Pompeii
Chapter 40
jaylene

"Concussion?"

Sakura stretched across the bed, tackling Ino as she moved to stand. She knew it was a bad idea to tell Ino, but a few daiquiris in and the story tumbled all too quickly from her lips. "Ino, it isn't that big a deal, it's fine ."

"Fine? It isn't fine!" Ino's voice took on a new cadence, deep and shrieking, overlaid. Sakura felt feathers bunch and shift beneath her grasp as Ino tried to stand from the bed. "Menma goddamn concussed you!" She stopped moving for a moment, looking at Sakura with large, sorrowful eyes. "I was there and I didn't do anything. I knew you were hurt and I didn't check in with you. Were you...did anyone help you with the concussion?"

"Sai and Yamato stayed with me," Sakura reassured her, rubbing down Ino's arms. Her arms were nearly full wings now, trailing off the bed. Her feathers were a beautiful eggshell white. "Ino, it's fine. I understand you've been...busy. You've been out hunting right?"

Ino snorted, shaking out her hair. She was nearly vibrating with tension, but her touch was gentle as she brought her winged arms around Sakura. "If you call cleaning out a few empty cells and hidey-holes hunting . We're doing what we can, but Orochimaru is a wily bastard who's been at this for centuries longer than I've been alive." She scowled, drawing fingertips through Sakura's hair and brushing errant strands behind the shell of her ear. "That isn't the real reason I've been away."

Sakura's stomach swooped low and heavy. So they'd reached the crux of the matter then? "I know."

"Dad's been freaking out. The Uzumaki and Senju have been telling him...well, all sorts of nonsense. I know, I know it isn't true," Ino said, looking frustrated. "He called a family council and I've spent the last week slogging through patronizing speeches from relatives who haven't even met you. I...well, they're going to leave it alone for the time being."

Sakura's heart lifted as she read between the lines. Ino spent the past week defending her to her family and, from the rings beneath her eyes, Sakura could tell she was exhausted. Sakura grabbed Ino's clawed fingers gingerly, grinning up at her. "Thanks Ino."

Beneath her hold, Sakura felt the feathers shift and plume, flaring up her arms in a shiver until they crested Ino's neck in a fan. Her hands shifted, dropping Sakura's as she leaned in and surrounded Sakura in feathers.

They were impossibly soft, shifting and ruffling across Sakura's skin as Ino enclosed her in a tight hug. She dropped her head to Sakura's shoulder, exhaling away a week's worth of tension and anxiety. "I will always, always have your back, Sakura. Never doubt that."

Something within Sakura lurched, melting away bits of the tense knot within the pit of her stomach. She was still uncertain of her place here in Pompeii, but Sakura knew now that she'd always have a place with Ino.

Sakura flipped through the pages of art, humming to herself. Konan's art was immaculate, illustrative fantasy brought to life with ink upon skin in vibrant colors and confident lines. Though, Sakura realized with a wry twist of her lips as she eyed the depiction of a kitsune, perhaps illustrative fantasy wasn't the right term.

Illustrative reality more like.

"Konan possesses adequate skill in tattooing," Sai said beside Sakura's shoulder. Despite his words, Sakura could see the way his eyes sparkled as they traced along a tattoo of a dragon. "She uses color well."

Sakura nudged Sai, grinning. "I'm sure she'd be willing to teach you."

"She certainly will," a soft voice said. "Konan has always had a gift for teaching."

The duo turned, greeted with the sallow grin upon Nagato's face. He sat heavily in one of the chairs, hand pressed to his side. Ink Inc. was a joint effort between Nagato and Konan, a couple that Sakura was quickly realizing owned a few businesses in town, including the Waffle Shack. Nagato's style of tattooing was strict traditional, both American and Japanese while Konan embraced illustrative and watercolor styles.

Sai, as a black and white artist, was a perfect fit to join their team as the resident black and grey tattoo artist.

And, thankfully, his sometimes abrasive and abrupt attitude was accepted with ease among the tattooing community.

"How are you, Nagato?" Sakura asked, brow knitting with concern.

"As well as ever," Nagato said, standing with a groan as he clutched at his ribcage. "Don't worry about me. I'm heading over to the Shack, you want anything?"

Sakura and Sai shook their heads, waving Nagato off as he went to check in with Konan.

"Do you want a tattoo?" Sai asked, watching Sakura peruse the books.

Sakura shrugged, keeping her eyes on the tattoo of an eagle grappling a snake. "Maybe. I've fiddled with the idea over the years. I just didn't think it best to get one during medical school, what with all the crushing debt and the like."

"And now?" Sai asked.

"Maybe," Sakura said. "I've always wanted an anatomical heart."

"I'll draw something," Sai said immediately, sitting down to sketch.

Sakura's lips quirked up at the corners, watching him at work. His expression was soft and nearly open, more so than he ever was when he was in conversation with others. This was his element, his safe place, and Sakura appreciated that he let her even be part of this with him. She took a seat, eyes falling to half mast as she drifted, soothed by the near constant buzz of the needles in the side rooms.

Sakura blinked back to wakefulness as the bell above the door tinkled, announcing a new customer. She turned, smiling as Sasuke stepped into the tattoo parlor, shaking water free from his hair and wings.

The smile quickly faded in the face of his thunderous scowl and the way he stormed toward her, feathers ruffled high in agitation. She stood, jumping when Sasuke opened his mouth and a high-pitched screech resounded through the room, making Sakura's ears ring.

"Sasuke?" Sakura said, folding in on herself.

"What the hell did you do?" Sasuke demanded, arms flying out in a clear bid for intimidation.

It was working.

"Do?" Sakura asked weakly.

Sasuke's jaw clenched so tightly she could hear his teeth creaking. " Itachi ," he hissed out.

"What's happened to Itachi?" Sakura asked, stepping forward toward Sasuke despite his aggression. "Is he alright?"

"He's not alright and you know it!" Sasuke said. "He's fallen ill with the same sickness that's taken hold of Naruto and the rest." He grabbed her wrist, clawed fingertips digging into the flesh. "What did you do ?"

"I didn't do anything," Sakura protested, ignoring the pain that flared from her wrist. "I'm doing what I can to cure this but I've had little success so far." The shame of her inadequacy burned deep in her chest, flushing her cheeks with its heat. "Please, bring Itachi to the clinic; I can examine his symptoms...or I can come to him, up to your house-"

"You are not welcomed there," Sasuke said, eyes red and turning with his anger. "You will not infect the others, you parasite."

Sakura yanked her arm from Sasuke's grasp, ignoring the way her sleeve darkened as blood pooled to the wounds. "Sasuke, I just want to help," she said, averting her eyes as the guilt hit her again. There was so little she could do. Hadn't she been working at this for weeks? And what did she have to show for it? A litter of unanswered questions and unfulfilled promises. She wasn't a good doctor. " Please ."

"Help?" He glanced at their surroundings and let loose a bitter chuckle. "You seem hard at work helping here." Sasuke turned his attention to her again and scoffed. " You can't even meet my eyes."

Sakura swallowed, preparing to respond as Sai moved between them, tucking Sakura against his side.

"Leave Uchiha," he said, slate eyes alight with barely bedded fury. "You are not welcome here, nor are you wanted."

"I see your mongrel is still healthy," Sasuke sneered, pinwheel eyes focused unerringly on Sakura. "You should put him down now. Mutts always bite the hand that feeds them."

Sakura caught the tensing of Sai's shoulders before she pressed past him, getting up into Sasuke's face. "That is incredibly cruel, Sasuke! How dare you speak to him like that?" she said, temper and voice rising in tandem. "What would Itachi say if he heard you speaking like this?"

The feathers at Sasuke's neck ruffled as he went stark white and, for a moment, Sakura thought he would strike her. Then, he turned, stomping out into the rain before taking to the skies.

Sakura sighed, all the fight draining from her as she turned back to Sai. His eyes were a bit wide as he scrutinized her. He caught sight of the blood running down her wrist and snapped to attention, grabbing bandages (which Ink Inc. had in abundance) and a basin of water. Sakura glanced around as he did this, trying to figure out why something felt off.

As he fussed over her and bullied her into a chair, Sakura closed her eyes, realizing what was amiss.

All of the tattoo machines were turned off during the confrontation.

When the steady thrum of the machines filled the air once more, Sakura resigned herself to the scrutiny that was bound to arise from this altercation. As she was learning more and more, gossip spread like wildfire in Pompeii.

She could only hope that she wouldn't be consumed in the ensuing flames.

The days following Sasuke's confrontation were tense as Sakura prepared herself to be subjected to all sorts of public humiliations. However, as the days stretched by monotonously, Sakura realized that there was a new game afoot.

A treatment of silence.

As she walked through town, Sakura felt many eyes upon her and could nearly feel the hushed whispers crawling across her skin, but none dared to approach. Instead, they watched her, eyes flaying her open and exposing all of her flaws and vulnerabilities. Sakura did what she could to ignore it, knowing that attempting to address the issue would only exacerbate things further.

People would believe as they wished and there was little she could do to change their minds.

Today she was heading to the library, to visit with Hiruzen and search out answers to this unexplained illness. Ino, Sai, and Yamato had each volunteered to join her but she turned them down firmly, understanding well that they couldn't put their lives on hold for her sake. She wouldn't want them to.

Besides, she could handle silence well. It was once a familiar friend. And so it seemed, based on the way people scurried away from her, it soon would be so again.

The abrupt appearance of scrawl reading Sarutobi Library was a welcome distraction as the library formed in front of her. Sakura climbed up the steps two at a time, grinning wryly at the strange building. She rather thought she'd learned its favorite haunts, as it had appeared in the cross streets of Sage and Walnut for her past three visits.

"Hiruzen?" Sakura called out, crossing through the open doors into the library. "Hello?"

"Hello again Sakura," Hiruzen said, stepping out of his office and wiping his hands in a cloth. Sakura could see streaks of some dark substance upon his face as he grinned at her. "It is always a pleasure to see you."

"You as well," Sakura returned, heart warmed by his kind display.

"I've a few books that might be of interest to you," Hiruzen said. "The library's been leaving them on the tables at night in a rather passive-aggressive manner." His tone was affectionate as he cast his gaze up to the ceiling of the room. "You seem on quite good terms with the library."

"Perhaps it enjoys my persistence," Sakura said, following Hiruzen further into the library, cooling her heels as he rounded his desk and gathered a stack of books.

"Ay, I'd say it certainly does. In my years, I've yet to find a magic that didn't do well alongside stubbornness. It takes tenacity to thrive in the harsh conditions that magic creates." His voice was casual, overly so, and Sakura's face warmed. "It takes grit."

"So you've heard," Sakura said quietly.

"Ay, I have," Hiruzen said. "I hear it well enough from Hashirama. His brother's taken ill."

"Tobirama has fallen too?" Sakura asked, feelings mixed. They'd parted on poor terms, but she still cared for his wellbeing. He hurt her, hurtYamato, but still...at one point she'd considered him a friend. And then she remembered where Hiruzen received this information. "And what think you of me?"

Hiruzen hummed, stroking his beard. "I know little of the goings on within town. I do what I can to stay away. I have been involved before and I have lived long enough to see the cyclical patterns of the citizens' attitudes. For near immortals, they are quite predictable." At Sakura's blank stare, he shook his head and chuckled. "Apologies. What I mean to say is that, thus far, everything is hearsay and gossip; there is little traction for these rumors. Besides, the land of Pompeii is a strange entity unto itself and I have seen that it is the best judge of character. I have seen people banished from the land by the land. Pompeii likes you; do you think this library appears for just anyone?"

"The library is a part of Pompeii's magic?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"While my name is upon the building, I cannot claim ownership. Pompeii has graciously offered me stewardship after this manifestation of itself. I have worked here for centuries. The library dotes upon you, it enjoys your presence." Hiruzen smiled and there was a wicked tilt to it. "I trust the library's judgment much more than that of my… esteemed colleagues."

Sakura returned his smile, accepting the books that he passed to her. As she moved to leave, Hiruzen grasped her hand, squeezing it warmly.

"I know that it currently feels as if the town has turned against you," he said, eyes impossibly kind. "Keep in mind that the town itself, the very bones of Pompeii, is in your corner. That is no small thing."

He released her and Sakura wished him goodbye before striding back toward the clinic. This time, as the stares and whispers reached her, Sakura was able to ignore them easily. Hiruzen's quiet conviction buoyed her, centering her and reminding her of the big picture. This too would pass.

She just had to remain strong and resilient, like a weed.

Sakura paused as she reached the clinic, grasping the books tight to her chest. She bit her lip, taking in the sight before her.

The door to the clinic was thrown open and windows broken in. Sakura moved inside, surveying the damage. The cushioned seats of the waiting room were ripped opened, surgical instruments sticking out of them. Some sort of dark, faintly glowing substance coated the floor and walls, smeared across her desk and computer. Shizune's desk was absolutely pristine. The filing cabinets were on the side and it appeared that someone tried to jimmy the locks, but thankfully the magical sigils had deterred them.

Sakura drifted, almost in a daze through the different examination rooms, taking note of the damage in a cold and distant way. One of the scales was destroyed, as were two stethoscopes. Claw marks raked the walls and furniture, leaving little salvageable. She calculated that the repairs that were required were easily in the thousands.

Slowly, Sakura climbed the stairs to her apartment. The walls were streaked in that strange black liquid and red paint, as well as various claw marks. She paused on the second to last step, looking at her doorstep. Strangely, the door itself was pristine, untouched by any of the damage. But the assailants made the most of her doorstep, gouging letters deep into the floorboards.

UNWELCOME!

The carved letters were traced over with red paint. Beneath the message lay the bell that hung above the clinic's door, warped and twisted. She picked it up, keyed into her apartment, and closed the door behind her.

"Why have you called this meeting?" Yamato asked, looking up at Hashirama from the seat he lounged in.

Anxiety roiled in his chest, brought on by his surroundings. He hated the Senju compound and all the memories associated with it. Sakura was away visiting the library and somehow Yamato wasn't all that surprised that Hashirama cornered him and asked him here. Ever the opportunist, that Hashirama.

"Must you even ask? What don't you understand about the situation? We need your help," Hashirama bit out, staring Yamato down. "Tobirama has fallen. You seem immune to the...wiles of the good doctor."

"That's rich," Yamato said, arms crossed. "I am no longer affiliated with your clan. You and I may be bound by marrow and DNA, but I owe you absolutely nothing ."

For a moment, Yamato could read the surprise and sudden surge of anger on Hashirama's face. Good. He had to be put in his place. Then it smoothed, clearing in that way that always spelled trouble for those around him. Damn Fay charisma. "And you care nothing for this town? Pompeii has sheltered you, offering you a home when you had none. There is no love lost between us, but what about Pompeii?"

Yamato laughed and it was cruel and vindictive to his own ears. He was beyond care though, adrenaline thrumming as he finally, finally told Hashirama off. " Sheltered me? No one here has ever cared about me, least of all you and your damn clan. I am the unwanted, the unmentionable. I am the reminder of your abhorrent failure. If you hadn't failed, I wouldn't exist." He laughed and laughed, because if he didn't, he would cry. Yamato didn't think there were enough tears in the world. "And you know, for the majority of my existence I've wished you succeeded."

Hashirama drew in a sharp breath but Yamato was nowhere near done.

"All of that changed when she came." Yamato's voice was soft, reverent. "She looked at me and saw me , not your failures, not the stain that Orochimaru left on this town. Even when she found out, she never made me feel like I was less than a person. I have now found innumerable reasons to live and that is thanks to her. Her kindness has given me the opportunity to make a life worth living."

"But she's behind all of this! People are dropping like flies and those damn trees keep growing and it's her fault!" Hashirama shouted, composure broken in the face of Yamato's brutal honesty.

"So?"

" So ? Is that all you have to say?" Hashirama demanded.

Yamato slammed a hand down on the table, watching expressionlessly as the wood pinned Hashirama to the wall. They both knew it would be child's play for Hashirama to get free. Still, the shock on his face said it all. In his arrogance, he still didn't believe Yamato would dare to raise a hand against him. Yamato stepped closer, waiting until he had Hashirama's full attention.

"I don't care," Yamato said. "Sakura may be the culprit and she may not be. I do not care either way. Pompeii can burn for all I care. If she wishes it, then yes, Pompeii will burn. Why is this so hard for you to understand?"

"She will kill hundreds," Hashirama said.

Yamato shrugged.

"She will damn us all."

Yamato moved even closer, pressing a hand to Hashirama's chin and tilting his head up to make sure that Hashirama listened to him. " Youdamned me . Sakura is the single light within my world. If she wishes to see Pompeii destroyed, I will assist her in damning you all. I will not stand by and watch you extinguish my saving grace."

So saying Yamato walked over to the door, flicking a wrist to force it off the hinges. He turned back to Hashirama as Hashirama rubbed his chafed wrists.

"Tread carefully," Yamato said. "I am no longer your tool to use as you wish."

"But you're hers," Hashirama spit.

"She doesn't treat me as such," Yamato replied. "You had my skill set; she has my loyalty." So saying, Yamato flicked his fingers, blowing the door wide off its hinges. He moved through the threshold, pausing and looking back to Hashirama. "Do not attempt to overstep your bounds again. Next time, there will be no quarter."

and now we're all caught up! updates will occur every other Wednesday from here on out.