Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Poisoned Petals. Enjoy the 4800-word chapter. I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto and a few others do.
Whatever Mareo had been going through? It had a lot more curiosity as of the time being. This had been a fun place to be in for the time being as of the time being.
Still? Ino was being a lot more interesting of a woman than he had been through a lot. She had been through just as much when it came down to it as a woman.
She sat at the counter while it came down to it. there was so much to say and do.
"You know, just because I was bleeding doesn't mean I'm incapable of walking… I can go bleed outside if you want." Mareo joked before cracking his fingers.
The joke seemed to go over their head before now. it was still funnier when all was said and done. She glanced at him with a sigh and crossed her arms at him. There was so little control she had over the time when all of this was said and done. What little control she had over herself seemed to be spent on trying not to make sure that they killed one another. It'd be so blasted easy to control this if they didn't spend all the time trying to destroy themselves.
"Are you ok?" Ino questioned before she hummed and crossed her arms.
"Fine," Mareo said while trying to keep his tone level. "It's not as bad as you seem to think. I don't know what's going to happen though. I was cut up like a piece of cake if that helps." Mareo said while he leaned on the wall next to him.
This had been a lot more painful than he expected. It wasn't like he had wanted to be carved up that made him want to explode. He knew the woman was a lot easier to set off when said and done. She was a powerful woman and all that power commanded something fierce.
"You're going to make me scream," Ino said while he hummed to himself. "Just try to stop the bleed," Ino stated before she rubbed at her temples and sighed to herself before looking around.
The shop was at least empty for the time being. At least she didn't need to worry about this bothering her as of the second before it was for the time being.
Still? Whatever had taken him this far out of commission was worrying. If he wasn't even able to stand up? Well, he was less of a threat… But even more, terrifying for the fact that he could be a criminal.
Mareo slowly worked himself to his feet. His willpower was nothing to scoff at, she'd give him that much before all of this was said and done. Still? it couldn't exactly be that bad when all of this was said and done. He had been a lot more to handle than she expected as of the time being.
"You know… I can kill you if I wanted to." Ino added as Mareo shrugged.
"Not that worse than it is now if I'm entirely honest," Mareo said in response as he did so. "There's a lot worse things than death at the end of the day. I'm just a simple merc who doesn't know anything about anyone. It isn't like I could threaten someone at all." Mareo said while he sighed.
He knew more than her that he was a dead man walking. It wasn't like he could do much of anything at the moment. He was a simple mercenary who was at the whims of everyone else. It wouldn't at all make sense for them to do anything about it… But then again? Mareo knew they wouldn't rest. It wasn't as if he could blame them. In his mind? Whatever came next?
This had been a lot more of an odd little problem. It had been a weird little thing at the end of the day. He knew for a fact that this had been a problem. He had been a problem when this was questioned when all of this was done.
Ino sighed and set her hands on the desk and looked at her friend. A friend whom she didn't have any real relationship with. It was odd how little she knew about him yet wanted to befriend him at the end of the day, it was odd how he had shown up wounded here.
Yet? She had more questions than pushed these to the side. He had a lot more to question before now. This had been an odd little as of the time.
"Are you going to be ok for now?" Ino stated before she seemed to handle this.
He seemed as if he had been all too thrown off for now. He had been a lot more oddly thrown off as of the second. It had been a lot more of an odd little thing for them.
"No, not really?" Mareo said in response as he sighed and placed a hand on his ribs. "Are you going to be, ok?" Mareo questioned what she did next.
"Are you going to be, ok?" Ino questioned to which Mareo shook his head.
"No, sorry." Mareo as he slumped against the wall. "The idea had been something weird for now," Mareo added to which he sighed before now.
He rubbed at his temples as of now. It was oddly a question in his mind. What little he did next would matter next before now. It had been something odd for now. He cracked his fingers and looked out the window. Ino had been prepared for now.
"I'm going to be, ok?" Mareo said while he sighed and looked at her.
He rubbed at his temples and leaned on the wall before sighing to himself and humming to himself. Ino was going to be a friend.
He knew more than she what she was trying to do, what their problems were. If he knew more than that? Well? He'd be able to adapt to their problem. They had more problems. They had a lot more problems when it was done when it was dusted. They had more to focus on when seemed to be completed. Their problems when all of this was decided for now.
He tilted his head, unsure of what to ask her, unsure of their problems. What had this been before now? He questioned what to do next. There was a lot more to do next, more than he could offer to do at any rate.
Yet? He was tired, a lot more tired than he had been before. Whatever he seemed to be properly focused on? There would be a lot more interest while he sighed what he was prepared for now. She tilted her head, unsure of whatever their move to handle.
Ino was a weird woman it seemed; he was always pushing him when he was prepared for the worst. He was not focused on what to do when all of their moves were done.
"You're a very weird woman, aren't you?" Mareo questioned as Ino held up a finger, too prepared for what he'd say or do for now. "Are you always like this? Sometimes I can't read you." Mareo added with a sigh.
He was silent, thrown off a lot more by what was coming next. If anything. She was trying to bring out the most inside of him and it seemed to be working when all of this was over with. This just seemed to be making him prouder, and more interested in what to do next.
She was messing with him and part of him enjoyed this to the max. He was not going to spoil it, mess with her for anything when all of this move had been decided for now. They needed a longer problem. If anything had been done and dusted? It was how they need to be prepared for now.
"I'm starting to regret this," Ino added. "Are you always like this? Sometimes I wonder if you're going to be worth it. You end up talking a lot more." Ino stated to which Mareo chuckled.
"It's not as easy," Mareo said to her. "We had a lot more to focus on, though. I don't think I'm going to be able to sit up and work daily." Mareo said while he sighed, he was too bored, too thrown off by this.
"Mareo?" Ino asked before she fell silent.
She looked at him as he sighed, unsure of what had been coming next. If anything, else happened? She might just go bald or such. She sighed, unsure of what to really say or do next. While this was all done and dusted.
He prepared for the worst, even if the worst was to come. There were a lot more problems to solve at the moment. There was a lot more to this little thing, but she hadn't at all seemed to have come to terms with it. There was only so much she could do to fix this, only so many problems could have been solved before now, yet? She hadn't the proper ideas before he seemed to focus before, but he sighed as now.
There was something else before he questioned before the second. He sighed before he seemed to tilt his head before as of now. What to handle next? The choices were about as endless as he was wounded.
Mareo could be almost dead and she wouldn't have known it. There wasn't much she could have done before now. She hadn't yet to question before she sighed, tilting her head as she looked around, tilting her head before she slowly yet surely seemed to come to odd with this before now. There was more to question before now, and more to have on her plate. It was only when she came to the end of the road that she felt she'd learn anything for now.
There was something else before now. She hadn't had the proper idea before now. There was a lot more to handle before now. She knew only so much. She could have done to get over for now at the time, she wanted to assure him she had his best interests at heart. There was more to focus on now.
There was a lot more to question before as of now. There was a lot to focus on before. He had something before now. There was something before he seemed to dwell upon more.
"What's going to happen next?" Ino questioned to which Mareo shrugged, looking at her.
"Don't know, all I know is I rather like it here when I'm not almost dying of wounds from 5 hours ago… Then again? That seems to be almost entirely liked how I've been around certain things so long I'm starting to get used to almost dying." Mareo said while he smirked.
Ino simply questioned what was on his mind next. There was more on this, more to have focused upon and it all seemed to have been coming to an end.
"You're a jackass, you know that?" Ino said as she elbowed him playfully.
Mareo only laughed, wincing slightly as he appeared to fall victim to some more pain as he did so. Yeah, this was both interesting and the most horrible pain that he could have been through.
It made her sigh as she realized he could have gotten a lot more hurt than he was properly hurt. If anything? She was terrified by the idea of being in this proper idea before now.
There was a lot more to focus on now. There was a lot more to question and do. If anything? She hadn't the proper idea what was going to happen, she was terrified by the idea of him being hurt for now.
There was more on the line if he failed. A lot more and that terrified him as she slid down the wall to check upon him. There was something she didn't know and that worried her more and more and more with each passing second as of this very time. It had been something odd.
Ino sighed as she realized that he was going to be hurt for a while. She knew enough medical acumen for her to understand that someone's injuries weren't something that could just be laughed off with a quick trip to handle as of now.
There was more on the line as she sighed, putting her hands to his neck to check his vitals. She knew he could be ok, but she also knew that he was worrying her.
She questioned if her mind Jutsu would have worked for now. There were more forces at work here than she wanted and she didn't wish to see someone die within her shop anytime soon. Ino was faced with a crossroads for a few moments as she contemplated her ideas, unsure of if this could have ended with his death.
However? She needed more proof he was as good as he said and if she could trust him which meant she had to risk it.
As he turned, she made the hand signs and felt her body fall limp for a few seconds as she felt herself enter his mind, questioning what he was doing for now. There was more on the line than she expected as she slowly thought of their problem.
He hadn't the proper idea of what was going on for now as she felt her mind enter his, making her sigh as she entered. She didn't entirely know what was going to happen as she felt her mind enter his.
She was greeted by Mareo again before he sighed, there was a lot more to focus upon for now as she looked at him.
"I uh… How the hell do you keep doing this?" Mareo questioned to which Ino hummed.
"Family trade secret, sorry," Ino said as Mareo shrugged, looking around.
"Hell of power, though. Could have been the best ANBU agent I've seen." Mareo said as he shook his head and looked upwards.
Mareo hummed as he looked at the second. He hadn't the proper idea before he looked around. There was a lot more to question as of now than the others. There was a focus upon which this could have been done for quite a while. He didn't notice what else was coming around, but he did notice she had done this before.
Which meant it probably was either something she was good with using or she just knew what to do. There was evidence for both either damn way he knew she had something she needed in his mind and it wasn't like he had any real defense to get her out.
It only made him sigh, unsure of what to have done when this was over with for now. he hadn't the proper idea. He didn't at all think that it could have been handled. They had more on their mind. A lot more. It hadn't yet been decided. Not the way it should have been. No, such plans went before they had been or could have been. It was something he felt was cutting through more and more and more.
She was a very patient woman. However, he assumed even if she had some breaks it wasn't going to have gotten off of the hook when all of this was said and done. It was such a nightmare, something that hadn't yet gotten off the hinges. He doubted it'd have been such a thing.
It hadn't yet gotten when it seemed to have gotten when it came down to it. There was a lot more to have gotten where they had yet gotten when this would all be said and done. Nothing else would come, no… Nothing else. He hadn't the time.
She framed his face gently, resting a hand, on his skin as she helped him from where he had fallen. She knew more than it had been something he didn't know what it had been for now.
"Don't die. I know that's hard, but don't die, I don't want to have to deal with more blood on such things." Ino said as she tapped his face. "And secondly? Don't push yourself. I get it. you don't want to trust anyone. You don't want to get me mad as of now. There's a lot more to have on the mind when it's all done." Ino stated before he seemed to shake his head, finding this to be more amusing than before.
"You die on me, I'm going to haunt you when I die," Ino said which made him chuckle to himself as he did so.
"Eh, well, if I have to haunt you? It's not going to be so bad. At least I'll have someone to keep me comfy." Mareo said as he was elbowed in the side by her before he rolled his eyes.
There were a few seconds of silence. She didn't know what else this would have been. She didn't know what this was going to have been.
"Your face looks like garbage. I'm going to need a medical kit. There's something else I have to get done. Such things will be odd to have gotten done. Anything else and we will be unable to relax… Anything more and you'd be killed." Ino stated to which Mareo stated to which he questioned before he seemed to have gotten to such a state.
He didn't know what he questioned to have gotten what it had been. This was a nightmare of what to have gotten to such a state. He knew that he had to trust her. There was such a degree as of now. Such a thing. It had been something he didn't know about when push came to shove.
He had to be beyond it. He could only afford to have been beyond it. Anything else and he wasn't as capable, without it? well, he wasn't anywhere near where he should have been at the moment. This moment was just going to have died sometime soon. If he was right? Well? It's all going according to plan. It had to have been somewhere near that level sooner or later or else he'd just go mad with it all. Yes, this all had to end sometime soon. All he knew about it was how terrifying Ino could have been when she made a move that only served to throw him off more and more and more… Yes, this was all going to crash and burn sooner or later. They had more and more problems the more today went onwards.
Did it hurt? Sure, but they had much bigger fish to have a friend die painfully and slowly, sure. It was only so maddening that it couldn't be stopped, it was only so horrifying that this could be properly contained. Yes, it had to end a certain way before he sighed and rubbed it in. There were a lot worse things here, sure… But all of them had pain in response and connection to this. It had been such a problem. All this did was push the goalposts from one direction.
Yes, he hated this to a degree, but it had been too much fun for him to really complain or go anywhere. It all had to be properly focused upon. All he had to do was stroll in their direction and he'd have gotten where he should have… Or at least wanted to. Yes, these games rather bored him.
Ino ran her manicured fingers across his face as she did so. There was too much on the line as she glanced at him while he tried not to have stepped on her legs. Such a thing was… Beyond her. She ran her fingers up and done his face, trying to see if his injuries were less severe than she had claimed them to have been. All she knew for a fact was that this hurt, that it sucked for him, and that he'd have died sooner or later if she didn't try and rendered medical help.
She tilted his head upwards so she could have looked into his eyes which almost looked glazed over. Such things were beyond her. Such problems had honestly scared her as she waited to see what was happening and how it could have all ended. it had to be willing to fall apart somewhere down the damn line and she knew that good enough to have gotten somewhere it could have been willing to have gotten what was coming and what had been going. It'd all end sooner or later as it all crashed down on them.
She winced at her own words, but it didn't stop her. It couldn't have. Not when she was close, not when all it was coming into focus at the time which it meant seemed to have to question when it came down to it.
She didn't even seem to have remembered what he was like. Mareo was such an odd little example of something that she couldn't at all consider for now. It was just going to keep piling when it came down to it.
"Are you going to be, ok?" Mareo asked to which she huffed. "Sorry I gave you a scare, but I'm going to be ok. If I was so easy to kill? One of those hits would have done something that took me out. I ain't so damn easy to kill for the time being." Mareo stated while he put a hand on his stomach, he grunted before he sighed.
"You are going to make me punch you in the stomach as hard as possible," Ino said to which Mareo hummed before he sighed. "You might have died if I didn't find you, you know that? You could have died and something like that? Being stubborn doesn't make you a tough guy, you know that?" Ino asked to which Mareo frowned and looked down at the ground.
"There's just too much for me not to take it easy, Ino," Mareo said before he sighed to himself. "I've been through hell. I don't expect pity, I don't want someone to find me as a person worthy of any mercy. All I'll tell you is they had a bad life and joking is part of how I get it off my chest." Mareo stated before he sighed and looked downwards before he shook his head.
"You haven't talked about this when it got down to it, you must be pretty banged up before now, haven't you?" Ino asked to which Mareo nodded himself. "Mareo? What was your life like before you met me?" Ino questioned to which Mareo hummed before he sighed and looked downwards and then upwards at the sky.
"Been drifting to each town here and there, Ino," Mareo stated to which he could only sigh. "I picked up work here and there before ANBU would sweep in, I didn't want a fight so I left. Only times I honestly tried? I didn't feel like it was worth hurting people who were just doing their jobs. I don't even know what's going honestly." Mareo said while he shook his head before he sighed.
He didn't know what she expected as she rested her head atop his. He didn't know what their move was to have been like. They had something else on their mind which meant that he didn't even know what to have done when it came down to it. He should shake his head before he was all too overwhelmed to say anything. He wasn't honestly curious for the time being to focus.
Ino was too important for the moment for this to come down to it. He didn't understand what she wished for and didn't know what to do at the second before now. She was a lot more than he had thought.
Ino couped his chin and slowly traced her pale fingers over his face as she made note of the still-lasting bruises and cuts on his face which hadn't entirely seemed to have healed properly. She didn't at all know what was all going to happen next when it came down to it. Ino didn't know what was coming down next.
There was a lot more to have to question at the end of the day, more than they had considered for now. It was just too much for the moment and too much for either to consider when it comes down to it.
"So, how are you doing?" Mareo questioned to which Ino shrugged. "You know if I don't die? I think I'm going to enjoy it here… Honestly. I do, it's a nice place to work here when it comes down to it." Mareo said as Ino poked the top of his head in annoyance when it came down to it.
"Not funny, buster," Ino stated to which Mareo sighed and leaned on the wall behind him, too smirking at her while he shook his head.
"Trying not to drop dead, Ms. Ino. Just thought I'd try and lift spirits," Mareo said before he looked at Ino. "Hey, Ino? Mind if I ask a bit of an oddball question?" Mareo asked as Ino shrugged and made him laugh.
"If it's something weird? I'm going to have to slap you as hard as possible before then, I just want you to know that. I am allowed to explain to you." Ino stated before she shook her head.
He hadn't allowed himself to smile so often when it came down to it. He didn't at all grasp the future which had been laid before them which had been entirely thrown out of whack by this thing.
They had more and more focused on the future, Ino traced a scar on his face, too unsure of what to have said, what to do as she looked at his damaged face which still smiled before he sighed to himself and looked around, too interested, hopeful even… She wanted to want something like this when it came down to it.
Ino was silent, too amused, thrown off for the time being which had bothered him for now.
"Are you going to be, ok?" Ino asked before she pressed her palm to the center of his head. "If you keep this up? I think you might die; I do. I do think you might end up dying sometime soon." Ino stated before she shook her head before she looked around and then looked around the time being.
He didn't know what to have understood and how this could have been handled. It was just something that could have been dealt with for the time being which made his mind boggled for the time being.
This wasn't going to have been something fun when it came down to it. He yawned with amusement before he sighed to himself as of the moment when it hummed or such. Ino was silent as he looked around and it was clear if anything there would change. It was how odd she was and what he could respect. It was clear more and more such problems would be on their minds and all this did was push him further and further down the line.
He was utterly at odds yet it was clear more and more that so was she. It was not often that she as a person was forced to deal with wounds of this nature. Perhaps it was just her kindness that allowed her to push through it at the end of the moment.
Perhaps it was also in her nature to be mad at him as she flicked him in the middle of the forehead. It was as clear as day she was mad as she rolled her eyes and sighed.
"What am I going to do with you?" Ino questioned as she shook her head. "We need to get that patched up so you don't end up dying and I don't want something to get into the infections… I guess you're not going to be working today." Ino said as Mareo laughed for now.
She rolled her eyes and flicked his face, it was clear his spirits had not at all been able to relax, it was clear on his face as she ran her hands over his blister-filled skin and worried about what the hell, they had done to him to put in in such a position.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out I will be trying to make longer chapters and such. The next chapter will be 900-6500 words and will show more of Ino and Mareo talking and setting up the villain. Until 2-10 months, Lighting Wolf out!