Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto. (Y'll like long chapters of angst?)
Chapter VI: Five Million Ravens are Black.
Eleven days ago.
Ino stood under the hot sun, watering a cluster of white lilacs. Costumers greeted her as they entered in and out of the shop. She carefully untangled the clump of Common Mallow when her father stepped out of the shop and called for her. "Ino, we are closing the shop."
"Alright, I'll be there in a minute." she called, she could loose track of time tending the flowers. She sighed and wiped the sweat off her brow. She smiled down at a little pink flower who stood amongst a cluster of white daisies. A small blush-haired girl briefly flashed in her mind, but she frowned and shook her head. Crossing her arms over her chest "Why am I thinking of her of all people." she glared down at the little flower as it swayed with the rest of the daisies
"Oh watching him work out is so..ah!"
"His body is just so..enticing"
Ino's ears immediately perked up at the mere mention of a attractive boy. She rounded around the colorful bouquets of flowers and peeked behind some daffodils. She spotted three girls around her age sitting around a table, gushing about.
"It is, but that loud mouth. So annoying."
"Yeah! He is always getting in the way of Sasuke."
"I think he is rather cute."
"Oh shut up! I know you did not just say that."
"Anyway, did you hear about their teammate?"
"Yeah it is terrible."
Ino found herself feeling dread.
"No, what happened?"
"Apparently she was training and her head struck a rock. She is now at the hospital, slipped into a coma right away."
Ino gasped and put a hand over her mouth, but then looked at her hand in disgust and made her way into the shop, picking up her watering pot on the way. Why would I care. We are not friends anymore. She jumped, startled, when she almost ran into her father.
"Oh good, I was just coming to get you." he smiled down at her, but then frowned. "Is there something wrong sweetly?"
She gave him a bright smile and shook her head, her ponytail swaying. "No, dad. Nothing's wrong. It is just really hot outside." she laughed. She could tell he did not believe her, but felt herself relax when he nodded and did not push any further.
"Alright, well lets finish up so we could head on to dinner." she nodded and skipped away not noting how her father watched after her, his eyes laced with concern.
-x-
Ino rested her cheek on her fist, pushing around the food on her plate. She just could not get herself to eat. She knew better than to believe in rumors. Even though she gossiped half the time. She sighed.
"Ino is there something the matter? You haven't even eaten your food." Ino jumped and looked down at her plate. She had been lost in her thoughts too long that she had meshed her food together making it look unpalatable. She huffed and pushed away her plate.
"No, it just. I have to watch my weight. I think I am gaining way too many pounds." she tighten her ponytail and picked off the invisible lint on her clothes.
Her father gave an exasperated sigh and eyed her. "Honey, I think you loose anymore and you will be a stick."
"Daddy, I'll be fine I know what I am doing, besides how am I going to get a cute boy if I am looking ugly?"
Inoichi eyes widen and the food caught his throat. Ino watched in alarm and scrambled from her seat, running to the kitchen. "I'll get you a glass of orange juice!" she returned and he grabbed it from her hands, greedily gulped it down and the color returned from his cheeks. He stared ahead of himself for a while. Ino watched him with amusement clearly written on her face and clasped her hands behind her back. "Feeling better?" he looked up at her and gave her a small glare. She could not help but to giggle "Sorry daddy."
"Ino, never do that again." he scolded her and she giggled. Her father was simply too adorable. "I mean it, Ino."
"Yes daddy." she leaned in and gave him a peck on his cheek before she plopped back in her seat. She looked down at her plate. It was silent before she spoke up. "Dad?"
"Yes honey?"
She bit her lip. Why was she bringing this up? "I heard Sakura got in an accident."
"Oh no. How is she?"
Ino continued to look down at her pallet of food. "She is in an coma."
There was silence and Ino was not sure what her father was thinking or how he was looking, but felt his fingers lift her chin up to lock eyes with him. "Is that what has been bothering you today?" his eyes and voice were laced with concern. She bit her lip harder.
Why would it bother her? Why would it not leave her alone? Sakura was the one who broke off the friendship, not her. She hurt her. After she became such good friends with her. After she helped her see what a cute looking girl she actually was. After protecting her from Ami and her gang. After helping her gain confidence.
And then she just happens to have a crush on the same guy I like. Oh Sasuke you're really hot, but you caused so much turmoil between us. She then frowned and kicked out the thought. See what you've done forehead girl. You are making me doubt Sasuke. Ugh! You're so infuriating!
Then a pang of guilt overwhelmed her chest. But what if she did have an accident and was in the hospital now? A quick mental picture of a full body cast Sakura came in mind. Her arms and legs behind supported by support slings.
Ino jerked her head away from her father's hand, not catching the hurt look that flashed through his eyes. No, she wouldn't. Blinking away the image. She said she would not loose to me anymore, that could not possibly happen to her. Those girls were lying.
She snorted, "No, it's not true. It was some stupid rumor." she crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose high, "And even if it was true, that Billboard Brow is nothing to me since the day we ended our friendship."
But do I believe that myself?
-x-
two days later.
Ino sat in the hospital lobby, legs crossed and hands clasped on her lap. She watched her father speak with the woman at the front desk. She honestly did not know what they were doing here. Her father was wasting his time trying to prove that the billboard brow was enrolled here.
"C'mon, I told him a million times that I don't care what happens to her. She is not my friend anymore. We hate each other and are enemies." she muttered under her breath, ignoring when he looked over his shoulder and gave her a reprimanding look.
She then frowned, but the reason why they were there in the first place was because she kept having doubts and kept coming back to the 'maybe'. Maybe the girls were right. Maybe she did really care more for Sakura than she led on. Maybe she wants to be friends with her again. But just as that thought rolled around, Ino went back to being stubborn.
"I don't want to be friends with her. I don't ever want to be associate with her again!" she grounded her teeth, earning odd looks from the people in the lobby and her father. Ino fought back the blood that rushed to her cheeks. That forehead girl had managed to humiliate her in public without her being present to do so! So embarrassing! She huffed.
She then grind her teeth when she noticed the empty seats around her. She had managed to scare everyone into moving away from her. She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest, further shaking her leg.
Her father took a seat next to her and passed her a visitor sticker. "Well, they said to wait a couple minutes. A nurse will then come to escort us."
"I am not going."
"Ino," Inoichi started.
"I am not going in there. You can go visit whoever you claim is in there and I will wait for you here."
"Ino, your friend is in there and it would be kind of you to-"
"She is not my friend," Ino gritted her teeth, "and besides, she is not here. She's probably at home stuffing her face or shinning her big brow."
She did not know why her father was being so stubborn about this. Why could he not accept that her rival was not here nor that she wanted to even pay her visit? Unaware that her father wondered the same thing. She knew that she was probably annoying her father, but it was just she honestly did not want to admit that maybe..quite possibly she was starting worry. She huffed for the second time today and crumbled her visitor sticker.
Inoichi gave a exasperated sigh and rubbed his face. She ignored the look he sent her way and threw the crumbled sticker in the air, but pouted when he caught it. A nurse emerged from the metal doors, carrying a clipbroad. "Mr. Yamanaka?"
Inoichi uncrumpled the sticker and he slipped it into her hand. "If you are so sure that she is not in there, then come with me and prove me wrong." with that he stood up and made his way over to the nurse.
"Mr. Yamanaka?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Please come with me."
Ino watched her father follow the young woman through the hallow metal doors. She huffed and looked the other way. Not being able to take the nagging feeling, she ripped the sticker off its paper and slapped it on her chest, grumbling as she pushed her way through the doors. "Wait until I prove you wrong." she caught up with her father; completely ignoring his attempt to hold her hand. "I am twelve dad, not two." she crossed her arms over chest and 'humphed'.
They walked through a series of halls after they walked up a stairwell. They stood in front of room B13. The nurse smiled gently and stepped away from the door, disappearing down the hall. Ino stared at the looming door, feeling somewhat nervous. Beads of sweat seemed to pour down her head. Her heart sounded loud in her ears. Everything else seemed to fall away in a black abyss and it was just her and the door.
Ino..came a distant voice. She knew that voice.
"Ino." she jumped under her father's palm. She looked at him. "Are you okay?"
She glared at the door in front of her and turned the knob, pushing it open. "Yes and you will see that I am right and you are wr-" the next words were stuck in her throat when her gaze landed upon Sakura's prone form. She felt the blood drain from her face and her mind went blank. Sakura was completely discolored. Her skin almost yellow and her body stiff. Ino found herself walking toward her bed and standing over her body. She tentatively reached out and grasped her hand which was warm under her touch.
A image of a young blush-haired girl crossed her mind. She stood in a field of flowers, spinning as petals from a nearby sakura tree danced around her. She stopped and held down her white sun hat that almost flew off her head.
"Do you think I'll make a pretty flower, Ino?"
Ino looked up at her face as if expecting for her to react. "Sakura? Can you hear me?"
"You bloomed into a beautiful flower."
"Honey she can't hear you, her Glasgow scale is pretty severe."
Ino was vaguely aware her father was talking to her and calling her name. She shook Sakura, trying to get her to wake up. She felt hands trying to restraint her but she just shook them off and continued to shake her. Her nails dug into her hospital gown as she gripped her shoulders and shook her violently.
"Ino, stop! She is not going to wake up!"
"She has to!" Ino found herself yelling at her father's face. She was not aware of the tears that streamed down her face or the slightly crazed look in her eyes. "She has to! She wasn't going to loose to me anymore! How is she going to do that if she is asleep! If she is dead!"
She could not be close to death. No! She has to respond. She had to. "Sakura!" but her head just lolled to the side. She lifted her hands to her mouth and whimpered. Backing away from her. "She is not waking up! She is not."
She felt her father turn her around and she crashed her face into his shirt, muffling her anguished cries. Her knees buckled and her father kneeled down with her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and rubbing soothing circles on her back.
Now
"Ino."
Ino gasped and turned around to her worried father. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she failed to sense him behind her.
"Are you okay, honey?"
The blond nodded and turned away from him, looking out their apartment window. The bright morning sun shined through the sky and civilians down below went about their daily business. She slipped a lock behind her ear and reached to touch the surface of the warm glass. "Yeah, I am fine." she paused "I am going to go visit Sakura today."
Inoichi watched his daughter helplessly. Since yesterday he had been worried about her. She had left the shop so suddenly with desperation in her eyes that could only intensify as she paced in her room back and forth when she returned from where ever she ran off to.
He had tried to ask her what was wrong, but she would only shake her head and dismiss it as nothing. This isolation felt a lot worse than it did when she had discovered Sakura was in a coma that Inoichi felt at a loss as what to say or how to get her out of this shell she built around himself.
If Inoichi could guess he would say that it involved Sakura. It had been Sakura who had worried Ino to death. It had been Sakura who suddenly changed her demeanor. Now he was not angry at the poor girl, but he could not help to feel like it was somehow her fault.
Hold it right there Inoichi. His conscious rang. Stop placing faults in things where it should not be. In the midst of the scolding of his head, he failed to notice his daughter began speaking again.
"-and I don't know how long I'll be gone. Maybe not too long. Tell Shikamaru and Chōji that I left on a errand for you." She picked up her duffel and made her way toward the door.
"Eh? Wait! Honey! What do I tell them?" Aw man, what did she say before?
She caught the knob and turned to him. "Anything you want dad. I'll see you later!" her voice sung and she turned the knob, golden light from the outside flooded in, and she stepped out, shutting the door behind her. Inoichi mentally kicked himself for his stupidity.
What kind of father am I if I can't keep my attention on her!
-x-
Ino stood in front of the Sakura's apartment door. She had stood here the night before when she dropped her off. When she had wondered if the person she walked next to was actually her childhood friend and not a stranger.
The girls passed through the shadows of the night and under the yellow spotlights of the lampposts in silence. None had said anything since they left the Hokage tower. Ino watched Sakura from the corner of her eye. She worried for the mentality of her friend. Deep down she was afraid that if she left Sakura home alone tonight, she might attempt something on herself.
Her chest tighten. Why did she not just come to her if she felt like the world was crashing down on her? Why did she not put that pride aside and ask for help? She did not care if they were not on the best terms! Sakura should have came to her!
"Ino relax." Sakura's voice startled her out of her thoughts and suddenly became aware that she was still holding the blush-haired girl's hand and in a death grip. Ino wrenched her hand away and tried to hide the embarrassment that surfaced. Sakura did not seem to notice and if she did; she did not voice it. She just stared straight head of her; her expression blank and her mind to herself.
Ino avoided looking at her and fell a little behind. She wanted to ask her so many things, but she could not get herself to do so. Half of her was afraid of her reaction and the other half was afraid of what she might learn. Aniexty ate at her the longer they stayed in silence and walked. She felt like she did not know Sakura anymore. Even if they have not spoken in a long time, she knew Sakura would be the some old Sakura. Energetic, happy, bubbly and emotional. But this one just felt cold, aloof and apathetic. She felt like she did not know who she was walking with. A stranger.
Before Ino knew it they stood in front of Sakura's home. The blush-haired girl stood there for awhile, as if expecting Ino to say something. The blond bit her lip. She wanted to slam her against the door and demand answers, but all that she did was stand rooted in her spot. "Goodnight."
Sakura did not turn nor did she wait for Ino to add to her statement. She gave a short wave over her shoulder and opened the door, slipping into the shadows of her house and closing the door shut.
Ino sighed and lifted her fist to give a slight tap to the door only to miss it when the door swung open. Ino was greeted with Mrs. Haruno's bright smile who carried and stirred a large bowl of pancake batter. "Well good morning Ino! What can I do for you?"
"I came to see Sakura. Is she up?"
"No, but you can wake her. Please do come in." Mrs. Haruno moved aside and Ino stepped through the threshold. "She is upstairs. Oh and Ino?"
The said blond looked toward her and was surprised to see tears falling from the woman's eyes. She set down the pancake batter on a coffee table and pulled the blond into a hug. Ino felt her eyes go wide. "I want to thank you for bringing my baby home." she whispered to her. "It means so much to us." Mrs. Haruno pulled away and wiped the tears leaking from her eyes. "Oh look at me. I am probably scaring you." she laughed. "Well." she picked up the batter and continued stirring. "I leave you to it."
Ino dumbly nodded and watched the woman bound over to the kitchen, humming a happy tune to herself. Ino moved laterally toward the stairs and ascended up the flight of steps.
She stood at the door to Sakura's room. She felt nervous but why did she feel nervous? It was not something to feel nervous about. Was this how guys felt when they knew their girlfriend's dad was the one who was going to greet them? Wait why was she even thinking this! Ino took a deep breath and found her center. She stared at the door straight on and turned the knob.
A warm breeze blew from the open window and the green tea colored curtains swayed. Below the flutter lay Sakura's prone form bundled in sheets. Ino approached her, wincing at the creaking under her feet, and stood over Sakura. She was happy to note that she removed the guaze and her hair looked washed and silky. Ino sunk into the edge of the matress and she found herself smiling down at the blush-haired girl who looked so innocent as she slept. Ino felt herself slip into tranquility, but as soon as she thought it, soon did it vanish. Sakura moaned and stretched her arms. She fluttered her eyes open. "Hm? Ino, what are you doing here?"
Ino could not help but to feel stung, but pushed back her thoughts and smiled down at her. "I came to wake your ass up, silly. Finally brushed your teeth? It's about time! Cause your breath stunk." she teased, but felt her smile slip when she did not respond back.
Sakura propped herself on her elbows and puffed a pillow behind herself, setting her back against the wall. They said nothing and Ino began to feel uncomfortable. Sakura stared at the closet door across the room and Ino watched the creases on the sheets. The blond was instantly relieved when Mrs. Haruno bounded into the room with a tray full on pancakes and two glasses of orange juice.
"Hello honey! How was your sleep?" she set down the wooden tray table over Sakura's legs and poured the syrup on her pancakes.
"I slept well, thanks mom." she gave the woman a forced smile.
"I am glad they released you and I am happy Ino guided you safely home." she carded her hands through her blush locks.
Sakura ignored the suspicious look Ino sent her and took a bite out of the pancake, almost immediately her stomach growled for more. "You look like a skeleton!" Mrs. Haruno chide "Didn't they feed you anything?"
"They mostly only give supplement pills to comatose patients." she cut another piece of the pancake. "To keep them from dying of dehydration or malnutrition, however it is never as effected as actual food protein." she continued on, not realizing it was a rhetorical question. She looked up and mentally kicked herself when they sent her surprised looks. "Um..I read it in a book." she excused. She looked down at her food and quaffed her orange juice.
"That is my Sakura for you! You should consider studying to be doctor and leave this ninja business to your teammates."
Sakura stiffened and Ino wondered if she even knew her friend anymore.
"Well I'll let you think about it. I'll be downstairs if you need me." she gave her daughter's head a small peck and left the girls alone in the room.
"Why did you l-"
"I couldn't tell her that truth. What? That I was kicked off my team-" Ino inwardly winced, "-and that I left the hospital? No, she would be thrilled of the prospect that I never have a chance of going on a 'dangerous' mission. Like people don't die of random heart attacks." she glared at her pancakes. "It is one happiness I never wish to grant her."
Ino stared at her in surprised and looked down, fiddling with the hem of her top. "Stop Ino. It is not important now." the blond looked up at her. "It's in the past. Just leave it alone." Sakura sighed at the dejected look still present on her face. She was a little bitter toward everyone who actually believed her to be a suicidal manic depressive. The blush-haired girl dipped her fingertip into the syrup and reached over to Ino, smearing it on the tip of her nose. "I am not mad." she smiled at the girl but Ino still could not help but to still feel responsible.
Seeing there was no point in dwelling in this, Sakura tried to change the subject. "So what are you going to do this morning?" she watched her and took a large gulp from her glass of orange juice.
Ino ripped a piece off her pancake "Meet my team and train.." she mentally kicked herself for bringing the subject back up, but she did not voice it. Instead she reached over to Sakura and flicked a lock away that obscured the brusing on the side of her forehead. She gasped at the macabre stitches that crossed the side of her brow. They were damaged and sinking under the skin. "Sakura..."
"I fell from my bed. Tangled myself over the IV cord." Ino winced " and smacked myself some where. They don't look as bad as they did last night." and had the sinking feeling she was not telling the entire truth. Ino felt suffocated in this whirl of anxiety and worry. There were so many questions running through her head. What happen to make her want to end her life? Sakura was smarter than that. She knew better and if she did not, why did she not tell anyone? Was it her team? Her teacher? What happen to her childhood friend? Her rival?
Ino took a deep breath and broke the silence. "So...does this mean you don't like Sasuke anymore?"
Sakura paused for a second and did not look up, though she was clearly annoyed. "Could we not bring him up so early in the morning?" she stabbed into her food and chewed on it bitterly. Then she paused, her fork midway toward her mouth.
Ino watched in alarm as the blush-haired girl visibly paled. "Sakura? Are you okay? You are not looking so good."
Sakura felt her stomach grumble and churn, she felt bile rise up her throat. Her fork clattered on her plate and both her hands covered her mouth. "I think I'm gonna be sick." Ino instantly lifted the tray and Sakura slipped out of bed and ran out her bedroom door and into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut and bent over the bowl, retching morning's breakfast. She tried to calm herself to avoid choking on her own vomit. She grip the bowl with white clammy hands and continued to retch. Dry heaves left her throat burning and her nostrils flaring.
Her eyes watered and she clumsily pulled down the handle, flushing away the ordorless discharge. Sakura rested her head at the edge of the toilet bowl and panted. Her stomach felt empty and the cool surfuce of the bowl gave her light shivers. Her eyelids slipped closed.
This just proved her theory that she had been out more than one week's worth. With shaky hands she rose and gripped the counter. She turned on the faucet and cupped her hands under it, lifting it to her lips and rinsing away the bitter taste in her mouth. She turned off the water and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She glared at her reflection with resolve.
There was soft rapping at her bathroom door. "Sakura? Are you doing okay in there?" Ino's voice almost muffled behind the door.
Sakura's eyes flickered toward the closed window on the reflection of the glass. "Yeah..I'm fine."
Ino let out a sigh and hesitantly asked, "...can I come in?" she did not sit too well with the idea of her being alone in there with a possible razor under the mat. When there was no response, the blond worried if she had been too bold and had annoyed her in a way, but soon began to get restless when dark scenarios sparked into her mind. She was a little confident with her knock this time and called for Sakura.
"Sakura please open up." when all she met with was silence Ino turned the knob, surprised to find it was unlocked, and stepped into the room. "Damnit Sakura!" Ino narrowed her eyes and cursed. "You promised me." her eyes trailed up to the open window; the warm breeze from the outside fluttering the curtains in.
She jumped out the window and scaled the roof, glaring around for any sign of pink.
You promised you wouldn't make me worry for you.
End of Chapter VI
Ah this was a s.o.b. What a bunch of balls.
But the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood soundtrack helped me along the way, especially in the next scenes. I sense Brotherhood Escapes in the mist.
Ah here is a bit of clearing for those who don't know. If you guys remember, which I believe is Chapter II and IV, there is brief mention about lilies. From what I know of them, this is self experience, lilies can last about one week or more after they have been cut. Lilies and orchids.
Another thing for those of you who are confused as to why Sakura suddenly threw up. When someone last with more than a week without food, their body will forcibly discharge whatever they have consumed few minutes after they have consumed it (in most cases it happens a second after) the reason is because they consumed it too quickly and too much. (there might be a deeper reason but here is my brief) (like in Sakura's case where she has been out for two weeks, being nutrition on nothing but supplement pills, and suddenly there is a change in diet. Her body was so use to eating low quantities that the new quantities were too heavy for the body to handle and pushed it back up)
Umm lets see. The top message was me messing with you. I am not sure if it was much angst. Oh here is the little calendar on this fic. Today would be Tuesday morning.
Don't mean for Ino to be annoying, I think she is going more into mother hen mode. Like Dean Winchester.
Ah don't forget to give me feed back. Feed-backs for me are like Wee!Sammy. Adorable! And and a widdle!Gaara.
