Ino was supposed to be the main character, not Sakura.
Ino was supposed to be the main character in this outrageous play of ninjas in surviving life and escaping death. She had helped a little girl become a beautiful woman. If the blond girl hadn't of done that the girl would still be the same nobody she was before.
Did Ino get any credit for that? No, of course not.
She had helped that girl become a beautiful cosmos flower. Sakura was always meant to be the shining star of Konoha, the blond guesses, but either way the situation doesn't get any better when the blond steps aside and acts like the supporting character that she should. Ino keeps on the sidelines. She keeps her hands near her chest in fear for her comrades and it's Sakura that comes to save the day now.
Does that mean that Ino is nothing anymore? The blond girl herself doesn't know the answer to that.
Ino looks deep inside herself and can't stand what she sees. She used to help the underdogs... She used to be a hero to them... She used to go into any situation without fear and conquer.
What was Ino now? The background music? The supporting character? The… no one...
Ino should be proud that not even Sakura understands. After all, it was the blond girl herself who decided to back off and become one with the sidelines instead of fighting her way to being the top... Ino didn't know when she did it, but it didn't matter now.
The proud Yamanaka, Ino was not surprised that she had fallen; bloody and dead to the earth by her once best friends hand. She could see Sakura crying as the eyesight she once loved faded away.
Ino smiled. She was never meant to be one of the heroes. She wasn't going to be one of the new sannin. Ino was just background music. The blond woman was a S-Class Criminal that had each of the Uchiha survivors as her lovers at one time or another. She had also gained the respect of every criminal you could think of by working her way up killing anyone that stood in her way...
She guessed that she really didn't want to be background music after all, but Sakura was meant for the stars. The pink haired girl was the light in the heavens. Ino was fated to be tied to the ground with nowhere to go.
It was stupid, Ino knows, but she did blame Sakura for stealing everything she ever wanted... However, Ino wasn't surprised that Sakura didn't blame her at all...
In addition, the pink haired girl did understand.
Sakura still stands in front of Ino's grave everyday. Her husband, Naruto, had let the pink haired girl bury Ino where she wanted.
Sakura had chosen to let Ino's final resting place be within the Uchiha's designated area of the cemetery. Ino had Sasuke on her left, Itachi on her right and Madara above her. The pink haired girl wept as she stood before the graves.
"Ino, I know you didn't know this, but you were always my hero. You were always everyone's hero. No matter how annoying or rude you got you were always there. I know I won't hate myself for killing you, because you didn't hate me. You just needed to be free. I just wish you knew..."
Sakura always broke off. She could never finish her wishes because they fall on def ears. The pink haired Sannin turned away from the grave to gaze at the people who had always loved Ino, though the blond woman will never know.
Shikamaru held Temari closer. They had gotten together because of Ino. Chouji cried. Kurenai had tears in her eyes, so she left before she broke down. Sai puzzled over his own emotions.
Sakura shook her head. "I do blame myself, Ino; you should have everyone here missing you. You shouldn't just have people that were forced to get to know you because they were assigned to you. I'm so sorry. I just wish... I wish we could have grown up together. We should have been best friends without Sasuke. I should have known he wasn't as important as you were. We would have been Sannin's together. Ino, we would have been equal... I can't live without you..."
Naruto holds his wife as she breaks down. He knows Sakura would never be the same. The blond male makes eye contact with Tsunade and the old woman takes hold of Sakura.
He approached the graves. The whole Rookie 9 is there now, including Gai's team and Temari's brothers. Naruto gazes at them all before he starts.
"I'm here to tell you of the life of Ino Yamanaka..."
Sakura relaxes after everyone hears about her best friend. She looks to the sky and knows instantly that even though Ino was in such a rush to go to hell that the blond girl was smiling down on her.
Just like old times.
Okay. This one made me cry, so I'm going to go now.