Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Warning: Mild language, mention of rape, mention of sex, and character death. R&R
Ino sat in the dressing room of Pandora's Box, a dingy little strip club that's frequented by men in high places just as much as the drags of society. Be it lawyers, married men, or gang members and pimps they were all there to see a show and maybe spend a little time in one of the private backrooms.
She had just got done with her fifth song in the front room. Where she and her dance partner for the night, Temari, had done their second song together. And was headed to the bar to get another drink and flirt some more with the hot bartender Shikamaru, when Temari the jealous bitch that she is decided to attack her for being a "Money Stealing Whore". Not that she did any damage. Unless you count being flung onto a little to drunk and way to grabby man who spilt his drink on her face, destroying her makeup, damage.
Needless to say Ino dragged her to the one of the backrooms and knocked her out.
So now she sat in front of a mirror redoing her mascara and left to her thoughts.
"I guess I can understand the part about being a whore since her and Shikamaru have been seeing each other. But it's not my fault she's not enough for him. And I sooo did not steal her money, she just can't accept the fact that I get more money then her because I'm so beautiful"
Which despite the obvious vanity that her thoughts held, is true. With that thought Ino looks in the mirror to see what else she needs to apply. But she ends up looking herself in the eyes, and unwillingly remembers the reason why she was there in the first place.
(Flashback)
Ino had been staying with a group of homeless people she came across one day. They were nice enough, they even let her use a spare blanket when it wasn't to cold out. That night though, one of them had tried to rape her. She fought back though, and got in a good enough hit that she momentarily stunned her would be rapist and bolted. She had ran for only Kami knows how long seeing but not knowing where she was, when she was jolted out of her fear induced shocked state by something landing on her face.
It was rain. It was coming down hard and fast. It easily seeped through her clothes and chilled her already icy bones even further. She knew that if she didn't find shelter she'd get sick, and considering that she couldn't afford any medicine she knew that wasn't an option.
She quickly looked around and found she was about a block or two away from a park. So that's where she went.
There wasn't a whole lot to choose from for a reprieve from the rain. A couple of trees, though tall, had not nearly enough leaves on them to help her stay dry, a picnic table she could hide under if she got really desperate, even if sitting on the wet and muddy ground defeated the purpose of getting under it in the first place, and a rather large jungle gym that was castle like in looks. While no doubt great in its early days, was now covered in rust and looking like it would fall over if the wind blew to hard. She chose the jungle gym.
She climbed up the jungle gym slowly, her destination being the top tower like inclosed space which lead to the giant slide, hoping it wouldn't suddenly fall to the ground.
It didn't take long to get there and soon enough she was on her knees crawling into her sanctuary from the rain. She didn't expect for someone else to be there though, or to be pulled by her hair and be smashed to the floor with a knife to her neck.
"Who the hell are you?"
Ino, startled by the very femine voice snapped her head up to look at the person above her which caused the knife to dig into her throat just enough to draw a thin line of blood.
"My name is Ino, I just wanted some shelter from the rain.I didn't know it was taken, I'm sorry. I promise I'll leave."
Ino rushed out and would have continued too, if the person above her hadn't abruptly moved off of her and started to speak.
"It's fine. You surprised me is all. And you ask questions later if you want to survive around here. Which brings me ask, why are you here? People either belong here or they don't, and considering I frequent this area I'm pretty sure you don't blondie. Though I got to say, you look like you could."
With that remark everything came flooding back to her and Ino couldn't help herself as the tears rolled down her face, and she opened up about everything.
Ino told her about being abandoned, the orphanage, running away, being homeless, and almost getting raped and escaping which led her to getting lost and seeking shelter in the jungle gym from the rain. Sakura, as Ino later found out was the girls name, listened to her the whole time never uttering a single word. And when Ino was done, Sakura told her about herself.
About how she was born a whores daughter, being raised learning the ways of her inevitable future by her mother's pimp, Sasuke who owned her mother and by default, owned her too. About escaping his clutches and trying to find a place in society, and how she had to resort to the only thing she knew how to do to survive when she couldn't.
She told Ino about some of her clients that she dealt with often enough too. There were the good ones, like Jiraiya who was an old pervert and well known in her crowd, even though he favored Sakura and always picked her up if she was available. He always fed her afterwards and paid good enough that she wouldn't have to go back out if she so choose. And there was Konohamuru, a barely out of high school kid who came around every month or so after he saved up enough money. He was still getting the hang of it, but he was sorta sweet.
And there were the bad ones too, like Orochimaru a creepy guy who you could just tell was bad news, who was a pimp and constantly tried to get her to work for him. And Sasori, who looked like every other man in a suit who came around, but had a penchant for violence and beating her half to death. She's usually able to steer clear of him, but when can't she has no choice. She told Ino about how she had declined him once and got the same treatment she got when she didn't. Except she didn't get paid.
That she was on her way back to her place after a rendezvous with Jiraiya when it started raining, and she like Ino, sought out shelter in the jungle gym. It was sunrise by the time they stopped talking. The rain having long ago stopped. It was then that Sakura had invited her to live with her. Ino having no idea where else to go accepted. Sakura taught her the ropes of the business, and they survived together for a long time. But then hell decided to rain down upon them again.
It was cold outside that night. And dark. Which was good for business just as bad as it was for their safety. It was like any other night for Ino. She was outside in the dark and cold on the sidewalk along with Sakura.
Sakura who is...was her best friend and the only one she did or ever will have. business was slow, and Ino had decided to head home. Sakura had just gotten a customer and promised that this was her last one for the night and that she would meet her there. And she did. But she wasn't the only one.
She had heard Sakura come in from where she was in the back, and headed out there to greet her a couple of minutes later. She was just about turn the corner when she heard the first blood curdling scream. She was frozen in her spot for Kami only knows how long, forced to listen as Sakuras screams increased in tempo and pain. When she snapped out of it she sprinted her way to the living room where Sakura was and froze again at the sight before her. There was Sakura, an utterly bloody and broken mess being raped by Sasori. Her left arm was bent at an odd angle, her hair had been pulled from her head and laid in clumps on the floor, and there was so much blood Ino couldn't even begin to guess where she was bleeding from. She stepped forward to try and get Sasori off of her when she locked eyes with Sakura. Even as she was screaming, she begged Ino with her eyes to go, to hide in the back until he left before he notices her there. There was no point in her having to suffer too. She was scared and afraid, so she did just that.
It was hours later when the screaming stopped, not long after she heard the door slam shut. It was on hands and knees that Ino managed to make it to the living room. It was then that she screamed for hours. Sasori had beat her to the point were Sakura didn't even look human any more.
(End Flashback)
She snaps out of it and faster than lighting takes the pills Shikamaru slipped her earlier and shoves them down her throat dry. Waiting for the haziness to wash over her like a wave with arms wide open.
"Ino! Hurry up, your usual guy is waiting for you in the backroom."
Ino who was caught off guard, looks up just in time to see Tenten, one of the older and more modest strippers at the club, slip out from behind a curtain of silk to no doubt head back out to the front room. And Ino couldn't help but think maybe she shouldn't have taken all of those pills at once, because she wasn't even aware Tenten had come back there. And she shouldn't be so out of wits in her line of business.
"You okay Ino?"
Asks Tenten as she sees Ino lost in thought with a slight down curl of her lips.
"Oh, I'm fine Tenten, just thinking"
She wasn't very convincing though.
"Ahmm, here I'll finish your makeup for you." She said with a tone of finality as she made her way to Ino. Sensing that it was futile to argue, she let Tenten apply the rest of her makeup. After they were done they silently parted ways. Tenten going towards the front while she headed to the backroom were her client waited.
"It's about time you got here, I've been waiting." Is what greeted her as soon as she stepped into the room.
"Ah, my apologies Mr. Akasuna. I didn't mean to keep you waiting." Ino spoke in a voice of smooth silk as she sashayed her way to the man now known as Mr. Akasuna.
"Don't worry I'm sure you'll make it up to me. And please we've been over this, call me Sasori" He spoke as he pulled her onto his lap. She allowed him to hold her for a few seconds before she pulled away and replied.
"Of course, Sasori. Now why don't we get started, shall we?" Before he could reply though, she had already started the music, and was dancing on the raised platform where the pole was situated. Sasori wasn't in the mood for a show tonight though, and got on the platform with Ino to get down to business. He was rough with her like always, and didn't take long.
"Great as usual Ino. I'll definitely be back later this week for a repeat."
He was putting his pants on when he spoke again, and she had slithered up against his back when she replied. "No you wont."
And it was with those parting words that she took his head and smashed it against the pole until his head was attached to it. She let him go and watched as he slid to the floor in an odd angle. Then walked out to the bar, passing the owner Ibiki who was no doubt going to see Sasori, him being one of Ibiki's best clients, to get a drink and wait for the cops to show up.
They would ask her why, and she would say nothing. They wouldn't have believed her anyway. She was going to spend the rest of her life in jail, or be put on death row. Which was fine, because she never had a life to begin with.
