Purgatory circle chapter 3
Glittering gold cheerleading trophies occupied all mounted shelves while old timey wooden buckets and metal watering cans with uniform words painted in black paint saying "Garden & Flowers" held multiple flowers on all other surfaces, some I'd grown in my very own room and some I'd never seen of. A slender figure hid behind the twin bed's sheer purple canopy twiddling their thumbs on something, the so-called paper shaker Ino must be a teenage girl, not an older one either by the looks of the décor.
"Hey paper shaker I got you a new best friend to babysit!" Sasori grinned as the purple tinted figure went still.
A young blonde poked her head out glaring at Sasori probably for ignoring the "NO BOYS ALLOWED" poster on the bedroom door.
She was young, well younger then Sasori and I. About sixteen probably, fresh into her sophomore year in high school when she died. Her bangs hid her entire right side of her face the tips teasing her collarbone, she looked preppy to say the least. Her eyes grew giant in shock and I realized she finally noticed me behind Sasori and her evident glaring.
"Oh my god! You did bring a girl," Ino jumped at me springing from her flower comforter almost knocking down her canopy, " I want your hair it's really bitchin' with your eyes, but it clashes horribly with all that red your wearing. Like barf me out."
The young cheerleader started poking and probing my hair and well my everything excitedly like she got a new kitten, " That's kind of mean but OUCH! Hey stop that, quit it!"
Searching for Sasori I noticed him smugly nestled into a misshapen blue beanbag chair on the shag carpet with a satisfied glint in his eyes, the sick bastard was enjoying this. Just as Ino poked my chest softly three times she began to make a comment on my flat chestedness.
"Hey are you younger than me? You don't seem pretty mature." She poked my chest twice more before Sasori got up seemingly having enough.
"Okay Queen Bee no need to molest anyone now, " He shooed her hands away and pulled me to his left.
I kept my mouth shut but he could see the throbbing vein in my forehead, she couldn't.
"Ino this is Sakura, Sakura this is the paper shaker herself." She automatically stuck her hand out eager to shake mine so I did.
"Hopefully the next soul will be another girl again, now its 3 to 9. I'm hopeful we'll catch up to them." She grinned brimming with enthusiasm.
"Well Cherry Head here seems to be writing a book so I'm just going to unload her onto you." He slinked out ignoring my protests, bastard.
Snapping my attention to my sweaty hands I noticed that two smaller ones were still grasping mine. Looking back up Ino smiled brightly and led me to her bed and released me so she could clear off the clutter. The so-called clutter she'd being playing with behind the sheer curtains was multiple books about botany. She carelessly slung a couple off her crumpled sheets and onto the floor in one harsh swing, but she carefully grabbed a mint green book labeled "Late Spring Seeds and Bulbs" and put it on her nightstand after bookmarking the page.
"Sorry for the mess I usually only get two visitors." she patted in front of her and I mimicked her sitting across her crisscross applesauce style.
"So, I know you have questions realizing your like some type of ghost thingy," Ino joked poking me in my forehead, " Just spill out your brain and I'll give you the 411 the best I can."
"How many of you are there?"
"Of us you mean. But twelve now including you." She stressed the including out poking me in my chest.
"What is this place and the never-ending sky?
"Like I would know, there's not really like a guide or anything. That plant dude has been here since like 1900 or something."
My chest deflated a little, " Are there seasons or different weather? Anything normal here?"
She made a weird face at the mention of normal, " Kakuzu has snow in his half of the yard but it only rains when something changes or someone arrives. There's totally day and night though, and clocks work!"
"Can we leave?" I whispered under my breath from fear of hurting her.
Her smile slipped and came back quickly only it was fake like Sai's, "No, Zetsu said he doesn't know how to book it from here and he was the first one ever here and still is.
Something in my own face must have slipped because she suddenly gripped my forearms tightly, "But you and me can be B.F.F.s and make every day bitchin', you won't even ask where's the beef. I have two more tight friends plus a noid of a brother that I can introduce you to, we can get super amped and get 'za and brew. Get glammed up with make-up and you can borrow some of my kicks. If I don't know the answers then we can test them out and scream yikes afterwards."
Her determination shone brightly in those husky blue eyes and underneath ghosting the surface was loneliness. Only for a second, I forgot where I was and that she wasn't Naruto. That brief moment made my chest seize terribly and holding back salty tears I understood. If I couldn't set things right with him I'd start over and not make the same mistakes. She was my cosmic do over, my substitute for redemption. For now I'd save my questions for later, Sasori was in the same house as me.
"Hey now Ino I'd love that," I captured her in an embrace to soothe her, " I noticed you have a lot of plants and I think we'd get along swimmingly if we just sat around all day talking about flowers and sprouts."
"Pfft, of course you'd be a flower child with how you dyed your hair. Pinks probably your favorite color." She laughed wetly into my shoulder.
I pulled her back aghast, " Are you reading my mind now? How dare you, " Ino looked scared she upset me, " Just kidding hunter green is my favorite. Like freshly rained on summer grass."
"Your real molded, I think I might regret this." Ino rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly while smiling. reminiscent of someone else, a shadow now.
"Ah come on I'm only grouchy because my main garden is probably gone thanks to my new house set up." I laughed throwing an arm around her shoulders.
Ino made a noise suddenly sitting up effectively sending me flying off the edge. Diving for her end table she started rummaging the sound of her dainty fingers messing with crisp paper assaulting my eardrums. Turning around she presented her hands cupped under an origami rose.
"Well you didn't ask but I'll tell you that nothing grows here so if you want more flowers Konan can make you some paper ones." Ino shoved the rose into my face until I grabbed it.
I began fingering an outer petal, " Also they never get old or dusty so as long as you don't crush them with that forehead then they're crisp and fresh forever."
My sweat dropped, " Well thanks I guess."
80's slang glossary
Barf me out- a phrase reacting to something offensive or gross.
Bitchin'- Awesome or cool
Amped- Excited
Kicks- Shoes
Molded- Someone who does something embarrassingly wrong to the situation, your molded.
Nardo/Noid- nerd
'Za and Brew- Pizza and beer
Yikes- something said after you did something you shouldn't of done
Book it- leave
411- Information