Note: The results of the vote were close. Neji came first, with eight. Shikamaru a close second, with six. Naruto and Sasuke were joint third, with five each. Kiba had four, Chouji and Shino three each. Sai, Itachi, Hidan, Tobi and Gaara all had two votes. Lee, Sasori and Kankuro all had one, and the saddest one who received no votes was Deidara. So the next Ino pairing to be written? NejixIno, but I decided to throw some SasukexIno in for the heck of it.

Summary: Everyone needs a light, even if it's barely shining.

Disclaimer: Clearly, I do not own Naruto.

Lights

Prologue

Neji, there are tea lights floating in the water.

With each step she took further away from wherever he was, the connection was becoming weaker and making the words they whispered to each other like lovers might whisper sweet nothings in each others ears could barely be heard. They were not supposed to be, that would be what kept them alive father than caught by enemies. But now their words were too quiet, too hushed and crackly for either of them to understand.

We need to regroup. Give the idea to everyone; they'll know it's you.

Neji replied, and hearing his voice ringing in her head did no favours in helping her concentrate. She simply did not understand. Tea lights, small candles that floated in water. Signs of civilisation and human life, although she could detect none. A chill ran down her spine softly. She just had to accept a stupid mission like this, didn't she?

No, someone's here. I think I may have just walked into a trap.

Ino froze. Somebody was here, although they had blocked of their chakra. She could hear their thoughts, louder than that of her team mates. It made her feel ill. The shouting and negative energy, the want to mutilate. The want to kill, not as a job like her but because the person simply wanted too. Sick rose in her throat, and bile threatened to emit but nothing left her mouth. Controlling herself was a better option at that moment, so if it came to a fight she wouldn't be unprepared and weakened before it begun.

Ino, if it's a trap we need to find you. Why do you think this mission is A-rank? The enemies we're going to end up fighting probably can't be handled alone. Get back to the meeting point.

She tried, actually listening to her team leader at that point. Although it seemed demeaning and made her seem weak, he was probably correct. Only a slight few were able to handle A-ran criminals in her group. She had fought an S-rank, with Shikamaru once. But he had insisted that she stay out of the way. They all thought she was useless. She swallowed the lump building in her throat.

Well, what do we have here? Konoha sending little girls to war. How adorable.

She was vaguely aware that something near her had smashed into pieces, scattering debris everywhere. But she was already gone in the trees, pelting as fast as she could through them until the greens and browns merged in a strange blur. Even if she was not strong like Sakura, she was a good interrogator and spy. To be good at such a thing, you needed speed. Power didn't matter, you just needed to outrun the enemy and avoid fights in order that the information you had gathered was not lost. Be it in scrolls, or memorised in your head. The enemy had ways to make you forget. Disposing of the document, and in most circumstances where people had been caught disposing of the person as well.

I can feel her chakra; she's in a hurry. She's drawing nearer to me.

Ino ignored the string of insults that the two people were firing at each other. The first person was clearly female. The girl was coming; her thoughts were still telling her that. She suddenly made a sharp turn to the right through a gap in the trees before landing in a clearing, hoping to control her thoughts a little better.

Neji, there are three at least! I can't get back in any single way; one of them is likely to be following me. She seems to be able to sense my chakra although I'm masking it. A special ability, perhaps?

No, probably just a developed technique. If that's the case, still try to stay well hidden but if they attack don't try anything like your shitenshin. The best course of action is one that isn't like your usual one, you have spying techniques. I'll be there soon, just watch your back.

I don't need you to treat me like I'm useless!

I'm not; I'm going to help you!

Ino ignored the rest of the thoughts that were going through Neji's head. The girl had followed her. Her presence was obvious. Ino crouched on her knees, ready to spring out of the way of any attacks and fight back with twice the power. Familiar adrenaline pumped through her veins, waiting for the attack that didn't come. The girl simply stepped into the clearing, an odd smile upon her face.

"Hello. I think you're special, you know. You must have known I was coming, or you wouldn't have changed your direction. I've told the other three to stay back a while. I want to find out about you before you die. How you knew." She grinned, her glasses glinting under the harsh sun and making her eyes appear small and narrow. Her red hair was lacklustre, her outfit dull. She was good with chakra, Ino could tell just by looking at her hands. Neji was right, a developed technique.

There they are! Karin and whoever she is. Looks more like a child's doll than a ninja. Karin can probably do this herself, just as she said. I should end her suffering quickly though.

Ino narrowly dodged the oversized sword as it came down, rolling to one side to avoid being harmed by it. A man stood barely five feet from her, looking disappointed that he missed. His silver hair was well conditioned, and he had an odd smile fixed on his face that showed pointed pearly white teeth.

"You want to know why I'm special? You can figure it out. Think I'm just a doll, not really a competent kunoichi, eh? Well, this could be interesting. The only thing is, you said four people. I only noticed three." Ino said cockily as her heart leapt out of her chest as a third man entered the clearing. She decided not to mention her team mates. Neji was drawing near for the surprise attack, and she had no clue of the whereabouts of Kiba and Hinata.

"She knows what I think. How do you do that, girl?" The previous mental scrutiny being replaced with thoughts of wonder about how she done it. He had never come across somebody like her before, clearly.

"She's not just a girl. She's a Yamanaka. Yamanaka Ino, I think your name was. Do you still love me like you claimed to, I wonder? Your abilities seem useful now, rather than useless like they used to be. More suited to spies, though." A cold voice echoed in the clearing, and she looked up to see a face from a long time ago. Lips that had never given her any praise until that moment.

He still looked like a God, even with a tea light with a burnt out wick in his hand. To her, that burnt out wick symbolised an end. The light had ended, and soon she was pretty sure her life would too because he had actually taken an interest in her. Running with him was a dangerous thing to do. It would kill her if she did, and if she didn't. But she wasn't sure his small praise was an open invitation, and the likelihood was that it was not.

"Sa-sa-s-"

"I remember you being louder."

Not more than thirty metres away, Neji heard Ino scream. All ends are new beginnings, and for her the burnt out tea light Neji found in the empty clearing was the sign of change for all of them.

Especially Ino.

That's a pretty long introduction. This is prodded online now because of fauxPROJECT, so thank you to her for battering me with imaginary sticks on the forums to write it quicker.

Reviews are loved. :)