Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this.

Hm, yeah. I don't have much else I want to write for this, so the next update will probably be the last.

Thank you for all the support you've given me. Sadly, or maybe not idk, HNII will come to an end soon. Hope you enjoy this.

Part 10: Aftermath

Life seemed to standstill for a moment. For a few weeks, actually. Ino drifted through those weeks with no particular drive, no motivation, no will. She simply lived, simply breathed. She enjoyed every moment of it. Deep within her bones, within her very soul, she felt a change. A sort of shift. She didn't know what, but she knew it happened. She knew something big was going to happen. But until then, she would enjoy her short few weeks of absolutely boring peace. It was great.

Of course, after those few weeks, that peace was suffocating. Ino, whether a ninja or whatever soldier she was before, could not stand inaction. Inaction meant vulnerability. Inaction meant death. She had no particular desire to die. Not just yet.

With newfound determination, Ino woke up before even the sun and left the compound. She ran and ran until the sun was above her. With short breaks in between, she trained. It was great. She felt alive. She knew for certain she was alive. That was great.

Naruto left at some point with a strange man. Sasuke was gone, too. Ino didn't know much of what happened. Sakura didn't want to talk about it, and Kakashi even more so.

From what Shikamaru and Chouji told her, Sasuke ultimately left for greater strength. Ino wondered why he left. Konoha was full of so many strong and talented ninja, he wouldn't need to leave. But he did. He left everyone.

In her eyes, she saw a foolish child.

Naruto came back some time later. He brought a woman back. In fact, he brought her home. Her name was Lady Senju Tsunade, the legendary healer. She even had a summoning contract. Ino wished for one when she was younger, and Cousin Rei promised to find her one. Then, she'll be able to see Cousin Fu again.

Naruto left again.

"Ino, I just- don't know what to do anymore," Sakura confessed to her best friend. They were picking up their used weapons from their spar. Ino turned to glance at her friend.

"About what?" she asked.

"I don't know. Just, this whole thing. Being ninja and whatever," Sakura trailed off. At that, Ino gave her full attention.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, it's just- you know, Naruto is out there training, probably like no tomorrow, and getting stronger, and Sasuke left. He was already strong, and now, he's probably getting even stronger, and I just, feel like I'm- I don't know… Lagging. I feel like I'm never going to catch up."

"Then, what are you going to do about it?"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

"Why me? This is your life. You should decide for yourself." Ino smiled. It was brittle. Sakura did not see.

"You're one of the smartest people I know, and you're my best friend, and I value what you think, so…" Sakura finished lamely.

"Sakura, do you really want to know what I think?"

"Yes."

"Give up." At this, Sakura's head snapped up, eyes immediately finding her friend's. The normally so warm shade of ocean blue were stagnant. Neither warm nor cold. Detached. Apathetic. Completely neutral.

"Wha- What do you mean?"

"Give up. Stop. Don't be ninja. Just, give up."

"How could you say that?" Sakura felt betrayal once more. But this one cut deeper.

"How can you be a soldier if you're here being indecisive of your own life?"

"But-"

"No. Sakura, answer me this. Are you ninja or are you not?"

"... Ninja."

"I don't believe you. Prove it."

Inoichi was only just beginning to worry when his child did not come home after the rain started. When he entered the compound, he did not question why she came home so late. He did question why she was beat up and muddy, however.

She said, "Sakura and I got really into it, hehe."

"Ah, I see." He didn't, actually. "Are you two okay?"

"Yup, never better!" she beamed. But Inoichi saw straight through her. She thought she had failed. In what, he didn't know. He did not ask.

In her own home, between her flustered parents, Sakura held a wide grin just as bright on her face. The only difference, hers held no hidden turmoil.

Everyone forgot about the Exam. They were all too busy trying to survive and rebuild. Too busy mourning and grieving. Then celebrating Lady Tsunade's return and reign.

Then, one day, Shino, Shikamaru, and Ino entered her office as Genin.

That same day, they came out as Chuunin.

Ino yawned without a care. Legs swinging, she turned another page from her book as she listened to Shikamaru complain and complain and complain. He came over to the Yamanaka compound early in the morning. Surprising. She invited him in, and since then, all he did was complain. There was no end to his complaints. Ino wondered if he was recalling every single issue in his life since he could remember.

"Just 'cause I'm a different rank doesn't mean they can keep piling all these work on me like this. It's too much. Not even a steady increase. No! They just dumped everything and-"

"You know, Shikamaru, this is your one free day until who knows. Why don't you just stop complaining and tell me about the good things instead?" Ino smiled encouragingly at him. She had effectively shut him up. She did have a good point.

"Aaaahhhh, so troublesome," he mumbled and laid down next to her, much calmer than just a second ago.

Since Chouji was left behind, Asuma took him on as an apprentice. Though it would have been better with his closest friends, it was still nice.

What wasn't nice was what he heard about Ino. He heard she was following her father's footstep into T&I. Personally trained by Inoichi. She followed them to that frightening, inhumane place.

Chouji was worried for her. She was too kind. She didn't fit in with such a depressing and morbid crowd. She shouldn't be there.

But he also knew, she'd be fine. She was too strong. She knew what she was doing. After all, if there's one thing Chouji learned about his friend over all those years, it was that Ino loved to be useful. She would not dare to waste a single drop of her talents.