The Archangel of the Hidden Leaf

Chapter 7:

Remnant

Ino picked up her shopping bag full of hair products and headed for the door of the hospital room. She brushed her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she looked back at Sakura. The pink-haired shinobi had put on her white coat and tied her hair back, and then started writing on a clipboard that had many sheets of paper on it. The creature – now known as Dolia – sat in her bed patiently, one of her hands thoughtlessly running fingers through the smooth strands of curls. A little smile grew across her lips at the sight. It was the first time she had clean hair in probably years.

"I'm going to go now, Sakura," Ino indicated, opening the door.

For a moment, she glanced up from her clipboard with a friendly glimmer in her green eyes. "Okay. Thank you for helping out, Ino."

She nodded once and exited with the hope that it would not be the last time she saw the strange yet intriguing girl.

Sakura brought her attention back to the clipboard resting in the crook of her elbow. She gripped the top page and lifted it to view the page underneath. Throughout the week Dolia had been in the hospital, she had been keeping a medical record of her progress and health. Since she woke up earlier today, she had yet to update today's record. One aspect that was peculiar to her was how Dolia showed no signs of being sick or nauseous after eating ramen. Sakura's experience with patients who did not follow their liquid diet usually resulted in vomiting back up the food. For some reason, Dolia was not falling into the same category.

"How are you feeling, Dolia? Any nausea?" she asked her.

She shifted her gaze up to Sakura but continued feeling her hair carefully, almost as if scared the cleanliness would go away if she stopped. "I feel good," she verified.

Good? How is that even possible? she wondered.

"Really? No pain or anything?"

She shook her head

Nearly sighing, she copied the note into the record. If she was lying in order to continue eating solids from now on, she would regret it later. But that was her choice to make. The truth would be known sooner rather than later. "Okay, next thing to accomplish today is a physical examination of you today," Sakura addressed. "We're going to run tests on you to find out how healthy you really are."

As she spoke, Dolia steadily listened, not knowing that she was being told a white lie. Sakura was instructed by Lady Tsunade to do a physical examination so they could figure out why Dolia was a monster. There were all kinds of questions that have been left unanswered. Doing this would connect pieces of the puzzle, but not all of them.

"First, I need to ask if there is anything about you I should know about. How about we start with your age?"

Dolia seemed to think for a second. "I don't know," she sheepishly answered, nervous of her reaction.

Sakura furrowed her brow but moved on without fuss. She would make the age estimation later. "What about your diet? What have you normally eaten in the past?"

"My mother brought me bread and apples every time she visited me," she explained, watching Sakura jot down notes. "But…sometimes I would catch squirrels and rabbits and eat them if they fell down the hole."

Sakura paused mid-stroke of her pen. She glanced up at her with a bewildered expression. "Raw?"

Feeling embarrassed and ashamed, she dropped her gaze and reluctantly nodded. "I was just so hungry…" she trailed.

Sakura recognized the change in tone and knew she struck a sore spot. Dolia had to do what she had to do to survive. Her anorexic body frame showed the depth of such hardships. So, attempting to continue the inquiry, she quickly averted more details of her ordeal. She would have to ask a different question instead. "It's okay," she replied softly. "I understand. But, what about your eyes? I saw how they change. What happens when they change?"

Dolia did not look back up. The vague memory of killing the two men flashed through her mind. She knew what Sakura was talking about. Truthfully, she barely trusted herself in transforming again. The event scared her. When it happened in the forest, she was stuck in a ravenous frenzy. The world around her had dissolved into a blur because all she could focus on was the dead deer carcass providing sustenance to her deteriorating body. She barely remembered the two victims entering the picture, but she knew they had to have interrupted her feeding and she attacked them. When Sakura tried pulling her away from the bowl of ramen, she almost repeated the attack, but because she was aware of other people around her, she had maintained control and withdrew. It was still a close call, though. She felt guilty for showing Sakura her hidden side, but she knew she would have to show it again if this was an examination.

"Dolia?" Sakura prompted, having sat in silence shy of a minute straight.

"I see colors," she admitted lowly.

"What kind?"

"Bright colors. And I can see far away. I see details nobody else can." She suddenly tilted her head upward to reveal her blackened eyes and protruding teeth. Sakura's heartbeat quickened immediately out of apprehensiveness but seeing how calm she appeared made her second guess her feelings. There was no hostility to it. She was showing her how her eyes worked. Dolia studied the immaculate green gaze bestowed upon her, absorbing the beautiful natural etching inside the irises. "Your eyes are the prettiest I've seen," she breathed within the mess of teeth crowding the inside of her mouth.

Mesmerized, Sakura blinked. Other powerful eyes she had encountered before were mysterious with their inhuman abilities. The Byakugan gave the Hyuga Clansmen the capability of seeing three-hundred-sixty degrees around their bodies. The Sharingan gave Sasuke and Kakashi the capability of copying hand signs for jutsus. Whatever eyes Dolia possessed had more…natural capabilities. Although unusual for average people, if she could simply see farther and more vividly, what was the purpose?

"Thank you for showing me," Sakura responded with a grateful smile. She watched Dolia's eyes effortlessly roll back to return to their colorless state and her teeth pulled back behind her lips without slicing them along the way. It was just like what happened at Ichiraku Ramen, thus confirming to her that it was the way the transformation occurred.

As she continued her notes, she asked a more open-ended question. "Is there anything else I should know before we start the physical examination?"

Being allowed to speak about anything she wanted, she thought about her dark and forlorn life. Not much happened for most of it until recent years, so she confessed a difficult aspect of her life. "I've given birth," she reservedly said.

Alert filled Sakura at the sound, making her falter in writing. The thought of someone so malnourished carrying a pregnancy was implausible to consider. "Once?" she asked.

"Twice."

A shiver threatened to jolt down Sakura's back. Two babies? They more than likely possessed the same monstrous features, which could mean they could be on the loose and potentially kill as their mother did. And if Dolia's mother was the one providing food for her, who could the father possibly be? It sounded as if he had no role in her life. That could only mean…

"Do you know who fathered your children, Dolia?" she questioned, flipping the page over to take notes for the Analysis Team.

"No," she answered numbly. "But he was the same man."

Sakura quickly scribbled the information down. "A-And your children, did you leave them behind?"

With a hollow voice, Dolia stated: "They're dead."

Sakura momentarily closed her eyes. She did not want to hear that despite the danger of them being alive, but regardless, she wrote it down. "I'm so sorry for your loss," she solemnly yielded. "What were their names?"

"I didn't name them. They died so fast…" The lack of sadness in her voice distressed Sakura. She had either mourned enough to dissociate herself from her trauma, or she could not properly register the event to grieve whatsoever. As she continued to write, she noted the possibility of mental health issues being present. Enduring such tragedy and suffering alone negated anyone from walking away without some kind of infliction to the mind. Sasuke probably was one of those people after his entire clan was massacred. Being spared of hardships like that made Sakura thankful but sympathetic for the ones not so lucky like her.

Releasing the top pages to cover the one she wrote on, she put the clipboard down and began the physical examination.

Ino had returned to the flower shop to finish her shift for the day. Even though helping Sakura was unplanned, she still had a planned dinner to attend. So, she closed up the shop at the end of the day for her mother and then made her way to Choji's favorite barbeque restaurant in the village. Although Team 10 had technically dispersed since Choji, Shikamaru, and herself were promoted to chunins, they all still met occasionally with Asuma Sensei for a bite to eat.

The sun was on its way to set, changing the sky's color to more orange than blue. Ino walked the streets that were beginning to light up from the buildings on both sides. There were all kinds of shops, places to eat, homes, and community dwellings. Although she had a destination to reach, she still had a look around while maintaining her pace. One shop, in particular, had a wide-open door with clothing displayed inside. Ino paused at the sight, but not because she was interested in it for herself. She thought about how Sakura brought back Dolia from her outing with Naruto earlier that day. She was laden with the bedsheets like a dress because she had no clothes of her own to wear. Knowing she was going to leave the hospital eventually to face interrogation with the Analysis Team, she knew Sakura would have to run an errand before she did.

Maybe I can find her something so Sakura doesn't have to, she suggested to herself. Convinced it would be met with gratitude, Ino went ahead and went inside to find something inexpensive but durable.

There were only a couple of patrons inside since it was close to closing time. She had to be hasty if she was still going to make it to the meetup in time. Spotting the first article of clothing, she approached and checked the price before pulling it from the rack. It was a raspberry-colored top that had blue accents in the shape of a hummingbird in the bottom corner. She held it against her front and saw how it was slightly extended past the waistline, but also that it was made for someone with a thin body frame and small chest size.

Perfect.

She laid the top over her forearm and turned around to find a pair of black skin-tight shorts. Grabbing one of the smaller pairs, she tried searching for a pair of sandals but found that the shop carried none. Slightly disappointed but satisfied with what she managed to find, she quickly paid for the clothes and left to continue her walk to the restaurant.

Ino walked inside with the small bag of clothes in her hand and swiftly found the booth that was occupied by her team. Shikamaru sat on one side of the booth by himself while Asuma Sensei and Choji shared the other side. A smoldering firepit in the middle of the table cooked red meat, but Choji had already started eating some. "I'm here," she announced as she slipped in next to Shikamaru, a little embarrassed to be the last one to arrive.

"Seriously? You were shopping?" Choji commented while chewing, having noticed the bag.

"Not for me," she defended, hiding the bag between her feet.

"How is that even possible?" Shikamaru joked, using chopsticks to pluck a piece of meat from the metal rack.

"Hey, I have a heart. It's for someone in need."

"Alright, alright," Asuma interrupted lightheartedly, adjusting his posture. "As long as Ino made it here in one piece, there shouldn't be a problem here."

"Nothing wrong with a bit of curiosity," Shikamaru contended. "You made a new friend or something?"

"I wouldn't say that, but she might be Sakura's new friend. She's taking care of her in the hospital."

"Kakashi did mention to me how Sakura was busier at the hospital than usual. That must be why," Asuma remarked before waving down a server to stock the firepit back up with more meat.

"Oh, yeah, it's kind of a special case for her, but she'll be out of her hands soon."

"I'm surprised she's busy doing that instead of examining the bodies of those two chunins. There hasn't been a funeral for them yet," Shikamaru stated.

Ino took a bite of the barbequed meat she placed on her plate as if his words did not make her nervous in the slightest. Luckily, she did not share any specific details of Dolia for Sakura's sake. She was aware of the Hyuga Clan's unrest with the situation. Not having a funeral for their fellow clansman must have not been settling well with them. She wondered how Hinata and Neji felt about it. But she kept her mouth shut about it since it was not her business to be meddling with. It was better if people did not know that the person responsible was comfortable in a hospital instead of locked up in a jail cell.

After finishing up dinner, Ino took a walk to Sakura's house instead of her own to drop off the bag of clothes. Shops were now closing for the night as the sky turned dark and revealed twinkling stars, but the streets were busy under the orange hue of lights. Ino did not want to worry her parents about her extended absence, so she hurried and hoped Sakura was not still at the hospital.

Upon arrival, she knocked on the front door. When it opened, she was met by Sakura's mother. "Oh, it's Ino!" she greeted happily. "Are you here for Sakura?"

"I am," she confirmed as friendly as possible as she held up the bag, "but just to give her this."

"Sakura! You have a visitor," she called, stepping away.

She heard a door open inside, and not so long after she came face to face with her childhood best friend. "Ino?" she said as if puzzled to see her again after only a few hours apart.

"Hey, I got this for Dolia," she explained, passing her the bag. As Sakura opened the bag to look inside, she added, "I didn't find any shoes, but I thought this was better than nothing."

Her eyes lit up when she realized they were clothes. "Thank you, Ino," she breathed with relief. "Let me pay you back."

"No, no. Don't worry about it. As long as they get used, I don't care."

"Okay. I owe you one."

"No, you don't. I just wanted to be nice. Besides, you're busy."

"Not for long. I'm giving Lady Tsunade the medical examination results tomorrow. Dolia might be seeing your dad sooner than we thought if she deems her healthy enough to proceed with the investigation."

"Is that…good news for you?"

"I don't know yet. I'm a little nervous if I'm honest. Dolia has been through so much in her life. I don't know how much more she can take."

Ino was not too sure what all Sakura was talking about, but she knew her dad would find out for himself. "Well, I'll ask him to be gentle with her, if that makes you feel better."

"Ibiki is the one I'm most concerned about when she gets interrogated, but thanks."

"No problem. I'll see you later," she promised, walking away.

"Bye," Sakura replied, sticking her head outside. "And thanks again!"

"You're welcome!"

Sakura closed the door and pulled the clothes out from the bag to see what exactly they were. Ino was more into fashion and styles, so she knew they would at least look good. Much to her surprise, it was simple clothing, but it was indeed better than nothing. Maybe like how Dolia enjoyed her new hair today, she would also like actual clothes instead of the rags she came into the village with or the bed sheets Naruto had her wear.

Her hospital room was dark and cold as nighttime took over. Dolia laid in the bed awake and not feeling the least bit sleepy. She felt different than she had in the past. People were kind to her, she was reminded of the pain and tragedy in her life, and she endured a physical exam that left her dreading what was to come next.

Sakura had drawn blood, taken x-rays, and even did a pelvic exam. When she finished and left her for the rest of the day, she did not know the turmoil she was battling inside. There were things Dolia wanted to forget ever happened, and that included the conceptions and losses of her infant son and daughter. Although it was important for Sakura to know about it for her examination, it still brought a burning emptiness inside her chest.

Numbly, she sat up and slipped out of the bed to go look out the window. There were some soft lights outside that illuminated the road in front of the hospital, but they were not strong enough to block out the stars in the sky. She gazed up like she did when she was trapped in the hole, but the view was unfamiliar to her. The stars were basically rearranged. What was once a comfort to her was now not despite it being the same night sky. But she did not care. Each time she lost her children, she had looked up through the hole to be greeted by a new star. Seeing them eased her because she knew they were still alive somewhere.

The creature could not identify those stars here in the Hidden Leaf Village. They were lost in the cluster, trapped in the milky hue. Without making a sound, Dolia wept. Warm tears streamed down her featureless face and her lip curled in misery. Kind people had surrounded her throughout the day and shown her love, but she still felt so alone. She just wanted to hold her children. She just wanted her mother to come back with another basket of bread. She just wanted to belong to somebody. She just wanted to not be a remnant of a lost clan.