Chapter Text
Sakura frowned at the unrest around her.
Apparently, the souls of the living had been barred from the Underworld. So they lingered. Unable to move on they disturbed the living which in turn disturbed her line of work. Farmers did not want to tend haunted fields. There would be no harvest at this point.
So this was the unreasonable Lord of the Underworld.
“Sakura!”
She faced the god of the sky. “Yes?”
Naruto paused, frowning at the ghosts around them. “It’s worse than I thought.”
“It’s awful, what are we going to do?" she asked.
“About that.”
"Yes?"
Naruto clapped his hands together and bowed. "Will you please speak with Lee?"
Sakura blinked. "Me? Why me?"
Naruto sighed, stood up straight. "Well...y'see he was struck by cupid's arrows. They were for you and he kind of got in the way to protect you and well-"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THOSE ARROWS WERE FOR ME?"
The god before her backed away. "I just thought some romance would-"
"So this is all your fault!" Sakura looked ready to deck him. "And you want me to clean up your mess!"
Naruto held his hands up in defense. "Yes it’s my fault! But we can't just let the dead overrun the world! Lee won't listen but since he's kind of infatuated with you right now maybe you can placate him, y'know!"
"You're all so stupid! Just take the arrows out!" Sakura growled.
"It doesn't work that way." Naruto sighed. “And even if it did...you would probably be the only one who could do it.”
“Why me?”
“Because you’re the one he has feelings for.” He scratched the back of his head. “I don’t recommend it. Just let the feelings fade on their own but until then,” he put his hand back together, got on his knees. “Please please please talk to him!”
Sakura stared. One of the heads of the pantheon was begging her for help. Who would’ve thought?
She crossed her arms. “And how? He’s locked up the entrance to the Underworld, hasn’t he?”
“That’s the thing! Gai can get in!”
“Gai?” She blinked not expecting that but then again, Gai was the messenger of the gods. He would have access to places others wouldn’t. “Okay, so he takes me to see him?”
“Yeah! You guys talk it out then you convince him to open up the Underworld and it’s all roses!”
She glanced around the field, the crowd of lost souls seeming to double before her eyes. The situation was annoying but she had to do something. She couldn’t just abandon her duties while Lee threw a tantrum. Not to mention, she didn't want listen to her mom rant about how behind schedule the harvest would be.
"Fine but I need to speak with Ino first."
"Ino? Why?"
"Uh because it's her magic at work here, duh."
Naruto huffed. "I already told you that it can't be undone, Sakura!"
"Yeah and I believe you as far as I can throw you." She placed her hands on her hips. "Who’s bright idea was to shoot people with cupid’s arrows?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "I already apologized!"
"Yeah and I can tell you really mean it, you dick."
The other god, deflated. "Just find Gai afterwards?"
"Fine."
The god of the skies dismissed, Sakura makes her way to a nearby shrine dedicated to the Goddess of Love. An ornate fountain decorated with flowers, letters and offerings of sweets came into view. A pleasant sight, usually but the addition of ghosts milling about definitely altered the mood.
“Ino, I need to speak to you,” Sakura said, speaking into the water’s surface. “It’s important so you’d better answer!”
Her reflection shimmers before it morphs into Ino's visage. Her friend's expression is sour as she made eye contact with Sakura. "I really hope you're not going to yell at me."
Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Well, I was going to but you took the fun out of it."
"Ugh! You know what it's like getting chewed out for something you had nothing to do with? Naruto and Lee should be getting this abuse, not me!" The love goddess wailed.
"Well, Naruto is sending me to try to fix things."
"Uh huh."
"Is there any way to reverse your love magic?"
Ino groaned. "For the last time: no!"
"Wh- really?"
"Yes, really!" Ino rolled her eyes. "As I've explained, the best solution is accepting the feelings and letting them run their course."
Sakura balked before shaking her head. "No! There has to be a way! Maybe an arrow with the opposite effect!"
Ino huffed. "You're really asking a goddess of love to create something of hate?"
"Not hate! I don't need the king of the dead hating me! I just mean, make him feel nothing!"
"Nothing," Ino repeated. "Well, I can give it a try. I make no promises."
"Think of the good it'll do if someone uses your magic the wrong way again!"
Ino didn't look convinced. "I don't like it when people are angry at me over love. Love is a wonderful emotion, romantic or otherwise and to deny it...well, it makes me sad." The goddess sighed. "I understand why people are upset, I do but I refuse to believe this is entirely bad."
"Ino." Sakura's gaze bore into the other's eyes. "There's ghosts everywhere you go. There's nothing good about this."
“You know as much as I like you sticking it to those other gods...I really don’t think this was such a good idea.”
Lee sighed, his chest twinging in pain at the slight action. “It will be resolved soon.” He felt himself smile a little. “Besides, I want to see them squirm.”
His guardian, Tenten, laughed. “So there is a little vindictive side to you after all.”
“Well, of course.” He glanced at his chest and sighed again. “I am flawed just like any of the others.”
“Is it painful?” Tenten asked, having caught him looking at the arrows again.
“Nothing I cannot bear.”
“Lee-”
“Ah, Tenten, I believe someone will be here soon,” he interrupts, feeling a presence near his domain. “Please turn them away.”
“Yeah, sure.”