[[A/N]] YAY! 50th Fic on the site! wow... Milestone!... I was expecting my 50th fic to be something completely awesome and stuff... but it's just something that was written to the prompt "Ino after the war" and "The City Ignites". Challenged by a friend because I couldn't write anything earlier, and this is the result.

It's not brilliant and to be honest, there's really no feeling it because I'm not a huge fan of Ino but it's an acceptable first draft (yeah, I CBA to edit, it's 4am).

Recommended listening: The City Ignites by 36 Crazyfists

Enjoy!

She sat alone on her bed, her knees brought up to her chest, tears falling silently from her eyes, long blonde hair loose from its usual high ponytail and cascading around her shoulders.

The war was over. Most of her friends had lived through it too. Of course there had been loses. Choji and Sakura; Shikamaru's mother and Hinata's father; and the blood, good God, there had been so much blood.

Ino inhaled shakily as she heard a tap on her window. Looking up she glanced at the clock. 3.00. It was time.

She slipped her feet into a pair of sandals and opened the window. Stood on the sidewalk was Shikamaru. She smiled wistfully at him before jumping down and hugging him tightly. Together they walked in silence to a tall hill on the outskirts of the village.

She saw the rest of her friends, Sai, Naruto and Kiba, Lee and Tenten, Neji, Hinata and Shino, all stood looking up at the sky, pointing at the stars, smiling. Behind them were five paper sky lanterns each with a name written on them.

Choji.

Sakura.

Yoshino.

Hiashi.

Sasuke.

The most important people lost to the fourth war, at least in the eyes of the group of teens that had gathered.

As Shikamaru and Ino approached the group, Hinata stepped forward to hug Ino.

"Are you ready?" she asked softly. Ino nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak and took the lantern bearing Choji's name from Shino.

Shikamaru pulled out the silver lighter that had once belonged to his mentor, Asuma and the rest of the group gathered in a circle around him and Ino. Wrapping an arm around her, he lit the candle in the centre of the sky lantern. As the lantern began to lift, Ino sobbed quietly and when it had finally been released, she turned and buried her face in Shikamaru's chest, her fingers digging deeply into his shoulders. Shikamaru wrapped his arms around her and held her while she cried, whispering softly in her ear.

A few minutes later, Choji's lantern had drifted out of sight, signalling for Naruto and Sai to take their positions in the centre of the circle, holding Sakura's. As Sai light the candle, Naruto's eyes stayed fixed on her name. As the lantern floated away into the dark night sky, his eyes followed it.

And then it was Shikamaru's turn again. Shino handed him the paper lantern meant to represent his mother and he walked slowly to the centre of the circle. As he raised the flame of the lighter to light the candle, a gust of wind blew out the flame.

"Troublesome woman," he muttered as he ran his hand across his face to wipe away the tears that had fallen. After a few seconds, the candle caught and the lantern followed the trail of the last two into the sky and out of sight.

Hinata stepped forward next and took hold of the lantern baring her father's name with both hands.

"Neji-nii-san," she whispered, her eyes pleading for him to join her. The rest of the group watched as the temporary Hyūga head lit the candle of his uncle's lantern. Silently the cousins activated their Byakugan and watched the speck fade, even from their eyes. The group gathered around them as they prepared to send the final lantern out. Kiba glanced over at Shikamaru and Ino who hadn't moved.

"I can't do this, Shikamaru," Ino gasped.

Shikamaru hugged her softly, kissing her hair. "Everything will be alright, Ino, even if the city ignites."

Ino looked into the shadow-nin's eyes and kissed him softly. "Why are you always right, genius?"

By dawn the group had said their goodbyes to the lost loved ones and each had a new resolve to protect the ones left behind.

However many living beings there are
Experiencing mental and physical suffering,
May their suffering cease through the power of our merit,
And may they find everlasting happiness and joy.

[[A/N]] Italic-y bit at the end isn't my work. It's part of the Buddhist dedication to the dead.

Review and shizzle, it makes me feel better about the crap I write =]

Lessthanthree you all

WatchingAsYouFall