exchange', and was distracted, allowing for Tesuro to break through her kikaichu barrier and land a hit on her. She fell backwards and hit the ground. It was only training, so she was not hurt. But still, any hit landed is still painful.

"I can't believe I never noticed how you two avoid each other," Kaho said to Shen.

"Yea, they don't talk much, Fujita-san and uncle Shen," Yesetteru said as only a child could.

I did say I'd tell you about it a few weeks ago didn't I? He thought with a sigh. "Would you like to come on a walk with me Kaho-sama?"

Kaho understood. She picked up Yesetteru and Shino as one unit, and walked over to plunk them down alongside the other three kids. "Yusuro, watch over everyone for a bit."

Yusuro nodded.

"And Fu,"

The quiet girl looked up at her senior ninja.

"Don't allow personal distractions to get in the way of your defenses. Always pay attention when you have a battle going on no matter what."

Fu nodded, "Yes Kaho-sama."

…

The two Aburames walked side by side, hands in pockets, up through the center of town. Things were finally back to normal, about as normal as things can be after such a devastating attack. They got the occasional point or stare from children, but overall the village was quite used to them. It was the disgusted glances they got sporadically from adults that they disliked.

"The deal with Fujita and me goes back a long time." Shen began, "I knew his parents since before he was born. They were two happily married Aburames; Sejuri and Hiei. A good pair, I would say. Both were from inside the clan." He paused, "There was just one problem with the way things were though…"

After there was a long pause, Kaho spoke up, "What was that?"

"I loved Sejuri."

"Oh…" She looked down.

"She knew full well how I felt about her. And…it wasn't only me. We only realized how strongly we felt for one another after they had been together for 5 years. We started having an affair. All this was unknown to Hiei."

Kaho stayed silent.

"However, it was not unknown to Fujita. He was a smart 4 year old. He knew what was going on. I felt sorry for Hiei. I had nothing against him; he was a good man. Sejuri didn't hate him either, she loved him. It's hard to describe how things like this go..."

"However, it all abruptly changed around when Fujita was about to turn 5. In Hiei's family there ran a weak heart condition through the males. It was to be his undoing as it was for others before him, he died at the age of 26 in a fairly low-key battle. I would be lying if I said I didn't rejoice somewhere in my heart when the news came. I felt like a monster for it, in some dusty corner of my mind, rejoicing over a mans; no, a friends death."

Kaho looked around for some form of visual distraction, and caught sight of a winter june bug crawling up the side of a building. She then continued listening.

"Sejuri and I wasted no time. We openly got together only a week after his funeral. I wasn't trying to replace Hiei, but it felt that way to Fujita. I remember once he yelled at me 'You'e not my father!'. He also told me if his father had died just a year before he would have refused to let me be his second kikaichu godparent. To make things worse, Sejuri was…" He paused, "…killed in a surprise raid on the village two years later. Back in those days things were not as peaceful as they are now. She was only 28."

"I'm sorry."

He seemed to struggle to say, "She was also…pregnant."

Kaho stayed silent for a time, Kami…that must have been terrible, she thought, not only to lose the woman you love, but also the son/daughter you never got to know…and for Fujita, to lose his mother who was going to have a half-brother with a man you hated.

"You must have raised Fujita after that, right?"

"No, he refused to live with me. He was barely 8, so he needed someone to take care of him. Gen took him in of course; even though he was raising Shibi alone at the time. And also, even though Fujita was only three years older than Shibi and they could have grown up like siblings, he barely interacted with him. Shibi played with Kuroji more than Fujita, even though they lived under the same roof. Everyone kind of resented him after that; being so cold to Gen for his kindness."

"…No wonder I never ended up talking to him much…" Kaho muttered. I would see him around the clan but he always seemed so…reluctant to talk to anyone, she thought. People of this village are unaware that our clan is so tightly knit, and everyone is actually quite friendly with one another. However, I guess among people like us there are a few who actually act as people think we all do; antisocial and completely taciturn.

"But that's it, you know everything now." Shen took his hands from his pockets and wrapped his scarf up around his neck again, as it had fallen slightly.

"Wait, what about Fu? Where did she come from?"

He let out a short breath that was almost a laugh, but not in any matter of humor, "That's another story…but to make it simple…she was from a one-night stand with a woman in the village. Fujita apparently didn't even know about it until a three-year old child was put in his lap when the mother was killed and there were no other living realities to take her in."

"…" Kaho raised an eyebrow, this guy all around is just bad news…she thought, "Thanks for telling me. I didn't mean to pry."

"Everyone in the clan knew but you, it was only fair."

Just then they happened to catch sight of a crème-white jacket alongside a dusty rose one.

"Oh, hello!" Sakuya caught sight of them, and waved her hand up.

They crossed the busy expanse of the mid-village marketplace to meet at the center.

"Out enjoying the weather too?" Shen said to his niece.

"Indeed." She replied.

"I couldn't take sitting in bed one more minute!" Ussa groaned.

"You were badly hurt, stop complaining. You're lucky I let you go to the Hokage's funeral."

"Like I'd MISS that." Ussa looked completely normal again except for the cast on his wrist.

"Heh," Kaho smirked behind her collar.

"Ohhh! The new gourd! Kuroji finished it?" Sakuya, like everyone else was compelled to touch it.

Shen smiled nervously, Why does everyone need to touch it? "Yes, it is."

"Old spider-lover's outdone himself." Ussa grinned, using Shibi's 'pet name'.

"As usual."

"…Oh, Kaho-sama," Sakuya asked. She rarely called her 'sama' unless she had something serious to say, so Kaho was instantly quiet and listening, "I was meaning to talk to you about Yesetteru's kikaichu ceremony."

"Me? Shibi may be better to talk to about that…"

"I wanted to talk to a fellow woman." She replied, "Besides, you are clan leader as well, don't avoid your duties."

I'm not avoiding, I just don't know if I'm capable yet of helping in things like this, "Alright then," She nodded.

Ussa looked between the two women, "Does this mean I'm walking home by myself?"

"I'll go with you, don't be so dramatic," Shen adjusted his glasses.

"Sometimes I feel like a bachelor…" Ussa muttered under his breath.

"Get the oven ready so it's hot by the time we get back, I'm making honey casserole." Sakuya said.

"All is forgiven!" Ussa grinned, waving as he and Shen disappeared down the next side street.

"Way to a man's heart is through his stomach…?" Kaho mused to her.

"Always."

…

"This girl is now your host and master, and a nest in which to raise your children. You will depend on them to survive. In exchange for their chakra and body, you must respect and follow their orders, grow with them, and protect them at all costs."

Kaho and Shibi stood over Ussa and Sakuya, who in turn were kneeled next to Yesetteru. It was January 5; she had just turned four years old. Since Ussa had no kikaichu of his own, Shibi by default was the second donator. However, through prior arrangements, Kaho was acting as second kikaichu godparent.

The little girl looked up to her parents.

"You can get up, you're all done," Ussa said with a smile.

"I'll make you your favorite tea," Sakuya picked up her girl.

"Red zinger?! With honey and everything?" Yesetteru grinned.

Shibi watched them leave.

"It was such a perfect night for a kikaichu ceremony; warm for January," Shen said walking over.

"Ah," Shibi replied. He was thinking about how in just three years Shino would be in the same position. It was almost his first birthday …it seemed like just yesterday he was a wriggly little newborn.

"Come'on, lets make it an early night," Kaho nudged Shibi. Shino was dead asleep in her arms.

"Ah."