Yamanaka Ino hated the scent of blood. She soaked in it one too many times as an ANBU captain. She hated it more when it was her teammates' blood that soaked her uniform and left a pink on her skin that only she could see. It made her mad that she let so many of her friends die. She promised that she would stop and protect them, but she failed again and again.
That stupid Akatsuki member, Hidan, killed Sarutobi Asuma. Shikamaru told her, and they set out with Kakashi and Choji to get their revenge. She helped Shikamaru kill the bastard that took Asuma away. She cried and even lost sleep at night, but she never let go of her promise to protect all who were precious to her. No, she never gave up because it would cause her to crumble.
Akimichi Choji died on her first ANBU mission. The enemy used him as a living bomb, and he exploded against them. Shikamaru and her had to be held back by their captain and backup from destroying the bodies of the enemy beyond what they were now. She was told to let go after that, but she couldn't let go of those she cared for. She went slightly numb and let the tears dry up.
Hoshigaki Kisame killed Aburame Shino, and Naruto killed the shark man for her. She tried to heal Shino, but he wouldn't accept her chakra, saying it was useless. She tried, but he forced her to fail. That was so like him. To protect others in orders to fight on his own. Naruto tried to comfort her on their way back to Konoha, but Ino went a little more numb. She couldn't remember feeling a lot after that.
Hyuga Hinata was the next one. She had two sons waiting at home for her when Pein chopped her head off. Ino went into a fit of rage and tried to kill the Akatsuki leader, but Naruto's strong arms held her back. Hinata was gone because Ino failed again. She watched the murderer disappear as she swore revenge. During those words, she went numb just a little more, but revenge made her live on.
Uzumaki Naruto killed Akatsuki along side her, but he suffered too many internal wounds, and his demon was the cause and couldn't heal them without them reopening. Ino tried to heal him like she tried with Shino, but her chakra was useless again. Naruto was her fiancé, and he was dying like everyone else. Did Kami hate her? Yes, he did. He took Naruto, her Naruto, from her, and when Naruto died, Ino went numb completely. Her feelings were damaged too much now.
She dragged four of the five people who died because she failed back to Konoha. Naruto's was the hardest because they had been a promising couple, and he still loved her when she discovered, after a severe battle wound was healed, that she was barren. He didn't care. They had adopted a boy about seven and a five-year-old girl instead. It was what he thought was for the best because you gave an orphan parental love, and she thought it was for the better anyways.
"Yamanaka," Tsunade said to the dazed off blonde. She knew they had lost her when Naruto died two months earlier. Maybe the news would bring her back? Probably. They had to hope for the best. "The tests came back." Ino looked up at the last word. "Yamanaka Ino, you're eight weeks pregnant." It wasn't possible, but then again, anything that dealt with Uzumaki Naruto was mostly impossible. He made impossible things possible.
"My miracle," Ino said softly. She looked out the window at the flying birds with a small smile. She was free of missions for a while. Free from the death. Free from reminders of Naruto. "He made the impossible possible. Tsunade-sama, I want to be Hokage for him. Tell me what a Hokage needs to know, please." Tsunade smiled and patted the twenty-five-year-old's shoulder with a nod. This training was for the better of two people, and it could be used as a healer to one.
Uzumaki Asuma looked up at his mother's face on the Hokage's mountain. She was the Sixth Hokage, and so far, she was the one who led with more authority. Most ANBU teams had two medics now, and Academy students were taught basic medical jutsu and continued learning, as they grew older. The hospital had many shinobi working part-time, and even the Fifth and the Sixth were found working among the others as equals. Konoha was prospering again with happiness.
"Asuma, it's your turn to tell us your hero essay," Umino Iruka said. He was sure the boy would be just like his father, but no, the boy was the best student in the class. The Chunin could see Naruto in Asuma's smile and eyes, but the rest was Ino coming through. Asuma was a mix between the parents, but he was a born leader too.
"My hero is Uzumaki Naruto, my father," Asuma started. Iruka smiled at the name and looked out the window at the rain. He could almost picture Ino and Naruto dancing out on the streets like they use to in the rain that was falling in steady beats. They were always doing weird things, and that gene had passed to Asuma, who used the excuse that his dad was dead to do the report since it couldn't be a living relative.