Daffodils-New Beginnings

I'm...not too sure about this chapter. Oh well. No matter how many times I re-write it, I never get satisfied. Oh and I guess this should've been Chapter 2, huh?

To the people who reviewed, thank you!

"Thank you, come again!"

Ino bowed as a customer exited from the shop, a bouquet of red tulips in tow. It must be for a girl, she thought as she specifically recalls the nervous look he gave her when she inquired about the occasion. He squeaked in a small "nothing in particular" in response, but the look on his face practically gave it away.

The flower shop was busier than ever after the war. Occasions happened all around—weddings, get-togethers, engagements, a whole lot of proposals—and the Yamanaka business has got itself full of orders. And more pour in every day. There was an air of infectious optimism in the Village, and people apparently took this opportunity to expand their lives. Konoha continued to rebuild, and its people flourished.

The blonde nudged herself out of her own reverie, and she began to prepare the next bouquet for an order. This time, it was a celebration for a birth of a child, and Ino quickly browsed through her mental catalogue of flowers to find a perfect fit. In the end, she decided on bright daffodils, symbolizing new beginnings.

She was just about to wrap the bouquet she arranged when the tell-tale bell from the front door chimed in noisily. A customer.

Her mother was off today, so it was all up to her to fulfill orders and at the same time to accommodate customers. It's about time they consider another part-timer, she thought as she hastily wiped off the dirt from her hands with her apron. "Welcome! How may I help—"

Ino blinked and stared at the man in front of her. His austere looks and imposing figure stuck out like a sore thumb inside the shop's many bright colors.

"Ibiki-san!"

Ibiki Morino is one of the most feared persons in the Village and it's easy to see why. His reputation as the Head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force preceded him, and he wore it as easily as his black coat. In fact, during the first few times that her father brought her to his work in the division, she would cry and hide behind her father as soon as the grim-looking man would enter the room.

She's not scared of him now, of course. Her father considered him as one of his oldest friends.

"How are your injuries? Why did they release you so soon from the hospital?" Ino searchingly glanced at his figure. He suffered an injury at the height of the war, no doubt from the fact that he was still recovering from the severe injury he got from one of Pain's puppet-corpse when he was thrust on the battlefield. They insisted on him not participating in the battle, or at least not on the frontlines, but he would have none of it.

"I'm fine. The injury's a lot less severe than it looks so the doctor had me discharged," He replied. Ino furrowed her eyebrows at this. As a man who could withstand an astonishing amount of physical pain, of course he would downplay these kinds of injuries. She decided not to pursue it this time though.

She remembered that Ibiki came as a customer, so she straightened up and plastered her usual business smile. "Ah, so how can I help you?"

The customer in question perused the bouquets in display. "I'll be visiting some friends today. Any bouquet will do."

"Just one?"

"Just one."

Ino nodded, and already she was lining up in her mind the possible flower choices. "Are they in the hospital?"

"No," The corner of Ibiki's mouth slightly turned upward in what Ino deemed as a half-smile, at best. "They're in the cemetery."

Ino was visibly taken back. She scrambled to say an apology, but Ibiki quickly added, "The bouquet though is for your father. He always blabbered about his plants, so I thought I'd bring him some today."

A small, genuine smile tugged at Ino's lips. "Thank you. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

She scurried to the shelves then, carefully examining and picking the flowers for the arrangement. She and her mother left flowers and incense at his father's grave whenever possible, and each time they would bring different kinds. Last time, they brought a handful of vibrant peonies and larkspur. For Ibiki's bouquet, she decided on roses and sweet peas.

After gathering enough blooms, she walked back to her place behind the counter and started arranging the pieces. She has long mastered the art of floral arrangements, but the heavy silence in the room plus the fact that Ibiki was intently observing her handiwork kind of unnerved her, and so she decided to break the silence.

"How is the division?" She was of course referring to the Intelligence Division, under which Ibiki's Torture and Interrogation Force operated. Due to her father's work, she had known a lot of people from it, and they knew her as well—the daddy's girl always tailing around her father.

After a few beats, a tired sigh was heard from the man. "Many survived, but a lot more has been killed. The wipeout of the Alliance HQ took out many great minds, your father and Shikaku included."

The image of the bijuu ball lurching towards the direction of the HQ replayed in Ino's mind. Her hands unconsciously brunched up, slightly crinkling the bouquet's paper wrap.

"But we're slowly rebuilding," continued Ibiki, his words drawled out. "For the mean time, I asked Santa Yamanaka to head the Analysis Team."

"Santa-ojichan?" A talented jounin from the clan, Santa Yamanaka was Inoichi's younger cousin, and Ino always considered him as an Uncle. She remembered getting lessons from him whenever her father wasn't there.

Ibiki nodded. "He's a skilled shinobi with a mastery of the mind-reading techniques, so I have no doubt that the team would be in good hands. He's already agreed to it, but only until..."

An odd look passed over Ibiki's face, and Ino swiftly caught it. "Only until...?" She prodded, but the head of the Torture and Investigation Force quickly shook his head.

"How much is it?" He pointed to the now-finished bouquet. Ino raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of subject, but didn't contest.

"You're bringing it for my father, right? I can't possibly charge you for that."

"Oh? Then thank you."

The blonde immediately handed over the flowers to Ibiki. He studied it momentarily, lightly touching the petals of the sweet peas before breaking into a small laugh.

"What is it?" Asked Ino, genuinely confused (and slightly perturbed) at the sight of the head of the Torture and Interrogation Force laughing.

Ibiki's laughter died down, but there were still traces of amusement from his face. "I just remembered. Whenever your father gets drunk, he would call us by different flower names. That bastard named me 'daisy' for some reason."

Innocence and purity, Ino mused inwardly, that's mean, Dad.

"But he always did talk about you," Said Ibiki, and his eyes shifted from the flowers to the Yamanaka shopkeeper. She stared back in return, wide-eyed and listening, "drunk or not drunk, he'd always say how he has faith in your abilities and that you'll soon surpass him. Even said that you just might be the best Yamanaka ever born."

Ino knew those words, as her father always said those even to her. "I always dismissed it as a doting parent bragging about his daughter. But after the war, I became quite convinced. What you did - connecting all at once the thoughts of the entire shinobi alliance - was truly outstanding."

The praise by Ibiki felt surreal, and Ino wasn't able to respond at first. At that time, the rush of the battle was coursing through her veins, and so she jumped in and connected the entire Shinobi Alliance without second thoughts. Only afterwards did she realize the massive risk she undertook. Her father's words came back to her—transmitting beyond your level can mean your very death. But she did it anyway, and all for the better. Her father would've bursted in pride.

That said, it was still rare to get compliments of it outside her clan. After all, it was much easier to appreciate the genius of the Naras or the strength of the Akimichis. Maybe because Ibiki was so accustomed to working with the Yamanakas that he was aware of just how difficult and straining their techniques were, and of the one-of-a-kind feat she has done.

"T-thank you," was all she could blurt out.

Just then, Ibiki straightened himself, and his face resumed its usual sternness. "Since time immemorial, your clan has been an essential component of Konoha's Intelligence. The techniques of your clan have proven invaluable in gathering information and in identifying threats, and your leaders have all dedicated their lives protecting the Village this way, including the last one." His gaze shifted a little, and his eyes became narrower and more piercing, but the subtlety of it and his words were not lost on Ino. She understood immediately; this was an invitation to join the Intelligence Division. She then got the feeling that Ibiki's visit here wasn't as incidental or as simple as to bring flowers to her father's grave after all.

Sensing Ino's understanding, Ibiki smiled and made a move to leave, his purpose of visit done. When he was near the entrance, however, he gave one last look to the shopkeeper.

"Inoichi was a renowned shinobi in the Intelligence field, both within and outside the Village. I wonder what kind of legend Ino Yamanaka would become?"

He waved with his right hand as his left arm carried the bouquet. "Thank you for the flowers."

The quiet minutes after Ibiki left gave Ino some time to contemplate. These days, her time was occupied by hospital duty (as the injured never seemed to stop pouring in), shop responsibilities, and the occasional missions. The extended invitation gave her pause; perhaps it was time to take up the mantle of the Yamanaka Clan and accept the position in the Intelligence Division. Maybe this was what her father would've wanted.

At the same time, there was a pull within. This is crazy, I'll be juggling three works—maybe I'm not ready yet—maybe I'll fail their expectations—maybe—

As she got lost in her thoughts, her hand suddenly brushed against the familiar texture of a paper wrap. It was the bouquet she was preparing before Ibiki came, laid forgotten on the side of the counter. She traced the flowers with tentative fingers.

Daffodils. New beginnings.

She made up her mind soon after.

"So, what do you think, Forehead?" Ino twisted her body to show to the other woman the full view of her clothes. The black coat followed the movement and swirled around her legs.

"I don't know, Pig." Sakura gave a huff. "Seeing that uniform kinda gives me flashbacks on our first chuunin exam. And those...aren't my fondest memories."

Ino hummed in reply, clearly ignoring the pinkette's comment. "Maybe I'll switch to a skirt though. A black skirt to match the coat!" Sakura sighed.

The blonde suddenly looked at her with all-seriousness, "do you think men will get too intimidated by the uniform?"

"Ino, I think anyone would get intimidated when a person donning the T&I uniform comes near them."

"Hmph. I don't need a man who gets frightened by a uniform."

Sakura smiled at this. "Damn right."