Voice of the Wanderer 2: Ino's Debut

Naruto Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.

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Chapter 2: Preparations

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"Ow! Ow! Ooowww!" I cried out as Ino whacked a pillow at my face. "I said I was sorry! I tried using the door bell but you were asleep. I had no other choice but to-"

"Obliterate my front door? Naruto-kun, this is a huge mess! How will I explain this to my father when he comes home today?" she asked.

Oh... a minor setback.

I conjured about five shadow clones to clean up the mess while I drove back home using Ino's car. She was reluctant in letting me borrow it but we had no other choice. I made sure to grab my power tools and a bunch of other materials to fix her door. For emergencies, spare materials are always kept but I don't keep much of it since my house is reenforced with chakra-embedded steel for an endoskeleton. I also took a three-pronged kunai to give to Ino. I'll have to convince her to always keep it by her side. It's considered a lethal weapon but she won't use it for self defense. She doesn't know how to.

When I returned, Ino was pacing around the living room while the shadow clones were trying to calm her down. The mess I made on her front door had been cleaned up. I ordered my clones to start fixing the door with the tools I brought from home while I took the job in calming my girlfriend down by preparing some tea. It's a good thing it's the middle of the night so most people are asleep. If they woke up to see five identical clones, they might start asking questions. Just in case, I placed some sound barrier seals around the house. I found out that I'm actually pretty good with sealing jutsus, just like my father was.

Ino sipped a bit of hot tea and tried to regulate her breathing pattern. I sat beside her.

"You know, I heard sex relieves tension," I suggested. She shot a glare at me. I receded into the couch. "Sorry, just offering a thought. You aren't suffering from a bipolar disorder, are you? I mean, you were pretty happy a while ago but now it's the complete opposite."

"Is sex the only thing you think about, Naruto-kun?"

"Well, no of course not. There's also school stuff, friends, um... gimme a minute," I said. Ino sighed and sipped more tea. "I'll get back to you on that. But really, I just want you to calm down a little. My clones will finish fixing your front door before your dad gets back... which is when exactly?"

"Seven hours from now," she replied miserably. I was about to say something when one of my clones shouted, holding up an electric saw and waved it around as if trying desperately to gain my attention.

"Hoy! The batteries are dead. There's no power cord either. We used this last year to make the shed in the back yard and accidentally cut the power cord, remember?" said the clone. I formed an "o" with my lips, instantly recalling that memory. I looked to Ino and smiled the most innocent smile I could. Her eyes were burning like a demon.

"Uh... another minor setback," I said as I stood and backed away. Ino was now hyperventilating.

"Oh wait, here's a spare battery," said the clone as power was returned to the tool. I breathed a sigh of relief. Ino trudged to me and gripped both hands on my shirt.

"You want to give me a heart attack, don't you? You want me to die young, is that it?" she said, shaking me violently. I feel as though I somewhat deserve this. After about a minute of ceaseless violent shaking, she let go of me and sat back down. It then became my responsibility to find my footing before tripping and falling over. I sat next to her again. "At least you make the relationship fun."

"I do, don't I?"

"Don't let it get to your head," she said.

Ino downed the rest of her tea and relaxed on the couch, her head rested on my lap. She's dressed in her sleeping pajamas; a pair of loose, blue and white striped pants, with a matching long sleeve top. It wasn't buttoned all the way up to allow for some ventilation. From this angle, I can see some exposed cleavage. I could just reach out for it but I have to control myself for her sake. She probably left it unbuttoned because she thought she would be alone until morning.

"Naruto... kun. I feel so... sleepy," Ino said softly. "What was in that tea?"

"Chemical-X," I replied using a Jekyl and Hide voice tone, complete with the widely opened eyes and a flashlight to my chin. As for the Chemical-X, I remembered the term from a recent Powerpuff Girls rerun. "I'm kidding. I put some herbs in there to calm your body down and help you sleep. You might not remember this incident because of the herbs. They're very powerful."

"So... if you took advantage... of my body, I wouldn't... remember it?" she asked innocently, looking to my eyes. Now that she mentions it, that's a good point. Ino reached and cupped my cheek with one hand, lowering my face down. The rest of my body moved so we were next to each other. I took the edge of the couch to keep her safe. We were so close that her breasts were pressed against my chest. With half-closed eyes, my girlfriend leaned in to kiss me briefly. She wrapped one leg over mine.

"Then... do what you want... with me. This might be... your last chance in a... really long time," she said. I stroked her long, blond hair, noticing that there were no split ends. She really does take pride in her hair.

"I want to, believe me, but I won't. I'm going to respect your conservative decision. Besides, the herbs are also meant to drastically reduce your inhibition. It provides you a drunken mentality without the hangover when you wake up. You're saying these things when in your right mind, you would never," I said to her. "You're my girlfriend and I love you. I will never take advantage of you."

"You really... mean that... don't you?" came her soft voice again. I nodded. Ino trailed her fingers against my warm neck. I took her hand into mine, squeezing it gently. Ino's eyes started fluttering, trying to remain open. I can tell she's trying to stay awake but the herbs I put in that tea are much too potent for the human body's resistance, especially those of this era. It would put an elephant down in about fifteen minutes. Ino's lasted two minutes. That's a healthy, human body's limit with this herb. "Gosh, I love you... so much. I can't... resist the effects... of the herbs anymore. Please... be here... in the morning... Naru...to-kun."

"Yeah, you bet," I said as I stood up and removed my sweater, gently covering it over her body. I returned to my clones and helped them to finish repairing the front door.

It took a few hours, but we managed to do it. I'm no carpenter, that's for sure and neither are my clones, but we did a pretty good job restoring it to the way it was before I smashed it to tiny splinters. I dismissed my clones and returned the tools and remaining materials back to my house, via Ino's car. I went back to her place to find her still fast asleep where I left her. I scooped her body up and brought her to her room, laid her down on her bed and tucked her in. I was going to hop inside as well but remembered I had to release the sound barrier jutsu from the house.

I did just that and sealed the pieces of parchment into a scroll. When that was finished, I rummaged my back pack for the three-pronged kunai and sealed it inside a scroll that I placed inside Ino's back pack. It's a very slender scroll, the size of a pencil. I wrapped another sealing jutsu over it so Ino can never find it. Even though the kunai is sealed inside an invisible scroll, my Hiraishin no Jutsu will still be able to locate it and teleport me to its location. My jutsu goes beyond the boundaries of human senses.

I can feel my chakra reserves almost empty, a sign that it's nearing the time for me to get some sleep. It's 4:06am. Today is Friday, I'm glad. Just need to put up with half a day of school so I can enjoy a weekend to myself, or with Ino, whichever brightens my mood the most. When preparations were complete, I tucked myself in bed. Ino pulled me to her chest instinctively. She does this very often when we sleep together, so her body probably does it instinctively. Her sweet fragrance made its way to my nostrils; a vanilla scent.

An inch of regret came over me, going against the thought of taking advantage of her. The herbs and the position we're in makes it so easy and she won't even remember a thing, especially because she's already asleep. She gave me permission but like I said earlier, she isn't thinking in her own right mind. I've gotta admit though, I've always wanted to have sex with a sleeping girl. It's one of the things on my bucket list. I can fulfill that right now but I said I wouldn't. Maybe when she isn't so high on herbs, and maybe when I'm not so tired.

I woke up before my girlfriend did, about three and a half hours later. As a shinobi, I'm used to short periods of sleep. I had to get used to it during missions when we would camp out for the night. Although there would always be one squad member keeping watch, in case of ambush, the body must always be ready at a moment's notice. I got up slowly, stood up from bed, and formed a hand seal.

"Ninpo: Hiraishin no Jutsu," I whispered, teleporting back to my house in a flash of yellow light.

I wonder if I'll ever earn my father's title of Yellow Flash. I have his blond hair and his mastery over this jutsu. It doesn't matter though. There is no need for such titles when living in a peaceful era. I keep telling myself that the reign of shinobi is over. I sighed to myself and got a set of school uniform before teleporting back to Ino's place. Her back pack was downstairs, in the living room, beside the couch she fell asleep on. I was about to climb up the stairs when the restroom door behind me opened. I turned to face Ino's father.

"Hm? Uzumaki-kun? Did you just get here? I didn't hear you come through the door," he said, stepping out of the restroom. He wasn't here last night, probably just arrived. Ino did say he'd swing by at around seven. It's 7:40am now. "Come to think of it, did Ino ever give you a spare key?"

"Um... no. I used her key. I came over last night to get some studying done and found that I had fallen asleep on the couch to the side," I said, setting my school uniform on the couch. The long haired blond nodded. "I went home to pick up my school uniform and just came back to wake Ino-chan for school when you found me."

"I see, I see," he said with a smile. "You're very different from normal high school boys, Uzumaki-kun. For a second there, I was expecting you to say you slept with my daughter. But I can see now that I was wrong. It's good you that you have enough respect for her to sleep down here, although you could have taken my bed. Sleeping on a couch sounds uncomfortable."

I returned the smile ten-fold. If only he knew...

"I'll wake Ino. Can you please prepare breakfast? I hate to ask you but I have no skill in cooking. I've just returned from the airport, from America. I take it my daughter has told you about her 18th birthday?" he asked, making his way to the stairs.

"Yes, you can say that," I replied, not wanting to disclose the full details. It's embarassing that I almost didn't figure it out. Who would have thought my girlfriend could be so cunning? I'm almost inclined to believe that she inherited some of that from the Ino of my era. I set my uniform on the couch and proceeded to the kitchen to make some fried rice. It doesn't take too long and Ino has the proper ingredients to make a full batch.

Said teen came down from her room as soon as her father woke her. She still looked very sleepy, but I don't mind. I adore every look she's got; happy, sad, sleepy, cute, sexy, seductive, bashful, all of it. I guess it comes with my love for her. The blond bombshell wrapped her slender arms around my waist. She was still in her pajamas. Ino pressed her cheek on my neck, snuggling as closely as she could. She's still warm from being under her comforters the whole night.

"Morning," I greeted, receiving a grumble in return.

"Mmm... that smells good. What are you making?"

"Fried rice. Want some? We've got a bit of time before school starts."

"School holiday," she replied. I rolled my eyes but held in a sigh. At least I didn't consume any gas, opting for chakra usage instead. "You would have known if you didn't leave school so early yesterday."

"I might have if... never mind," I said. Ino was quiet for a moment and hugged me tighter.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, I really did. When I saw you at recess, I recognized that look you gave to me. You were angry but you were doing your best to hold it in. If it was my decision, I would have told you immediately," she said, sounding hurt. I let out a very soft sigh. I almost blew it yesterday. When I told her I didn't want to go, I meant I didn't want to leave school so early, not refusing to attend her debut as her escort. I would have jumped at the opportunity. It's times like these when I curse my intellect. At least things worked out in the end.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Things worked out, right?"

"Yes, but I ended up hurting you in the process.

"I guess, but try not to think about it too much. You're turning 18, remember? You should be happy," I said as I added some more ingredients to the frying pot. "I remember when I turned 18. I wasn't very happy, mainly because my friends all died for me and my village was in ruins. Don't be sad. I'll make sure everything turns out alright for you."

"Thanks. I'm going to freshen up. Come upstairs when you finish here," she said, planting a brief kiss on left side of my neck before making her way to her room. Her father entered the kitchen a minute later. He was dressed in his bathrobe, his hair slightly damp after his shower.

"Mmm! That smells delightful!" he complimented. I turned off the fire when the contents of the pot was cooked. "Ah, is it ready?"

"Yes. Dig in. I made a lot so eat as much as you can," I said as I grabbed myself a bowl and a pair of chopsticks before serving myself. I made sure to put a little more for Ino. I wonder if she even ate last night? I usually do all the cooking and there doesn't seem to be any cooked food in this house. Arriving upstairs, I heard the shower water in Ino's bathroom running. The door was opened slightly for me. I entered and closed the door completely.

"Naruto-kun?"

"No, it's your father, young lady," I mocked with a slightly deeper voice so as to match Inoichi's, and leaned against the sink. Ino stuck her head out of the curtains and smacked her lips together when she saw me holding back a laugh. She stepped out of the shower, dripping and completely naked. Utilizing the few moments I spent gawking at her complexion, Ino grabbed my bowl and chopsticks, taking it with her to the shower.

"Hey!" I shrieked. My girlfriend chuckled. About thirty seconds later, her hand stuck out with a half-empty food bowl. The chopsticks were neatly placed at the corner. I took the food bowl and stared at it for about five seconds. This is a medium sized bowl, the size of two hands and about four and a half inches deep. "You just ate a bowl's worth of food in thirty seconds... Did you even eat last night?"

"Nope!" she chuckled in the shower. "You haven't given me a spare key to your house yet, like you said you would three weeks ago. I had lunch at school but no dinner at home. I would have eaten everything in that bowl but I felt bad for you."

"If you were so hungry, why didn't you ask me to cook when I woke you at midnight?" I asked, proceeding with my half-eaten breakfast.

"Sorry. I was so mad at what you did to my front door that I forgot I was hungry. By the way, hurry up and get in. I don't want to waste too much water," she said. Heehee- shower with my girlfriend. I'm such a lucky guy.

I scarfed the rest of the food inside the bowl, stripped, and hopped inside the shower. A girlfriend who wants to get intimate inside a shower is always a good sign.

The steamy water instantly relaxed my body. Ino reached up and flicked a grain of rice that remained on my lips and giggled. About five minutes later, I was about to step out when I remembered I don't have any spare clothes with me. I stuck my hands out of the curtain and formed a hand seal.

"Ninpo: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," I called out, molding chakra to create a carbon copy of myself. However, because I was naked when I performed the jutsu, so was my clone. He instantly covered himself and stepped into the shower. Ino's face turned red at the sight of two boyfriends in the same shower with her.

"Hey, what are you doing in here!" I shouted at my clone.

"I have no clothes! I panicked! What the hell's up with you, making clones while you're naked? The shadow clone you conjure takes your direct appearance upon forming the jutsu. If you're naked, then so am I!" he shouted back, looking to Ino with a grin, my grin. "Oh, hey Ino-chan. Looking lovely as always."

"Thanks..." she replied bashfully and turned around.

"Ore? I may be a clone but I'm also your boyfriend," he said, tilting his head in confusion.

"Yes, that's very true but... I'm sorry! This is really embarassing! I only expected one Naruto-kun to be here!" she gasped, covering her private parts with her arms. I moved the curtain to the side and kicked him out before closing it again.

"I conjured you so you can rush back home and fetch us some new clothes. Come back with the motorcycle," I instructed him. The clone groaned, rubbed his head, and stood up.

"Are you kidding me? I, and the other yous, just fixed Ino-chan's door last night without any carpenting skills. The least you can do is cut me some slack," he said. I nodded slowly in understanding. That part actually slipped my mind. The clone reentered the shower and kicked me out. "I'll stay here with Ino-chan while you get some clothes."

I stood up quickly.

"You better not try anything funny!" I said. The clone popped his head out of the curtains.

"I'm you, moron. I wouldn't do anything you wouldn't," he said. "Besides, this is our Ino-chan we're talking about."

"Please hurry, Naruto-kun," said Ino. The clone wrapped his arms around her waist. "Wait, not you, Clone-kun! I know you're the same as my boyfriend but... no, it's not the same! This is just so weird!"

"I swear, Clone! When you go poof, I'll know everything you did. I'll conjure you and beat the living crap out of you if you take advantage of Ino-chan in any way," I said, putting my clothes back on.

"Bah, have some faith in yourself, will you?" he asked. I ignored that and teleported to my room.

I don't believe this, double crossed by my own clone... by myself! But he did prove a point. My shadow clones worked hard for me last night. I should have given that a bit more thought before conjuring him. I grabbed a black t-shirt, a pair of baggy black jeans, and some under garments. My red hoodie is still probably on Ino's bed so I can reuse that today. I was about to leave when I stumbled on my third three-pronged kunai. I only use two of these kunai on a daily basis, so the third is usually hanging around, doing nothing. One is at home. The second is inside Ino's back pack.

I suppose it would be a good idea to keep that with me, in case I'll ever need it. I pulled out a sealing scroll from my drawer and sealed the kunai, along with a full pack of shinobi accessories.

I also figured I'd seal my ANBU outfit and black coat in there. I don't like playing superhero but if I have to, I don't want my identity revealed. Although these are times of peace, if my shinobi training ever taught me anything it's that one can never be too careful. I rolled up the scroll and stuffed it in my pocket. I realize that traveling twenty-something miles per hour on a motorcycle while carrying a set of clothes would be difficult. I grabbed another sealing scroll from my drawer and sealed the clothes in it.

With both scrolls in my pocket, I took the keys to my motorcycle and rode back to Ino's house. About thirty minutes later, I arrived at her driveway and parked my motorcycle beside her car. The clone vanished twenty minutes ago and I received no memory from him that compromised my girlfriend's safety. Maybe he's right. Maybe I should have more faith in myself. I can sure use it. Realizing I didn't take Ino's house keys with me, I rang the door bell. Ino's father opened it. He was holding a food bowl with some fried rice still in it.

"Huh? I thought you were upstairs," he said as he allowed me inside the house.

"I took a bus back home when I remembered I forgot to pack a set of extra clothes. My school uniform won't do as Ino informed me that there is no school today," I said to him.

"I see. Well, there is some of your fried rice left," he said as he handed me Ino's back pack. The blond adult walked over to his couch, sat down, and turned the television on via a remote control. "Be a sport and give that back to Ino, will you? I've been working for a long time and I could use a little break but I don't think I'll be getting that. My daughter's court will be on their way here in a few minutes. I'll explain everything when everyone is here. You should get ready too."

"I understand," I said as I marched upstairs to Ino's room.

Ino had just finished putting her clothes on; a nolita denim skirt, black leggings with brown soft leather boots that reached a couple of inches below her kneecap. Above was a white blouse, a blue denim jacket on top and a red tie on her collar. She wore her hair on a low ponytail. I pulled out my scroll and summoned my clothes to my body with a jutsu. My new clothes instantly replaced my old ones. The old ones were sealed into the scroll. I pulled out the scroll that held my shinobi stuff and transferred it on my back jean pocket.

"Nice," Ino complimented and sat down on her bed. I sat beside and leaned on her shoulder. Ino ruffled my spiky hair. "I heard what my father said downstairs. I had no idea he called my entire court over. I guess he's proceeding with his plan sooner than I thought."

"Care to fill me in?" I asked. Ino leaned on the headrest of her bed and pulled me to her chest. She opened her legs to allow me better access. It had just occured to me how strange it felt, thinking about that last thought. Whenever we got to this position, our spots are normally the opposite. I rested my hands on her knees.

"Well, my mother is coming over to teach all of us a few dance moves for the celebration. She's a formal dance instructor in America and is living pretty well there," she said. My body tensed. Dancing is one of my greatest weak spots. "Relax, Naruto-kun. My mother is a little snappy but she gets the job done. You're going to have to do your best to stay on her good side, though. Unlike most families where the father is protective over the daughter, my mother is protective over me."

"Oh. Didn't you say your parents are divorced?"

"Yes but she's still my mother. I haven't seen her since she moved out, about four years ago. The others have already met her at least one time or another. I've told her great things about you, minus your being older than her grand parents," she said. Yup. No parent would want to know that about their daughter's boyfriend "Oh and speaking of which, she's bringing my grand parents over, along with my aunt and uncle from her side of the family. My uncle from my father's side will be here soon as well."

"Sounds like a large tree with many branches."

"Yeah. They're all over the place, especially-" she paused as we heard the front door open and close. I guess someone has arrived already.

"Hey, Inoichi-san! How's my favorite brother in law doing, hm?" said a voice downstairs.

"No way..." we both said simultaneously as Ino got off of bed and ran down to the living room.

I know that voice and haven't heard it in a little over 500 years. Plus, there's only one guy I know in the history of the shinobi era who constantly says 'hm' at the end of his sentences. I'm almost afraid to see him. I might rip his face off but I have to keep in mind that this isn't the same man as his past life was. If he called Inoichi his brother in law, then he must be-

"Naruto-kun! Come down and meet my otooji-san!" Ino called from below.

Crap... so soon, but I have no choice. I slowly made my way down the stairs while trying to keep my body steady. The moment I looked into his single blue eye, the other covered by a black eye patch, high blond ponytail, and demonic smile, my fist clenched. His bangs even covered the same side of his face. Ino took my hand and pulled me closer to one of the men who caused me a lot of trouble during the era of the shinobi. He wore a white polo, black jeans, and blue sneakers.

"Naruto-kun, this is-"

"Deidara..." I finished for her. The former Akatsuki member cocked up an eyebrow.

"Do I know you, hm?" he asked. Ino held onto my arm.

I did my best to hide my snarl for this man. Calm down, Naruto. He's not the same man as the one from the Akatsuki. It's the same feeling I had upon meeting the Sasuke of this era, but deeper in hatred.

Deidara was the one who attacked the hidden sand village and kidnapped the Kazekage, one of my friends. I reeled back a fist, aimed at his face and swung forward. In a split second, I changed my action. I must not allow my rage to overcome me. I'm in the presence of my girlfriend, her father, and her uncle. Deidara closed his eyes as my fist neared his face. Before it could connect, I swerved my fist to the side, embracing him instead of knocking him down.

"Otooji-san! You're the famous clay artist. It's an honor to meet you!" I said, guessing his profession as I pulled away from him. The blond man sighed.

"Whoa. For a second there, I thought you were about to slug me. Hm. It's nice to meet someone who takes a fancy in my work. Your name is Uzumaki Naruto, hm? My neice told me a lot about you, hm," he said, shaking my hand. Ino sighed and grabbed my hand.

"Uncle, I need to take Naruto-kun for a moment. Please make yourself at home," she said. Deidara smiled as Ino took me to the kitchen and closed the door. I walked over to the countertop and leaned my hands against it. Ino crossed her arms over her chest. "I saw that. You were about to knock him out. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry. I just recognized his face as one of the shinobi from my time. That's how I was able to guess his profession in this life. He was a dangerous criminal who utilized clay to conjure powerful explosives that can blow up structures and quite possibly entire villages," I said, trying to calm myself down. Ino approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder, turning me to face her.

"Naruto-kun, I know these memories are painful for you but you have to let go. That was five centuries ago, a very long time! Let it go, please," she begged. I looked away, unable to gaze into the eyes of the girl whose uncle I almost punched. Ino cupped my cheek and faced me to her. "Don't look away from me. He may have caused you a headache in the past but he's not the same person here. He's my uncle and I love him. He may have been a capable ninja back then but he doesn't know any form of martial arts in this era. He's just a clay artist, that's it."

"I'm sorry," I said as Ino backed away.

"Gosh. I wonder if you're going to be like this with the rest of my family. Chances are, they're people you've met in your time. I've said it once and I'll say it again, they're not the same as they were back then," she said.

"I know. It's just hard seeing them all so soon, especially the ones I didn't like," I said. Ino placed her hands on her hips.

"Right. Please control yourself, Naruto-kun. I told my relatives good things about you. Don't make me sound like a liar. You're not a violent person anymore. You gave all that up when you decided to live the rest of your life in peace. Please, Naruto-kun, for me. Don't give in to your anger," she said as she took hold of my hand. "We're going to return to the living room. Just stay with me, okay?"

"Yeah," came my simple reply.

It's not like I could say anything else. I know it's been so long but what if I can't control myself and end up slugging another Akatsuki member that comes through the front door? Please, anyone but Pein. Ino opened the kitchen door to reveal Inoichi, Deidara, and another guest, a woman with medium-length, layered style, black hair. She wore a black blouse and a pair of slim jeans. The three were chatting about business until they saw us. Deidara smiled to me again. I returned it for a moment but kept my focus on the black-haired woman. I walked up and bowed to her. At least she's not an Akatsuki member.

"Ohayo. You must be Shizune-san. I'm Uzumaki Naruto," I said. Ino glanced to me and raised an eyebrow for a second before recomposing herself. The former medical ninja took my hand and shook it. "Ino-chan has told me a lot about you. You're a nurse, right?"

"Yes, that's right Uzumaki-kun. She must have also told you that I have long-time relations with your school principal, Tsunade-sensei. She's the one who taught me everything I know. I hear she's taken a new pupil. I'd like to meet her some day," she said. I nodded. So she hasn't met Sakura yet. I wonder if everyone back then is exactly the same as they are here... Deidara and Shizune are about the same. The woman's fingers entwined with the blond artist. My jaw was ready to drop but I held myself. "I'm sure you've already met my husband, Deidara-san."

I looked to him, who was still smiling.

"Great. Yeah. We've had the pleasure," I said.

The Shizune of my time is probably rolling in her grave right now. The thought of being married to an Akatsuki member must be frightening. But these two look so much in love. Ino is right. They're not the same as they were and I've got to stop believing otherwise. Here, Deidara is a simple artist who cares nothing for causing death and destruction with clay bombs. If he's married to Shizune, she must be keeping him on a leash. She's no pushover, except maybe to Tsunade.

"Otooji-san, oba-san, why are you two here so early?" asked Ino. That's a very good question. I was expecting to meet her mother already. "Did you guys come to Japan with my mother?"

"Yes," said Deidara. "She told us to head over here and wait for her, hm. Your mother split up with us to pick up your grand parents. You know how those old crones get when preparing to go somewhere. They just love staying all cooped up in their home. I wonder if they even realize their grand daughter's 18th birthday is coming... hm."

"Sounds just like them, but it would be nice to see them again," said Ino.

I wonder who her grand parents are? I have two people in mind who they could be but the ones in mind don't fit Deidara's description. The ones I'm thinking of are quite snappy. They never had kids, never really married, but I could tell they had a thing for each other. They're also two people who didn't like me very much, despising the fact that a jinchuriki was housed in their village. They're the Third Hokage's former teammates... and I forgot their names. Deidara placed his other hand atop Shizune's.

"Well then, I better start with the grilling. We're going to have a lot of visitors here, hm?" he asked.

Inoichi stood from his couch and led the other blond to the back yard where the grill was. I don't know if Deidara has any talent in cooking but I'd sure like to have someone else doing the cooking around here. Ino and her father are hopeless at it. Shizune followed the two men out of the living room, to the back yard. Ino sat an the couch and motioned for me to do the same.

"I'm willing to bet that you know the professions of all my family members. I don't remember telling you an inch about my aunt or my uncle," said Ino.

That phrase made me cringe. If that's so, then every single one of them must be people I've met in the past, which isn't really coming to so much of a shock anymore. I've met almost everyone else. There's a few people I'm hoping I don't come across, Pein being one of them. But if I do, I have to maintain control for Ino's sake.

"Heh. I'm starting to think so too," I replied. "Ino-chan, what's your mother like? And why did she divorce from your father?"

"Like I said, she's strict and snappy but a good woman. Why she divorced him, well, he broke an important promise," she said, leaning back on the couch. "She has this issue with any sort of police agency. According to my father, before she said yes to his marriage proposal, she made him promise to never work for a police force, any police force. However, she found out four years ago about my father's other job. He's an-"

"Interrogation specialist working for the police force as an investigator or detective," I finished. Ino nodded, no longer finding it a surprise that I knew so much about her family. I figured someone like him couldn't possibly stuck with mere business work. "I see nothing wrong with that. The police here are about the same as the shinobi. All they do is regulate and enforce order. Without them, our village and maybe even this modern era would be in a riot with all sorts of criminals and law breakers."

Ino shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know the full details about it, but once she found out, she divorced and left him. Of course, he tried to resolve things but the only way she'd return to him is if he dropped his job as an officer, but he can't. The interrogation specialist is a talent that courses through the bloodline of every person in the Yamanaka family line, typically anyone with blond hair like my father and I," she said. Blond hair? What's that got to do with anything? "I have an uncle from my father's side. He's not blond like we are and doesn't possess any interrogation talents. He's more of a holy man, a priest actually."

"I understand," I said, hoping to all of creation that she didn't just mention the religious whackjob of a shinobi known as... as... what was his name again? All I remember from reading his files was that he's immortal and he had a sharp tongue for cursing. "So every blond in your family line has had that talent. It pretty much became a family business, working as an interrogation specialist, and your father can't give up something as important as that."

"Yeah. That's exactly it. He wants me to take over for him when I'm older. I suppose I can but I want to do something else with my life. I want to... actually, I want you to finish my sentence. What do you think I want to be?" she asked, scooting closer to me. As if I'd need much brain power to think of an answer for this.

"Easy; you want to be a nurse like Shizune-san," I replied. Ino smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "And let me guess, you're working alongside Sakura-chan, under Tsunade-sama? Oh and Sakura-chan was on it first but you saw how cool it was to treat patients so you wanted to do it too."

"On the dot. My father doesn't know yet. I'll tell him when I'm ready," she said, leaning against my shoulder. I wrapped an arm across her back, to her elbow, pulling her to me. "You know so much about me, Naruto-kun, but now that I think about it, you haven't told me much about yourself. What do you want to be after high school? Going to attend a university?"

"Eh... I've graduated from ten universities already. The ninth and tenth ones were done because I was bored and the ones before, minus the first, were done on a whim," I said to her, recalling past memories about what I've done during the previous centuries. "I'll be honest, I was in the United States military before enrolling to Kono High School. Come to think of it, the Civil War and World War I were both pretty fun. It's World War II that was absolutely bogus. Hitler and the rest of Germany were full of balogne."

"So does that mean you fought against the Japanese during the bombing of Pearl Harbor? What about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki?" asked Ino. Well, how about that? Who ever thought Ino had any interest in history? I placed a finger on my chin, recalling all those past events.

"Hm... I don't remember much about Pearl Harbor. But regarding the bombing of Nagasaki, I was one of the people against the American President, Woodrow Wilson, in his decision to release that monstrosity. Many Japanese died that day. It was one of the reasons that forced me to leave the American Military, among others of course," I said, remembering the mission Richard and I went to. When he was killed, saving my life, I left the military. But that's our secret.

"Alright then. So you'll be returning to the military after high school," she said. I nodded as she looked to me. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid. I know you've fought and lived through significant wars, but you're still only human. You'll always come back to me, right?"

I looked to her in turn.

"Of course. And the military is only one option. Ever since the first day I've seen a detective at work, I've always wanted to be one. It's less hazardous, to be sure. Would you be okay with that?" I asked. Ino graciously nodded and hugged me. I feel like we're already a married couple. It's a sweet feeling.

There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with than Ino. She's everything I could ever want. Maybe someday when she's older, I'll pop the question. But for now, she's still young, probably not ready to settle down yet. I've been ready for hundreds of years but just never found the right person. Now I have, but I'll have to wait for her a little longer. Next to a few centuries, what's another few years?

"Who knows, maybe you can take over my father's work? I can teach you a few things about interrogation, but I have a condition. Will you teach me how to cook? I feel bad asking you to make meals for me all the time," she requested.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. I could use some help when I'm cooking something. I've always had to cook for myself, minus my childhood and teen years when I'd frequently visit the Ichiraku Ramen stand. I've taught Ino how to make soldier pills and she's gotten quite good, just needs to work on the taste. In addition, she could cook for herself and her father when I'm not around, which hopefully won't be too often.

"It's a deal. I'll teach you how to cook. It's going to be very tough though. I don't really have an instruction manual. I learned to cook without such help," I said, kissing her on the cheek. It was then that the door bell was rung. Another visitor I guess. Ino stood up to greet our guest, or rather, guests. It was Shikamaru and Temari.

"It looks like we're early. I didn't see anyone else' cars parked out back," said Temari. Shikamaru grunted and walked inside with his hands buried under his jean pockets.

"Lousy woman. I told you no one would be here yet, but you insisted we'd be late," said the lazy pineapple head, looking to me. "Well, at least Uzumaki is here."

My future with Ino can wait. For now, I'm only eighteen.

(A/N)

Sorry about this, guys. I know there's not much going on in this chapter, especially since I haven't updated in so long. The meat of the story actually starts on the next chapter and beyond.

Good news is, I've tied up some loose ends so I can actually start some writing again. Another good news is, I jotted down the plot and everything on notepad and had the notion to save it instead of trying to remember it. The plot of this story will be the same as I originally planned. It took a while for me to readjust to the story's needs but I think I've got it now. Not writing for a while can really get to someone, right?