Pompeii
Chapter 20
jaylene

"Pancakes?" Sakura asked, not turning as she flipped the batter over in the pan.

"With chocolate chips?" Ino said, slouching into one of the rickety, mismatched chairs around Sakura's kitchen table.

"What else?" said Sakura.

"You're a godsend!" Ino moaned into her arms.

"I try," Sakura said, finally turning to give her friend a smile. She paused, taking in Ino's entire vestige. While gorgeous as always, Ino was not exactly pristine. Her hair was down for a change and Sakura spotted several tangling knots. "Wow, you were not kidding about not being a morning person."

Ino deigned to raise herself from her arms, glaring balefully in Sakura's direction. "I wasn't as a child and decades later I'm still not."

Sakura placed a plate in front of Ino, patting her shoulder in sympathy before taking a seat in the faded red wicker chair across from her. "You still haven't explained the age thing to me. The rest call you and Naruto and the rest 'babies' but you've been alive for decades?"

Ino shrugged. "Couple centuries. Everyone ages differently. I only recently reached maturity. So I was technically a kid when I was your pen pal." Sakura nodded, digging into her pancakes. "Gods above and below!" Ino exclaimed. "These are amazing ."

"Better than Choji's?" Sakura teased.

Ino glanced around furtively, smile curled and pleased. "Just don't let him know." Her smile faded into a scowl as her gaze focused on a spot above Sakura's head. " What is that?"

"What is what?" Sakura asked, alarmed, as she patted her hair. "What?" The that in question floated down from its place in Sakura's hair, landing innocuously on the table. Sakura laughed, relieved. "It's a feather."

Ino didn't look nearly so satisfied, snatching the feather up and examining it with an expert eye. She snorted. "They're quite terrible at preening," she muttered, tone strangely victorious. She turned cornflower blue eyes on Sakura. "Why exactly were you at the Uchiha compound?"

"Itachi whisked me away," Sakura replied with an eye roll, feeling warm all over as she remembered his words. Family . "I stayed for dinner."

Ino didn't say anything, returning to her stack of pancakes with an angry vigor. Sakura returned to eating as well, squirming as the silence veered into awkward, strained territory.

"Thanks for coming with me today," Sakura said. "I know it's really early in the day." She gestured to the colorful sky outside; the vestige of sunrise.

"Of course!" Ino said, brightening once more. "I'm glad you asked me to come. Trust me, it's really easy to lose yourself at the market."

"I have no doubt," Sakura said, glancing at Ino's hair once more. She itched to tease out the tangles. "Ino, is it alright if I braid your hair?"

At worst, Sakura expected a gentle letdown if Ino didn't want her hair touched by inexperienced hands. After all, Ino was a hairstylist herself.

She did not expect Ino to leap to her feet, flushing. "U-um, I-I mean…I didn't expect…it's fine with me," Ino said, ending on a nervous giggle as she took her seat once more.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Sakura asked, wary of Ino's response.

"It's fine," Ino said, grin wide. "I just…it was unexpected."

"Okay," Sakura said, standing up and moving behind Ino's seat. "Are you sure?" she asked, wanting to make sure her friend was comfortable.

"Yes!" Ino yelped. She cleared her throat and said more quietly, "Yes."

With tentative hands, Sakura carded her fingers along Ino's scalp. Her hair was thick and luxurious, moving through Sakura's fingers like liquid silk. Ino released a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whimper. Sakura paused but Ino did not move.

Shrugging, Sakura continued on, drawing her fingers down through the knots and unweaving them with gentle patience. She was in awe of Ino's hair, its length and softness were extraordinary.

Ino leaned into her touch, soaking it in with small sighs of contentment and satisfaction. Her fingers curled into the surface of the table as Sakura began the process of separating her hair for braiding.

"Alright there?" Sakura asked, bemusement clear.

"Perfect," Ino replied, tempted to curl into a ball and drag Sakura with her. Build up a room of soft and shiny things…

"And done," Sakura proclaimed, tying the end result off with a hairband. "Not half bad if I do say so myself."

Ino managed to conceal her disappointment at the end of the experience, instead leaping to her feet. "Let me see! Let me see!"

Sakura laughed, leading her into the bathroom.

Ino examined the fishtail braid from all angles, assessing the look with a critical eye. Sakura did her best not to feel nervous. Her work being scrutinized so closely put her a bit on edge. Of course, she'd experienced all sorts of evaluations while in medical school and residency but this was different. This was a field that she had no real experience in and she was being judged by an expert.

Ino turned to her, expression solemn. Sakura felt her heart fall. "It's gorgeous!" Ino said, pulling Sakura into a hug as she jumped up and down. "Thank you, thank you!"

Sakura laughed, caught up in Ino's giddiness. "Glad you like it! It's been a while since I've done anyone's hair."

"If you decide that the doctor's life isn't for you let me know," Ino said, adjusting the braid to fall over her shoulder. "I could use a stylist like you at the salon."

Sakura flushed with pleasure, shaking her head. "Oh stop."

"I shan't," Ino replied, linking their arms. "We need to get going. The door will only be open for a little bit longer this morning."

Sakura, though not quite understanding, nodded in agreement and followed Ino outside, glad for her winter wear: a red pea coat and navy scarf combination that protected her from the bracing chill. It was truly winter now and the wind buffeted Sakura's face until it chafed. She and Ino made their way out beneath the watery, rising sun as they headed into the center of town.

"Shouldn't we head for your car?" Sakura asked, looking around the downtown area.

Everything was still covered in snow and the weak sunlight splayed across the icicles that lingered upon buildings and trees like thousands of glimmering fairy lights. The most eye-catching piece of all was the grouping of ash trees that sprawled out in the middle of the square. It was affectionately termed the "doorway tree" from its numerous openings that weaved in and out of each other, creating spaces of empty air or "doorways." The tree, rather, trees were rumored to have been there long before Pompeii existed.

Perhaps before Icarus too…

"No silly," Ino said, smiling at Sakura in that way many Pompeii residents regarded her: fond patronization. It was like she was missing some piece of the puzzle; a page from the story everyone else knew by heart. "As I said, we're using the door."

Sakura blinked, looking at the doorway tree once more. It was more than large enough for a person to pass through any of those negative spaces…

"Truly?" Sakura said, feeling a grin spread across her face.

"Yep," Ino said. "I got the tickets from Minato last week so we're good to go. We just need to pass them to him…"

"Ino, Dr. Haruno!"

"Speak of the devil," Ino murmured as they turned to Minato. "Good to see you, mayor!"

"I was worried you two weren't going to make it!" he said, tucking his hands into his pockets with a harried look. "The portal is closing in ten minutes. It'll reopen at 4:44 this afternoon. It'll stay open for an hour and eleven minutes. Make sure you come back through by then!" He waggled a finger in their faces. "Kushina would have my hide!"

"No worries, Minato!" Ino said, placing two orange slips of paper into his open hand. "We're punctual."

Minato hummed, still regarding them with worry as the tickets in his hand went up in a cloud of glittery smoke. "Be careful. There's a few others from town visiting the market today, though you know already that it is no guarantee that you'll meet up over there." He guided them around the side of the tree, to a place where a ladder led up to a higher opening in the tree. It was at least fifteen feet up. "Right here, ladies."

Sakura watched as Ino climbed up the ladder, doing her best to ignore her rising hesitation.

"I'll go through first and wait for you on the other side," Ino said. "There will be a…swooping sensation as you step through. You know, like a first flight, only worst."

Sakura did not have a chance to say that she had not , in fact, experienced flight outside of planes and the Uchiha. She had the feeling that wasn't what Ino was talking about. Sakura climbed to the final rung, staring through the negative space. There was nothing extraordinary about it; Sakura could see the pale wood of the other side of the tree. However, Ino was gone, just like that.

She could do this. She'd weathered scarier things.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment before pitching herself forward.

There was in fact a strange, swooping sensation that yanked at the space behind her bellybutton. Before that, however, she opened her eyes to grey surroundings, ensconced in glimmering, glittery crystals. There was this weightlessness that accompanied her, something that made her think that this was what space might be like, if space was the place Between. It was soothing and Sakura found herself drifting as if cast out to sea for what could have been scant seconds or infinite eternities.

Suddenly she was in a thick copse of trees. She was naked. The trees' needles were heavy and weighed down and scratched across her bare skin. Sakura clutched at her arms, unable to ignore the rasping whispers of the trees, some long forgotten language harsh against her ears.

She tried to move, tried to fight as the trees closed in around her, but she was helpless as their chanting picked up.

Sakura could only watch with horror as the branches closed in around her, swallowing her whole.

Then , she was reeled in by the tug that centered at her gut. Sakura came back into herself, balanced on hands and knees and dry heaving.

Cool hands cupped her face and stroked back along her neck and back soothingly. As the ringing left her ears, Sakura could make out the nonsense comfort words that Ino repeated over and over.

Sakura sat back on her haunches, smiling up at Ino. "Not a chance that I'm wasting my breakfast this morning."

Ino laughed lightly, hands still making circular motions on her back. "Sorry about that. The first time is the worst. I didn't think to warn you."

"It's fine," Sakura said, accepting Ino's assistance to stand.

Ino's hands fluttered around Sakura, still guilty over her mistake. Ino cleared her throat, guiding her friend away from the cave they emerged from. She turned Sakura toward the revelry that was going on below them. "Welcome to the Goblin Market."

Arid, desert air pressed warmly against what little of Sakura's skin was bared. Sakura unfurled her scarf and slid free of her coat, staring down at the market laid out before her. She could see no end to the jewel toned tops of different pavilions that were settled among the sand. The sun beat down upon them, high past noon.

"Where are we?" Sakura asked, blinking against the harsh sunlight.

"This week's location for the market," Ino said. She squinted, examining their surroundings. "I think we are in Hathor. It's in Sudan."

Sakura glanced at her friend. "Sudan, the country in Africa." It wasn't a question, more just a statement to help her come to terms with the reality of the moment. "Huh."

Ino laughed, shaking her head. "C'mon now. We have quite a bit to explore."

Sakura grabbed Ino's hand, running down the hill as quickly as she can. She heard Ino's breathless giggles as Sakura led the charge into the marketplace. They fell into the throng of people and Sakura breathed in the smells of the place deeply, placing jasmine and cedar, probably wafting from the potions tent she could see up ahead to the left.

"Where to first?" Ino asked, taking in Sakura's gobsmacked expression.

Sakura glanced around at the booths, different in every way possible. She settled on one of the tents that was a deep magenta and quite tall, filled to the brim with all sorts of shiny trinkets. The shopkeeper was a tottering old woman covered with charms that seemed the same as those within the shop. "Here?" Sakura said, somewhat hesitant.

"Good choice," Ino said. "I need to refresh the charms for my house. And dad's been nagging me about getting him a cleanliness one. His wore out after only two weeks." She smirked at Sakura. "I'm not sure if it was the shoddy craftsmanship or the chaos of the house that did it in."

Ino traded gossip with the old woman who ran the booth as Sakura browsed. There were protection spells from all around the world. She saw brightly colored omamori, small and large ankhs, and items that she couldn't even identify. Sakura hesitated, tracing her fingers listlessly over one of the ankhs.

Maybe…

Maybe there was something here to help with the dreams?

"Hey, Sakura!" Ino called, bustling over. "I'm heading next door real quick, it's the potions stall; you can't miss it."

"Be safe," Sakura said.

Ino blew a raspberry and floated out the door, carrying a small bag filled with her purchases.

"You're going to be a hard one."

Sakura turned, startled, relaxing as she stared down at the wizened shopkeeper. "Sorry, what was that?"

"You've got a touch of darkness on you," the woman said, grabbing Sakura's hand within both of her own. Her rings and amulets brushed roughly across Sakura's skin. The woman's eyes went milky as she stared over Sakura's shoulder. "It's something ancient, certainly not of your own doing." Her eyes turned gold. "My, my, what's this?" she exclaimed, a surprised smile pulling at her lips. "Haven't seen magic this old in…well… ever ."

"Is that bad?" Sakura asked, mouth twisting in a frown.

The woman shrugged. "Who can say? Old magic like this is fickle and quite finicky. As of now everything seems to be well…you've just been brushed with it."

"Great," Sakura said drily.

The woman leaned up, cupping Sakura's face. She clucked. "That bit of darkness, however, is hurting you. Come with me."

Sakura followed the woman into the back of the shop. There was a little workshop in the back, the place where the woman obviously made her craft. There were stacks of boxes filled with feathers, with twinkling jewels and bits of stardust, with shrunken heads and needles. In short, the room was pandemonium.

"Now, I only make the ankhs by hand," the woman said, wading into the mess and rifling about. "Protection charms are a dangerous craft and they can backfire quite easily. I get the omamori from a miko in the Tokyo region, lovely girl really and a time traveler to boot. However, what you need is something a little different." The small woman made a sound of triumph and made her way through the mire back to Sakura. "Here!"

Sakura stared down at the circular object the woman placed in her hands. It was a dreamcatcher. It wasn't one of those gaudy ones that Sakura saw at carnivals. It was made of willow, the natural wood clear as a flowering pattern of web ran through the middle. Pale feathers were attached at the bottom and at the very center of the web were two beads, one purple and the other white.

"This should keep the darkness from festering in your night terrors," the woman said sagely. "It's made by the Ojibwe people. Trust me, it's as authentic a bawaajige nagwaagan you can get."

Sakura nodded, still smoothing her fingers across the soft, flexible wood.

"Let's go back to the front dear and I'll ring you up."

Sakura was thankful to find that instantaneous travel between countries and continents did not , in fact, prevent her from using her debit card here in Hathor.

She exchanged goodbyes with the woman and headed out into the street, excited to show Ino her purchase.

Only Ino was nowhere to be found.

Sakura bit back a groan of frustration, turning to look through the crowd. The press of people around her was much too thick and she found herself moving among the vendors, not really looking at their wares as she searched for Ino.

Sakura continued her search for over an hour before finally electing to sit down on an empty bench, releasing a defeated groan. There was no chance she could find Ino, not in a such a sprawling place like this.

Certainly, Sakura could always return to Pompeii; she knew the way. Surely, Ino would follow.

Still, she wanted to find her friend and enjoy their time here together.

She didn't have much longer before she would need to head back to the transport site. She didn't want to be late.

Sakura placed her head in her hands, glum.

She blinked as what appeared to be a bubble floated in between her knees, popping against the rough wood of the bench. It was a bubble.

Sakura looked up as more bubbles began to sail by lazily, twisting with the wind. The sun splayed off of them, creating wonderful, multi-faceted prisms of light. Sakura kept her fingers gentle as she grazed the bubbles, trying to catch one. It didn't quite work as they kept breaking. She couldn't keep from laughing as one brushed against her nose and popped.

Another laugh joined hers.

Sakura startled, turning, red-faced in embarrassment, to see her new bench mate. He was quite slender and tall, his frame bent in what seemed an uncomfortable position to sit upon the bench. He wore his dark hair long over one eye. His expression was calm, peaceful even as he watched her with mirth. Between his lips, a long, slender pipe was held from which the bubbles emerged.

"Thanks," Sakura said, still trying to fight down her initial reaction of embarrassment. "I needed cheering up."

"The pleasure is all mine," the man replied. He smiled, ever so slightly. "Especially when my audience gives such an… adorable response."

Sakura cleared her throat, scuffing her feet against the cobbled street. "I'm Sakura."

"Utakata," he said, still eyeing her with blatant fascination and amusement.

"You from around here?" she asked, deciding that it was best to focus her attention to the bubbles he continued to blow as she made small talk.

"Not quite," he said. "And neither are you."

It wasn't a question.

Sakura cast him a quick look but he was surveying the people around him.

"This is your first visit to the market," Utakata said, taking a deep breath and blowing.

Bubbles larger than Sakura's fist moved past her. "Is it that obvious?" she said.

He inclined his head. "Many are harried, even after years of coming to the market. No need to fret."

Sakura hummed in agreement and they fell into a companionable silence, just watching the distorted shapes of people through the bubbles. There was something tranquil in this moment, a fragile sort of armistice threatened by the very thought of speaking now. The shouts of the vendors and the conversations of the consumers faded into white noise. She had nothing to worry about.

"Sakura!"

Sakura was jarred from her daze, leaping to her feet. "Ino!"

"I've been looking all over for you!" they exclaimed at the same time.

They both paused before laughing.

"Well," Ino said, "we need to get back. It's drawing late. I promise I'll stick to you like an adhesive binding spell the next time."

"You mean glue?" Sakura asked.

Ino flapped a hand.

Sakura turned back to Utakata. "Thank you for keeping me company, Utakata," she said quietly.

He smiled, bubbles filling the air around them. "As I said, it was my pleasure. Until next time Sakura."

Utakata watched as the duo scurried off in the direction of the west transport site. He took a long draw from his pipe, blowing bubbles through his nose. A smile lit his lips. "I wonder what the weather in Pompeii is like this time of year?"

He stood, taking off in the opposite direction, a lively spring to his step.

Only one way to find out.