Chapter Seven: Sharing Minds! The Truth about Naruto!

Ino awoke. She was lying upon green water and ripples were flowing around her. Yet she was not wet. As she stood and looked around she realized she was inside a sewer system. Yet there was no stink. Only an air of anger.

She walked through it, looking for a way out. But she did not see one. Coming into a great room with a cage within it she halted.

"Where am I?" asked Ino. "What is this place?"

"Come closer girl." snarled a voice.

Ino looked up and saw two blazing red eyes beyond the bars of the cage. "What the…"

"Come closer so I can devour you!" roared something.

And then a beast stepped forward. It was as tall as a mountain and had nine huge tails. It emanated an unholy chakra and Ino scrambled back.

"What is going on?" she asked. "Who are you?"

"You've entered into the same seal that trapped me long ago." said the beast.

"Seal?" said Ino. "What are you talking about?" Then it clicked. "Wait, you're the nine tailed fox."

"Yes." said the fox. "And now we are both parts of the same prison."

"The nine-tailed fox is inside Naruto." realized Ino. "Is that why everyone always treats him like a third wheel? I always thought that his parents were traitors or something." She paused. "No, no keep control Ino. You got yourself into this. Now you've got to get yourself out.

"The seal was designed to control the nine tailed fox. Not me. I should be able to just move my consciousness up."

She got into a cross-legged position and remembered her training. Focusing her chakra upwards she surged upward and-

It was like hitting a brick wall. Except instead of brick, it was Naruto's chakra. Ino was slammed back down and landed on her rump. "Ow!"

"Foolish girl." said the nine tailed fox. "The seal requires a constant flow of chakra from the boy's own body. Without it, I would be able to easily escape. Once the chakra enters here it cannot escape on its own."

"But how did I get here?" asked Ino. "I… I remember I accidentally possessed one of Naruto's clones. All right let me think. Okay, so obviously I can't get out on my own. Or can I?

I remember something when I was reading about seals. Uh, let me think." She wracked her brain for everything she'd read on the subject. She remembered a couple of books Sakura had recommended. "Okay, so the nine tailed fox is incredibly powerful. So sealing it would take a lot of power to keep it down. Even so, all that power would have to go somewhere."

If only she had twelve years of study. Wait a minute. She was standing in the same room as someone who did. She looked to the fox. "Hey uh, have you ever tried escaping."

The fox gave her a deadpan looked. "I've been trapped down here for years. I've had time."

"So what happens when you try and use your power?" asked Ino.

"The boy's chakra naturally is unleashed to compensate." said the fox. "Then my power is drained away into him and rechanneled to stop me."

"Right, okay. So it is possible for your chakra to escape." mused Ino. "It's just that it automatically gets poured into reinforcing the prison."

"Yes." said the fox.

"Is there any time when your power can actually escape into his body?" asked Ino.

"There was one time." said the fox. "Once when his teacher, Iruka, was threatened, he became angry. When that happened his chakra no longer restrained mine and he drew upon my power on instinct. Unleashing it allowed him to overwhelm his enemy with thousands of Shadow Clones."

Ino paused, thinking this over. "Okay so if Naruto gets really mad he draws on your chakra. If Naruto did that I might be able to escape into his body and take control of him.

"Then I can just zip back to mine."

"This is true." said the fox. "However you will need my help to do it."

"What do you mean?" asked Ino.

"Think about it." said the fox. "The very nature of this seal converts my chakra into his. If you escape by the same means it will likely do the same to you."

"Right. And if he uses up all my chakra I'll be dead." said Ino.

"Possibly. Or become a powerless spirit. One unable to do anything but gnaw fruitlessly at itself while the world forgets you." said the fox. "Neither one really matters to me."

"So what I do?" asked Ino.

"That is simple enough." said the fox. "We make an alliance."

"An alliance?" asked Ino.

"Yes." said the fox. "The reason I am unable to escape is that once my chakra enters Naruto I lose control over it. You would maintain control of your chakra, but might be too weak to escape. So I will infuse a great amount of my chakra into you.

"Using this you will be able to escape and take control of Naruto and return to your body."

"Okay." said Ino. "Um, why are you offering to help me?" There had got to be some kind of a catch here.

"You are the first sentient creature I have spoken to in over a decade." said the fox. "I'm feeling benevolent."

"Wow, you're really nice for a giant monster." said Ino. Even if there was a catch she didn't have any other options. "Um, why did you try to destroy Konoha again?"

"Do humans need motives to cause mass destruction?" asked the fox.

"I guess not." mused Ino.

"Then neither will I tell you why I did so." said the fox.

Ino could tell this was going to be a long wait.


Naruto opened his eyes and wondered why his head hurt. He sat up and saw Hinata. The girl immediately gasped.

"Naruto you're awake." said Hinata, "Thank goodness."

"Hinata?" asked Naruto. "What are you doing here?"

Hinata fell silent and looked downward. "Well… I just… after all that happened I thought… that is… well…"

At that moment a silver-haired boy with glasses entered. He adjusted them as he looked at them. "Oh you're awake are you?"

"Huh?" said Naruto. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kabuto." said the boy. "I was assigned to look after you and Ino. I'm afraid you fell unconscious shortly after you brought Ino to the Hokage's office. Her chakra caused some problems for yours."

And then Old Man Hokage entered. "I'll take it from here, if you don't mind, Kabuto. You as well, Hinata."

Hinata nodded and left with Kabuto. The old man sat down next to Naruto's bed. His expression was grave and for a moment he just puffed his pipe.

"Old Man?" asked Naruto. "What's going on?"

"That will take some time to explain." said the old man.

The explanation went well over Naruto's head. Old Man Hokage was patient, however, and after a while, he got the gist of it. Naruto listened carefully. "So Ino's trapped inside me?"

"We believe so." said the old man. "The seal which keeps the nine tailed fox trapped has likely trapped her as well. Fortunately, we do have a plan for allowing her to escape."

"Well what is it?" asked Naruto,

"We'll need your help for it." said the Hokage. "You see the seal is designed so that it is possible for you to access the chakra of the nine tailed fox. This is a necessary measure, a sort of safety valve if you will. As a result, when you become distraught you unconsciously access it."

"You mean like I did when facing Mizuki?" guessed Naruto.

"Yes." said the Hokage. "You didn't imagine you were on chunin level just like that did you?"

"Well I kind of wasn't thinking." admitted Naruto.

"But have you ever had that kind of power again?" asked the old man.

"No." said Naruto. "I've never been able to summon it."

"Exactly." said the Hokage, taking his pipe out of his mouth. "If you draw on the power of the nine tailed fox like that again Ino's spirit may be able to return to her body. However, it is a delicate balance. Too much and her spirit might be badly harmed."

"So what do we do?" asked Naruto. "It's not like we can hurt Iruka sensei again?"

The old man smiled. "Well, I certainly don't want to resort to that. No, instead I'm going to have to train you to access your chakra."

"You're going to train me?" said Naruto. "This is so great! I'm going to get trained by a Hokage!"

"Yes, well, even I have spare time." said the Hokage. "Ordinarily there is another whom I'd bring in for this kind of duty. Unfortunately, Jiraiya could be anywhere and we don't have time to look for him. But don't think you are replacing your existing training. You will also have to study under me in your spare time, in addition to your work with Kakashi."

"I understand Hokage! I'll do my best!" said Naruto.

"Well that would be an excellent start." said the Hokage. "Still none of it may be necessary. Ino is a few rooms down. I want you to go and visit her. Being in close proximity to her body might help her return. One never knows."

"Right, okay." said Naruto.

The Hokage led Naruto into another room. There they found Sakura sitting in a chair leaning over Ino. A flower was in a vase near the bedside. Ino lay still and silent.

"Sakura, are you all right?" asked Naruto.

"Dear me." said the old man. "Young Sakura have you been here all night?"

"I was such a jerk." said Sakura.

"What?" said Naruto. "What do you mean?" Sakura was never a jerk. Sure he yelled at him. And hit him. But that was nothing.

"Back when we were little kids everyone mocked me for my forehead," said Sakura. "I was all alone and always being bullied. Then Ino protected me from the bullies. She helped me with my weak spots in classes. She helped me become confident. Without her, I never would have passed."

"Really?" asked Naruto. "I always thought you guys were rivals-"

"We weren't rivals!" shouted Sakura. "Not until I broke off our friendship! I stopped being friends with her over a guy! Over Sasuke!"

"But I thought you liked Sasuke." said Naruto.

"I do." said Sakura. "It's not his fault. It's mine. I was such a jerk."

Suddenly Naruto felt a flash of something.


He was sitting on a bench next to Sakura on a hill. Sakura stood up. "I have a question. Do you like Sasuke too?"

"…Yes." said Ino's voice.

Sakura hardened. "Then we're rivals now."

Hurt welled up in Naruto's chest. She couldn't be doing this, breaking off a friendship of years over a guy.

But she was.


Beyond the seal, Ino reeled as she felt her mind touch Naruto's.


She was sitting on a swingset feeling horrible. She'd failed the exams again. She'd tried to graduate two times and failed both. Now was the third time.

Why was she so different?

She looked to the other kids being congratulated. Being held by their parents. Was that why? Who were her parents? Why hadn't they been there for her?

"Is that the kid who failed the academy exams three times?" asked someone.

"What a loser." said someone else.

"Keep quiet he might look at us." said a girl.

She tried not to cry.


Ino stumbled back, clutching her head. "What is this…"

"The brats consciousness is connecting with yours." said the fox.

Ino had always been popular. She'd never been mocked or made fun of, except by Sakura. And that had paled in comparison. But Naruto, that annoying class clown…

None of the teachers except Iruka had tried to help him. And they were always harsh on him. She'd seen it before but she'd never really noticed. She'd always been in her own bubble and he had been in his.

He didn't have anyone at home waiting for him.

And everyone had blamed him for what the thing inside him was. That was why her parents told her not to associate with him. Why all the adults made fun of him.

Naruto stepped back and fell to his knees. The memories washed over him. He saw himself being wished a good day at school when he left. Sleeping in a warm bed which his mother had tucked him into.

Except it wasn't his Mother. He found tears coming to his eyes. He'd never had anyone like that.

'Naruto? What's wrong?' asked Sakura.

"I'm seeing flashes," said Naruto. "like I can see what happened. I think I'm seeing Ino's memories."

'Thank goodness." said the Hokage. "That means that Ino is still conscious."

"What?" said Sakura. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the Old Man said-" began Naruto.

Then the Hokage clamped a hand over his mouth. "I think it best if we keep the details to ourselves, Naruto. Suffice to say we have a plan to get Ino back into her body and Naruto is an important part of it. If you want to help you should give him tips on controlling his chakra." He paused. "If you leave for training right now you might get there before Kakashi."

"Wait so we might get there after Kakashi?' asked Sakura.

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other. Then they ran out of the room as fast as their legs could carry them.


Hiruzen watched them go and smiled. If his calculations were correct they would be waiting about six hours longer than usual. The important thing was that they were out of proximity with Ino. He didn't want the memory sharing to continue or it could have some serious side effects.


Ebisu landed on the rooftop and saw Kakashi waiting. The masked jonin was leaning against the wall, looking out over the village.

"Well Kakashi, it isn't often you ask me for help." said Ebisu, adjusting his glasses.

"This is a special case Ebisu." said Kakashi. "Ordinarily I'd train my students in whatever way I choose. Unfortunately, the Hokage has ordered me to focus on chakra control for now. Since you are the master of the basics I thought you might have some insight."

"Chakra control hmm?" said Ebisu. "This is about that Yamanaka girl isn't it?"

"Yes." said Kakashi.

"Well I've observed Naruto." said Ebisu. "The Hokage is right in his assessment. Naruto has a great deal of chakra but is inefficient in his use of it. If he could master it he'd be very powerful."

"So what do you suggest?" asked Kakashi.

Ebisu smiled and his glasses gleamed. "Have you considered taking a trip to the hot springs?"


Author's Note:

Sorry, this chapter took so long. Hopefully, it will take less time for the next one. Enjoy.