Chapter 1

Today's the day. The Blonde kunoichi had pulled her long hair back into a ponytail with extra care to day. Of course she did. This was the days that she has been waiting for the past three years. It was the day her brother came home.

Ino's brother was name Inoi Inoi Yamanaka, but usually he went by Inoi. A couple of his old friends referred to him as "Annoy Annoy Yamanaka". He had been gone for three years. He was usually gone for a long time, but he did come home every once in a while. However, this time was different. Five years ago, Inoi and Dad got in a huge fight. There was yelling, and crashes coming from down stairs. Ino was scared so she hid in her room, waiting for it to be over. Inoi and Dad always got in fights. It was usually about Inoi not taking his responsibilities as the next family heir seriously, or he skip shinobi class, or he was vandalizing the Hokage's faces (like every other kid in Konaha). Soon they would resolve it, apologize, and keep an awkward silence between them. Then life would get back to normal, and Inoi would leave the village for another adventure.

Not this time. Something was different. Inoi had asked to talk to his Dad after dinner. They went into the study. There was silence for what felt like a long time. Then the screaming started. Their dad was really mad. He was s

Finally, Ino's father spat the last words at Inoi: "You're not worth anything here". With those words Inoi left. Ino and Inoi no longer shared a father. Ino saw Inoi's back as he steadily walked out the front door. Ino sank to her knees in disbelief. She was heartbroken. She loved her brother dearly. But as much as she loved her brother, she loved her family in Konaha.

For a while, Ino's father stood still, watching the back of his son disappear in the dusk light. As soon as the faint figure of Inoi was gone, Ino's father snapped forward. He ran to the door frame; gripping the frame with one hand, while the other reached out trying to grasp at his son's silhouette. Realization soon hit him. His son was lost.

Inoi Inoi Yamanaka may no longer have a father, but Inoichi Yamanaka would always have a son.

Ino talked to Lady Tsunade and managed to find out where Inoi was heading. She tried to write to him. For a while, Ino wrote to Inoi daily. She would beg for him to come back. She told him how miserable their parents felt, and how if he came back everything would be okay. Inoi responded every now and then. His responses were vague, and he never answered anything that had to do with Ino's father, and nothing that had to do with where he was heading. He mentioned that he found a job that made use of his ninja training; particularly the flexibility training.

He would be competing in various physical competitions. In these competitions chakra and other shinobi skills would be banned. It would be a risky game. If he was found out, he would be in deep trouble. But Inoi was Ino's big brother, and he seemed determined to never again battle as a shinobi. He could handle anything.

Tsunade told Ino that Inoi had requested to be stripped of his title of shinobi. Tsunade agreed to his request. On one condition, that is. If there was ever an event where a large shinobi force was needed, Inoi would have to join the Onbu Black Ops.

Ino didn't talk about Inoi much. It was too painful. It felt like Inoi died. She thought that she would never see her brother again.

Just before Inoi and Ino's father fought, Naruto Left for two years to go and train with Master Jiraya. Ino was just becoming a close friend of Naruto, and she was sad to see him go, but at the time she was more worried about how Sakura would take it. Despite the battles, and the years of rivalry, Sakura was still like her sister.

During the time that Naruto was gone Sakura actually seemed more motivated; motivated to stand firmly next to Naruto in the heat of battle. Ino decided that she needed to be strong like Sakura. Inoi didn't leave with her feet, she could still stand.

Ino was fine for a long time. She still wrote to Inoi often, and he replied every now and then. Inoi started to notice that there less and less responces from him. She continued to write to him just the same. After some time, Ino got a letter from him. It said:

Ino, be safe. A war is a war not matter how big or small. You saw how dad and I's war caused destruction even though it was only words. For that, I must apologize. Tsunade has informed me that it is time for me to live out my part of the deal. I'm joining the Onbu. I don't know what squad I will be in. However, after my term I plan to roam free again.

That was the last update she received from or about Inoi for a long time. Until recently that is. Inoi had sent her his break approval form. It was the form that he had submitted to the head of the Onbu. He was requesting to leave his specialized duties for a while and continue work as a normal shinobi. Ino heard that many members of this unit were doing this at the same time. Other villages were outraged at the Alliance formed during the third great war, and the Kage were worried that another war might be upon them.

And now she stood near the North gates of Konaha, ready for Inoi to come home.

A few moments passes, then someone noticed something on the horizon.

"Guys, guys. Look! There they are."

A series if murmurs worked their way through the crowd. The second Ino heard this, her head snapped in the direction of the gate. That person, whoever it was, was right, but it looked as if that mass moving towards the village would take a while.

Ino was relieved to know that they got here safely, but as the mass slowly worked it's way towards the village, she realized how nervous she was. This was the first time that she would see her brother in a really long time. Ino was suddenly filled with worries and a mild fear that this wasn't going to be as joyous of an event as she planned. If this went uphill, then great! But what if it doesn't? Ino thought to herself for a little while. She gulped; her fear showing in her eyes. Her mind had created a vivid picture of her family together again. Then her mind took her on a journey showing her what the destruction of her "perfect" family.

All the emotions she was feeling were just too much for her. Should I run? No, Inoi would think I was a coward. What if he has a perfect picture of me in his head? What if I'm not the sister that he would want? Ugh! Ino was getting to the point that she was getting to the point of ripping her hair out and screaming bloody murder to the world.

Ino began to turn on her heels to walk away, when a calming voice spoke up with perfect timing. "Your the sister he loves. He loved you before, and he'll love the you right now. If not, I'll kill him. Chaaaa!" Ino could tell that the last part was said through a smiling not being able to see the face of the speaker, Ino knew exactly who it was. She turned back around and saw Sakura and many of her other friends smiling and gathering around her. Right then, Ino realized that she had been thinking out loud. Oh shit! "How much of that did you guys hear?" Due to her embarrassment, Ino unintentionally added a giggle at the end.

All of her friends started speaking at the same time.

"Not much, really!" - Sakura

"The past ten minutes." - Neji

"You were talking?" - Kiba

Most of them stopped talking, but then Shikamaru finished it off with :

"The whole damn thing!"

Ino laughed awkwardly.

"Oh, great! You guys are here. The shinobi are returning soon."

"We know. That's why we're here." Neji, always the ass whole. Oh wait, I meant "gentleman".

After the thirds great shinobi war, the Onbu black ops took volunteers for a special missions force. They were going to be taught in less time, become stronger, but wouldn't have as much free time. More like no free time, thought Ino (this time actually inside her head). The only thing is that there was an age limit. So her squad and other squads her age couldn't enter. Although, Hinata managed to work her way through the system and join a team that was a member short. Ino wasn't sure if it was true, but she heard the same thing about Konahamaru. The rumor said that Hinata and Konahamaru were close friends with the founder of this division. This was really hard on Neji. He couldn't protect Hinata from a distance, but due to his injury in the third Great War he wasn't consider fit for a training regimen as harsh as this one. Sakura still had no idea how Neji survived this one. Ino knew Sakura was right. On the battlefield, Ino had reached over when no one was looking. She felt his pulse. Nothing, not even a twitch. A while later, tsunade announce the list of warriors lost during the battle. Neji wasn't on it, and just showed up in a hospital bed a week later. Tsunade said that she tried a new healing technique, but didn't say much more. When tsunade said this her eye's line of vision shifted to the side a little bit, and she coked her head. A clear sign that the lady was lying. Ino figured it was better to leave it beļ¼Œand be grateful that Neji was alive. Sakura, still wonders what tsunade did. She'd never admit it, but the look in her eyes said it all. Sakura was hurt a lot by that day. Ino felt it a little bit, too. Why didn't their mentor trust them enough to tell them?

Weeks past and Neji finally admitted to seeing something. He only told two. Hinata and Ino. This was not something for Sakura's ears. It nearly drove Hinata insane to hear it. Neji remembered seeing Naruto carrying him and performing a jutsu.

This was insane. Naruto is dead. His body was never found. He jumped head first into a flame that was so hot, not even the gods could go near it. No one ever understood why he did this. Some say that after so much death around him, he was driven to insanity. Others think he was never sand to begin with. And a select few think that he may still be alive. They have no proof, but what could she say. Naruto changed lives, hearts, and fate. If those people didn't believe in him, what could they believe in? Sakura was among these select few. She will never give up on Naruto. He kept his promise. He brought Sasuke back to the village. Sakura wouldn't stop crying for months. She was so happy. But she also wept for sorrow.

She hadn't kept her promise: to stand by Naruto on the battlefield, and fight by him, not behind.

Another series of murmurs, followed by nudges from her friends. Shikamaru, also looked nervous, which was pretty rare for his listed back demeanor. That's right! Ino remember that Shikamaru's older brother had joined the division as well. Wait! Choji's older sister, Kiba's older sis, too. Hehehe! Ino giggled to herself.

Another way they were all connected. And now they would be more that connected, they would be reunited.