Capítulo 22: Chapter 22
Ino sat in her room staring at her ceiling, her mind gone completely. She was feeling a little anxious as she sorted out her recent emotions for the things in her life, mainly Naruto. This was supposed to be a professional relationship between them and yet she felt so connected. How deeply she was into it? She couldn't tell.
What would be the repercussions of this turning into love? That was the real question at this point. What would her friends think? Well, her old friends. Namely Mito and Menma. Or the village. What would happen to her for falling in love with a patient? She'd probably be locked up in the same institution. Separated by wall upon wall, no more sessions, no more contact with her supposed love. She couldn't take that.
Ino wished it were simpler. She wished it was as simple as just declaring him sane again and getting him out, but that wasn't the case. If she declared him sane, he'd possibly be moved back to the prison. That would definitely split them apart. Often times, she wished they could just go. Just get out of the village and be together. But, what if her feelings weren't returned? What if Naruto didn't love her the way she loved him? Then what would she do?
So many questions and no way to get them answered. There was a tap at her window next to her bed. She slowly looked over to see an ANBU agent. She sighed and looked back up to her ceiling. Her window slid open and the ANBU agent addressed her. "Yamanaka-sama. It is to my dearest regret that I must inform you, Inoichi Yamanaka has been killed." Ino showed no sign of emotion what so ever. In fact, he wasn't even sure if she heard him. "If you would like, I could escort you to the hospital… your mother is there."
"It's fine. Thank you." She said flatly, dismissing the man. The ANBU agent lingered there for a few seconds before shutting her window and leaving. Ino's gaze remained locked on her ceiling. No emotion shown what so ever. These were the first signs of Alexithymia. She didn't feel anything. She was supposed to feel sad about news like that. If it were a few months ago, she'd be completely heartbroken. Now, it was just like someone told her breakfast was ready. She remained there for another hour before he rolling out of bed and throwing her sandals on, heading out the door.
-break-
Walking into her old childhood home, Ino was greeted to the sight of her mother and a glob of her friends comforting her. There was Kushina, Yoshino, Mito, Tsume, and others Ino didn't know. Her mother, dramatic as ever was balled up on the couch with a tissue pressed firmly against her face. The others around her were whispering words of comfort that seemed to be doing nothing.
Then, she saw Ino and, surprising to everyone, she saw red. "You…" she spit out harshly at her. "You… fucking!" she yelled as she stood up and tried to jump at her. Ino stood in her spot, confused but unfazed. The women around her did their best to hold her back, not sure what was happening. "I fucking!" she yelled out until her string of curses mushed together in her crying. "God… If you had never taken that stupid case! He'd still be here!"
"Kiori-chan!" Kushina yelled among the others in disbelief at their friends words. "Calm down, you're just upset." She tried to reason with the crying woman.
"No! Get off me!" she yelled still trying to force her way to Ino. "Get your fucking hands off me!" she yelled, trying her damned hardest.
Mito stood to her feet and led the still silent Ino out the door to defuse the situation. Ino stood on the porch looking out to her mother's garden for a few seconds. Before Mito could say anything, the blonde began walking down the pathway. Hesitant at first, Mito slowly followed her. On the way out of the garden, Ino plucked a rose from the bush and continued walking.
Mito followed Ino, trying to think of something to say to her. She was a few paces behind her staring at the back of her head. She realized how long it must have been since they actually spoke. Of course she remembered the party a few days ago, but that was not a conversation. It was just drunken Ino starting mess and they all understood. Truth be told, Mito was still a little angry up to the point she heard of Ino's father dying from her mother. She was angered by the heap of mess that took place between she and Sasuke. It wasn't something she was prepared to deal with, but after a long talk, they dealt with the issues and resolved the conflict.
Now, staring at the blonde woman's back, she was mesmerized by how long her loose hair was. It was much longer now that it wasn't in her old ponytail. It was quite a bold fashion choice for Ino Yamanaka to let her hair flow freely. Thinking back, that's how it was at the party as well. Was it just her new style?
Her hair aside, there was a lot different with the girl. She wasn't normal anymore. She was always quiet, a lot less social, and very condescending. Mito couldn't understand why that is. Maybe she just got out of a bad relationship… or maybe she was in one. When Mito finally zoned out of her own thinking, she realized they were at the Hokage monument.
Ino just stood there, staring out at the village with dead looking eyes. Mito slowly crept up beside her. There were words on her mind, but her mouth refused to speak them. They were words of encouragement and questions for the scorned. For whatever reason, her tongue wouldn't extend them to Ino. She stared at the side of her face trying to get a read on her old friend.
She had no shine in her eyes. No smile on her face. No tear stains or tears brimming in her eyes. For someone as expressive as Ino usually is, this was very unsettling.
"Mito…" Ino called out slowly. Mito turned her head more towards her to display to her that she is listening. "… Are you in love?"
Mito blinked at that. In her mind, it was almost obvious what this was about. Ino was still in love with Sasuke, and she was jealous of her. It explains the party incident, but not much else. What could she say to make her feel better? What could she do? "…yeah.. Ino…" she said. "…yeah."
Ino's eyes never shifted from the village. "What does it feel like?"
Mito turned back to the village and thought about it. "… It's wonderful…"
Ino shook her head. "But, what does it… feel like?" she repeated, putting emphasis on 'feel'.
Mito turned back to her, wondering what it was she wanted her to tell her. "It… feels like a… a warmth.. in your heart that… burns when you're not with that person… but comforts when you are…"
Ino's hand came up and touched her heart, just poking at her chest for a second. Mito watched her curiously. Then, she started chuckling… then giggling… then laughing. Mito watched her laugh into the wind and saw that a tear ran down her face. When she finally calmed down, she was left there with a content smile, and she turned to Mito. "I'm… I'm in love…" she said.
Mito wasn't sure what to say since she still had a hunch she was talking about Sasuke, but she couldn't accuse her of such a thing without being certain.
Ino's chuckling came back. "Hmhm… hmhm-haha! Fuck!" she yelled out, scaring Mito when she dropped to her knees. Mito quickly kneeled down next to her, rubbing her back.
"Ino… What's wrong? This is a good thing." Mito said reassuring her. Ino just continued to cry as she shook her head. "i-Is he… taken?" she asked cautiously. Ino shook her head, and Mito released the breath she didn't know she was holding. At least it wasn't Sasuke. "Then, what's the problem?"
Ino sat back on her heels and stared out to the village again, her eyes and cheeks puffy and red. She ran her hands through her hair and held it in place on top of her head. "Mito… what would you do if… for whatever reason… you couldn't be with Sasuke?" She asked her with desperation just oozing from her words.
Mito was as confused as she's been all night as she thought about it. "If… if I couldn't be with Sasuke?" she repeated the question to give herself a little time to think. "I'd… I'd do just about anything I could do… I'd do anything to make it to where we can be together…" she said after some thought. She had no idea the monster she just unleashed with her words of truth. Ino's red puffy eyes stared intently at the village, as if it were going to be the last time she saw it. Her heart was set in stone, and he objective was now apparent.
Kushina sat next to Kiori as the last remaining friend there. It was well beyond two in the morning, but she refused to leave until Mito brought Ino back to speak with her mother. Kiori had eventually calmed down with her rant of blame placing and realized how ridiculous her accusation was. She was crying now because of it. She had just demonized her daughter for doing something she believed she could do. It wasn't Ino's fault. It was Inoichi's obsession with that man that caused this, and nothing else.
There was no one to blame here but Inoichi. Her heart throbbed as she thought of what she told her daughter. It was blame for the sake of blame and she wanted so badly to apologize to her. They had been waiting for two hours now. Mito finally came into the door, a confused expression on her face.
"Where's… where's Ino?" Kiori asked getting to her feet hopefully.
Mito looked at the woman somberly. "She… well, she went home." Mito said. Kiori's tears came back full force and she balled her eyes out.
Kushina pulled the woman into her chest once again and began whispering sweet nothings into her ear as if it were a practiced skill. "Mito, tell your father I'll be staying here with Kiori please." She told the red head who nodded to her and left.
(Two hours later)
Mito walked into her and Sasuke's apartment. It was dark and quiet so she figured he was asleep. She kicked her shoes off and headed to take a shower. While in there, she thought over what Ino and she actually talked about. It wasn't what she expected to discuss with someone who just lost their father.
Why was she thinking about love, when her father had just died? Why did she not even mention her father? Was she bottling it up? If so, then she'd have to fix that tomorrow. She'd have to reason with Sakura and Tenten to help her of course since they were still a little mad about the whole party incident, but they'd understand when she told her the circumstances. Ino had been far too distant for far too long.
When she finished with her shower, she dressed in a plain t-shirt and some shorts as she climbed into bed with Sasuke. As soon as she did, he wrapped his arm around her as if he had been waiting for her. She smiled and rubbed his forearm. Yeah, if there was anything that prevented her from being with Sasuke, she'd do absolutely anything. That was a fact.
That begged the question, who was it Ino was talking about. What would she have to do for this mystery man she had fallen in love with? Mito prayed it was nothing insane, but by the way she was acting, she could take a guess it wasn't something innocent she was talking about. What if it were something like deserting the village? Or killing someone who was trying to kill him? Maybe she fell in love with a civilian who got into some kind of trouble?
She would ask the blonde girl tomorrow. Maybe as her friends, they could help her in whatever this endeavor of love was. It was the right thing to do.
A duffel bag over her shoulder, and a hooded ANBU agent behind her, Ino walked into the Asylum, instructing two of the guards that she was having a midnight session with her patient. Seeing the ANBU with her, the two nodded and went to retrieve the patient while she signed in.
She and the ANBU went to the room and waited patiently. "Ino, what are we doing here?" the man asked, apparently being quite familiar with her.
"Toshi, just help me with this one thing please." She told him simply.
Toshi stared at her curiously. He knew the patient she came to see and he also knew what happened a few hours ago. "…If we're here to kill or harm him in any way, I will not participate." He said watching her search through the big bag she brought with her.
Ino rolled her eyes, "We're not." She said. "I'm just here to speak with him."
"Then why am I here?" He asked her.
"I just… wanted a friend with me…" she said convincingly.
Toshi looked at her and sighed beneath his mask. "But… why do I have to be in full uniform?"
Ino sighed at the continuous string of questions. "So that you look more intimidating Toshi." She said as if it were obvious.
He looked at her in confusion once more. "He was an ANBU as well… and I'm just a recruit. I don't think he'll be intimidated." He told her.
Ino shook her head. "Believe me, he will." She said with a sigh as they then waited in silence. When she could hear his footsteps coming down the hallway, she dug in her bag again and pulled out a bottle of blue pills. "Here." She said handing one to Toshi. Before he could speak she continued. "Put it in your mouth and bite down on it. It's a Yamanaka family recipe. It will allow you to go into his mindscape with me. That's what I plan to do. It will make you feel a bit woozy at first, but it should pass."
With that being enough of an explanation, he lifted his mask enough to slip the pill into his mouth and do as he was told.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Sean_senpai
Sean_senpai Please vote!!! It motivates me to release more! :)
We surpassed 800 collections!!!
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder