Kodoku: The ancient Japanese version of a Southern Chinese sorcery in which poisonous animals are captured and placed in a jar or vessel so that they kill and devour each other. The idea is that the last creature standing absorbs the poison of those that have died or been killed, creating a more potent and deadly, even magical, poison.
Shibi waited on his knees outside the shoji doors of the long wooden hallway. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he heard his wife's cries from inside the room, the pain of childbirth straining her voice. Shina is a good woman, far too good for the likes of him. A third cousin that he has known since childhood, she's always been of a sickly constitution, such that many elders had doubted she would be able to birth an heir for their illustrious clan.
She had proven them wrong, and yet…it would likely be the only child she would ever conceive. Midwives had warned them that this birth might even put her life at risk, yet she had convinced them to brave the risk. He could not deny her this, regardless of how worried he was. He, like her, dreamed of a child, to hold their undeniable proof of love for each other in his hands.
"GaaahHHHH!"
But all those thoughts crumbled as he heard his wife scream. His body was ready to jolt forward, and be next to his wife, when the hand of one of the elders, a distant uncle, quickly reached out to grab his shoulder.
"Lord! I know how you must feel, but you know you cannot enter recklessly!" The spectacled old man chided.
"You know as well as any of us that entering recklessly could agitate her kikaichū," Shikuro added. Like the Elder next to him, Shikuro, Shibi's oldest friend had come to give emotional support to the Clan head, but he had also been asked to be a witness to the birth of Shibi's child as the new heir's Godfather, that is…if there would even be an heir.
More screams followed. Would the child survive…would Shina?
"Push, my lady. He's almost out," a midwife encouraged.
He? A boy? He'd be father to a boy!? Excitement and apprehension shook through Shibi's body as his hands fell to the floor, the hands of those around him patting his back in solemn encouragement.
Please! Please! He thought. Both of you. Both of you live!
Then he heard it. The unmistakable mewling cries of a newborn child. His newborn child.
Wasting no time, Shibi bolts from the floor and slides the door open, sidestepping the younger midwife who was on her way to tell them the good news.
Shina sits there, sweat permeating her body. Her kikaichū are also on the move. She's had to draw on them for extra chakra, and a few have left her body to assess any possible threats. Some have even begun to crawl onto the small bundle in her hands. But Shibi isn't worried, this is normal, once they smell her on the child they'll return to the hive, return to her.
"He's perfect," Shina says, breath heavy.
He's at her side at once. "Are you alright?"
She looks at him, goggles still covering her eyes, but a smile indicates that she doesn't appreciate his doubt.
"And who do you think I am, huh? Of course, I'm all right…just, tired is all."
She brings the child to her breast, unwrapping the cloth around his head so that he can see the boy. His, no, their son. Small movements from just beneath her breast indicate that the kikaichū are gathering there under her direction so as to infuse the breastmilk with her chakra, a way to ensure the child grows strong enough for what is to come. Without a second thought, he sends his own kikaichū into her. Their hives know each other, they won't resist.
"You don't need to," She says.
"Let me act husbandly for you just a bit." He teases. She needs his chakra even if she doesn't realize it. She smiles once again and simply thanks him.
The boy has a tuft of his brown shaggy hair but has yet to open his eyes. Thankfully, he has a prodigious appetite.
"Have you decided on one?" Shina asks
"Yes," he answers back confidently. "He shall be named, Shino. Shino Aburame!"
The elders, midwives, nurses, and even Shikuro who still stood near the door nodded approvingly. It was a good name, the name of his own Great-Great-Grandfather. The man once called Gu (蛊). Who was so powerful he had led the Aburame to bring low the Kamizuru Clan from which the Tsuchikages descended. A feat that brought such notoriety to the Aburame that even the great Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had had to peacefully request his cooperation and eventual union into Konoha.
It was a good name. A strong name for one who was destined to one day lead the Aburame into a new era. Hopefully, Shibi thought, an era of peace.
All were content to watch the boy eat as mother and child gathered their strength. They would need it. One hour, then two, save for some of the younger nurses who left to fulfill other duties, all waited patiently in their places or corners. Unfortunately, they couldn't wait forever.
Shikuro approached quietly and respectfully, kneeling to them before speaking. "Sir, we cannot keep the ceremony off forever."
Shibi knew he was right. He was already being selfish, allowing his son an entire hour longer than was normal to feed for what was to come.
"Very well. Shina, you can stay an-"
"No," She said cutting him off. "I will be there, will take him there." She finished firmly. She still seemed so tired, and yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her no.
Without wasting any more time Shibi along with Shina, Shikuro, and the rest of his retainers were off. Dashing through the Clan grounds on a secret route only they knew. They eventually made their stop in front of a large shrine decorated with a large shimenawa rope; The Aburame's Ancient Jincan (Golden Silkworm) Pavillion. Their most ancient shrine.
Two guards with visored masks and clay jars on their backs bowed respectfully as his party approached each flanked by a shrine maiden who wore white kosode with dark black hakama, their eyes covered by a thin black fabric in the ancient ways of their people.
"My lord," they said in unison.
"Let us not waste time and proceed." He said matter of factly.
They nodded likely expecting this reaction. The heads of the Aburame were nothing if not blunt after all.
Quickly leading the way into the shrine, the priestesses led them through a door that led them into a cliffside that led them down down down. Stairs led into stairs that all led downward. A veritable maze meant to mislead any fool who wished to infiltrate this sacred place to their doom. For not only was the Jincan Shrine sacred, but it also acted as a repository for many bugs and techniques the Aburame had no wish to fall into the wrong hands.
Eventually, however, they did stop in front of two ornate wooden doors.
"Who requests entrance?" a decrepit female voice called from beyond the doors.
"Shibi, Lord of the Aburame-" he answered back. "brings his heir to be judged by his kin."
"So shall it be."
Both priestesses, trained ninjas of chunin caliber quickly used a variety of hand signs to activate the clan's secret Jutsu. "Mushi Bunshin no Justsu!" They call out in unison.
Instead of forming next to them, the kikaichū in their bodies leave and enter several small holes hidden in the cave that lead them behind the sealed door where the clones form and undo both the seal and several hidden latches that would prevent intruders from forcing their way inside.
The insect clones push the door fully open before bowing at their guests and dispersing back into their mistresses. Without another word, Shibi and his party enter.
Shaka is the head priestess of the Jincan Pavillion. A woman of ancient years, she is his Great-aunt, a woman that could still remember her girlhood before the leaf had been much more than just the dreams of two legendary shinobi. Unlike her acolytes, she is dressed in the raiments of a nun similar to what could be expected in a ninja temple, her dark shawl hiding her eyes, in the ways of their people.
Wordlessly, she holds her hands out. Shibi knows what is to come. Shina relinquishes Shino to the Lady of the Shrine, who holds him gently as he begins to cry from being separated from his mother. Shibi notices that Shaka is especially gentle as she rocks the crying child.
"There there, young Lord. What shall come to pass, shall pass, and turn into your strength." She coos.
She turns around bidding them to follow. They've all been here before, they've all done this, all shinobi of their clan must.
The great room is abuzz with the sound of millions of kikaichū who leave the thousands of jars that serve as nests, forming an almost blackish mist that soon obstructs all but the path in front of them. Only the lantern Shaka carries in her free arm serves as a light to guide their steps. To their right, left, up, and even behind them, there is only kikaichū, but no one is worried, they are safe. If they were intruders, they would have long since been swallowed and drained.
Soon, Shaka leads them to an ancient wooden pedestal, adorned with ancient carvings of centipedes, mosquitoes, and of course kikaichū, amongst many other insects, all doing fierce battle. At the top of it, Shino is gently placed on specially prepared bedding.
"Being that you are both of the Clan," Shaka begins, "we can do this the old way, else wise, leave the child with me, and I shall return him once an appropriate hive has chosen him."
"That won't be necessary, Lady Shaka," Shibi replies looking resolutely at his wife. "We are already prepared." Shina nods in affirmation.
"Very well then," Shaka replies. "You may begin."
Shina brings her head to their son and kisses him as he begins to fuss. "Be brave my little warrior." She says patting his cheek. As her hand leaves his face, it is revealed that she has left there a larva. Not just any larva, a young female, destined to soon become the first of many Queens.
Shibi knows what he must do next, he summons several specially prepared males, ones he has taken care to breed especially resilient in preparation for this day. As he sends them to the larva, he watches as they begin to prod the female. There is no doubt in his mind, he and Shina have used each other's kikaichū many times since childhood. They will accept her.
He isn't wrong. Soon four of the soldiers begin to carry the female, a sign that they have accepted her. The others begin to scout Shino for the most optimal spots. Then wordlessly, after pheromones and unseen signals have been sent between soldiers and Queen, males, and female, they bite down and begin to dig.
And Shino…Shino screams.
Two months later. A great Nine-Taled Fox escapes his cell, and Shino, like so many others, screams again.
Just Naruto crack for those like myself who occasionally rebound to this terrible addiction. Not super attached to this story just yet, but figured I'd rather put it out here than on a discussion forum where I get zilch feedback. Why Shino you ask? Because the Aburame's get no love or respect for how OP they are. Shino never lost a battle, was always a solid teammate, and was so strong they had to write him out of the Sasuke retrieval arc just because he could solo the Sound 4 (Personal belief). The only man in Naruto more disrespected is Yamch-I I mean Kiba. Kiba I tell you! Anyway, like I said, just crack. Further, I find most SI's to be interesting until they turn cringe, which is like 99% of SI's I've read...So...I'm not exactly proud of writing this.
In any case, feedback and reviews would be much appreciated, as would any notable errors being pointed out.
Mero, out!