Hello, this is my first Naruto fiction. I wanted to try the 'person dies and is reincarnated as [BLANK] from Naruto' thing. So here it is. A thing. If it's not your thing, I still hope you give it a chance. But if not, that's okay. I hope you find something you enjoy.
It's a little dialogue heavy. Sorry. If any part is confusing, just message me, and hopefully I can clear things up. Thanks for looking.
Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Part 1: Oneshot, Her name is Ino
Yamanaka Inoichi sat in one of Konoha's many public parks. Children ran around, screaming with joy, while parents sat on benches, chatting and catching up. For the most part, everyone was having a good time. Inoichi looked out of place. Children and adults alike were sneaking glances at him. No doubt, they were gossiping. What was the head of the Yamanaka clan doing in a simple park such as this?
The answer would be his daughter, Ino. Normally, if she wanted to play, they'd just go out to their private yard. It was large enough for a small child to run around. Plenty of space! So much room! But, Inoichi wanted her to socialize with other children around her age, hence the public park. He hoped everything would go smoothly.
Of course not. This was Ino. Once they arrived at the park, she was more than happy to sit next to her father on the bench, simply observing the playful activities of the park. Activities Inoichi hoped for her to take part in.
"Ino, don't you want to go play with the other kids?" he asked her. She turned her eyes to her father's, her smile growing wider.
"I'm happier here with you!" she chirped. It was endearing.
He did end up convincing her to go talk to the children after a few minutes. So, there she was, trying to make conversations with anyone willing. Many were unsettled by her eyes. It didn't seem to be going too well.
When she looked like she was about to return, a group of children tentatively invited her to a game of ninja. Thank you, brave children, for inviting-
Inoichi's hopes were shot down when Ino declined the generous offer.
"Ino, did you have fun today?" Inoichi asked. They didn't do much after she came back to sit with him, though it wasn't all that unpleasant.
"Yeah, it was so much fun!" Ino was an odd child. Even with his limited experience with children, Inoichi could pick out what made her so different from other children. Her most concerning quality would be her inability to refuse him. Sure, she'd try to change the subject and stall, but in the end, she did as he asked, even if she didn't want to.
That's weird, right? Children are supposed to want things and not want other things, and be fairly open about it, especially to their parents. Right?
"Ino?" His daughter was crying. She didn't throw a tantrum. She didn't scream. It was a quiet sort of crying, her head bowed, tears merely spilling due to gravity.
"Ino, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Tell me where it hurts," Inoichi whispered calmly. It wouldn't do good for anyone if he panicked.
"I'm not hurt."
"Why are you crying?"
"I'm just… so sad," Ino looked up to meet his eyes. He hoped he wouldn't have to see that look in her eyes ever again.
"Why are you sad?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because if I tell you, you won't love me anymore." It frightened Inoichi to hear those words strung together like that. He bundled her securely in his arms, rocking her gently.
"I'll always love you, no matter what."
"Are you sure? Can you promise?"
"If there's one promise I know I can keep, it's this," he assured.
"Okay. Then I'll tell you. You can't tell anyone else."
"Shikamaru, are you going to lay there the whole time?" Ino asked the child at her feet. There was no irritation in her voice. Only curiosity. The other child, Chouji, was content to sit next to them.
"Yeah," Shikamaru yawned out.
"But, if you do that, you can't see all the cool things," she reasoned.
"What cool things?"
"You know, cool things."
"I don't know." The clouds looked so soft, and the breeze was welcoming him to slumber.
"Cool things you'll miss if you're not awake."
"I have you and Chouji to tell me about all those. Right, Chouji?" Chouji smiled and nodded in affirmation.
"But, Chouji," Ino went on, "don't you think it's so much better when Shikamaru sees all the cool things with us?"
"Mmm, yeah. It's nice to do cool things together." Chouji was on Ino's side for this. Shikamaru had no winning chance.
"Aahhh… Fine," he drawled out, slowly getting to his feet. "You're too much, Ino."
"Am I troublesome?" she asked, a frown marring her face.
"Naahhh, you're okay."
"Your kid's weird," Shikaku told one of his two close friends. Inoichi could only sigh.
"Yeah. She certainly is different."
"You know something you're not telling."
"I promised her I won't tell."
"What's a promise to a ninja?"
"Nothing," he answered. "I made a promise as her father. That means the world to her."
'And I'm going to make sure she lives a happier life.'
"Daddy, I don't think grandpa likes me very much," Ino confessed one day. She and her father were lazily sitting on their porch, eating persimmons and watching the sun dip beyond the horizon.
"Why do you say that?" Inoichi questioned. He knew why. He wanted to know if she did.
"I don't know. He looks at me with- uh, you know, that," was her eloquent answer.
"With what?"
"Like things would be better if I was different," she said. Then, with a comically frightened face, she whispered, "Do you think he knows?"
"Heh, I don't think even the Hokage can guess," he chuckled. He didn't think anyone could guess anytime soon. His child was truly a mystery. Even to herself.
A peaceful silence came and went.
"The thing is, Ino," he continued, "Grandpa wanted the heir to be male, but that's a small detail. He still loves you a lot."
"But I'm… Okay."
"Ino, do you want to be a ninja?"
"What's a ninja?"
"A ninja is a servant of the hokage and the village. We live to fight for and protect Konoha," Inoichi explained as simply as he could. How could such a short word mean so much?
"... So, a ninja is a soldier?"
"Yes."
"I don't want to be a soldier." Inoichi knew why. And he'd never force her to be such a thing.
"Hey, daddy?"
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"Ninjas are Konoha, too. Who protects them?"
"Well, they protect each other."
"Huh. Sounds tiring."
"Yeah. It sure is, kiddo."
"I'm sorry"
"It's okay."
"I only wish the best for you."
"I know. I love you."
"I love you, too."
The pretty blonde girl's name was Ino, and she saved Sakura.
"My name is Sakura."
"Ah! That's a flower! I love flowers!"
"Do you… Do you love my name, too?" Sakura asked shyly. People always told her her name matched her hair, but never that it was pretty.
"Yeah! My daddy's teaching me the flower language. Isn't that cool?"
The pretty blonde girl's name was Ino, and she was Sakura's first friend.
"Hey, Ino? Are you studying to be a ninja because you think they're cool?" Sakura asked one day. The two girls sat on a bench beneath the shade of the academy building for lunch.
"No. Ninjas aren't cool." Sakura was surprised by her friend's response. She thought Ino did everything she thought was cool or interesting. Certainly, she wouldn't do something she deemed uncool.
"But, ninjas can fly and shoot fire and stuff! Isn't that so cool?"
"They're soldiers," Ino stated like it explained the world's secrets. To Sakura, it didn't explain a thing.
"Then, why are you at a ninja academy?"
"I don't want to upset anyone." Sakura wondered why people would be upset, but didn't say anything about it. She guessed it was a ninja clan thing.
"Who do you think is cool? Besides your dad."
"Hm, that's easy! Tadano-san who lives three streets away from me. He knows how to build houses! Now, isn't that cool?"
"Ino?" Inoichi called out for her. She turned and faced him, giving him her full attention.
"Ino, you're doing very well in your classes." She beamed, and he sent a softer smile back at her. No matter the circumstances, he was proud of her. He'd always be proud of her.
"Ino, please hold back. Nothing good comes out of being a prodigy." Her smile faltered and traces of fear crept up in her eyes.
But she understood perfectly.
"I promise."
"Ino, do you think Sasuke is cool?" Chouji asked out of the blue. He peered at her curiously from his seat next to the board game. Ino and Shikamaru looked up from their pieces at his sudden question.
"Huh? What do you mean?" she asked back.
"A lot of the other girls think he's all cool and stuff. Like how he's so naturally talented and can throw the shurikens really well." Ino crossed her arms and tilted her head back to look up at the ceiling. Ah yes. Her thinking pose.
"I guess that's kinda cool," she mumbled out. Shikamaru briefly wondered what counted as cool to Ino, but quickly stopped that thought. She was just too weird. She once dragged him out of his house to show him a snail on a mushroom.
"But, Chouji, don't you think the three of us are just as cool as Sasuke?" Ino continued. Now, both boys were confused at that.
"Why do you think that?" asked Chouji.
"Because we try so much harder than Sasuke to be as good as his natural talent. Hard work is cool, too!" She grinned with some sort of childish pride.
"Hello, mister!" Ino cheerfully greeted the man in front of her, the famous Green Beast of Konoha, Maito Gai.
"Good morning, young citizen of Konoha!" he greeted her back with the brightest of smiles, still balanced on his hands.
That fateful encounter, Ino found the Hard Working Hero.
"Hey, we're going to graduate soon. In a few weeks," Ino idly started one evening. She and Shikamaru sat on a hill, watching the orange of sunset shift to the indigo of night. Too bad Chouji couldn't share the sight with them. That would've made the experience even better.
"Yeah, we'll have to work even harder then. Ugh, what a bother," he grimaced.
Ino was oddly silent. Not that she was a particularly loud child, but she was concerningly silent at that moment, sending Shikamaru sitting up straighter to take a closer look at her. Outwardly, there was nothing wrong with her. Perhaps, her face was too blank, but other than that, nothing.
"Ino?" he called for her attention, apparently snapping her out of whatever thought she was stuck on.
"Huh? Ino?" she asked, confusing the boy by her side.
"What?"
"What? Ino. Yeah, that's me? Did you want something?"
"Ino, are you okay?" He wanted to make sure. She was his friend. His second friend.
"Yes? Oh! Yeah, I'm okay!" she sent a smile his way, but it didn't do much to smooth his worry. At that, Ino's smile faded away like the sun.
"Shikamaru," she began, then seemed to lose her words.
"Yeah?" he encouraged her.
"I'm not, uh, I don't… Erm, am I troublesome?" she fumbled with her words. He looked at her for a brief moment before responding.
"No. Not you. Never you. Okay?"
"Okay."
Ino slipped on her sandals. 'Funny,' she thought. 'There's no lacing up anymore, but the purpose is the same.' Her fingers gripped the hem of her shirt tightly. The doorway seemed menacing that morning. Like the door was a monster that'd swallow her whole, never to return her home.
"Ino, are you ready?" Inoichi stood by her side and held her hand. He knew her answer. She knew he knew. But his hand and his voice were enough to steel her mind.
"I'll never be ready, but it's time to go now," she smiled, eyes clear as the sky, deep as the sea. With her headband in place, she reluctantly untangled her hand from her father's and stepped outside.