Thawing an Icy Heart

History Revealed.

"Hmm, let's see here. Let's take a look at this scene." Inoichi was trawling through Taka's memories carefully, trying to learn anything he could about the boy and his past. Stepping into the memory, he came across a very young looking Taka, an older boy that looked similar to him, and an older male with a sword on his back. "You, Haku and Zabuza huh? Seems like you all cared a great deal for one another, even though you knew Zabuza was just using you for your power. Or at least, that's what you thought he was doing initially. But something changed didn't it?" The scene before him quickly changed, once there was smiling faces, the next minute Zabuza and Taka were tied up, whilst a rogue nin was on top of Haku trying to have his way with him. Inoichi blinked for a moment, and when his eyes opened again, he saw the frozen exploded form of the rogue nin. With Taka balling his eyes out crying in anguish. "That was one of my first kills, at least of the ones I remember." Taka said in his mindscape to Inojin, who nodded and moved on.

After much time looking through Taka's memories and finding nothing, that would be detriment to the Village, nor thinking Taka posed any great threat, Inoichi relinquished his hold on Taka's mind, as the young man fell forward, managing to catch himself just about, as he caught his breath. "Damn, didn't think that would exhaust me as much as it did." He then heard a light sobbing sound coming from somewhere, he slowly turned his head and saw Ino with tears in her eyes. Had she been peeping on what Taka and her Father were looking at? Instinctively Taka slid over towards the blonde, and pulled her into a fierce hug. Letting her sob and cry on his shoulder. Where the noises would be muffled, even as Inoichi watched on, his only focus was Ino now. "I'm fine Ino, you don't need to cry for me. I've made peace with my past a long time ago, now I only live for the present, and the future." Ino moved her head from his shoulder and gazed almost lovingly into his eyes, she didn't understand it. But for some reason she felt safe in his arms, and it just felt...right to be in his presence. To be around him. "Inoichi." A voice came from seemingly nowhere, and in the doorway stood Shikamaru's father, a grave look etched on his face. "Something wrong Shikaku?" Inoichi said, noticing the look on the man's face. The Nara Patriarch took a deep breath in, before exhaling out loudly.

"Asuma is dead."