Chapter Text
“Shino, it’s your time to pray.” Izumi says. She promptly bows her head and clasps her hands. Shino does the same.
School. He hates its political system; students forming separate groups that fight for power and respect at the expense of others. Some packs are like that. Alphas that kill friends, family, allies, orphans and whoever opposes their will to stand on the top of a desolate throne. The scent of blood floods his nose.
“Bless this meal …”
School. He loves its routine. Everything runs on a schedule. Shino knows what to expect. There’s barely ever a surprise. He remembers a time when the pack ran by an internal schedule. Everyone knew their place. Their roles. The scent of blood dissipates, and Shino feels at peace. “…amen.”
They enjoy a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, fried sausage and lightly burnt toast. Last week, the toast was basically a slice of charcoal. Izumi’s improving. Shino decides it’s not so bad with his herbal tea.
Izumi drains her mug then leeks off the coffee mustache. “I needed that,” she says. Turning around, she slides the dishes into the sink.
Shino works on his toast, one nibble at a time. He’s in no rush to leave their apartment. While he chews, Izumi peppers him with questions about school. Yes – he does have friends. No – they’re not his pet tarantula and ant colony. On the twelfth question, he interrupts her. Points his fork loaded with egg crumbs at the old-fashioned clock above the sink.
When Izumi sees the time, she nearly falls out of the chair. “Yikes! It’s 7:15 already,” she says.
Then she’s nothing but a blur. In and out of the bedroom in a flash, hugs Shino tight, tells him to be safe and she’s gone. Taking the warmth with her. Now, the apartment is nothing but cramped, lonely, cold space. Shino hurries to the window and looks down at the street. Izumi heads to work. Her pace is brisk but she holds her high. All she needs now is a pair of wings to soar like an angel. Shino knows that wherever Izumi goes she’ll take him.
………………….
7:15 am Konoha City Museum
Sakura feels singled out amid her classmates. The museum curator greets them with a fixed smile. He watches her. Her flesh prickles.
“I am Toneri Ōtsutsuki. Welcome.” His eyes never open. He stands so still, so perfectly lifeless, normal people would mistake him for a statute.
Sakura thinks if someone throws a stone at his porcelain face, it’ll shatter. Everyone watches him; noses twitch, heads turn, and eyes dilate. They are ready to go on the offensive. From what? The boys move to the front, the air is tense.
Shikamaru steps forward, hands in his pockets. He stares at Toneri but his question is for Kakashi. “Why is a vampire here?”
Vampire? Sakura couldn’t tell. Naruto brushes past her and runs up the steps to confront the vampire but Kakashi catches him by the arm. He glares at Kakashi, “What are you doing Kakashi sensei? He’s a bloodsucker!”
A murmur of agreement ripples through the students. Kakashi looks unbothered, he grins behind his mask. “Naruto, relax.”
What?
Kakashi points one finger at the strange vampire posing as a curator. “He’s an ally. In case anyone forgot, we’re supposed to be at peace.” Then Kakashi forces Naruto to bow and apologize. From the back, Anko whacks Shikamaru on the head.
Oh, that’s right. Sakura feels like a bucket of ice water was dunked on her. Shame burns her conscience for even thinking that Toneri is weird. Boys scratch their heads sheepishly while girls pinch their noses, too embarrassed to look Toneri in the face.
Toneri, not bothered by their false suspicion, keeps smiling and enters the museum. “Please follow me, children.”
Naruto bristles. “Who are you calling a kid? You’re not much older than us!”
Toneri’s shoulders shake. He’s actually laughing at Naruto. His response is peppered with amusem*nt. “178 years old.”
…………………
Sakura and Hinata explore the treasure troves of the museum, one exhibit after another. Humans are fortunate to have such easy access to their past. Touch extinct creatures, gaze at magnificent paintings, wrap themselves in visages of time long gone. Nested in the heart of the city, touring the museum before the doors open, Sakura is a little girl playing in the halls of a palace. And just out of sight, a face looms.
On one wall hangs a odd narrow mirror. It had been deliberately broken then pieced back together with gray mortar that sparkles. Wanting to know what it is, Sakura runs a finger over gritty veins. From the corner of a shard a face watches her. She looks around.
No one is behind her.
Hinata notices her behavior. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah,” Sakura says. The shard only reflects her unsettled face. It must be a trick of the mirror. That’s what she wants to believe. But it happens again. And again. A white face appears on the edges of reflective surfaces and always vanishes the moment she tries to locate the owner. Is the museum playing tricks on her? Well, she doesn’t like this game one bit. Hinata has excellent vision, yet she doesn’t notice the face.
In another wing of the museum, they examine the marble sculpture of a man’s torso. High on the left chest, the face smiles at her. Sakura shakes her head then looks again. Just polished marble.
Toneri whispers in her ear. She shivers from the cold seeping out of his body. “Why are you fascinated by human workmanship? Is it, perhaps, you wish to be one?”
“What?”
Blood splatters across the marble sculpture. Half of the curators’ face lies on the floor, smile intact. Sasuke cleans his hand with a towel then throws the towel at the mutilated body. It turns bright red in a matter of seconds.
Stepping back, Sakura and Hinata hold each other up, disbelieving what they witnessed. Sasuke stands there as if he did nothing wrong. In fact, he glares at Sakura as if she’s the reason this tragedy occurred. Sasuke killed a vampire. Lessons from history class flash through her mind. The Titan Wars. The Red Rogue. The Year of Extinction. The peace between vampires and wolves is a fragile string.
Sasuke has snapped that string.
And Sakura blows up. Shouting fills the wide hall and shakes the towering walls.
“You killed him! What were you thinking? Were you even thinking at all, Sasuke? You don’t just get to come to the city and do as you like. Your actions affect the pack. It affects everybody.” Sakura pounds her chest, tears pour down. “It affects me. Being an alpha doesn’t put you in the right.”
Sakura raises her hand to strike him, but he catches her by the arm and pulls her close. Nose to nose, they stare down each other. Pupils dilates, tongue runs over dry lips. It’s that familiar, intoxicating scent again. Burnt pine and ash.
Sasuke smells of sweet smoke, a scent she can get drunk on. His heavy gaze falls to the junction where her neck meets her shoulder, and he dips his head.
He’s gonna bite me!
Sakura bolts.
People jump out of her way; the slower ones are knocked down. Sakura doesn’t stop to apologize. She exits the museum and slips away into the crowd trafficking the sidewalk. She picks a random direction and starts walking.
Throat parched, stomach burning - yearning for love, Sakura regrets leaving that white cloth back at the hotel. She wants these new feelings gone. Just then, a boy wearing dark round glasses catches her attention. He turns a corner. So, she follows. Across the street, pass a string of shops, around another corner – there’s no sight of him.
While she plots the next move, narrowing down where that boy could have gone, Sasuke sneaks up on her. He grabs her hand and holds it. They return to the museum. He never lets go.
….
The curator is dying. His cleaved face rests in a pool of blood. Despite her trembling fingers, Hinata squats to be closer to the body. Think. Remember. What did granny say about vampires and blood lost?
Hinata picks up bits and pieces of conversation. Humans. The doors are open. This room is ten minutes away from the entrance. From all over the museum, the scents of her classmates intensify. The pack has started to converge on this area. Can she save him? Does Hinata even have enough time?
Hinata covers what’s left of Toneri’s face with her jacket. Ugly brown sports blossom on the lavender fabric. She puts a hand on his chest to check for a pulse. Nothing. What has Sasuke done? Wait. She feels something. It’s faint. A cold hand rests on top of hers. Toneri looks at Hinata, closed eyes.
Every strand of hair on her body stands up. Dread weighs her down. Toneri’s face is back.
…………..
When Ino reaches the source of the shouting, most of her classmates are already there. Off by themselves is the curator with the teachers. Toneri says something that makes Kakashi and Anko laugh. Shikamaru looks embarrassed to have overheard. Ino searches for a head of pink hair because the screams sounded like her friend’s voice. And when she finds Sakura with Hinata, they tell her what all the noise was about. Someone almost knocked over a priceless marble torso that was made in the 4th century – it is believed to be the only one made by Abilachii. Ino could only shake her head. Some boys are too excitable. It seems she worried for nothing.
Once they had their full of the museum, Kakashi takes the class to the commercial hub of Konoha city. They take pictures in front of the bronze statue of the city’s first mayor, Ijichi Sarutobi. Then they visit the Tora International Zoo. Afterwards, they enjoy a late lunch at the city park. Around 2:45pm, they return to their cheap hotel.
…………………….
Sakura watches the teachers through beady eyes. Of course, she’s excited to be out of Pin Brook but her feet hurts. Kakashi stretches like a cat. What more does he have to say? It’s been a long day. Sakura just wants to fling herself onto that soft bed and sleep.
“We’ve decided you guys can have the rest of the day to yourselves. In other words, you guys are free to explore this city. Unsupervised.”
Sakura straightens. Her feet no longer ache.
“Just be back by 7.” With that, the teachers stroll inside the hotel. Leaving a group of excited teenagers to their young heart’s content. And this group doesn’t waste another second on the steps of the hotel, they scatter. Kento heads to the nearest pizzeria. Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru seek out the arcade. A gang of girls rush to the shoe store down the street. Ino links arms with her two best friends, pulling them along. The Pink Apple clothing store in her sight. But Hinata breaks away.
“Wait, Ino. I…I want to go back to Konoha City Museum.”
Ino frowns, taken aback, and says, “That place again? It’s boring. Plus, the curator’s kinda creepy. A vampire…I don’t trust him.”
“Yeah. But I want to see the Egyptian exhibit….” Hinata drops her head. She presses her forefingers together. “Sorry.”
“Sorry?” Ino’s about to have a headache. She rounds on Sakura. “You’re still with me? Right?”
Sakura really attempts to look remorseful. She really does. In her heart, however, she’s not sorry at all. “Actually, there’s somewhere I want to go.”
Ino throws her hands up. “I’m on my own. Fine, when you girls see the nice outfits I get, better not be jealous. Hmph.” Ino stomps off in one direction. Hinata jogs the other way. Sakura waves them off. Ino is upset that her plans have been flushed, but they can always go shopping tomorrow. There’s something more important here. Sakura crosses the street. From a distance, she follows Hinata.
……………….
Ding!
Anko exits the elevator after Kakashi. The day went perfect. Too perfect for her liking. She feels something will happen. Good things don’t tend to last long. Kakashi knows this. She falls in step beside him. “Is it wise to leave them unsupervised?”
Kakashi stares at his cell phone, they’re getting close to his room. “I’m ordering pizza. Want some?”
Anko fumes. He’s messing with her, and he knows that she knows. Then he peeps at her and laughs.
“We can’t baby them forever. You know this better than anyone, Anko. Yet, you worry the most over those kids.” A serious edge appears in his red eye. “Wolves are tough.”
“And Sakura?” Anko says. What does he say to that. No matter how intricate and beautiful the page, place it in fire. It’ll burn. Anko wants Kakashi to promise the impossible.
“Kakashi!”
He shuts the door in her face. She overhears him, but it’s not interest to her. Kakashi isn’t worried, perhaps she shouldn’t either.
“I want to order a large pepperoni pizza …deep dish. Make it extra cheesy.”
…………..
Traffic flows slower now that more vehicles are on the road. The sidewalks teem with pedestrians going about their evening business. Some head to work. Others have just knocked off. Many stop in at various restaurants, diners, bakeries, and cafes in the area. Sakura lifts her head, nose high, ears open. She pictures Shino in her mind. Five times she retraces her steps, checking for anything she might have overlooked. This was the last place she spotted him. Laugher. Then she notices them. Students in black and white uniforms making their way home. There’re just a few students roaming around but it’s enough to convince Sakura that she’s on the right path. Shino wore the exact school uniform this morning.
A pair of dark, circular glasses glint in the sunlight. About four buildings away is a red and black establishment: Susanoo Café. Dark, round glasses enter the café. It has to be him.
…………………
The café smells sweet, of powdered donuts and creamy coffee. Chocolate chip cookies and hibiscus tea. A decent number of customers fill the quaint space with good conversation. Sakura pictures herself at one the seats with a mystery book and cold coffee. It reminds her of home. And a home can never be complete without family and friends. Just the other day, she made a personal vow to find her friend and now she has. At a corner table sits a boy her age with spiky hair and dark round glasses. Years have not diminished his armor of quiet content. After watching him for minute, she decides its now or never. It takes a lot to believe something would happen. It takes a bit more to accept that its real when does happen.
With a steady heart and a determined mind, Sakura slides right into the chair across from him. All sound quiets, the building melts away. She stares at him. Shino, unsure and afraid to believe sets down his drink.
“Are my eyes deceiving me?” Shino says. He takes off his shades. Brown eyes blink in pleasant surprise. “Sakura? How? What? Where do I even start?”
“For one, you’re not a very hard guy to track down,” Sakura says. She smirks. Giddy, she bites into a soft cookie and eyes that bush he calls hair. Half of his face is hidden by the high collar of the thick leather jacket which Shino wears over his uniform despite the extreme temperatures outside. Has anything changed? “Still collecting those bugs?”
“Why would I stop? Insects make better company than people.”
She’s on her third cookie. As she taught, nothing has changed. “Better company than your best friend? Ouch.”
“Including that little fact, insects are a close second.” Shino says with a straight face.
Sakura can’t help it; laughter bursts forth and she wipes tears from her eyes until she catches a stitch in her stomach. This feels right. Shino slips a tiny smile. His eyes wrinkle. It’s good being together again. Complete.
“Ahem.”
They look up. A waitress with a sweet face pouts at them. Then the pretty waitress teases Shino. “Now I’m hurt. Creepy insects rate higher than your dear big sister on that priority list? And to think I got you more cookies.”
Sakura’s eyes become saucers. She looks between the siblings, comparing them. Shino has an older sister?!
“Hello, Sakura. You probably don’t remember me, but I’m Izumi.” Izumi is all smiles until she leans close to her ear and whispers. Fear drips from the question, it lacks joy. “Did you come here alone? Nobody followed you, right?”
Sakura nods. Stiff. Why did Izumi ask that?
Just like the flip of switch, Izumi is all smiles again, filling her empty plate with colorful cookies. “Try our macarons. House special.”
“Izumi! Refill!”
“Be right there, Mr. Yaga.” To Sakura and Shino, she says, “Sorry, I have to go. Enjoy the macarons Sakura.”
After the crowd dies down, Izumi joins them to chit-chat for a bit. Once Izumi explains that her out of the blue question was necessary, Sakura thinks she can trust her. Izumi can’t be a liar. “I promise – no more weird questions after these two. Is the pack staying close by?”
“Yes.”
“How long will you be here?”
“We leave tomorrow night.”
“Good,” Izumi nods to herself, muttering about not having to keep a low profile for long. “So, you’ve grown into a beautiful lady. The boys must be crazy about you. Although, I do miss the long hair.”
“I don’t.” It hurts to remember the abuse her long tresses endured. “I like it like this. Feels more practical.”
“It suits you. Sakura, you’re brave.” Izumi then explains before Sakura can ask what she meant by being brave. “Not many young girls remain true to themselves. It’s a rare trait.”
Shino adds his own observation to the conversation. “I’m surprised. you’re no longer a crybaby.” He meant it as a joke, but Sakura has a serious expression. The siblings must think they offended her and looks regrets their words. But something else weights on their mind. And when it reveals, the siblings looked as if they’ve punched in the gut.
“Shino, why did you leave Pin Brook?”
He stares out the window, at a tiny butterfly pushed around by the wind. “It’s not my place to tell you.”
Izumi stops eating. She looks so wrong not smiling, all the warmth sapped out of her.
Suddenly, Sakura doesn’t’ feel so welcomed. She takes a drink of tea, its gone cold. Great job. There I go again with my big month. She messed up. And she can’t afford to lose Shino right after finding him. “Never mind. That was uncalled for. Forget I asked anything.”
Izumi puts down her drink so hard the tabletop, mugs and plates and silver spoons rattle. The noise startles both Sakura and Shino. It crashes through the empty cafe. Her thin shoulders sag with the weight of the entire building. She sighs; deep, long, and hard. The tension clutches Sakura’s heart. When Izumi lefts her head, Sakura expects her to start screaming and throwing things about. Instead, it’s a scared little girl hiding from the world. Terrors live inside Izumi’s eyes. It’s a chilling realization. Izumi isn’t angry. She’s hurting.
“I had to get out of that place. That …,” Izumi gropes for the right word, “…cage.”
She cups her neck, protecting the area from some unseen threat. Her eyes are wild. “I was dying. Somedays, I think I died. The pain never stopped. I hurt here and here.” She squeezes her own neck then presses her palm into her skull. A tear rolls down. “The moonball will take place soon and you’re of age to be mated. When you’re chosen, you’ll understand soon enough.”
Sakura grabs Izumi’s numb hands and holds them. Willing her strength into the Izumi. Giving support to one about to collapse. It’ll be okay.
Izumi blinks, as if seeing Sakura for the first time. Hope ignites in those doe eyes. Izumi stands. The strength in her hands doubles. “Unless…Unless you leave the pack. Run away!”
“What?” Sakura yanks her hand free before Izumi breaks her fingers. “Why should I leave my pack? I admit, life in Pin Brook isn’t all sunshine and rainbows but it’s still home. My home!”
A picture of her house held by an old oak comes to mind. People fill the house. There is Sasuke – she shouted at him, yet he came looking for her. Naruto has always been considerate of her. Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Neji. Granny Cat. Kou the librarian. Mother and father. It took a long time, but she has real friends. Good teachers. There are people who appreciate Sakura. More are just beginning to accept her. Soon, the entire pack will count Sakura one of their own. Whatever happened to the Izumi must have been horrible but that doesn’t mean it’ll happen to Sakura. Izumi shouldn’t push her fear onto others. It’s cruel. Manipulative.
Izumi folds her arms, suddenly looking older than her age. “Shino told me you want to be a doctor – the one that travels to war ravaged countries and poor nations to provide free health care.”
Sakura stills. Izumi continues in that sage voice, “If you want to make your dream a reality your only choice is to run. An alpha’s mate can never leave the territory. You’ll be locked in a gilded cage for the rest of your miserable days. No freedom. No voice. No choice. No love. A dove with clipped wings. That’ll be your fate if you don’t escape…trust me.”
Her advice sinks deeper than Sakura is comfortable with. Then, something that’s only done between family, Izumi rests her forehead on Sakura’s. She smells of years of bitter tears, silent cares, and never-ending nightmares.
“Sakura, run.”
