DollFace

Chapter Twelve

          

You're Somebody Else

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Shikamaru quietly meandered through the crowd, aimlessly. He was restless, and his medicine began to make him anxious. Her threats and taunts loomed over him, a dark feeling pooled within his stomach. Everyone around him seemed happy and content with themselves,  and it only made him sadder.

Childish shouts caught his attention, and the man looked to see a group of children playing idly, unaware and naive to life. Their merry chatter filled the air with sweet words and promises made through rose tinted glass. Such were children, he thought. Innocent to the horrors, blind to the truth about this world.

"When I grow up, I'll be the greatest- strongest shinobi there ever was!" One proclaimed boldly with a proud stance. Shikamaru frowned.

If only they knew...

He walked and walked around in circles all day, stopping once to swallow pills to stop the hallucinations(he preferred it stay that way) and stared at the faces.

If I knew, would it be different? Was there anyway it could've been stopped?

His feet took him towards the park, he stopped and stared at the huge Sakura tree swaying gently in the wind. It seemed so inviting, he sighed, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. Sooner or later on in the afternoon, a sad Naruto confronted him. He was shocked to say the least. Naruto didn't look like himself at all. With clothes disheveled, messy hair he looked up to face the Nara.

"Who did it?" He whispered brokenly. Shikamaru swallowed deeply, the words seemed stuck in his throat. The blonde, in response held on tightly to his shoulders. The Nara Winced slightly, he spoke once more, tears falling freely,

"Who killed Sakura-chan?" Shikamaru tumbled over with his words. The pain in his shoulders was so overwhelming it began to feel numb. In a shaky breath, he responded slowly.

"I-Ino...."

.____.

Naruto entered the dark room, partially scared, partially angry. Nothing made sense. They were best friends and rivals. They quarreled cursed each other, but remained silently supportive. As much as they hated each other, she wouldn't kill her. But clearly he was mistaken. Perhaps he never knew Ino at all. 

In the center of the room, a dim light casted over a figure strapped down on a chair, chains and shackles that echoed throughout the enclosed area. "Who's there?" A hoarse, raspy voice called out. It sent chills down his spine but the more he looked, the more he saw Ino.

Her blonde hair grew all the way down to the floor and was dirtied, her frosty blue eyes that lost it's shine. Her sickly pale skin and bony framework. She looked like a corpse. He cleared his throat and spoke as calm as he could,

"What happened?!" He tried not to sound angry but it slipped anyway.

"She was your FRIEND!"

"Your RIVAL!"

Ino looked up to meet his eyes, "Sit down," she commanded, "let me tell you the story." He gave her a puzzled look but obeyed nonetheless. She took a slow breath and began her tale. "She wanted Vision. She wanted Konoha to burn." She started off. Naruto was lost. What's Vision? Before he could question her she continued on.

.____.

Ino was having her usual training with Sakura on a Wednesday afternoon. They were both sweaty and drained from the numerous spars. "I-I won..." Ino breathed out. Without a single word, Sakura got up and walked into the forest. "H-Hey wait up!" Ino stumbled but hastily followed her. They came to a clearing in the woods, nightfall had already taken over and they both stood alone. "Sakura we need to leave." She was met with silence. The cherry blossom smiled like a Cheshire and turned slowly to face her, all while repeating the same thing over and over again.

"Give me the Vision."

Ino became confused, scared. She wasn't sure that this was her friend speaking. "W-What?" She squeaked. "I said. GIVE ME VISION!" The pinkette lounged at Ino with breakneck speeds. The Yamanaka jumped back and yelped. She turned to run the other direction, away form the training grounds. She looked back to see that Sakura was on all fours, moving in an inhumane way, smiling gleefully at the chase that was presented. Her eyes were no longer jade, but a crimson red that frightened Ino even more.

Blood. It reminded her of blood, and for some reason she could see all the horrible things she'd done in the past

She pulled out a Kunai and threw it at the monster's direction, hoping to gain some leverage. It was all in vain, she heard a deep growl from behind and that was when she felt claws on her skin. She fell down with a thud. Looking up to see Sakura with a menacing smile, razor sharp teeth glinting in the light. The red eyes that reminded her of blood. "S-Sak-kura." Ino stuttered out. If possible, the pinkette's grin grew wider.

"Sakura?" It repeated, "Not Sakura, Inner." It laughed in a demonic tone. It scared the shit out of Ino. Without thinking, she quickly pulled out a kunai. Ignoring the pain on her back, she stabbed Inner in her stomach. A loud wail erupted from the creature. Quickly, Ino flipped them over so now she was on top; without any hesitation whatsoever, she stabbed it repeatedly with the kunai.

This isn't Sakura. She kept repeating over and over. Inner squirmed and her limbs flailed all over the place, until it slowly fell limp. Ino repeatedly stabbed it over and over with tears, hoping this nightmare would end.

"I-Ino?" A voice called from behind. She turned to face Inoichi, who looked petrified. "Tou_san! I-I CAN EXPLAIN!" She screamed in tears. The dead body beneath his daughter spoke otherwise.

.____.

"My dad refused to end me, so they locked me up here. She replaced my memories with fake ones. I became the Spectre." Ino spoke solemnly. "It wasn't Sakura.." She added. Naruto was confused, "What's Vision?" He couldn't tell if she was lying or not. Bullshit. But he chose to trust her.

"My special abilty." She replied.

"Sakura-chan wouldn't do this!" He snapped. He didn't understand anything that was happening right now, not at all. "She wants to save lives! SHE WOULD NEVER!" Ino looked away.

"But she did....." she whispered, "AND NOW I'M HERE!" She shouted back in that raspy voice and glared at him. "She tortures me all the time! But I won't let her have her way!" Ino seethed. "I'll KILL HER AGAIN IF I HAVE TO!! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!!" She croaked out.

That was it. Naruto slammed the door shut in her face and ran to the only person who could tell him more.

Tsunade.

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"She loved mysteries so much that she became one."

~Anonymous