A Shard Among Leaves: Sciamachy (Patreon)

[Sciamachy]

Hirari stared tensly at the swordsman above her, wondering how he had made it past village security, all the way to the top of the Hokage Monument. If someone of his status had managed to penetrate this deeply into the village without being stopped or seen, then clearly Ibiki had not been taking her suggestions when it came to security.

 “Just gonna stare at me?” Zabuza grunted, scowling when Hirari responded by continuing to do just that. They stared at one another across the distance, before realization washed over his face. It was quickly chased by a grin. “Oh, I get it, you’re scared. Never expected to see me here, did ya?”

His following laughter was cut off abruptly by a tendril of living insects darting from the foliage behind him towards his unprotected back. He jumped away as they crashed to the ground and swarmed, providing the ideal cover for Hirari herself as she landed on the cliff’s edge where he was just standing. 

Alerting the village takes priority. Hirari prepared a portion of her swarm to split into a clone. She would have to wait for the right opportunity to utilize the jutsu. Zabuza was a dangerous foe and he would doubtlessly notice the flare of chakra and eliminate her clone before it got too far away.

Zabuza watched her, one hand reaching toward the massive slab of iron resting on his back. “You skipped all the bullshit and went straight to attacking. I knew there was a reason I was wary of you in Wave. You’ve got the instincts of a real killer, kid.”

HIs fingers closed around the hilt of his sword. The bandages across his mouth shifted with his grin as a spike of killing intent washed across the grass between them. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s making me kind of excited.”

Hirari pulled a kunai from her tool pouch and hid another in the shadow of her sleeve. Inside, her mind was racing as she tried to parse the reason behind Zabuza’s appearance. A missing ninja of his caliber suddenly appearing at such a delicate time for Konoha could spell disaster. Was Kiri responsible? Or was it possible that he was acting on his own initiative. There were many possibilities. She would need to subdue him before she got answers to her questions.

They stared at one another in tense silence. Zabuza’s pinky finger twitched along the hilt of Kubikiribocho, and Hirari responded by letting loose the kunai she was holding. Zabuza’s sword came down in a flash of grey, a flat plane of steel that her weapon simply bounced off of. But it broke line of sight, and that had been what Hirari was after.

Her clone formed in an instant and raced towards the treeline as Hirari herself dashed forward, the kunai in her sleeve dropping into her palm. Chakra raced along its edge, enhancing its durability and sharpness as she brought it forth to bear. Zabuza would have no choice but to choose between her and the clone, and she presented the much greater threat.

But before she could even cross half the distance between them, Hirari stopped dead in her tracks. An icicle pierced the ground just in front of her sandal. A moment later, and it would have landed in a sensitive nerve cluster in her knee, rendering her unable to move her leg.

The clone reached the edge of the clearing but leapt backwards before it entered the foliage. A mirror of ice had formed between it and its  destination. The same masked ninja that had accompanied Zabuza in Wave loomed just beyond its surface.

So they were both here. That was not good. Hirari’s clone regrouped with her in a single bound, drawing its own kunai to prepare for their enemies. Across the way, Zabuza  regarded his partner with an annoyed look.

“You’re ruining my fun, Haku.”

The masked shinobi inclined his head. “I am sorry, Zabuza-sama. But we were explicitly ordered not to cause a scene, and you said yourself that fighting a kunoichi of her caliber is quite dangerous. The rest of the village would have noticed.”

“Tch. Hasn’t even been a month and she’s already handing out orders.” Zabuza’s stance relaxed and he placed his sword back on his back. Hirari glanced between the two in confusion as the swordsman turned to her. “Calm down, kid. Looks like we’re not doing this today.”

Hirari remained ready, unsure if this was some sort of trick. Haku took off his mask, offering her an apologetic smile from a face that was almost as feminine as her own. “I apologize for the misunderstanding. Zabuza-sama was eager to see you and got carried away. We are not here to fight.”Sensing no lie, Hirari slowly relaxed, though her kunai remained firmly between her fingers and her kikaichu continued to slowly gather in the forest nearby. “If that is the case, then I suggest you submit yourself to my custody. Missing ninja are not permitted in village limits.”

Zabuza stared at her for a long moment, then crossed his arms, corded muscle flexing across his chest. “Haven’t taken a look at the bingo book in a while, have you, kid?”

“I have been rather busy,” Hirari replied, a note of realization dawning on her. All Konoha shinobi ranked Chunin and above were issued a standard bingo book at the beginning of each month. It contained updates on the state of the various missing ninja around the Elemental Nations, listing bounties, status, and general location. That he was asking her could only mean…

“Zabuza and I are officially a part of Kiri’s forces.” Haku gave voice to her thoughts.  “We’ve been sent here in the Mizukage’s stead, as she is not able to attend the exams in the wake of the devastation the civil war wreaked on our village.”

“...I see.”

It sounded plausible and would explain why and how they were able to get so far into the village harassed. Hirari tentatively let her guard down, though her clone remained right where it was, just in case.

“I wasn’t aware that you still held loyalties to the Mizukage. From my understanding, you failed to oust them only a year ago.”

Zabuza scowled. “I’m loyal to Kiri. That bastard Yagura was just a butcher.”

“Mei Terumi is the new Mizukage,” Haku explained. “The previous Kiri regime has been entirely ousted and replaced after the coup. The money we took from Gato helped fund the operation. Without it, it may have taken years for that to happen. The Mizukage wants to thank you.”

Hirari took the news with interest. A regime change spelled good things for Kiri, and could prove to be a good thing for Konoha as well, given that their alliance with Suna was currently up in the air thanks to recent events. 

The day of the finals arrived quicker than Hirari expected. Busy with security, she felt that it crept up on her in a concerning way.

Hirari watched the stadium that the final stage would be held in from afar. An unfathomably large crowd poured in through the entrance, civilians, ninja, and merchants all clamoring for the best seats. Excitement was tangible in the air. This was the day that they’d all been waiting for.

Hirari turned away from the sight. She felt none of their excitement for the event. Instead, her body was tense, and her mind was consumed with plans and contingencies in case something went wrong. If there was a plan still in motion, then today would be the day it would be revealed. She needed to make sure they were prepared.

She found Ibiki speaking with a black-haired man outside of a small shop a few buildings adjacent to the stadium. It took a moment for her to recognize the man as Shikaku Nara, Konoha’s Jonin Commander.

She landed beside them, catching the tail end of their conversation:

“...but he insists. I can’t convince him otherwise—and believe me, I’ve tried.”

“Hopefully it won’t come back to bite him. Or us.” Ibiki sighed as Hirari landed beside him. He turned to her. “Hirari, nice of you to drop by. Are you not planning to watch the fights?”

Hirari shook her head as Shikaku turned to her with interest. “I don’t have time to take part in unnecessary distractions. I am concerned we haven’t done enough to prepare for the inevitable conflict.”

“We;ve done all we can given the information we have.”

“Not true.” Hirari shook her head, ignoring the way Ibiki’s brows furrowed. “There are several avenues of defence that have yet to be explored. The village is still far from secure, especially against the threat we might be facing.”

“Hirari, was it?” Hirari straightened as Shikaku spoke in that signature Nara drawl. His eyes were lidded, his posture slouched, but Hirari knew better than to think the man in front of her was in any way relaxed. He stroked his goatee. “You look familiar. Have we met before.”Hirari shook her head. “I’m sure we’ve crossed paths but we’ve never spoken. You have read and annotated several of my proposals for improving village security and prosperity, however. I am unsure if you remember.”

Shikaku chuckled, rubbing his forehead. “That’s right. You’re that kid. You know, I’m not usually a fan of getting more work, but you’ve got an interesting way of looking at things. I actually enjoy coming across one of your proposals.”Hirari nodded, a flush of pleasure running through her. “Thank you. I hope you considered them. Constant and steady improvement is the only way to survive in an ever-evolving world.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Shikaku sighed, but Hirari noticed that he didn’t disagree. He studied her, intelligent eyes  looking her up and down. After a second, he looked up at the sky, a small frown on his face. 

“There’s something on the wind,” he said softly. He turned back to her. “If you feel like there’s some other precaution that you can take at this late stage, then you have my full permission to do so. Don’t worry about any orders you’ve been given before. The village is a few steps away from being in a state of emergency. We can’t afford half-measures right now.”

Hirari went very still, then nodded. “Understood. If that is all?”

Shikaku nodded and Hirari immediately turned and leapt away, racing through the rowdy village as if hell itself were one step behind her. Her parameters had changed, and with so many restrictions lifted, there was almost no end to the things she wanted—no, needed to do to prepare for any possibility.

Her colony flooded out from underneath her clothes and formed four separate clones. They popped into existence in one heartbeat and then raced away in the next, already keyed into her intentions and her greater plan.

Over the course of the next three hours or so, Hirari bounced back and forth across the entire length of the village, not stopping or slowing as she took full advantage of the opportunity she had been given. She occasionally sensed Anbu watching her or even the few civilians who weren't watching the exams, but they were barely blips on her mental radar as she worked to shore up the village's defences. 

As she was working in a training ground where she stored one of her earliest colonies, someone approached her.

Hirari glanced up as three figures dropped from the treeline. Each were wearing Konoha flak jackets, indicating that they were friendly, yet something about them gave her pause. It took only a moment to realize what it was.

She hadn’t felt any of them approach.

In the midst of one of her colonies, none of her kikaichu had detected the chakra of these three as they came towards her. That meant either they had entered her detection radius only moments ago which was unlikely given that she was in a relatively central position of this colony or, more likely, they were masking their chakra signatures to the point where even she couldn’t detect them.

There was a very select group of people who were capable of that. She didn’t recognize any of the men before her.

“Hirari Aburame?” The one in front spoke. “We were sent to find you. There's been a situation and Ibiki ordered us to find you to handle it.”

Hirari tilted her head, eyes moving between each of them in turn. Slowly, she stood from where she was crouched, turning to face them.

“I see,” she said carefully. “Did he say what the issue was? I may be able to handle it from here if you have the information.”

“He didn’t specify,” the man said. His companions stood behind him, stone-faced. “Just told us to come and get you.”

Hirari’s eyes drifted in the direction they’d come from. “This is quite an inconvenience. I’m very busy at the moment. Tell him to speak to Hiro. He was the one I worked most closely with so any problem I’m able to solve, he’ll be able to solve as well.”

The man's expression flickered, just a tiny bit, his head twitching oddly. 

“Hiro’s already looked over the issue and couldn’t figure it out,” the man, his tone flat. “We don't have time to explain. Ibiki said you'd understand so we really need to go now.”

“I understand perfectly,” Hirari said. The box on her back clicked open without a sound.

It had been quite a while since Hiruzen had the chance to watch his own shinobi compete in the exams. Viewing the Will of Fire up close was a joy he wished he could experience more often.

The stadium roared with excitement as Hiruzen watched from the Kage's viewing box. Below, one of his Genin was locked in a desperate battle with one of Kiri’s own. The girl was using an unconventional weapon—a three-section staff—while the Kiri girl was using a simple katana.

It was a wonderful display of bukijutsu from both parties, though the match was clearly leaning one way.

“I see the swordsmen from Kiri are as fine as ever,” Hiruzen commented as he watched his genin deflect a strike with an edge of her staff. It nicked her on the shoulder regardless, and the crowd roared. “I worried I’d never get to see it again with my own eyes.”

To his right, Zabuza Momochi watched the fight alongside him. The man was known to Hiruzen, though he couldn’t say he ever expected to meet him like this. That the Mizukage had sent him as her intermediary spoke volumes of her trust of the man.

“Your village has a few swordsmen worth their salt,”  the man rumbled. “But few of them could stand a chance against a Kiri blade.”

He paused, one brow rising as the Konoha Genin below managed to get the upper hand, knocking her opponent off of her feet. The Kiri nin’s katana slipped out of her fingers, clattering to the ground a few feet away, and the crowd surged to its feet at the upset. 

“That said,” Zabuza said gruffly. “The kid down there is putting up more of a fight than I thought.”

Hiruzen smiled as the battle continued, though this time with the tide turned in the other direction. His Genin was not willing to go down so easily. Even outmatched, even outclassed, the spirit of his shinobi burned bright. It was moments like these that reminded him why he had taken up the hat again, despite the weight it carried.

And yet, even as Hiruzen’s pride swelled, his unease grew with it. He looked out over the crowd, a frown on his wizened face.

Are you here, Orochimaru? He asked in his mind Would you risk the lives of all these people, just to get to me?

Down below, the tides had turned once more as the girl had retrieved her sword and was fighting back harder than ever. Yet her opponent had also adapted, stowing the staff in favor of a spear with far greater reach. A moment later, blood spilled across churned dirt, and the Kiri nin fell to the ground, clutching her sword arm which sported a large gash. 

Hiruzen knew immediately that the strike had severed tendons, and so did the wounded girl. She raised her hand, conceding with a scowl on her face.

As the proctor called the match, Zabuza chuckled. “Not bad. Kid'll have scars to remember that one by.” He glanced at Hiruzen. “Your people train 'em tough. I'll give you that.”

“A close battle. Your Gennin fought well.” Hiruzen returned, though his eyes had returned to scanning the crowd.

Zabuza eyed him, noticing his odd behavior. “You say that, but you weren’t watching half of it. Something on your mind, old man?”

Hiruzen chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. “Forgive an old man his wandering mind. At my age, it becomes difficult to focus on any one thing for too long.”

Zabuza snorted. “Didn't seem to have that problem a minute ago.”

“Even old men have their moments of clarity.” Hiruzen returned his gaze to the arena below, where the proctor was announcing the next match. The crowd's roar swallowed whatever retort Zabuza might have offered.

The next match began shortly, this one between two minor villages. Both Genin managed to surprise the crowd with advanced nature release, creating elemental jutsu and the spectacle that everyone had come for.

Hiruzen watched, but his eyes drifted again and again to the masses of people packed into the stands.

Where are you, my poor, misguided student?

Hirari watched with a blank expression as the leader of the group of fake ninja fell to the ground, struggling to breathe as insects crawled both over and underneath his skin.

Around her, the other two were similarly incapacitated, but much less alive. Her kikaichu had sucked them completely dry, leaving them empty husks. But that was fine. She only needed one to question, after all.

He tried to crawl away but his limbs wouldn't obey him. He managed to get perhaps a foot before collapsing in a heap. Hirari walked up to him, stifling her bleeding arm with one hand. They had managed to graze her before she put them down.

She kicked him over with a foot. His breath left him in gasps and he stared up at her with naked terror in his eyes.

“H-How did you figure it out?” He wheezed.

“Hiro has been on an extended mission for two weeks.” Hirari informed him. “That you didn't know that gave you away. Now, I have a few questions.”

 He glared. “Not telling you… shit. You're all doomed anyway. W-Won’t matter.”

“Hmm.”

Hirari squatted in front of him, bringing their faces closer. She could see the mottling on his skin where her insects had burrowed. Lifting a finger, she brought it to his cheek, collecting one of her insects on it.

“Aburame have an interesting coexistence with our insects.” She raised the bug to her eyes, watching its mandibles twitch. “We form our colonies almost immediately after birth and they grow with us, feeding on our life force and our chakra as they dig hives in our flesh. Due to early inoculation, we barely even notice it. Our tolerance builds early.”

She tilted her head, her goggles flashing with a sinister light. “I imagine it would be quite painful for a normal human.”

She placed the bug back on his skin, and with a mental command, it began burrowing into him. Razor sharp mandibles drew blood and he started screaming as the rest of the insects inside of him began burrowing deeper. His fingers clawed at the dirt and his own skin, trying to tear them out, but they had burrowed too deep.

“I'll talk!” he writhed. “I'll talk! Please!”

Hirari watched him squirm for a few more seconds, his back arching off the ground with his agony. She ordered some of them to relent, but not all. She needed him cognizant enough to talk.

“What is your affiliation?”  she asked.

“Oto!” he gasped, tears streaming down his face.

Hirari's eyes narrowed. “And your orders?” she demanded.

“W-we were supposed to separate you from the rest of the village!” he blurted, words tumbling over each other in his haste. “That's it!”

“Why?” Hirari pressed, leaning closer. “What is the purpose of separating me?”

The man's eyes darted around, searching for some avenue of escape. His jaw worked as insects shifted beneath his skin. He let out a strangled whine.

“I asked a question,” Hirari said.

“So you wouldn't mess up the plan!” he cried. “That's all I know, I swear! We were just supposed to get you alone and keep you occupied!”

Hirari prepared to press him for more, when the ground shook underneath her feet. A moment later, a muffled boom reached her, followed by a shockwave that carried warmth and the smell of burning.

Hirari whirled to find a column of smoke rising above the treetops, an inky cloud slithering up into the air. A second explosion followed the first, followed by distant screams. 

Her insects retreated from the man's body in a wave, pouring out of his skin and returning to her in dark streams. He gasped and sobbed, clutching at himself, and Hirari ended his suffering with a flick of her wrist, burying a kunai in the side of his head.

She didn't spare him another glance as she headed deeper into the village.