O
XIII. At dawn
Opening her eyes seemed impossible. She still felt so tired. Where was she? What happened? Why was she feeling exhausted like that?
Everything felt heavy. Her legs, her arms, her fingers, her eyelids. She couldn't move.
"Miss Haruno? Open your eyes. Come on. Miss Haruno? Sakura?"
Someone was there. She could hear the man clearly. She blinked. Closed her eyes, blinked. Why was it so hard?
"That's great, Sakura. Keep trying."
Everything was white. Then she saw shapes.
"Welcome back, Sakura."
Back? Back from where? Where was she?
But her questions were trapped inside of her, she couldn't talk, she could barely stay awake.
"Can you see me? Look at me, please."
She couldn't turn her head. But she could see him, there, next to her bed. A nurse. He was tall, strong, about forty. Looking at her with gentleness.
"My name is Yusuke Ishiyama. I've been your nurse these last few days. Do you remember seeing me before?"
Her vision was already clearer, but she still felt worn out. She opened her mouth. Her word came out weak and cracked.
"No? It's alright. You woke up a few times before, but only for a few minutes. Can you try and stay awake longer this time?"
A woman, another nurse, younger, with clear eyes and dark hair, helped her drink water.
She was at the hospital. Because… because she had been hurt? She could feel a bandage on her calf, could feel a few scratches on her left forearm, a dull ache coming from her hands. Nothing dangerous it seemed, but she couldn't be sure. A few bruises were there, too, but all of them seemed mostly healed.
"You stayed asleep for a long time there, young lady. Ten days already. We've been worried for a while. But everything seems perfectly fine now."
Was she alright? Then, why did she sleep for so long? A coma? But why?
Wait…
Her chakra. She had used a lot of it during her fight against… Yes, that was it. The Shadows. And what little chakra she had left she had used for…
Ino!
She tried to ask, but her eyes were closing already.
"Sakura? Try and stay awake a little longer. Sakura?"
Too late, she couldn't open her eyelids anymore, and yet she was not completely asleep.
"We should talk to the doctor," the woman was saying to her colleague.
"Mmh," Yusuke answered as he walked toward the door. "I'm sure she'll be awake soon, and this time for good. Everything seems excellent and it's the first time she seemed so aware."
"Then we should ask that someone comes and stays with her. She'll have questions when she wakes up. A part of me thinks she'd be better off sleeping for a few more days. With everything that's happening outside…"
"Yeah. The Agency is going to make a new communiqué tonight."
"Strange. Its head has enough on his plate already. And the Yamanaka Clan is… Well. I can't begin to imagine what they're feeling. With the telepath being one of their own!"
"They have already officially excluded him from the clan. No wonder, given all his crimes. And what he did to the girl…"
"The burial is tomorrow, isn't it?"
"I think so. They stayed really quiet about it. And the reporters have deserted their street since the report has been made public."
"About time. They really don't need to be harassed. Oh my, the poor mother… I hope they'll pull through."
"I hope so, too. At least, Sakura here is finally getting better. Hopefully the reporters camping in front of the hospital will leave before she does, too."
"Another reason for her not to wake up too soon. I don't know what she's been dreaming about, but I hope it's great."
"Do you…"
Sakura couldn't hear them anymore, and she soon lost her fight against unconsciousness.
O
Flowers. A few bouquets of them.
It was stupid, but it was all Sakura could think of.
Those flowers she could see in her room, colorful, beautiful.
Since she had woken up, alone, a few minutes earlier, she was concentrating on that. The flowers in her hospital room.
Yellow. Light blue. Orange. Pink.
Anything to distract herself from what she had heard just before she fell asleep the day before.
Because Ino was dead. Ino was dead. She had failed and Ino was dead.
And the flowers.
All those annoying, bright colored flowers. Looking at them wasn't helping her in the least, even thinking about them… this was stupid! Stupid Sakura! Flowers were linked to Ino, flowers would always be linked to Ino now.
And Ino was no more.
She still felt tired and couldn't find the strength to even sit. Her hands were bandaged, but she could not remember why.
And what about the others?
Tenten? Naruto? The Aburame girl? What about them?
Were they dead, too?
And the Shadows or Root or whatever? Ichi, was he free? In prison? And Danzo?
What the hell had happened after she had lost consciousness?
"So. You're awake."
The voice, hard but feminine, came from near the door that Sakura hadn't even heard moving. The woman entered without another gaze at her, closed the door, took the file from the table in the corner of the room, read it quickly before putting it back near a bouquet of red flowers.
She wasn't dressed as a nurse nor did she wear the white of doctors. Looking to be around fifty, she had long blond hair, light brown eyes, and she held herself with pride. She was a beautiful woman, with a powerful aura.
It was while she looked at the unknown woman moving things as if she was in her own house that Sakura noted the size of her room. For an hospital room, it was huge. There was a big TV on the wall, two little round tables made in dark wood, three chairs, one armchair, two nightstands, one cupboard, elegant black and white pictures of Konoha on the walls.
Not a lot of hospitals possessed such luxury. This was a private one.
"You're possibly the most insolent person I've ever met, Sakura Haruno."
Huh? Was that woman insulting her?
"Excuse-me? Who the hell are you? No. I don't care. Leave-me alone."
"Who I am?" A smirk appeared on the woman's face as she lazily turned toward Sakura. "You're definitely awake, huh? Good, I suppose."
Irked, sad, confused, tired, Sakura forced on her arms to sit up and huffed at the white cotton pajamas she was wearing. She struggled for a few seconds against the bandages on her hands until they finally came off. Frowning, she gazed at the scars. The worse of it seemed to be on her palms, a round and irregular mark on the skin of each one. Thin lines parting from the scars on the palms wandered on her skin, a few going as far as the back of her hands or her fingers. It didn't hurt, Sakura noted, closing her fists. But she didn't understand how she could have gotten such weird injuries.
And how could it have healed so quickly?
"I thought I was unconscious for ten days."
"More or less," the woman confirmed, her tone neutral.
"But my injuries… even the one on my calf… They've cicatrized. And what about my hands?"
"Burns."
Impossible. Sakura studied the weird scars, strangely looking like suns with irregulars and long beams, or like little round creatures, attaching themselves to her hands with thin tentacles.
"I can't remember."
"I suppose you were too busy stealing back a soul from Death's hands. As I said, insolent."
"What?" Sakura's eyes widened. "Wait, sh-she's alive? She's…"
Her voice lost itself in her chest as the blond woman frowned.
"Ino? Yes, she is. She's… alive. We're not fully sure about her mind, though, but it seems she's doing rather well, considering she was as good as dead."
"I don't…" Sakura swallowed, her hands were shaking, her eyes blurring. "I don't understand. They said… a burial and…"
"I suppose you're talking about Inoichi Yamanaka's burial," she answered, something dark in her voice. "He died along with two other Agents and three policemen during the operation."
The relief she was feeling was accompanied by shame and sadness, but she couldn't help but be glad that it was Inoichi and not Ino who had died that day. Blocking her thoughts, she focused once more on the woman.
"What happened?"
"Danzo was killed, as were a lot of his men. The Police and the Agency are currently tracking down his allies and the spies Danzo put into organizations and cities."
"The abducted children."
"Yes."
"And… and Naruto and Tenten?"
"They're fine."
"And the girl… Aburame…"
"She's in the Agency headquarters, in a cell. Sadly, we can't do anything against telepathy, and she doesn't seem able to remember her family or her past. She doesn't react to anything."
"Oh. Where… where am I?"
"The Kenji Hospital."
"It's private."
It was also expensive, and the hospital where Ino had brought Mari not so long ago.
"Konoha takes care of its children."
Since when?
But Sakura didn't say anything.
"And you have powerful friends, Sakura Haruno."
"I have?"
"The Yamanaka Clan, even at such a hard time for them, insisted that you be brought there. And I wouldn't have it any other way."
"You?"
"I was part of the operation against Root and I've been the one treating you."
"And what about Ino?"
"She's been brought here too, but we couldn't do more for her, you had already done all that was possible and more. Her family decided to bring her home the day after. Physically, there is nothing wrong with her, but she doesn't wake up. And even if she does, we can't be sure of her mental state."
"She hasn't waken up? Not once?"
"No. You healed her internal injuries perfectly, Sakura, you couldn't have done more for her. But telepathy isn't something we can understand, and apparently it isn't something your gift can access."
"I… I don't… I'm not sure of what I've done."
"You possess a very old and nowadays very rare gift. Once upon a time some ninjas were specialized in medical techniques. Only the ones with perfect chakra control could be medic-nin, and only the best of them were able to really shine in that specialty. You, as a First, really have a lot of potential. I guess your ancestors were brilliant medic-nin."
"My ancestors…" Sakura murmured with irony.
"Anyway I have to ask you how you're feeling, as your doctor."
"I feel fine."
"Really?"
In fact, she felt nauseous and exhausted, and a few parts of her body hurt, but she would not say it. She only wanted to be left alone.
"Really."
"Fine, after all I'm that good," the woman nodded, looking at her as if she could read her. "The best. At least, until you grow up enough to be called doctor."
"Excuse-me?" Sakura frowned, confused. Nobody knew of her plan post-Academy. "What?"
"With a gift like yours, I'd feel personally insulted if you didn't become the best doctor Konoha has ever seen since, well, me."
"You? You mean…" Sakura's eyes widened. "Tsunade Senju?"
"Strange. I've heard a lot about you these last few days and you seemed to be quite bright."
"I… I am! I just…" She sighed. "What are you doing here?"
"Konoha is my home, too, even if I've been away for a while."
"You were in contact with members of the Ring?"
"Yes. We couldn't let these youngsters take down Danzo without us, now, could we? Good thing I was here. You were almost dead. Nobody told you that using too much chakra was dangerous, you idiot?"
"I know that."
"What you did was reckless. You're still too clumsy with your gift. So much that when you used that healing ability you have, manipulating Ino's chakra and nourishing it with yours to heal her injuries, the energy you deployed burnt your own palms."
Sakura looked down at her scarred hands.
"Oh."
"One of my medical seals permitted me to reduce the damages to a minimum and accelerate the healing."
"Thanks."
"We'll need to work on that gift of yours, at least on the healing part. You should be able to heal yourself too, once you learn how to master it."
"We?" The gaze Tsunade threw her showed that Sakura she didn't really have a choice. "Of course, we."
"Ah, you're there," a man exclaimed as he opened the door. He entered and sighed. "I can't seem to find a quiet place in this city full of beautiful girls and even prettier women."
"Jiraiya," Tsunade warned, glaring at him, her voice shaking with her annoyance.
"I only have eyes for you, of course!"
The man, tall, same age as Tsunade, long white hair and weird smile, turned toward Sakura and smirked.
"Oh! She's awake!"
"Yes, and she's beginning to think her room is wide open for everyone," Sakura retorted before she could stop herself.
But the famous First only grinned.
"You're a celebrity, miss Haruno. But those pictures on the papers don't do justice to your beauty."
"Excuse-me?"
"Jiraiya, really! You'll never change!" Tsunade groaned, apparently ready to punch him.
The man shrugged with a little smile he surely wanted to be charming as he turned toward her.
"I thought that was why you married me. Speaking of that, Shizune must have poisoned our son or something, because since we arrived here he seems unable to leave her side with that silly smile on his face. He even carries Tonton around for her."
"Leave Kenta and Shizune alone, I warn you. And leave my patients alone."
"Fine, fine! I'm going! I have to go eat ramen with Naruto anyway. See you soon!"
He left as Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Don't mind him. Where were we? Ah, yes. Your hands."
"My hands are fine. What did he mean by pictures?"
"Well, the Council and the Agency decided four days ago to publish a complete report on the Shadows. The Uchihas's case, the years of investigation, the events in the underground."
"Why did they do that?"
"Why do you think?"
"To destroy all of Danzo's work and erase all doubt people could still have about gifted ones."
"In that case, transparency was the best way to protect Konoha and its laws, and to honor our dead."
"It means everybody knows."
"Not the details. But they do know about the kidnappings and the fights in the underground. They know Naruto fought to protect his friends, that you defeated a First and they know that Ino sacrificed herself to destroy the telepath who happened to be her cousin."
"Ino is not dead!"
"That's not what I'm saying."
Staying silent for a while, Sakura couldn't help but think it wasn't fair that it had to come to this for Konoha to wake up, for the truth to be known.
"I'll leave you be now. You'll have to stay here for at least three more days. You can tell your annoying friends it's okay to visit now, but not before tomorrow."
Tsunade left without another glance at her and Sakura sighed softly. Normally she would have been mortified to have to talk to Tsunade and Jiraiya but her exhaustion left her little energy, and that energy was used to focus only on what she had learnt about Ino.
She was in a sort of coma, in the manor.
And Sakura had to see her.
An hour later, as she felt a little more awake thanks to the food a nurse had brought her, Sakura stood up and went to the cupboard. She was stupefied to see some of her clothes in it, neatly folded and waiting for her.
Who had brought that here? Not her mother, that was for sure. Huh, that's strange. Tsunade hadn't asked her about her family. In fact, she had not mentioned it at all. Weird.
Shaking her head, Sakura showered and dressed clumsily, still not totally healed, and as she went toward the door, she noticed a big white card near one of the bouquets. She went to it curiously and read the 'Get well soon!' before seeing the signatures of her friends below it.
Nara, Akimichi, Neji and Hinata, Kiba, Tenten, Lee, and Naruto of course. There was even a PS that the blond boy had written in that clumsy way of his.
If the hospital freaks you out or something, you can escape and come visit any of us (they forbade us to come, Tsunade even tried to hit me – be careful, she's crazy!).
Even if she really tried not to, Sakura smiled – she couldn't help it. They cared. They had asked about her, they had tried (surely a lot more than once) to come visit her, they had bought her flowers and this card. They cared. And it was nice. Really, really nice.
But if Sakura was indeed escaping, it wasn't to go to any of them.
She opened her door prudently and as quietly as she could. Nobody seemed to be around. She pulled the hood of her old dark blue vest over her head and quickly made her way toward the stairs. Once on the ground floor, she immediately saw the reporters, standing across the road, waiting for something or someone. She hesitated but they surely didn't know that she was up and moving around, so she exited the hospital, head lowered, and walked as naturally as she could toward the next crossroad. There she went left and breathed easier.
She didn't have any money and she hadn't found her bus pass in her room. Unfortunately, the Yamanaka Manor was quite far from here. And of course it was freezing.
"Well, let's hope I don't faint before I arrive there."
O
The dizzy spells were annoying, but she was in front of the Yamanaka Manor's gate. She forced herself to breathe slowly and waited for an answer. When she heard a bip, she remembered to lower her hood and turned toward the camera.
"Hello, Mister Kino here. How can I help you?"
"Hum, hello. I'm Sakura Haruno. I came to –"
"Oh my! Miss Haruno, welcome! Come in!"
The strange sound she heard surely meant the gate was opened. Sakura put an hand on it and was ready to use her strength to push the enormous black thing, but she was surprised to find that it moved easily. She entered the park and closed the gate behind her.
The end of December would be soon enough upon them. Christmas too. Sakura had seen the decorations and the lights in the streets. Apparently people were anxious to leave the Shadows and everything linked to them behind, and Konoha loved the holidays. She raised her eyes toward the grey sky. It was low. It might even snow soon.
The flowers in the gardens seemed to be duller than usual. Their colors sadder, their stance not as proud. Sakura wondered if it was linked to Kire Yamanaka's mood, or if it was just that they didn't like winter as much as Konoha.
She had barely put her right foot on the first of five stairs leading to the tall wooden door that someone opened said door quickly. She jumped and froze, looking into the brown eyes of Ino's mother. The woman was pale, she looked exhausted and sad, beautiful as ever but… distressed. Her elegancy, her stance, nothing seemed able to hide the fact that she was breaking.
"Sakura."
"Hello, Mrs Yamanaka," Sakura said as she lightly bowed.
"Come on, come on in."
Kire closed the door behind them and looked at Sakura critically from head to toe.
"Look at you! You're frozen, and your lips are blue! Here, give me your jacket."
Too cold and stunned to do anything else, Sakura did what she was told. Mister Kino took her vest and gave her a pair of warm, soft slippers to put on.
"Do you like tea?"
"Err, what? Y-yes."
"I'll bring some."
"Bring it to Ino's room, please," Kire asked softly.
"Of course."
Suddenly really nervous to be there, with Kire, under such circumstances, Sakura looked at her feet, trying to stop her hands from shaking.
"I… I am sorry for your loss. I heard…"
She was supposed to say that kind of things while looking at the person in the eyes, not mumbling it with her head bowed like that, damn it! Sakura realized only at that moment that she might not even have the right or a good reason to be here. Yamanakas were really private, they hated people putting their noses into their affairs, and apparently they had asked to be left alone, not doing any declaration to the press, not going out (with the exception of the burial), not receiving anybody, even their friends.
And there she was, a girl they didn't know, or barely knew, not even capable of speaking clearly and intelligently!
"Thank you," Kire's voice was soft, and when Sakura found the courage to raise her eyes, she could see that the brown gaze was veiled with pain.
The woman began to walk slowly toward the wooden stairs and Sakura followed her after an hesitation, intimidated and not daring to ask anything. They went to the first floor, where Ino and her family had their quarters, but instead of turning right to go to the living room where she had discussed her gift with Ino for the first time, they took left.
The hallway was luminous and elegant, warm in its decoration. Kire led her to the third door on the right. It was a double door made with white wood, and Kire put her hand on the doorknob before stopping herself.
"I have to thank you, Sakura."
"W- what?"
"Naruto and Tenten told me you did something to help her. They didn't know what, they only knew you saved her life. Tsunade said that without you, Ino would have died before they got there. Thank you, for saving my daughter's life. Be assured that our clan is forever in your debts."
"I don't…" Sakura took a deep breath to stabilize her voice. "I… Doctor Senju said that she was in a coma."
"You should call her Tsunade. And Ino is… She hasn't woken up. Yet. But… but I know that she will."
It sounded too much like a desperate mother's plea to reassure Sakura. Kire opened the door and they entered into Ino's large bedroom. It was beautiful and classy, but Sakura didn't look around more than that. Ino looked so tiny in the middle of her king-sized bed, her skin was white, her chest barely moving. It was terrifying.
"Sometimes, she opens her eyes," Kire informed her softly. "But she doesn't react to anything. Doesn't seem to really see us. Doesn't seem to hear us. I've tried to reach her. But…"
Kire caressed her daughter's forehead with the tip of her fingers, tenderly. Sakura couldn't take her eyes away from Ino's face.
"You can stay here. Drink your tea and eat a little. I'm going to call the hospital to tell them you're here."
She exited the room but Sakura barely noticed. She took a step toward Ino and looked at her for a while. It was the first time she saw her asleep like that, so... inert. She did not like it.
Opening her mouth, the girl tried to say something. Anything. Nothing came, her mind stayed blank. So she stayed quiet and went toward the round table in the corner, where a beautiful bouquet of flowers stood. Sakura immediately recognized them. She still had the flower Ino gave her in the forest. They were like nothing Sakura had ever seen before that day. Their form, between the one of a tulip and a rose, their size, smaller than these two, their color… At first, one would see them as plain green-blue. But when you looked closely, you could see that in truth they had touches of green and of blue, the two colors separated, but present in such thin and little touches that they seemed to blend together. Also, the blue was more present toward the base of the flowers, the green toward the end of the petals, giving the plant a unique look. They were beautiful. And they reminded Sakura of the color of Ino's eyes and of her own.
She slowly drank her tea, ate two biscuits and took one of the flowers before going to sit next to the bed, Ino's hand in hers. She just wanted her to wake up, to speak, to move, anything. But Sakura seemed incapable of talking to her, the words simply did not come.
Tired, worried, Sakura decided to do the only thing she could. She lowered her mental shield totally for the first time, and let Ino hear all the thoughts that were crossing her mind. At least, she hoped Ino could hear them.
She hoped she would answer them.
O
"Sakura? Sakura, wake up."
Blinking, Sakura raised her head and noted she had fallen asleep in Ino's room. Kire helped her stand up and guided her toward the hallway and then another room. Sakura couldn't protest, she felt so tired, a little sick too.
"Here. You can sleep here."
Unable to protest, she let the woman push her toward the bed and under the covers.
She was asleep even before Kire left the room.
O
It was beautiful.
The sun was shining, it was so warm. So peaceful.
The blue and green flowers were everywhere, covering the whole field. Even the few huge trees were astounding.
Sakura felt fine there. No more exhaustion due to her use of too much chakra, no more dull ache due to her injuries. In fact… She lowered her eyes, and saw no scar on her hands.
Her hands… They seemed strangely little.
Because she was. She was a child here. She wore a simple green shirt with white pants, and she was barefoot.
What a strange dream.
Wait.
A dream?
Her eyes widening, Sakura looked all around her once more. The flowers, the weird giant trees, that warm sun, the soft wind and…
And this silence.
This… this wasn't a dream she could have had. It didn't feel like one. At least, not one unmodified.
Ino?
Sakura ran, scanning the field, the trees, and she thought her heart was going to burst when finally she noticed a tiny form at the base of a very large weeping willow. She turned and sprinted toward there. Her hair was short, and she looked tiny for she was a child too, with black pants and a purple shirt, but this was Ino without the tiniest doubt.
This was Ino. Here. At least, the mental image of her. In her mind.
She was pressing her legs against her chest, her arms around her knees, her head lowered down against them.
"Ino?"
Sakura's voice made her jump. Ino tentatively raised her head and her eyes were full of fear and tears but the other girl could not have been more relieved.
"Hi," Sakura smiled, sitting down next to her.
"Hi," Ino answered, looking at her curiously. "What are you doing here?"
"Do you remember what's happened?"
"I…" Ino frowned and erased the traces of tears on her pink cheeks, turning her head to avoid her gaze. "I… No. It hurt. It hurt and then I was so tired…"
"It's okay."
"I want to go home."
"You are home."
Her voice was childish and Sakura wondered if Ino even recognized her, until she turned her head and looked her in the eyes once more. And this gaze, this somber gaze was not the one of a child.
"I heard your voice."
"You did?"
Ino nodded.
"I felt you. Near me."
Because she had lowered her shield, Sakura realized. And then she had fallen asleep, which surely had permitted Ino to enter her mind, just like when they were children.
"I am with you," Sakura confirmed. "I thought…" Her throat felt tight and she lowered her eyes to the flowers around them. "I thought you weren't there anymore. I hoped but…"
"I am still there."
"Yes, I see that. And… and if you can do that, use your gift like that, hear me then… then you can wake up, can't you?"
"I am asleep?"
"You are. You've been for the past eleven days."
"Why?"
"Because you're an idiot!"
"I am not!"
"You are!"
"I am not!"
Sakura shook her head and couldn't help but smile. They were acting like eight-year-olds. Well, they were looking the part, at least.
"Don't you remember us being kidnapped? The First? And… Ekari?"
"Ekari," Ino murmured. "I remember him."
"You stopped him from killing you, from killing a lot of people but you hurt yourself in the process, remember? You were dying, Ino."
"I was. I… think I did, for a few seconds. And then… I don't know. Something happened."
"That was me, and I swear that if you do something like that ever again I'll kill you myself."
"You… How?"
"My gift. I can heal, apparently. I don't really know how, or what, but I was able to heal the damages your technique or whatever had done to your body. Only, I can't do anything for your mind. They were all worried that you weren't there anymore, but you are."
"I am."
"That's good. Your family's been so worried, Ino. You have to wake up."
"But I…"
"What?"
"I don't know."
"Ino?" Sakura took her hand and forced her to look into her eyes once more. "Everything will be alright."
"No," the blond girl answered, her eyes once more filling up with tears.
"Ino…"
"I… My father… He told me to use it if… But… I only wanted to protect my clan… and you and the others and… I didn't know another way. I… This was the only way I knew of."
"I know."
"But…" Ino choked on her breath, trying and failing to control her sob. "But Ekari's dead, isn't he?"
"He is," Sakura confirmed, her voice soft in the silence of the field.
"He's… And I'm… And…"
"He was a monster. Your cousin died a long time ago, what he had become was not something good. There wasn't any good left in him, Ino. You had to stop him, or he would have hurt a lot more people."
"But… but that's not how it's supposed to work. That's not… That's not justice."
"You were the only one able to stop him, Ino. Arrest, trial, sentence,… It was impossible in his case, you know that."
"I just… I just… I didn't want to," she cried, her eyes closing but tears flowing on her cheeks.
"Oh, I know you didn't want to," Sakura assured, her heart breaking. She moved closer to her and put an arm around her shoulders, kissing her hair. "I know that."
"I killed him."
Sakura opened her mouth, but she didn't know what to say to that. So she just held her more tightly.
"I killed a man."
Saying that nobody would condemn her for it really wouldn't help. Nothing could help. Sakura knew that one of Ino's worst nightmares had come true and she couldn't do a thing to erase that truth.
They stayed in silence for a while more, looking at the beautiful place around them, until Ino reached for Sakura's hand. She sniffed and stayed right were she was against Sakura.
"Are you alright?" she asked her worriedly despite her broken voice.
Sakura nodded against her head.
"I am, now."
"Were you hurt?"
"A little. But it's okay. I slept for a few days, too."
"Why?"
"Don't worry about that. I'm fine."
"And the others?"
"They're alright."
There was a pause then, and Sakura somehow knew what was coming next.
"My father's dead, isn't he?"
"Yes. I'm so sorry."
"I think I heard my mother's thoughts… or yours… I'm not sure. I can't really believe he's dead."
"He is. I… I don't really know much. I just know that he was killed during the operation against the Shadows. Danzo is dead too."
"It's the end, then?"
"It seems it is."
"My father would've been happy."
Ino seemed calmer, even if she was still shaking a little. Sakura wondered if she had been listening to her family's thoughts all these days, at least unconsciously.
"I'm glad you're alive," Sakura whispered. "I… I was terrified. I… could feel you dying and… I'm glad you're here."
"I'm happy you're here, too. And thank you. For saving my life."
"Just open your eyes and talk to me in real life, would you?"
"I'll try."
"Okay."
"But for now, let's stay here a little while more. Just you and me. Okay? Please."
"Okay."
O
Sakura woke up around noon. Disoriented at first, she finally remembered everything. She stood up and left her room, easily finding Ino's thanks to her chakra. The girl was still asleep.
Worried, but knowing that her girlfriend was still there somewhere, Sakura built back her mental shield and went back to the room she had slept in, where she found new clothes at her size. She put them on and timidly went in search of someone.
The living room on the first floor was empty but she could feel people below her. She went down the stairs and hesitated before entering the common quarters. Nobody in the lounge. But that was because the whole clan was in the large living room, eating lunch.
Great.
All eyes immediately fell on her, some seemed even relieved to see her, maybe because the room had been absolutely silent before. Sakura guessed that it surely wasn't easy to be there together eating lunch, when they had so recently lost two members of their family, learnt that the boy they had thought dead had in fact been kidnapped and had become a psychopath, and when they might be losing their youngest. And all of that under the watchful eyes of all Konoha's inhabitants.
Frozen, Sakura waited for someone to do something. Finally it was the oldest who moved first, coming toward her with a watery smile.
"We owe you a lot, young lady."
Sakura opened her mouth to put a term to this madness when the beautiful old woman hugged her. Like that. Without warning.
The girl didn't move, completely shocked, until the short elderly released her.
"Oh, sorry, dear. I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Hiza Yamanaka. Ino's grandmother. And I think you already know Kire. This is my younge-" Her word died, she paled but quickly recovered, chasing away her pain. "This is my son, Idaiki, and his fiancée, Aya Aido."
Sakura lightly bowed, feeling awkward and shy. She really wasn't at her place here. They were grieving, in family, and they were the Yamanaka Clan, even as tiny as it was.
All of this was such a mess, Sakura thought. Such a sad and unfair mess.
"Come and sit down. Grey?"
The elderly butler nodded with a smile. He quickly put another plate for her on the long table and Sakura found herself sitting next to Kire, in front of Aya, absolutely mortified.
What the hell was she doing here?
She looked around to try and control herself, but seeing the paintings and pictures of former members of the clan only increased her unease.
Here she was, at lunch with one of the most prestigious and richest of Konoha's families, when she had been raised in the South District with a sick, poor and alcoholic mother.
Just great.
"You can eat, you know," Idaiki said to her with a gentle and teasing smile.
He looked like Ino, Sakura noted. He was the only one around the table to look so much like… well, like a Yamanaka. Bright blond hair, eyes without pupils… Blue eyes. Lighter than Ino's. Inoichi's had been green, Sakura remembered.
She forced herself to eat a little. The food was delicious. Hiza began to talk with Kire about her flower's shop. Sakura wondered if it was for her sake, or to force Kire to stop thinking about her late husband and sick child. She wondered how Hiza was feeling. She looked pale and tired, but she seemed strong, still. Ino had once mentioned her grandfather, and Sakura couldn't help but admire this woman who had lost her husband and two of her sons so young. And she also had lost a daughter-in-law and two grandsons, and her last grandchild was…
Was…
Sa…kura…
Ino?
Sakura let her chopsticks fell on the table and didn't hesitate before standing up without a word and running toward the stairs. She entered Ino's room two minutes later.
"Ino?" Sakura went to the bed and sat there, one of her hands coming to Ino's cheek. "Ino?"
Ino moved her head and struggled to open her eyes. And when she did, she immediately looked for Sakura.
"Hey," Sakura whispered.
"Hi."
That single word brought tears to Sakura's eyes, and she swallowed them back with difficulty.
"I thought I had put my shield back on."
"You need to reinforce it then," Ino said, her voice soft and raspy. "Or maybe you let me in."
"Maybe. How are you feeling?"
"Tired. Isn't it weird? And my head hurts a little. But I'm fine."
"Great."
Feeling the chakra of the other members of the family quickly coming toward them, Sakura stood up and smiled at Ino. Just when the others entered, worried, Sakura turned her head toward them.
"She's fine," she reassured, taking a step back to allow the family to go to the girl.
And as she looked Ino being reunited with her loved ones, Sakura thought that for the first time of her life, she might believe in luck.
O
A while later, the girls were alone once more. Sakura looked around, at the pictures of Ino and family or friends, and she sighed.
"I really have to go. I should go home."
"You're not supposed to," Ino protested from her bed where she was sat down. "You're supposed to be in the hospital!"
"And you aren't?"
"Look, you're shaking. Come on, you need to sit down. Come here," she invited as she shifted to leave room for Sakura. "What? You're going to faint if you don't rest."
With another sigh, Sakura obeyed and took place on the bed.
"I'm just a little tired still, I guess."
"Mom said that Tsunade allowed her to keep you there for the remainder of your recovery."
"I can't stay."
"Why? It's not like we don't have room."
"But I have to go to see my mother. And Mari and Haruka, they must be worried."
"You… you mean you don't know?"
Sakura's heart constricted.
"What?"
Ino looked really ill at ease.
"I heard… things, from my mother's mind. I thought they told you."
"I left the hospital pretty quickly. What?"
"Apparently your mother was hospitalized."
"What? Why?"
"I'm not sure. I… I heard something about confusion or something."
"Damn it."
"Wait!" Ino took her arm to stop her from leaving. "You can't go, you aren't well enough."
"I have to find out what happened with Reika. Again."
"I know she's not in danger. You could call the hospital. Maybe Tsunade can answer you."
The sheer idea of calling Tsunade Senju to know her mother's whereabouts was absolutely unthinkable. Damn, even in this situation her mother was a pain.
"Here," Ino said a she put a mobile in Sakura's hand. "She's in it."
"You have Tsunade Senju's number in your phone?"
"I mentioned before that she's a friend of the family, I think."
Sakura shook her head but called. It lasted only a few minutes, Tsunade really wasn't the most pleasant person to talk to, at least on the phone. Apparently when Sakura had been brought to the hospital two policemen went to her domicile to warn her family. They had found her mother drunk and confused, a deep gash on her arm, and had to call for an ambulance. It was Haruka and Mari who gave the men a few of Sakura's clothes. She would have to call them, too. Later.
But now that her mother had been hospitalized in the public clinic near the South-D, Social Services could become a problem. Sakura would not turn eighteen until March, and she already knew that Reika wasn't going to stay long in that hospital. She had always refused to be treated.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Sakura lied.
Ino knew, but she didn't say anything. She just took one of her hands in her own and caressed it softly.
"What happened?" she asked worriedly, tracing her scars.
"It's okay."
"What happened to you?"
"Just a few burns, it's nothing. It doesn't hurt, thanks to Tsunade."
"Yes, she's amazing, isn't she? What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Sakura couldn't answer, she was too stunned. Too preoccupied before, she hadn't noticed it. What she was seeing could not be right. Ino's chakra seemed to be intact. Sakura looked at it, from Ino's head to her toes, forced the girl to turn a little to glance at her back but… the fracture, it was so faint that Sakura could barely perceive it.
"Sakura? What are you doing?" Ino asked, looking at her with incredulity.
What did it mean?
"No-nothing. Sorry. I… No. Nothing."
"Are you sure? Are you alright? Do you need something?"
"No… Well, I'm tired but…"
"Hey," Ino said softly, putting her hand on her cheek tenderly, "Are you sure you're alright? You're pale."
"Yeah, no, I'm fine. Are you?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks to you apparently."
Could she have…? She didn't really know how she had healed Ino. What if she had healed her from that, too? From that sickness or whatever? If she couldn't see that fracture in her aura anymore, the same fracture she had barely seen in Idaiki's earlier, did it mean that Ino was healed? How could she be sure?
She couldn't, could she? Only future would tell.
"Sakura?"
"Sorry, I'm fine. I'm fine, stop looking at me like that."
"Okay. Then…"
Ino's hand moved to her neck as her lips met Sakura's. She kissed her slowly and Sakura closed her eyes, immediately calmer. Ino was here, she was alright. Both of them were.
They kissed and talked softly for a while, until they fell asleep next to each other.
O
The morning after, Sakura awoke early. She quickly dressed and went to Ino's room to find the other girl asleep. Knowing she needed it, Sakura stayed silent as she entered.
Ino's sleep seemed serene and she was breathing well, so Sakura tried to reason with herself. The girls had slept for three hours the afternoon before, and just before dinner Tsunade had come to see them both. They had taken their dinner in Ino's room, for the girl was still too weak to leave her bed, but the blond had only eaten a little. Tsunade had said it was normal, that eating solid food again wasn't always easy. But Ino had fallen asleep quickly after that and Sakura couldn't help but be worried for her health.
She went toward the end of the room and studied the blue and green flowers again, thoughtfully. Staying in the manor wasn't a good idea, she knew that much, and she would have to leave soon.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?"
Startled, Sakura turned to see Kire behind her. The woman looked tired and pale, but she smiled gently at Sakura, her voice soft to avoid disturbing her daughter's sleep.
"Ino asked me to bring her a few seeds from one of my trips a few weeks ago. I told her they were too fragile to grow in Konoha and that it was inutile to try, but she was adamant. She worked on them for weeks with her gift before she finally found the right equilibrium to permit them to grow and live in this climate, even if it's to decorate a room. They wouldn't survive in the garden, but Ino put a few in our greenhouse." Kire took one delicately. "They grow in a warm country in the south, but even there they're rare. Ino saw them in one of my books, and I don't know why, but she immediately took a liking to them. I'd never seen her working this hard on a single plant before. I've been taking care of them for her."
Sakura looked at the flowers and remembered that moment in the forest, and that field in her dream. She wondered if Ino had linked the flower to them as soon as she had seen the picture of it.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you," Sakura answered. "I just wanted to…"
"Yes, I know. I wanted to see her, too."
She found it weird that Kire and the others just accepted Sakura there, with them, like that, even if they barely knew her. Well, she saved Ino's life, but still. They didn't question her attachment to the girl and they apparently never asked Ino about their close friendship. Nobody did. It was as if nobody ever asked Ino why she did things she did, even her own mother. It was weird, especially considering Sakura herself questioned Ino regularly.
"I'm going back to my room. If you need anything, Mister Kino will arrive shortly to begin his day."
"Thank you."
O
"Choji, I'm fine, really."
"I'm sorry," the young man answered, struggling against the tears, "I'm sorry! I'm just happy!"
"Troublesome," Shikamaru answered as he crossed his arms.
Ino smiled gently at Choji, her hand still in his, as their genius friend sat down on the armchair. Sakura was in a corner of the room, on a chair near the window, a book in her hands and her attention apparently focused on whatever she was reading.
"We were so scared! Mom and Dad wanted to come, too, but they didn't want to tire you out. They send their best wishes."
"Really, I'm fine, Cho. I'm sorry I worried you."
"What did Tsunade tell you?" Shikamaru asked, his eyes betraying his cool attitude.
"That I'm fine, I just need to rest for a few days. I'll probably be able to go back to school after Christmas."
"That's good," Choji answered. "Really good."
"Ino…"
Shikamaru's thoughts told her what he was going to say before he did, and she felt her chest tightened but she forced herself to breathe slowly. She couldn't cry anymore, she didn't even think she had tears left in her body, not after this day.
"I'm so sorry about Inoichi."
"I am, too," Choji added with that warm tenderness he alone could master. "We're here for you if you need anything."
"I know, guys," Ino whispered, because she feared that if she tried to talk louder, she would lose her fight. "I know."
In truth, Ino had spent the better part of the day mourning her father. Her mother had explained to her how he had died heroically, the burial and what had happened to the clan these last days. Once she had left, Ino had been unable to stop the sobs she had contained in front of her already grieving mother. Sakura had entered the room then, she had held her without a word and she had not left the room since.
"Did they tell you about what happened?"
"Not the details. Apparently they found us and evacuated us?"
"Yeah," Choji confirmed. "But that almost ended tragically."
"What? Why?"
Sakura raised her head too. She didn't know about that part either apparently.
"Well, that First, Ichi, he woke up just when they were helping you all out. And when he saw that his partner had died, he lost it. He made everything explode."
"That's when two policemen died. Luckily you were already far enough to be safe from the explosion."
"It was so violent that this part of the underground collapsed. We only found a few body parts."
"Choji…"
"Sorry."
Ino nodded, trying not to think about Ekari and what had happened. No one in the clan had mentioned him in front of her, even if Idaiki, Hiza and her mother came to see her a few times. She wondered if that subject would become another taboo for them, as so many others before.
Her gaze met Sakura's and she immediately felt lighter, for she knew that between them, silence would never reign.
O
Kire entered the room later that day, just before dinner. Sakura and Ino were watching a movie and the woman smiled as her daughter paused it.
"Sorry to bother you, girls. I was just bringing this to Sakura."
The girl looked at the worn out green bag and frowned.
"That's mine," she said, not understanding.
"Your neighbor apparently brought it to the hospital this morning, thinking you'd need it. Mister Kino went to retrieve it. You need more clothes. And there is your school stuff too in there."
"Oh, that's nice, but as I was telling Ino, I'll leave tomorrow morning. I thank you for your hospitality."
"Nonsense."
"Excuse-me?"
Kire raised an eyebrow at her.
"You're staying here for the duration of your convalescence."
"But I'm healed. Tsunade said I'd have to rest for three more days, and it's been three days. I'm going back to school on Monday and –"
"You're not going back to school yet, it's too soon, and besides it's the last week before the holidays. You need to rest more. You can stay here as long as needed. Have a good night."
She left before Sakura could argue and the girl turned to a giggling Ino, quite annoyed.
"What was that?"
"Sorry, Sakura, but you should know that arguing with my clan is useless. We usually get what we want, so we don't take no for an answer."
"I know that about you, but your mother… And I have to leave. I can't stay here anymore, that's not –"
"She's just worried about you," Ino softly informed. "She doesn't want you to go…"
"Where? To the South-D? That's where I live, Ino. That's where I grew up."
"I don't… We aren't snobs, and we may have a few prejudices, but we just… Your mother is still at the hospital, isn't she?"
"I'm not so sure about that," Sakura answered back, not looking at her, tensed.
Ino traded carefully.
"And even if she isn't, you're better here, with me, aren't you?" Sakura didn't answer. "I just…" She sighed. "I'm going to talk frankly, okay? Please, don't hold it against me. Your mother doesn't have any money, and for what I've heard in the South District about her, what little she has isn't spend to take care of you. And I know you can take care of yourself, I mean, you're almost an adult and I guess you'd be dead already if you weren't able to get by, but it's cold outside and you're still a little sick and you need to eat well and the idea of you back there worries me, and I know your relationship with your mother is complicated. I'm not saying that I understand, but I-"
Sakura had put her fingers on Ino's mouth to shut her up. She looked at her calmly, and hopefully the feeling the blond could see in those green eyes wasn't anger.
"You could have simply asked me to stay, you know."
"Stay. Please."
Sighing, Sakura turned toward the flat-screened TV on the wall in front of Ino's bed as the other girl still looked at her, studying her face.
"You're staying?"
"For a while more, I guess. Until you feel better."
Grinning, Ino gave her a kiss on the cheek and press the play button.
O
A week later, Sakura was still living in the Yamanaka Manor and she was beginning to think that they were not going to let her go until she left for university. Ino was better, and even if both of them were forced to stay indoors because of the weather and the potential media attention, they were enjoying themselves.
It was not surprising that Ino could get excited like a child just because snow was falling. The fact that she was forbidden by Tsunade and her mother to go out and enjoy it made her even more annoyingly hyper. But Hiza and Mister Kino had promised her they would begin to decorate the manor for Christmas the day after and Sakura was hoping that this activity would calm her down a little. Hyper-Ino was kind of scary.
Hiding the true nature of their relationship was not that easy when living under the same roof with Ino's family, but at the same time the fact that they were both women helped them. Granted, the country (and a lot of others) permitted same-sex couples to marry and adopt, and even if it didn't mean that twelve years of legality had changed all mentalities, it showed that gay people were generally well accepted. But the truth was, Sakura was simply not looking forward to see her private life being revealed to anybody, and Ino wasn't ready yet to come out to her clan, especially given the fact that (thanks to those old fashioned and inutile traditional laws) she was now the head of it.
It was too soon, and too many things had happened. They needed time, it was as simple as that.
It was the first day of the holidays, and Ino's close friends came to see them. Well, yes, they were Sakura's too.
It was a surprise, all of them entered the common living room where the girls were reading at once. After the pleasantries, Naruto complained about the fact that visiting them had been forbidden until then.
"Sorry, my mother's been a tad overprotective," Ino said with a little grimace.
Tenten, crutches in hands, nodded.
"We noticed. I'm so happy you are both well."
"Thank you."
"And…" Lee began with a wide grin, "we have something for you two."
Hinata smiled as she put a little box into Sakura's unwilling hands. Kiba put a much larger one at Ino's feet.
"You can say that they're Christmas presents, only a little early."
"Thank you. But why?"
"Because you're alive," Neji said flatly.
Sakura and Ino exchanged glances before opening their respective present. It turned out they had brought Sakura a phone, one of these new technological sleek devices that did everything but bring you coffee in the morning, with a full year subscription.
"You won't have any excuse now," Naruto warned her. "You'll have to come to each of our gatherings."
"Thanks," she answered, not knowing what to say to that.
"Kiba… That's…"
Sakura gazed down at Ino, who was kneeling in front of her box. And, jumping around inside it, a little fur ball apparently wanted attention. A puppy. As Ino took it into her arms, the little dog began licking her face, having already fallen in love with her.
"He's a male. His name is Hoshimaru, but he seems to answer better to Hoshi. He's Kuromaru's grandson, and Akamaru's cousin. Coming from the best lineage we have. My mother has personally been raising and training his litter for the police force. The Inuzuka Clan is happy to entrust him to you. I hope he'll be a great companion."
"Well, he already adores her," Lee noted with a grin.
Ino smiled.
"Thanks, Kiba. That means so much to me. Please, tell your mother and your grandfather I thank them."
"I will, don't worry."
Hoshimaru was as white as Akamaru everywhere but on his lower members, where his fur was black. He looked like he wore socks. The end of his tail and his left ear were also black.
"Maybe now you'll stop disappearing with Akamaru," Kiba joked as his dog emitted a few noises. "Apparently he doesn't agree. He'll be there if you need him."
"Thanks, Akamaru", Ino grinned, still playing with her puppy. "And thank you, everyone. Please, have a seat, Mister Kino is going to bring us hot drinks and cakes."
Once settled, the group of friends informed the girls they had brought their homework with them, and they began to gossip about everything that that happened in the Academy and in Konoha, and even in other countries where the consequences of the fall of Danzo's Root were appearing too.
"Sakura, I wanted to ask you," Tenten began as she turned toward the mostly quiet girl, "what was this thing you did against Ichi?"
"What thing?"
"I mean, you did a few extraordinary things, but the way you finally defeated him was just plain weird. I still can't understand what your gift is."
All the others fell quiet and turned their head toward the girl with a slightly accusatory gaze. Tenten only crossed her arms defensively.
"What? I know there's this rule or another against asking, but she can choose not to answer."
Because she really didn't want to be at the center of a new debate, Sakura simply explained:
"I used his own chakra against him. Stole it and threw it. That's my gift, controlling chakra."
"Neat," Naruto commented, his mouth full. "What can you do with that?"
With a frown, Sakura turned to Ino next to her.
"Isn't that really against the rules?"
"I think so", Ino answered quite seriously.
"Come on," Naruto moaned. "Ino! Eh, you can tell us what you really can do."
"She has a power over vegetation and is a telepath, everybody knows that."
Sakura could have added duh, but she chose not to (it sounded childish). Teasing Naruto was fun, but in truth she didn't want to really answer questions about her gift and she surely didn't want Ino to feel ill at ease. Her bout of protectiveness didn't go unnoticed.
"You know!" Kiba accused with surprise, pointing a finger at her. "You know what she can do and she knows what you can do!"
"No."
"Tsss, you're no fun. Hey, give me another piece of this chocolate cake. Damn, Mister Kino really is the best, I should ask him to cook for us too."
"I don't think you're wealthy enough to pay for his services," Tenten joked.
"Hey, have you seen Mitarashi scaring Hoto and his stupid lackeys the other day? It was hilarious."
They spend another three hours just talking and joking around, making plans for the holidays, talking about everything and anything, and for the first time since they woke up, both girls forgot the events in the underground and their worries.
They were just happy, there, together, with their friends.
O
"Can I come in?"
Sakura raised her head from her history book and smiled.
"It's your home."
"But it's your bedroom," Ino answered back as she walked toward the large bed, Hoshimaru in her arms.
Ino knew that once upon a time this room had been Idaiki's, and before that Satoshi's. Now since her parents had redecorated, the room was mostly blue, from the wall to the sheets. A few chosen paintings had been hung to appease the potential guests. In truth, Ino couldn't remember seeing anyone use one of the guestrooms in the different quarters. She wondered if there was a time when her family hadn't been this secret. She had liked having all her friends there the day before, hearing laughter and such animation in the manor. Shikamaru and Choji visited often too, but they were kind of part the family, at least of her family.
And why had her mother finally accepted their request to surprise Ino and Sakura with a visit? To please them? Or because she really wanted to?
"Ino?"
The girl shook herself out of her reverie and smiled at Sakura.
"You should decorate a little."
"No, because I won't stay much longer."
"But…"
"Ino, it's been two weeks already. I'm in good health and you're fine, too. Haruka told me my mother reappeared yesterday. I have to go back."
"I know," Ino sighed.
Truth was, she really didn't want Sakura to go home – if she could call that a home. She didn't trust her sick mother especially after what she had learned and she doubted Sakura was safe there. Hell, she even doubted she had food and heating waiting for her there. She really did not like it.
She could try to give her money, but she didn't want to hurt her feelings. Why were things always so complicated?
"Besides," Sakura added softly, surely to appease her, "Christmas is in a few days."
"You could spend it here with us."
"You need to spend it with your family."
With her family. But without her uncle, without her father, with Ekari's ghost still haunting her mind.
"Hey," Sakura called gently, taking her hand in hers to push her to sit down on the bed.
"Do you celebrate Christmas?
"Usually, no. But I'll spend it with Haruka and Mari this year, so… new experience. Mari's waiting for me to decorate the tree."
"Oh."
"I'll leave the day after tomorrow."
"Okay. Will you come back after Christmas?"
"What? Why?"
"My home is closer to the Academy?"
"That's ridiculous."
"Please. My mother wouldn't mind, in truth I know she's thinking of asking you to stay with us for a while."
"But…"
"But what?" Ino asked. "I know you need to talk to your mother, and you need to settle things there. But once it's done, you could stay here."
"I can't accept that."
"Why? They'll put you in a student dorm maybe, given you'll be eighteen in a few weeks. Or they'll put you in a children's home. Why not stay here instead? At least until the end of the school year. We owe you, remember?"
"Don't say that," Sakura reprimanded her.
"Please, say you'll think about it."
"Fine. Yes, I will think about it."
"Great," Ino smiled and gazed at the books around them. "Still working?"
"Yeah. I have to."
"What are you going to do?"
"When?"
"After the Academy, I mean."
"Oh." Sakura looked a little embarrassed suddenly. "It depends."
"On what?"
"On how much money I have in the bank."
Sometimes, Ino really felt like a spoiled and ignorant heiress.
"Ah."
"I'd like to enter Senju University. Medicine."
"Really? That's great!"
"That's years of studies."
And a lot of money. But Ino knew that Konoha helped young adults with talent to pay for their studies and offered a few scholarships, and Sakura had worked hard enough to be eligible for all of them.
"And you?"
"Oh. Hum, law and criminality."
"Law and…?" Sakura's eyes widened and at the same time, there wasn't any real surprise in them. "You want to enter the Agency."
"That's not only a… you know, family thing. I really believe in what they're doing and with my… talents, I'll be of better use in the Agency than in the Police. I could have chosen to work with my mother, or to do anything else, or even not to work at all and go explore the world or something, but I want – I need to use my telepathy to help people."
"I understand."
And she did, and it was what was extraordinary between them, Ino thought. They understood.
"Do you know how's Sayuri?"
"She's… well. I succeeded in removing the mental barriers blocking her memories, but some of them were too torn to be salvaged and others had been simply erased. Her true personality seems to emerge once more, though, even if she doesn't remember all her childhood. She remembers her family and enough things to be her. She won't ever be the same as before but she's Sayuri now. I pushed her memories as Konchu to the back of her mind. She remembers these years but not clearly."
"It'll be easier for her."
"I hope so."
"That's great, that you were able to do that for her and for her family."
"Sakura…"
"What?"
"About my telepathy…"
She hesitated. What could she tell her, really? That she was powerful? That since waking up she seemed to be able to avoid being submerged by the thoughts she heard? That she still heard a lot, maybe even more than before, but that it was easier somehow? That she feared her telepathy and was terrified of losing control of it someday? What?
She played with Hoshimaru for a while, quietly pondering what to say, and Sakura stayed silent, waiting. Finally, Ino began to whisper the words as they came to her mind.
"There was truth in Ekari's words. If we don't talk about telepathy, it's because we don't want people fearing us or accusing us of things. But we are dangerous. Or we could be. I could be. Really, really dangerous."
"It doesn't mean you are. You told me yourself that having the power to kill doesn't make you a killer. And everybody knows that. They know about Kan and about Ekari, and they know about Santa and your father who died protecting what they believed in. They know about you who almost died fighting your own cousin to protect people. They don't need to know more, Ino, it's as simple as that, because in truth they already know."
She was right. Of course she was right. Ino let Hoshi play with her fingers until Sakura took the dog and invited Ino to come next to her, which the girl did with a little stern smile.
"You know about whose gift I'd want to know more?" Sakura asked lightly.
Ino shook her head, curious.
"Inuzuka's," the girl answered while holding Hoshimaru on his back legs, facing them. "What do you think this little guy is thinking right now? You're a specialist on the matter, do you think dogs think like us? Do they use words to talk? And the other animals, do they use the same language or is it different for each race? And if it's the case, do Inuzukas understand all of them? How do Kiba and Akamaru understand each other? What if Hoshimaru was insulting us when he yelped this morning?"
"Actually, you're right, that's intriguing," Ino nodded, laughing. "Huh, Hoshi?"
"He agrees. That was a yes. He agreed, didn't he?"
"I think so."
Ino let the dog settle between them and put her head on Sakura's shoulder, closing her eyes.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
Anytime.
Ino liked the sound of that.
I love you.
And she liked the sound of that even better.
I love you, too.
She could almost feel Sakura's grin, and she knew that if she turned her head just a little she would be able to see it. But she didn't want to disturb this moment and so she just took Sakura's hand in hers, caressing the skin and the scars here. Those scars that Sakura had gotten while saving her life.
I've become quite adept at modulating this mental shield thingy, don't you think?
You should be careful. A misstep and I could hear your thoughts.
Yeah, and that would be so interesting.
I happen to think so, yes.
You can simply ask me what I'm thinking when you're wondering.
"Okay," Ino whispered. "Do you ever wonder what I'm thinking?"
"All the time. But you make no sense at all most of the time, so…"
"It doesn't bother you?"
"I'm used to being unable to hear others' thoughts, you know," Sakura teased.
"Most of the time it's annoying or downright embarrassing," Ino confessed. "But sometimes it's useful, to understand, to see things differently. I wonder sometimes how you see the world, without all this constant information."
"I told you before. The world sucks."
"And yet you're a hero now," Ino grinned. "Sakura Haruno, you're going to have to talk to people now, you know."
"Why?"
"Because they'll talk to you, because they're curious. And when you're a doctor, training under Tsunade, our new Hokage, you'll be a true celebrity."
"Just great," Sakura groaned.
"I'll help you."
"Shut up."
"I'm hurt."
"I hate you."
"You love me."
"I do. Doesn't mean I don't hate you."
"You're weird."
"You're worse. Hush, I'm trying to study."
Ino chuckled and closed her eyes once more, feeling at peace with the world around her. And knowing that asking if Sakura felt the same would be pointless.
In spite of everything, they were finally happy.
O
END
Wow. Finally, the end. I can't believe this epilogue is that long! There were a lot more things than I first thought that needed to be addressed in there! And look at that! An happy ending (for the most part)! I really needed this to be happy, because the real world sucks nowadays. (I can't believe I even married Tsunade and Jiraiya, and probably Shizune and their handsome son, too. *sigh* And believe me, Kenta and Shizune (and Tonton, because in there she's Shizune's pet) are living a beautiful romance, too!).
And yeah, Irake probably was part of this bet Inoichi, Shikaku and Choza made when they were teens, and so he also named his first born after himself, which probably permitted a few of you to guess that Ekari was a Yamanaka and exactly who he was.
Anyway, thank you, all of you, especially the reviewers who have encouraged me until the end! You're the best! And all the followers too, and all of you who put this story into your favorites!
Questions? Comments?
A little review to celebrate the end?