Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Marvel or Naruto

Death and Despair

Ino walked through the desert, the wind throwing sand into her skin sometimes causing it to break. Ino lost in despair felt nothing as she continued forward. The death of her friend Choji and her sensei Asuma weighed heavy on her. She, Choji, Raiduo, and Aoba were assigned by Tsunadi to hunt down and stop the Atkatsuki after the massacre at the Fire Temple. While waiting at a supposed meeting place the team got a call to go back Asuma's group. They attempted to join the group but were met with two strange creatures. One was a black shadow with a dolls face the other was a large rat with a crystal cane. Both were wearing Atkatsuki rings and coats. "Going somewhere?" The rat called.

"Who are you?" Aoba asked fiercely.

"I am Verminous Rex, and dis is my partner Vallow. Ve are new members of de Atkatsuki, and ve are on are vay to Konoha." The large rat replied.

"Trip ends here." Raiduo said pulling out his ebony blade.

"As you vish." Verminous said raising his cane. Suddenly the cane increased to the size of Iog as he swung it at the group separating Ino and Choji from Raido and Aoba. "Sakon go after de young vones." The rat ordered.

"It's Wallow you fat moron." The shadow called, before slinking off after Ino and Choji.

Verminous slowly walked after his targets calling, "Come out my little play things."

Suddenly a flock of crows flew out surrounding rat. Verminous started to swing his cane trying to clear the area. Raiduo using the crows as a diversion charged in with his Ebony blade thrusting the attack forward. Verminous catching the attack coming swung his tail knocking his attacker down. Verminous lifted his cane about to crush Raiduo. Suddenly crows start swarming the large rat allowing Raiduo to escape.

Elsewhere Wallow followed his quarry into the building. 'They're here. I can feel their misery.' Wallow thought looking around. Suddenly a large hand flew out of the shadows attempting to grab him. Wallow flattens himself on the ground and slinks away into the darkness. Choji walked out of the shadows as he kept his guard up looking around. Wallow shot up behind Choji and wrapped him in black tentacles. "Hello my large friend. Where is your company..." Wallow went silent as his eyes went blank. As life flowed back into the creatures eyes he released Choji.

"Good job Ino."

"I couldn't have done it without you distracting him." Ino replied through Wallow.

"Alright get ready. I'll squash it like a bug." Choji said carefully.

"On three." Ino replied. "One...two...three!"

Choji clapped his hands together attempting to crush the Atkatsuki member. As soon as the dust settles Choji saw Wallow on the ground with two masks. Black tentacles shot up from the ground wrapping themselves around Choji's arms. Wallow stood up revealing one creature on each side. "I'll hold him. You take the one that possessed you." The left wallow called.

"Thank you brother." The right wallow replied before slinking off into the shadows.

"So you were awake while Ino held your brother. That's how you survived." Choji said realizing what happened.

"Brilliant Holmes." Wallow said sarcastically. "No wonder you rely on Shikamaru from planning. Your all bulk and no brain."

"Are you commenting about my weight?" Choji called turning red.

"Yes I'm sure weight is a sensitive subject. Especially with Ino." Wallow watched as Choji's rage disappeared. "Yes, you like her. But large people disgust her. How does that make you feel? You being in love with a girl who will never love you." Wallow's eyes began to glow as he continued to stare at his quarry. "What good is life, without love? Why go through all the torment of seeing the girl you love and know she despises you." Wallow released Choji's arms and produced a kunai. "Why not end it?" Choji's arms shrunk as he took the weapon his eyes filled with defeat. "Yes end it. End your suffering."

Suddenly Choji stabbed the kunai into Wallow's face. A loud shriek came from the creature as he slowly turned to ash. "Every time I was injured Ino was there with a fruit basket. She was always by my bedside waiting for me to heal." Choji said reminiscently. "She never once despised me."

Outside Verminous slammed his cane into the ground raising debris to clear the crows away. Verminous continued his walk as he searched for the two shinobi. His resurrection had made him smarter and stronger than ever before. Not to mention the animal senses he had gained. Turning his head left he heard a twig break. Kneeing down Verminous made a few hand signals as he unleashed a set of rats into the grass. The large rat stood up and waited as Aoba leaped up swatting rats away. "Earth Barrier, Clay Prison." A large dome made of rocks appeared trapping Aoba and Raido inside.

Raido took his Ebony Blade and started to strike against dome attempting to dig out. "Stop!" Aoba called out. "Listen." Raido remained still as he heard a scratching noise from below. Suddenly a bunch of rats burst from the ground attacking two inside the dome.

"Enjoy your meal my pets." Verminous said as he walked towards the building.

Back inside Wallow found Ino and engaged her in combat. Although Ino was skilled in taijutsu she was no match for her opponent. Wallow back handed Ino scratching her face. "That's quite a nice look for you. It's an improvement compared to what you looked like before. " Wallow taunted. "What an ugly thing you are. No wonder Sasuke left you."

Ino shrank back as the words stung. "Has any guy approached you? Ever wanted to be with you? Said they loved you?" Wallow continued as Ino sank to her knees. The shadow creature pulled out a kunai. "Look at you a fat disgusting retch all alone while everyone else has a love connection. Tell me wouldn't be better to end it rather than continue a life without love?"

Ino slowly took the blade looking at it thoughtfully. The creature was right what is life without love?

As Ino put the blade to her throat she immediately heard a voice, "Stop!" Ino looked around before looking up as Choji came crashing down crushing Wallow grinding him into the ground.

The large ninja reverted back to normal form as he knelt down looking deep into Ino's eyes. "Don't ever doubt how much people care about you. There are people who love you." Choji paused for a second then said, "I love you."

Ino's eyes glimmered with tears as began to fall. She and Choji had been friends for a long time, she had never looked at him as anything more, until now. "I love you too."

Ino moved in until Choji's face changed as if he was in some king of pain. Looking him over Ino found the end of a cane through the chest. The end of the cane pulled out as Verminous Rex stood behind the ninja before knocking Ino through a column and a wall. "A pity Sakon. You vere once a master assassin. Now you are a has been."

Ino awoke to find herself in a hospital bed with Shikamaru sitting by her. There she learned the terrible truth that Choji and Asuma had died. Shikamaru was the only survivor of his team just as Ino was also the only survivor. Immediately Ino turned over crying into her pillow. The one who had loved her had died leaving Ino to feel more alone than ever before. That night Ino wrote a letter then disappeared out of the hospital window.

Now she was in the desert with no where to go. Ino dropped to ground pulling out a small blade ready to end it. After two minutes she threw the blade to the ground screaming in anger. "Aargh! I can't do anything right! Not even kill myself. It's not fair. I'm useless to everyone!"

After five minutes of screaming and banging in the dirt, she looked to the left and saw a small village in the a mountains. With no real direction Ino decided to head there. Reaching the village Ino stepped into the first building noticing many ninjas clad in black. Ino stood in the doorway unsure of what to next. Deciding she was in the wrong place the young blond stepped back before a voice called, "Come child. Let us have a look at you."

Ino hesitated not sure what the right decision was. "Don't be shy child come in." The man called walked in timidly as the ninja all looked at her. "Tell me what is in our guest's eyes."

"Despair." A male voice called.

"Lack of self worth." A female said.

"Loneliness." Another male called.

"Understood." The man up front said grimly. "So what brings the child here?" He asked.

"I was just wandering and I saw a building. I just need provisions." Ino replied timidly.

"I think you need more than just provisions young lady." The strangely. "What you need is purpose and we The Hand can give it to you."

Ino thought for a moment then asked, "What do I have to do?"

"Learn." The man replied.