Blue kimono

Sometimes, the few times all three of them let themselves be, they would all look at the mesmerizing image of their fathers together. They were young and impressionable, but no one would deny that even the mere figures of the Ino-Shika-Cho unit walking together in perfect sink was breathtakingly dangerous.

The sunshine in the background was just a plus.

As a child, she would sometimes go to bed thinking that someday she would be the one in that unit, admired by the kids around the village when the three of them simply walked. Ino-Shika-Cho. There was a reason why her family's name was the first one to be mentioned, her clan used to be much more powerful than now is, it used to be the leader she was sure. Now, everyone affirmed that the three of them were equal, but every clan liked to think of themselves as the most important one. She didn't mind that a lot, as long as those thoughts were kept private and more importantly, as long as there was no power imbalance in their relationship.

But then, Nara.

Yamanaka were observant, and she was a Yamanaka, so when she noticed the way the Hokage's hand lingered a few seconds more on Shikaku Nara's handshake than her father or Chöza, she knew. At some point, intelligence had reduced to plans and strategies, and not on information gathering. There's no planning without knowledge, her father had said, but Shikaku was smart, he had "knowledge", and they would be a time when Konoha wouldn't need a mind reader anymore if they were ahead of everyone's plan thanks to the Nara clan.

But Inoichi brushed away her discomfort, she was young he had said, there was so much she couldn't see yet, he had reassured her, but Ino couldn't understand it. She didn't like Shikamaru that much, but to think that his clan would eat hers in just a few generations made her dislike him even more. With time, and the image of a perfect Sasuke Uchiha clouding her mind, she dropped the subject and almost forgot about it, but every time Shikamaru would look her way, something about that hopeless feel would resurface.

But then, their fathers would simply walk through the streets of her village, going away on a mission, their backs turned to them and the red spiral almost shining on their vests (her father in the middle, always in the middle, like he glued all three of them together) and she would just wish, hope, to be admired as she admired them.

The village would simply stop everything to see them walk.

With time, Ino had to make peace with the fact that she wouldn't stand in the middle like her father did. She wasn't the glue that kept together this group, moreover considering that she didn't want to be in it in the first place. She would never stood between Shikamaru and Chöji. There she was, standing in the sidelines, looking at how their friendship flourished at the faintest touch of the sun. She once thought to have something like that, something that she planted and nurtured with the delicacy and caress of a breeze, but as soon as one of the flowers opened just a little in response to that soft embrace, the roots that hold it steady burn themselves to the ground.

It might be a pitiful thing to look at both Chöji and Shikamaru and narrow her eyes in jealousy, for there was no one who wouldn't want to be enveloped in between her arms to be consoled, but she couldn't help not want to open up to anyone else, she had taken advantage of her caring nature. Ino will not bend down for no one no more. It was safer as it was lonelier. How had her life being reduced to love and be broken or be whole and alone? Damn both Chöji and Shikamaru who pushed her even further away.

This place could have been, or was once upon a time, breathtakingly beautiful. Now, they built a really pretty place from the ashes of their -still too fresh, wounds from the war. They didn't like shinobi, that was for sure giving the stares some of them were sending their way, but they also relied on them in order to exist. After all, shinobi were also potential clients, well-paid ones and ready to spend a lot (given they didn't think they'll have much more to live), and as a former hidden village-turned-into-a-resort, they needed every possible income.

Ino couldn't blame them, not many places liked shinobi very much. Not even their own villages. Still, it was a warm day, and the incense scent of the shops around the street blurred the constant musty stench they had felt along the way. Ino allowed herself to smile.

"We're supposed to meet our client at the gates in one hour," Asuma said.

"So… can we look around?" She asked, mapping in her head every shop she saw within two miles radius.

"No." Asuma lit a cigarette, "we're in the middle of a mission."

"But-"

"But you need to learn to put your priorities in order, Ino," Asuma said, surprisingly gentle.

"Ugh, fine," she whined. "I hate you." It was a soft whisper that carried no malice, Ino believed Asuma pretended not to hear it as to save her from the embarrassment of a scolding in unknown premises or maybe not. Perhaps she was giving him too much credit. She sat in the dirt road and put her hands on her cheeks.

"So," Asuma spoke, "information gathering team, what can you tell me about Yugakure?" He turned towards her, Shikamaru and Chöji stood a few feet away from her on the right.

"What?"

"You heard."

"I… well, from what we saw in school-"

"-school?" Asuma interrupted her. "You are the Capture and Information Gathering team, and you didn't think about learning as much as you can about a place you will go on a mission?"

Both Chöji and Ino swallowed.

"They used to be a Hidden village a couple of generations ago, but they decided they did not want to keep being one, probably because of the power imbalance and death ratio. As far as I know, they were pretty close to disappear anyway because of how fast their shinobi kept dying, considering they weren't that many to begin with." Shikamaru sighed at the end, like he was exhausted.

"In a shinobi village numbers don't particularly matter, one Uchiha Itachi whipped out an entire clan in one night," Asuma said taking a cigarette out of the box, grabbing the nicotine tube in between his long fingers. There was a silence that stretched between them and Ino felt her throat burn -an image of Sasuke-kun crying on the floor of an empty house that she has never been to came to Ino's mind with the power of electricity, making the hair of her arms stand, she almost drowns on the sadness. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, that's clearly a bad example..."

He backpedaled on his words as if telling them out loud could conjure the monster that disappear one night carrying the souls of those he swore to protect, Ino unconsciously looked around, a sudden chill ran through her spine. Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Itachi -three times she called his name and he had yet to appear, perhaps the monster was sleeping. Perhaps she needed to stop pretending the monster wasn't as human as her.

(Was this the moment she invoked him and allow him to shred her soul apart? She thought it to be a children's play)

Asuma played with the cigar on his fingers, he rolled it from one side to the other, looking at it with an expression that resembled disgust. After a moment that seemed of consideration, he crushed it and threw the bits of tobacco in the dirt. "What else about Yugakure?" He asked, burying the tension.

"Well..." Shikamaru seemed eager to drop the subject as well, because he never was the first to reply, "they clearly became a resort. And I think they're doing pretty good." He shrugged, looking around at the town with mere contempt, as if the sole sight of it bored him to sleep.

Asuma pursed his lips and looked at the destroyed cigarette on the ground, he seemed regretful. "That's completely vague and raw information at its best." The scold came out softer than what he probably intended, still looking at the ground. "I'll go easy on you this time. Don't push this kindness."

"Yes sensei." They all said. What more could they do at this point? They came unprepared.

"We can't have this team to fail in the only thing it's supposed to do, I won't stand it."

"Yes sensei."

Ino scratched her nose and sighed, of all the things she had to do, that is, training with Asuma, her dad, and taking care of the flower shop, she also had to study every place they'll send them to; she supposed it could be worst; after all, Shikamaru was a stupid genius and Chöji was committed to the whole group, so they weren't the worst teammates to have in these circumstances. Even then, something about relying on Shikamaru to collect information with her didn't sit well.

From far away a figure appeared, it moved almost like she was tiptoeing her way towards them, her pale complexion contrasting with the blue of her kimono. Her chest was small and decorated with a necklace that seemed made of rope. She wasn't carrying any luggage, as if nothing tied her here anymore, as she didn't possess any belongings but the dress and the neckless -it reminded Ino of a gallow. She looked skinny and barely taller than Ino herself. Skinny. Fragile. Completely forgettable and not worthy of four ninja escorts from any man.

And then she smiled, a ghost of a smile that is -so shy in her presentation that you could easily ignore her, and a shadow with pink hair came running to the front of Ino's mind, a large forehead trying to being covered unsuccessfully by bangs too short. The girl bowed slightly and the kimono swayed with the wind, her hair in a perfect bun. She was, Ino decided, worthy of the world.

"Hello," the girl said sweetly, her voice so soft it could put you to sleep. "My name is Maicel, I believe you are here to escort me, yes?"

"Yes," Asuma replied, putting his hand in Ino's head to make her stand, Ino blinked out of her reverie and jumped up. The girl, Maicel, followed her movement with her brown eyes. "Are you ready to go… eh… Miss?" Asuma asked her, looking at her with something close to pity.

"Yes, I believe so." She smiled kindly. Her dark hair encompassing her face without disturbing. She wasn't particularly pretty, but she was breathtaking in a way Ino remembered seeing years ago from another little girl.

It wasn't fair to compare them both, but Maicel looked so small and unprotected. So young.

Maicel was easy to escort. She moved gracefully, her blue kimono barely touching the ground as it danced around her. The smell of the town didn't seem to upset her, although that might be her just being accustomed to it. She didn't seem to belong here, but she didn't seem to belong nowhere. To no one. She never stopped smiling, thing that unsettled Ino, and she didn't complain one bit. She was soft-spoken, as if she whispered every word in fear to scare the birds posed in the branches.

It was the first time the three of them were surprised enough not to look at each other, they didn't engage in any conversation as to pass time, Ino was scared to talk to Maicel and break at the weight of her innocence, she couldn't be more than twelve and she was to get married. The world was awful. She wanted to burn it to the ground. Shikamaru couldn't stop watching her and for that, well, Ino couldn't blame him.

When the night was upon them they stopped near a small lake close to the route they were using, the sound of the water on the shore was relaxing and Ino begged not to fall asleep when she had to be on watch. The moon was high above them and, even when the foliage allowed them to be covered from anyone who could be a potential threat (that if said person wasn't a ninja), it didn't stop the white light of the moon from creeping in. Ino sometimes got distracted by looking at it.

She was the last one to stand guard before the sun came out, so at least she would see the sunrise. It presented no consolation.

She heard a noise coming from the camp and jumped to her feet, a kunai in her hand. Still, Asuma (who was most definitely keeping watch of her) didn't move from his hiding place, so it either meant that it was an animal, a bug, a comrade, or someone who didn't mean an immediate danger.

"I hope I didn't startle you," the soft voice came from the bushes.

"Maicel?" She whispered just in the moment her figure emerged from the leaves. She was still pale and the blue kimono made her look like a spirit with her hair down from her perfect -perfect, bun. The moonlight bathed her as if apologizing for her destiny. Ino knew she had no right to be mad on behalf of someone she knew just in name but she couldn't help to wish -to think that perhaps Maicel could-

"I'm sorry but, I can't sleep, mind if I join you?"

"Oh… I mean…"

"If I can't-"

"-no, no, it's fine. You can stay."

It was more than likely that Asuma was going to admonish her for letting Maicel stay out in the open with a ninja that could barely hold herself in a fight, but how could Ino deny her wish? The girl's voice trembled despite the softness, if she talked louder she might crack under the weight of her fears. Ino knew she couldn't -that she wasn't allowed -but pink hair and blue kimono, large forehead and rope neckless -how could she not?

Love and being broken.

Her heartbeat was so intense Ino could feel the blood rushing to her hears, she pursed her lips to try to hold her impulses down, but, "are you okay?" She asked.

"Oh, I'm fine," Maicel replied, "just a little bit nervous."

There was like time itself stop existing and threw her in a loop, Ino's mind was going back and forth on its thoughts and wishes. "Scared?"

"... yeah."

Ino pursed her lips and looked at Maicel. She wasn't crying, so she didn't allow herself to cry for her.

"You don't have to marry him if you don't want to…" she ventured, softly.

Maicel, surprisingly, didn't reply.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that…" Ino blushed, but it was true, Maicel didn't have to marry the guy, she wasn't compromising her mission by telling her that, after all, they were escorting her to the village, what happened after that was out of her reach.

"It's okay." Maicel whispered, and looked at the moon, "it's so pretty."

"Yeah," Ino replied, looking up.

"Shikamaru seems nice," Maicel suddenly said, and Ino almost chokes on her saliva.

"W-what?" Oh, she had such a bad taste, the poor girl "you like him?"

Maicel blushed, it was the most human thing she had see her do. "I don't know... I never got to choose anything." And looked at the sky again.

"Your fiance?" She asked, softly, lightly.

Maicel blinked, "I haven't met him yet."

Ino wished she could be surprised by that, but unfortunately what Maicel said wasn't that uncommon.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Mmhh, he did send me letters tho," she didn't smile, she looked almost sad, "I guess tomorrow will be the day I will finally meet him, uh?"

"I guess…" she swallowed and looked at Maicel still watching the moon. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How old are you?" She asked finally, as sweetly as she could, she could practically hear Asuma sighing.

"Eleven." There was a heavy silence, Ino looked at the ground. She was feeling so much sorrow for this poor girl's heart.

"You are... so young," she didn't want to cry on her behalf. What right did she have to feel sorry for her? How right did she have to pity her?

"Well, perhaps for some," Maicel said, leaving no room for arguments.

"Why would y-"

Maicel smiled and finally looked at her, "tell me, would you die for your country?"

The question took her by surprise, die for her country? Well, it was expected of her to do so, the Will of Fire was taught as soon as they started the Academy. Sacrifice Konoha's interest and put yours above was considered treason, and even if it weren't -for some bureaucratic reason that Ino couldn't think of-, and somehow your body didn't end up at the bottom of a pit, stripped from any marks of identity, you would be pushed to madness by the hate of those around you. If she remembered correctly, her dad had told her about a man that killed himself facing those same consequences.

So she replied with the best response she could think of,

"What?"

"Would you die for your country?" Maicel repeated, "or for me, now? If someone tried to attack me, would you die defending me, even if we just met, because there's a contract that that tells you to?"

Ino bit her lip, "I… I mean is really unlikely for that to happen but… I guess is my job."

"That's right, your job is to serve and die for your country. And you look around my age, right?"

"I don't think is the same," she tried.

"You sacrifice yourself for what the village asks you to do, and I do it for what my family needs." Maicel looked at her smiling, the sun rising, orange and pink colors illuminating her face in a way that made her look even more like a drawing, Ino couldn't believe that a girl pretty much her age will commit herself with a man for the rest of her life, but then, she did the same for a village.

It still wasn't fair.

"You love him at least?" She asked, her voice on the verge of breaking. Someone could love a person from the letters they share, right?

"No," Maicel's smile shrunk. "But I hope I will."

And for the sake of her, Ino hope it too.

The sun rose above them.

When they arrived to the village, the sun was hiding again, Maicel looked at the doors of her soon to be home with wide eyes and a blank face, the only giveaway of her fear was the slight tremor of her hands. Ino took her hand on her own out of instinct.

"Welcome to Konoha," she said, looking at her. Maicel smiled.

"Miss," Asuma spoke, "I believe the people over there are expecting you." He said, pointing at a group of people inside the village. They were looking at them with expectation, some of them were smiling, others… not so much, Ino spotted a man (maybe in his early twenties), that seemed to be Maicel's fiance. He was looking at the girl she was holding by the hand with a curious expression, assessing her. She wanted to kill him.

And then Maicel let go of her (we are rivals from now on) and bowed, her hair as perfect as always in that bun and her Kimono barely wrinkled from the travel. Her neckless -made of rope-, have never looked so much like a death sentence like it was at that moment in Ino's eyes, it seemed to be tighter around her neck. "Thank you." She said, and left without looking behind.

Ino didn't know what was about Maicel that had made her so emotional, was it the fact that she was just a young girl that had to get marry with someone she didn't love because it was her duty? Everyone had to make sacrifices in life, Maicel wasn't the exception. Or was it because Maicel was just a mirror of what Ino herself had sacrificed? Her childhood was lost in the breeze surrounding the swings.

Maybe it was because nothing in her life was making sense, nothing in her life felt nice, felt good, she hasn't smiled out of happiness in what felt like ages, and there was no Sakura there to hug her and tell her 'yeah, life sucks, get over it' but still hug all of her pieces together, there was just Maicel and her cold hand that Ino had to let go.

"Ino, you're home." Inoichi's voice came from the living room, he was walking on his full jönin attire, ready to go.

And Ino finally, finally wept.

Inoichi was nor Sakura or Maicel, his hugs were a thousand times better.

A/N: In the manga when we are told Sasuke's story (around chapter 225), there's a panel after he returns to the Academy where two classmates say that they heard their fathers saying that the Uchiha clan was killed and that Sasuke was the sole survivor. It's canon that everyone knew about the massacre of his clan. However, it's unknown if it was a common knowledge that it was Itachi the one who did it, but I took the liberty to give that knowledge to the characters in my story (at least, those belongings to higher ranks and important families, whether if characters like Sakura know about Itachi's existence yet, that is still undecided).

Stay safe!