Holding her son, she looked a little ill but after a painful pregnancy and giving berth, everything made sense. She just fed him and he slept immediately after. She felt deep sadness after seeing his pearl-white eyes; They were white as a blank sheet. No iris, no pupils, just a white shiny sclera.
Seeing the shift in his wife's expression, he put his hand on her shoulder softly, "Don't worry, after all the clan loves sunglasses,". She was speechless, she gave him that look…THAT LOOK. He took some steps back first, then sat back and watched his child sleeping.
The war ended, the 4th Hokage died, and most of the village is in the "was" category. The ceremony of infusion with the insects is soon. Soon, his son will be an official Aburame and inherit his insects.
Everything went smoothly and now Shino had the insects in his body. "Shino...SHINO." Shino's mother was turning into the devil with bloodshot eyes, anti-physics hair, and the dark atmosphere ability. "it's the tradition, deer." Her husband tried to flee and the keyword "tried". "and what about Orient? Tell me what about it? You told me that he will be named Orient as we choose."
…
(Okay, a rest from family drama. )
… 4 years later.
"Orient, come fast; it's here,", His mother was jumping. A small figure came from the garden with cute small round black glasses. He ran to his mother's voice.
They were 4 long years for all of them, especially Shibi. Having a disabled genius is hard and he can confirm that. Shino was a fast learner, so fast that he talked after 1 year, yet his body was so feeble that he walked normally at 3 after his chakra was opened. However, before he could even walk he was able to read and write.
He was playing on the floor around the kitchen and found a piece of paper with some words. Out of curiosity, he started to play with it. His mother checked on him to find him writing all the words on the floor with his finger. He felt that the black lines on the paper were warmer than the rest and not having a better way to spend time he learned to write… identify black and copy them.
Shibi helped him awaken his chakra, which helped him walk normally and run like other kids as his insects were feasting on his flesh. And again having nothing to spend time on, he became a nerd and read everything his father gave him.
"so people can change their forms and control nature with chakra?" the little brat wanted a yes. "Yes, and more they can shift place with objects, too," Shibi told Orient sitting on his lap. "So Father, can I change my broken eyes with new working ones if I use chakra?". Shibi was speechless, he couldn't answer that.
That day was the day Orient chose to read about chakra as he could. He kept reading everything that had chakra in its title or headline. His room was a mess of scrolls that he kept reading under the candle's light. Letting his imagination go wild was enough to push him to understand what he was reading and you know why; because trying to make sense of everything wasn't the way of Shinopi but making everything was the way and he embraced it that way.
Orient came running to where his father's steps came from. "Orient, you should be the luckiest kid in the world because all my credits were just enough,", he had a heavy look on his face. His wife went to him as he spread his hand while holding his head with the other. She helped him to sit down, "the third Hokage was a pain in the ass.", he got a slap on the back of his head. "language," Epara said. After collecting himself a little, "Take those two scrolls and read them today, I will start training you from tomorrow.". holding the bag firmly between his hands, "Yes, Father.". he took them and ran to his room. "ungrateful" his father said with a tsk.
He closed the door, pushed a chair against it, and Opened the bag: there were two scrolls. He opened the first and it was the "shifting technique.".
By moving the chakra to the desired place and holding the desired trait in mind, you can put the fundamental layer for shifting. Then with enough chakra control, it's possible to change the shape of anything. The effect lasts as long as the chakra amount. It Doesn't allow shifting into functional organs but can shift the shape of the organs.
He kept reading the seals needed, and if there were any conditions but there wasn't any, just chakra. Yet, this technique won't help him do what he wants. He rolled the scroll back and went through the other one. "beast mimicry technique.".
By having a chakra connection with an animal, you can take some of its traits yet not at full capacity as the human body lack the necessary organs. The seals needed to form the connection were included.
That's it, that's what was in the second scroll. He took both of them, pulled the chair, opened the door, and ran to his father. "how did you get Inuzuka's secret technique?". It was nearly midnight and his father was eating in peace with his wife (ehm, ehm, ehm…eating???).
After some minutes of dressing and a lecture on "knock on the door and privacy", his father told him about the two scrolls. The first one he read was an a-rank technique and the second was a small part of Inuzuka's secret technique and he got it after exchanging some of the Aburame's secret technique. "those techniques are all I can get you for years; Today, I used my position a lot to the point that the clan is angry with me." He said.
Orient nodded, "Father, thank you,". Shibi smiled, "Finally, you remembered to thank your father for his hard work.", he patted Orient's head, "As I said from tomorrow and for every free time I have I will train you, good?". Orient nodded again, Shibi held him up and went to his room, put him in the bed, and left.
Lying in bed thinking of the fact that he was closer than ever, that he put his feet on the path for the first time, that it was now his turn to put effort into seeing his parents' faces for the first time, to see anything for the first time.
His mind kept taking him left and right, trapping sleepiness in the corner of an empty cell away from him. He kept thinking and thinking about what would be the colour of anything, what's blue, red, yellow, orange, black, and white. How emptiness is described, how none-emptiness is described, too.
After hours he fell asleep and his father didn't wake him in the early morning as usual because he knew what's new can be to a child as he had been one.
It was afternoon, Orient yawned in his bed and when he felt the warmth of the burning sun; he knew it was late. He jumped out of bed and ran to the garden to find his father watering the plants. "finally, I was getting bored of watering those stupid plants,", his father stood and put down the watering can.
He got on his knees to reach the Orient's height. He held his hands, "Don't resist okay,". He started moving his son's hands, creating the seals, and saying their names loudly. After a while he did all the seals. "all you're going to do is repeat those seals until you can memorise them."
Holding his son's hands every time Orient did a seal wrong or said the wrong name for the seal. "again" saying this simple word for hours under the sun. At some point, Orient was capturing the right form of all of them so he left him and went to the clan main hall to do as much work as he could.
Orient stood under the sun until the sun slept. He stood repeating the same seals. "Orient! Diner!" his mother called. Nevertheless, there was no response, she went out to see her son without his glasses looking at his hands that stopped trembling and made the seals at one move, seal after seal. She lost herself at his beautiful pearl eyes that reflected all the power of the world, and when she regained herself, she was again impressed by her son's speed at learning. Even if she is a civilian, she knows a little about seals. And her son recalling all the seals in one day is impressive.
She let him do it for a little more and then called him for dinner. After a long day under the sun, doing the same thing, the fact he is a kid, and the heavy meal he just ate he fell asleep. Epara took him to his room and put him on his bed.
The next day, his mother awoke him early, and he went to the garden watered the plants and started to do the same as the previous day. Shibi hadn't returned home yet; he's chief of the clan after all.
The day passed and Orient fell asleep after dinner and was carried to his room by his mother. The next day was the same thing, the day after it, and the next one, and for 4 more days until his father returned home.
Shibi came back in the evening, and opened the door. "deer, I'm home.". She was happy to hear his voice. After checking on his wife and knowing that his son made a lot of progress, he went to the garden to see that progress himself.
He was in awe watching Orient. He mastered the seals as he didn't need to separate his hands to form them, he just moved his fingers, running through all of the seals in less than 30 seconds. "from when he was doing this, deer?". She came from the kitchen with a lovely grin, "he kept doing the seal all day until he slept,", she raised one finger, "On the first day he just was recalling them. The day after, he did the same but by the 3rd day he was bringing his hands closer to each other and decreasing the time needed to form the seals, he stumbled at first. However, by the following day, he was doing it like a second nature. He kept doing that until he did what you see,".
Shibi remembered Kakashi as he saw his son's hands moving. He was rapid, yet he had a long road to go. "Orient! Diner!" Epara called. He ran to his mother but when he felt another one next to her; he stopped. "tsk, tsk. I'm disappointed, what an ungrateful son I have.". hearing his father's voice, he continued running, and went directly to the dining room.
He ate and fell asleep on the spot. "what a lazy brat.", Shibi rolled his eyes and took him to his bed and left after closing the door.
In the morning Orient was awakened by his father. "rise and shine, today we will start to train you, really, train you!"
Standing in the garden, Shibi started to teach him to control his chakra using a leaf. Orient understood it but applying it was a bit harsh as the leaf exploded every time.
They kept training in the garden and Shibi didn't understand why this happens. "this is the simplest training ever,", he sat on the ground in front of his exhausted son, "and you understand the principles, so what the fuck?!".
There was more than an hour until dawn. Orient was lying on his back on the ground. He had that feeling again, they were stopping him.
During his training on the seals, his feelings guided him. Whenever he made a seal correctly they would move with the flow, so he used their movement as a compass to tell if the seal was correct or not and so on, when he increased the speed they kept guiding him to the right, the shortest, the more efficient pass.
So why this time they are fighting the flow and refusing to let him control his chakra?
"go take some rest, we will continue tomorrow,"
Orient went to his room; he had already eaten. Sleeping on his bed, thinking of why and trying to understand those feelings. He called the feelings so they made their way to his skin and then out of it, cutting his skin and reattaching it. Looking at what looked like the queen of feelings, it was a nail size and that was all he could describe. (don't worry, I'm here.).
Black beetles with small mouths, most of them don't fly, they build a construction by biting each other and sticking to each other to move the queens, but the queens had small wings. The biggest of them don't surpass 3cm. Those are his insects and they are the feelings too.
He felt them moving around his body and slowly. The sensation was so relaxing to him that he felt sleep.
…15 nights later
He was sleeping in his bed and his father wanted to check on him. He was in the main hall for the last 10 days and he came late at night. He came to check on his son and was met with the terrified seen. The insects were crawling all over his son. He lighted a candle and saw for the first time his son insects. They were bigger than his by 5 times. He observed the insects and was terrified more and more. Normally, the insects are microscopic to reach the surface of the skin through pores.
'maybe they're not his, maybe his insects' scent has called them' he thought as he spread his arm to touch them. His hand touched the surface and felt no resistance at all, so he removed them from his son's face. Orient was asleep like a sloth.
He felt a little relaxed but that was too soon. The moment his hand tried to move away all the insects from his son's face; they opened their mouths. He felt the worst pain in his life that lasted less than a second, but time is relative.
The candle fell and went off. In the dark he looked at his hand, all the chakra in his hand was devoured in a second. It was Dry and all the channels were closed, in the moment of fear he sent his chakra and fortunately, the channels were reopened and his hand was regaining chakra again. He forgot about the Orient and observed his hand to find out that all the insects in his hand were dead, all the life force in them were eaten in a second. Everything happened in a second.
He lighted the candle, "Orient! Wake up, Orient, Orient!". The insects quickly sank into his son's skin. However, seeing his son's skin being torn and regenerated wasn't the best scene. Orient yawned in his bed, "What, Father?". "nothing…noting son. Did you achieve any progress?", calming his breathing as he heard his son's voice. "no, the feelings…" Orient stopped mid-way. "WHAT ABOUT THEM…tell me." He was so terrified that he screamed. "they're aggressive, the queens just stop in the middle of canals, and the normal eat my chakra before I can move it."
Shibi was terrified, he started to think about them. What could cause them to attack the host?
"They are calm,", Orient was looking at his hands, "they are sleeping,". Shibi slowly held his son's hand, his mind was all over the place and seeing his son's eyes wasn't the best reminder.
Orient jumped, gripped a piece of paper, and tried to control his chakra. He had his cute face focused. He kept holding this paper yet after some time he was frowning. "they're sleeping but they're eating my chakra,". "don't worry, just don't stop and you will control your chakra,", Shibi didn't believe in the words he said but he said them with a smile.
Orient was repeating the seals fast in the garden. He was frustrated about his inability to control his chakra and hold the leaf so he returned to repeat the seals. He was getting better at forming seals to the point that normal people couldn't see the movement of his hands. That was 4 months later after that night.
It was dawn and he was just bored of the same thing forever. He sat on the ground and called his insects. Calling them out of his body needs just a thought and calling them back needs a thought, too. They got out and crawled over his skin. They were super tiny that they escaped his skin from the pores like his father's insects.
He did some seals and the insects crawled fast off his skin to the water can, held it, and started to water the plants. It started 2 weeks ago, he noticed that he could call his insects but couldn't control them, however, when he did the seals, they moved. So, all he did was just call them and have the idea of what he wanted and do the right order of seals, even without controlling his chakra; they would control it for him and follow whatever he wanted.
Not everything has a seal but a combination of seals can represent a certain type of action. He found out all the combinations…the basic ones.
His father was on a long mission for the last 4 months. "Will he come to my birthday?" Orient asked his mother. And she shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm sure he will do the most in his hands to come on time.".
…
Time goes by and winter comes, even in the hidden village in the leaves the cold is harsh enough to kill. In the same spot in the garden, the plants were watered by the rain and the boy who turned 5, who repeated the same process every day to kill time, even in the harsh rain, he stood like a mountain trying to break through the speed limit of the seals forming…and he broke it for sure.
He stopped and went into the house. "Mom,". "the dinner is ready," she replied from the kitchen so he ran to her and sat to eat. While his mother was setting the table, he was thinking about his father; He returned but he hadn't come home yet. It was February 23. He wanted to show his father his progress in seals forming and with his insects. He already gave up on controlling his chakra.
He was on the bed and the thoughts of the coming spring drew a smile on his face. Mid the thoughts there were 2 that broke the happy train. That one man who met him during training in the garden, and his quote was harsh more than a compliment, "You're talented, too talented to live in the light, Shino,". Even his insects were too aggressive and alerted in the presence of Danzo.
The other one was the coming of spring itself, the last time his insects were aggressive was in spring. But maybe what happened was abnormal and they wouldn't go aggressive.
…
It was April, and Shibi hadn't come home yet. One day a month ago, one from the clan came and told his mother something that made her fall to her knees and started crying and he told Orient. "I'm sorry; the chief won't come home.", he stopped and looked under the black sunglasses, looking through the cold empty eyes, "the clan will always remember and perpetuate his achievement and life.".
Orient's insects were aggressive like last year. It was bad enough. He was training his insects and trying to control them more, however, even the seals couldn't control them as well as always. The buzzing stopped him from training; it was the giant hornet. They were active around this time of the year; it's the breading season. He went to his room and closed it on him.
It was afternoon yet he lay on the bed. "what should I do?". That was too early for a child to ask this question. He took off the sunglasses.
Yawning and stretching his body, he sat on the bed. It was cold. He walked to the candle, lighted it, and sat again on the bed to ask the same question. "what should I do?". Maybe there was more emptiness in him than just his eyes. Calling one of the queens that went aggressive the moment it got out and started to fly around him. "what should I do?". He asked his insect and he was met by the buzzing sound of his insect's wings.
He fell on his back and heard the buzzing of his insect. The insect kept flying in circles so he made some seals and made it stand on his hand. "what should I do?". The insect flew again and it randomly went through the scrolls.
He followed the insect, reached for the scrolls, and gripped the 2 scrolls. And for the long night, he kept reading them over and over and over.
Going to the garden in the morning to water the plants and returned because of the giant hornets. His head was running with emptiness to the point that it started to generate ideas. The headache of the sleepless night, the information, and the concept that replayed in his conscience.
He stood in his room and called all his insects that went aggressive on the spot but when the seals were made they suddenly stopped and he suddenly started to understand. Following the mimicry seals even without controlling his chakra. The connection between him and his insects was stronger than ever. His body grew small sensors from his head.
He went out to the garden, did the seals, "Bring their queen,". His insects formed a wave that rushed wiping everything that came in the way until it hit its target. In 48 seconds, the whole giant hornet's colony fell to the ground and all its hornets died but the queen. His insects came back trapping the queen of the hornets in a ball of them and handed it to Orient who took off his sunglasses. "Devour". The queen inside the ball was eaten alive in the ball and all its life force was sucked and it hadn't the chance to look at the empty abyss.
His insects sought to evolve and breed; they were aggressive. He held his hand and started to make the longest combination of seals he had ever done. "Hunt!".
One week later, all his insects returned and their aggression ended and the breeding starts from now and for the end of the spring.
He was in his room, put a leaf on his forehead, and tried again to control his chakra. Nevertheless, it was another failure to be added to the list. "maybe it doesn't work like that?" he whispered.
…
One month later. His mother was still affected by Shibi's death but better, on the other hand, Orient didn't look like he was getting it. 'he just hasn't come back yet,' he thought.
They were eating lunch, "Son," Epara called the boy lost in his thought, "you have never been out so…what about going out and having a walk?". He put another bite of food in his mouth and mooched it, "Why?", he looked in her direction, "Isn't it dangerous?". "No, the outside world is wonderful, mysterious, and full of people whom you can make friends with,".
He took another bite and mooched well, "but I can't see,". Her eyes widened, it was the first time she had heard him complain about his blindness. At that moment, the idea came to the surface burning the light of hope so bright. "do you know I had friends who are friends with your father,", she stood and took his bool with the rest of the food in it, "and they have children as old as you. And do you know what else?".
He didn't answer her. "hum?" she hummed. He didn't answer again. "Come on say "what",". "what?", he frowned as he went for another bite and didn't find his bool. "I'm calling them, and we're visiting them tomorrow,".
… THE TOMORROW
For the first time in his life and with his whole will, Orient was standing in front of the door which he used to wait for his father. However, this time, he was not waiting but surpassing it. Moving his foot forward and taking his real steps in the world.
He held his mother's hand as she walked around, describing everything. He was all ears and antennas. They were still growing and their function was still sleeping yet it was better than ever.
Epara took him around the village first and then she went to Hyuga clan. While on the way, fate chose them to meet the 3rd Hokage. "Highness, Hokage,", Epara bowed. Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded.
They went by as Hiruzen just had met another citizen but when the little brat didn't bow like his mother brought the eyes and curiosity of Hiruzen. In a moment, an anbu told him who is the little brat. "Do you have a moment, little Shino?", he turned around to see him,
"No,"
…
"I'm sorry, Highness Hokage, it's, it's-", she stumbled. "Don't worry, he is a child,"
"What a discovery!"
…
"I'm really sorry, he never acted like that,", her back was sweating and cold. The Hokage laughed, "You're interesting, Shino", Hiruzen put his hand on his chin, "I don't know why a boy like you isn't in the light.".
Orient got nervous and his head started to repeat that sentence. He took a step back and snatched his hand from his mother's grip. All of them looked at him as he turned into an irritated cat. "Boy, I'm not that dangerous…at least not now,", he smiled. That moment lasted longer than it should. His mother was speechless; it was her first time to see her son like that. Hiruzen tried to take a step forward to see Orient taking one back. "Son!", Epara wanted to reason with him to be stunned.
In one instance, the seals formed and his insects went out from his body and formed a cocoon around his mother. "boy, don't freak out, I'm not going to hurt you or your mother.".
"you are talented, so talented to live in the light," Orient said. Hiruzen's face showed confusion momentarily, however, he knew.
Orient wouldn't accept those feelings again, he wouldn't accept helplessness, weakness, and fear. Hiruzen understood that the kid wouldn't calm down so he chose, "Look, Shino, I wish to solve this misunderstanding but both of us are wasting time so bye," he said loudly as he spun with his long white coat.
Orient kept holding his position and his hands close to each other. When the Hokage wasn't in sight, he did some seals and freed his mother.
Hiruzen kept his way as he held his pipe and smoked. "tell me about everything," Hiruzen said to the Anbu.
After some minutes, Hiruzen was smoking. "he is interesting," he said, "keep an eye on him, and prevent anyone from the root to go near his house,". After The anbu had taken the order, he dismissed.
After Epara had given her son some ear-pulling, they kept their way to Hyuga. Epara was falling under the pressure of thinking about what had happened, and "why" was the biggest question in her mind. "Orient, have you met the 3rd Hokage?" she asked while looking at him. "no,". "and who taught you to act like that?". "I don't know. I just felt that he wasn't a good one," he said with indifference. That aroused more questions.
"Hina!".
"Epara!"
The two old friends and sisters just screamed each other names and went for a warm hug. "it has been forever," Epara said while rubbing Hina's back. "yeah, look! It's little Shino,", she broke the hug to hug the little brat. "you can call him Orient," Epara said while searching for Hina's daughter.
"Hello, I'm Hina Hyuga,", she grinned, "you look like a young picture of your father but cuter,". She held him with her hands and hugged him. "thanks," he said…bluntly. "aren't you going to introduce yourself?" she asked him. "you already know it and have just said it,".
She looked at Epara. "I have just known that he is very bold like Shibi, he did the same with the 3rd Hokage," she said. "really?!". "Yeah, he always surprises me every time.".
Hina lad them in. The two mothers joked, talked, played pranks, laughed, and did all the things that all grown girls do…
Orient sat away from them. He was lost in the new feeling. He put all his consciousness into it and suddenly the world started to take shape.
There was a chair next to him. He stood and clapped. Epara and Hina stopped talking and looked at him as he started to act weird. He took off his sunglasses, looked at the chair, and clapped again. Epara was going to open her mouth but when she saw his mouth twitch into a big surprised smile and started to touch the chair. She kept looking at him as he ran from an object to another, clapping next to it, and having that face again.
He ran to his mother, she was sitting; he clapped and then looked at his mother. "okay, that's new, too," she said. She smiled at him but he burst into tears.
She hugged, "What happened, son?". She freaked out when he started to cry out of nowhere. She kept calming him and held him tight but his tears never stopped falling.
From the corner of the room, Hinata was watching. She was there from the start yet hid from them and stayed near the door listening. She was worried when she heard the crying; she took her head out to see. "Hinata!" Hina shouted, "Have you made Orient cry?". "n,n,n-nn----no" she stumbled. "clam. Hina,", Epara put her hand on her shoulder, "She didn't do anything; she had just gotten here,".
Some minutes later, Orient stopped crying. "what happened?", Epara observed her son who kept looking at her. "Mom,". "What?". "You're beautiful," he said.