Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Reading Totems ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Author's pre-ramble: To my lovely reviewers: otakutron, DragonTamer94, TheForsakenOne. Thank you! Please keep the feedback coming!

 

Title: Reading Totems

By: GrizzlyTeddyBear

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and this makes me sad. I do own Paige Stone, my OC!

Main Pairings: Eventual ShinoxOC, NaruxHina, SasuxSaku

Rating: M for mentioned adult themes

Warning: AU, Post-series start time. Rookie 9 is 23-24 years old. Fic mentions pagan religions, if you can't handle it, don't read! Also is OC-centric. Hold your pants, all will be revealed as the story progresses. I like to take my time.

 

Chapter Summary: Paige meets up with her mysterious bug totem man again for meditation. He gets a personal reading. He reveals his name. They practice together, but something goes wrong.

 

***Chapter 9***

 

Paige woke up early again on her third full day in Konoha. At least she had gotten a good night's rest this time. Resigning herself to become an early riser, she set about getting ready for her day. She grabbed her bag of meditation items and was about to open her door to skip out on her escort and walk to the red bridge on her own, when she felt fox. Grinning she opened the door to find Naruto on the other side with his hand raised—poised to knock on her door. “Hi Kit! Are we meeting on the bridge again for training?”

 

Naruto gave her a confused look. “Yeah.” He paused for a moment. “You seem to be in a good mood today.”

 

Paige took a moment to notice that she was in a good mood. She had a bounce in her step and a smile on her face. “I guess I am.”

 

“Good. You've been really serious ever since we arrived in Konoha. You look better with a smile.”

 

She beamed at the compliment, but then she took the time to observe Naruto while they walked towards the bridge. “You're in a good mood, too.”

 

It was his turn to beam. “Hinata got back yesterday morning. She came to watch us spar at the training grounds after you got lost.”

 

Her grin turned slightly wicked. “Get any sleep last night?”

 

Naruto blushed.

 

Paige giggled.

 

They continued their light banter until they came to the bridge. They were greeted with curious stares.

 

“I know why he's so happy,” Kakashi pointed at Naruto, “but why are you glowing this morning?” His tone was teasing, but the look that went with it was assessing.

 

“Yesterday's meditation ended well, and I had a good night's sleep…Today is going to be a good day.” Paige couldn't help the grin on her face. She was also hoping her bug totem visitor would be in the clearing when she wandered off later. She didn't exactly understand why she was having these feelings for a guy she barely knew, but she was enjoying it anyway. She enjoyed his quiet presence.

 

Kakashi gave her an odd look, but nodded. As they were walking down the path towards the training grounds he declared to no one in particular, “Right. We're going to do the same training program today as yesterday.”

 

Paige nodded. She was to `get lost' when he and Sakura go off to check any injuries that Sasuke and Naruto inflicted on each other from sparring. But until then she settled herself under the same tree as yesterday watching Sakura `help' Kakashi with his training. She occupied herself by going over her notebook from the past few days.

 

She was looking over her first meditation in the clearing when she heard, “Insects?” from above her. Looking up she saw where Kakashi and Sakura had disappeared from their one fingered push-up session. He was currently dangling upside down by his legs from a tree branch and doing sit-ups. Sakura was sitting next to him and counting.

 

“Yes.” She gave him a raised eyebrow. “Are you in the habit of reading over people's shoulders while hanging upside down?”

 

“Ninja,” was the reply.

 

Paige took that as a `yes,' but figured she would answer his previously implied question. “I was getting a lot of insect totems originally, but I think I'm getting an understanding about what it means from my session yesterday.” She paused and then volunteered, “I don't often read insect totems.” She still wasn't sure if she wanted to share about her bug totem visitor.

 

Kakashi gave her that assessing look on his next count of `down' from Sakura. It looked like he knew she wasn't telling the whole truth.

 

Paige shrugged and decided to make her inttentions of telling him later known. “It's still confusing, but I promise it's nothing threatening. When I understand more, I'll let you know.”

 

He nodded and then said, “Oh look, I think Sasuke is bleeding.”

 

He clearly was not bleeding from what Paige could see, but Sakura's head whipped around to check Sasuke visually from her vantage point on the tree branch. “Yes, I see it. Let's go check it out Kakashi.” They jumped down from their branch without any effort and walked over to the formerly sparring boys.

 

Paige wandered off to the clearing hoping to see her bug totem visitor again. Maybe she would learn his name today? It was getting to be a hassle to call him `Bug Totem Visitor'. And somehow calling him `Bug Boy' didn't seem nice.

 

***

 

She smiled when she finally made her way over to the clearing through the tree line and made her way to the center. Paige could feel beetle coming from the area, and if she concentrated a little, she noticed he was just behind the tree line opposite from how she had entered the clearing. She addressed the spot she figured he occupied, “I know you're there.”

 

Surprise and Intrigue were his emotions as he stepped from behind the tree that was his hiding spot and walked towards her. “How?”

 

A single word, but there was so much behind it. Paige figured she would attempt to answer all of the implications. “I could sense your totem coming from the area you were. Yesterday it was your emotions that gave you away. You were annoyed at me then curious as to what I was doing.”

 

He nodded, taking all of this information in stride. When she set her bag down and began to set up her blanket, he moved to help her—taking an edge of the blanket and smoothing it to lay flat.

 

She smiled, “Thank you.” They sat down on the blanket facing each other. Paige decided to break the silence after a while. She did have work to do, but wanted to see if this guy would be willing to make it a little more entertaining. “Are you interested in learning about your totem?”

 

He tilted his head to the side as if considering her offer, then nodded at her.

 

“If you would like I could do a medicine wheel totem reading for you. You might learn about more totems than the one I can sense without it, and it would give me some practice for the council.” When he did not appear to give an answer verbally, nonverbally, or any discernable emotions of curiosity she added, “It's my personal practice not to share this kind of information with anyone. I won't even write it in my notebook for my own reference if you don't want me to.”

 

He raised an eyebrow at her.

 

She shrugged in response. “I trained to be a therapist. Confidentiality is something I understand…although I would like to know your name when you're willing to give it to me.” She got the feeling of being scrutinized behind those dark sunglasses of his, but he still made no outward movements…at first.

 

Finally he gestured with his hand towards her and Paige felt Curiosity and maybe she was just imagining the slight bit of anticipation, but it didn't matter. He was going to let her practice on him.

 

Paige smiled at him and set about setting up her medicine wheel. She made a mental note that he was observing all of her actions, but he appeared to be just interested in what she was doing. She scratched her head before she began the process of cleansing, smudging, and making an offering. It would be more polite to ask him instead of smudging without consent. “This might seem a little strange,” she waved the materials for smudging in her hands at him, “but since you're a part of the process you get smudged too. You're supposed to visualize yourself being cleansed, but just being quiet and respectful works if you have trouble with visualization.”

 

He nodded.

 

With a nod of her own she tapped into her gifts to begin the formal reading. She decided he was definitely quiet and respectful, and she would have no way of knowing if he was doing the visualization. After finishing the smudging she made another offering of tobacco to the six directions. Paige then closed her eyes and set about asking the spirits willing to communicate with her to show her the totems of the man sitting across from her. She was not disappointed.

 

Beetle came first, but that was no surprise. It appeared to be his main totem. Butterfly totem of the Air Clan aligned with energy of intellect and insight appeared next. After butterfly came the impression of firefly the totem of illumination. Lastly Paige was given the impression of ant totem of strength because of its ability to work with its colony to carry many times more than its body weight. It appeared he had many insect totems walking with him and guiding him. He was truly fortunate—not everyone had totems, let alone four of them!

 

Paige also noted how each of the totems she read for him corresponded with an insect totem she had read during her very first medicine wheel journey in this clearing. The medicine wheel, it appeared, was trying to tell her about meeting him.

 

She opened her eyes now, but they were still unfocused. Paige was concentrating now on the man sitting across from her to see if she could determine what the totems meant specifically for him. After a moment, she figured she gathered the information she needed.

 

He hadn't appeared to be uncomfortable under her strangely penetrating gaze.

 

“You have four totems…all insects. Your main totem is the beetle. It was the one I sensed earlier, and I also sensed it yesterday after you showed yourself. The beetle has influence over your other totems. It's a symbol of resurrection and new life—they help process decaying flesh into fertile soil for new growth. Beetles also are a symbol of protection because they are well guarded by their personal armor. For you beetles are a symbol of your over protective nature both of yourself and of those you hold close to you, but with the power of new life it is possible to open yourself more and learn to trust others with a fresh beginning.” Paige paused. That was kind of personal. “Would you like me to continue?”

 

He nodded.

 

“You also have the totem of butterfly—symbol of the Air Clan and the energies of intellect and insight. Similar to this is the totem of firefly—symbol of illumination. You have the ability to see and perceive what others cannot in a situation. These two totems are powerful together. As a shinobi you use these to your advantage in and out of battle. They work with the beetle's protectiveness to come to the aid of friends and comrades in trouble before they realize they are in danger…again both in and out of battle.

 

“You're last totem is the ant—symbol of strength. The ant is also a colony minded insect. Its ability to work with its colony members gives it the ability to lift many times its body weight. You have the tendency to take responsibly, even when you are not asked. You are also more than capable of handling this responsibility because you do not try to accomplish everything on your own. You rely on you colony—family, friends….and beetles?” Paige concluded her last sentence with a question. She wasn't quite sure how he relied on beetles for help, but she was just telling him everything that she got from the reading. It only had to make sense to him.

 

After a long pause he nodded.

 

“Please give me a moment to ground myself and you can ask me questions.” She didn't wait for a reply, but closing her eyes, she set about reconnecting herself with the physical world after thanking the insect totems and the spirits in general for their gifts and insights. Paige came back to herself with a sheepish grin. “Do you have any questions for me?”

 

“No.”

 

“Was I accurate in the reading?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She realized this was the most consistent interaction she's had with him so far. She hadn't been forced to interpret his gestures or emotions yet. Paige wanted to push her luck to see what would happen now that she had him talking. “Can I ask you a question then?”

 

He nodded.

 

Well, they had been talking. Paige went ahead anyway, hoping he would chose to answer her. “I would like to know about that last part I told you. How do you rely on the help of beetles?”

 

He shook his head and corrected her. “Not beetles. Kikaichu.”

 

“Kikaichu?”

 

Rolling up his sleeves a little to show strange holes on his forearms he continued, “They are insects my family has a bond with.” He paused for a moment, appearing to consider his next statement: “My name is Aburame Shino.”

 

Paige watched with wide eyes as the kikaichu came out of the holes in his forearms and formed a little cloud hovering between them. “Well, Shino…that's some bond you family has.” She was alternating staring at the cloud of bugs and the holes in his forearms which they had came from.

 

“You reacted well.”

 

Paige gave him a confused look. “How was I supposed to act?”

 

He shrugged.

 

Finally her gaze came back to his dark colored sunglasses. It was the closest thing to eye contact she was going to get for now. She wanted to make sure he knew that she didn't think he was gross or weird or whatever he was expecting. “I'll admit to reacting badly when startled by bugs…when startled by anything. I also have a tendency to spaz out when they're on me…mainly because they tickle like hell. But I don't hate them or anything.” She watched as the bugs answered some silent command and re-entered his body through the holes on his forearms.

 

He noticed her stare. “I have them all over my body. It is why I keep covered.”

 

Realization struck Paige. “I won't lie. I find them odd. But I don't find them repulsive. And it can't be too much stranger than tattoos.” She kept her gaze on his sunglasses, hoping he would use that heightened perception she told him he had to know that she was telling him the truth. She watched as one kikaichu flew back out and landed on his index finger. He held it out towards her.

 

“Can I have your hand?”

 

Paige grinned, held out her hand, and let the insect crawl along her fingers. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped because it did tickle her…a lot. But suddenly the tickling was gone. The bug was still walking along her skin, but it didn't tickle anymore. She raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“I asked her not to tickle so much.”

 

“Definitely some bond your family has,” she said in wonder. She watched the kikaichu roam on her hand before holding her hand out for the bug to return to her owner and apparently home. She grinned at him. “I guess its official now. We're friends.”

 

“You would want that?” He seemed actually confused by the idea.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Why?” he asked.

 

“Why not?” Paige replied. “You are a genuinely nice guy. I enjoy your company and the kikaichu.” She blushed at the thought of her next statement. “You let me be…me. I like that.” She figured she would stop there, otherwise she might add on the fact that now that she knew more about him, heard more of his sexy voice, and that watching him roll up his sleeves was almost like watching a strip tease, she thought she was developing a nice crush on him.

 

“I don't have many friends outside of my teammates.” Shino ventured into the silence that followed.

 

She smiled at him in understanding. And going on a hunch, she got up into a kneeling position so that she could slowly, very slowly reach over the medicine wheel still between them and put her hand on top of his forearm, making sure to touch the holes the kikaichu used to enter and leave his body. She wanted to move slowly enough that he could pull back. Paige knew he was not used to letting people get close, and he was letting her get really close really fast—definitely not the usual for him. She wanted to be polite and let him back away if he chose to. But she also wanted him to know she wanted to be close to him. Again keeping her gaze locked on his, “That makes two of us with not many friends.”

 

Shino nodded slowly at her.

 

Paige thought she detected a hint of surprise on his face when she touched his forearm. She also thought she detected a hint of a smile, but it was gone after an instant. Not wanting to overstay her permission to touch him, she withdrew her hand and again sat opposite from him. “We still have several hours of daylight. If you don't mind, I'd like to do some more practice for myself. And thank you for letting me do a reading on you.”

 

“Your welcome.”

 

“I'd like your help again.”

 

“How?”

 

“Well, I might need to be able to divide my attention for the council meeting…being able to answer questions when in the meditation. I did it a little with you, but I want to practice that more.”

 

Shino nodded his agreement. “Ok.”

 

“Let's work up with the difficulty. If you could just move around and make little distractions at first, and then work up to just talking to me that might work. I'm used to people going still with shock which actually helps me concentrate.” She laughed lightly, “I even managed to surprise the Hokage into stillness.”

 

Paige thought she saw a slight smirk that went with the feeling of Amusement, but she wasn't sure. When she was sure Shino was ready for her to begin, she sank into another journey with the medicine wheel, this time asking for messages for herself and with her eyes open.

 

The process was draining. At first it was easy to keep her attention split between the spiritual and the physical, but then Shino began to do more than just move around. He didn't do anything drastic at first except for freely looking around the clearing…twisting and turning to take everything in. But then he started a small commentary on all of the insects in the clearing. Paige was baffled about how anyone could know so much just about insects, but reasoned his family must like insects in general and kikaichu specifically. She was also getting frustrated with herself. Shino was really good at distracting her, or it could have been that Paige was easily distracted by Shino. The medicine wheel was trying to tell her something. Remembering the feelings of encouragement she felt when letting go of her spiritual control before passing out, Paige decided to try again, but slowly this time. She was supposed to be testing her limits.

 

She also decided to warn Shino this time too. With still unfocused eyes she spoke, “I'm going to try to go…deeper. I'm having a hard time getting anything, but I know there's something there.”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“Don't be. This is exactly what I need. I don't know how the council will react, and I need to plan for worst case scenarios. I need to be able to not get thrown out of a meditation with a blaring headache like yesterday.”

 

Shino nodded. “I'm ready.”

 

Slowly Paige reached into her mind again, but deeper this time. Feeling her connection with the spiritual become stronger, but still trying to keep track of Shino and his little nature show narration, she just decided to…let go. It was the only way to describe it. With a deep cleansing breathe Paige just gave up on trying to control the spiritual side of herself and let Wakan Tanka guide her.

 

It was overpowering. It was mesmerizing. Feelings of Warmth Love Acceptance Encouragement Comfort Accomplishment were coming from the medicine wheel. She didn't realize she was crying until Shino asked, “Paige?”

 

With a shaky voice she tried to explain, “I'm not used to such direct communication. I didn't have that before coming here. It's…” she trailed off trying to find the right words. “…heady and almost intoxicating. Definitely need to practice this more…” She trailed off once more, but this time into darkness. But right before the dark embraced her, the totem of raven came to her. Paige also thought she saw Shino's face contorted in worry hovering above her.

 

***

 

She had returned to the ancient forest of her true visions. This was the forest in which Mudjekeewis had told her that her path was for a greater purpose…one in Konoha. Paige waited patiently to see what this vision would bring her, which totem would visit her and communicate more directly. She often had to do much of the interpretation when she used the medicine wheel on the physical plane. Visions were a more…efficient form of communication with less room for misinterpretation.

 

It was not until she heard the sound of wings flapping overhead that she directed her attention up and notice the rather large flock of ravens which were in the trees surrounding her spot in the forest. When she looked straight ahead again, Mudjekeewis the grizzly bear Spirit Keeper of the West regarded her from his position sitting across from her.

 

“Mudjekeewis, I am honored once more to be worthy of your presence.” She bowed her head briefly as a sign of respect.

 

“You have let yourself be more open to the spirits and decided to place you trust more in Wakan Tanka. Let your faith in him be your reassurance that no harm will come to you while you journey the wheel. There will be other changes to keep the balance.” was the Spirit Keeper's reply.

 

Paige gave a nod of her head. It would be foolish to think that no harm would ever come to her, but she did take comfort in the thought of no harm coming to her while working with totems. She did wonder what the change he was referring to was though. If she got more in touch with the spiritual, would something else happen with the physical?

 

“Tell me the last message from the medicine wheel.”

 

“Ravens. I saw ravens. They are messengers that go between the worlds and help others to walk between the worlds to gain knowledge.” Paige paused in thought. “You bring me the gift of ravens as a personal totem.”

 

“Use them to gain the knowledge you seek and to further your ability to help others to heal.” Mudjekeewis was not one for small talk.

 

She nodded. “I thank you for the gift of your ravens. I will attempt to only use them as you wish.”

 

Mudjekeewis gave her a nod, got up on all four legs, and walked back into the forest from Paige's view. After a moment her attention was once more drawn upwards as the ravens took flight in a great black cloud which took over her vision.

 

***

 

When the blackness cleared, she discovered herself to be in her bedroom, lying on top of her bed with all of her clothes on. Next to her was her bag of medicine wheel items and on top of the bag was her notebook lying open. Reaching over to examine her notebook and her bag, she noticed the handwriting in the notebook was unfamiliar. However, the content of the writing was her reading with Shino. At the bottom was a note, “I brought you home. -Shino.” Paige made a mental note that he was as succinct in writing as he was in talking. She also wondered how he had known where she lived. `I'll have to thank him anyway, for bringing me home and the permission to use his totem information,' she thought with a smile. Paige attempted to fall into a more traditional sleep when she noticed it was nearly 3:00AM.

 

***

 

Author's notes: *evil laughter* There's some chemistry brewing! As a slight insight into where I'm going with Shino's character, I'm working on a public/private kinda thing: Shino being quiet and reserved in public, and more open (for Shino) in private with friends…and especially with Paige. Because well, let's face it, if you have a relationship, you need to communicate with each other somehow! And it can't all be gestures and emoting. It may seem OOC for Shino later on, but I argue that: (1) He's 24 in this fic, something he's never been within manga/anime and people do change with age and, (2) we see so little of him in general, who knows how he is in private with a woman he has feelings for. I think he's my favorite character because he's so unknown and you can just spend lots of time imagining how he would act in different situations...or maybe I'm just obsessed…a little. Whee! *author runs off*