A/N: Wanted to keep things moving. I know this is a smaller offering again, but there are puzzle pieces I am putting out there that will interlock at a later point...somewhere else in Konoha Babylon Land. Although I did have fun with the first entry in particular. Over all I like it when reality creeps in around the edges of Ino's world.

Disclaimer: Kishimoto-sama owns Naruto. What more needs to be said than...I don't. Thank you.

October 1

Shiranui Genma walked up to me on the street this morning and whispered enticingly, "Ever kiss a guy with a senbon in his mouth?" What can I say; it's getting easier for me to find some new adventures. So I looked at him and gave him my best, 'Oh yeah, tell me more,' smile. His response was to flip the senbon around with his tongue in a way that told me everything I wanted to know. He was definitely a master of the game. There was absolutely no way I could say no to him.

This turned into another great outdoors session. We ended up near the pond where I was tied up back in July. It always amazes me that these guys have their favorite woodland settings. Weirder still, when one is so close to another's, why don't they either run across each other out here. They could also stumble upon the other's spot and use it as well. I guess there are mysteries I'll never fully understand. Maybe they don't get as much action as they behave like they do.

It was a nice area, there were flowers growing all around. We settled back into the grass, and, true to his word, Genma kissed me with the senbon still in his mouth, although he did make a cute display of twisting it around sideways before he did it. I think I would have been satisfied just spending the day kissing him. No one I've been with even comes close. The feel of his mouth, the way he worked his tongue and that extra hint of danger with the senbon. I'm getting so hot just thinking about it again.

Then we did the deed. He was right up there in near the top of that list too. How could this guy not have an ongoing relationship with someone? He certainly was making me reconsider my 'I'm waiting from Sasuke' plan. The way he moved seemed to anticipate my every need, his speed and power synchronized easily with my own. To top it all off he put on this amazing show of dexterity with his senbon again when I looked at his face…so close to being dangerous but so in control.

In the back of my mind I knew this was too good to last…that he'd only picked me because he knew I was a 'no commitment' girl. Obviously he was a no 'commitment guy.' When we were done we just lay there for a while, kind of peaceful and lazy in the aftermath of what we'd done. Then we hear it, sounds of conversation and giggling, getting closer. We snatched our clothes and yanked them on with all deliberate speed.

I took one quick peek from around a tree to see what it was: the young Kunoichi class was out near the woods with Suzume-sensei to gather fall flowers to make arrangements. I turned to look back at Genma but he had already disappeared. I decide this might actually be just the right thing to bring me back down off the cloud I'm floating on. So, casually I walk out from my hiding place and hang out talking to Suzume-sensei while all the girls run around looking for just the right plants. Of course, reflexively, I half watch the area where I'd just been wondering if any of the girls would pick up on the fact that there's a well crushed patch of grass in the middle of a section of the loveliest flowers to be had out here today.

October 18

Ebisu dropped by the shop looking for seasonal variety bouquet today. When I handed it to him he slipped me a card with the information as to where I was to meet him. To my surprise it was near the old Uchiha sector of town.

Sure enough when he met up with me he let me know right away that we were going into the still closed off Uchiha territory. It puzzled me what could possible be of interest in this supposedly abandoned section of town. He explained that some of the Jonin and Tokubetsu Jonin like himself occasionally did light patrols of the area checking for places in need of obvious repairs. They would report these to the Hokage's office and special work crews would be sent in to do the labor.

As we entered the backyard of one of the residences he showed me one of the other extra projects. There was a well maintained garden of medicinal herbs, and the grounds still had a lot of space to expand if they wanted it to. Furthermore, there was a decorative pond with an ornamental bridge across it. My first thought was that we would be going out there, but he turned me toward the house itself. I wondered aloud as to what else was happening within the Uchiha area. Ebisu stated that apparently they were doing only limited maintenance on the houses themselves, but this yard was a restoration project: it had apparently been used like this in the past, so when Tsunade found out about it she set this up. She planned on holding off on doing anything with the houses themselves until Sasuke came back, was confirmed as dead, or passed his twenty-first birthday without claiming his ancestral property rights.

When he completed his explanations he led me into the house. There was a hidden passage that took us into an underground chamber. He had it illuminated with lanterns all around. In the center was what appeared to be a natural spring. "This is our playground tonight." He smiled. In a side chamber there were all the necessary things for us to clean up before and after using the spring.

He had me let my hair loose and float in the pool while he gently sent the heads of the flowers to float all around me. He took just a few moments to adjust the way my hair spread across me and in the water. Then he got to his sketching, I didn't mind at all, the water was a pleasantly hot, but not so hot I was sweltering, it was a kind of dream like feeling with my body suspended there.

Some part of me started to fantasize what it would be like to have my own private onsen. Maybe if my Sasuke came back to me I could talk him into living in this house instead of the one he was raised in. Yeah, then we could share this…but…

"Are we enjoying this just a little too much?"

I opened my eyes to see Ebisu standing in the water next to me.

"Do you think it would be disrespectful to play in the water?" I asked, "I think I'd rather be on the bridge out back, even with my wet hair. Somehow it feels wrong to do it here in this house."

The evening was pleasant for this time of year, so I wasn't cold. Strangely enough the rush I'd felt earlier from being in this 'forbidden' territory had worn off. So by the time we'd gotten outside again I'd lost my desire for the other activity planned for the evening. Or maybe I was slightly scared of where I was. However, I still walked up onto the bridge and looked back over the house and garden. This place needed to be awakened again, but not by a couple of people looking for the next adventure. It needed someone who would cherish it and bring it back to light and life again.

Oh well, I'll guess I'll just have to wonder about what kind of games Ebisu had planned for the water.

October 20

I was walking along minding my own business. Really I was, when along side me I find Anko walking and looking at me. "Hey Ino, I got a business proposition for you. Wanna join me for some dango? My treat."

I look at her wondering what I could possibly do for someone as kick ass as she is. Out of curiosity, I just had to find out what she wanted.

So I find myself sitting with Anko. I'm slowly nibbling on my treat while she wolfs down one after another. Between bites, she tells me that the Hokage had just given her a mission as well as the opportunity to select any one person she wanted to take on the assignment with her. She claims that during our mission in the Land of the Sea I'd impressed her in some way and she wanted to work with me again when I was older. Furthermore, she decided on me partially for my scouting skills, claiming she finds those Byakugan users too creepy. This puzzles me, because Kiba's better than me as well. I have to use native wildlife and it requires stopping while I'm out of body to do it. It would slow down a two person mission. No matter how much caution may be required I can't picture Anko waiting around for anyone.

So, just as I'm about to speak up and express my doubts, I feel it. Her foot brushes lightly against my calves with a playful wiggle of her toes. "Oh my God," I jump up, "You don't want me for my skills." I realize that I've just started to draw attention to myself. I run out of there as fast I can.

Anko caught up with me about three blocks away. She whispered in my ear "I had heard you were looking for a little fun. I thought you were cute before but now…" I don't even want to finish writing what she said here…eeewwww. That idea still hurts to think about. I told her flat out: "That's not the kind of adventure I want to sign on for."

There was never any indication that she had these tendencies previously…maybe she just likes pretty, regardless of gender and she'd hit on Sasuke if he were here. At least I didn't eat the dango in a sexy manner, although I was tempted at one point, there was a really good looking guy at the next table. I hate to see what she would have tried if I'd have done that.

A/N: Okay, I know a lot of people view Anko in the opposite light. But I think anyone as borderline creepy as her may be holding any number of mysteries. Who knows. Please review...I actually like to hear from people.