Chapter 2: Preparation

Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The story is based on the fairytale Cap O' Rushes by Joseph Jacobs.

Author's note: Thank you to Tokubetsu Rin for being my first ever reviewer; thank you to princessanastasia6467 for sending me a PM; and thank you to Lenaar (you are the first follower), Shannon Rei D. Sumner and Tokubetsu Rin (again) for following my story and/or putting it in your favourite stories section.


"Father!"

"Ah! There's my little girl!" Inoichi grinned, reaching out an unsteady hand to rub the young girl's head affectionately.

Tears sprang to Ino's eyes. "How can you be so happy, father? How can you be so happy, when you are going to… g-going to…" She didn't dare say the word die, but her father knew her well.

"Shh…" he shushed softly, "When I die, I will go to a good place, Ino. Don't feel sorry for me."

"I will get more medicine, father! The doctor said that you will die, but I will keep you alive! I swear!" With that, she ran out of the dingy hut. Her destination—Tsunade's herbal shop.

"Here for more medicine, Ino?" the older blonde-haired woman raised a brow. "You are already far in debt, you know."

"I know, I know! And I am sorry!" Ino puffed, out of breath from her sprint, "Please, my father's dying, please, just put it on my tab! I beg of you!"

Tsunade sighed, "Fine." And she handed Ino the medicine.

"Thank you so much! I promise I will pay you back some day! I promise!" her voice faded away as she disappeared around the corner.


"Father! Father, I have the medicine. Here." Ino helped her father sit up as she tried to spoon feed the medicine to him.

He pushed her away with a weak, shaking hand. He shook his head, a soft smile on his weary face. "Use my savings to pay Tsunade for all the medicine she has so generously given us. And thank her for everything she has done for us, okay, Ino?"

"Yes. Yes, father." She finally gave in as thick streams of tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Take care of your mother Ino. Remember, I love you both, so very, very much…" his eyes started to close as his speech started to slur.

"Father! No! Open your eyes, father!"

He didn't.

"No! No, no, no, no," she kept chanting like a mantra, all the while keeping a tight grip on her father's slack hand. It was gradually losing its warmth.

"No, father, you can't die! What will mother and I do? No, no!"

"Ino?"

The said girl was suddenly shook out of her trance, "Yes, Sakura?"

She looked slightly worried. "Are you alright?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

Sakura looked doubtful at her answer. "You seemed to be slightly out of it today. I called your name five times already. Are you sure you don't need a rest or something?"

"I'm certain, Sakura. I was just taking a trip down memory lane."

Sakura gave her a strange look that Ino couldn't see due to the cape, but reluctantly accepted the answer and said nothing more.


When the day came, the ball was all that anyone could talk about. Young girls bustled about, giggling and blushing, all the while fussing about what to wear. The older ones recalled the time when they attended Prince Itachi's (Prince Sasuke's older brother) eighteenth birthday balls. From amongst all the tales and gossip, Sakura gathered that it was tradition to hold three consecutive balls for a royal's coming of age. The first was on their actual birthday, followed by two others.

Ino, not unlike most other girls their age, was brainstorming the ways in which she could make herself prettier while waltzing her way through the kitchen.

"Should I have pink lip gloss, or a red one? I think a red one would bring out my eyes more, but a pink one looks more subtle and softer… And should I wear my long purple dress or my spaghetti-strapped blue one? Argghh!"

Sakura ignored her, "I really don't get why the balls are such a big deal."

Ino stood with her mouth agape, shocked by Sakura's ignorance. After a moment of composing herself, she practically shouted, "Not a big deal? Not a big deal? Are you insane Sakura? This is the event of the year, possibly the event of the century! Everyone knows that the balls are the first step to capturing the prince's attention!"

"But what's so good about the prince?"

"Have you seen him, Sakura? He's like the most handsome man in the universe!"

"Why do looks matter so much to you people?" Sakura asked, irritated. "Maybe he's extremely rude, or really stupid. You won't know until you have actually met him."

"He's a royal, Sakura. Royals don't do rude and stupid." At that, Sakura rolled her eyes and ended the heated conversation at that.


"All the washing and preparation for the ball has really exhausted me, Ino. I think it is best if stay back and rest."

Ino looked doubtful, "Okay, whatever you say, Sakura. Just make sure you come tomorrow, yes? And you have to take off your cape then." She then continued picking out her costume.

Back in the small maid's room that Ino had managed to find for Sakura, she slowly took off her cape and shook out her shoulder-length pink tresses. She was wearing one of the dresses that she had packed when she fled her own home. It was a bit plain, but she gathered that it would be formal enough for the ball. She placed a simple red band that matched her dress into her hair to hold it back. Then, after some more straightening and smoothening, Sakura headed towards the ballroom with a new found resolve. Tonight, she wouldn't care about what people thought of her wide forehead or pink hair. Tonight, she would finally experience freedom, even if it is only for a few hours.


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