Instead of studying for Monday's test, I've been working on editing this chapter. I haven't started editing the next chapter, which needs it even more than this chapter did, but I'll get to it soon. I tried making Ino more in-character and added a small section with Shikamaru close to the beginning, but everything else is mostly the same. If there are still problems, feel free to let me know. I do enjoy getting feedback. Enjoy!
Chapter 3
As the tents had no windows, Ino didn't know when she awoke, but she knew why. When two people stay in a small space, everything can be heard. She heard Misao-san get up and build up the fire so the place would warm up. Then the old kunoichi shook Ino's shoulder to wake her just in case the earlier noise had failed to do so. "Hey, time to get up," she said. "We need to get you ready for the day."
Ino groaned, but she obeyed. "What are we going to do, Misao-san?" she asked.
"First of all, we're going to fix your appearance," answered Misao-san as she prepared to make bacon and eggs over the fire pit. "You'll need to get used to wearing those contacts because they'll obstruct your eyesight for a while. And it's Misao, we don't use honorifics here, so you might as well practice getting rid of them."
Putting those contacts in the first time was a nightmare. Every time she brought one close to her eye she would blink, and the contact would slip and fall onto her lap. However, Misao insisted that she wouldn't leave the tent until those contacts were both in. After many painful tries, Ino successfully had both contacts in. Misao's right, she thought as she viewed the world through the contacts. Everything is blurry. Out loud she said, "If these are going to hinder my vision, why do I need them?"
"Because you'll get used to wearing them, and then you'll be able to see just as well with them as without them," Misao said as she pulled Ino's hair back. "They irritate your eyes because your eyes aren't used to them, but it'll get better soon if you keep wearing them."
The old woman allowed Ino to eat before working on her hair. The fatty food made Ino cringe on the inside, but she couldn't turn it down because that would have been bad manners. After washing the dishes the old-fashioned way, Misao made Ino sit so she could dye her hair. A mirror leaned against the wall to the right, but Ino refused to look that way. She would not watch the mutilation of her beautiful hair! As it was, she was trying very hard not to cry.
"Done!" declared Misao, satisfaction in her voice. "We'll wait a few minutes, then go outside and get started."
Ino found herself being turned to the mirror, and she didn't recognize the stranger that sat in front of Misao. That girl wore Ino's clothes, had Ino's skin, but her face didn't look familiar at all. Light brown eyes stared at her, and the girl's brown hair hung down her shoulders and back, a dull color. She looked…ordinary. This person wouldn't stand out in a crowd at all.
"Use this shampoo at night to keep your hair that color." Misao pushed a bottle of soap into Ino's hands. "Remember, Ino, your name is Hikari, and you just lost everything you knew. Remember to act traumatized."
I am traumatized, thought Ino. No need for acting. That isn't me! Now it wasn't like Ino hadn't disguised herself for a mission before. She'd done it enough that now it was an old hat. However, thanks to the stress of recent events, her emotions were not operating on all cylinders, which was why even though she knew she was overreacting to all this, she couldn't stop herself.
It wasn't long before Misao motioned for Ino to put on her coat, and the two of them walked over to the edge of the tents. Many people passed them, and Misao greeted them all. Ino received open stares of curiosity, but no one mentioned anything. Inside those stares Ino detected sympathy, which meant word had gotten around of her "circumstances". Now she just had to remember to play the part.
They arrived at a small, frozen pond, and Misao set down the bag she had been carrying. Taking out a pair of skates, she held them out to Ino. "All right, let's see what you can do," she said.
Ino stared at her. "What?" she said.
"I want to know what you can do on the ice," said Misao. "Our little group specializes in ice performance, and we need to make you part of the show. It'll help get you past your trauma if you integrate yourself with these people." She pushed the skates into Ino's hands.
"I-I don't know how to skate," Ino stammered. "I can't do anything."
Now Misao stared at her. "You've never ice-skated?" She sounded incredulous.
"Well, I did once when I was little, but it was a bad experience."
"Looks like I have a lot more work than I thought I did," she heard Misao mutter under her breath. Clapping her hands, Misao smiled, and Ino was reminded of Maito Guy for some reason. "Well then, I guess that you'll need skating lessons in addition to your other training. There's no time like the present, so let's get started!"
And so began Yamanaka Ino's training away from Konoha. Her days started with skating, and it took a while before Ino would skate around the small pond without Misao right next to her. When they took a break, the older woman brought her into the woods far enough away that she was confident that no one back at camp would stumble across them, and she trained Ino in her shinobi skills. Once Ino was pushed beyond her limit, they would eat lunch and return to the pond for more skating lessons. They ate dinner from the communal pot, but Misao had them bring their food back to the pond so they could continue once they finished. After dark, Misao trained her in the forest so she would get used to fighting in the dark, definitely not one of Ino's stronger points.
Misao kept her away from the other entertainers for the most part, but even when she did interact with them, she was so tired from her training with Misao that she could hardly work up the energy to speak. Most people thought it was because of the shock of losing her village that made her silent. They patted her back, and some of the more brave souls gave her a hug to let her know that they were there for her. Even though it wasn't true, Ino was touched by their willingness to comfort a stranger. It also shocked her how accepting they were of her presence. In the village, strangers were met with suspicion and sharp objects. Here she met with very little suspicion and no sharp objects that weren't in the hands of her new mentor or the day's cooks.
Training with Misao was more intense than anything she ever did with Asuma or her other teammates. Each night she fell asleep the moment she lay down, and she didn't stir until Misao shook her awake. However, when she got used to it, homesickness hit like a hammer. It wasn't like she felt homesick every time she left on an extended mission. She wasn't that green. But never before had she faked her own death for her friends and family, and it felt wrong to deceive her own village. That wasn't how good shinobi operated. She should be able to trust her own village at the very least, if not certain individuals within it. But orders from the Hokage were not to be ignored. How is everyone? she wondered after another training session ended. By now Tsunade-sama has announced my death and had me buried. Does anyone miss me aside from my family? Do Shikamaru and Chouji even care?
She turned over and wrapped the blankets tighter around herself. I want to go home, but I have to complete this mission. The memory of Shikamaru's conversation with Chouji still rankled in her mind. I will show them that I am not a liability in battle. I'll show Shikamaru and Chouji and everyone else that I am a dedicated kunoichi who can hold my own.
Her thoughts must have influenced her even while she slept because she dreamed that she was back in Konoha. Walking through the main gates, dream-Ino looked around at the familiar sights and breathed deeply, a smile on her face. Everything was peaceful. Citizens of Konoha, civilians and shinobi alike, circulated through the open bazaar situated in the center of the village. It must be time for a festival, she thought as she looked around. Lots of small stands were situated wherever there was space next to the walkways. Food vendors and merchants alike called their wares to the eager customers that glanced in their direction. Even Ichiraku Ramen had a stand, and Ayame-san smiled and did her best to charm people into tasting her family's ramen. A few stands down, a representative from Yakiniku Q glared at the smiling Ayama-san and did his best to draw more customers than the woman. He must not have had much luck if his face was any indication.
She spotted Sakura in the crowd pointing something out to Tenten and almost joined them, but a strong desire to go home filled her, and her feet carried her to a small house a few blocks away from the bazaar. She must have been successful in her dream to be able to own a house, even one as small as this one. The peach exterior matched its neighbors, and flowering bushes lined the sides and part of the front. Sunflowers and daffodils bloomed next to her front porch. A doe and her fawn wandered around the side of the house, and even though they must have spotted her walking up the path to her front door, they didn't act scared or surprised. I must be close to the Nara farm to have their deer in my yard. Only their deer would be so fearless around people.
Ino unlocked her door and stepped inside, removing her vest as she did so. Her ears picked up the sound of rapidly approaching feet, and she turned toward it. Running toward her at full-tilt was a miniature version of herself, only two years old and barely able to keep her balance. "Mommy!" she shrieked, her arms already up to tackle her now-kneeling mother. Either the person watching the child had decided it was hot enough that she could get by with just a diaper or else the toddler was a nudist in training because the diaper was the only part of her that was covered.
Grabbing her daughter, Ino lifted her into the air, making her child giggle, and kissed her on the head. "Hi, sweetie," she greeted the miniature Ino. Now the removal of the vest made sense. The tough fabric would have scratched the baby's soft skin raw. "Did you miss me?"
Her answer was an enthusiastic hug from her daughter. At two years old, she could speak, but speaking coherently and comprehending everything she heard were on another level. But it still made Ino feel warm inside to feel how happy the child was to see her. Her rosy skin and glowing blue eyes made the little girl the epitome of happiness in dream-Ino's eyes. Hefting the child so she rested on her hip, Ino smiled at her. "Where is Daddy?" she asked.
"Right here," a lazy voice drawled. Rising from his previously hidden position on the couch in the next room, he strolled over into the foyer, and dream-Ino felt a rush of warmth and love for the man she married and saw the same reflected in his eyes. "You finished faster than I thought you would," continued Shikamaru as he rocked the infant in his arms. Even though its eyes were closed, dark hair had already started to cover its head.
"It was an easy mission." She couldn't hug him since both their hands were full, so she settled for standing next to him and laying her head against his shoulder for a brief moment. The child in her arms wiggled around so she could get a better look at the infant below her, but she tired of that quickly and squirmed until Ino put her down. The woman watched as she tottled back over to the couch where her wooden building blocks lay scattered around the floor. Still keeping an eye on the toddler, Ino took the opportunity to wrap her arms around the man next to her. Unlike the Shikamaru Ino knew in reality, he didn't mention how troublesome she was or roll his eyes at her actions, instead choosing to nudge her slightly to acknowledge her.
For her, this dream was very mundane. No wild fights, no running for her life, no hotter-than-life men, just her and Shikamaru and their two children. Yet for all the lack of action, her dream self was content with her life and happy to not be in constant motion. The infant Shikamaru held opened its – his – eyes, and Ino's eyes peeped out at the two adults above him. While the girl had been a replica of Ino, this baby had qualities from both parents, and the combination threatened to stop Ino's heart. "He'll be a looker when he grows up," she murmured as she tickled him with a finger. The infant, looking affronted by the assault, caught it in his grasp and attempted to suck on it. "He'll have to fight off the girls."
Shikamaru spared her a sideways glance but didn't respond. He looked older, more like his father but without scars. The customary Nara ponytail still sat atop his head, and while she had found it an annoyance when she was a Genin, now it brought warmth to her chest to see it. It reminded her of safety because she knew that as long as she was with him, he would do whatever he had to in order to keep her and her children to be safe. That was the kind of man her Genin partner had grown into and the one she fell in love with. Taking her free hand, she brushed the top of his ponytail with her palm, which earned her another look, though this one showed how troublesome he thought she was acting. He may not have understood her fascination with his gravity-defying hair, but he didn't fuss much when she played with it unless they were in public. But she deserved it then; most of the time, it was to get a rise out of him when she thought he was acting too formal in front of someone he perceived was of higher social standing than he was. In that instance, formality was expected, but it just felt stuffy to Ino. It was a good thing that Hokage-sama had him interact with the foreign dignitaries instead of her. She could behave if she had to, but odds were she'd start a war just by saying good-bye the wrong way.
The day in Ino's dream zipped by, and she found herself watching her young daughter splash around in a shallow tub while Shikamaru put the infant in his crib. The poor tyke couldn't stay awake for more than a couple hours at a time, but he was still so young that he needed lots of sleep. However, she hadn't expected Shikamaru to come into the bathroom afterwards and was surprised when a pair of arms encircled her waist as she rinsed soap off her daughter. She jumped and looked over her shoulder as he tightened his arms and held her body flush against his own. The shock was almost enough to shake her out of the dream. Since when does Shikamaru show affection so blatantly? Even dream-Ino, who took most unusual occurrences in stride, was thrown for a loop. "Shikamaru?" she asked, trying to see his face in hopes of a clue to figuring out what strange mood had hold of her husband.
Squeezing her, he released her from his hold and joined her by the bathtub. While his face didn't show what had caused him to act like that, in his eyes she saw the flames of growing desire and felt something inside her respond. How she knew that's what it was, she didn't know. In the waking world, she had never seen anything close to that look from him directed at anyone, and it surprised her that she knew right away what it was. Even though it was just a dream, it was still Shikamaru. In what world did Shikamaru desire Ino? Well, apparently the dream world, though none of it showed except through his eyes as both parents finished bathing their happily-squealing daughter. And who would have thought that Ino would respond to him, even in her dreams? Not her, yet she felt all warm and tingly the entirety of the dream just by being next to him. She was able to keep herself under control because of her daughter's presence, but her husband had started a fire in her with his unusual display of affection, and it was only building the longer he stayed in close proximity to her person.
The two of them tucked in the child, kissing her good night. Shikamaru took longer than Ino to get through his; it was obvious that while she took after Ino in looks, she was a complete Daddy's girl. Watching the two interact, Ino observed another surprise. Shikamaru was a pretty good father if today through this moment was a representation of his parenting skills. He diverted the child's growing tantrum at going to bed with ease and left her smiling when he turned off the light, letting her small dragonfly nightlight illuminate the way out the door and into the hall. After he shut her door, he turned back to Ino, and the image of the Father was replaced with the image of the Lover. It seemed that he, like Ino, repressed these particular feelings in the presence of their daughter, but since that obstacle was now tucked into bed and unlikely to leave it right now, the flames roared back to life. As he pressed her against the wall outside their bedroom door, pinning her body with his own, she felt her own body respond with rising excitement. His right hand came up and brushed her bangs away from her face, sending shivers down her body. He leaned closer, she lifted her chin to meet him, and –
Ino awoke in a cold sweat, gasping. She remembered what she had been dreaming, and she was horrified. I felt that way about Shikamaru? Shikamaru?! She felt sick. He was her Genin teammate, and that was that! She shuddered. Am I so deprived of that kind of love that I dream I'm married to my teammates and do that? If they ever knew about that, they'd either laugh themselves sick or become horribly embarrassed. She knew which option applied to her already. Unnerved by what her mind had shown her, Ino couldn't sleep the rest of the night.
AAAAA
After a rough first month, Misao started teaching Ino basic tricks, like how to do spins and skate backwards. Even more than shinobi training, these new techniques terrified Ino. She had only begun to feel comfortable skating alone, and here she was given even more to learn. And to make matters worse, Misao began to incorporate ninjutsu into the skating. Ino would be skating along, and Misao would throw a kunai at her. The first time startled Ino, and she grabbed the sharp side by mistake. Someone walking by commented on it, but Misao waved it aside with a smile. "It's practice," she said, and the person let it go at that. He must have missed the blood that soaked through Ino's gloves and dripped onto the clear ice.
Lucky for Ino, a break from the training came in a few days after Misao had started her on her new skating-shinobi training. A young boy came running to the pond where Ino skated and stopped beside Misao. "Sano just gave the order to pack up," he said, then rushed off again.
Misao waved Ino to the bank. "Looks like we're stopping early today," she said, and Ino breathed a sigh of relief. "We have to pack quickly, or we'll be bringing up the caboose of this caravan."
Back at the tent, Ino packed her belongings, but when she tried to help Misao, the old woman waved her aside. "You just stand back and watch," the old woman instructed. Taking out a blank scroll, Misao made quick hand symbols, and in a puff of smoke, the tent disappeared, and the blank scroll now had black markings scrawled all over it. Misao rolled up the scroll and stuck it inside her ever-present bag. "It's good to travel light," she said to Ino. "Remind me to show you how this is done some time. It's a useful trick when you're always on the move."
The group started the move, but people without the benefit of knowing shinobi techniques had some trouble moving their homes. Misao went to help out with one family, leaving Ino to her own devices. She figured that following her "great-aunt's" lead would be a good idea, and she saw someone just up ahead. A young woman struggled to keep her cart moving, and Ino ran to stop it from tipping over. The surprised woman glanced back at Ino and smiled. "Oh, Hikari, thank you," she said.
Ino returned her smile, making sure to keep it hesitant. She was still getting over the death of her family, after all. "I thought you needed some help," she said, moving around the cart to stand with the woman in front.
The woman laughed and patted her stomach, which Ino saw was quite pregnant. "Yes, I can use all the help I can get now," she said. Her intense, green eyes gazed into Ino's now-brown ones. "My name is Mika."
The rest of the move Ino stayed by Mika's side, helping her pull her cart along behind one of the bigger wagons. Ino thought Mika to be a nice enough person who laughed easily. She had Ino's platinum hair, and if her eyes were blue instead of green, she could have been Ino's older twin. She never mentioned a husband, and Ino didn't feel like she knew this person enough to inquire any further. However, while talking to this person, Ino could forget about why she was here and enjoy the snow.
The pace that they traveled at didn't seem fast to Ino, who was used to traveling great distances quickly, but she could tell it was too fast for Mika. The poor woman huffed and panted as she pulled her side of the cart, and Ino worried that the stress might not be good for the child she carried. "Let's stop for a second," she suggested.
"They'll leave us behind," panted Mika, though she stopped moving and leaned over to catch her breath.
"You need more rest," Ino admonished her. "Here, you sit up here, and I'll pull the cart for a while." Even though she wasn't a full Medic-nin, she couldn't ignore a pregnant woman straining herself like this. It wasn't healthy for the mother or the baby.
Of course, Mika protested. "It's too heavy as it is," she said while Ino pushed her up onto the cart.
Looking back at her, Ino grinned and picked up the handles of the cart. "I'm stronger than I look," she assured her. "Just let me know when you feel like you can walk again."
Of all the people she knew, Ino could only think of two people who would pull this by themselves and not complain, and those two people were Maito Guy and Rock Lee. However, she told herself that this could be part of endurance training for taijutsu and didn't say anything. Aloud, that is. Inside her mind, she was cursing everything she could think of up and down. Her muscles felt like they were going to snap apart from the stress she put them through.
They reached their destination by nightfall, and Sano led them to the area where they would leave their belongings. The inn stood right next to the area Sano had reserved, so many people felt comfortable leaving their wagons and carts to the security of the small village and resting in beds for the first time in a while. Ino had slept in a bed more recently than some of these people, but she was overjoyed at the thought of a bed and running water.
As she expected, she would share a room with Misao. Upon arriving at the inn, Mika said, "Thank you for helping me today. I don't know that I could have pulled myself together and helped others if I had just lost my family."
Ino smiled and said, "You needed me." It was for her mission, but comments like that made her feel guilty. She didn't like deceiving people, but it came as part of the job description for a shinobi. It applied to her and her family in particular since their area of expertise was espionage, which involved deceiving more people than the average shinobi was required to. It was a thankless task, but someone had to do it, and none were better than the Yamanakas.
They parted ways, and Ino followed Misao up to their room. In deference to Misao's advancing years, Sano and Moira had given them a room on the ground floor so they wouldn't have to climb stairs. Ino threw herself onto a bed and lay there, savoring the feeling. "I'm in heaven," she said.
Misao chuckled at her reaction. "Tomorrow we will continue your skating so you can perform at the next village," she said, setting her pack down by the other bed. "You may not think so, but you've improved much faster than anyone I've ever taught. Some people have seen you, and they've commented on it as well."
"Maybe I just have a good teacher," Ino suggested. Or it could be Yuuko-san is granting my wish, though the first seems more likely. Ice skating isn't going to make me a stronger shinobi.
Ino could feel herself falling asleep, but the sleepiness disappeared when Misao threw a bundle of dark clothes onto her stomach. "Don't get too comfortable," the old woman said. "I said that we'd start ice-skating training again tomorrow, but we're still going to drill you in the shinobi arts tonight."
"That's cruel," groaned Ino, but she started pulling the dark clothes on. Her abused muscles tried to cramp in protest, but she ignored the pangs. "We were moving all day, and I was pulling a cart for most of it, and it had a pregnant girl to boot."
"Yes, I saw you helping Mika along," commented Misao as she finished bundling her graying hair into the black bandana. "That poor girl needs all the help she can get, now that Toya is gone."
"Was Toya her husband?" Ino waited for Misao to lead them out the door.
"He was. I suppose you could say he still is, though none of us have heard word of him in many months."
"He ran away? Leaving a pregnant wife?" The younger woman felt indignant on Mika's behalf. She had to help Kurenai when she was pregnant with Asuka, and she saw how difficult it was for the kunoichi to do many things.
"It's complicated. Maybe I'll explain it later, or she will. Now let's focus on why we're out here."
After that, they communicated only the bare minimum. This exercise consisted of Ino dodging the blunted kunai that Misao threw at her, and she had to land softly or risk waking the people beneath the roofs of the houses where they practiced. The crescent moon provided little light, so all the warning Ino got was the whistling of the kunai coming her way before it hit. She never saw them coming, but Misao seemed to know where she stood at every moment, and she knew where each of her kunai fell after she threw them.
Ino tired more quickly than usual, but Misao didn't let up her pace. The kunai started to hit Ino's arms when she was too slow to dodge, and she could barely stand by the time Misao allowed them to return to the inn. In the inn's dim lighting, she noticed her hand trembling as she reached for the doorknob of the bathroom. Her skin was slicked with sweat, and she worried that the dye in her hair would start to run out and down her back. To her relief, this was not the case, but her hair seemed a lighter shade of brown than earlier.
When she finished her bath and reentered the bedroom, Misao looked at her and said, "We need to dye your hair again soon. It's beginning to fade again."
Ino sighed and sat down on her bed. This wasn't the first time they needed to re-dye her hair. The smell never got better, and she dreaded the next morning when they would dye it again. Misao wouldn't let her leave the inn until her hair was the proper shade again since she mentioned it.
The next morning Ino left the room in a hurry, eager to get away from the fumes produced by the hair dye. She and Misao would help the entertainers set up, and then Misao said she could have the rest of the time to herself. Misao wouldn't be free to train her because she had to help with the other performers. The older woman wouldn't be performing, but she would help behind the scenes, making things run smoothly.
Entering the dining area of the inn, Ino looked around and saw Mika waving at her across the room. "Good morning," Mika said when Ino made her way over.
"Good morning," responded Ino. "How are you feeling?"
"The baby didn't want me to sleep last night," she said, smiling and putting a hand on her swollen stomach. "She's been active lately, and she was kicking."
"I'm sorry. Will you have time to rest today, or do you perform?"
Mika laughed. "I can't perform like this," she said. "I used to, but then my angel came along, and I don't want to risk hurting her. Nowadays I help put together and sell souvenirs to guests, but nothing strenuous. What are you going to do? Are you going to perform?"
"No, I am nowhere skilled enough to be on ice," Ino said. "Misao said that I have the day off, but I don't know what to do with myself." Maybe catch up on my sleep since she won't let me get enough. But she couldn't say that to this pregnant woman who had to work all day and looked like she was raring to go even without a good night's sleep herself. It would make Ino look very bad.
"Why don't you help me? All I do is prepare and sell food to the visitors."
"Really? You want my help?" Ino's voice sounded cheerful, but her heart sank. Good bye, sleep.
Mika flashed her white teeth at Ino. "It would be much appreciated. That'll free Shin to go somewhere else. He's been complaining that he always gets stuck with the boring jobs."
"All right. Sounds like a plan."
After Mika told her where go once set-up was complete, Ino ate her oatmeal, meandered outside, and was grabbed by the head of one of the workforces before she could make it back to her room and conscripted to set up the new performance area. Mostly she was needed to help erect small food stands and benches around the pond where the performers would put on their ice show for whoever came. She grumbled in her head as she pulled the canvas over one of the stands. It wasn't like she was adverse to helping people out, but she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, and the training on top of the move left her feeling like a zombie. Was a little sleep before she met with Mika too much to ask for? She didn't think so, but apparently the Powers That Be did and were affronted that she even thought about it because they made the man in charge give her the chores that required the most amount of movement.
As she carried a stack of trays to one of the vendor stalls, another person backed into her from the side, causing her to stumble and almost drop the trays. She looked back, her eyes narrowed, but the person was already apologizing to her. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I didn't see you there. Are you all right? Did I hurt you?"
She blinked, taken aback by the sincerity of his apology. It wasn't like he hit her hard. "No, I'm fine," she sighed, her glare gone. She started to continue on her way, but he followed her, still concerned that he had injured her somehow. "No, you didn't hurt me," she kept repeating. An angry tic started beating near her temple the more he apologized. Even though she knew it was mostly her lack of sleep wreaking havoc on her emotions, the more he spoke, the more she wanted to strangle him so he'd be quiet.
He followed her all the way back to where she delivered the trays, then stayed with her until she returned to where Mika was getting ready for the following day. Mika saw them coming and giggled to herself. "Shin, leave poor Hikari alone," she called. "She doesn't need you bothering her while she's trying to work."
"I'm just making sure she's okay," he said in his own defense.
"I am fine! You didn't hurt me." Now please go away.
"If you're that concerned, then you can help us put these together." She pointed at a stack of crates beside the stall. "Separate the fruits and vegetables, and then we'll get the meat in the refrigerators as soon as they get here." Ino's heart sank as he moved to do as Mika bid.
And so Shin joined their little group. Once he stopped apologizing, he seemed to be a person Ino could tolerate. He and Mika got along well, and he did his part helping with whatever Mika told him to do. He constantly asked Ino questions, though when he started asking about her personal life Mika cut him off, giving him a warning look. At first Ino didn't understand why, but then she remembered her new persona's background. Mika was concerned that he would bring back "Hikari's" painful memories. She was grateful for the silence that followed, though. All his questions gave her a headache.
After arranging the remaining vendor stalls, they joined the rest of the troupe making their way back to the inn. "Is it okay to just leave everything out like that?" Ino asked as she sat with Mika and Shin at a table. "Aren't you worried that someone will steal something?"
"The village guards and our own are watching it," said Shin as he ate a chicken wing. "We're constantly traveling, so we don't carry much of value. Who would want to steal from a traveling troupe of performers?"
"Why would a traveling troupe of performers have their own guards?" returned Ino. That was something that had bothered her ever since she arrived. Why wouldn't the shinobi patrolling the area offer enough protection for them? Since it was a patrol, the troupe wouldn't be their main concern in the event of an attack, but just a couple shinobi would be sufficient for something like this.
Forest green and light brown eyes met in a silent exchange. "There have been cases of bandit attacks, more now than in the past," Mika answered. "Even though we don't have much, we are a successful troupe, and the bandits know what successful troupes look like."
Because of Ino's espionage training, she noticed the signs that they weren't saying something, probably the real reason for the guards, but finding that out wasn't her mission, so she didn't press the issue. It was very unlikely that it had to do with Konoha's safety, particularly since they'd never been to Fire Country. Instead, she made small talk with them until they got up to go to their respective rooms. Ino followed suit, knowing what waited for her back at her room. She wasn't disappointed.
After another night of intense training and little sleep, Misao got her up early to get ready for the next week. Giving Ino an apple for her breakfast, Misao told her that even though they wouldn't have time to train during the day, they would still have a small training workout at night, though not as intense because they needed to be on their feet all day while in town. Ino wished she had taken that into consideration the previous night; she could barely keep her eyes open.
The troupe was bustling all around, and Ino wandered around, trying to find the right stall. Mika had to snag her because she started to walk right by it. "Are you all right?" the woman asked, looking concerned. "You don't look like you slept well."
"I'll be fine," Ino muttered, munching on her apple. "I just need to wake up a little more."
"You'd better wake up soon because here they come."
Ino looked in the direction that Mika was and saw a wave of people coming their way. From that point until closing, she and Mika sold food and small trinkets to people. Ino didn't know where anything was, but Mika answered all the direction questions with ease. Throughout the day, Ino saw that Mika always smiled whenever someone came by, and she was friendly the entire time. She didn't know how she did it. The woman was pregnant and on her feet all day, but she didn't let any weariness show.
The only time Mika rested was when Shin stopped by and ordered her to sit down while he took over her job. Ino remembered Mika saying that he wanted any excuse to get out of doing this, but he seemed awfully insistent on doing a job that he didn't want. Like Mika, he kept up a friendly smile and seemed to know the location of every place that a tourist wanted to get to.
When it was time to close, Mika scooted over to Ino and said, "You know, I've never seen him this enthusiastic about working the stalls. I think someone is interested in you."
"I think he was just concerned about you," replied Ino as she stacked the unused trays. She had to struggle to get her arms to lift that high, and the top was even with her head. This plus training at night equaled a useless Ino. "You wouldn't rest unless he came over and made you. You need to take it easy, but you're pushing along just like everyone else."
"We all have to do our part. But even when he was working, he was constantly looking over at you. Didn't you notice?"
Ino did notice, but she chose to say otherwise. She really didn't need a relationship right now; it would only distract her from her goal. "He did not. And even if he did, it's just because I'm new here," she stated. "He'll stop doing it once the newness wears off."
Mika hummed but didn't say anything further.
AAAAA
The week was over before Ino realized it. Because Misao kept her from sleeping enough, something she didn't even do when she was training under Asuma except under dire conditions, the days flowed into one another, and it took her a second to realize what Mika was talking about when she congratulated Ino on completing her first week of work with the group. "You did well for your first time working with us," the pregnant woman said. "It takes most people a few stops before they can keep up."
"Really? Thanks." That was nothing. What we had to go through at the Academy was way worse than that. What made this whole week so miserable was the lack of rest. Ino made sure her thoughts didn't show on her face.
Mika groaned and put a hand on her stomach. "Calm down," she said, patting the baby. "You'll be born soon enough."
"When is she due?" asked Ino.
"Soon. It's been almost seven months."
Ino gasped. "You shouldn't be moving around!" she exclaimed.
She would have said more, but Mika shook her head. "I can't afford to," she said, waddling around to the door and letting herself out of the stall. "I have to do my part to help out. We troupe women are strong." She smiled, her green eyes hidden by her hair. Pushing back her long bangs with one hand, she and Ino started walking back to the inn. "My mother did the same when she was pregnant with me and my siblings, and now it's my turn."
"So you were born in this troupe?"
Mika nodded. "Yup. I was the thirteenth child born to my mother."
"Where's your family then?" As far as Ino had seen, Mika lived alone, and she hadn't seen anyone that resembled her. Ever since she had met Mika, she had had a suspicion that they were related somehow, and it would be unfortunate if one of her relatives lived here and ran into her. She wasn't sure she'd be able to keep her persona up, especially if it was one of her father's family members.
Mika's eyes grew clouded. "There was an accident. We were crossing a bridge, and a rider came through from the opposite direction. He had lost control of his horse, and he almost trampled one of my brothers. My father got him out of the way, but the bridge was narrow and unstable, and he lost his balance and fell into the ravine below. Sano sent men to look for him, but they wouldn't let my mother see his body. I heard the men talking later, and they said he was unrecognizable. My mother never recovered."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Ino said, sympathy welling up inside her. If either of her parents died, she would be inconsolable. Words couldn't begin to describe the relief she felt when her father moved into the T&I department and worked from an office instead of the field most of the time. She still got anxious when he went out on assignment, but she supposed it was a fair trade since she made both her parents feel much worse when she was the one with the dangerous mission.
She thought Mika would stop, but the other woman continued. "A few years later, a group of bandits came, and we drove them off, but not before they took my three eldest sisters and killed two of my brothers. Illness came through the camp and took another brother and sister. After that, my mother decided that she couldn't deal with it anymore, so the next town we came to, she stayed with the rest of my siblings. I chose to stay with the troupe, and that's how things stand today."
"Why didn't you stay with your family?" This girl has seen so much death, and she isn't in the business like I am. How can she still be so cheerful?
Shrugging, Mika sidestepped a frozen puddle. "This was the only life I've ever known. My mother married into the troupe, so she knew what it was like to live outside it. My older siblings were worried about my mother, and they didn't want to lose any more brothers or sisters. My younger siblings still needed my mother to look after them. I guess I did, too, but I didn't want to leave the troupe." She gave a sad smile. "My mother tried to make me stay. I was only eight at the time, but I snuck out with the troupe while she slept. I visited every once in a while, but not recently. She's remarried, and her husband seems to treat her well."
"So…how many siblings do you have?"
Again, she shrugged. "Who knows?" she laughed. "It doesn't matter, really. I never see them, so it's like I'm not part of the family anymore. I still have the troupe, and I'm starting my own family now." She patted her round middle.
The next day was taken up with pulling everything down, repacking it, and moving out. Ino made sure to stay close to Mika so she could keep an eye on her. That woman didn't know the meaning of taking it easy; she would attempt to do things that were dangerous in her condition, and either Ino or Shin would need to step in and direct her to a safer occupation. Ino worried that all the moving would hurt the baby and cause her to go into an early labor, but Mika refused to let up her pace. She could see that Shin was also worried about her and was more protective of her than Ino. The thought crossed her mind that maybe Shin was the father of her baby, but she dismissed it as soon as it came. He seemed like a good, dedicated man, and he would have taken her to live with him if he'd been the father. And he wouldn't try to flirt with Ino in front of Mika if that was the case.
During the traveling to new towns and performance times, Misao drilled Ino in both the shinobi arts and ice skating. She rarely got enough sleep, and it seemed as though black circles were permanently etched under her eyes. Putting in her contacts became easier each time, and she started getting used to the stranger in the mirror. Pretty soon, she wouldn't recognize the old Ino if she ever stopped dying her hair and coloring her eyes.
To Ino's irritation and Mika's amusement, Shin continued to find reasons that would keep him near Ino and Mika. Sometimes Mika wasn't there, so it was just Ino. He was nice enough, but he was becoming less and less subtle about his interest in Ino. It wasn't that he was ugly; if Ino had been the same person that she was when she first became a Genin, then she would've taken to him, if only for a few weeks. However, a relationship right now could only distract her from her Jounin qualification mission, and when she returned to Konoha, she would have to leave any boyfriends she found behind. But no matter how many times she pushed him away, Shin would always come back for one more try.
They were visiting their seventh town since Ino joined the troupe, and Ino was practicing a minor bit of choreography on the ice under the supervision of Misao when Shin came sprinting over. "Hikari, Mika's baby is coming!" he shouted.
In the middle of a slow spin, Ino wobbled and fell down, skidding into the snow bank. "Right now?" she panted once she got her head out of the snow.
He nodded, pulling her to her feet; Misao had taken off as soon as he shouted the news. "She's been due for a few days, and the doctor's with her now. She wanted you to know."
"How is she doing?" asked Ino as she pulled off her skates as fast as she could. The cold made her hands clumsy, and she couldn't feel her fingers even though they were covered with thick mittens.
"I left as soon as she said she wanted you to know. It looked painful though."
A scream ripped through the air. Ino abandoned tying her shoes and ran, Shin by her side. In Konoha, Ino had been present for several births in her training as a Medic-nin, and that wasn't a usual birthing scream. Something was wrong.
Shin led the way back to the town, but they both stopped short when they saw the town square. People dressed in black were attacking the townspeople and the troupe, and while they didn't outnumber the civilians, it was obvious to Ino's trained eyes that they were seasoned fighters. Blood already stained the snow in the square, and she could see people drag the injured away before they could be killed. Some already lay in the snow, unmoving. The frozen fountain in the middle of the square had splotches of blood running down the stone spire in the middle, and several bodies decorated the frozen base. Beside her, Shin hissed and crouched down. "Bandits," he said under his breath. "Of all the times to attack."
Before Ino could stop him, he threw himself into the fray, weaponless except for his fists. She was about to follow him when a bandit spotted her and charged over. Because he came from her blind side, she didn't realize what had happened until he had already smashed into her and she was on the ground, her breath knocked out of her lungs. Looking up she saw the bandit leer at her. "Nope, you're not the one," he said, "but that's all the better for me. I can keep you instead of kill you."
Moving fast, Ino brought in her legs and kicked, sending him flying backwards. Rolling over her shoulder she got into a crouch, looking for where he landed. To her relief, he was still down on the ground, rolling around in pain. Satisfied, the young kunoichi joined the main fighting, using one of her hidden kunai that all shinobi kept on their person. However, she made sure that she didn't let the others see her kunai; that would have blown her cover. It made fighting more difficult, but not impossible.
After a time, she ended up side by side with Misao. "Are you hurt?" she asked the older woman.
"No, I've been lucky," Misao responded, whacking a bandit aside with a broken table leg. "I feel as though I haven't retired at all. But why are you still here? The doctors and nurses are taking care of the injured, so no one has time to tend to Mika."
"Where is she?" A bandit tried to skewer the two of them with a sword, but Misao stopped it with her table let, and Ino smashed his temple with the hilt of her kunai. He went down without a sound.
Wiping her forehead and leaving a trail of red blood, Misao nodded to a building farther down to the right. "That's the town's hospital. We situated her right before the bandits arrived."
"Right." Ino ran into the alley beside the house she and Misao had been in front of and, when she was sure that no one could see her, scaled the wall to the roof. Running along, she could see violence all over the place, not just the town square. The town wasn't very big, and it had been pure luck that the nearby alley was vacant.
The shingles on the roofs she ran across were slick with partly melted snow, and she slipped several times before coming to the hospital. The door leading to the inside was locked, so she had to spend several minutes picking it; another skill she had allowed to rust. When the door opened, she ran down the hall, startling several nurses. Ino imagined she must look awful; the fighting made her sweaty, and she had been cut several times. As much as she wanted to use her Bloodline ability to locate Mika, she couldn't risk it. If for some reason the bug had found out that she was here and sent the bandits, then there were good odds there was a shinobi who would be able to recognize her mind touch, and the mission would be blown. Instead she reached out and grabbed the arm of a passing nurse and panted, "Do you know where Mika is? The woman having a baby?"
The nurse, a young-looking woman barely out of her childhood, shook her head, and Ino moved on to a different person. It took seven nurses and three doctors before she found her target. Mika was alone, which Ino didn't like, but she knew that this place was hard-pressed for trained physicians, and the injured were worse off than Mika. Coming around the curtain separating Mika from the rest of the still-empty room, Ino saw that she was already covered in sweat. "Hey," she said, sitting beside Mika's head. "How are you holding up?"
Looking over, Mika's green eyes lightened when she saw Ino. "Hikari, I'm glad Shin found you. What's happening?"
The room Mika was situated in had no window, for which Ino was grateful; it spared her the grisly sight outside. She didn't want to tell Mika about the attack because it would cause her concern, but she couldn't find a way to explain why there were no nurses or doctors in here with her. "There's a bandit raid going on," she said, watching worry enter Mika's eyes. "There aren't that many of them that I could see, but the doctors are tending to the injured. But don't worry, I'll take care of you!" She smiled reassuringly at her.
Ino's statement was met with skepticism. "You know how to birth a child?" asked Mika.
"That's your job, not mine," Ino replied. "I'm going to take care of you and help you along when you need it. I've done this before in my village, so I know what to do."
Mika relaxed. "That's good. I was worried that I would be alone when the baby came."
A series of contractions hit, and Mika's face scrunched in pain. She started to retract her legs, but Ino stopped her. "You have to keep them there," she said. "I know it hurts, but you have to keep you legs out."
Outside Ino could hear the faint sounds of the clashes between the bandits and the people in the town. She wondered if Shin was all right; he had gone in without anything to defend himself, and he wasn't a shinobi. Because of her training, Ino's instincts told her to go out and help, but if she did, then Mika wouldn't have anyone to help her, and she needed all the help she could get. Even though women had given birth in the troupe while Mika was there, she had never been present for any of them, and she had no idea what to do. Ino had to keep reminding her to do things, and sometimes she had to hold her down when the contractions became too much for her. She needed painkillers, but the ones the hospital had were being used on the injured from the attack, so Ino had to use small amounts of her own chakra to block as much pain as she could. The amount of chakra used could have been generated from a small animal, so she felt it was safe enough for that bit.
On the other side of the curtain, Ino could hear the room beginning to fill with people. Now that more patients occupied the room, a doctor or nurse would stop by to check on her, but they would hurry away to their next patient. Mika tried to talk to Ino, but the contractions left her with little energy, and she mostly lay there, staring at the wall her bed touched. Reaching over, Ino brushed Mika's pale bangs away from her forehead. "When will it be over?" asked Mika, her voice barely above a whisper. She and Ino had been here for over seven hours.
"Soon, I hope," Ino answered, not sure if she was talking about the labor or the fighting outside. Injured were still pouring into the hospital.
The blonde on the bed sighed. "Why now?" she murmured, more to herself than Ino.
"Bandits always choose the most inopportune times to attack," said Ino, certain that the last comment was about the fighting. "Don't worry, everything will be fine, and your baby will be born healthy and strong."
"I hope so."
The fighting and labor continued on through the next day. Ino wanted to run out and help, but she couldn't. She did what she could in the night when the patients were asleep, but she couldn't leave Mika for long, and she had to make sure that the amount of chakra expended wasn't over a certain amount. However, she healed enough people that they were ready to help others or go join the fighting again. Both the patients and the doctors were puzzled at the quick recovery, but other pressing concerns stopped them from looking deeper into the matter. More people took their places, and Ino wondered how many bandits there really were. Even if they were trained fighters, there was no way that they could still be causing this much damage. They should've been routed at the very least by now.
Neither Mika nor Ino kept track of the passing time. All that mattered was how long the contractions were and how long until the next set hit. A hand on Ino's shoulder caused her to look up; Mika just finished another set of contractions, and she lay against the pillows, exhausted. Misao stood behind her, looking haggard and older than she had a few days before. "It's over," she said. "The bandits are gone, but there are many injured people." Her brown eyes looked at Mika's pale face. "She's still in labor?"
Ino nodded. "How long has it been?"
Misao moved to Mika's other side. "She went into labor forty hours ago. How is she?"
"Tired. She won't eat, and no one has been able to stay with her except me."
Misao nodded and lowered her voice. "It's good that you weren't out there. I didn't sense any shinobi with them, but that doesn't mean there weren't any. We were lucky that no one noticed you fighting earlier. Ishigawa Hikari wouldn't have known how to fight like that."
Ino looked at her, shocked that she would talk about their mission so casually in front of Mika, but Misao shook her head. "She can't hear us," she said, glancing down at Mika. "She's not focused on anything except the contractions now."
Ino looked down at Mika again, then back at Misao. "She can't keep this up," she said. "It's taken too much of a toll on her, and if the baby doesn't come with the next set of contractions, she won't make it, and neither will the baby."
Misao nodded and rolled up her sleeves. "Then I guess we'd better help," she stated. "When the next set starts, we're going to give her a chakra jolt. I know it's dangerous, but we'll lose them both if the baby doesn't come on her own, you said." At Ino's nod she continued. "So we have no choice. There aren't any shinobi near enough to sense it, so we'll risk it."
Ino hesitated, but Misao was already placing a clean hand on Mika's shoulder in preparation of the contractions. Mimicking Misao, Ino stood up in time for Mika to cry out as her last contractions started. "Make them stop!" she begged. "I can't do this anymore!"
"Keep pushing, girl," Misao said, channeling her chakra into her. "You're doing fine."
It took five minutes and more chakra than either Ino or Misao had expected before the baby came out. After three minutes, Misao left Mika's head and went down to check if the baby was visible. "I can see the head," she said and stayed down there, leaving Ino to do all the channeling.
Both Misao and Ino had to keep up a steady stream of encouragement. Mika had been doing this for over a day, and she had had no food or sleep since her water broke. Even with the extra chakra jolt she only just managed to push out the baby into Misao's waiting hands, then she collapsed, panting and devoid of all energy. Ino tended to Mika, knowing that Misao would take care of the baby. Taking a water bottle that Mika had previously pushed away Ino held it up to the pale woman's lips and said, "Mika, you need to drink something."
Mika's eyelids fluttered, and she reached over and took the water bottle from her hands. "I want to see my baby," she said.
"You can after you drink," Ino assured her. Walking down to Mika's legs, she watched Misao finish cleaning and wrapping the newborn in a soft towel. "Congratulations, Mika," said Misao, positioning Mika's arms and deposition the baby into them. "You have a daughter."
"My baby," the blonde murmured, smiling at the red face in her arms.
It warmed Ino's heart to see them together, but a moving redness brought her attention back down Mika's legs. The blood was still coming out fast. Grabbing another towel she warmed it with her chakra and tried stopping the blood, but it soaked through the towel within seconds. "Oh no, she's hemorrhaging," she muttered. "Are you sure there aren't any shinobi in the area?" she asked Misao.
Closing her eyes Misao paused, then opened them again. "None within sensing distance," she said.
"Good." Ino put her hands on Mika's knees. The amount of chakra required to stop hemorrhaging was more than a person with no training was capable of generating, and any shinobi within a certain distance would be able to sense it. Ino's hands glowed green with healing chakra, and she hoped Mika was too busy admiring her baby to notice and no one would come by to check on them. Calling up the instructions she had received from various medic shinobi, she worked to stem the flow of blood. She heard Misao directing people away from the new mother and her baby so they wouldn't see Ino working.
It didn't take very long. The blood was diverted to where it was supposed to go, and Mika's body regained some of its former vigor. However, it took a good chunk of Ino's chakra, and she felt more exhausted than when she stayed in enemy territory during espionage runs and was in constant danger of being discovered. Once she had ascertained that the hemorrhaging had stopped she slumped over, unconscious before she hit the floor.
Ino couldn't see, but when she worked to stop the bleeding, Mika's eyes widened in surprise, and her mouth opened in a gasp. Misao noticed and hurried over to Mika's head. "How do you feel?" she asked, trying to divert her attention from Ino.
"I…I feel strange," Mika responded. "Light-headed."
"That's probably from the loss of blood, dear," Misao assured her.
Mika looked convinced, and once Ino stopped the chakra flow into her, she fell asleep while Misao took the baby and put it in the monitored crib waiting outside the curtain. Once the baby was safely inside the confines of the crib, Misao turned her attention to her newest, unconscious student. "You're lucky these bandits weren't shinobi here for you, girl," she told Ino's body. She shook her head and hauled Ino off the floor. We both need to be more careful from now on, though. She could've been seen, and Hikari isn't supposed to know how to handle kunai or even have seen them before. Misao, you're slipping in your old age.