And The Pain Ends

KilrathSluzath: I would like to thank you for your wonderful reveiw and I only hope the rest of my writing can live up to your expectations.

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Taku’s dream began with her and Naruto sitting in front of Yondaime. She seemed older now, about 14. "Soon the two of you will be entering the chunin exams. People will try to trick you inside of it. Today I am finally going to teach you my Rasengan technique and a special one your mother worked up Takumari. So are the two of you ready? We will start with the one Takumari’s mother created. Now this is a different form of the storm Justus it allows lightning to rain down from a completely clear sky to hit enemies who are trying to deceive you or friends that aren’t really on your side. Its really not that powerful but you will be able to pick out your true friends and it will give you time to escape by knocking out your enemies and if they are disguised, when knocked out it will show who they really are." He showed them the signs and told them what to say then had them try it one at a time. Naruto tried first and failed so he walked to the other side of the field to continue working on it. Taku on the other hand got it on the first try. The lightning rained down to the ground. Two bolts shot towards the two people she knew she could trust and missed them by three feet. "Very good my child," Yondaime began to speak. "You know your mother would be very proud that you could master her technique so easily."

The younger version of Taku looked up into Yondaime’s crystal blue eyes. Taku could see them watering even though he would not let a single tear escape. "Daddy, its ok. Mommy did see me because I can feel her. Even though her and little brother were forced to leave us and go to heaven they are waiting there for us, and watching over us until the day we can meet them. Mommy wouldn’t want you to be sad, daddy, she would want you to smile. You don’t smile nearly as often as she would like."

Yondaime bent down and hugged Taku’s younger version, "I know my dear, I know. Its just that daddy finds it a little bit harder to smile with mommy gone. Do me a favor sweetie. You are such a good painter can you paint me a picture of us all together as a happy family out in the meadow. Daddy needs a little reminder of the good times so he can smile more when he remembers mommy."

"Alright daddy, I’ll start working on it right away. I love you so much." Taku threw her small arms around his shoulders and he hugged her back and finally let a single tear slip down his cheek before the scene faded into nothingness.

When her eyes slid open she just lay there staring at the ceiling and thinking. Then she began talking to herself out loud. "Daddy, if only you could have lived so I could have been with you. The least I can do for you though is to paint the picture you wanted. I feel like I owe you something, because I have a feeling you and mommy are sitting there in heaven giving me these dreams." (Yes, I know it does not seem like a 17 year old girl should still call her mother mommy but right now she has been through a lot and she is feeling like the little child in her dreams. Plus in some cases the words mommy and daddy never go out of style ) Taku used her silence to her advantage picking up her paints and the money she had left and sneaking out of Shino’s house to buy more supplies. Taku went to the store which had just opened as the sun rose. "I know I really should be saving this money but somehow it just seems to important to pass up."

Taku had already written down everything from her dream and held the little notebook in her weapons sack. She put her hand over it as if she could feel her parents presence urging her on. Taku went in and bought a large canvas the rest of the paint she would need and something to snack on as she worked. Then she set out for the meadow She always saw herself training in her dreams. As she set everything up she knew this picture wasn’t going to hold meaning just her and her parents.

Taku started by mixing the colors and getting the background down. Every tree and every flower covering the portion of the meadow she was painting soon found their perfect twin on her canvas. She paid special attention to the colors and soon followed by taking out a pencil and sketching on the dry paint. Through the sketches the figures of her father and mother soon appeared on the canvas. Taku’s mother’s belly was protruding showing her late stages of pregnancy and soon their images were soon followed by Taku and Naruto pulling on her fathers arms. Every single face had a smile except her father who had his head thrown back in laughter. Taku knew by the time she was done this was going to be the best painting she had ever done.

Meanwhile Shikamaru and Ino were getting worried. They went to talk to Tsundae this morning and found out what had happened. They knew you very well and were afraid Taku had done something stupid because they knew she would be hurt from Chouji’s mistrust. They ran to Chouji’s house hoping to see them both talking it out but were shocked at what they truthfully saw. There was Chouji still lying on the kitchen floor curled in a ball clutching a piece of paper to his chest. Even in sleep his face wore a pained expression. They could also see the tear stains running from his cheek to the floor. Shikamaru walked over to the sink and filled up a bowl of water and walked back over to Chouji.

Chouji suddenly busted awake a shock had just went through his system. It took him a moment to realize that the shock happened to be freezing cold water his best friend had poured over him. "She’s gone. She left me here with a note. She left. I have no idea where she is. She left me Shikamaru." The tears he thought were gone welled up anew and began pouring fourth blurring his vision. Because of this, he never even saw Ino’s hand quickly heading toward his cheek.

"Chouji, more than likely she is staying with one of our friends I’m going to go call them and see if anyone let her stay there last night. By the way trust me Chouji you will thank me for slapping some sense into you later." Shikamaru sighed, he got up from his squatting position next to Chouji and starting making him some breakfast. By the time he was done Ino walked back in. "Shino says he saw her right after she walked out of the Hokage’s office. She stayed with him this morning but she had already went out by the time he woke up this morning. Another thing he mentioned was that they had a long talk last night and she realizes that some of the mistrust was her fault but she still wasn’t at the point of wanting to talk to Chouji yet. He said we should give her the day to herself to clear her mind." Chouji just sat there the entire time looking like a five year old who just saw his puppy get run over.

They forced him to eat and walked around the house trying to get a response out of him. Nothing but mentioning Taku’s name would work. They tried taking that route by telling Chouji about what Tsundae had told them. Shikamaru talked to him as Ino went to fix lunch, "You know we went over to talk to Tsundae this morning. She told us a little of what Taku told her yesterday, would you like to hear about it Chouji?" Chouji lifted his head to look Shikamaru in the eyes. Shikamaru took this as a yes. "Well, she said lately Taku had been having these weird dreams telling her she was really supposed to be born here and in those dreams her parents were teaching her techniques. She thought she might be going insane so she didn’t say anything to you about but she kept a dream journal and decided to test her sanity." After hearing this Chouji only felt worse. He was beating himself up for not believing in her and treating her so coldly. More than anything in the world he wanted to apologize and make it up to her.

She continued with her sketches. Taku began placing gentle strokes of paint on the figures she had drawn. The painting looked so realistic by the time she was finished with the figures. Taku had painted the sun close to setting and made the shadows long. To her it was a symbol in her painting because this was the shadow of what her life should have been. Taku looked again at the figure of her mother. One long fingered hand gently caressing her protruding stomach. Taku’s father, looked as though he was enjoying himself and she could almost hear his laughter coming from the canvas. Taku looked down at her and Naruto vying for her daddy’s attention. Her eyes started to water up as she looked over the rest of the painting. A young Sakura and Ino sitting down and picking flowers, a young Shikamaru laying in the meadow asleep, and finally a young Chouji chasing a little blue butterfly. She closed her eyes and once again pictured the scene before her before cleaning everything up. It was sunset now and she headed back to Shino’s house.

He was sitting down eating some instant Ramen when she walked in and invited her to grab some herself. That was when he saw what was in her arms, being carried so gently. "Wow, this is an amazing painting. You expect the people to just walk right out and ruffle your hair. Your amazing Taku. I must ask though what brought on this painting?" Taku told Shino about the dream she had last night. Telling him the words her father spoke before a tear rolled from his eye. "Very interesting, so why put in Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Chouji?" She had to think a minute before answering.

"To be honest it was what my father said about the happy times. Ino and Sakura used to be friends in the good times. As for Shikamaru and Chouji, you don’t see one without the other and well Chouji is the biggest part of most of the good times I have really had. I still love him Shino, I always will. I can’t help it he hurt me so much but he is still the best thing that ever happened to me. I guess I’ll just have to leave town." Shino took off his sunglasses and looked her in the eye.

"Listen Taku. You don’t have to leave. Chouji feels the same way about you. I got a call this morning from Ino. She and Shikamaru were worried about you and Chouji so they went to his house. They found him lying on the kitchen floor. He looked like he had cried until he passed out and he was still holding the note you left him to his chest. They said he is like a child that just saw something unspeakable. He hasn’t said a single word all day just sitting there either crying silently or sulking. He is beating himself up over this, big time. I think we need to pack up your stuff and walk over there so the two of you can talk this out." He stood up and replaced his sunglasses. "Oh, by the way, bring that painting I think that is something Ino really needs to see."

Taku got up and packed up her things. Shino walked beside her a tower of silent strength. She had no idea how this was going to turn out but she was glad either way that she had Shino beside her. He always seemed strong to her and wise as well. Him being there would help her keep from breaking down. Once again she put your hand over the notebook in her weapons pouch as if she could draw strength from your parents through it. When she walked in you saw Ino fixing food for Chouji and everyone else. Then Taku saw Shikamaru trying to talk to Chouji who was sitting with his head in his hands. Taku walked in front of him a in a whisper like voice said his name. The instant he looked up he fell to his knees grabbing her legs. "I’m so sorry Taku. I was crazy to ever think anything bad of you. I was so scared you would never come back. I’m so sorry. I love you Taku please, god please forgive me." He was crying as he clutched her legs and she looked over at Shino.
"Doesn’t look like I had to do much talking huh?" Taku leaned down to Chouji as everyone else went into the kitchen to look at your painting. "Chouji I forgive you. That was a horrible way to treat me though but I love you and I can’t blame you for not trusting me completely because I was hiding something from you. I’m sorry too Chouji." Taku gave him a hug and he pulled back and placed his lips on hers. He held her tighter and kissed her like she had come back to him from the dead. Taku then put her arms around his neck and licked his lips. This time she wanted to start the fun. A few minutes later they heard a cough and looked up to see everyone standing there with a camera. It seemed that this time the flash didn’t pull them out of their blissful state.

"Now that your fight is over,:" Ino began. "Take a look at this Chouji. This is what Taku did with her day away from you." Everyone looked to see Ino holding Taku’s painting up. "I’m sorry Taku that you didn’t get to experience this life first hand but this is amazing, and I think you should tell Naruto. I mean he doesn’t even know he has a big brother. Well, had a big brother. I think this would really make his day."

Taku smiled, "I’ll do it tomorrow after training and thank all of you for your help. We both really appreciate it." Soon everyone including Chouji and Taku had ate and then everyone started to leave. The first thing she did after the last visitor walked out the door was jump on Chouji. "I’m sorry about being so distant but I was thinking that I was going insane. Trust me it isn’t a very comfortable feeling. Now for something I have been dying to do." With that she left a trail of kisses from his lips to his earlobe where she nibbled a little bit. Slowly she turned her attention downward kissing behind the ear and leaving a trail down his neck to his collar bone where she nibbled and sucked until he had a huge hickey there.

Taku looked at her work and smiled. "Now that is what I call payback." This comment ended with Chouji tickling her. Soon they both took a shower and went to his room. When they got there she smiled at him yet again as she snuggled up with him under the cover. The two of them had worked together earlier to hang the picture she painted exactly where the poster used to be. Taku sighed and fell asleep cuddling up with Chouji. That night her dream was a bit different.