[It's a good thing she had already braced herself physically and emotionally before this that when she closes her eyes to activate her technique, her heart beat returns to normal.
There's a surge of images, mostly Shikamaru's memories. Academy days, the formation of their team.
"Why am I stuck with two losers?"
"It's troublesome. We should just give her what she wants."
Chuunin exams, missions here and there.
"It really doesn't matter to me if I ever become a chuunin or not, but I guess I shouldn't let myself be beaten by a female, so let's do it."
"I never really liked Sasuke, but all the same, he's a member of Konoha; he's a comrade and I'll put my life on the line to help him, that's the way of our village. I know I usually seem like a pretty lazy guy but not today, because now I'm responsible for your lives too."
"How many times do I have to tell you? The first move is always a feint. It's the most basic thing to land a hit with the second move."
Asuma's death. Akatsuki Invasion.
"See, you and I have different beliefs. I believe in the Will of Fire. That pathetic Lord Jashin or whatever isn't your God any more. I am. The only one bringing down vengeance is me."
"When you have that kid, I'll have to protect it."
Then more memories she doesn't remember possessing until the flashes of images halt on a particular scene. It's strange, as if watching a movie in another person's point of view.
The arid air smells of blood and warfare. It seems like the more the scorching wind blows, the more it stinks of impure blood. She can't be mistaken. She's in the middle of the war. There's so many of them; she can see a hundred ninjas deployed before what seems like a monster of sorts. And then, she hears a voice.
"Ino, you are the cosmos of the Yamanaka family. And we've raised you to be everything that flower stands for."
She turns her head to the side. That's her Dad's voice, she's certain of it. Why is he talking to her like that? His tone, it sounds solemn, the kind one usually uses when--
And that's when she saw herself beside her, crying like tomorrow's never coming. She instantly remembers that she's seeing this situation in Shikamaru's eyes and that even with the great urge to yell questions after questions, no one will hear them. It feels like a dream, but Ino immediately reminds herself that this is a memory.
"A blunt and candid love?" She hears herself speak, her voice broken in a sea of sobs. If she's allowed to shed tears in this memory, she would have already done so because it's starting to dawn on her that this is goodbye.
"It represents more than just that. As a father, what I take pride more than anything else is your feelings towards your friends."
No, she wants to scream, no, this can't be a goodbye. What are you saying? Why are you summarizing your pride as a father? You can't do that! You're not allowed to do that! You're not allowed to tell me these things when I'm not there to hear them personally.
But her voice dies down even before she can actually form the words that no one will hear anyway.
"You've bloomed into quite the flower in front of my eyes."
Such proud words uttered with undeniable pride. It's funny how a compliment like that makes her chest sting like a wound doused with salt rather than fill it with warmth. Even when this is another person's memory, it's Ino's memory now too.
A memory that quickly fades once she returns back to reality.]
Dad...?
[Her form quivering, she reaches for her cheek with one hand, realizing that it's wet with her tears. Just how long has she been crying?]
[Action: Ino-Shika-Chou]
There's a surge of images, mostly Shikamaru's memories. Academy days, the formation of their team.
"Why am I stuck with two losers?"
"It's troublesome. We should just give her what she wants."
Chuunin exams, missions here and there.
"It really doesn't matter to me if I ever become a chuunin or not, but I guess I shouldn't let myself be beaten by a female, so let's do it."
"I never really liked Sasuke, but all the same, he's a member of Konoha; he's a comrade and I'll put my life on the line to help him, that's the way of our village. I know I usually seem like a pretty lazy guy but not today, because now I'm responsible for your lives too."
"How many times do I have to tell you? The first move is always a feint. It's the most basic thing to land a hit with the second move."
Asuma's death. Akatsuki Invasion.
"See, you and I have different beliefs. I believe in the Will of Fire. That pathetic Lord Jashin or whatever isn't your God any more. I am. The only one bringing down vengeance is me."
"When you have that kid, I'll have to protect it."
Then more memories she doesn't remember possessing until the flashes of images halt on a particular scene. It's strange, as if watching a movie in another person's point of view.
The arid air smells of blood and warfare. It seems like the more the scorching wind blows, the more it stinks of impure blood. She can't be mistaken. She's in the middle of the war. There's so many of them; she can see a hundred ninjas deployed before what seems like a monster of sorts. And then, she hears a voice.
"Ino, you are the cosmos of the Yamanaka family. And we've raised you to be everything that flower stands for."
She turns her head to the side. That's her Dad's voice, she's certain of it. Why is he talking to her like that? His tone, it sounds solemn, the kind one usually uses when--
And that's when she saw herself beside her, crying like tomorrow's never coming. She instantly remembers that she's seeing this situation in Shikamaru's eyes and that even with the great urge to yell questions after questions, no one will hear them. It feels like a dream, but Ino immediately reminds herself that this is a memory.
"A blunt and candid love?" She hears herself speak, her voice broken in a sea of sobs. If she's allowed to shed tears in this memory, she would have already done so because it's starting to dawn on her that this is goodbye.
"It represents more than just that. As a father, what I take pride more than anything else is your feelings towards your friends."
No, she wants to scream, no, this can't be a goodbye. What are you saying? Why are you summarizing your pride as a father? You can't do that! You're not allowed to do that! You're not allowed to tell me these things when I'm not there to hear them personally.
But her voice dies down even before she can actually form the words that no one will hear anyway.
"You've bloomed into quite the flower in front of my eyes."
Such proud words uttered with undeniable pride. It's funny how a compliment like that makes her chest sting like a wound doused with salt rather than fill it with warmth. Even when this is another person's memory, it's Ino's memory now too.
A memory that quickly fades once she returns back to reality.]
Dad...?
[Her form quivering, she reaches for her cheek with one hand, realizing that it's wet with her tears. Just how long has she been crying?]
No...
[Maybe she cried even before it all began.]