Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
A/N: This story follows the general Naruto storyline, but may deviate in terms of the exact plot and dialogue. Possible OOC in later chapters. Story starts from Ino's childhood days.
"Roses are the prettiest flowers ever," Ino sighed to herself, mesmerized by crimson petals and the light fragrance. "If only I was a rose…"
"Heh, are they, Ino-pig?"
Ino blinked in surprise. The red flower slipped from her fingers and was suddenly whisked away by a pair of unknown hands. She turned to face the thief and her eyes widened in fear.
"Oh, h-hello Ami-chan," Ino mumbled, backing away. She mentally slapped herself for getting so carried away picking flowers that she didn't notice Ami and her friends approaching.
"How can someone as ugly as you find a rose as beautiful as this, huh?" Ami asked mockingly, tossing her dark purple hair. "It doesn't mean anything, right?"
Fuki and Kasumi giggled uncontrollably. "Good one, boss!"
"I…" Ino bit her lip nervously. She was at a loss for words.
"Her family owns Yamanaka Flowers, don't they?" piped up Kasumi. She looked extremely pleased with herself.
"You must have grown up among dirt and bugs and all sorts of gross things then," Ami smirked, "So that's why you look like you've been rolling in mud every day."
"I do?" Ino squeaked in surprise, taking a quick peek at her hands and clothes. They were clean, of course, immaculate as always. Then why…?
The girls toppled into each others' arms, roaring in laughter.
"You're…so gullible…Ino-pig!" Ami shouted, gasping for breath and struggling to stand up. Her friends remained on the ground, giggling helplessly and pointing at Ino, who blushed furiously.
"You know what?" Ami mused, a manic glint in her brown eyes, "You don't deserve this rose. Why don't you go find another flower, and leave us alone?"
Ino was stunned. They were going to let her go, just like that? Hardly daring to believe her luck, she crept cautiously to the side, hoping that Ami was too preoccupied with the rose to notice.
Suddenly, Ami pushed her roughly aside and Ino slammed into a nearby tree. Winded, she shakily got to her feet, trying ignoring the throbbing pain in her head. Her knees gave way and she crumpled to the grassy floor.
Ami laughed contemptuously and waved the rose in from of Ino's face. "Aren't you going to try and get it back, Ino-pig?"
"I…" Ino glanced helplessly at the retreating form of Suzume-sensei. Of course! Ami would never dream of cornering her with the teacher nearby. She was on her own. Ino steeled herself to make a run for it.
"Hey, she's talking to you, Ino-pig!" Fuki exclaimed irritably. She and Kasumi stepped forwards menacingly. Panic filled Ino's mind and she plastered a brilliant smile on her face to deter the bullies and stall time.
"N-no thank you," Ino's fake smile faltered as Ami advanced, the rose poised over Ino's heart.
"Are you trying to be courteous?" Ami sneered, as Kasumi and Fuki doubled over with derisive laughter.
"No," Ino said coolly. But on the inside, she was fighting back the rising panic. How was she going to be able to get out of this one in one piece? Ino was not going home with a black eye again, she would not allow it. Her mother would be furious. Nevertheless, she doubted she had the ability to take on three bullies by herself. Experience had taught her at least that much.
"Hello Ino-pig, are you listening?"
"What…?" Ino asked, without paying much attention.
"I said the rose is mine now. Mine." Ami's eyes glittered.
Ino remained silent. After all, what could she say? Ami was trying to provoke her temper, trying to goad her into attempting to retrieve the rose. And this, as they both knew, would lead to certain, impending doom for a certain blonde-haired kunoichi.
"So what?" Ino finally managed, even though she was trembling in fright, "My parents own a flower shop, I have plenty of roses! What's so extraordinary about this one?" But as she said it, she knew it wasn't strictly true. This one was different and special. It was a wild rose, a beautiful specimen unique to this meadow of daisies, lilies, sunflowers and cosmoses. It symbolized endurance, something Ino treasured with all her heart. Ino had chosen it specifically for it to be her main flower in the bouquet – it was perfect in every way. Anything she added to the arrangement would complement its beauty, she was sure of it. And she knew that Ami didn't care enough to understand. And she was grateful and relieved, because if the bully did, she would use it against her for sure.
Ami's face was livid with undisguised rage. "Y-you Ino-pig!" she shrieked. She flung the rose onto the floor and stepped on it, grinding it into the ground with her heel. Ino stared at her in horror.
"Why did you just –" Ino cried, unsteadily getting to her feet. Forgetting about her fear, she rushed forwards and lifted the damaged rose gingerly and cradled it lovingly in her palm. Ami snatched it from her hands and began to tear the flower to pieces.
"What are you doing?" Ino yelped in horror as she watched the shredded petals drifting to the ground.
"Roses symbolize love and beauty right? Right, you little know-it-all?" Ami hissed.
Ino nodded stiffly. But they means much more than just that...
"Well that's not you…and it'll never be you, you ugly Ino-pig!"
Her words cut deep. Of course…it was what Ino always wanted, to be like a rose, to be beautiful, to stand out and be unique in a good way. And she wanted to be strong, not a pile of dilapidated petals, and certainly not a commonplace flower. Yet her parents always had differing views with her and each other on the subject of her personal, symbolic flower. Her mother always said she was a cosmos, the floral embodiment of harmony. And her father dreamed she would come to personify violets, which represent the motifs of faith and love.
"You're not a rose, Ino. It's far too cliché, even for you!"
"But otosan –"
Ino saw the last shred of rose petals fall out of Ami's hands and took a shaky breath. Ami folded her skinny arms, looking immensely satisfied.
"You still think you're a rose, Ino?" she asked scathingly, "You're better off as a cosmos – all showy and pretty, but with no real substance!"
My mother thinks the same…
Ino raised her eyebrows, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "Pretty? I thought you said –"
Ami blanched, but recovered almost instantaneously. She stepped forwards and slapped Ino hard across the face. Ino's cheeks and eyes stung, but she forced herself to meet the other girl's gaze, her blue eyes defiant.
Ami was red-faced and her hands were clenched into fists. She shot one more malicious glare at Ino before scampering off with her friends in hot pursuit.
Ino breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn't as bad as last time…
She gazed miserably at the pile of torn rose petals, wondering if maybe, they were wrong. Maybe she was a rose, but not in the way she wanted. She was shallow and weak, unable to stand up for herself. Or perhaps they were right, she was nothing but a cosmos, or a violet. She let her gaze drift over the patches of cosmos patches. They were beautiful to look at, but they were nothing special. The field was full of them. And they were all the same, meaningless, useless, like her.
"They represent harmony, Ino." her mother had chided.
Ino rubbed her smarting cheek and allowed herself a small, sad smile. She now realized Ami was jealous, if only slightly. She felt lonely. If only they could have been friends, and not enemies. They both would have been so much happier.
"And there I thought it was something different about me, something wrong with me…" Ino said softly to herself. "Maybe one day I'll prove to them, to everyone, that I'm not just an ordinary cosmos. I will be an exceptional cosmos, one that will live up to its meaning in the language of flowers!"