9. Scars
That morning, like every other morning in Shikamaru's life, he wanted to stay in bed and stay like that for the remainder of the day. Today the urge to stay in bed enticed Shikamaru a lot more than walking the streets of Cloud, trying to find something to do. Really, he just wanted to rest his aching legs from the climb up those damn stairs yesterday. His calves burned as he rubbed his bare feet together, creating warmth between the soles of his feet.
The morning sun barely peeked through his closed blinds, which he closed the night before because the sun shone so brightly every morning, and the brightness made his eyes sting when he first opens his eyes every day. Everything was becoming a routine, which comforted Shikamaru, but considering he was on a mission and he was starting to feel comfortable made him feel on edge.
If Shikamaru stayed in bed, he could contemplate ways to bring Ino back. For instance—he proudly thought of this idea last night before he dozed off— he could scare her into coming back to Konoha. His plan of scaring her into returning could be detrimental to his being, however. Shikamaru planned to tell Ino her father is ill and on his deathbed. Ino would be so worried that she'd have to come back to tell her father her last good-bye. On the downside to this scheme, when she sees her father isn't in his deathbed, Shikamaru calculated there is about an eighty-seven percent chance of him being punched in the stomach or kicked in the….well, it could be painful on Shikamaru's behalf.
Shikamaru shifted in his bed, flipping onto his side with his back to the window. He groaned when his tense muscle began to relax into the new position.
What if he couldn't bring Ino back home? Would Tsunade leave her alone and give her the life in Cloud Ino seemed to desire? Would Tsunade consider Ino AWOL and send hunter-nin after her? Shikamaru winced at the thought of the innocent Ino apprehended by the said hunter-nin, then questioned or tortured for the answers as to why she left. All this done by the hands of the village she loved so much….
Sakura slid her legs over the side of the bed, occasionally glancing over her shoulder to check if her blond lover remained asleep despite her noisiness she caused, the mattress squeaking as she moved. It was Naruto, so what was the worry? With no worries about waking the heavy sleeper, Sakura decided to jump out of the bed, landing on the wooden floor with a loud thud. She looked over at Naruto, wondering if that woke him up, but he remained sprawled across the bed, quietly snoring.
She giggled, kissed her palm and blew her kiss towards the sleeping Naruto before scrounging around the room for her discarded clothes, gathering them in her arm as she found each clothing article. Naruto didn't even stir when Sakura bonked her head against the wall, trying to pick up her wrinkled shirt.
How did Sakura end up with a catch like Naruto? Rarely did she ask herself this question, but it really was strange how much she detested Naruto almost nine years ago and now, they practically lived with each other.
When Sasuke came home, she regretfully hooked up with the rogue ninja and for a month, she faked love just for this cold-hearted man, who left after two months of his return. She cried, yes, but after her month long fling with Sasuke, she didn't cry because he left; she cried because she gave herself to him, thinking she still loved him after five long years without him, but in reality, she only loved Sasuke as a friend. Sadly, she didn't notice in the beginning.
Naruto held her while she bawled, and every day after that faithful day of Sasuke leaving Konoha a second time, everything seemed to change between Naruto and Sakura. They were connected by an invisible string that strung them together and wrapped up their relationship with a tight bow on the top of the package.
Sakura never thought about Sasuke after Naruto and Sakura started dating, and she never thought 'what if'. With Naruto, she knew she couldn't find anyone better, and she was happy with him and hopefully, vice versa.
After dressing, Sakura left a note on Naruto's dining table, placing it underneath a bowl with dry cereal in it. The note said she went out to do a few errands before the mission this afternoon. Before heading out the door, Sakura glanced at the sleeping blonde the last time then preceded out the door.
Sakura hustled towards Tsunade's office with the intentions solely set on finding out what the letter from Shikamaru said. She had to know! Naruto was right when he said she was being annoyingly nosey, but when she held that envelope up to the sunlight, she read distinct letters of 'I', 'N', and 'O'. Ino, her roommate, who left almost four months ago and never bothered to update Sakura about her mission after a month into it. Because of Ino being gone so long, Sakura spent most of her time at Naruto's because she found the quiet apartment rather depressing.
Tsunade gave her a key to her office a few years ago, but she warned Sakura to use it carefully and not to just meander around the room to stuff her nose into documents Sakura knew she shouldn't. Tsunade never mentioned anything about going through her opened mail or her trash.
Sakura searched around the Hokage's desk, looking for a note that mentioned Ino. However, stacks of papers created huge mountains on her master's desk, crowding pictures of Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura and made it nearly impossible to find the letter Sakura impatiently searched for.
Sakura flipped through the stacks of papers with her thumb, thinking she might have overlooked the note. After several long minutes, Sakura's hope dwindled and finally, she decided to go back to Naruto's apartment and snuggle up next to him. With one last inspection, Sakura spotted a wadded up paper at the bottom of the wastebasket. She grabbed the note and smoothed the wrinkles out, running the paper along the edge of the desk.
I found Ino. She is alive. However, she refuses to return. I will bring her back home within the two months I still have left.
Shikamaru
"What are you doing here, Sakura?"
The rosette cursed herself for not taking note of the presence earlier, when she faintly sensed the vibrations as the person made their way up the stairs. She could feel her master's presence stand at the doorway now. Tiny hairs on the back of Sakura' neck stood straight up as if Tsunade stood right behind her, breathing down her neck. Quickly and attempting to be inconspicuous, she crumpled the small note and tossed it back into the wastebasket.
"It's a little early for you to be awake," Tsunade noted as she walked towards a stiffened Sakura.
Sakura turned to face her superior with a tired smile. "I had errands to run before I leave for the mission this afternoon."
"Digging through my trash is one of your errands?"
Sakura shrugged, avoiding eye contact with her master. "No."
"So, why were you digging through my trash?"
No matter how much Sakura wanted to, she couldn't lie to Tsunade. For one, Sakura was Tsuande's apprentice, and she could cease Sakura's apprenticeship anytime. For two, Tsunade knew Sakura too well and would instantly call out Sakura's lie. So, she told the truth.
After Sakura told her story about the note Shikamaru sent Tsunade with the mention of Ino, Tsunade remained quiet, raking her long fingers through her wet hair she washed moments before heading to her office. Sakura wiggled her toes in her sandals and slightly rocked as she waited for the Hokage's response.
"You want to know about Ino?"
"Yes," Sakura answer with a bit too much enthusiasm.
Tsunade seemed taken aback by Sakura's sudden assertiveness, but she understood. When a close one goes missing, worrying is all one can ever do.
"Ino has gone missing, Sakura. I sent Shikamaru to find her."
Silence engulfed the room while the information slowly sank into Sakura's brain. It didn't make sense.
"Sakura, talk to me."
What was she supposed to say? Oh, that's cool. I hope Shikamaru is having a jolly good time. Sakura already lost one of her best friends; the last thing Sakura wanted was another loss.
Tsunade brushed past Sakura and plopped in her chair that squeaked under her weight. She rubbed her temples and sighed, "Maybe I shouldn't have told you that. I mean, I figured you deserved to know because you're her best friend, but then again, it was supposed to have been a secret…." Tsunade never rambled…unless she was nervous or having second thoughts….
"No, it's fine. Thank you for telling me."
"I don't want this going out into the village, Sakura. Ino is alive, and right now, that's all that matters. Leave the small details to Shikamaru and me."
"Understood."
"Go on with your day. I'll see you in three days. Good luck with the mission."
Ino's throat tightened as her stomach twisted and grumbled viciously. Reluctant to make any gagging sounds because of the sleeping Sachiko across the room, Ino covered her mouth and rushed to the bathroom to routinely slide onto her knees and lean over the toilet bowl.
She heard the wooden floor panels creak as someone made their way down the hall. Ino pushed the door closed with her foot and flushed the toilet, hoping the person wouldn't hear the gagging and tried not to scream when a drop of toilet water sprung from the bowl and landed on her cheek.
When the footsteps disappeared, Ino washed her face, rigorously scrubbing where the drop of toilet water landed then went downstairs to eat breakfast, already smelling the aroma of Sachiko's wonderful cooking.
As she descended the stairs, she could hear Minako's cheerful voice ringing through the building as she spoke about getting a day job. "I am thinking about getting a day job. You know, to make enough money to get my own place, or at least new clothes. Oh, they need help at the floral shop a few streets down—you know that place, Sachi? My ex-boyfriend's girlfriend works—maybe I shouldn't work there…." As Ino rounded the corner to enter the kitchen, Minako sat on a stool with her back pressed against the island counter top and the newspaper in her small hands.
Sachiko, like every morning, stood at the stove with her handy spatula in her hand.
Minako lowered the newspaper to smile at Ino when she took the stool next to her. "Good morning, Ino."
"Morning."
Minako, like every morning, spread the newspaper across the counter top and started pointing at articles and the ads, rambling about jobs she would consider. Ino felt Sachiko's eyes bore into the back of her head, but she ignored it, knowing the concerned looked Sachiko held all too well.
"Ooo, Ino, the spring festival is coming up in two weeks! You wanna go?"
In the center of the page of the newspaper was a large black and gray picture of cherry blossoms with 'Spring Festival" cursively written across the beautiful flowers. The location and times were at the bottom of the page, written in the same font as the title.
Did Ino like festivals? She loved festivals, or she thought she did. These days, Ino didn't know what liked anymore. She didn't know if she liked food nowadays, and the only reason why she ate was the fact that food is a necessity in order to stay alive. Bathing also applied to this, too, but she bathed for the sake of the people living with her. The only thing she knew she didn't like was herself.
Did Konoha already have its spring festival? Ino glanced at the calendar pinned on the wall next to the doorway. No, not for another month.
Ino wondered what her family was doing now, this morning. Was her mother managing the flower shop without her? Was her dad heading to the investigation department to penetrate the mind of an enemy for secrets and hidden plans? Did they miss her? If they knew what happened months ago, they wouldn't miss her. They wouldn't want her back home. Ino fidgeted in the stool at the thought of it.
Why would anyone love her if they knew she was raped? Ino hated herself for not fighting back when she knew she could take him on. She knew she could, so why didn't she…? She was weak, that's why. That's what everyone else would think, too. They would think she was useless and unimportant. Her parents and friends probably aren't worried about her, or thinking about her, wondering how she's doing or when she's coming back. No one would want to talk to her if they knew what happened. Sakura would never talk to her and would look down on her.
Ino bonked her head on the counter, wondering how every topic not associated with her rape always somehow connected to rape. It was a never-ending cycle. She needed a good cry.
"So, Ino, how about it?"
"No, I don't want to go."
Ino suddenly found Minako's nose touching her own, making Ino go cross-eyed as the smaller woman practically screamed, "Why not?"
If Minako did this back in the day when Ino didn't take shit from anyone, Minako would have a black eye and an earful from Ino, but in this day and age, Ino only leaned away from the close woman and hopped out of the stool to distance herself from Minako.
"Festivals just aren't my thing."
"I'm making you go, and that's final!" Ino opened her mouth to protest, but Minako scurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs before Ino could get a word in.
Sachiko laughed from the stove as she flipped over a sizzling pancake. "Don't fight the inevitable, Ino. Minako will get her way, you know that."
Ino shook her head in defiance. Two can play the stubborn game. "Not this time."
"You're only setting yourself up for failure."
"That's nothing new."
Sachiko slid a plate towards Ino. Ino sniffed the wonderful aroma of the warm pancakes sprinkled with chocolate chips; her stomach enjoyed the smell of the food and grumbled loudly, yelling at Ino to shove a forkful of it into her mouth, which is just what she did. Ino stuffed huge amounts into her mouth, chewing four or five times and swallowing the huge chunks, and then she repeated. Nothing tasted so good in her life. The sweetness of the chocolate chips made her taste buds and stomach sing in delight, and the softness of the pancakes made everything better.
When Ino looked up, Sachiko gawked at her with her mouth hanging open. When she noticed Ino staring back at her, Sachiko shook the shock away and mumbled something about going upstairs to change.
Ino understood she ate little since the days she returned, so Sachiko's stares were reasonable. Ino shrugged off the stares from Sachiko and stared at the Spring Festival ad, thoughtfully chewing the last bit of her breakfast.
Back in Konoha, Sakura, Tenten, Hinata, and herself bought matching yukatas every year, starting at the time when they were all promoted to Jounin, which was—Ino counted the years in her head—about four years ago. The night before every Spring Festival, they had a girls' night at Tenten's place because her apartment could fit three of her apartment.
During the girls' night, they complained about their lives and boys while they drank their beers—Ino didn't because, well, the taste made her sick to her stomach, so apple juice usually sufficed. The girls would play games that little girls would play, like truth or date—however, truth or dare became too extreme—or hide-and-go seek.
One year, Naruto and Kiba crashed the party because they were curious about what happened during these girls' night. Sakura kicked the living snot out of the two and after that, no one interrupted their nights. Ino chuckled at the memory of the boys' face when they saw Sakura charging at them.
The day of the festival, Hinata cooked breakfast for the girls and for lunch, they went to their favorite restaurant.
It wouldn't be the same this year since Ino wouldn't be able to spend time with her favorite girls.
"According to Minako, you guys have a shopping date this afternoon," Sachiko announced as she entered the kitchen in a new outfit and wet hair. "I told you you're going to lose this one."
"I have work."
"No, you don't. You work on the weekdays."
"What's today?"
"Saturday."
"Nothing gets passed you, huh?"
Like every day, the streets of Kumogakure were crowded with hurried villagers and shinobi who stalked the streets, intimidating the civilians. Ino could almost spit at the sight of the group of shinobi who stood at the corner with brooding grins and attitudes. No one back in Konoha did that.
Ino clutched to Minako's hand as they pushed past the people flowing in the opposite direction. Her heart skipped a nervous beat when her shoulder made contact with a stranger's shoulder. There were hundreds of people around her, and one among these people could take Minako or her away if they weren't on their guard. Ino stiffened at the thought and kept her eyes peeled for anyone suspicious, glaring at anyone who even glanced at her or Minako. Minako just kept going, dragging Ino along as if she were a rag doll.
The two arrived at a quaint store buried between giant skyscrapers, like the Blue Pub. According to Minako, who says many things, this store sold the best yukatas in the whole world, and they were sold very cheap, too.
Minako held the door and waited for Ino to enter the store first. At first, Ino hesitated because a group of women threw curious glances in her directions as the bell on the corner of the doorframe rang when Minako opened the door. Whom she presumed as the storeowner, an elderly lady with brown leather like skin, looked up from a rack of brightly colored summer dresses and smiled at the two new customers.
Ino stood in the doorway, taking in the sight of all the dresses hanging on the walls and the racks. Minako impatiently nudged Ino inside, and then rushed to the storeowner. Ino, with her head down, followed Minako, taking cautious, slow steps passed the racks of dresses and the group of women that whispered to one another as she walked past them.
"It's been a while, Hiromi," Minako greeted as she hugged the old lady.
"Minako! It's been so long since I've seen you. How have you been?" Before Minako could answer, a jokingly stern look appeared on her tan face. "You need to visit me more often."
The blonde woman nodded in agreement. "I try, but you're so busy, and Jin has been keeping me on a leash lately. He rarely lets us leave the Pub nowadays. I'm surprised he actually let us out today."
Ino was pleased to hear Jin took extra precautions when it came to the murderer, even though that meant he had to cage everyone in the bar. Well, as long, as everyone was safe.
The storeowner hummed. "He's probably concerned, especially about the girls. You know about the murders, haven't you?"
Minako's face dropped slightly, her eyes losing their excitement in them for a quick second. "Yeah, I've heard about them." Fake eagerness came onto her face as she grabbed Ino's wrist and pulled her forward. "This is Ino. She's a new employee at the Pub."
For the first time, Ino looked up to smile at the elderly woman, who stood a head shorter than Ino, which pleased her since she knew no one shorter than her….As the woman smiled back, her skin around her small, almond shaped eye wrinkled.
"Hello, Ino. My name is Hiromi."
Ino bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet you."
"You're just a pretty girl. Jin always hires the pretty ones."
Ino felt a blush heat up her cheeks. "Oh, thank you."
"So, you girls are obviously here to buy dresses. I'm assuming you're here to buy a yukata."
Minako nodded. "Yes, we are!"
"Does Sachiko want one, too?"
"No, her brother sent her one a few weeks ago. It's really pretty."
"Where is he now?"
"He's on a mission somewhere in the Rain."
"He works so hard, that boy. It's a shame about their parents."
Minako only hummed.
Ino raised a brow at the comment. What happened to their parents? Ino didn't know anything about Sachiko even though, Sachiko has been her roommate for the past month and a half. Minako never mentioned anything about her, and Sachiko seemed guarded, always on edge even when she was comfortable. As night when both were fast asleep, Ino could feel the tension radiating off Sachiko in her sleep.
Hiromi interrupted her thoughts when she grabbed Ino's wrist, making Ino twitched slightly. Ino didn't want to be rude and rip her wrist out of Hiromi's grasp. "Come with me." Hiromi led Minako and Ino to the back wall where several dozen yukatas hung. Hiromi circled Minako several times, scratching her chin and mumbling to herself. She then turned her attention to Ino. Ino stiffened and held her breath as Hiromi lifted her arms up and flapped them, and then she leaned in close to gaze into her eyes, making Ino go cross-eyed. Hiromi chuckled as she stepped away.
"Minako, I have a few selections that would complement your eyes and hair, but I know you'll probably chose another yellow and pink one, like you do every year, so you can do what you please. Ino, dear…." Hiromi eyed Ino once more before facing the wall and taking two blue yukatas and a purple one from beneath a forest green one that looked as if someone puked on the fabric and left it there. "I would like you to try these on."
"Oh, I'm not going to the festival. I'm just here for Minako."
"What!" Minako screamed from the dressing room. She pulled back the red curtain and stomped over to Ino…in her underwear. "We've already discussed this! You're going to the festival!"
"But, I—" Before Ino could have her say, Minako spun around and stomped back to the dressing room. No wonder she always wins, she never stayed to hear what the other has to say.
Hiromi handed Ino the yukatas, which Ino contemptuously took in her hands. "Just make her happy and try these on."
"All right."
Ino slipped past the red velvet curtain that led to the a hall of dressing rooms with a wide, full body mirror hanging on the wall at the end of the hallway. In the dressing room she stood next to, she heard the rustling of the clothes being pulled on and off.
"Ino, that's you, right?"
"Yeah."
Ino took the dressing room across Minako's. The first thing she glanced at was her reflection in the mirror. She turned her back on it.
"So, you should really go to the Spring Festival."
Slowly, Ino stripped down to her underwear, ignoring the the reflection she caught of her pale, scarred body. She eyed the different yukatas hanging on different racks. Immediately, she eliminated the dark, cerulean yukata with clouds outlined in sparkling glitter.
The other blue yukata was a lighter blue, like the color of her eyes. As she held up the yukata up to her body, she grimaced and set it back on the rack.
"Ino?" Minako tapped on the door.
"I'm listening…."
"The festival will be fun."
Ino turned to the last dress, a violet—her favorite color—colored dress with pink cherry blossoms painted on the right sleeve. As Ino held the dress up to her body, she shook her head and set the dress back on the rack. Minus well not go if she couldn't find the right dress, Ino concluded.
"Ino?"
Ino turned to glare at Minako through the door, but her eyes met the horror struck eyes of Minako's eyes. Her hazel eyes jumped from the crossed scars trailing down her back to the three ringlets on her thighs. Ino stood there , waiting for Minako to have her fill of the sight of the ugly scars. It was too late to hide the scars, but Ino could hide the story behind them…until Minako decides to ask.
Minako's concerned eyes look up to Ino's dull blue orbs. "Sorry." Then, she left.
There were times in life when Ino wanted to lock herself in her room and hide from the world. She remembered during training, she started her period in the middle of sparring Shikamaru, who pointed out the dark red spot on the back of her skirt when he caught her in his shadow jutsu. She locked herself in her room for two days.
At that moment, knowing Minako would wonder about how the scars came to be, Ino wanted to stay in that dressing room, or at least wait until Minako left and then walk back to the Pub by herself, but knowing Minako, she'd stay until Ino came out.
Taking her sweet time, Ino dressed herself and came out with the three yukatas hanging on her arm. As she brushed past the velvet curtain, a lavender yukata flew through the air and landed on Ino's head, stopping Ino in her tracks.
"I found it and thought it'd look great on you, so I just bought it." Minako pulled the dress of Ino's head. "You don't have to pay me back. Think of it as an early birthday present."
Minako never could hide her true emotions. Ino could tell Minako fought hard to keep the astonishment, the shock, and the concern from her face. Minako's eyes revealed everything from the concern and the confusion. If only she knew what really happened. Ino knew Minako didn't know the story, and Minako could only guess, and for Ino, guessing was as close Minako was ever going to get to her secret.
Shikamaru watched the last of the room lights flicker off as he wedged his body between the wall of the skyscraper and the wall of the pub. Ino and Shikamaru stood the same alley in a few weeks ago when he first confronted her, which was the only time he tried to convince her to come back home.
He heaved in a deep breath, sucking in his stomach and shimmied up the wall, trying to little to no noise. Shikamaru gripped onto the window ledges as he peeked into the windows, searching for a certain blonde woman.
Searching for Ino on the second floor of the pub, he slid across the skyscraper's wall, peeking into the four windows. The third window Shikamaru peered into he saw Ino spread across the bed directly across from the window with blankets tangled around her legs. She flipped over on her side, so her back faced him, then lifted her leg for a moment then proceeded to fling it to the other side of the bed, making her whole body flip, so she landed on her stomach. Shikamaru never pegged Ino as a hyperactive sleeper considering he spent half of his life sleeping next to her on forest floors and in cheap inns that couldn't provide two or three separate beds, so everyone slept in the same bed with Shikamaru being the one sleeping next to Ino. He couldn't recall Ino ever kicking him or stealing the blankets. Usually, Asuma took all the blankets or pushed everyone off the bed from his kicking and punching.
Hoping the window wasn't locked, Shikamaru took the pocketknife from his pocket and wedged it under the window. To his luck, the window was unlocked, and he easily opened the window and crawled inside the room with the intent to kidnap Ino and run back home with her in tow.
The floor boards creak underneath his careful footsteps, which caused Shikamaru to creep over to Ino slower than he planned.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a soft voice said to his left, scaring the goober out of him, but he quickly recuperated and gathered his bearings. At first glance, he only saw a pile of blankets stacked on the bed to his left, but with further inspection, in the middle of blankets, sparkling blue eyes glared at him. "This is the first night she hasn't screamed. Please, you're going to frighten her if you wake her up."
"You don't understand. I have to bring her home."
Ino's roommate slipped the blanket off her head, lowering the covers down to her petite shoulders. A pink mask covered her nose, but she pulled that down, revealing a beautiful woman with a cute, button nose and semi-full lips with a faint scar pulling down the corner of her lip. Straight hair dropped down her shoulders and stopped just below her small breasts.
"Shikamaru, isn't it?" she assumed with hard, questioning eyes. Before he had a chance to question her, she answered his impending question, "Ino talks about—eh, you in her dreams. Something about not wanting to ho home, how she can't return because she'll be a disgrace to her family, and something about letting everyone down….Can you please just wait a while longer? She's not ready to go back home."
Shikamaru stood in the middle of the room, tongue-tied. What could he say that countered the woman's plea? He could stomp his foot like a five-year-old, cross his arms, and say, "No!" The last thing Shikamaru wanted was for Ino to be in pain, and if this stranger says bringing her home could cause her more pain, or whatever, then maybe he should wait.
Annoyed with his troublesome situation, Shikamaru sighed and gave in. "If you say staying will make her feel better, than I supposed I can handle staying here longer, but sooner or later, she's coming with me."
"Just be sure she's okay."
A low rumbling hum startled the two of them, and when Shikamaru looked over at the girl to ask what that was, he watched her pull the mask over her nose. A sudden draft of a raunchy smell made Shikamaru grimace and pinch his nostrils shut. "What is that?" He coughed and stepped away, hoping the smell would go away.
"Ino has horrible gas tonight. I supposed when she's not screaming, she's farting. It's her first night not screaming, so I'm hoping her flatulence doesn't become a habit. Honestly, I'd rather take the screaming than this."
Okay, this has to be the longest chapter yet, which I am proud of. I think it's choppy, however. I really have nothing else to say besides thank you for reviews and for just reading and such. Review, por favor, tell me what you think.
My next chapter…well, I'm not going to promise an update next week because I'll be busy, but hopefully I can squeeze something in my busy schedule!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned!
Have A Fantastical Day.