[open] singing in the rain (or not)

[cosmosic]

After such a long dry spell without water (without a shower, more importantly) having it rain so much, to see all the wet, could have been a heaven sent. For a while, Ino stands in the middle of a downpour, her blonde hair getting plastered to her face and dirty war clothes. The fabric of her flak jacket and shirt heavy as it weighed her body down.

It's not long before she looks more like a drowned rat than her usual lively self.

She's not sure how to react at first because she should be used to how strange these places tend to be. Her face tilts up and she squints at the dark sky, wincing a bit when a water droplet falls too close to her eye.

Once the situation and the irony of it all sinks in, Ino grits her teeth and shouts to no one in particular.

"I COULD HAVE REALLY USED THIS DOWNPOUR A FEW DAYS AGO!"

Comments

[konohasuperstar]

"Hey, it's an Ino!" a voice she might know from long before shouted to her left. "Yo~"

It was very sudden how he was just -so close- to her. Really. As in, next to her ear. "Don't shout, you'll strain your pretty voice~"

omg yes

[cosmosic]

"Gah!" The sudden voice nearly causes her to have a heart attack and the familiar sounding voice rustles emotions she hadn't felt in a while but first she's going to be shocked at Sasuke.

A casual Sasuke.

That said her voice was pretty. Just...what?

"S...Sasuke-kun? Wh- Bu- Did you say I was pretty!?"

The Hero Has Arrived~

[konohasuperstar]

"I did, yes. Your ears work well~" and since they work well, she must have made out that purr-like qulity it had underneath just then. "Blood system too, apparently~" is that a blush he spies?

sasuke no

[cosmosic]

It's definitely a small blush. Even Ino is flattered by being called pretty, especially by Sasuke. Or someone that really looks like Sasuke. He's acting incredibly strange though.

Even when he was a genin, he wasn't so flirty. Or at all. If anything, he was shy. She's flabbergasted on how to react since the Sasuke she knew was a criminal and everyone had decided--

"Wha-What? My blood system?"

sasuke yes?

[konohasuperstar]

"Hm-hmm, blood system. It's rushing to your cheeks a little." he absentmindedly licked a fingertip. "You should find a place to sit and take a breather~"

sasuke maybe

[cosmosic]

She's blushing?

Ino giggles a bit and there's a nervous edge to it. "I am a bit overwhelmed~~" She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear coyly.

Be awed by my aweomes~

[konohasuperstar]

"I apparently have that effect on people here~" he was purring, again. In fact he never really stopped, it was always subtely laced with his voice.

hey i just met you and this is crazy

[cosmosic]

Did he really just say that? It's only his alluring voice that keeps Ino from making some deadpan comment back at him for such a cheesy line.

Sasuke, she knows you're better than this!

"I-Is that so?"

Noes :(

[konohasuperstar]

Those silvery rings and assorted bracelets glimmered faintly even with the ever-present clouds as he shifted, seeming quite relaxed.

"Maybe...." he ventured, before, "...maybe not." there was a brief flicker of his ecpression. "You're new here?"

You have my curiosity

[perfectcosmos]

"Actually, a few days ago we had some rather nice weather for this place. Just be glad you didn't arrive in the middle of a blizzard." The words were more amused than anything, voiced from off to her left where the other blond stood, perfectly dry, under an overhang.

sldgkjlsgj crying lol she's going to be so wtf

[cosmosic]

Blonde hair whips her face as she turns to face whoever is talking to her. If she thought Sasuke's voice was familiar.

Did she really sound like that?

Ino has seen some strange things; talking ponies, an entire space ship turned into a pool, weather that could cook an egg on a bald head. But she's never seen duplicates of herself.

There's a moment where she has to look herself (?) over. The rain is still pouring down, and Ino blinks some of the wet out of her eyes.

She really had thought she'd seen it all.

"You...You're acting pretty normal for seeing a double of yourself."

haha meet Michi's spymistress

[perfectcosmos]

"After getting invited into a threesome by a girl Sasuke, seeing yourself is pretty far down the weird scale." She waved a hand at her. "You're pretty casual yourself though. You come from one of those not-home places?"

yesss

[cosmosic]

There's a few blinks of shock at the mention of a threesome with a girl Sasuke. Then she's really, really curious as to what this Ino had to say to that.

But come to think of it, she's right. Ino has seen a lot weirder things. Still, it was something she hasn't experienced to see herself and she's not expecting it so soon after arriving at another not-home.

Here, she smirks a bit. "A few. This is the first place I've been to that looks a bit more like home." She moves to join her other self under the awning, reaching for her hair to wring out the water.

"I never thought I'd miss water this much."

[perfectcosmos]

"I never landed anywhere else before here, but the Kage mentioned it once in one of our conversations, so it opened up the idea that others can have that happened too." She watched her, studying her curiously. "I take it where you're from last was a bit dry then? Desert?"

[cosmosic]

She wonders which Kage she had been speaking to.

"Not exactly," the reminder seems to make her expression sour just a bit. It's still strange to talk to herself but if anybody could understand her feelings than it would definitely be another her.

"We had a water shortage and I haven't been able to shower for almost a week. I've never felt more disgusting." Even on those long missions with Shikamaru and Chouji and Asuma she could at least wander off and find a stream to rinse herself off in.

[perfectcosmos]

She immediately grimaced. "Now that's just terrible. Come on, I'll get you some clean clothes and a nice fluffy towel, you get a nice hot soak okay?"

[cosmosic]

Ino smiles, happily. "I knew I could count on you to understand~~"

[sarutobiskid]

Asuma came up with a large umbrella, smoke dangling from his lips as he approached his student, and made sure it covered them both. "You know, you're not as fashionable as I'm used to seeing you, Ino-chan. Besides, why aren't you at the shop?"

i'm so sorry i have a lot of FEELINGS

[cosmosic]

Nothing could have prepared her for this moment.

"S-Sen..."

She had thought of it numerous times, knew it was possible but still to hear his voice not even two feet away from her without the dread of knowing she had to fight him to save the world was...

It was a lot to handle. Even for her.

She stayed rooted to her spot and terrified to face him. At least this way she could fight back the tears that threatened to spill over and trail down her cheeks. At least there's that. She could be Ino though, the Ino he knew, once she reoriented herself. She didn't want to look so shaken up in front of him after her last memory was of him was saying how they had all grown up so much.

Still, he could at least realize this would be hard for his student if he knew everything!

She spun to face him and looked angry and thrilled and broken all at once. "It's hard to be fashionable in the middle of a war, sensei."

Hey, he doesn't know that Kabuto brings him back.

[sarutobiskid]

He didn't know what to make of the face she was giving him, but he just gave her a soft smile in return while he processed what she was saying. War, which meant that this Ino wasn't the one he'd known around this village. Which meant she was probably from the same time as Shikamaru. Hm....

"Well, yes, I'll agree that you can't be pretty in the middle of battle, but I was referring to the fact that you look like a drowned rat, Ino-chan." He dug into his hip pouch and pulled out a towel he kept there for emergencies and handed it to her. "Although, with all this rain, I suppose it was hard to avoid, yes?"

hopefully he won't ever sob

[cosmosic]

At least when he's blunt, just like she remembers Asuma being, she feels normal. It's a fleeting moment but for that time it's like he isn't really dead and things are the way they used to be. The moment would be perfect if all her other loved ones and friends were here beside her.

She takes the towel, grateful and idly wonders (and always will, on some level) if this is some sort of messed up dream. If it is, she was okay to sleep and keep dreaming for now.

"Geez. You're as blunt as ever," she sighed and began by drying off her hair. The rain couldn't be good for it but there was nothing she could do right now.

She looked out to the streets and remembered that it was raining when Asuma--

Well, it was appropriate. "And I didn't have an umbrella on hand like you do."

Well, before, he didn't know he died. Now, he does. But, no one spoiled his death for him, okok?

[sarutobiskid]

He couldn't help but smile wider at her remark. Ino-chan was Ino-chan, no matter where or when she was from. That was comforting to know. "Yes, well, at least I do have an umbrella. It'll keep you from....Well, at least you won't be quite as wet."

He was quiet as she dried her hair, looking out at the stormy weather with a sad look. "It rained that day too. I sort of remember that."

/salute!!

[cosmosic]

His sense of humor was the same, too. A younger Ino would roll her eyes but this Ino gave him a small smile, wry on the edges. "Thanks," she responded, sincere.

And perhaps, it wasn't just thanks for an umbrella either. Perhaps it was thanks for being her sensei and teaching her what he could in the ways of an unfair ninja world that cut his life too short. And her father's along with so many other innocent lives.

"For keeping me moderately dry."

Her drying paused and it felt like he had read her mind. Maybe it's from how much time spent together as a team. Even Shikamaru and Chouji knew what she was thinking and vice versa, in her case. The inhale of breath she took burned in her chest. She was going to take these small treasures and enjoy the friendships while they lasted.

Because life was fleeting.

"Sensei...we don't have to talk about that. You're here now and I bet Shikamaru is happy to see you. I'm happy to see you!" Even if it wasn't real and she wouldn't remember it if/when she ever went home. She was happy right now and to stand under an umbrella with her sensei.

Re: /salute!!

[sarutobiskid]

Okay, so, he'd died, but that didn't mean that he didn't find the same things amusing like before then. But that sad, almost pained smile made him worry about Ino. She was the closest he was ever going to get to having a daughter, since Shikamaru had told him Kurenai'd had a son.

With a slightly uncharacteristic urge, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Listen, Ino. I know that you don't want to talk about it, but I died. I died to keep Shika and the other two safe. I...It couldn't be avoided. I'm sorry that I left you guys though, but I heard from Shika that you idiots went after Hidan and Kakuzu by yourselves, with only Kakashi as real back up for most of the fight.

"However, I will never regret my decision. But, you know, seeing you, and Shika and the other you and all the kids from Konoha here, looking happy for once, makes me know that it wasn't the wrong decision either. So, no tears, okay?"

[cosmosic]

Ino's shoulders stiffened at the feeling. Not having Asuma there for so long and then suddenly having him again -- like he wasn't dead and she didn't have to fight him to save so many lives and watch him die for the second time, like the first wasn't enough -- didn't help her already skewed view on the idea of reincarnation. Could this be seen as one though? Kabuto's jutsu was one thing but Asuma was actually alive and healthy with the retained memories.

She didn't know.

"I-I know!," she argued. And then sighed. "I know."

Slowly she relaxed under the weight of his arm and felt tears prick at her eyes again at his words. He said no tears but when he said things like that, how could he expect her not to? She's quick to wipe them away and makes a small face at the dirt and the grungy feeling it gives her from not being able to shower. It takes her mind off things for a flicker of a second.

No tears, he says.

"Yes, sensei," she nods. Even if Chouji was the more emotionally charged one of their group and Ino had to be the strength of the team sometimes, she still cried.

"At least it's not from your usual cigarette smoke."