Sky blue irises scanned the western horizon as Yamanaka Ino did her daily patrol along Iwagakure's boder. The sun was harsh and the wind dry, sucking the moisture right out of her skin and causing the platinum blonde to worry about premature aging for the 1000th time. Truth be told, she hated Iwa's standard issue uniform. The one sleeve she had was hot, the protective vest overtop her shirt was hotter, and the one arm exposed was getting sunburnt. The unevenness of her skirt irritated her in a way that only fashion disasters could - she'd much rather sport the men's loose pants, given the option - but Ino slapped some sunblock on her arm and legs for the twentieth time and tried to deal.

It wasn't a fun job, keeping a close watch on vast stretches of land, but the kunoichi did her best to devote her undivided attention to protecting the village. It was the least she could do after accepted her as a spirited but weak genin almost four years ago. It was the least she can do when they knew where she'd come from and generously spared her life. They gave her food, shelter, training, and even allowed her to join their military. She could never repay the debt of their kindness, not in total, but she could sure as hell try.

She bit into a pear as she settled on a high-resting rock and reached out with her senses, checking for human chakra signatures.

She nearly choked when she located one, moving switfly a ways from the lefthand side of her perch. Ino discarded her fruit and leapt into action, suppressing her own chakra as she raced to catch up with the unidentified human before they breached Iwagakure territory. Noting their path, she took a shortcut and headed them off, dropping down from a high plateau and startling the invader. Both of them froze, eyes locked in a tense stare as each waited for the other to make a move. It was a man, she immediately noted. Somewhat tall and built slender, with obsidian colored hair and the oddest pale eyes. Eyes that called to something in her, pulled at her memories.

Ino often tried to forget about her home before Iwagakure; the home that had been ravaged and since rotted from the inside out. It was painful to remember the faces of her parents, the voices of her friends, the strong cigarette scent of her master. Ever since she was thirteen and that awful man with the golden eyes conquered Konoha...she still had nightmares of the months she spent in fear and surrounded by bloodshed until the opprotunity presented itself to escape. Most of the shinobi she knew were dead by now, she was sure, and yet she could not let go of the memories from that happy time before. Ino blinked back the welling tears, reigning in her emotions as her voice rasped in her throat.

"You. You're...from Konoha. Aren't you?"

The dark haired main stiffly nodded once, and she watched as stray tendrils brushed the strange green marking on his forehead.

"I am."

He watched her eyes carefully. He scarely dared to breathe incorrectly, lest she deem him not worth the risk and try to kill him. She returned the look, hand still tight around her kunai, feet still braced to counter any sudden movements.

"But you're not with the snake, are you?"

An emotion flickered again in pools of blue. Hope? Dread?

"No."

She seemed relieved with that answer. Some of the tension in her body faded, but her voice remained flat. Just because he was from Konoha like her did not mean she could trust him nor could she neglect her duty as an Iwa shinobi. She was already bending the rules by talking to him; Iwagakure had strict rules that all foreigners be killed on sight.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, nor do I intend to do anything here. I am only passing through."

She analyzed his answer in her mind, examining his tone of voice, posture, chakra movements. It didn't seem he was lying to her. Although had he run into say, Kurotsuchi, it wouldn't matter if he were being truthful or not. His corpse would already be cooling by now. Ino wrestled with her conscience as she looked him over again, mentally documenting his condition and possible strength level. His face boasted excellent bone structure, but his lackluster skin spoke of many months, perhaps years, of not getting enough nutrition. The lilac semi-circles under his eyes told tales of sleepless nights. The eyes themselves steady and unreadable even as she stood in front of him poised to kill him. The eyes of a man who has stared death in the face too many times to fear it.

Kami, it could have been her. She could have been like him, had she not wandered into Rock Country as a frail girl barely in her teens.

She swallowed and blinked again, jawline tight, her mind questioning if she was doing the right thing while she lowered her weapon and relaxed her stance. Recollections of the days she spent running in fear from Fire Country played in the background of her mind.

"I'll let you go this time. It's a one-time deal. I ever see you around here again, you're dead. Understand?"

The man eased his stance as well, the large veins at the sides of his eyes flattening; a most peculiar sight.

"Thank you."

He dashed away on a less conspicuous path becoming first a blur, then nothing at all. She ignored the strange knot in the pit of her stomach as she watched him go. The rest of her day passed uneventfully, and as a young chuunin came to take her place and asked if all was normal, Ino only gave a slight tug on her hair as she lied and said it was all wind and rock and mirages of genies as usual. Her replacement laughed without batting an eye.

Thereafter, she looked for the pale eyed man from Konoha every time she patrolled. Even after years passed and the four great nations bonded together to take down Konoha and peace swept the lands, she looked for him. Alas, she never set eyes on the handsome traveller again.