Sunday, May 19th, 2013.

Hey guys! This chapter is where you finally find out what happened to Sai and Shisui! More or less. Sai, really. And a lot of SaIno at the end.

Sorry if this wasn't as good as the other chapters. I didn't get a lot of time to edit this one. I had my hair done one day after school (extensions - that takes hours. I have legit-black-chick hair, guys.) and I'm kinda sick. My Spanish 1 project also took up a lot of time.

Just to let you guys know, Thursday-Saturday morning of next week I'll be in San Francisco, California for a Six Flags trip for school. (That is where the Cali Six Flags is, right). It's an annual thing for 8th graders at the end of the year. But I'm a wimp on amusement park rides so I'm not sure how much fun I'll have exactly. Wish me luck.

The week after is final's week and the last day of school, with no school on that Monday (the 27th) because it's Memorial Day. I may update early that week - more time.

BTW, about a week or two ago, I saw a guy with a Chopper (from One Piece) T-shirt. He was a big black guy. And a One Piece fan. Man enough to have a cute reindeer on the back of his shirt. I wanted to bump fists with that guy, but I was too much of a wimp.

I'm kinda sick, too, so my throat feels like shit. My voice sounds terrible, too.

Word Count of the chapter itself, minus AN: 3,245.

Fun Fact About Me or Otherwise: I'm Kenyan-American if you didn't already know. (Kenya's a country in East Africa, btw) I have no American blood or any blood that isn't Kenyan really, except for the fact that my sister and I were born in the states. My home state is Kansas, but I moved to Arizona right after I turned 8. My parents have 2 native languages - Swahili (which is a mix of languages in Africa, but mostly originates from Arabic) and Gikuyu, which is the language of the tribe and area that my parents are from. Apparently sis and I understood them as toddlers, but lost it as we grew. Now, I know only a little, but they're on my Mandatory Languages to Learn List. It's a long list. And I have a noticeable American accent that grows the older I get. F*ck.

Answer to Last QotW: Probably Mr. Brightside by The Killers (American band). I've loved that song as long as I could remember. I can't get enough of it.

Do you guys want me to start a mini "Weekly Recommended Book/Anime/Manga Segment? I'll do that if you want, with a little summary, my thoughts, if I've seen it, etc. Do you want me to have books and anime/manga separate?"

Disclaimer: I don't think a 14-year-old girl graduating middle school would own Naruto. Just sayin'. (btw, I had a typo earlier saying I graduated high school when I wasn't. So I exported the chapter real quick to fix that. A 14-year old graduating high school is incredible, but isn't me)

Enjoy, guys! I hope you like the SaIno!

If anything's confusing, let me know and I'll explain it. And Sai may be a bit OOC, but due to the situations. I tried, though.


Chapter 28: Sai


FLASHBACK


Sai POV

It's alright… I can do this… I'm almost there…

I crept along the ground of the archives of the ROOT base, cautious for the guards and any traps.

I scanned the shelves, desperately trying to remember my memories of this place years ago, when I was a young child. As well as the memories of barely 2 years ago, when I graduated.

When I was a child, Danzo showed me around the base like he always did to "promising" recruits after they graduated the academy and a year of training. At the time, I was 10.(1)

Danzo also showed my brother and I the archives, something done rarely. But it was very brief.

When I graduated ROOT training, he gave me a more proper tour or what kind of scrolls went where; overall history of the village for the entire North-West Wing; personnel of Leaf ninja below the rank of ANBU is in the North-Northeast Wing; History of Suna in the red shelves in the South-Southeast Wing; etcetera.

I was looking for the black shelves at the south-southwest of the archive room, the part that, usually, only Danzo is allowed to use. No one else is allowed there.

It was known to me that he also kept private scrolls there in cases that his own room was not sufficient. His room had flooded last night due to a pipe leak that not only affected the ROOT base, but part of the village. It was a complete accident, and I knew Danzo put his scrolls there this morning.

He was now too occupied with the Invasion to come over here, but there's no guarantee he'd never come – I'd have to hurry.

Found them!

I checked to make sure my gloves were on securely – the kind of gloves they give graduates to completely disguise figure prints and almost completely disguise any kind of substance that may leave a mark on paper. They also all smell the same and can only be smelled by a heavily-nose-trained dog, or similar animal: they smell of what the area they're in smells like, not the wearer. The gloves have a material that absorbs the air and filters it – leaving it smelling like what place it's in. The dogs wouldn't be able to tell where the smell came from, nor the person who wore them.

The only downside was that if it was discovered that someone was here and tried to steal the Scrolls like what I'm doing, they'd know it was a ROOT agent.

I don't know which one it is… I guess I'll just pick a random one… I believe I used that word right, "random".

I picked it up and rolled it open, looking for anything hinting at the Uchiha Massacre, or Orochimaru.

No… that's not it! It's just regular ROOT classified information – information about dead members.

I put it back gently, not wanting to set off any alarm.

After a few more scrolls, I finally found the one I was looking for, and it was partially wrinkly from dried water. This must have gotten wet. This better be Danzo-sama's.

I picked it up, and read it.

It was written in code.

In the ROOT Archives, most of the scrolls are at least partially written in code to prevent sensitive information from getting out in the (impossible) instance that an outsider was able to steal something.

Scrolls like the History of Konoha or Suna only had code written in places describing secret, sensitive, classified, or generally unknown information.

Other scrolls, like this one, were almost, if not entirely written in code.

The code is taught to all members, more or less. When you are young, you learn a handful of words/translations of the code. The older and promising you are, the more you'll be taught over the years. If it seems you may leave ROOT or betray it, they kill you. You probably would've died in the last test of the organization anyhow, but we don't take such risky chances.

By a while after you graduate, you would know about 85%-90%, maybe even 95% of the code. It all depends on loyalty, strength, and closeness to Danzo's side.

But it was more than enough to get by.

I knew about 92-93%.(2) Danzo often says I may be one of his own new right-hand men one day.

I'm sure, had I never met Sakura, Dickless, Beautiful, and the others, that may have been the case.

Seeing how Danzo hasn't said that in a while, he must have noticed my change. I'm not sure how bad that may be, though.

Anyways, Danzo and his two right-hand men are the only ones in the entire organization who know the whole code.

Danzo has his own personal code as well, and is often mixed in with the more important scrolls, and he's the only one who knows all of it. We assume his two assistants(3) know maybe 98%, if not all of it, knowing how close they are to him.

The idea is, nobody else knows.

And unfortunately for me, about 15% of this was written in Danzo's code, which is much more… "troublesome" than it sounds.

However, I did see many mentions of Itachi, the Council, the Massacre, the Third, Orochimaru, and experiments.

I understood, more or less, that this was the scroll I was looking for. I was expecting him to keep them in separate scrolls, though – one for the Massacre, another for his secret dealings with Orochimaru.

I wasn't complaining, however. Did I use that phrase right?

I put the scroll away in my pack and made a fake one using an old, blank, scroll that any ROOT member may use and place in the archives once written in, and used ink and a genjutsu to make it look like it had the same content and looked exactly the same, placing it where the original was.

Immediately, I hurried out.

I made it to a long corridor near the Archives, leading to training rooms, and past that, a discreet exit. Usually used at night, or during missions.

"Where are you going!?" A voice bellowed.

I almost froze, but quickly started running again.

"Hey!" I took a glimpse behind me, looking through the small holes I made in the fabric of my black face-mask.

"Are you taking a test?"

It was a random ROOT member, chasing after me. I don't think he knows I stole something…

Every once in a while, ROOT has an exam to test our stealth, and many participants wear all black, like I am. Head-to-toe in dark clothing, and often, only our eyes, if that much were shown.

It's very easy to get fabric that you can see through, though usually just a few feet. Small holes are made in masks to, but also to keep others from noticing our eye color.

Like contestants often do, I used a henge to change my appearance and body structure.

I know have very tanned skin, dark blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, am 6'2", and remotely stalky and muscled. Though the only thing visible is my height and stalk.

I took the appearance of an older, quiet trainee, knowing it was incredibly unlikely that he would speak of his exams and that no one would ask about it, since we are very private, inverse people. I was safe in that department.

He was especially quiet, as if to make up for his size. He often carried a pack identical to mine, as well as a tanto (that I changed mine to look like), so my things didn't look suspicious.

I nodded to the other ROOT member.

"Alright. Go on. Excuse me for interrupting."

I nodded again as he turned to leave.

As soon as he was out of site, I hurried out the building.

I just made it out the building when multiple kunai stabbed my back.

I looked around as I fell, but I didn't find the culprit.

All I knew was that there were many, and that none of them were the man that stopped me before, judging by the faint chakra signatures.

"Stop right there," they said in monotone.

Is that how I sound?

I pulled myself back up as quickly as possible while pulling the kunai out of my back. I tried not to think about the pain and ignore it as we were trained to do.

My assailants engaged me, all 5 of them, in a close combat battle.

I did my best to fight them back.

Luckily, some were weaker than me and didn't take too long to get rid of. (I didn't kill them.)

However, the others were tougher and soon, I was tiring out.

I also had to keep them from opening my pack. But luckily for me, they only seemed to be interested in tiring me out.

Unluckily for me, the seal in my mouth placed by Danzo on every ROOT member soon began to burn painfully, and it was all I could do not to scream.

My exhaustion, coupled with my pain, caused met to drop my henge.

Fortunately, I was still in all black.

Unfortunately, they knew I was now an imposter, and a young one, seeing my stature compared to theirs.

They fought harder.

Soon, I felt that I was about to collapse, and I did my best to stay awake.

There's no way I could get away from them. I need help… but no one could help me now…

I felt a tanto stab through my stomach. I coughed up blood.

I began to fall to the ground as my vision blurred.

Is this it? I'm sorry, Ugly, Dickless, Scarecrow, Cockatoo,… everyone.I'm sorry Beautiful… Ino. I never did figure out how I felt about you exactly did I? Are my feelings for you "like"? A "crush"? Or is it more than that...? I guess I'll never know… and you won't either… Goodbye, In-

"Get up, man! Get up!" A male voice interrupted my goodbye.

I turned as best could, and saw a flash of black. This person's disguised, too…

I heard the sounds of fighting, people falling, then grunts.

Is helping me?

The next thing I knew, I was jerked upwards and thrown over a shoulder, bobbing up and down as the person who grabbed me ran.

After what felt like a substantial amount of running, the person laid me against a tree, and sat in front of my form.

We're alone…

He took off the black clothing covering my original clothing, as well as taking off his own.

Shisui-sempai. He helped me.

I tried to open my mouth to thank him, –this feeling is gratitude, correct?– but then the pain of my mark increased, making me remember it. I had forgotten about it.

I groaned, miserable, as blood that I coughed up from my injuries as well as from biting my tongue so hard to ignore the pain filled my mouth and trickled down it. I opened my mouth slightly so I didn't choke on the blood and saliva.

When I was done with releasing the blood, Shisui pried open my mouth, too see my tongue. He cringed.

I felt like my tongue was burning, being molded, pounded, and all sorts of painful things. Because the mark was attached to the brain as well, what started as a small headache evolved to what felt like anvils constantly falling on my head.

In addition, I had many wounds, which also hurt.

Needless to say, I was engulfed in pain.

"Don't worry! I'm going to get you healed, soon, okay?" Shisui said to me, trying to reassure me.

My vision blurred again, and I felt myself losing consciousness.

"Hand in there, alright? Hang in…"

I fell into darkness.


END OF FLASHBACK


Ino POV

"Oh, Sai…" I said, holding back tears.

Shisui had explained to me what he knew about what happened, and that he had Hana heal his stab wound as best she could, so he didn't bleed out and that it would be out of the records. Just in case any ROOT members suspected him and checked out his hospital records.

They also had to, unfortunately, heal some injuries while inflicting new ones – again so Sai wouldn't be discovered.

The moment I was allowed to see him, I did, and I cried at his bedside as he slept.

He was asleep for 40 hours, and when he woke up late that second day, I spent the night with him, keeping him company.

It was apparent he couldn't talk, however, but we made sure that it was from something else – just not from "a curse mark", like it was. Injected with poison that affected the mouth. Kankuro made a fake that Sai had to ingest.

The inability to speak isn't permanent, however – the tongue one of the fastest healing organs in the body, and it would only take a couple weeks for him to be speaking normally again.

However, it'd be best that we remove the seal.

If Danzo had somehow activated it in the first place – we assume a ROOT member had told him about a suspicious character and suspected Sai, since we know, and Shisui confirmed, that Danzo wasn't in the area. In other words, he must think Sai's less trustworthy than before.

Might as well remove the seal right?

But. Here's the problem – only one person can do it: Jiraiya. He's the only one extremely skilled in sealing jutsu in the village(4), and the only one we could trust. He already knows everything about the future, since his soul basically returned from it and he was apparently told by Itachi as well.

But that's not the problem.

This is.

Jiraiya believed the removal of the seal would be painful, difficult – since he's only done it once, like 20 years ago –, may render Sai unable to speak for up to 7 months, and worst of all: because Danzo put it there, there's a 99.9% chance he'd know about its removal. There's a huge probability that he'd also know who it was removed from as well.

That'd mean Sai would have to go into hiding the second there was any slight indication of Danzo targeting him. Yes, that'll confirm his suspicions, but it's better than Sai getting killed.

So, we decided Jiraiya'd do it the night before he leaves with Naruto to find Tsunade, Day 6 in the hospital. He leaves with Naruto on our 7th day.

After that, Sai would be taken somewhere private to recuperate, and we wouldn't be allowed to see him for at least a week.

So, the procedure's tonight.

In half an hour to be exact. And I only had minutes left with him before I'd be forced out of his room and into my own.

I've spent every day with Sai, occasionally visiting the others and staying in my own hospital room for my check-ups and when I wasn't allowed out of my room. I talked constantly to him, and he used a notebook I gave him to comment and reply.

We even spoke about learning about the deaths of those in the Shinobi HQ in the war in our dreams.(5) Though I had time to gather with the others about it, especially Shikamaru and Tenten who had lost their father and close friend respectively, the time I had with Sai was what really allowed me to move on past it. I was heart-broken when I learned about it, and the others may have helped pick me up slowly, but Sai was the one who really got me out of the darkness of grief.

...Anyway. On a lighter note...

Sai was fed nutrients through an IV drop. The only substance that was allowed in his mouth was water.

I'm so scared…

So am I, Inner.

But I took a breath.

"Are you read for this, Sai-kun?"

He nodded.

I scooted closer into the bed with him, making sure not to accidentally get his IV drop pulled out. The top half of his bed was raised so he was sitting partially upright.

He buried my head into his neck as he wrapped in arm around me.

Though I tried hard not to, a few rouge tears escaped my face and trickled down it.

"I really hope this works, Sai-kun."

He nodded setting the notebook on the table beside the bed.

I took a deep breath.

We have to tell him, Outer. I won't feel right if we don't.

I know... I will.

"I-I have someth-thing to t-tell, you, ok-kay?" I stuttered, nervous but gathering courage, and holding back every urge to cry.

I looked into his eyes deeply.

I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it!

"I love you, Sai-kun," I stated, firmly and strongly. Come on... be brave...

His eyes widened.

"I really do. And at the moment, I don't care if you love me back yet or not, but I know you care about me, and you will love me in your own pace and time, and I don't mind that. I just want you to know.

"I've never had such strong feelings for anyone before, and now I know how Sakura and Hinata felt when they were around the ones they loved. And I may have the tiniest inkling of understanding of how it felt to be apart from them.

"I-I'll be waiting, okay?" I wiped tears from my eyes.

"I'll be here waiting until I could see you again, praying for the success of your procedure, and that you won't have to hide from him for a while. That you'll be safe, with me, as long as possible.

"I'll miss you, okay? Always remember that I love you, more than anything."

I gave up holding them back and let tears pour down my face, softly pecking his lips.

It was the 2nd kiss we had, though both this one and the first weren't much more than pecks. He wasn't my first kiss – Did you forget who I am? Do you think a currently-technically-17-year-old(6) flirt hadn't kissed anyone before? –but they were the best ones I've had.

Before, I merely was infatuated with the guys I dated and kissed.

But this time, I was in love, we weren't dating, and I wanted to take things slow for his sake. This meant so much more to me than the other guys.

I pulled away, and was about to leave the bed, but Sai's arm around me stopped me.

He pulled me to him, and after staring at my eyes at the moment, trying to convey something, he crashed his lips against mine.

It was the first time he initiated a kiss, but it was also our most passionate one. The most passionate one I've ever had, actually.

This was fierce, almost harsh, and I could feel him struggling to convey his emotions through it. I reciprocated with equal passion.

It was bliss. This was nothing like the with other guys… they can't compare. At all. In fact, forget them. We have Sai-kun now.

When we finally pulled away, panting, he gazed strongly into my eyes, and I finally understood what he was trying to say.

Just in case I didn't get it, he wrote it on the notebook and showed it to me. "I love you too, Ino."

Elated, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him fiercely.

He returned the embrace, holding me to him tightly.

We could stay like this forever.

The beautiful moment was broken however with the knock on the door.

Jiraiya walked in, his expression apologetic, albeit somber.

"It's time."

I looked to Sai, and whispered to him that I loved him. I kissed his cheek and as we exchanged a quick hug, and I walked off the bed to the door.

I took one last look at him.

It took a bit of struggling, but he did it.

He did it.

He gave me a smile.

A genuine smile.

A smile of love.

It may have been small, but it was beautiful to me.

And it made my heart ache even more.

I gave my own sad one, and quickly left the room toward mine.

I leaped into my bed, turning off the lights as I went. I looked over toward my roommate, Sakura, who was fast asleep.

Then, I closed my eyes trying to sleep.

But it never found me.

I stayed up all night listening to the screams of my love, whom I shouldn't be able to hear. The room was supposed to be in the opposite wing of the hospital and sound-proof. Why then?! Is this a punishment, Kami-sama?!(7) Please, please, let him be okay! Please...

Even when they were over, I was haunted by them.

I never slept that night, and nightmares plagued the nights afterward.


(1): He graduated the Academy at 9, and was promoted to Chunin at 10.
(2): I'd think Sai would be pretty statistical belonging to such an elite group. So, a lot of numbers, guys.
(3): Torune [Aburame] and Fuu [Yamanaka].
(4): Jiraiya's actually incredibly talented with sealing jutsu.
(5): I think I mentioned this earlier about the time travelers having dreams of what would've happened in the future had they never left it. BTW, this even happened CHAPTERS ago. Like, in January. Or before that. It was before Neji died. Everyone in HQ was killed, so Inoichi and Shikaku are dead. Choza's alive though. He was on the battlefield.
(6): So in the future, Ino's 16 right now, assuming that it September hasn't passed. But because it is NOVEMBER right now, and her birthday has passed, in a way, she's 17. It's kind of confusing.
(7): "Kami-sama"=God. "Kami" alone can mean
a god or "hair" (weird, right?) but with -sama in the end, you're referring to the Christian God. 'Kay?

QotW: Burger King vs McDonalds? Which one? If you really want, In 'N Out and Carl's Jr. can be an option, too, but this is mostly the question to the BK-McD's war. If you're vegetarian or vegan, you can just give me your favorite food, or if you have a preference if you WERE to eat their food, or weren't always vegan/vegetarian and had them before, tell me which one you liked better.

BTW, in ReWind, I've finally gotten to Sasuke's birthday. But I'm having troubles for ideas for Sakura and Kakashi's birthday presents to Sasuke. Kay? Any ideas?

AND... Do you guys want me to start a mini "Weekly Recommended Book/Anime/Manga Segment? I'll do that if you want, with a little summary, my thoughts, if I've seen it, etc. Do you want me to have books and anime/manga separate?"

Don't forget to review!