Chapter eight
Lying
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Sakura had never been to a police station before and was therefore uncertain as to what to expect. From the way Kakashi's mouth had hardened at Constable Akio's request to accompany him, she didn't really think it was going to be a good thing.
She wondered if they even had police back in Konoha. Surely they must have - she knew the word and what it meant - but she couldn't honestly say she'd ever seen a police officer before. Possibly they had no major role in a village full of ninja; after all, the Hokage's word was law, and those who lived the life of a shinobi respected the wisdom and guidance expected from the position. Then again, not everyone back home had been a ninja, and even from a young age she'd known that no society could operate without farmers, tradesmen, doctors and such. Those civilians did their jobs, allowing the shinobi to do theirs.
So did they now have, or had they once had, police in Konoha?
A sudden memory - an abandoned building, a familiar symbol. Then she blinked and the image was gone, but perhaps it explained more than it didn't.
Putting the thought from her mind she turned to Kakashi, who reclined in the chair next to hers in a study of indifference. He'd acquired a shirt from somewhere, pulling it on after she'd lifted the heat from his skin, soothing his burnt flesh with a steady stream of chakra. She hadn't had the chance to do anything about his dry cough because he'd leaned close as they entered the station and spoken softly, without moving his lips, "Don't use or even talk about your medic skills again while we're here."
He'd pulled back and she'd looked at him, surprised. "But you're --" He shook his head slightly in warning and she shut up as their host turned with an inquiring look.
"Is there a problem?"
She'd smiled, guileless. "Ah, no."
Akio had only given her a flat stare as if he knew how far that was from the truth, then continued to lead them to his office.
And now they were here and the good constable wasn't, having been called away just as they were sitting down. A timid rookie had delivered a missive, staring fearfully down at his polished boots while his superior officer read it, then scurrying off with relief as soon as he was done.
"I apologise for the inconvenience," he said, and it sounded like he meant it, "I hope I am not keeping you from your travels, but unfortunately after such an event I am required to detain and question any and all suspicious persons."
Sakura felt her eyes narrow. They'd gone out of their way to not be suspicious! What did they have to do to get a break?
"While I am confident you had nothing to do with the fire, in this instance I need to observe protocol and take down your statements. I will do that as soon as I return from an urgent meeting." He bowed again, low and polite, then went to take his leave. He paused at the door and looked over his shoulder.
"Forgive my rudeness, but I did not ask your names."
His archaic manner of speech was getting on her nerves, and she was sorely tempted to point out that despite what he'd just said, he still hadn't asked their names. Kakashi, however, prudently stepped in and offered the pseudonyms they'd decided on in the forest.
"I am Makoto Kakashi, and this is my charge, Ryoho Sakura."
The police officer inclined his head and exited, leaving them alone in his office. She distracted herself from the butterflies of uncertainty that fluttered in her abdomen by checking out the room. It was small, neat and ordered, and seemed to suit the careful policeman perfectly. His desk was tidy and the varnished wood shone from the sun filtering in through a window behind it. Through the clear panes she could see the village, and beyond that, the forest; the view was pleasing and she wondered how Akio could sit with his back to it all day. She pondered this for a minute, then concluded he was a business-like and efficient man, and would therefore not be distracted by the lure of outside.
She congratulated herself on her insightful character analysis as Kakashi finally stirred, levering himself upright in the chair.
"We seem to have been left alone," he said casually, his words weighted with meaning. They were back in the forest, where coded talk saved lives. I sense no eavesdroppers, but we cannot be too careful.
"For the moment," she agreed. Of course.
"I wonder how long Akio-san plans on detaining us." This is taking up precious time.
She shrugged. "As long as it takes, I guess." And there's nothing we can do about it.
Silence. Kakashi seemed lost in thought and she had no desire to distract him, especially after all he'd done the night before. She flushed angrily at the memory, furious with herself for succumbing to the smoke. Why had she come across as weak, again? All she wanted was to prove she didn't need protecting, and what a top job she'd been doing of that so far. They were both shinobi, but the distance between them had been made painfully obvious once more. Two ninja, both caught in the same situation. One had saved the lives of every person in the inn, and the other? Well, she'd slept right through it.
Inner Sakura tried to reason with her, mentioning that smoke inhalation had dulled her senses and it could have happened to anyone. But that little voice had never been the one of reason, and the well-meant words fell on deaf ears.
"--legs?" said Kakashi, and she realised belatedly he'd been speaking.
"I'm sorry?"
He gave her a measuring look, concerned by her inattention. She conjured a smile and it seemed to appease him as he repeated himself.
"I said, what was wrong with the innkeeper's legs?"
"Oh, they were broken," she answered without thinking. His visible eye narrowed in warning but the words were out there and the timing was awful, because Akio chose that very moment to return. He crossed the room purposefully and sat down at the tidy, shiny desk, then steepled his fingers and stared over them at Sakura. Inwardly she cursed her easily distracted nature, then railed also against Kakashi's deceptively obvious questions for good measure.
"They are not broken now, Ryoho-san," the policeman said, and she could only sit, frozen, her mind having shut itself down.
Kakashi sighed and rubbed his face. "Was this why you called us here, Akio-san?"
The inquiring eyes released her and she relaxed somewhat as the policeman considered Kakashi's question.
"I was unaware that Taro-san had been seriously injured during the fire," he replied after a moment, and it took a few seconds for Sakura to guess he was referring to the innkeeper. "I assumed he was in shock, and possibly under the influence again, but physically he seemed well. I only recently learned that he had been trapped inside when I met with my superior, after being called away just then."
Again Sakura wondered why his manner of speaking was so formal. It was so old-fashioned it confused her, but Kakashi didn't appear to be fazed.
"Sakura-sama has a special gift," he lied smoothly, and she could barely keep herself from gaping at the unexpected suffix, "a talent for healing that has been passed down and nurtured through her family for hundreds of years. Those whom we are hoping to avoid by way of this journey seek her for this power and will stop at nothing to obtain it."
The elaborate explanation seemed to satisfy the policeman, and he gave them a small smile, the edges of his neat moustache turning up with the motion. She wondered if she saw also a flash of triumph, but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure, if it was ever there at all.
"Then I have but a few questions," he said, opening a drawer and extracting a notebook and pen. "As soon as we have sorted out these last few formalities, you will be free to continue on your way."
And though he spoke with complete sincerity, neither ninja felt that that would actually be the case.
----
Akio's few questions were simple enough to answer - they'd gone through the story enough times together to both be able to recite it verbatim. Kakashi sensed no hidden agenda from the serious policeman but was short with him nonetheless, itching to be out of the village, away from people and the awkward situations being near them seemed to bring. He and Sakura had been doing fine on their own - it wasn't until civilisation had entered the equation that it all went pear-shaped.
He coughed discreetly, and scowled on the inside. He couldn't understand why it was taking so long. It was obvious they hadn't started the blaze, and just as obvious Akio knew this. So why the delay? It was either deliberate, and a detaining method, or the police in Ontou had very little to do on a daily basis, and this was the most excitement they'd seen in years. The second option seemed more likely, and would also explain why other officers in pristine uniform kept stopping by with weak excuses to speak with Akio, sneaking careful looks at him and Sakura as they did so.
They'd failed miserably at their objective, which had been, of course, to not attract attention. If they didn't get a move on soon, they'd run out of time to get supplies, and if they left it too much later they'd be forced to stay another night. After being involved in the burning down of one inn, he didn't really like their chances of being allowed into another. And they needed time to sit down and regroup, to talk over a heavily edited version of what happened, back at the forest. He was still unwilling to tell her just how he'd been overpowered, but they needed to look at his curse seal again, since it was itching slightly and pulsed every so often.
He was becoming restless, mulling over their options as Sakura impatiently told Akio for the third time how her "father" had never done anything to incur his imaginary enemies' wrath, when the door to the office burst open.
Kakashi was on his feet before the handle hit the wall; beside him, Sakura had half-risen before remembering she wasn't supposed to have ninja reflexes. She waited a beat then let out a surprised, "Oh!" but by the time she'd covered her blunder he'd evaluated the intruder and decided she posed no immediate threat.
The woman who had thrust the door violently aside looked so frail and ill he was amazed that she'd had the strength to turn the handle, let alone crash through. She stumbled in, pale hands outstretched, and had taken a few steps towards them when Akio pushed past him and intercepted her halting process.
"Izanami!" he said gently, a hint of reproach in his voice. "For what reason have you journeyed here?"
She blinked slowly up at him, recognition dawning. "Yasuo-kun?"
He nodded, brushing a strand of dark hair from her pallid forehead. "You have come to the office."
"The...office?" Her mouth moved, repeating his words. She stepped back and looked around vaguely, as if surprised to find herself here.
Kakashi observed their exchange with veiled interest. The stoic constable watched the young woman tenderly, his affection for her obvious upon his face, and he couldn't help but want to take Akio aside and tell him to be less open, less frank. Enemies went after loved ones first and this Izanami was a perfect victim.
Then he remembered that not everyone lived in fear of losing who and what was held dear, that places existed where people lived comfortably and in peace. This clean police station with its slew of uniformed officers who looked after the small and cheerful village was testament to such an ideal world, and he felt a sudden fierce pang of bitterness that his life had turned out so differently from theirs. Then Sakura stood up next to him and he remembered that there was a point to living the life of a ninja, and that was to have the strength and skills to protect those who were important.
He stiffened. Sakura...important? But yes, why not? She was the only member of Team Seven who had stayed in Konoha village; she'd been there all along even if much of her time was spent training with Tsunade. He treated her to ramen occasionally and she called him a pervert just as frequently - it was a comfortable relationship, to be sure. He was more than happy to give of himself what he could, as long as it couldn't be used against him.
And he studiously ignored the fact that it already had been, once.
"Izanami-san?" Sakura crossed the room to the other woman's side, reaching out and tugging gently on a kimono sleeve.
She stopped her appraisal of the room and focussed on Sakura, eyes wide and staring. Then, without warning, she flung her thin arms around one of Sakura's and held on as if for dear life.
"Was it you?" she asked brokenly. "At the market this morning I heard that Taro-san had died and a dirty-looking girl brought him back to life."
Kakashi concealed a snort after such an outrageous exaggeration even as Sakura warred between bristling at the attack on her personal hygiene, and flushing at the compliment.
"I'm sorry, but that's not true. Taro-san wasn't dead, it was just that his legs were hurt. I helped his legs to heal themselves, but no one has the power to bring the dead back to life."
The other woman seemed not to be listening, gazing at Sakura in a kind of frozen desperation.
"So can you do it?" she asked fervently. Her body trembled with the passion behind her words, and Kakashi was disturbed to see a line of blood trickle out from her nose.
Looking horrified, Sakura fumbled for a handkerchief, but Akio beat her to it, pressing a square of snowy linen to the young woman's face. She ignored the gesture, pushing weakly at the imposition, apparently anxious for Sakura's answer.
"Can I do what?" she said finally in what appeared to be an attempt to placate her.
Izanami took a deep breath, droplets of sweat beading on her face.
"Can you fix me?" she whispered pitiably, before slumping forwards in a dead faint.
----
Akio caught her, of course, cradling her in his arms as if she were fragile and could break. Sakura wondered if what the girl had said was true; if she was already broken and needing repair.
"What's the matter with Izanami-san?" she asked quietly, ignoring the despair on the policeman's face. He started, and looked up at her, squinting as if to remind himself who she was.
"Hirogari Izanami...she is my fiancée." Sakura nodded. It had been apparent to her that he at least considered her more than a friend. No need to look under the underneath for that one. "She was always delicate, but several years ago, her condition took a turn for the worse. She often succumbs to these bouts of madness, evading her guards and acting impulsively. Usually," he looked down at her pale form sadly, "she remembers nothing of what has taken place."
They were interrupted again by another disturbance at the door; as one they turned, and this time an older man huffed in, his face ruddy with exertion. He saw Izanami in Akio's arms and let out a cry.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Akio-san! We were at market and she was talking to Fujita-san, and then I turned around and she was gone! I got here as fast --"
"All is well, Hoshi." Akio cut off the heartfelt explanation, his smooth voice sounding to dispel the newcomer's concern. "Now, if you would?"
Hoshi gulped, then nodded, taking Izanami's slight weight and carrying her away, out of the room and presumably home.
Akio watched them go before sighing, returning to his desk and sitting down heavily behind it. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly, then fixed Sakura with a penetrating look.
"Sakura-sama," he started, and again she reacted to the unexpected honorific. "I am sorry to ask you this --"
"And if you have any pride, you won't." Kakashi's interruption startled her; he'd been so quiet these last few minutes. And what did he mean, about pride? His words were confusing, but Akio didn't seem to even notice them, continuing to stare at her as if trying to tell her something. Her mind worked over the conversation, picking bits and pieces and stitching them together.
Broken...fix...the power to bring the dead back to life...
"You want me to heal Izanami-san."
She didn't need Akio's hopeful smile to tell her she'd guessed correctly; Kakashi's irritated "Tch!" from behind her was plenty sufficient.
"Sakura," he said warningly, but it was far too late; the idea was there, had hatched and was already growing wings.
"To heal..." she breathed, and then wondered if she could. It would be the perfect opportunity to test her growing medical skills. She knew she was proficient in chakra manipulation - she'd sorted out Kakashi's wound, after all - but it would be something else to study and practice on a sickness, an illness of body that had loitered, strengthened and grown. How different to the violent wounds and harsh breakages that constituted normal shinobi injuries; what a coup to have this opportunity present itself.
She'd always enjoyed learning at school; there was something calming about research and the careful accruing of facts. Her inner scholar itched to get started immediately - if she could try this, and take notes, she could debrief with Tsunade-san when they got back --
Oops.
She'd forgotten their situation. And judging by the look on his face, Kakashi definitely had not.
----
"If you would excuse us, Akio-san?" Obviously not wanting to deter them from staying, the constable erred on the side of caution and slipped obediently from the room.
Kakashi waited politely until he was gone before rounding on Sakura.
"You're not honestly considering his request?" He knew she was, it was written across her face, but maybe if she voiced her reasons she'd see how foolish the idea was.
"Yes, I am," she replied, serious.
"You do remember who we're hiding from?" Scorn now, and plenty of it. He had a whole arsenal of tones and was barely getting started. She looked away and he realised she had forgotten, for a moment, at least.
"Sakura--"
"It's going to be the same anywhere, Kakashi!"
He winced and hoped the entire station couldn't hear.
"If he's going to find us, he'll find us no matter what. It won't matter if we're isolated in the middle of some nameless forest, or surrounded by people in the middle of a town. If - when - Orochimaru decides he needs us he will not hesitate to kill us both." She was panting now, fury painting her features and giving her strength. "And if I can save another life before mine is taken from me then maybe I'll die with no regrets."
Damn. She'd thought this through and seemed to really mean it. He evaluated their options quickly, and sighed. It didn't matter what course they decided upon, in any event he was going to come across as the villain.
What to choose from:
Scenario A. They'd discuss this further. Sakura would come to realise her error in judgment and they'd refuse to aid Akio and Izanami, leaving behind their regrets but best wishes for a complete cure.
Scenario B. They'd discuss this further. Sakura would continue passionately expounding upon helping out these people in need and he'd eventually knock her unconscious and carry her off, where she'd wake up later and never forgive him, making the remaining duration of their journey lonely and awkward.
Scenario C. They'd discuss this further. Because he was essentially a "nice guy" and particularly prone to bursts of guilt and self-loathing, he'd back down despite the gravity of their situation and allow Sakura to do as she wished in this attempt to help people she barely knew.
Three possible solutions. And while he rather liked A, and briefly entertained the idea of B...it wasn't too difficult to guess that C, or some such variant of it, would wind up being the end result.
He rubbed his face. Maybe she was getting to him somehow. He was sure he used to be a lot tougher, much harder, and almost rather cold.
Dropping his hand, he found her looking at him, her expressive face showing hope and determination.
"How long do you think it will take?" It was a fair question, and he deserved an answer. If they were going to do this, if they were going to endanger themselves like this, then he had a right to know how long they'd be forced to linger. The woman was dying - even he could sense that - and any healing would be difficult and intense. It wasn't going to be a simple case of an hour's effort. They'd be talking days, maybe weeks.
She swallowed. "I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with Izanami san, or what I'll need to do to help her."
"Do you think you can really save her?" His wording was deliberate, because what he really meant was is the reason you're so desperate to save this girl because you couldn't save someone else? - and if it was true, then the same went for him.
And suddenly he wondered whether he'd truly been able to save anyone at all.
So maybe Sakura wasn't being selfish, or foolish. Maybe she was being kind, and noble. Maybe this was her way of the ninja.
She gave him a challenging look and strangely she seemed stronger in that moment than he'd ever seen her before.
"All I can do," she said as his protests faded to nothing, dying on his lips, "is try."
----
He agreed in the end.
Sakura had hoped he would - Kakashi wasn't the sort of person to ignore those in need. She sensed that Izanami was in a great deal of pain and something inside her, the very thing that had urged her to pursue medical jutsu, needed at least to try to help her. It was an innate feeling, a push she couldn't fully explain, but now it seemed she didn't need to.
Akio was predictably delighted and expressed his gratitude in his own verbose way, before snapping shut the notebook and telling them they were no longer required for questioning. Funny, that, Sakura thought dryly; it didn't really bother her as nothing could quell her sudden, intense excitement.
Finally, a chance to prove once and for all she wasn't useless, that she was a good ninja, an asset to any team. This was her opportunity and there was no way she was going to let this baby go. She felt strong and ready to face this challenge.
"I will accompany you to the household," Akio said, ushering them from his office and locking the door. She thought he probably needn't have bothered - they were in a police station, after all. And if the number of idle policemen was anything to go by, the crime rate here in Ontou was going to be unsurprisingly low.
They left the station in an almost tangible silence, until the door swung shut and the building exploded into a frenzy of chatter and activity. Those poor guys could really do with a busier town...but she didn't want to wish crime or suffering onto anyone and reasoned they should be happy with their peaceful existence, something she'd always longed for herself. Although, maybe a quiet life wouldn't suit her, wouldn't satisfy her in the end. She'd grown up with a dream and now she had to live it, through the good times and the bad ones, taking the wheat with the chaff.
She mused on this and came back to the conversation, realising Akio was still talking. "You will like Izanami, Sakura-sama. She too lost her father in tragic circumstances and has tried her best to recover from the loss. I know she did not appear quite...lucid, this morning, but generally she is as kind as she is beautiful, well-mannered and refined."
He was gushing so much it was almost embarrassing, but she couldn't help but feel a twinge at the obvious love he felt for his fiancée. She busied herself with frowning at her fingernails, chipped and short as they were. No one had ever called her beautiful, or refined. She was suddenly interested in how civilians conducted relationships - the courtship process of the common folk, their ins and outs of love.
Her own experience of love was intermingled hope and tears, pain and joy and fear. It was happiness and hurt and sadness and she almost couldn't bear to think of it.
Maybe Ino had been right and she was clinging to a memory, a half-forgotten ghost of a boy who had never really existed. But she'd loved him as long as she could remember and the Sakura who'd dreamed of meaning something to a quiet, proud young man was an important part of the girl she was today. Maybe she was afraid of losing a piece of herself if she took that last step forward into a future she couldn't expect.
"Have you been engaged long?" She was drifting again and chided herself as Kakashi spoke at last. He sounded indifferent but she knew was at least slightly interested, because if he didn't care at all then he'd never think to ask. She took it as a sign he wasn't angry and tried to catch his eye, but he wouldn't properly look at her and she felt the pride from earlier waver at his apparent disregard.
With nothing better to distract her, she tuned out once more as Akio explained how he and Izanami had been betrothed from birth, and had nurtured affection for each other over time.
Don't dwell on it, Inner Sakura told her sternly.
On what? she wondered dully.
On anything. You have these skills, it would be a shame not to use them, develop them. How can you ignore a person who is in need?
Yeah, okay, she answered, distantly relieved no one could eavesdrop on these private conversations she often had with herself. But what about the other part?
Love? Inner Sakura replied, and then hesitated for a bit. Well...I can't really say. You know as much as I do when it comes to that.
Which is nothing, she concluded, no better off. But at least she could use this opportunity to grow as a person, to work on her skills. For too long, she had been the weak one, and she was sick of despising herself for that. It was time for the tables to turn for Haruno Sakura...even if she had to turn them herself.
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Okay. Usually I'm not a big fan of OCs but unfortunately this story needs them to put certain...events into motion. Hopefully all will become clear in a few chapters.
Thanks to the gang, as always, and also Safrawr for pointing out possible inconsistencies. If anyone ever wants elaboration on any part of the story, feel free to drop me a line. I'm more than happy to explain anything that doesn't sit quite right. Thanks for reading!