Have you ever wondered what Ino's dream world looks like? For a while it had a lot of fantasizing of Sasuke and vain achievements. Oh, pardon me; we cannot forget Kaitou the gloating teddy bear who is the head cheerleader of Ino's fantasies. After her infatuation of Sasuke dissipated, the dream world became a still meadow scene that was forever paused in a tranquil mode. However, right now her world is a muddy, spinning swirl of dark matter. There was pain everywhere. There was the smell of rust.

The stench is so strong, Ino thought.

So strong…

What happened?

Still shut in the unknown world Ino squinted inside her mind to try and remember. No matter how hard she pushed, she could not reel back to make sense of all this darkness and odour. She did reel back to a smiling face in the moonlight, seals, crimson eyes…

"Oh god, please no," Ino screamed, "not those eyes!"

She broke out of the nightmare. Her limbs were numb as if they desperately fought as the efforts of a thousand men. She struggled, pushed herself up from the slick pool of blood beneath her, and sucked in her breath. Naruto. Lee.

The blood that continued to seep, though much slowly now, from the wounds on their limbs linked to her own pool of blood. Cringing in horror, Ino clutched at the space between her and Naruto. Using the only power left in her fragile arms she dragged herself beside Naruto, who lied between her and Lee.

"Who did this to you?!?!?! Please wake up Naruto!" She sobbed.

Beside Naruto, a voice sighed, "Ino-chan…he's alright. I'm close enough to feel the pulse on his arms. He's still going."

"Lee! Thank goodness you're alive!" Ino reached for his hand but Lee was too tired to meet her halfway.

Instead, he whispered, "Ino-chan…I'm going."

"What?! No! Please! Just hold on Lee! We're going to figure this out!" Ino pleaded.

"Listen, Ino. We did all we can. We managed to keep the others away. Please protect Naruto. He has had such a hard life. Keep him going."

Ino's sobbing increased and turned into hiccoughing.

"Hey, that's not the snobby blonde that I know. Don't cry…Oh yea, I know that you two will get out together. If you do, please tell Sakura that the youthful zephyr will never fade away so long as the blooming flowers loom over hope," Lee choked out. He leaned over with all that he could muster and held on to Ino's hand, "my friend."

Ino's eyes felt blinded. The hot tears scorched her eyes and cheeks. She hears footsteps. A chuckle. She felt Lee's grip tighten as he coughed, "No! No!" Then, her body and Naruto's were lifted off the ground and carried away from the deep forest of rusty agony.

* * *

Ino felt dead. Her mind was lost since she couldn't make sense of what was going on. Her heart was wrenched as she witness one of her closest group of teammates push daisies. Her limbs were receiving feeling again, but they were too exhausted to move.

At least the good news is that she wasn't bleeding to death anymore.

She had lain with this feeling for what seemed like days, except it were only a couple of long, dreadful hours. She stared at the ceiling. It was very detailed and intricate. Look! It had pretty dragons running along the corners and trailing down the polished, expensive-looking walls.

"Huh, if I'm dead, then my heaven looks awfully…pretty," she chuckled hysterically to herself.

Suddenly, a battle cry gushed from the walls, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh! You monster!"

Ino recognized Naruto's voice. With unexpected tenacity, she managed to wobble up on her feet and limp her way outside. Out on the windy meadow she sees Naruto hacking with the most elaborate katana she has ever seen. Naruto's victim was not afraid. He was dodging every blow with enough time to taunt Naruto. He seemed amused.

Who was the figure Naruto was trying to kill?

Ino's eyes burst out with disbelief. The air hammered itself against her lungs as she refuse to let them out.

"Uchiha. Sasuke," she said with strength and stillness in her voice. Both heads five yards from her froze and looked at her. Naruto felt a great sweep of euphony. He was never particularly close to Ino, but who cares? She was alive. He was happy. Sasuke kept an amused look on his face.

"Ino-chan! You're not dead! Are you in pain? Why are you leaning on one side? Did that bastard feed you yet? The food is crap. Do you know what's going on? Where are the other four? Want to help me kill him?" Naruto bursted with intensity.

"Great," Ino mummered, "I'm not the only one who's insane."

"Give up, Naruto. The poison did not completely leave your body yet. Even if it did, you have less chakra than me…hmm, not to mention blood. Your pathetic attempts only amuse me," Sasuke spoke with a scathing tone.

Ino frowned at his odd presence. Sasuke whipped his head around from Naruto to Ino. Agitated, he complained, "Stop starring at me. For my own sake, I thought you would have grown up by now and stopped that childish folly. You're lucky you're alive," then he muttered, "…for now, anyway."

Ino could not talk. Perhaps she was too overwhelmed, too tired, and too crazy for the moment. Perhaps inner Ino lacked the steam that usually kept the Ino in her normal state. Instead, she shot Sasuke a stinging look of acidic hatred that tried to stab itself into Sasuke's nonchalant glance.

As if he was picking up troublesome little puppies, Sasuke yanked Naruto and Ino by the neck and dragged them inside the very elaborate shack sitting beside the windy hill.

Author's Note: okay, I've trying to keep the chapters easy-going for the eyes. I'm not revealing what the pairings are since I don't even know them myself. I'm typing with the flow that my mind is running. I'm a beginner at this, so please take it easy on me. No flames. If you don't like what I write…use your mouse and click that little "X" on the window. =)

Oh, please review. Thank you. =)

Hmm, I know I should have written this in the beginning but here it is now: I don't own Naruto, blah blah, what everyone else says. =)