Just thought I'd let you guys know i'm still alive with a short update again... so yeah. this is ch 4.. prebeta so i might upload a newer version once i get it beta'ed ! haha
Enjoy.
i guess i should include this. i dont own naruto but this is my story and i can make anything happen ).
There were no clouds hanging in the sky today; the sun shone brightly, but still bitter coldness filled the air. Sorrow and grief lingered, accompanied by the soft sobs of those that had gathered. Rows upon rows of chairs had been placed facing the podium, leaving an aisle in the middle. Behind the podium was a white coffin, with its lid open, revealing the body of the pink haired kunoichi, who had lost her life on a mission.
People were still coming to attend the funeral, but all had the same reaction when they saw the front. A young blonde boy was standing by the coffin, back against the chairs, head down, most probably staring at body of his loved one. Thoughts of pity would dance through their minds, and then they would quickly take a seat, awaiting the funeral to begin.
The front two rows were filled with the deceased's closest friends and families. Familiar faces began to automatically fill the two rows up. Ino peered around at those around her, seeing that Hinata, Ten Ten, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and many others had arrived as well. Then she looked at the empty seat beside her, and then glanced towards the front to where Naruto stood.
Ino felt something on her shoulder, so she looked at what it was. The Fifth was looking at her, hand on Ino's shoulder. The Fifth nodded her head at Ino; understanding what to do, Ino stood up from her seat and started to make her way towards the front.
The slight murmur of voices, the sobs from the tears that were shed, the light breeze that shook the desolate branches of trees, everything seemed to fade away as Ino got closer and closer to him. Every step brought her closer, and it made her heart pump faster and faster. Then before she even realized it, she was standing right behind him.
The breeze gently caressed her soft blonde hair as she stood there silently; mind racing with thoughts of what she could say, heart beating compulsively.
"Ino."
Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name.
"Let's go."
Before she could react, she felt Naruto grab her hand and begin to pull her back towards her chair. She half tripped while getting off the stage but he turned around and caught her.
Ino looked up from his arms and saw him smiling with his eyes closed. Then he opened his eyes and then began to blink funny as if he wasn't sure of what he was seeing.
Quickly realizing what was wrong she put her hands to her face to cover up her flushing cheeks, "It's getting really cold out here!" Then she ran for her seat and quickly sat down.
Ino… what's wrong with you today. You're a complete mess!
Naruto stood there completely dazed and confused, with a blank stare at floor between his arms where Ino was. He slowly turned his heads to where she was sitting before Tsunade came and began to talk to him about the formalities of the funeral.
"Hey Ino."
Ino practically jumped out of her seat at the sudden interruption. She began to blush even more and began to look around to see who called her.
Shikamaru was sitting beside her giving the weirdest look ever.
Ino began to shout in a loud voice while fidgeting with her hands, "SHIKAMARU! Where.. uhh.. when did you get… I mean… where'd you come from?!"
"Can you control your voice please…" He began while still covering his ears from how loud her voice was, "and I was always here…"
"s-s-s-s-o y-y-you s-saw what happened?"
"If you're talking about you being in Naruto's arm, then suddenly running back here. Then yes."
"DON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT!"
"Hunh? Why. Do you like Naruto or something?"
Ino turned away and began to look down at her knees.
"…you can't be serious… I was only kidding… wow…"
For some reason Shikamaru felt very bothered by this piece of information. It felt as if he was heart was being ripped out of his chest. It never bothered him before whenever Ino would tell these kinds of things to him, but now it seemed to crush his entire world.
Then a soft voice broke Shikamaru from his thoughts, "Do you think… that's bad?"
"Bad?" He looked towards Naruto, who was still talking to Tsunade about something. "No! of course not. Naruto's a great guy. Even I believe that he's going to be the Roukudaime, never thought I'd say that, but I actually think he is."
Ino smiled at Shikamaru, "Thanks Shika! I knew that you'd support me, like you always do. You'll always be my best friend!"
He forced himself to smile back. Yeah… always just your best friend.
Shikamaru continued to brood in his thoughts as Naruto took his seat beside Ino and Tsunade started the funeral off.
"…and let's have Shikamaru come up now to say a few words…Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru continued to look down at his hands.
Ino looked at Shikamaru and nudged him a bit. "Oi. Shika, go up!"
"hunh? Oh! Right…"
As Shikamaru went up, Ino looked at Naruto who seemed to be staring blankly up at the podium. Ino felt that his body was there at the funeral, but his mind was elsewhere.
After an hour or so, the funeral still ran and Ino kept on glimpsing at Naruto. He was still sitting there in his chair, looking at the podium, unmoved. He didn't show any emotion and never even flinched no matter what other people said about Sakura.
Then it hit her.
She had an idea.
Her hand made a seal and she felt herself float off the chair. She looked at the sea of black where the chairs were, and focused back at Naruto. She flew towards Naruto and everything went black.
The drips of water echoed through Ino's mind. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself at a dark, greenish ceiling. She took in her surroundings and saw that she was in an endless hallway with corridors on both sides every few feet.
Water continued to drip and it resonated through the long hallway. Ino looked up at the roof and watched one droplet fall onto the floor, leaving the floor to ripple. Ino quickly got onto her knees and squinted her eyes to focus on the floor. She could scarcely make out her own reflection and quickly stood up looking all around her. She ran down the hallway but she seemed to always end up where she started, or more like the hallway was exactly the same and never ended.
Her breaths were fast and short, her black dress was wet from her sweat. A slight chill went down her spine.
Where am I?
Ino was alone somewhere, she had no idea where, she had no weapons, she had no way to get out, and the last thing she remembered was that she went into…Naruto's… mind?
She began to calm down a bit, having SOME idea of where she possibly could be. She decided to walk down one of the corridors and she saw something at the end of it. Her eyes tried their best to focus on what was ahead, which seemed impossible in the dimly lit hallway. A large room was at the end of the hallway, from what Ino could see. She finally got there and peeked into in and saw a giant room, a dim red colour tinted the room, and she finally saw a boy standing in the middle of the room, slowly sinking into the water on the floor.
She cautiously moved closer and could make out that he was wearing an all black suit and light coloured hair.
"Naruto?"
You're not going to interfere with me little girl. Don't think you can save him. He's going to be mine now.
Ino tried to turn around but before she could her entire body was constricted by something. She winced and her eyes cinched together due to the searing pain throughout her entire body. She cleaved her eyes open with all her will power to see something red waving around in front of her and the boy almost completely below the water. Then she felt her body go numb but her heart continued to throb in pain as it felt like it was trying to jump out from her chest.
Everything began to go black, her mind blanked out and her eyelids opened by themselves and the pupils in her cerulean eyes wandered around, just catching the boy struggling to get out from the water.
