Blossoms & Ashes


Chapter 7: Invisible Chains


He couldn't believe he had actually agreed to help her. But how could he not…? She had a right to remember her life and he was in no place to stop her. Yes, he could have refused to help, but why would he? If he helped her the Sakura he knew would be back while if he didn't there was always the chance she would never be the same.

"I won't push myself too hard, I just want to remember. Will you help me?" She asked him, her eyes looking up at him expectantly.

"How?" He asked not being able to look away from her green eyes.

"Talk to me." She breathed, just a whisper but enough for him to hear.

Maybe he was going to regret it, probably. But he couldn't deny her that and deep down he knew he wanted her to remember everything. He wanted her to remember him, Team 7, them.

"I'll help." He spoke.

He felt weak when he agreed to help her; it was the fact that he hadn't been able to refuse her. Without thinking he had agreed to help. No one was able to get things that easily, except her.

Of course he was going to help her, but he had to be careful. There was some things he didn't want her to remember, or at least not yet. He wanted to prolong it as long as he could. So he would have to careful when he spoke to her, so he would not trigger undesired memories. This time he expected to do things right and any wrong step could ruin everything.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't possibly bear to lose her a second time.


There was a knock from the other side of the door, probably the one he had called.

"Come in." He spoke from his desk not bothering to look up.

"I was called my Lord, how can I be of assistance?" Kotetsu asked Danzo and saw him grin pleased with his tittle.

"Well as you know Naruto Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake were locked up because they rebelled." He paused as Kotetsu nodded. "But I can't just keep them there for the rest of their lives, eventually Naruto would get angry enough that the kyuubi might help him get out, we can't have that can we?" He asked chuckling under his breath.

"No, of course not. It would be a danger to everyone here." Kotetsu said, wondering where this conversation was going. He was expecting the worse.

"Well I'm going to let them out on a sort of probation. Prepare two rooms for them next to each other; I'll need you to get me two pairs of chakra suppression bracelets. Also, I'll need you to find Neji and Shikamaru and tell them to come to me." Danzo spoke.

Kotetsu bowed slightly and turned to leave to do what he was told to do. Plus, look for Shikamaru and Neji. He was surprised Danzo actually trusted him to help out in his plan. He needed to speak to Tsunade soon, but he had to make sure Danzo didn't suspect anything.

"Oh, and before I forget. You do this right and you might get more important jobs in the near future." Danzo chuckled under his breath.

It was some sort of threat, but at the same time an invitation to his 'trust circle' as one may call it. "Yes, my lord." He needed to fully win Danzo's trust to be able to help Tsunade so he nodded before leaving his office and closing the door behind him.


Ino sat in the clearing alone; it was a surprise to even her. She was always around friends; she didn't like to be alone. Yet she needed to think. She felt alone without Shikamaru… He was her best friend and remaining team mate. She didn't want to lose him too, but she had pushed him away nonetheless. She had been caught up in the moment, in the anger she felt at Shikamaru's betrayal. But she knows he had his reason and that he would never fully betray them. If he was siding along with Danzo at the moment it was because he had no choice.

"What am I going to do with you Shikamaru…?" She murmured out loud looking at the ground with a frown on her face.

She was torn in between forgiving him or to keep ignoring him. Because even though what he was doing was obviously wrong he had his reasons and she should respect them and she wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and have her friend back, she missed him. But she also wanted to hit him for handing Sakura over to Sasuke and for hiding everything from her.

"Are you okay, Ino?" She heard a voice ask and as she raised her head to look at her she noticed it was Tenten.

"Not really…" She murmured smiling sadly at her friend.

"It's because of Shikamaru, right?" Tenten asked knowingly.

"Yeah…" Ino agreed.

"I know you feel betrayed for what they're doing and I know it's wrong, but we both know they're not doing it because they want to. They need someone to be there for them. I have to be there for Neji since Guy sensei is no longer with us and Lee is still grieving his death…and you, you're all Shikamaru has. What kind of team mates would we be leaving our boys alone in this? They can't handle this alone." Tenten spoke to Ino knowing she'd understand.

Ino looked at her; she knew she was right there was no doubt about it. "I know we just have each other… Asuma and Choji aren't here anymore, but if that was true then why wait 'til now to tell me everything? He should have been truthful since the start." Ino shook her head anger taking over again.

"We all know how Shikamaru is, too stubborn to ask for help and he probably didn't want to burden you with the problem." Tenten smiled at the girl.

"I want him to trust me, yet he pushes me away and keeps me at bay. He says I'm too troublesome and maybe I am, but I'm his team mate." Ino spoke looking away from Tenten for a moment.

"He decided to trust you in the end and look how you reacted, go and prove to him he didn't make a mistake in trusting you. He needs his team mate." Tenten whispered to her friend.

"You're right…I have to be there for him, we only have each other." Ino spoke as she smiled at Tenten and got up from where she sat. She waved Tenten good bye as she went on her way to look for Shikamaru.


"What do you think he wants from us now?" Shikamaru sighed and under his breath added, "This is so troublesome."

"Probably wants us to do something though I have no idea what. Maybe we'll get to learn something about his plan." Neji mused as they neared Danzo's office. Kotetsu had gone to them and said Danzo needed to speak with them both so they decided to go immediately. Better not to keep him waiting. They hadn't asked Kotetsu why Danzo needed them because he looked in a hurry, but they would find out soon enough. Neji entered the office with Shikamaru close behind him who once he entered closed the door behind him.

"I see Kotetsu did his work quickly." He smiled. "We still need to wait for him, but I guess I can explain why I called you two here." He paused putting some papers that were on his des away before once again turning to them. "Naruto Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake have been locked up over a week already and before things get out of hand I've decided to let them out on a sort of probation. Kotetsu was getting two rooms ready for them and getting some chakra suppression bracelets. I need you two to watch over them." He finished looking at both Neji and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru was resisting the urge to sigh in annoyance; he didn't want any part in that. Having Naruto once again call him a traitor was not something he looked forward to.

Neji on the other hand could see this was another test for them; they would be in charge of watching both Naruto and Kakashi, if anything went wrong both he and Shikamaru would be to blame

They both nodded agreeing to do what they were ask thought there wasn't much choice in the matter anyhow.

Just then the door opened behind them both and when they turned to see who it was they were face to face with Kotetsu. Neji knew he worked for Tsunade so the only reason he was doing all this was probably to get information from Danzo.

"I have the rooms ready and here are the chakra suppression bracelets, my Lord." He spoke placing the bracelets in his desk and turned to Neji and Shikamaru nodding in recognition

"Well that's good, just in time too." Danzo chuckled.

"What shall we do now?" Neji spoke wanting more than anything to be out of the office, he hated being in Danzo's presence.

"Well now the three of you will go and take both Kakashi and Naruto to their respectives rooms and of course, don't forget to place these bracelets on them." Danzo hand signaled to the bracelets. Both Shikamaru and Neji took one and with a slight bow left the room Kotetsu did the same and closed the door behind him.

"Why do you think Danzo decided to let them out?" Neji asked Shikamaru.

"Probably to keep Naruto from causing too much trouble, he thinks giving them a little liberty will rid them of the trouble." Shikamaru spoke matter of factly that much was obvious.

"Will it?" Neji wondered out loud.

"Maybe for a little while, but he'll want to go after Sakura soon enough. That's why he assigned us of course; we have to keep him from going after her which is not an easy task. He's giving us the problem." Shikamaru sighed.

"It's a test for us. The three of us." Neji looked at back at Kotetsu who walked behind them and continued, "Considering on how we take care of this task he'll know if he can trust us or not."

"Kotetsu, I know you're a spy of Lady Tsunade, she's trying to get information from Danzo through you." Kotetsu looked scared that they figured him out so easily. "Don't worry though, we won't tell Danzo. You can tell Tsunade we're not on his side, he's not supposed to be the one who rules us, and he's not wanted. He's feared and we have to take him down, but the only way to do that is by gaining his trust." Shikamaru spoke and hoped he would believe him.

"Sasuke is not the only enemy; Danzo is just as dangerous if not worse." Neji spoke through clenched teeth.

"You two are not against us. Lady Tsunade will be happy to hear that and I will assist you two in any way I can." Kotetsu nodded in Shikamaru's and Neji's direction.

"There are not many people loyal to Danzo, many are either just afraid of him or waiting for a chance to strike. We need to find a chance and a way to strike him but for that we first have to find out his plan. There's something wrong with his plan, many things that don't make sense, but I haven't gotten it completely figured out yet." Shikamaru said.

The three of them knew Danzo was not giving them all the information they desired just so they would remain loyal. It was a fool proof plan but they were going to find a way to get around it. They had to do it for their friends, team mates, Sakura…

And of course for their village.