Author's Note:
Yes – it has been a while since an update…and I do apologize for that.
Recent health issues and my constant drive to improve my story, has slowed the writing process to a snail's pace.
Special thanks to my readers and reviewers for patiently waiting for the update to this story.
This story is dedicated to Deserter and the usual motley crew of regulars - thank you, you folks are wonderful!
A sentence in Italics denotes the private thoughts of a character.
Disclaimer: No – I don't own Naruto or the characters… hell, I can't even afford to rent them by the hour.
If
it takes my whole life
I won't break, I won't bend
It will
all be worth it
Worth it in the end
Cause I can only tell
you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars
have all gone out
You'll still be burning so bright
Answer – Sarah McLachlan
Chapter 5 – Sanctuary Amongst the Vermin
Shino quietly slipped into his bedroom and walked over to the base of his bed.
The young Aburame male felt the corner of his lips curl up into a ghost of a smile as he watched Ino reach out in her sleep, her fingers searching across the surface of the bed, only to pull her hand back in disappointment, a tiny frown marring her smooth brow.
I miss sleeping next to you too, Ino…
Her creamy shoulder peaked out from where the cotton yukata gapped away from her body during the night and a slim leg shifted under the surface of the cool sheets before she settled back into a deep slumber once more.
Shino continued to watch her from behind the sanctuary of his dark glasses, the longing for her stealing into the metallic depths of his eyes.
He dearly wanted to kiss that bare shoulder...but knew that wasn't a good idea...given the present circumstances.
He had tried to steal into the room last night and had hoped to slide in next to her, to hold her against his body until the early morning light streaked the sky.
Shino looked down at the folded Kimono in his hands and frowned.
Yes… that had been his plan… but he hadn't counted on his father's devious and protective nature being out in force.
Tiny angry red bite marks dotted his large hand from where he had touched the bedroom door late last night, only to meet the persistent chaperones that the old bug nest left on the surface before he had retired for the evening.
Yes – he had gotten his father's message loud and clear…the conventions had to be observed.
He was to let her sleep in peace... Clan leader's orders.
"How is she?" murmured the voice of his tormentor from the doorway.
Shino looked over at his father briefly before returning his gaze back to the woman deeply asleep in the large bed.
"She's looking a little better but there are still dark circles under her eyes." murmured the younger Aburame in a concerned undertone, wanting to give into the urge to walk over to the side of the bed and tenderly push the hair out of her eyes.
"Mah, Son… I know you want to molest Inoichi's daughter in the worst way possible… but you need to give her time to recover and rest." replied Shibi slyly, not missing the dull flush that came into his son's face at his ribald comment.
"Father..." warned Shino with a small hiss, before inwardly smiling when he heard Ino's two kikai protectors hiss a warning out as well from their posts on the young woman's collar bones.
They apparently shared his sentiments and they didn't find his father's comment amusing either.
Shibi glanced over at the bed when he heard the vicious little things making a fuss and gave those two a calculating glare through the safety of his glasses.
Never in his life had he seen such nasty, cantankerous...
The Aburame clan abruptly halted his mental condemnation of the destruction beetles as a thought popped into his head and the sly smile returned once more to his firm lips.
On second thought... it wasn't such a bad thing that they were so territorial.
Anyone stupid enough to touch the woman should soon get the message loud and clear that she was claimed by an Aburame clan member.
"Son, why don't you put the kimono down on the table? We can have a chat while we get breakfast prepared for our lovely guest." murmured Shibi quietly from the safety of the doorway as the two little destruction beetles continued to hiss out a low warning.
Shino continued his silent surveillance of Ino's sleeping form before finally nodding his agreement and moving to place the kimono on a nearby low table.
He really didn't want to leave her…but his father was correct… they still needed to talk about a couple of things before Ino woke up.
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"Sit, Shino….and tell me what's on your mind..." murmured the elder Aburame, amused by his son's uncharacteristic nervousness.
"Father, how do you feel about all this?" asked Shino softly.
Shibi paused in his task of putting water into the kettle and turned to face the younger man sitting at the table trying to stare a hole into the surface.
The Aburame clan leader continued to study the bowed head of his son before finally leaving the kettle on the nearby counter, walking over to the table and sitting down across from Shino.
"Shino, I'm delighted that you've found someone who loves you for who you are... and you're happy." replied Shibi quietly.
The older Aburame male listened to the erratic hum of the kikai emanating from his son for a moment and knew what he was thinking.
"You're wrong, son... I don't give a damn what the gossips think... Why the hell should I when I am one of the biggest gossips walking around this village?! Yes, this is going to take everyone by surprise but so what?! It's none of anyone's business. She's a beautiful woman and you're a lucky man... that's all that matters."
Shibi heard the rustle of his son's kikai before they finally settled down to a gentle hum.
"Father...thank you."
"Mah – no need to thank me, son... Are you worried about becoming a father?" murmured Shibi gruffly.
Shino sighed and replied, "No... I'm excited by the prospect...just never thought it would ever happen to me...that's all."
The older Aburame propped his head on an arm as he quietly countered, "Neither did I, son... Hell, I thought all my Kikai were going to desert me when you initially approached me to use the cabin."
Shino made a scoffing sound at the back of his throat as he murmured with a small smile, "Now, you're exaggerating..."
Shibi slapped a hand across his heart and exclaimed, "I am not... you wound me, Shino."
The Aburame Clan Leader felt a similar smile pull at his own lips when he heard his son mutter an obscenity under his breath at his comment.
"You did manage to surprise me though, Shino... I wasn't expecting you to bring home a woman as beautiful and according to some rumors, as feisty as Ino... Yes... I knew who she was because you had told me ...but that still didn't prepare me for the shock of seeing her for the first time last night." murmured Shibi in a serious undertone as he clasped his hands in front of his face.
"Why were you shocked, father?" replied Shino, now more than a little concerned by his father's comment.
"You do realize that her father isn't going to let her willingly have her choice... despite the fact that she's of an age to marry without permission and she's carrying your children. There are men out there that would still be prepared to marry her – just for the opportunity for an alliance with the Yamanaka Clan." responded the older Aburame, not surprised to hear his son's kikai hiss out in agitation.
"Isn't there any way we can prevent him from doing that?" asked Shino after he managed to get his destruction beetles under control.
The younger Aburame man looked up in mild surprise at his father when he heard him let out a decidedly wicked chuckle and reply, "Yes, there is one way to effectively prevent him from doing so...but it's up to Ino whether or not she wishes to pursue that avenue."
"Up to Ino?" asked Shino, a little puzzled.
Shibi reached over and placed a comforting hand on his son's shoulder, murmuring, "I spent a good deal of time last night doing some research into the matter. In order for that plan to work... it needs to be Ino's decision... we can't influence her in any way... but don't worry, son... I have a feeling that your woman has already decided that she wants to spend the rest of her life with you...despite her fears."
Shino's eyes narrowed then as he muttered in an undertone, "Exactly what are you up to, father?"
The older Aburame chuckled once more and said with a smile, "Even if Ino doesn't go for the first plan... there are still other ways to out-maneuver Inoichi, Son... In the meantime, we should really get breakfast organized. It wouldn't do to keep a pregnant woman waiting for food... not if we value our lives."
Shino stared at his father in shock before a smile touched the corner of lips and he pushed himself up and away from the table as he felt his father pull his hand away from his shoulder to get up from the table as well.
He was privately thankful that his father was such a crafty and resourceful clan leader.
Yes – if anyone can figure out a way to out fox the Yamanaka... it was his own father.
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Ino walked out into the kitchen dressed in the borrowed kimono left for her and found the two Aburame males in the full swing of breakfast preparations.
She saw Shibi stop what he was doing and give her little Kikai beetles a narrowed look as they darted off their perch in search of their own meal.
Shino turned around when he felt the beetles crawl under his sleeve and walked over to the kitchen table to pull out a chair for the young woman.
"Did you sleep well?" he murmured into her ear.
She smiled, reaching up with one hand and kissed his cheek, making the younger Aburame male blush and Shibi snicker at his son's discomfort. It was clear to the Aburame Clan Leader that his son wasn't used to an audience.
"I did, thank you… but Shino, why didn't you come to bed last night?" questioned the blonde softly.
She heard the older man clear his throat then and reply, "Ahh Ino, I'm afraid to say that I am to blame for my son's absence from your side last night. A couple of things were brought to my attention that needed to be addressed this morning."
Ino looked up and felt herself getting nervous by that announcement but she was surprised to see Shibi smile gently and reply, "Relax, Ino… it will be fine. Promise."
He slid a cup of herbal tea over to the young woman as well as a piece of dry toast.
The older Aburame frowned slightly as the little watchdogs came back to roost on the blonde's shoulder blades and hissed a warning at the man.
The little upstarts!
"Why don't you keep those little beasts of yours occupied while you have some breakfast, then we'll meet in the study for our chat, hn?" replied Shibi.
The two men sat down on either side of the blonde and listened in wonder as she alternatively stroked and scolded the little bugs during breakfast.
The older Aburame shook his head wryly and thought to himself, "No wonder the little shits attack at the slightest provocation. It's obvious that they adore her."
-----------------------
Shibi sat down at his desk and watched behind his glasses as his son escorted the young woman to a seat. Yes – his son had it bad for the blonde and it was obvious he cherished her with every ounce of his being. It was equally obvious that Ino returned his feelings in kind. It was good to see that they were in love. This was going to make his job a little easier.
"Okay, first order of business… all bugs out of the room. Let no one in until we're finished our discussion." Announced the Aburame Clan Leader and looked over at Ino. "Those two as well, Ino."
She watched the Aburame Clan Leader release his beetles and watched them take up position on one side of the house. Shibi nodded to his son and his beetles took up position on the remaining side of the house.
"Where do you want them?" asked Ino with a cheeky grin.
Shibi grinned evilly in return. He really liked this girl's spunk!
"Outside the door. Those little terrors can ride shotgun!"
Ino looked down at the little buzzing blobs and murmured, "Well, boys… you heard Aburame-sama. I'll call you back when we're done!"
The little Kikai beetles zoomed quickly out past Shino and waited until he closed the door before assuming their positions.
Shibi waited until his son sat down before he addressed his first question to the blonde.
"Ino, it has been brought to my attention that you were a guest in our home on one other occasion." Started the Aburame Clan Leader and continued when he saw her give a hesitant nod. "When you realized that you were staying in Shino's room, was there any discussion of moving you into a guest room for the remainder of your visit?"
Shino stood up a little embarrassed by this line of questioning and was about to protest when he felt his lover's small hand on his arm. Ino shook her head and murmured placidly to the young man, "No, Shino… it's fine. He has a right to know."
The young bug wielder sat down once more but kept a hand clasped in his own.
"Yes, he had wanted to move me into another room once I gained consciousness because he was worried about my reputation but I insisted on staying there." Replied the blonde softly and added in an even softer voice. "I felt safer staying in his room and he made it clear that it was my decision to make."
Shibi looked at his son then before asking Ino, "If I was to ask you if you would prefer to be moved into a guest room, would your answer still be the same as the first occasion?"
Ino had a feeling that her response meant a great deal to the older man, so she replied honestly, "Yes, it's the same. I would rather stay in Shino's room if you don't mind."
Shibi looked down at his clasped hands, deep in contemplation over this interesting little revelation. This certainly changed the situation dramatically.
"Ino, there is an old law of the Aburame Clan that is more binding than a marriage contract. If certain conditions are met, it automatically overrides any contractual agreements. By your own admission you have voluntarily spent two separate occasions in my son's bed. There is one other condition that must be met before the law comes in effect."
Shibi got up from the desk and opened the safe hidden in the corner, pulling out a small and very ornate casket. He closed the safe and walked back to table, placing the delicate box in front of him.
Shino stood up and murmured in a low voice, "Father, no!"
The elder Aburame frowned at his son and replied, "Son, it will be fine. It's up to Ino if she wishes to follow through with this."
He hated asking the woman but it was an essential component of the law.
"Knowing what type of Clan this is, did you of your own free will enter into an intimate relationship with one of its members."
The young woman looked over at the agitated young man still standing and gently pulled him down, effectively gaining his attention. She understood what was being asked and strangely enough, she wasn't scared about the possible ramifications of her answer.
Ino reached over and carefully tugged off Shino's glasses and placed them in her lap before returning her hand back to his face.
She wanted to see his eyes when she answered the question, so he wouldn't have any doubt about her decision.
Ino brushed his lip softly with her thumb and answered the clan leader's question then.
"Yes, I did… and no, I have no regrets."
Shino felt overwhelmed by emotion then.
"Ino… you don't have to do this…" whispered the younger man, his voice cracking.
"Yes...Shino...I do. After what happened yesterday, I finally realized that I couldn't imagine life without you being there by my side... and I'm not stupid...I know despite the verbal agreement, there is an excellent chance that my father will refuse to sign the marriage contract...Yes, I know it's selfish...but I don't want to spend the rest of my life having regrets when I have a chance to be in control of my destiny for once..." replied Ino quietly as she softly stroked his cheek and watched the different emotions flit through the mercurial depths of those eyes of his.
Even Shibi looked down at the table, feeling the emotion swamp him. His son had chosen a rare woman indeed or rather, she chose him.
"Shino, by your woman's own admission... she has met the conditions set out by the law."
"Ino...If you agree to this… there is no walking away. The law is binding." murmured Shino, still choked up with emotion.
She leaned forward then and tenderly touched her lips to his, shocking both men with her actions and her next words.
"Yes… Shino. I know."
---------------------------
Shibi was feeling highly emotional and that was a rarity.
The only other time he had felt like crying or even given into the urge to ball like a baby was when his beloved wife had passed on.
And now this little slip of a female was reducing him to the same state with her admissions.
The elder Aburame cleared his throat and got the attention of the kissing couple.
Shino broke away then, blushing profusely and sheepishly looked over at his partner in crime who was sporting a similar blush on her own face.
"The Sanctuary of the Kikai is an extremely old Aburame law that is held sacred by our clan. In fact, the last time it was enacted was nearly two hundred years ago. It states that any female willing to seek sanctuary or protection from a male member of our clan on three separate occasions can be bound in wedlock to that man without the permission of the Hokage or the woman's family."
Shibi gave the young woman a look of consideration before murmuring "So, do you still plan to stay in my son's room? If you do, you realize that you will be formally acknowledging that you have actively sought out sanctuary with him and this will be recognized as the second occasion you have willingly done so."
Ino looked down at her belly then and gently stroked it, a small smile tugging at her lips before she looked back at the clan leader. The significance of that action wasn't lost on either man.
"It's my decision, right?" asked the blonde.
The Aburame clan leader nodded and replied, "Yes – if you decide on following through in accordance with the law, a marriage will take place after the acknowledgment of the third granting of sanctuary. The marriage contract just completed will be in effect null and void. Your parents won't be obligated to provide a dowry for you and your groom won't be obligated to give you a groom's gift."
Shibi had to admire the young woman's courage at even considering this course of action.
He watched Ino behind his glasses as she turned to his son and looked at him in quiet contemplation, just holding his hand. Shino was nervous but he knew that it was ultimately her decision.
"So, does Shino have to move out of the bedroom indefinitely or can he share it with me?" came the quiet and calmly spoken response.
Shibi felt the grin threatening to break out on his face.
Naughty girl!
"My son can stay if that is your wish and it will be considered part of the second sanctuary granting... until such time you decide to exercise your right to seek sanctuary from my son once more." replied the Aburame Clan Leader slyly.
"That is my wish."
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Shibi was secretly delighted with the woman's decision. If anything, it cemented her position in the clan by electing to enact the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law. The last time a woman gave up everything for an Aburame male was almost two centuries ago.
The clan was going to be enthralled with the romanticism of the situation and the village was going to be rocked with the biggest scandal they had experienced in decades. This was guaranteed to easily eclipse the sorry incident involving Ino and Shikamaru Nara. Yes – the Aburame Clan Leader couldn't be more pleased with this unexpected turn of events.
Hell – he was going to be in for free drinks for a long time for the strength of this gossip alone!
Shibi looked over at his son and smiled broadly. The younger Aburame had finally given into his emotions. The young woman was now in his son's lap and wrapped up in his arms, her head cradled on his shoulder.
The elder Aburame pulled out the small pile of official scrolls that he spent the remainder of the night working on just in the hopes that Ino would choose this option and placed them near the ornate casket.
He heard some shuffling while he was busy retrieving the marriage contracts from another drawer and looked up after a while. He was relieved to see that his son had regained his composure and they were back in their own seats, waiting for him.
"Ino, do you still wish to enact the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law?" asked the Aburame Clan Leader, giving the young woman one last chance to back out of it.
Ino had felt a wonderful sense of calm come over her the moment she had woken up and instinctively knew that she would be safe with these men.
Not once had the Aburame men made her feel uncomfortable during this discussion but rather made it clear to her that she held all the cards and she was in effect, mistress of her destiny.
Ino had never been more certain about a decision in her life than the one she was about to make.
The young woman nodded calmly and said, "Yes – that's my choice and that's what I want to do."
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Shino looked at his lover, stunned and secretly amazed at the level of sacrifice she was prepared to make to be with him. He vowed then and there that she would always know that her decision wasn't one that she would ever have cause to regret.
Shibi watched the young woman proudly from the haven of his sunglasses and knew he too would do what was needed to make sure she was happy within this clan.
The Aburame Clan leader gestured for his son to come to the table.
"Shino, it seems that we will not be using the marriage contracts after all. Why don't you put them in the fireplace now and set fire to them." replied Shibi in a deceptively calm voice.
Ino watched her lover put the contracts into a large kettle in the fireplace and set them on fire before replacing the lid.
Shino sat back down and reached for her hand, gently caressing it with his thumb.
Shibi waited for them to get comfortable once more before addressing the matter at hand.
"In order for the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law to be in effect, two things need to happen.
You need to be presented to our clan and then we need to formally notify the other clans and the Hokage of your decision to voluntarily seek sanctuary with the Aburame Clan."
Shibi stood up and picked up the ornate casket sitting on the corner of his desk and walked over to the young couple.
"In order for our clan to be assured of your sincerity in being a member of the Aburame, there is a special ring unique to this law." continued the elder Aburame in a conversational tone.
He knelt down and opened the casket in front of the couple.
"Ohhhh." whispered Ino. She'd never seen anything so beautiful. It was a large oval sapphire in the shape of a Kikai, surrounded by tinier Kikai beetles in white diamonds.
Shino reached in and carefully removed the delicate ring. He gently grasped her left hand and slid the ring onto the ring finger. Both Aburame men looked at each other in complete shock as it glided up the young woman's finger, a perfect fit.
Ino lifted her hand up and admired the ring in the light and murmured, "It's so beautiful. Is it supposed to feel so comfortable?"
Shibi cleared his throat, suddenly all choked up and replied, "It's only comfortable for those worthy of bearing the Aburame name, Ino."
The young woman watched the clan leader slowly get up and walk back over to his chair.
She was further confused when she saw him suspiciously wipe at his eyes before answering the unspoken question he saw in her eyes.
"The last time that ring was worn was nearly two centuries ago by a young woman in a similar position to your own. She too made the same decision you just made today. It's an excellent omen that it feels like that. It has always been rumored that the ring is enchanted. The fit of the ring apparently signified the purity of the woman's soul. If she had put all her heart and soul in her decision, the ring would fit perfectly."
Ino looked at the delicate ring on her finger and sighed. It was certainly a romantic tale.
She felt a hand on top of hers and she turned to find her lover smiling sweetly at her, his glasses back on his face.
Shibi smiled at the couple and said, "Well, Ino… you may as well call in those two little hellions of yours before we go and call the clan together."
Shino walked over to the door and opened it a crack.
Ino was about to call them when she saw the older Aburame shake his head and gently murmured, "You need to learn to call them mentally, Ino… try it." She understood what he meant. There were going to be times when talking wouldn't be an option.
The two Kikai beetles zoomed in and settled into the hollows of the young woman's collar bones.
Shibi shook his head at the little beetles and then stood up. He was about to walk over to his son when he heard the little perverts do something he never heard a Kikai do before.
Shino heard it too and looked down to see the two Kikai now crawling over the ring. They were cooing.
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Father and son flanked the young woman as they made their way to the front of the large house to the clan meeting place.
They made a startling procession as they walked through the massive Aburame compound. The beautiful blonde dressed in the delicate Aburame Kimono with a tall Aburame male in high collared jackets and dark sunglasses on either side of her.
The men called their beetles back to them as they got closer to the meeting area but were perplexed when the Kikai fell in behind the young woman rather than returning to their bug hosts.
They could hear a lot of murmuring now that they were closer. Apparently the sight of the destruction beetles barricading the main house had caused quite a stir and there was conjecture as to what was going on.
Shino looked down at his lover as they stepped into the covered meeting area and wasn't surprised to hear the noise die down to a muted silence.
Shibi quickly scanned the group and was satisfied to see everyone had turned up at the sudden summons. The elders were clustered in the back of the room waiting patiently.
He could see by their faces that they were all curious to find out what was going on and equally curious of why the beautiful blonde was flanked by the clan leader and heir.
They were stunned when they saw two little Kikai flit off a very ornate and rare ring to land in the hollows of her shoulders. The clan got a further shock when they saw the Aburame Heir reach for the young woman's hand with the ring. The whispers started in earnest, with shrouded eyes darting over the couple from time to time.
Shibi cleared his throat and addressed the clan, "Ino Yamanaka has expressed the desire to enact the Sanctuary of the Kikai and has voluntarily sought protection from my son, Shino Aburame."
The clan broke out in excited whispers then at this news. Everyone knew that the law hadn't been acted on in nearly two hundred years.
One of the elders of the clan shuffled to the front of the room and reached for the young woman's hand.
The two Kikai hissed a warning but Ino managed to get them under control.
The old woman looked at the little protectors in surprise and then grinned in delight at their significance.
"Are they little boys, girls or one of each?" asked the Aburame elder softly, gesturing to the little Kikai on the young woman's shoulders.
"Oh! Rex and Spike are both boys…" replied Ino grinning.
"Ahh… you named them too, eh?" chuckled the old woman, slyly looking over at the Aburame Clan Leader, who was also smiling slyly behind his collar.
"Could you raise your hand with the ring on it for me? Your little boys will attack if they feel I am going to hurt you." murmured the elder.
Shino's hand dropped away from hers as she raised it high enough for the old woman to see. Ino watched the old woman slide the ring off her hand slightly, only to push it smoothly back into place. She raised an eyebrow at the Aburame Clan Leader and watched him give a slight nod in response before bowing her thanks to the young woman and returning to her place in the back.
She felt Shino take hold of her hand as she watched the group of elders cluster around in a group, evidently deep in discussion.
She saw the old woman raise two fingers and nod sagely to the rest of the group.
"Shino…" whispered the young woman, "What's going on?"
Shibi answered the question. "The elders are now discussing the sanctuary agreement. They just needed to verify that you are indeed wearing the ring."
The two little Kikai chose at that moment to make their feelings known on the matter. They flit back down on the ring and started cooing. The clan leader and the heir were greatly surprised to hear their own beetles start cooing.
The old woman looked up when she heard the sound and shuffled over to the group in a hurry as more and more Kikai beetles in the large meeting space started to coo as well. She was careful to stay away from Ino's beetles but looked directly at the clan leader and asked, "When did this first happen?"
"Her Kikai shortly after we put the ring on her finger and ours, just now." Murmured Shibi.
She looked at the two kikai and watched them coo once again. The two Aburame males beetles joined in the cooing.
The room was starting to fill the noise of cooing destruction beetles once more.
Two more elders shuffled over when they too heard the beetles and nodded.
"Shibi, tell the clan we accept the young woman's request for sanctuary and send out the messengers. We will join you in the formal sitting room shortly."
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The Aburame Clan were greatly excited at the prospect of seeing the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law put into effect during their lifetime. A woman giving up everything just to join a bug clan was romantic stuff. Messengers were swiftly dispatched to the respective clans and the Hokage.
Shibi, Shino and Ino sat in the formal sitting room waiting for the elders to arrive. They were confused as to why the elders needed to talk to them privately.
They were about to stand when the elders shook their heads and gestured for them to stay seated.
The old woman spoke, "Shibi, we would prefer if all beetles went out of the room for this discussion." The Aburame clan leader nodded and his bugs left the room to again prevent anyone from disturbing them. Everyone in the room slowly released their beetles until only Ino's remained in the room.
"Same as before?" asked the young woman, only to hear, "No, not hers… they stay."
Shino got some of his to guard the door before he slid it closed then joined the group at the table.
"What's this about?" Shino quietly asked.
"It's okay, Son… the elders will explain it all soon, I'm sure." Replied Shibi and was relieved to see the elderly woman nod her head in response.
"Young woman, can you place your hand with the ring on the table, please?" requested the female Aburame Elder.
Ino complied with the request, only to have the two little Kikai flit down onto the ring's surface and start cooing again.
The elders watched in excitement over the little Kikai's antics and they started talking in excited whispers amongst themselves.
They could now hear Shino's destruction beetles on the other side of the door beginning to coo as well.
"What's wrong with those beetles?" asked the Aburame Clan Leader, now frowning openly at the Clan Elders as the noise got progressively louder around the surrounding compound.
"Her Kikai have accepted her claim to the Sanctuary gladly and your combined beetles are in agreement with their wishes. The others are now raising their voices in support." replied the old woman with a small smile.
"Wait. Are you telling me that the Sanctuary of the Kikai is determined by the beetles and not the clan?" murmured Shibi, a little surprised.
"Yes…it's always been the case with that particular law – hence its name." murmured one of the male elders.
"Will they continue to do that?" asked Shino a little worried. He wasn't really relishing the idea of using cooing beetles on a mission.
"No – they will keep cooing until the sanctuary is formalized." Replied the old woman.
The Aburame Clan Leader and his Heir looked at each other then, clearly perplexed.
"Formalized?"
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One of the elders produced a small container and an ornate dish, placing it before the cooing beetles still on the ring.
A buzzing could be heard as the bugs allowed the Aburame clan member through the barricade with what suspiciously looked liked the makings of a traditional tea ceremony.
The clan member placed the tray near the two little Kikai on the ring but soon fled in terror when those two hissed ominously at the young woman.
The group in the room chuckled as the frightened woman made her hurried exit from the room.
"Are they always that intimidating?" asked the old woman to the clan leader.
Shibi nodded and pulled up the sleeve of one arm, showing the elders angry red welts from his own experience with the Kikai beetles.
The old woman nodded sagely upon viewing an example of the two little beetle's ferocity.
Ino gasped at the damage on the Aburame Clan Leader's arm and scowled at the little beetles still cooing. "Now, boys… that wasn't very nice!"
"It's to their credit that they are so vicious, dear. The more nasty the bug, the better protection they will be to their host's woman." replied the old woman with a soft smile.
Tea was formally served then by one of the Elders to everyone seated. Ino watched in surprise as the old woman opened the lid of the container and carefully scooped out a tiny amount of the paste into the dish before the Kikai.
The group watched the little beetles hop off their perch and land onto the rim of the dish before disappearing into the bowl. The Kikai slowly devoured the offering, which seemed to be a signal for everyone at the table to drink as well.
Ino sipped the hot brew carefully and was surprised by the sweet taste.
The old woman saw her surprise and softly commented, "Your condition dictated that we use the alternative tea for the ceremony rather than the usual."
Ino blushed and nodded. She heard a soft chuckle from across the table.
"Don't be embarrassed, child. It's the presence of the Kikai that told me."
A high chirping filled the room then, followed by the surprised chuckles of the Aburame assembled around the table.
Ino was confused until a smiling Shino murmured in her ear, "They want more of the paste before they are willing to make a formal agreement. They say that even their bug host isn't that stingy!"
Shibi shook his head at the Kikai's antics and muttered with a small scowl, "Little Rogues!"
----------------------------
The sound of the Kikai purring in contentment back on the ring seemed to signal the next phase of the agreement, when one of the elders produced an old scroll and a small container of an ink-like substance.
The little scroll was unfurled on the table and the ink was poured out in a shallow container for the beetles.
Shino and Shibi looked at each other in shock when they saw two beetle signatures on the document, stunned by the revelation that the last woman who had made this particular agreement with the clan had also been protected by two kikai.
Shibi darted a look over at the elders and wasn't surprised to see them smiling. They knew this!
The more vocal of the two beetles went first and sucked up a small portion of the ink before crawling over to the scroll. The old woman put a finger on the area where the beetle needed to sign.
They watched in silence as the two beetles took their turns in signing the document.
Shino was dismayed to hear his father getting emotional until he saw the last names listed for each beetle was the same.
"Rex Ozuru Brewster and Spike Yemon Brewster." Murmured the Aburame Clan Leader in wonderment. The two beetles shared the same grandfather. Shino's mother's own Kikai to be exact. It was definitely a sign of his late wife's approval of Shino's choice of life mate.
The two kikai returned to the ring and waited for the elders to complete the ritual.
The elders then turned the small scroll around and place it in front of the blonde.
"Place your right thumb into the ceremonial ink and press it on the document below where your Kikai beetles signed." Murmured the old woman.
Ino did as the woman requested, encouraged by the happy sounds of her Kikai.
The Aburame Clan Leader and Heir watched on in silence as the clan elders carefully dried and sanded the new signatures before rolling the document back up.
"The sanctuary document signing is now complete." Quietly intoned one of the male elders, only to be interrupted by a curious high pitched warbling coming from Ino's Kikai beetles.
Shino's beetles outside the door soon joined in with the strange chirping and the sound got louder as more beetles added their voices to the noise.
"What's going on?" asked Ino.
"It's the Kikai way of announcing that the sanctuary documents have been properly formalized." Replied another male elder, awed by the sound of the beetles.
"Noisy little beasts." Muttered Shibi.
Who knew Kikai had such a sense of ceremony?
--------------------------------------
Emiko sat nervously on the edge of her seat, trying to think of a way to make her husband change his mind.
This was bad...
She knew that her daughter had her heart set on the tall quiet man from the bug wielding clan but it seemed that her husband had decided late last night that he wasn't going to sign the Marriage Contract when it showed up.
"Why are you determined to refuse Shino's offer to marry our daughter when it's obvious they love each other?" asked Emiko.
Inoichi turned back to look at his wife sitting on the small sofa and growled, "If you think that I am going to let a clan of vermin carriers call all the shots... you're sadly mistaken... Besides, there are men out there that would welcome an alliance with our clan despite Ino's unfortunate condition." replied Inoichi with a small growl.
Emiko turned her face away from her husband, a little sickened by his logic and whispered, "So...rather than let your daughter be happy... you're going to marry her off to some man for the sake of a better alliance for the clan."
The Yamanaka frowned when he heard his wife's soft condemnation of his actions and coldly replied, "Emiko... clan business needs to take priority and I have determined after giving the matter serious thought last night that an alliance with a clan like the Aburame isn't in our best interests. I will informing the Aburame of my decision when he shows up with the marriage contracts."
Emiko slumped forward then and knew that it would be useless to argue with her husband when he was in this mood.
I'm so sorry, Ino...I tried.
Emiko looked up in shock as she heard the rap on the front door and watched her husband walk over to the front door with a self satisfied smirk on his face muttering, "Well, they're eager... I'll give them that."
She watched with wide eyes as Inoichi opened the door to allow the Aburame Clan member with the ornate sash hanging off one shoulder into the house.
Something wasn't right about this... she didn't know what it was but...
"Tell your Clan Leader that he is wasting his time with the Yamanaka Clan. I have decided that I will not be signing a marriage contract between our two clans." replied Inoichi coldly to the Aburame clan member who merely shrugged and handed over a scroll with a small quirk of his lips before bowing slightly and taking his leave of the Yamanaka residence.
"Arrogant bastards... I told him that we were refusing to sign the contract and he still hands it to me..." growled Inoichi as he continued to glare at the back of the Aburame Clan member now walking out the door and down the short garden path without a backward glance.
Inoichi looked down at the scroll in his hand for a moment before stomping off to the direction of his study.
Emiko watched him in silence as he disappeared down the small hallway and slammed the door behind him before she quickly got to her feet and slipped out the door to chase after the messenger.
"Please... wait." called out Emiko, a little agitated by this situation, only to be surprised when the man paused and turned to face her with a slight bow.
"Mrs. Yamanaka...Aburame-sama asked me to deliver this into your hands and asks that you forgive him for his deception." murmured the Aburame Clan messenger, slipping a small scroll into the woman's hands before turning to leave once more.
Emiko looked down at the small scroll with a mixture of alarm and dread as the man suddenly disappeared with a flicker.
Deception?
Her eyes widened in alarm as she heard her husband's roar rattling the windows of the house then and quickly slipped the small scroll inside the folds of her yukata to read later.
The door rattled on its hinges as Inoichi opened it up with barely controlled violence thrumming through his veins.
"Those bastards... how dare they do this to me! Emiko... if Ino comes here while I'm seeing the Hokage, you are to make her wait until I return home." growled Inoichi before stalking off in the direction of the Hokage's office.
Emiko waited for her husband's form to disappear before she fished out the small scroll to read its contents.
Mrs. Yamanaka,
I had hoped that we would have been introduced under more favorable circumstances than these but sadly that is not the case.
I am afraid to say that I am responsible for your daughter making the choice she did.
I provided your daughter with another option that would allow her the freedom to choose and she decided to take it..
Ino decided this morning to exercise her right to enact a clan law unique to us called "The Sanctuary of the Kikai".
Your husband is now on his way to the Hokage's office to see if he can break our clan law but will be soon finding out just how difficult that will be.
The bad news is as a result of your daughter's actions, she has effectively turned her back on her clan by asking the Aburame Clan for protection.
I don't need to tell you what this means.
However...
If you feel the need to visit your daughter, I won't prevent you from doing so.
I leave the decision up to you, Mrs. Yamanaka.
Sincerely,
Shibi Aburame
"Oh...Ino... baby... I'm so sorry we pushed you into this situation." murmured Emiko saddened by the decision her daughter was forced to make.
No...she didn't blame her child for doing what she did.
Emiko sighed and started rolling the scroll up but abruptly stopped when she saw a separate piece of paper flutter out and drift down to the ground.
She frowned as she bent down and picked up the small scrap of parchment, surprised to see a detailed map with directions on how to get to the Aburame Compound.
Emiko stared at the piece of paper for a while before a small smile tipped the corner of her lips.
There was nothing she could do about this... it was done... but there was something she could still do for her daughter to show her that she had her mother's full support.
The blonde woman turned and walked back up the front steps and into the house.
She had things she needed to do while her husband was otherwise occupied at the Hokage's office.
--------------------------------------
Hokage's Office
Tsunade was alternatively grumbling and cursing the inordinate amount of paperwork on her desk when there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" grumped the stressed Hokage.
"Messenger from the Aburame Clan." Called out one of the guards.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow at this and wondered what that troublemaker Shibi was up to. She had a feeling the message was going to be worth of the price of admission alone.
"Tell him to come in." replied the Hokage.
The Aburame clan member came into the office dressed in formal Aburame attire and wearing an official sash of the clan on his arm. Tsunade held out a hand for the scroll as she continued to appraise the messenger.
The Aburame clan member left the office as the Hokage slowly read through the contents of the scroll. Her eyes got wider and wider as she read more of the scroll.
Holy Shit! She was reading what amounted to the scandal of the century!
"Shisune! I want you to get a team of Anbu up here! It seems that we are going to have a visit from the Yamanaka shortly. Also – I want you to grab a law scroll from the archives - The Aburame Clan's Sanctuary of the Kikai." Called out Tsunade and then added, "Shisune - get Sakura Haruno from the Hospital and tell her I need to see her."
Tsunade chuckled evilly to herself. She was going to have to buy Shibi Aburame a lot of sake to hear this particular gossip.
--------------------------
Sakura walked into the Hokage's office more than a little curious over the sudden summons to Sensei's side.
"Ah, Sakura… why don't you close the door and come sit down. There is something I need to ask you." Greeted Tsunade a little too cheerfully.
Something wasn't right.
"Sakura I have a strange question to ask you before we receive an unwanted visitor and I need you to answer it honestly." Murmured the Hokage in a careful tone.
"During the last twelve months, was there any time you noticed your friend Ino missing for an extended amount of time – say longer than a couple of days…" asked the Hokage vaguely.
Sakura frowned at that strange question and then replied, "Yes, there was that time after Shikamaru announced his engagement. She was gone for better part of a week and no one knew where she had disappeared to. Why?"
"It seems that your friend has invoked her right to enact what is known as Sanctuary of the Kikai. Since you have just confirmed what the Aburame Clan Leader has stated in his message, it looks like Ino is going to cause the scandal to end all scandals." Returned the Hokage.
"The Sanctuary of the Kikai? I don't understand." Replied the pink-haired woman clearly puzzled.
"It's an ancient law unique to the Aburame Clan that's still considered legal and binding despite the fact it's been enforced only on a couple of other occasions in the past. It essentially allows a woman the right to marry into the bug clan without the interference of the Hokage or her family. Is there a reason why your blonde friend would wish to follow through on something like that?" replied Tsunade in an oh so casual tone, still perusing the open scroll before her.
Sakura's eyes widened like saucers as she understood what Ino had done. It could have meant only one thing. The chat with her parents hadn't gone smoothly.
"Yes, I'm afraid I do, Sensei. I just confirmed Ino's pregnancy three days ago and I have a feeling that her father was most likely unhappy with the news." Replied the young woman, a feeling of dread sinking into her stomach.
"The father of Ino's baby is a member of the Aburame clan then?" questioned the Hokage.
"You could say the father is actually the Heir of the clan, Sensei…" replied the pinkette with a small smile to her lips.
Tsunade leaned forward and gave an unholy grin, "You don't say?! No wonder that old bug nest is up to his scheming best."
They could hear loud noises coming from outside the building. Tsunade looked down into the street, not surprised to see the Inoichi Yamanaka growling under his breath as he made his way up the street.
"It seems that we're going to have some company, Sakura…" murmured the Hokage and then asked, "You want to stick around for the fireworks?"
Sakura grinned and agreed to stay.
She wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China!
----------------------------
The Anbu stationed at the Hokage's door effectively stopped the irate Yamanaka Clan Leader from barging into the office.
"Let me in! I need to talk to the Hokage!" growled Inoichi.
"You can come in only if you agree to settle down, Yamanaka!" growled back a female voice from the bowels of the office.
"I do." Grouched the large man grudgingly before the Anbu silently moved out of his way to allow him access.
Inoichi prowled into the office, stopping suddenly when he spied Sakura's presence in the room.
"I
asked Dr. Haruno, your daughter's physician, to stay while we have
our chat. Do you have an objection to this?" queried the Hokage,
one eyebrow raised.
The Yamanaka swallowed convulsively at that
unwelcome news and shook his head.
"Inoichi, why don't you sit down and tell me what's going on?" asked Tsunade in a deceptively casual tone.
"My daughter Ino has made some kind of agreement with that bug clan and I want it broken." Snarled the large man.
"I don't believe the Sanctuary of the Kikai can be broken, Inoichi. It's a very old law unique to the Aburame Clan." murmured the Hokage in a conciliatory tone.
There was a knock on the door and Shisune craned her head around the door frame.
"Hokage, I have that scroll you requested." Murmured the assistant.
"Excellent, Shisune. Please bring it in." smiled Tsunade.
Shisune brought in the scroll and placed it on the table. Sakura looked on with great interest as the Hokage perused the official looking document.
"Ahh… I see. This law is very unusual, in more ways than one." Murmured the older woman.
"What do you mean?" gruffed the Yamanaka Clan Leader, not liking the sound of this.
"Your daughter has offered to enter into a union with the Aburame clan of her own free will, independent of the wishes of her own clan or the Hokage. It effectively protects the woman's right to choice." Replied the Hokage casually.
"It lets the woman decide? What kind of a law is that?" countered the large man.
"Inoichi, I understand that Ino and the Aburame Heir had paid you a visit the other day. Apart from the destruction beetles, did you notice anything different in the way he treated your daughter?" asked the older woman.
Inoichi frowned slightly then remarked, "Now that you mention it, he treated my daughter like she was a rare treasure."
"Aburame males have a tendency to treat their women extremely well, on account that the Kikai are not a huge selling point." Commented the Hokage slyly then continued, "They are not going to willingly give up a woman who wants to be with a member of their clan."
"The other unique aspect of this law that makes it binding is the contract is not with the Clan itself but rather with the Kikai that serve the Clan." murmured Tsunade, waiting for the coin to drop in the man's mind.
"Are you saying my daughter made a pact with vermin?" spluttered Inoichi.
Sakura stood up then and glared at her friend's father. "I would be careful what you say, Yamanaka-sama. Your grandchildren will be carrying those same beetles you are criticizing. Ino can't have better protection than what Shino will provide for his family and those bugs make it possible."
Tsunade's eyes widened fractionally as she understood what Sakura just revealed. Ino Yamanaka was not expecting just one child…
Well, well… She really did need to buy the proud grandpa to be a few rounds…
The Hokage kept reading the document before her and asked her student casually, "Sakura, according to this document, the sanctuary agreement is formalized by the woman's Kikai. Were you aware that Ino had destruction beetles that belonged solely to her?"
Sakura chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully, then suddenly grinned, "You must mean Rex and Spike… her little companions."
Tsunade grinned knowingly at that information and looked down at the document again.
There it was – a kikai for each child present, the sex of the kikai indicates the sex of the child.
Twin boys!
It was now patently clear to the leader of the leaf village that Shibi Aburame was giving the Yamanaka a clear message that he was fully intending to employ every trick in his arsenal to protect and claim his grandchildren... and she had to admit this plan was extremely clever.
Tsunade steepled her fingers in front of her, deep in thought as she silently admired the man's level of deviousness.
"Hokage, are you telling me that there is nothing that I can do about this?" huffed a disgusted Inoichi Yamanaka.
Tsunade looked up with a sour expression firmly planted on her features at the disgruntled clan leader as she coldly replied, "Mah, Yamanaka... you lost this battle the moment you decided to oppose the Aburame's offer of a marriage contract between your two clans... Now instead of losing a little pride and accepting his offer for an honorable alliance with an old and noble clan, you've lost your daughter and your grandsons as a result of your stupidity."
The hokage watched dispassionately as the man before her digested her words and watched the horror and dismay creep into his features.
"You mean that...I've lost...my little girl? I'll...never see...my grandsons...grow up?" whispered the man in a broken voice.
Sakura turned her face away, a little upset at the crushed look on the Yamanaka's face.
Tsunade pushed herself up to a standing position then and snarled, "Pull yourself together, Inoichi! You were the one who decided he was going to be an ass and refuse the contract without a fair hearing... If you wish to salvage a relationship with your daughter, I suggest that you go home and figure out a way to come to a suitable compromise between your two clans. You will find that Shibi Aburame can be a reasonable man to deal with, but I warn you now, Yamanaka-sama...you're going to lose if you continue to be difficult about this."
Inoichi stared at the bristling blonde woman in front of him for a few more moments before finally giving a slight nod of his head.
The two women watched as the large blonde man walked over to the door and out of the room without another word.
They stared at the closed door for a long time before Sakura finally murmured, "What do you think he's going to do now, Sensei?"
Tsunade glanced over at her apprentice before turning her gaze back at the door and replied with a small smirk to her lips, "Pah... men – so damn predictable... don't worry, Sakura... your friend's father will come up with a suitable plan to redeem himself in his daughter's eyes... he just needed to be reminded of what is important in his life..."