"I said no Ino and I mean no! I won't be your guinea pig, I have a lot on my mind right now and I really don't want you tinkering inside my head, plus Tsunade needs me to be in her office in fifteen minutes." Naruto stood on the side of the training field nine as he leaned against a tree talking to his friend.
"Please Naruto you must let me try this new mind/ body transfer jutsu on you, you're the only one of my friends that's in the village right now. I swear all I will be able to do is control your body while I'm still in my own body and afterwards I'll buy you five bowls of Ramen at your favorite stand." Ino was pleading for Naruto to let her try it out on him just this one time.
"Maybe some other time Ino, see ya later tater." Naruto got off the tree; turned around and started to walk away from his blond compatriot.
"I see, so you'll do anything for Sakura if she puts on a big fat fake smile for you but not for me, well like it or not Uzumaki you're going to help me with this jutsu!" Ino said to herself as she went through the proper hand signs.
"Mind / Body and Soul Possession Jutsu." The jutsu hit on target but Naruto kept walking as if nothing happened to him at all.
Ino felt the jutsu work but she was inside this weird abandoned factory, as she felt something wasn't right, the hair on the back of her neck stood up.
"It seems we have an unwelcome visitor in the mindscape of my host, a very pretty but annoying little girl from the Yamanaka clan." The Kyuubi quickly picked Ino up with his large paw and showed her his humongous fangs. "I believed he told you "no" am I correct? Yet here you are invading his personal space as if you're queen of the universe, do you have any decency or respect for those who asked you politely to leave them be? I should eat your very soul for what you've done!"
"Noo...No please... nooo… help me someone…Naruto please can you hear me? The Kyuubi is going to kill me!" Screamed Ino as she struggled while being held in the Kyuubi's enormous paw.
"I hate that name you aggravating little insect… you may call me Kurama my dear little rapacious mind intruder! Do you know what happens when you ignore Naruto's wishes and violate his privacy? You become my lunch when you enter my host's mind!" Kurama smiled as he brought Ino closer to his fangs as if he was going to kill her.
"Kurama stop!" Yelled a voice sounding like Naruto's as he came out of a portal to stop the large fox's cruel torture of the girl.
"Don't you tell me what to do! She's going to pay for breaking into my home and Naruto's mind!"
"You know Naruto won't like that you killed one of his comrades, just let her go and things can go back to normal." Said the Naruto in the mindscape as he left the portal entrance completely.
"No, now go back to where you were at and leave me be!" Kurama hated for anyone to tell him what to do.
"Fine, don't say I didn't warn you Fur ball!" Mindscape Naruto quickly ran toward Kurama and jumped up on his large size fox's paw and stabbed him in the paw that was holding Ino.
Kurama quickly dropped Ino as the kunai stuck into his flesh. Ino hit the floor and darted toward the portal at top speed. Her only thought was any place was better than where she was now.
"Ino wait don't go in there! I can send you back to your own mind but if you go in that part of the brain I don't know if you will survive?" The mindscape Naruto ran after the blond to stop her from entering Naruto's forbidden memories.
As Ino didn't hear the warning or chose to ignore it, she went straight through the portal. As she stopped inside a dark passage a bolt of strange energy that felt like electricity struck the young blond making her seize up. Suddenly there were waves off lights and images that flashed across her face; she saw Naruto as a boy sitting alone in his apartment crying and wondering why was he alone and everyone seemed to hate his very existence for no reason. She also witness her and Sakura yelling and teasing Naruto and telling him that he is not loved and that he will die unloved and the world will be thankful for his passing. She saw Iruka protecting Naruto as Mizuki tried to kill Naruto, she hears Iruka through choked up tears tell Naruto that he's sorry for making him feel so all alone in the world. Naruto runs away but comes back to hear Iruka's words that inspire him to take on Mizuki and win. Ino witness how Naruto henge into Sasuke to get a kiss from Sakura but realize that Sakura's heart belongs only to Sasuke. She saw another flash when his squad came across Zabuza and Haku and the young man being killed to save his master, this scene haunts him to this day as she can feel every emotion from every memory over flood her mind. As the flashes keeps coming, she witness the breakup of Naruto and Hinata. Hinata cries on Naruto's chest uncontrollably, she tells him that she has an arrange marriage and that she is obligated by her clan for the future of all Hyuuga to fulfill it. She tells Naruto to not say another word because each word he says on how much he loves her feels like a knife wound to her heart that she will never recover from; she tells him after all these years she finally felt completely loved and cherished. Through choked up tears she said she was thankful that it was Naruto who returned those same feelings she had for him. She hears Hinata tells Naruto that she loves him one last time and she will never love another man as long as she lives. She asked Naruto to make love to her so she can never forget the scent of his body, the smile on his face and the love he has for her in his heart. The next morning Naruto's hand searches instinctively for the love of his life as he sleeps, only waking up to find her side of the bed empty and cold. For the first time in years Naruto cries and doesn't know if he have the will -power to go on another day without her. More and more memories overflow the young woman's mind, finally she feels something pull her out of all those memories and everything goes dark. She hears her name being called over and over again, she finally open her eyes and sees Naruto hovering over her with concern on his face. She reaches up and hugs Naruto and cries like she never cried before, suddenly she realize that she's back in the same prison where this nightmare began. As she looks up she sees the Nine Tail Fox sneering down at her with disgust.
"Please just let me leave! Don't kill me or eat me, I'm sorry for entering his mind without permission. Just let me out of here!" Ino was hysterical at this point she was about to sprint away again.
"Calm down Ino, he's not going to eat you. Are you all right? You were exposed to some of Naruto's memories and feelings of his childhood past all the way up to the present, what you experienced could traumatize you completely are you truly feeling alright Ino?" Ino told him she was alright and needed a minute to get composed. "Good… by the way you can call me Zen." He quickly extended his hand and pulled Ino off the floor.
"What is this place? This is no mind like I ever saw before and I've been in many minds." Ino stood up and got behind Zen as she looked at Kurama in fear.
"Humph… like I would want to eat a bunch of skin and bones; you really need to put on some weight girly, no man would want a woman that they can't grab onto without snapping her like a twig." Kurama put his head down on his paw and continued to stare at the blond for trespassing as he had an angered look.
Something must have snapped inside the mind of Ino she began to stare back at the fox and before she knew it she was cursing at him.
"How would you know what a man wants? You're just some stupid fox who doesn't even have a penis and if you did have one you wouldn't know where to put it to save your life." She quickly got from behind Zen and kept bawling the fox spirit out. Ino stopped yelling as she looked into Kurama's eyes.
"HA HA HA "Kurama began to laugh at Ino's hilarious attempt to stand up to him and be brave.
Zen looked at Ino and Kurama and shook his head at the two back and forth antics.
"Anyway Ino you were exposed by both Naruto's and Kurama's chakra, you also delved too deep inside the mind of Naruto. His mind on instinct tried to get rid of the foreign threat; which by the way is you out of his mind. I'm surprised you're not some babbling idiot after all the things you were exposed to, yet we won't know if you're alright until you leave this mindscape." Zen examined her to make sure she was okay.
"For some reason I can recall some of Naruto's memories, I knew the baka had it rough growing up but what he went through was inhumane! And you, he met you through the Waterfall of Truth. You were once his dark side of his personality; once I get out of Naruto's head I'm going to the bar and have a nice long drink."
Zen began to laugh at Ino's reaction to everything.
"Well before you go I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about what you just witnessed, not even Naruto. Something's are better left in the dark, if Naruto knew you witnessed every private part of his life he would be furious and embarrassed. Now let's get you out of here." Zen smiled at Ino as he was about to perform a way to get her back to her own mind, everyone felt a rumble and a shockwave that staggered all three of them.
"What was that?" Asked Ino afraid that something else bad was about to happen.
"Let's take a look through Naruto's eyes and see." Kurama mentally made a screen appear as they watched Naruto in Tsunade's office.
"I'm sorry to say brat but it looks like you are only leading Sasuke by one clan vote to become Hokage so far and the elders aren't saying who they will cast their vote for yet. The Daimyo and I nominated you but some clans and elders are reluctant to cast their vote for you; I believe that some of the elders are putting pressure on the clan leader' to nominate Sasuke Uchiha. Since Sasuke came back and now he's engaged to Sakura; he has announced his plans to revive his clan immediately, many believe that a family man would be more appropriate than a bachelor for the job. Naruto are you dating someone and is it serious? That may get the support of the undecided clans and elders? I know the elders approached you about meeting eligible Kunoichis; maybe you should think about it and meet them. "Tsunade looked at Naruto with great concern.
"Where did everything go so wrong Tsunade? I lost the woman I love to clan politics and now it looks like I'm about to lose the dream I had since I was a kid to the same thing. I want love…real love; if I'm to ever marry I would at least like to meet the woman of my own choosing and who chose me." Naruto headed to the door with sadness in his heart. Tsunade could only feel compassion for the young man.
"That's what that tremor and odd feeling was, he's hurting… his sadness has finally caught up with him. After all he's done it comes down to a bunch of idiots that decide his fate." Kurama looked at Naruto through the mindscape images that was displayed inside Naruto's head.
"Wait their going to take away Naruto's one shot at being elected the Hokage? Naruto was made for that job! He went through hell and back, he saved us all at the Tobi's and Madara's last battle stand. And they're doing this because he's not engaged or ready to make a family yet? Get me the hell out of here! I saw what Naruto went through most of his life, if anyone deserves to be the Hokage of Konoha its Naruto Uzumaki!" Ino was heated on how Naruto's dream was going down the drain.
"Okay hold still Ino, this should put you back into your body but remember not to tell anyone what you've seen especially Naruto." Zen concentrated his chakra into Ino's mindscape body; she slowly disappeared from Kurama and Zen presence.
Ino woke up looking up at the blue sky filled with clouds, she quickly ran toward the Hokage Hall at top speed to help her blond friend. She didn't have a clue on how to help Naruto but she was going to do something.
As Tsunade and three of the elders were coming out of the building, they were approached by Ino who was completely out of wind from that long sprint.
"Yamanaka-san, good day to you, what so important that has you running at top speed in this blistering heat?" Asked Hironoba as he saw the girl almost drench in sweat.
"I'm looking for Naruto," as she panted for air.
"You just missed him; I don't know where he's at the moment." Said Tsunade as she turned to the elders.
"Oh so you're looking for him to help you trained?" Asked another one of the village elders.
Ino looked at the villagers and Tsunade and recalled what the Hokage said earlier to Naruto. "Well actually we have a date but I was so into my training that I almost forgot, that's why I'm so sweaty and out of wind from running to get here." Ino's lie made everyone's eyebrow raised in curiosity.
"Like a date…Date?" As Hironoba looked surprised by what Ino said.
"Of course a real date, we have been seeing each other for quite a while now. We both are pretty unsure on how to label it so we're taking it real nice and slow." Ino smiled at the elder with her cunning lie.
"Funny Naruto never mentioned that he was dating the matriarch of the Yamanaka clan? You would've thought he would've told us about his newly formed dating situation. Did you know anything about this Tsunade?" Said another village elder as his eyes quickly darted toward the aging Hokage.
"No, you would've thought Naruto would've at least told me of all people he was dating again and especially if it was Ino." Tsunade began to suspect that the young blond in front of her was lying.
Ino could tell how Tsunade was looking at her and not buying her story one bit. "Naruto is still unsure about his feelings for me but he wants to make sure that it's for real, Naruto always thinks about someone else's feelings before he does his owns. For some reason he thinks he's protecting me, I don't have the faintest to clue to what though?"
Tsunade suspicion seemed to drop a little after she said that.
"Well this is a surprise, Ino why don't you and Naruto stop by at the gala tomorrow. Every clan leader and important diplomat from other countries will be there, with you on Naruto's arm will show the people of Konoha and other villages that we are a thriving village that's getting stronger thanks to women like you standing by a powerful nominated Hokage of our village." Hironoba smiled at Ino with his old yellow and stained teeth.
"Naruto hate those kinds of parties, he never shows up to them and he hates to be a phony; smiling and agreeing just so he doesn't offend someone. Naruto is straightforward; he really doesn't know how to be untruthful. So he stays at home and hopes his actions speaks louder than his words." Ino pulled up one of Naruto's feelings and memories from a past party that he detested going to but she didn't know how she conjured the feeling or memory.
Tsunade started to feel maybe they were dating, she knew that Naruto hated not telling the truth when he was asked a question because people took offense to his truthful opinion.
"Well it would be in his best interest to show up with you, Naruto is very important to this village and with you there you could be his… let's say personal advisor on political matters for the future."
"Yes Ino if you can make Naruto come than it would be for his best interest. I know I can't order you to make him come but this celebration could mean everything for his future." Tsunade hoped that Ino could make Naruto come and act civilized; this could sway a lot of votes his way.
"No problem." Ino now had to tell Naruto she fabricated a story about having a relationship with him and he had to go along with the lie in front of all of his friends at a party he had no intention of going to. Yeah this would probably the hardest thing she ever had to do as she thought to herself.
The Hokage and the elders smiled at Ino as they left her presence. The first thing on her agenda was to find Naruto.
As Naruto sat upon the Hokage monument, he looked out over the village and sighed. He started to feel that the world was against him, no matter how much happiness he received, somehow his misery seemed to double to him when happiness was about to become a constant factor in his life.
"I should have figured you would be here, this is the only place in the world that gives you great comfort." Ino walked toward her blond friend with sadness in her heart.
"Yeah and how do you know that?" Naruto was kind of shock about what she said; only Hinata knew about his own little happy place on top of the Hokage mountain.
"Just a lucky guess; Naruto you may be angry at me but I did this for you. I lied to Tsunade and the elders about our relationship?"
"Relationship…? What do you mean by relationship?" Naruto stood up and walked toward her.
"Relationship as in dating and being serious… along with having kids and a house with a white picket fence and a dog in the future type of relationship." Ino said it so fast she didn't even think what she said made sense and she was embarrassed for just saying it in front of Naruto that way.
"Nice joke Ino that actually cheered me up a bit." Naruto chuckled about the idea of them two actually dating." No one will ever believe that you and I would be in that type of relationship." Naruto use his fingers to simulate quotations marks emphasis on relationship.
"It's true Naruto, I found out that they may want to make Sasuke Hokage but you deserve the title of Kage not Sasuke. This was the only way I could think of to save your dream job, it just one little lie."
"Ino I want to be Hokage but deceiving my friends and countrymen isn't the way, you have to come clean about this. I know you want to help me but things like this find a way of getting out of control and this can cause more harm than good." Naruto could only shake his head in disapproval.
"Naruto the elders and Tsunade want to see you at that party, just go along with it for a little while. When the time comes we can make up some story of why we broke up and then you will be the Kage of Konoha. It's a perfect plan Naruto, hell I'll even help you find a bride after the phony breakup." Ino smiled at the blond as she went over the plan.
"I'm going to the party so that you can tell the truth about how you lied and hope that Tsunade don't punch you into next week. Once we explain you were just trying to help, Tsunade and the elders won't be mad. We will talk to them in another room in private so no one will be the wiser." Naruto couldn't believe the day he was having.
Naruto just bare with this idea for a little while okay, we'll go to the party and if things start to go bad then I'll come clean. Just make sure you're dressed to kill at this gala, you're going to be the next Hokage thanks to me."
Naruto shook his head, he figured he would have better luck convincing her to tell the truth when he pick her up at her home to go to the party. As it began to turn dark both blonds decided to head home.
"Ino get down here now!"Ino's mother was heated as she yelled upstairs.
"Yes what is it?" Ino came down to see her mother walking back and forth furiously talking to herself.
"I heard a disturbing rumor today involving my daughter and Naruto Uzumaki that you two are dating! I know my daughter isn't the one to keep secrets from her own mother is she? These lies both of you are telling who started it?"
Ino stood there not saying a word and then she got her courage up to speak.
"I started the rumor; Naruto didn't have anything to do with it. I did this to help Naruto, you know that right? I know that you don't like Naruto but…"
"When did I ever say something like that? I too believe that Naruto should be the Hokage but not through deceit, our family owes Naruto more than you think. Remember when Pein attacked the village? I was among the ones killed in the village." Ino mother's face grew a sorrow look.
"Wait why wasn't I told about this!" Ino ran into her mother's arm and hugged her as if she was about to disappear.
"Your father thought it was better that you didn't know what happened to me. Your father came back to the village and found my body, he thought I was dead and went out for revenge. Once he made it to the center of the village he saw that the dead were being revived thanks to Naruto. He rushed back home to be by my side, as I woke up he told me about Naruto's bravery. Your father and I swore that we would do whatever we could to help Naruto in the future, but deceit isn't going to be one of them! You didn't think this through Ino, what if the elders find out? What if someone who truly loves Naruto turns away from him because they think he truly loves you? This could hurt Naruto a thousand times more than not becoming Hokage. I won't say anything but the choice is yours." Ino's mother went upstairs to calm down for awhile.
Ino mother's words started to sink in but she kept recalling some of Naruto's memories, her empathy for Naruto outweighed her logic. She decided at the party to let Naruto make the final decision. As she lay in her bed a thought and a memory flashed in her mind.
"The other reason he doesn't go to those fancy parties because Hinata is obligated to attend them. It's too painful for him to see her with another man."Ino sat straight up on the bed quickly as she recalled a memory. The last time he saw her, her husband was telling everyone at the party they were going to start making a huge family soon. He was drinking and telling everyone that tonight was a good time as any to start a family. She could feel Naruto's jealousy, anger but most of all his hurt. She took in a heavy sigh, she wanted to help him but so far all she did caused was trouble for Naruto. Now he had to see Hinata with her husband and that was more painful for Naruto than any other memory that popped into her head. "I'm sorry Naruto, tomorrow I will tell them the truth at the party, and you shouldn't have to suffer for my lies." Ino put her head on the pillow and closed her eyes; she wondered how could one good deed cause so much trouble?