Summary: The mind is a dangerous thing. Summer falls into Autumn, people die and things can't be reserved. But maybe met somewhere in the middle. Neji Hyuuga, Ino Yamanaka.

- Thanks to Coco-Minu for inspiration! Dedicated to our love for InoxNeji, and for yours!

- First multi-part, constructive criticism is welcome! encouraged!

- rated T for a reason.

Mind Gardens,
fauxPROJECT

the mind: (in a human or other conscious being) the element, part, substance, or process that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges, etc.: the processes of the human mind.

Prologue, have a half a mind to.

-

"Haven't you heard?"

"—yes, such a shame rather."

"If I were him I'd be angry, infurifated."
"—oh, why should it matter? We're shinobi. We expect this as chuunin, they're ANBU."

-

Ino Yamanaka is a kunoichi, shinobi. One of the above. They will spin golden nooses of this life and hand them to you and you will willing take the golden spun nooses and place your pretty, pretty neck in the wide, welcoming hole of macabre.

But Ino Yamanaka knows that being kunoichi is not a marvelous journey. Completely opposite, and not child's play anymore.

But what she knows now was what she knew then, she would have kept her perfect little neck out from the fox's hole. Once you're on your knees, submissive and exposed it's probably all over. You will realize the being a kunoichi is neither attractice nor amazing, but that it's a religion. Being kunoichi is prison.

(for this job is something bigger than your life. for it can be easily taken.)

-

"I'm a million different people from one day to the next."

-

"Tsunade-sama! It's recommended—"

"I will not remove her—"

Neji could not help but hear the heated argument brewing behind the closed doors. Even though Tsunade was considered a tough Hokage she did have her favorites that she allowed—no, almost enjoyed getting loud with.

"Troublesome." Came a mutter with a click of the door shutting behind it. The footsteps stop, and Neji throws the man a look from over his shoulders.

"Oh, Neji." Shikamaru sighs, closing his eyes and frowning at nothing in particular.

"Is there a problem?" Neji can notice the awkwardness in his usual slack posture as he talks to him.

"Just troublesome Ino business—" He pauses and Neji straightens his own at the name. Shikamaru opens his eyes finally and stares simply at him. Neji wets his lips and shifts his weight on his left foot, crosses his arms, and throws his head up a bit more.

"What a coincidence. So am I." Neji decides to toy, with a dissatisfied smirk. He sees Shikamaru reaching for something in his back pocket.

"Hokage wants to see you." Shikamaru mutters with a wave, before stealing a vase full of flowers from a desk.

-

"You never invite anyone to play shougi anymore, Shikamaru."

"I just don't want to."

"Well, I bet I know a couple people who'd give you a run for your money." She laughed with a toss of her hair.

"Ino, you're not.."

She tuned him out with her own laughter as she twirls and twirls and twirls.

-

"I'm getting released today." Ino shifts uncomfortably under the stiff hospital sheets. She shivers for a moment from the sudden chill.

Shikamaru groans at her as if she's the most unbearable person to be around—which she will put down all of her savings that it's Kiba that's the most unbearable.

"I think you should be in here forever."

"Oh, shut up." Ino airily dismisses the comment before pulling her knees to her chest. Shikamaru worries a bit too much about her problems, rather than his own problems. Like how the holes in the knees of his pants are beginning to show—he smokes cigars that make him seem way old—he plays shougi by himself—and he has tiny hairs the always escape his hair tie. "I'm legally responsible for myself. I can do whatever I want."

It's silent. But Ino has become accustomed to these silences. They've known each other for so long that sometimes you need silence to clear the airwaves. She glances off handledly to her left, and runs a hand through her white blonde hair as she looks outside through the window.

"Give her those flowers, okay?" She points.

Shikamaru lights a cigar and takes a long drag from it.

"Who? Her?" He releases the smog from his mouth as he speaks.

"—yes, her. Who else? Oh—I'llgotheremaybetoday—"

"Stop talking so fast. And alright, I'll go."

She frowns at him though smiling slighty before scowling.

"Don't smoke in front of those flowers. I'll fucking have your head!"

-

"White doesn't look good at all against your skin, forehead."

"—Especially, your forehead."

-

Autumn is coming full swing and some leaves on the tree are starting to change color. Although, most trees don't go through dramatic change—it barely snows in Konohagakure. A very rare phenomenon if it does.

Neji favors autumn for it's cooler conditions in contrast with the more mild summer weather that plagues the village. The residents in Konohagakure seem to slow, welcoming a tepid transition into winter. Some even pray for snow—Neji doesn't. He fairs with the slightly cooler conditions but snowflakes are not on his wish list.

But when he sees her at the memorial stone he can almost feel the heat pouring from his face. Collectively he gathers his wits and continues his saunter to the memorial stone and comes up behind the blonde as she's hunched awkwardly against the stone.

"Yamanaka," Neji begins but stops and quirks an eyebrow. She is shaking uncontrollably, and grasping at the stone as if her life depends on it. In a surge of almost boiling rage he grasps the white cotton of her kimono on her back and jerks her up slightly. But she is laughing and crying at the same time. He leans in a bit, trying to her hear murmurs—what? Is she crazy?

"Don't you remember?" Neji frowns, her voice is laced with an easy identifiable eastern accent. "Down by the creek, Yoru."—Is she mental? "You loved those figurines. Especially the dog, that's the year you were born in right?"—most likely.

"Yamanaka-san!" A feminine voice hollers, and the click of a nurses heel comes into the clearing on the stone pathway. "Oh—sir! Please! Just give her to me." In a flash the blonde is cackling and twisting from the grip of the nurses and gripping on the fronts of his shirt. The red headed nurse pulls out a wickedly long syringe and aims for the blonde kunoichi's arm.

"Keep control of your patients, nurse." Neji growls with impatience and a slight shove to the blonde.

Shikamaru enters the clearing with a slight cough into his fist as he grasps Ino's arms all while frowning and shaking his head.

Neji just stares in disbelief and confusion as the nurse leaves with the finally sedated kunoichi and a distraught Shikamaru. He turns away from the fellow shinobi and to the memorial stone.

"Tenten was murdered—left behind." Neji starts out with a strong, disgusting taste filtering through his mouth. "I won't let Yamanaka forget that."

Shikamaru's frown thickens and he starts to walk away.

"Stay away from her, Neji. Just—" And he's gone.

-

"Okay, forehead. You're kind of over doing the beauty sleep thing. Though, you're starting to get worry wrinkles.."

-

"A mind is a dangerous thing." Tsunade remarks to small group of ANBU. "And that's what makes Ino Yamanaka great for these missions."

-

Note: Prologues are always short and uneventful huh? Chapter one will be posted up sooner or later. Please review with your thoughts!