Chapter Text
In one world, Yamanaka Ino stumbled across a pink cherry blossom waiting to bloom hidden amongst the brush and weeds. This waiting bud had looked up at Ino with tear filled eyes, and Ino had taken the girl under her wing without a second thought. The two would be the best of friends, up until they weren’t, and sometime after that the world would find itself to be in a constant state of falling apart. In that world they weren’t quite best friends, yet not truly rivals; instead they were something in between, impossible to verbalize.
And the world fell apart, and kept falling apart, up until it was made right again - until it was saved - by a boy who dared to place its entire burden upon his shoulders, and his shoulders alone.
Perhaps, at times, that boy would take pity on his friends, and let them believe that their contributions truly did matter, but in the end, it was his kindness and perseverance that saved the universe.
In this world, though, two girls didn't meet in the bushes. Instead, it was in a bathroom and, like a butterfly beating its wings once in the wrong position, this single change snowballed into something that would fundamentally shift the shape of their universe.
In this world, Yamanaka Ino met Haruno Sakura when they were a little bit older, though only by a year or so. And Sakura, as meek and timid as a mouse, scrounged up the bravery to let Ino take her hand and lead her away from the safety of a bathroom, and into the blooming world of a flower shop.
Ino's father always told her she wasn't old enough to work in the flower shop on her own yet. That means that despite finishing her day at the Academy just in time for the afternoon shift, it would be either her father or her mother who would man the counter instead. In response, Ino them it's stupid - they could be more productive by splitting the work between the three of them - but her papa would just ruffled her hair and tell her, “You can when you’re older - if you want to.”
Ino also thought it was stupid that that she’s old enough to learn the logistics of killing, but not old enough to work at the flower shop on her own. The one time Ino informed her father of that enlightened thought, though, her papa had heaved a sigh that felt too big for him to carry inside. He said to her, with a level of seriousness Ino hadn’t thought her throwaway comment could garner, “I know, Ino. I know.”
She never used that argument again. Her father’s brevity felt too close to her mother’s tears when Ino had proudly shown off a bruise that she had obtained during one of the class spars.
Of course, all this means is that after the Academy finishes up for the day, Ino can take her time with leaving. It is not like she has a shift to make or anything.
On one particular day (an unimportant and insignificant day, in the grand scheme of the world, but a vital one to Ino), Ino spent even longer than normal at the Academy after classes were let out. She'd gotten caught up in talking to Shikamaru and Choji about how boring flower arranging lessons were (she already knew how to do that, obviously!!!) and how she’d much rather be training with them. That of course led to asking Iruka-sensei if she’d be able to transfer out.
The answer is that she can’t, unfortunately. Apparently, knowing how to “blend in” as a normal civilian is important. Or something. What civilian knows the art of flower arranging? But beyond that, Ino had no use for learning "normal person activities." She was going to be a super-cool-and-special sneaky kind of ninja, NOT a lame ninja who went on long and boring trips, hiding in plain sight.
Obviously Ino had to then explain all of that to Iruka-sensei, so he could really understand her motivations. Despite her pleading speech, Iruka-sensei just sighed (Iruka-sensei tended to sigh a lot) and said he’d see what he could do. That was adult-speak for: it isn’t going to happen, so stop asking, which is all to say that Ino was one of the few students remaining in the building once she had given up on badgering her teacher.
Leaving the classroom, Ino found the halls to be empty. Desolate. Even Iruka-sensei had vanished, but that was probably because he, like most shinobi, hated doors for some reason.
The emptiness wasn't a problem. Ino was a whole eight years old, which was over one and a half hands worth of fingers. She was much too mature and poised to need her papa to pick her up from the Academy anymore. Plus, Ino could navigate her way from any spot in the village to the flower shop with her eyes closed by now.
Nearly a year ago, Ino had asked (read: bribed) Inuzuka Kiba to teach her how to enhance her sense of smell. It might have cost her a month's worth of lunch, but Kiba came through. Ino’s nose was half as sharp as any Inuzuka’s, which means it's better than most shinobi her age. She'd dare to say it's even keener than those a few years above her, if she were the type to freely share information like that.
Chakra control had always been one of Ino’s strong points, which was especially important since her chakra reserves were nothing remarkable. Her papa had reassured her that the size of her reserves (while important) wouldn't win a fight: it's what she does with them that will define her victory.
...So said the man with large chakra reserves. Ino was still suspcious of whether or not he was being placating or truthful, or a little bit of both.
Ino had worked hard sharpen her nose and, when that first failed, sharpen her control. Being able to sniff out the flower shop and navigating via smell became second nature. Her parents no longer worried about her getting lost in the village on her own. It was honestly impossible for her to lose her way anymore, not when Yamanaka Flowers was the scent equivalent of the north star.
That day, Ino walked down the halls with a strut in her quiet—but not silent—steps. She'd never had the time or interest to pay any special attention to the walls of the Academy before, but found herself taking the time now to look at the childish drawings and diagrams of the proper way to organize one’s shinobi gear pack and where the main arteries ran.
Movement attracted her eye. A pink head peeked out of the door to the bathroom, a little eep! escaping the girl when she noticed Ino standing there.
It was uncomfortable, how quickly the scent of fear flooded the air. The weight of the girl’s anxiety clogged Ino’s nose, nearly drowning out the smell of Yamanaka Flowers - a task Ino would have thought to be impossible.
“Hi there!” Ino chirped out a cheerful greeting. She pretended like it wasn't strange for someone to still be hanging out in the bathroom.
“...Hello…” The other girl's response was slower, but she still replied, and there was no hint of fear in her voice. Ino mentally applauded her - Ino wasn't nearly as good at concealing her emotions, not when they are felt that strongly.
“I think we're in the same class, right?" Ino asked. "You sit near the back.”
The other girl nodded, and Ino was struck by how pretty her hair color was. The girl still looked awkward, so Ino added, “Your hair is the color of sakura flowers! It's very pretty, y’know? I'd love to have cool hair like you or Hinata.”
Smiling awkwardly, the girl offered, “That's my name, actually. Sakura. Haruno Sakura.”
She - Sakura - had a pretty blush on her face. Thankfully, the scent of anxiety had receded somewhat due Ino's airy conversation topics.
Her papa had taught that trick to her: that a comfortable person was a more open person. If Ino ever had to find out someone's secrets, she wasn't to try and force them out - rather, it would be best to just let the secrets slip naturally. People tend to lie less when they don't realize that casual conversation can be an interrogation. That is not to say that Ino was trying to manipulate her new friend... but Sakura really did need to relax. Ino had always been gifted at making people see her as a chatty gossip as opposed to the daughter of the Yamanaka clan head, whose entire technique was built around getting inside a person's head.
“Sakura!” Ino repeated, boucing on the tip of her toes. “It suits you. I’m Ino - it's nice to meet you!”
Sakura inched out of the bathroom, coming out to stand more fully in the hallway, although she kept a tight grip on the door. “I, uhm, knew that. You're Yamanaka Ino. I was… I was planning on going to Yamanaka Flowers. Today. Uhm. Right now, actually.”
“I can help you pick out flowers!” An excited grin flooded Ino's face, her voice raising in volume as her alterior motives (calming down the anxious scent) gave way to real enthusiasm. Plus, if she was helping a friend buy flowers, there was no way her parents would try to dissuade her from helping. “And you can be my first customer! Not my mama's or papa’s! Okay?”
Ino’s facial expression must have been a good one, or she must have said something just right, because the last of Sakura’s fear fled away. The nod Sakura responded with was still timid, but the door to the bathroom was finally released (Ino noted the slight splintering of the wood with a quiet interest). With a more decisive nod of her own, Ino grabbed Sakura’s hand and tugged her along.
The fact that Sakura let her had Ino beaming even harder.
“What are the flowers for? Or for who?” Ino asked.
“My mama. It’s her birthday today, and I wanted to get her some pretty flowers. Papa gave me money.”
Ino couldn't help the little squeeze she gave Sakura’s hand as she whirled around to face her. Ino continued on walking, but backwards, much to Sakura's quiet amusement. Ino smiled as bright as the sun while using her nose rather than eyes to keep them steady on the path to the flower shop. “Okay! Imma make your mama the best flower arrangement ever, then. It's gonna be so full of love and happiness!”
As they made their way through the streets of Konoha, Ino bombarded Sakura with questions regarding what type of flowers her mama would like while simultaneously checking behind her to make sure she wasn't about to run into something. After a near collision with a street stall, Sakura finally blurted out, “Why don't you just walk next to me? That way you won't run into anything.”
Ino scrunched up her nose. “But then I wouldn't be able to look you in the eyes, and Papa says that's a super-duper good way to show people that they are important when you are talking to them!”
Sakura still seemed unconvinced, so Ino exaggeratedly rolled her eyes and continued on, “And, like duh, silly-goose, you are important to me. Plus it's more fun to walk backwards!”
A small smile played at Sakura's lips, though she didn't say anything. Even so, the fact that she dropped the topic was telling.
A few seconds later, a young child suddenly broke away from the hold their parents had on them, rocketing past the two girls. Without a word, Sakura gently tugged on Ino’s hand, pulling her slightly to the left and out of the way. Ino shot Sakura a grateful glance once she realized what happened, and after that, stopped looking behind her. All of her focus rested solely on the smell of Yamanaka flowers as the directional guide and Sakura’s happy face once she noticed the trust Ino was placing in her.
Ino was the navigator, and Sakura kept them safe.
(The next few years would be filled with backwards walking and holding hands and unconditional trust. Ino never steered Sakura wrong, and Sakura never let Ino trip over anything.)