The Purest Rose

MercuryBatman

Prologue: Conspiracy

The moment I met you I didn't even stand a chance. No, the moment you entered this world, I became tainted.

I was Naruto's girl. For the past year of my entire seventeen year old life: that's all I considered myself to be. The day my family was completely assassinated—except for me, something eerily familiar of Konoha's past, that's when I first realized the truth. I wasn't anyone's girl after all.

Blood soaked my clothing the way the horrifying images soaked my dreams when I fainted. Yes, I fainted while my parents before me were getting sliced to death. The assassin didn't even wait for dinner to pass, or maybe, just maybe I might have made it back on time from the Flower Shop.

Tears choked my throat the way the mist choked my vision as I stumbled through the sunset lit village. Everyone of whom I considered myself on friendly terms with couldn't even spare me the tiniest of help, no one asked me how as I was as I limped my own path to Naruto's home.

Just die. I felt myself giving in already. My knees followed suit to the idea, and buckled against me as if to warn my already torn heart from further torment. I was physically unharmed, how could I be? I was late to my own death sentence that, as usual, the Yamanaka's were punctual to.

I kept going, even if I faint at his door, I wanted to see Naruto. To wake up in his house—not in my own bloodied house that gave me the sharpest reminder of the Uchiha Massacre and how their walls were red from blood. I had always wondered who cleaned that up—now I might just find out. All I wanted was to fall again, and forcefully have my eyes closed, then wake up, fifteen times better in Naruto's arms and comfort. Just like when I gave into being his girlfriend one year ago.

In the heat of trauma, I couldn't remember how it was that I became his exactly; it was only jumbled still pictures ones of me being tired, yet happy from a mission with Shikamaru and Choji. That was something that reminded me pleasantly of the good old days, yet didn't matter now with Asuma sensei dead, but revenged. I couldn't remember how that connected with Naruto, and why the last picture I saw in my rambling of memories was of a kiss between us. I wanted his lips. I wanted Naruto without question, and in complete demand. Something the villagers strictly opposed, Naruto was forever to be a pariah, and never break from his shell of put-on disgrace. If they could only see the Naruto I see…

My legs straightened up when I caught sight of his tiny apartment that I would have to climb up rocky, mountainous stairs of the salmon colored building just to see him. I was determined, yet even something that used to be so simple was a shattered task. I wanted to use my transport justsu, but was afraid I'd get caught in my own justsu and never return.

Maybe that might make you whole again. The whisper of death hadn't ceased, nor had the continuous tears that ran down my dirty cheeks. I should have ran to the Uchiha Manor, maybe that might have saved Naruto and I's relationship. Maybe I wouldn't have been tainted further, or even at all. I was to go to the Uchiha Manor, something was silently calling me, and though I didn't know what it was, or who it was, I knew I'd find like company.

"Ino…" that's all Naruto had to say for himself when he saw me. Put more truthfully, when I caught him. I've always told Naruto, strictly so, to close his front door but he insists that someone might stop by and say hello. Nonsensical to me, yet a blessing in terms of Naruto that someone would spare their time just to make small talk.

Never in my life had I thought ill of Hinata Hyuuga, but all in the seconds that rushed loathe for her swarmed me. She was in his arms, smothered by beauty, endowed in the spotlight lit by the sunset and Naruto's window. Her lips were unmistakably upon Naruto's own, and maybe if they hadn't been, I wouldn't have hated her so violently. My legs lost any power to stand up, just the way my life instantly seemed to lose meaning….

… …. ….. … …. …. …

Kohonagakure Hokage Building

Lady Tsunade spared no time getting everyone silent. There was no panic shredding the air, nor was everyone rushing to meet her. In fact, it was such a shock at how quickly the Yamanka's had been eradicated physically from society, that everyone waited for Tsunade to speak first, as if her own comments would satisfy their empty thoughts.

"It has been a solemn decision, one made over the course of seventeen years," Tsunade began, at first only merely regurgitating what everyone in the room knew of already. "It was a long seventeen years, and the perfect amount of time for the Yamanakas to make their own decision. As you know they have, and have given stolen the darkest secrets of Konoha's pasts from the minds of our most dutiful ninjas, and have spread it across the Ninja World without any signs of remorse for us. We have created enemies in places we feared to even tread; the Ninja World will soon be at war, at the expense of the Yamanakas."

Tsunade's words were clear, slow setting, and biting to listen to. Everyone was very familiar with Inoichi Yamanaka, Inasu Yamanaka, and Ino Yamanaka and each one would have given their lives defending their now extinct name. At least they thought it had died.

"Ino Yamanaka, by mere chance has been spared. It wasn't because it was clear she knew nothing, we still do not know. Just as we do not know if Uchiha Sasuke's return to Konoha is valid, and trustworthy due to its suspicious reluctance," Tsunade's words were more or less true. Sasuke hadn't gone there of free will, in fact Madara Uchiha had taken four months to fully coerce him into understanding the valuable element of surprise, which is the perfect way to destroy Konoha, from the inside out. Itachi Uchiha had done it with the Uchiha clan, Sasuke would have to do it on a larger scale. "However if either is questionable, they will join the fates of their fallen family members."

"You are much too cold Tsunade! How dare you speak of the dead in such a manner, and of the grieving?" An outraged Suhei Haruno shouted at Tsunade who looked pleased to hear the reprimand; she would be guilty for a long time coming.

"Is the Hyuuga Clan beyond reproach, Lady Tsunade?" A much calmer Heiko Haruno said her words laced with nervousness.

Tsunade's face contorted into a grimace. The last thing she could be doing is killing off every clan if they showed the slightest bit of treachery, but it was something that had to be done for the better of Konoha. "We've eliminated whole clans before haven't we?"

That was it. Wordlessly, the more than livid people of Konoha gathered in the room left, but not without swearing their knowledge stays within their mind. Heiko couldn't even breathe until she left the room, nor could she ever look her daughter in the face again, even if Suhei could, they both had to admit they had a large stake in the murder of the Yamanaka clan.

Tsunade didn't allow them to leave so easily. With what remained of her authority, that actually was shattered, she reeled them back in with the use of ANBU Black Ops Agents that weren't afraid to look domineeringly at the people and dare them to oppose going back in.

"Sasuke Uchiha will house Yamanaka Ino until her eighteenth birthday," Tsunade said, waiting for the uproar, the madness that would have surely ensued had it not been that the Yamanaka clan and Uchiha clan had been heartlessly slaughtered. Not one person could comically wonder if they would do something illicit behind closed doors, in fact underneath the pain of hearing this, they all silently hoped they could find comfort within one another. Then perhaps all this could be cold-bloodedly dubbed as match making.

"I have spoken with the Uchiha, and in return no interrogations or escorts will be needed. He will be accepted as a member of society that if treated any less, though I doubt it, the offender will be punished swiftly by me. Only to ensure he isn't tempted back into a life of crime. We will be able to monitor both Yamanaka Ino and Uchiha Sasuke under one roof. It might just save Konoha from bloodshed. Do well on your missions, that is all."

The one and only mission of the Konoha 25 in the room, was to amend the severed relationships between Ninja nations. The Harunos, including Sakura are to be stationed in Suna.

Tsunade plummeted into her chair when everyone, including Shizune had left the room. She stared at the liquor bottle that Shizune had thought she had done well to hide, and smirked at her new best friend. Perhaps now no one could complain of her money swindling. Tsunade walked slanted, as if already drunk on liquor and realized by the bloody color of the whine, she was just as stained a person and mostly likely hunted person now, as the Yamankas and Uchihas were.

End of Prologue