Ino was pulled into the Third Hokage's office one morning. She was surprised to see that Sakura and Naruto were already there, Kakashi too was there - busy reading Makeout Paradise as if his life depended on it.

"Since Sasuke is in the hospital, Ino will be joining the team temporarily to help out on a top secret mission."

Ino was both happy and sad. How could she possibly maintain composure around her beloved Sakura?

Naruto objected. "How are we going to get a mission done when the girls are just going to be at each other's throats?! I'm going to be Hokage someday. Believe it!"

Saukura spun around to face the boy, sucker punching him with as much force as possible. "WHY YOU LITTLE-"

Kakashi put his book away and stepped in between them. "C'mon now. Let's go."

Ino stayed behind to address the situation with her new best friend.

"Why did you do that?! I can't work with Sakura."

The Third Hokage laughed, moving from his chair. "Have fun now, dear! I'm on my way out, I'm having fat injected into my ass so maybe I can finally get that no good Iruka to agree on a date."

Ino stood there feeling flabbergasted. "What the..."

Kakashi sensei popped his head in. "Let's get a move on, Ino."

The girl followed wordlessly.

Outside, Sakura and Naruto were having a who-loves-Sasuke-more argument.

"Naruto, you idiot! Sasuke is the air that I breathe! Without him, I feel like a fish without water."

"You smell sort of like one, too." Naruto grumbled, jamming his hands into his pockets. "I'm gonna be hokage one day, believe it!"

Ino joined in, wagging her finger in Sakura's face. "Sasuke is too much man for you to handle, little girl." Better stick with me, Ino thought to herself in delight.

"Guys, we're going to have to get going if we want to get to our mission asap. It's important that we use discretion with this one."

They all turned their attention to Kakashi.

"What is it, Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Something awesome? I want to kick some ass!" Naruto shrieked.

Kakashi spoke slowly. "Well, there's a strange man a few villages away, torturing the people that live there."

"Wow!" Sakura said. "I wish Sasuke were here, he could protect m- I mean... he'd be so interested in this mission."

Naruto turned red with envy. "Sasuke would only be protecting one person and it would be me!"

Fed up with the three's constant bickering, but mostly with Naruto, he gets an idea. He drags a lightening blade into the pavement as he charges slowly towards the boy.

"Shut up, Naruto!"

The boy was crumbled like a discarded piece of homework in front of his teammates. "Believe it!" He shouted, switching around.

After Naruto recovered, they all walked in the direction of their destination.