Permission To Seek

Chapter 50 Hidden Memories
{*past memories*}

He leaned against his uncles’ office window gazing down at the Aburame Clan citizens going about their daily routine, wondering why he is here in this distant memory the beginning of a search that led him to seal a bond with Uzumaki. The corners of his vision are hazy he gazed at his younger self, in a distant past that idolized the old man sitting across the desk from him persuading him to accept a path he did not wish to walk. The present Shino walked behind his younger version the silent short tempered, melancholy boy who avoided conflict and harshly punished those who annoyed him. He crouched behind the chair eye level with his teen-age self, watching his uncle with his acute analytical eyes, to decipher the hidden message his younger self may have misinterpreted.

The technique he used perfected while allowing his Kikai to restore their population during his stay with the Feudal Lord; a self-hypnosis induced trance. The method help him overcome the relentless nightmares he suffered most of his life as well as, allowing him the ability to observe any past event from a third person vantage point. Perfecting the technique innately, he can strategically review an opponents attacks methods moments after they occurred, during a battle and make counter attacks to his advantage; equipping him with the ability to discover his opponents weakness at an accelerated rate.

{*“You must take the title and assume the position set before you.”*}

‘I remember this, the title he said that I should move forward to become the next Hokage.’ Shino never wanted the position, even now his only dream to be with Naruto and further the growth of his Clan, he smirked at the answer he gave the old man.

{*“I have no desire for the acknowledgment; it is egotistical to seek such things. Please offer it to someone who desires the attention.”*}

‘This conversation is important, but why?’ His brow furrowed at the lined face his uncle had a knack of pushing him to do what he desired when he was young, he always wanted to please the man. He remembered this is when he agreed to strive for the title if he uncle granted him permission to seek his heart. He stood thinking allowing his mind to drift to the beginning of this conversation a few years before his graduation from the ninja Academy.

The present Shino stood in his bedroom it was dark as his uncle entered the room carrying a tray of tea and rice balls, their evening treat. His stomach clenched at his younger self, placing a book on the night table and giving the old man his undivided attention. ‘I was so naive, the old man wanted more from me than I could ever give.’

{*The pre-teen sat up straight pulling the sleeve of his shirt up, so his uncle could draw his weekly blood sample. Then pat him on the head for his cooperation.*}

{*“Now listen closely Shino this is going to be a little different than the last game, because at the end of this only one hero can carry on to claim the prize.”*}

{*“One hero Uncle, I thought two could claim the reward, to the benefit of the entire clan.”*}

{*“I have done some study and this way, we can ensure that the main hero, which is you can reap the benefit the will be most profitable for the entire Clan.”*}

{*“Ok uncle how shall this one go?”*}

{*“Well, we need to create a villain, name some terrible things that would make you want to kill a man.”*}

{*The violet eyes looked thoughtful then frowned, “Uchiha.”*}

{*“What would he do?” The old man chuckled*.}

{*“Nothing more than he has already I will kill him without further reasons.”*}

{*The old man barked in laughter. “Ok, ok we will add him to the kill list, but we need a true villain, I need to fit the part, so give me ideas that would make you want to kill me.”*}

{*The silence stretched…*}

The tall dark cloaked ninja stood taller, he remembered this conversation as it replayed in his technique but the exact conversation seem vague as if not part of the true memory. He knew his self-hypnosis would show him the precise experience, why did the details seem new, he lowered his head paying careful attention to the conversation.

{*“I could never do such a thing to you uncle. I do not want to end your life.”*}

{*“Shino you won’t really end ‘my’ life. This is just a villain we need to create and I was being too melodramatic by saying kill me. So give me some things that would make you want to kill a truly evil villain.”*}

{*The boys face appeared worried but lighten more as his uncle smiled at him pouring them both tea. “Well, uncle, anyone who would harm a child would need to die, I would see to that personally. Also anyone who would bring harm to our Clan, they would beg for death before the end.” Sipping his tea as his uncle made notes on his clipboard.*}

{*“Anything else what if they harm people who are close to you?”*}

{*The violet eyes narrowed as he whispered, his voice taking on a dark undertone, “Anyone who would turn their back on a comrade or hurt a friend I would kill. Especially anyone who would harm Uzumaki Naruto, I would follow them to Hell to participate in their suffering.”*}

{*“This is very good Shino, you are a good boy.” He pulled out a small bottle of pills giving one to him, which he took without question.*}

{*“Uncle why create a villain, there are enough in the world that threaten the Hidden Leaf?” he yawned widely covering his mouth.*}

{*“Oh this one is special, because only you can and must defeat this person to prove you are the hero that saved the Hidden Leaf and brightest star in the Aburame Clan. Don’t think on it any longer just get some rest, you have an early start with training.”*}

{*Shino lay down his uncle pulling covers to his chin*}

{*“Look at this Shino.” He pulled out the locket he kept around his neck; etched with the Aburame name and wavy lines that shimmered as he tilted it in his hands. The boy’s eyes blinked and closed halfway he began to breathe deeply*.}

{*“You know I care deeply for you boy.” Shino nodded his eyes vacant. “So forget about our conversation, it is for your own good, we will discuss your future as the next Hokage at another time.” The boy nodded again drifting off in sleep.*}


Shino felt a consuming anger filling his chest, he remembered the pills, and his uncle told him they helped with his nightmares. As he grew older, beginning to study medicine on his own and question the medication and why he continued to have nightmares prompted his uncle to discontinue giving him the drug, claiming it was no loner effective.

The locket also familiar, often his nightmare would begin after looking away from the shimmering gold. For as long as he could remember his uncle had told him he would become the next Hokage, and that it is his duty to assume the title for the benefit of the entire Clan. “*Bring the Aburame Clan out of obscurity and to the golden future*.” The old man would bark loudly to all. His uncle’s favorite limerick to him as a child was:


*A path lined in blood and gold;
Paved the way for leaders of old*.

*To gather tribute, strength and fame;
Crushing enemies and inflicting pain*.

*Your path my son is now foretold;
Therefore, you must seek this goal*.

*Take uncle’s advice and follow my plans;
The future of our Clan is in your hands.*

He watched his uncle leave turning off the light, as he left, not five minutes later the child in the bed began thrash in his sleep. The present day Shino considered the depths of his uncle’s betrayal, building a picture of what the old man was trying to do.

“SHINO! SHINO!”

He closed his eyes ending the technique Naruto shaking him back to consciousness.

“SHINO! SHINO! THE VILLAGE IS ON FIRE! THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION! WAKE UP!”

Shino grabs the tan hands shaking him awake staring dazed from the exertion of ending the Jutsu. “What happen?” He pulled the clothes out of Naruto’s hands putting them on quickly as Naruto spoke, also getting dressed.

“Shino the village is on fire my apartment exploded!” Naruto yelled his eyes wide and fearful. “We got to help!”

Both fully dressed in minutes left their campground only a few miles away from the Leaf. Once outside the large tent, Shino paying silent thanks that he convinced Naruto to come to this tranquil secluded spot, on the skyline he can see the bright glow over the dark forest. Before Naruto could leap toward the trees and dash toward the village, Shino grabbed his arm.

“We need to hurry, people could be hurt!” Naruto roared.

“I know!” he wrapped an arm tightly around Naruto’s waist, making hand signs with one hand releasing an enormous number of black Kikai, Naruto noticed they now had red stripes along their abdomens. “Hold tight and don’t let go! Shunshin No-Jutsu!” (Body Flicker Technique) The Kikai whirled around them at a gradually increasing rate some clinging to their bodies until Naruto felt the air vacuumed out of his lungs he yelled, Shino squeezed him tighter telling him to not let go, as if he could. The force of the insect teleportation felt crushing, just as quickly as it started they landed behind a crowed of ninja utilizing different techniques to put out the fire.

Naruto felt stunned at how quickly they arrived directly at the location, shaking off the shock, he ran toward the front of the line checking for injured and seeing where he could help.

Joining the ninja at the edge of the fire Shino threw out two hands. “Mushi Yose No Jutsu!” A mass of Kikai began to whirl around the burning building forcing the smoke up toward the dark sky and smothering the oxygen feeding the blaze.

Kakashi stood in line next to Genma utilizing water Jutsu drowning the blaze; other ninja had assisted getting the boarders on the lower level safely out of the building. Konoha hospital staff moving people to the hospital and those more seriously injured treated on the spot.

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto’s yell echoed around those rushing around bringing the blaze under control.

Shino left the line up with Kakashi closing in on the small group gathered around in a circle. “Get out of the way!” Shino’s voice bellowed over all in his path, causing the onlooker to create a path for him and Kakashi.

Kakashi step in the center of the group the Fifth leaning over Gai, healing massive burns to his back and part of his face. Shino step forward knelling next to Sakura staring at the residue burns closely, “Hokage-sama I know this burn pattern it is toxic, we need to have anyone who has come in contact with this area treated.” Sakura wounds were minor in comparison to Gai; it looked as if the Jonin had shielded her with his body before the blast.

“I know it is toxic, is it in the air, can you create an antidote, and how much time do we have?” She whispered barely moving her lips. The medical staff just arriving lowered a stretcher for her subordinate.

“It can not be inhaled it is transmitted only by direct contact and yes I will work on an antidote immediately and the symptoms usually start between twelve and twenty-four hours. We have time I will have a vaccine within the hour.” Shino eyed Gai’s burns the Fifth technique quickly repairing the more serious damage. “He has massive toxic exposure, as well as Sakura. I should treat them first we must get them to the hospital, now.”

The Fifth looked at Gai his vitals were stable enough to move she did not want to risk loosing a single person. “O.k. he’s stable get everyone to the hospital NOW!” She bellowed standing up for the first time seeing Narutos’ worried face following the stretcher with Sakura. “Naruto! Thank God you were not in that building!” She snatched him into a bear hug that left the blond blushing from her huge boobs crushing against his chest and pale from lack of oxygen.

“Tsunade-oba-chan, I’m alright.” He said nervously pulling out of her grip. “What happen here?” He glanced between her, Kakashi, and the Frog Hermit.

However, Kakashi interrupted, “No time Naruto. “Kuchiyose No Jutsu!” (Summoning Technique) “Pakun take Naruto to Morino he is assigning squads to patrol the parameter of the village, we’ve had an attack so stay with him as back up.”

The squash nose dog eyed the Jonin dutifully then sniffed at Naruto. “Wow it’s been a while, but you haven’t changed at all.” Naruto face flushed deeper than when the busty blond grabbed him.

“Hey mutt!” Shino placed as hand on his shoulder.

“Not now Naruto, I will see you later.” The sound of the deep voice and firm hand dispelled his tirade toward the Nin-hound. Now he stared after the dark hair Chuunin leaving with the Fifth.

Kakashi snapped two finger under the tan nose, “Naruto pull yourself together we have been attacked I want you under Morino, I got to head to the border, you stay with him or Shino at all times understood.” Kakashi wanted to stay, as close to the blue eyed-ninja as possible but that was not an option, at this point. With Naruto, the target and the enemy unknown this was the least they could do keep him under one of ANBU’s elite squad leaders. “I will check with you later Naruto once we have made an assessment of the situation.” With that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

“Don’t look so glum Naruto, we need to find that scary Jonin and see what he needs us to do.” Pakun, chastised. Wondering why the kid’s scent mixed with thousands of other smells, a clumping mixture, making it difficult to pick up the blue-eye ninja’s true scent.

He pushed the thoughts of his friends out of his mind leaping to the nearest tree at lightening speed behind the Nin-hound. ‘I hope Sakura-chan will be alright.’

“Naruto do you know any details; what happen?”

“I wish I did Pakun, I had a clone keeping an eye on the place while I….” Naruto blushed; luckily, the dog was in the lead carving a path toward Morino. Swallowing hard he continued. “I just wanted to get away for a while so I left a clone in my place.”

Pakun caught the change in Naruto’s voice as well as the pause he snickered. “Hey Naruto don’t be bashful, if you got a girl I would like to hear about her. Back in my youth I had plenty of bit…”

“I don’t want to hear about that! Just mind your business!” Naruto shouted completely embarrassed.

“Hey, hey pup don’t get sore with me, I was only trying to make conversation.”

“Well, I don’t know what happen. My clone woke up and saw the room covered in white smoke, thought it was a fire. As soon as he stepped on one of those white balls the whole place blew to hell!” Naruto did not realize his eyes were now red as they touched down on the ground near the southern parameter. Pakun led the way to a large Jonin staring at a map and issuing orders to a group of five ninja, all nodded in acknowledgment of their orders taking off for their assignment.

“You will want to repeat this story to Morino, Naruto.” Glancing back at the kid, Pakun halted. “Naruto perhaps you should calm down.” Naruto ignored him remembering something he and Shino discussed a few days ago.

The scar face Jonin turned around eyeing the ninja that should have blue eyes, his mind in strategic mode not prepared for the sudden attack by the teen. Naruto grab the front of his jacket yelling in the tough face, Morino merely narrowed his eyes at the kid.

“Who do you think you are giving up on Kimimaro-san? He is not dead; he will not die until we had a chance to settle things! I owe Kimi my life and I will never give up on him! He has balls bigger than anybody does! I know there is no way a slimy bastard like Orochimaru can take him out!”

Naruto seemed as if he were revving up to say more but Morino had heard enough. Quickly twisting Naruto’s hands off his jacket and slamming him to the ground effortlessly. One foot stepping on Naruto’s head, both wrist twisted backward and held high between his shoulders, while the Jonin’s knee ground into his lower back pinning his hips to the ground.

Naruto glared up at the sole of a shoe on his head, wincing in pain, the Jonin not attempting to alleviate the pressure.

“His body was dumped in the fucking ocean! He is dead! Get that through you thick skull, brat!” he growled dangerously. Morino had begun to accept the fact that he would never see the white hair Shinobi again. He did not appreciate that Shino had this kid to hound him over the issue. “You and that boy have the most annoying tactics of getting under my skin.” He ground his foot harder on Naruto’s head, thinking how the two young ninja’s could be so opposite yet induce the same emotional reaction inside, him.

A part of him wanted to cling to the hope that Ki would walk out of the woods with a lame apology about ‘being unavoidably detained’. The other wanted to move on with his life, bury the pain under denial, and work; since he already decided no one would ever replace Kimimaro. It made Naruto’s words bitter in his angry heart he wanted to forget the man.

“AAhhhh!” Naruto gritted his teeth the sole Morino’s shoe cutting in his scalp as he resisted trying to get free. “KIMIMARO-SAN WOULD NOT FORGET ABOUT YOU! HE WOULD NEVER TURN HIS BACK ON A COMRADE OR STOP LOOKING FOR YOU! HOW CAN YOU GIVE UP…!” Naruto’s rant cut short by the bass shout from the Jonin.

“UZUMAKI DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE!! DO NOT TALK AS IF YOU KNOW HOW I HAVE SEARCHED FOR HIM!!!” Morino felt his darker temper rising, he ignored Pakun warning him to let go of Naruto.

Naruto stop struggling, taking quick deep breaths trying to cool his anger. It was true he did not know what the Jonin had done to find Kimi but he did not want to believe Kimimaro is dead. “Fine, you give up! I’ll find him on my own. He told me he lived through hell before with that dam Snake, there is nothing he could not survive, nothing! Even if I have to swim the entire ocean I will find him and bring him home.” He clenched his jaw the anger had given way to determination; he did not care what the tough Jonin said he would find Kimi. Morino got off him, Naruto got up slowly flexing his wrist and rubbing his shoulders, glaring at the big Jonin.

Morino stared at the blue-eyes the sadness he tried to contain rising to the surface. “Uzumaki, you got some balls talking to me like that, I see why Shino sent you.” Naruto brow furrowed while he eyed the Jonin, his temper under control. “We have a village to protect before we can resume the search, I guess with the two of you there is a better chance in finding him. Right now I will place you with my squad, to patrol the area here.” He pointed out the location on a huge map. “Kiba is heading that squad so just stay inside the perimeter and report back every hour with the status. Understood?” The hazel eyes nodded at him, Naruto felt empty he did not know how to respond.

“Captain Morino you said we could resume the search for Kimimaro-san?” The blue eyes were wide with wonder.

“I hope that is not all you heard yes, but our first concern is the safety of the Leaf.” Naruto beamed at the big Jonin then leaped to join his squad with Pakun on his heels.

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Woot!! Thanks for reading..xDDDDD