Rivals, Friends and Lovers (part 12 of 13)
Back to Part 11
AN: Looks like the cliff hanger at the end of chapter 11 brought me some extra reviews :) and some good ones too. I thank you all for that for now I am very close to 100 reviews. You were all shocked about the death of Ino and now you ask yourself, is she really dead? Or can Sakura save her? The answer will be revealed in this chapter.
Italic text is when a character is thinking.
Bold text is when quoting a sentence from a previous chapter.
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To keep a promise
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All humans share a fate that can never be changed, the fate of Death! No matter who or what you are, your life will reach its end sooner or later. The only possibilities you have to alter that fate is to decide how and when, never if.
Sakura knew and understood all that…and yet…
Some years ago, after seeing Sasukes dead body on the bridge in the Wave country, Sakura thought that the worse someone could possible see was the dead body of someone precious. She was wrong…seeing someone precious helplessly die in your arms was far worse…
Just a few minutes ago, Ino was smiling and hugging Sakura happily. It was her best time in two years. Yet, Sakura had slaughtered that little feeling of joy for Ino by telling her the least thing Ino wanted to hear, causing a breakdown in Ino's heart which drove her to the decision to attempt end her life by slitting her throat.
Ino was not smiling or hugging Sakura anymore, she was laying motionlessly as a rag doll in her arms, her head resting against Sakura's chest, eyes closed. Her mouth and teeth were covered with red blood with a fresh trail of blood oozing slowly from the corner of her mouth down onto Sakura's clothes.
Ino was not sleeping, taking a nap or being unconscious…She was dead. Sakura stared at the final expression of Ino although it looked exactly as if she was just sleeping.
"No…" Sakura said hoarsely while searching frantically for life signs from Ino. "It can't be…" Heart beat, breathing, pulse, they were all gone. "No please…Ino…don't be dead" She stammered heavily, barely being able to breath with her chest feeling so heavy and aching painfully from the twisting sorrow that was rapidly growing inside her. Gently she futilely shook Ino to make her wake up. Bright crystal tears began to pour from Sakura's eyes down the cheeks that landed on Ino's pale face, mixing with the blood.
Sakura sobbed heavily and hugged Ino's limp body tighter. Her sorrow finally broke her mind as she finally began to understand what she had done to Ino and what consequences it would have. Never ever again would Ino laugh from jokes, letting other people see her nice and friendly smile. She would not ever again be bossy over Shikamaru or to argue with Sakura. Sakura let out a long piercing scream that seemed to go on forever, letting the whole forest hear it, causing many flocks of birds to fly away in fear. She screamed and cried as the angst within in her almost made her faint.
What was she going to say to Shikamaru? To Ino's parents? How was she suppose to live with the fact that she made her best friend attempt commit suicide before getting murdered by Sakura. That she had ended the Yamanaka clan ninja tradition by killing their only child.
"To kiss you…to feel your love to me…only for one night…to me…that is worth dieing for…" Ino's last words haunted Sakura's troubled mind.
"Why Ino…" She said with a sad tone, tears rolling endlessly out from her eyes "Why did you not tell me earlier? I would understand!" She took a look again on Ino's still face. "You were in love with me for so long…" She closed her eyes and brought Ino close to her body again while thinking about what was going to happen next…
Suddenly, Sakura froze as her mind went backwards in time to the second day of the current week, the day when Sakura had told Ino a promise that she intended to keep no matter what the circumstances or relations between her and Ino.
"We may be rivals Ino but I promise you, I will never let you die or get hurt"
The memory of it actually made Sakura stop crying. She looked down at her chest and hands that were covered with blood, Ino's blood, also feeling the crimson liquid on her face. Frustrated, she bit her lip so hard that her own blood ran out down her chin and started to quiver.
"It can't end here…you are too young to die…it's too soon…" Sakura gaze jumped between Ino's face and chest where her still heart was located beneath the broken ribs.
"No!!" She shouted before laying Ino down on the ground. "I gave you my promise Ino! I won't let you die!"
Sakura intended to try to bring Ino back to life. It was a long shot but she felt she needed to try. She owed that to Ino. Her mind quickly went through the procedures of CPR.
Press the chest ten times! Tilt her head backwards before blowing air through her mouth while keeping her nostrils closed. Watch for movements on her chest! Repeat procedure! But, her heart has been still too long! I will have to try combining the CPR with healing
Ino's heart had been still for a few minutes. Any more and it would start taking serious damage due to lack of oxygen. Sakura had to hurry! Sakura could still only cure tiny cuts and wounds with her current healing skills but she was hoping that she could stimulate Ino's heart enough to revive it.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, rapidly forming her hands into various hand seals while moulding her chakra to the hands before finishing the series with the Tiger hand seal.
"Chiyute no jutsu!" (Healing hand technique)
A green sparkling aura formed itself around her hands. She placed her hands on Ino's chest and let her healing chakra surge into Ino's heart.
Sakura followed the exact instructions and steps to perform CPR. She pressed Ino's chest up and down repeatedly while still having her healing technique on, and then blowing a lung full of fresh air into Ino's lungs through the mouth. No signs of success were shown yet, causing frustrating and slim panic to arise in Sakura.
"Come on Ino! You are going to die one day but this is not the day!"
The green light around the hands grew stronger, more intensified as she moulded more amounts of chakra to the hands. Ino's chest got pumped ten times again. Another breath was blown into her lungs. Still no life signs were shown.
A lot of veins started pop out all over Sakuras arms and face as the green light around her hands became so strong that the light was blinding, emitting electrical sounds. It was tearing at her body. Her chakra capacity was rapidly decreasing but Sakura had made her decision. She was not going to give up!. What side was going to win? Sakuras healing or Death?
After have pressed Ino's chest again, blown into her mouth, it suddenly happened. Ino's body jolted once, then twice. Hope returned to Sakura when Ino's eyes were slammed wide open along with some blood coming out from her mouth as her lungs began working again. Her body reflexively coughed to clear the lungs from blood and let the body breath as good as possible.
"YES!!"
Sakura shouted out of joy. She had done it. She had successfully revived Ino's heart and mind back to life. She turned Ino over on her side to let Ino clear her lungs free of blood.
"That's good Ino. Clear your lungs" Sakura said, tears of joy coming instead of sorrow. The danger was not over yet. Sakura's joy for saving Ino's life quickly vanished as she realized the new dangers.
Ino is still in critical condition! She can die again at any minute or any hour and if that happens, I will never be able to revive her again.
It had been decided. Ino only had one chance left, she needed to be brought to a hospital immediately and get expert medical attention. Still laying down on the ground barely conscious, Ino moaned in agony, breathing hoarsely, not saying any words due to pain and weakness. Sakura lifted Ino's upper body up to a sitting position.
"Ino I don't know if you can hear me but I am going to move you and take you to the Leaf Village hospital as quick as I can. All you need to do is to fight and stay awake for a couple more hours."
She was not sure if Ino could hear her words or see her as she did not even look at Sakura. Her eyes were bloodshot. Even worse, her breathing was sounding very troubled, shaking heavily while moaning in pain. Just before Sakura tried to lift Ino up, she noticed the tiredness in her body after having spent so much chakra and stamina to heal Ino so carrying her was not going to be easy.
I can take some time to rest but every minute is crucial! If I start walking now while carrying Ino I will not get far. What the hell shall I do? No matter what happens Ino must live through this day!
Hoping to find some solution to aid herself and Ino, Sakura began searching Ino's pockets and pulled out something. In her hand she saw the small plastic bag containing the yellow dream berries along with a bigger brown ball shaped object. Sakura immediately recognized it.
A soldier pill? Where did Ino get it from? It will surely come in handy.
Some changes needed to be done before the hazardous trip back to the Leaf village could begin. First she helped Ino drink some water which she had trouble swallowing, followed by a handful of dream berries. The soldier split she split in two, taking one piece for herself and the other for Ino. Both of them desperately needed the refreshing energies of it.
"Fight for me Ino as much as I shall fight for you"
Sakura pleaded to her before putting her arms under Ino's neck and legs and lifted her up. Ino felt heavy but she could carry her. Again Sakura cursed herself on the inside for being so physically weak. The backpacks Sakura intended to leave behind. Taking them with her would be useless and impossible. Only a water bottle went together with her.
This is it! It's now or never! I only have one chance
She thought as she started walking quickly but steadily towards the Leaf village, wanting to rather run instead but that would with no doubt kill Ino quickly. Now that it was day light, Sakura, could much more easier find her way through the forest. As she walked inside it, she checked Ino's status every ten minutes to make sure she would be ok. She could tell by listening to Ino's hard breathing and quiet moans that she was alive.
Damn how stupid of me! I should have taken Ino to a hospital immediately on the day she got wounded. If I would have not got knocked out before I would have noticed Ino's internal bleedings earlier.
Eventually, Sakura left the forest and started to follow the familiar looking gravel road. She knew that it would take her at leas three hours to reach the Leaf village. She prayed with all her heart that she would reach it in time. Also hoping strongly to meet some patrolling Konoha ninjas that could aid her.
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Two hours later
The sight of the Forest of Life had disappeared behind Sakura a long time ago. Still, she saw no sight of the Leaf village. The thought of possibly following the wrong road panicked her greatly. The good news were though that Ino's was still alive, her raspy breathings and quiet moans told Sakura this. But she had not said a single word since Sakura revived her back to life, not even looking at her. Of course good news always came together with bad news. Sakura was slowly feeling how her strength was fading away as the effects of the soldiers pill was wearing off. Her limbs were aching of tiredness.
I must keep walking! If I can't reach the village Ino is doomed!
Stopping for a short moment, Sakura laid Ino down on the ground before repeating the seals for the healing hands technique and put her hands on Ino's chest where her heart and lungs were located beneath. She let the chakra surge from her hands to Ino's only functional lung and her badly damaged heart to strengthen them. This only made Sakura feel more tired but it was necessary. Ino's body was at the brink of death and wanted nothing more but to die.
As long as her heart keeps pumping and her lung keeps breathing she should be fine…for a while.
Thinking about what would happen if she would run out of chakra; Sakura stopped the technique to save some chakra for later use. Blood was rolling out from the corner of Ino's mouth again. Sakura looked at her face with sympatric gaze in her eyes while wiping the blood off from Ino's mouth with a hanky. Lifting Ino's upper body up, Sakura gave Ino a weak hug and kissed her forehead weakly.
"Everything is going to be fine…" She whispered.
Resetting her grip, Sakura ignored the pain and tiredness in her limbs as she lifted Ino up again and kept walking…
"Just fine…" She whispered even quieter.
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Another hour later
Sakura's limbs felt like they were made of concrete as they felt so heavy that she slowly dragged each foot on the ground. Her legs were aching painfully after a long and tough walk, nearly having lost her feeling in them completely. Her face had lost a lot of colour, staring blankly forward like a zombie, no longer walking but staggering instead as if she was drunk, her body dangling slightly to the sides with each step.
Must keep…walking…Ino must…live…
That was her single thought in her tired mind, to keep walking until she could reach the Leaf village, to ensure Ino's survival. She barely had the strength to keep her eyes open. They snapped open suddenly as the last strength in Sakura's knees disappeared in the blink of an eye, causing her to topple forward to the ground. Before she hit the ground she managed to soften the fall for Ino who she was still holding in her arms. Desperately she tried getting back up on her feet but was unable to do so. The feeling in her legs was gone! Her leg muscles were spasming with overwork.
"Noo!" She said frustratingly as she kept struggling in vain to get up. Her attempts stopped suddenly as she heard someone whispering her name below her. The whispering of someone familiar.
"Sakura…" Looking down, she felt her hear twist. She saw Ino, her best friend and rival lying in her arms. She looked so awfully sick with her pale face, blood shot eyes and matching blood coming out from her nostrils and blood. It was a horrible sight for her. It felt like she was reliving the same moment a few hours earlier when Ino's heart had stopped beating.
Sakura had just heard Ino saying the first word since she got revived.
"Don't talk Ino…save your strength. I will bring you to the Leaf Village soon." She tried to futilely convince herself and her almost dead friend. But Ino shook her head weakly before whispering rasped.
"The pain…unbearable…" She took a new breath before continuing. "Kill…me…" What Ino said made Sakura's heard twist so much that it felt like she had been stabbed.
"No…" She shook her head.
"Please…Sakura" Ino pleaded again and looked into her friends eyes. Like a motionless statue, Sakura stared down at Ino with wide open eyes, holding her breath. She could not believe what Ino had just told her, trying to believe that it was just something she had heard wrong.
"Ino let…let me ease your pain with healing" Sakura ignored Ino's words. Clumsily she performed the hand seals for the healing hands technique but as soon as she finished the series of hand seals, she felt a stinging pain as well as if a small electrical current ran through her body.
"Ugh…oh no…" Sakura had no chakra left in her body at all. She could not use any techniques. That panicked her greatly so she kept trying with her attempts to stands up, not getting anywhere closer.
"Please…" Ino's voice was full of agony. The bright tears mixed with the blood shot eyes formed into pink coloured tears running down across Ino's cheeks. A minute that felt like an eternity passed for Sakura as she pondered what to do next. A weak cough and a long painful groan of agony escaping from Ino finally made Sakura make her decision. With Sakura having no chakra or stamina left and she being unable to move and Ino suffering…
Ino will be dead soon…whether it will be slow and painful death or quick and painless is up to me…
Gulping, Sakura moved her quivering hand to her kunai holster, grabbing a kunai by the handle. Her breathings became more rapid as she understood what she was going to do and what consequences it would have. When she raised the kunai up in the air, aiming the sharp edge towards Ino's chest, she closed her eyes and took deep a breath, not wanting to see what was about to happen…
"Forgive me…" Sakura whispered…and shoved the Kunai straight downwards…
…
…
…
The tip of the kunai was stopped one inch above Ino's chest…something had stopped Sakura in the last moment. She heard something…
Her tired hearing could not tell what it was but it sounded like muffled voices, talking to her.
Out of nowhere, a pair of figures jumped out in front of the girls. Sakura's extremely blurry vision could not see who or what the figures were but they seemed to try to communicate with her. She was unable to hear the words they were saying. The strength in her mind and body was rapidly diminishing as her body was completely out of chakra.
"Please save Ino…she is dying…" Sakura mumbled weakly, looking down to see that Ino had fallen unconscious. Her aching tired head swung around in circles. Her vision darkened as Sakura's back hit the ground and her mind drifted off, still having the still form of Ino in her lap. The last thing her senses noticed before becoming unconscious was feeling how someone with strong and big arms lifted her up from the ground…
End of chapter 12
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AN: See, Ino survived :) When I first began writing this story, I had planned to let Ino remain dead and not be revived by Sakura but I changed it for I wanted the story to end happily and in case I want to write a sequel. Only one chapter remains now and it will be the longest of them all. However, I cant tell when I can put up the final chapter. I am very busy now and will be even more busy next week. The chapter is half finished though and I am very sure I can finish it and put it up within a month. I hope you have the patience to wait that long if necessary and forgive me. But lets hope I can put it up earlier than that.
Onwards to Part 13
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