Oh my god. Those are the three words running through my mind every five seconds right now. I'm in the army now, going to a pre-service course that stretches from 8AM to 9PM, daily, from sunday to thursday, and from 8AM to 1PM on friday. I'm going to live in a lodge outside the base, both about an hour and a half's train/bus ride from home. And here's the kicker; for the forseeable future, I won't have internet outside of the weekend, as the only place on the base with internet is (how lucky for me) closed for repairs/rennovations. I'm going to be studying Computer Sciences, FYI, intensively, with as tight a schedule as the military has, I think. 13/14 hours of school, daily... I'm freaking out. I don't know what to do with myself. I'm totally, completely, going out of my fucking mind with stress.
What this means for you, of course, is that updates will be even fewer and farther between than before, because I won't even have a PC or a laptop with me most of the time (I'm not risking being held back on base over the weekend for typing up my story on military time, sorry). Communications (new chapters, me reading comments or posting on the new message boards of ADSN that I've set up), will, for the time being, be limited to weekends (Friday and Saturday) and the rare occasions that I am able to get to my sister's place (she lives in the same city as the base, probably about half an hour on bus away) during the week. I'm sorry about this, but there is no possibility for anything else. Damn military.
The good news? The current situation is likely to continue for only 6 months more, or maybe another three weeks, depending how long my Basic Training, which will take place after the course, will be. At that point, I am likely to spend a little less time on-base, and maybe - if I'm really, really lucky - will be able to come home on a daily basis. No promises, though. I know better than to make promises for another person, body or whatever. Because, like it or not, I am now military property - if I shoot myself in the leg, I'll be tried for damaging military property. Totally serious.
So, in essence, I'm headed for some rough time, and you are going to have to be a lot more patient. I know, I hate it too. Just be grateful you don't have my schedule (or maybe you do).
Right, now, to the replies, first and foremost, to my second flamer, whose comments on chapters One and Nine may still be in the first few pages of the reviews, by the time of your reading this;
Hinata's Unofficial Stalker - First off, may I say that your interest in my fic was astounding, especially considering the legths you went through in an effort to undermine my work. However, you failed to note several things in your obviously expert research of my fic -rolls eyes-. Which had led me to the conclusion that you, unlike my first flamer, really have no idea what you're talking about. No offence.
First off, the whole thing about you attemting to set me limits in my writing. You say that it is outside of my rights as an author to change the supposed 'physics' of the Naruto-verse. First off, why do we believe in the existence of 'chakra coils'? because the Hyuuga and the Uchiha can see them. What I have attempted to make clear in chapter four is that what they see is the places with the highest concentration of chakra in the human body. That the place that has the most chakra in the body - the core - has the most predominant flow shaped like a coil is entirely irrelevent to the question of; are there truly chakra coils, or are 'cores' a more correct term. Besides, if I had to consent to the idea of chakra coils completely, then, debatably, every single object that has different levels of chakra concentration, or 'chakra pathways' (which, as I said, are like main veins and arteries, while there are many 'chakra capillaries' throughout the body), would have to have a coil as well, even plants (which, being living, if not sentient, creatures, have 'chakra pathways'). Needless to say, that would have been problematic.
Oh, and don't even get me started about your 'Samurai can't use chakra' comment. You've accused me of not reading the manga/watching the anime (BTW, you'll see all about Arashi's torment in this chapter - not this part, but this chapter), but have you really read my fanfic? Because if you did, especially chapter four, you would have noticed Arashi telling naruto that "'chakra' is just one name for it, the name ninja use, but there is a force that connects everything in existence and is present within all." Are you so closed minded that you will refuse to believe that someone aside from a ninja can learn to use chakra? Well, pardon my french, but that would be pretty stupid of you.
Now, about the Aohigan's abilities. You criticized me for allowing Naruto to create 'substance' from 'nothing'. Well, newsflash, Brainiac, it's not 'nothing', it's chakra, and it's not 'something', it's chakra, shaped, formed and stabilized. And even if it was creating substance from chakra, you know what that's called in the Naruto-verse? Ninjutsu. And before you even begin with saying that jutsu have seals, I have one word for you; Rasengan. That's right.
Now, let's go to my favorite topic; Naruto's 'overpowerment' (I'll admit, I'm not sure if that's actually a word). You speak of the abilities, jutsu and skills that Naruto displayed, and say that not only are they impossible to gain so quickly without a sharingan, which is idiotic in and of itself - Naruto taught himself Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, a jounin-level jutsu, in a few hours, when he couldn't even produce normal bunshin before. He taught himself the Rasengan; another jounin level jutsu that only Arashi and Jiraiya ever managed to work, within three to four weeks, while Arashi took four years. Granted, he was inventing the jutsu, but that's 1:52 of the time; an amazing feat by any scale. Naruto has always been a boy with near-infinite potential, and nearly no-one there to teach him and help him achieve it (until Jiraiya, of course)...
You also spoke of the abilities having no reprecussions. Are you truly that dense? Do you truly believe me that oblivious? Every single jutsu he used there had reprecussions, though I did not present them to you on a silver platter - It would have messed up the fight scene's flow, and besides, Naruto isn't one to contemplate the pluses and minuses of his jutsu within battle.
Every jutsu had reprecussions; be it major chakra drain, whether owing to the extent of the jutsu (Kyousanken - Iron Curtain, for example), or to his inexperience with using it (the Shiro Senkou - White Flash, for example. Oh, while we're on this subject, I just wanted to point out that the Shiro Senkou is only slightly similar to the Shunshin no Jutsu - Body Flicker technique, differing in both its appearance and its characteristics. Why you still felt that it must be the same technique, and that I was wrong on both counts, is truly beyond me. Also, the jutsu Arashi had used in Kakashi Gaiden was the Hiraishin no jutsu, of which the Shiro Senkou is a variant - in the hiraishin, the object that has the user's chakra is the focal point of the teleportation, and the user can travel anywhere within twenty feet of it, while in the Shiro Senkou, the user himself is the focal point. This is, of course, not official in the least).
Another reprecussion, this time of the Youko Hanyou (fox demon half demon) technique, will be revealed this chapter (but, again, not in this part. Not clearly, anyway). In your speaking of this subject, you have proven yourself to truly have genin-level thinking; You assume a jutsu doesn't have reprecussions. You must always ask yourself the opposite; What's the downside of that jutsu? What would happen to whomever used it? You failed to ask yourself this, and, in doing so, have severely overestimated Naruto - almost as grave a mistake as underestimating him (which you have also done). Almost. And BTW, Naruto does NOT have infinite chakra. He fainted of chakra exhaustion, didn't he? Sure, he has a buttload of chakra, especially with kyuubi, but we already knew that long before.
And if we're speaking of overpowering people, why don't you complain to Kishimoto-san, because he has overpowered every single character over the series, EXCEPT Naruto (For FUCK's sake, he had Sakura beat an Akatsuki with only Chiyo for assistance!) He had faced Naruto against impossible odds, and, not surprisingly, his few victories were usually by the skin of his teeth. At least I'm overpowering the right guy. I'm not trying to sell comic books; I don't need to stretch out the story's progression by keeping my lead weak. I wrote this to give people (including myself) some good closure from Naruto, in case it goes the way of pokemon and never, EVER, ending.
I spoke earlier about Arashi's torment, and I'd simply like to clarify now that Arashi's soul is not sealed within the sphere. Arashi created the sphere, so for his soul to be in it must mean that he was walking around soulless for some time before the Kyuubi struck, wouldn't it? Which, obviously, didn't happen. Arashi has even said (though not in so many words) that the Sphere is simply a manner of communication between their souls on either side of death.
Oh, and lastly, about what you said about Naruto having dozens of women falling for or over him; whose story are you reading? At the moment, Naruto has one woman he had a one-night stand in, one woman with whom he's in a deep relationship, another who's falling (or fallen) for him as we speak, one woman who used to be completely crushed on him, but has moved on, and a lot of women who simply find him attractive. What the hell have you been smoking?
Please, I would love nothing more than for you to complain again, so that I maydisprove your claims yet again, and again, and again.
Now, to the reviewers I like:
Foxsoldier - The new Sharingan ability, the Benzaiten, is the ultimate interrogation technique, allowing the user to see bits of his victims past, at his choice. Unlike the Tsukiyoumi, where the experience - whether the victim experiences a minute or a year of pain - is near instantaneous, the user and victim of the Benzaiten experience the memories in almost real-time. The user can 'fast-forward' to specific memories, at his choice. It is possible, although I am still debating, that this could be the technique Sasuke used on Naruto in the manga, only instead of going into his memories, he went into the depths of his mind. Clear enough?
Madnarutofan - You could have gathered this from what I ranted on to H.U.S. up there, but, just in case you didn't, I'll tell you that the Shiro Senkou is a jutsu that Naruto has not yet fully mastered, resulting in that he can't yet reach the full twenty feet distance with it, and he uses a LOT of chakra using it. Yes, I know it's impossible to believe, but Naruto learned to bluff.
Vesvius no Gobi Doragon - Sadly, I'm afraid we're going to have to delay that collaboration piece until I can have daily internet access, unless you don't mind a once-a-week cotact-a-thon, that is. Same deal goes for the Foxies. Hope you don't decide to throw me out with the bathwater.
Everyone who took the time out of their day to drop an encouraging word, or a sympathyzing note; Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Everyone who continues to read this fic, in spite of some of my faults as a writer (and I an not fishing for a compliment); You have no idea what you mean to me. Thank you for sticking around. I'll do my best to make it all worth your while.
One final note: As I briefly mentioned above, I have opened an official forum for A Different Sort of Naruto, at www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net(slash)ft(slash)1042151(slash)21132(slash)1(slash). Please, go there, post your suggestions, questions, complaints, requests, or whatever else you'd like. It would mean a lot for me to interact with you that way.
---
A Different Sort of Naruto
By Daniel Goldberg
Chapter Seven: Three
Part One: Past and Present
---
'When you live in such a place as Konoha for as long as I have, you'll notice that, whether they noticed it or not, everyone had, at one point or another, met or at least seen every other villager at least once. Makes you wonder, how many relationships there really were in the past, doesn't it?' –Sandaime Hokage
---
Right, Thought Ino, sitting by her room's desk, her diary, in which she hadn't written in years, set open atop it, That's where it started. Her eyes flitted over the words, and she read them out loud, for no special reason.
"Dear diary, today I met a boy. He's blonde, like me. There aren't a lot of blondes in Konoha, so I was glad to meet another one. He came into the shop while mom was in the back, and I was keeping an eye on the register. He asked for some gardening equipment, and luckily, it was all on the low shelves so I didn't need to get on a chair or anything like that. Mom hates it when I do stuff like that.
"After he paid, I asked him why he gardens. I told him that it was stuff only old people do. I can still remember his answer, which he gave me with a wide, beaming grin; 'Hokage-jiisan says that in the ninja world, hands that create are worth less than hands that destroy. He says it shouldn't be like that. It's just nice to know that I can help make something beautiful, and that I can keep it safe, y'know?' It sounded like there was more to it than that, but I didn't know how to ask him.
"Mom came out of the back room then, and she gave the boy the scariest look I ever saw her give anyone. She told him to get out, and quickly. I never heard her use that tone of voice with anyone, not even dad. It scared me, kind of. The boy's smile shivered slightly, like he was fighting to keep it on his face, but then, the shivering was gone, and his grin came back in full force. He gave a loud thank you and left quickly. Mom told me to not go near him again. I don't think I want to do that.
"Tomorrow, I'll ask mom to teach me how to garden. I want to make something as beautiful as that boy's smile… His first one, anyway."
She flipped through the pages for the third time that day. She knew the story by heart at this point. She had met 'that boy' less than a week later, in one of the many flower gardens spread around Konoha. They introduced themselves to each other, both boisterously. They clicked instantly.
They were secretly friends for months, meeting at that same garden every other afternoon. He was fun to listen to, and, when she asked him to, was also a good listener. He made her laugh so easily, and smile so freely. He understood her, He understood why she never told her parents that she was meeting him, and he understood when she decided to end things.
The words seemed to glare at her from the page, taunting her, trying to bury her under the weight of the shame they caused her. The date was exactly two days before she ended things with Naruto then, before they went from secret friends to strangers.
"Two of my girl-friends found out about me and Naruto today. They told me that if I kept being friends with him, no one would like me anymore. I want them to like me, but I don't want to hurt Naruto. I don't want him to hate me. What should I do?"
She had already made her decision when she wrote that, even though she didn't know it. Two days later, she came early to where they were supposed to meet, and left three things on the ground, before running away, choking back tears; A small bonsai seedling, a cup of instant ramen, pork flavor, and a note that only held six words on its surface, but so many more underneath. 'I'm sorry, Naruto,' it had read, 'Goodbye. Ino-chan.'
A tear ran down her cheek as she remembered seeing him the next day, walking around Konoha, his usual grin plastered to his face. But this time, his smile seemed false, like the one he gave her that day when her mother kicked him out of the shop. He didn't approach her, not for an explanation, not for apologizing for whatever he did wrong, not for anything. He understood. Even if he didn't know why, he didn't question me.
Another tear came down. She couldn't stay in that room any more. Opening the window, she jumped down, and ran through the snowed down streets.
---
Sakura stroked the still-long blond locks of her boyfriend. While he was in no way, shape or form as vulpine as his half-demon form, the long hair, with orange-red streaks still haphazardly strewn amongst the blond, remained as it was.
She caressed his cheek, feeling the same dull warmth she had felt there every day for the past week. Tsunade said that his chakra must finally be reaching safe levels again. The reason it took so long, however, was a mystery to all of them. Three weeks ago had been the unsuccessful Rock-and-Akatsuki attack, and Naruto was never known to stay in a hospital for any time longer than a week. Not in his current comatose state, in any case. She really missed him.
Her parents were also not around now, as they were on the road that month, selling and buying merchandise as they always did twice a year. They were both very shrewd businesspeople, and twice a year would go out into Fire country and sell whatever wares they have accumulated over the half-year that passed. She was half-thankful for that, at least, since they would totally wig-out when they find out about Yonbi. Yonbi, whose presence Sakura had yet to feel. No one knew what to tell her, but Jiraiya had ventured the guess that the demon was in some form of hibernation within her. She couldn't even talk to the demon.
Sakura gave a small sigh at the fact that now, like years before, she was, in essence, alone. Shizune and Tsunade were too busy with overseeing repairs and the patients brought on by the attacks to offer her any company outside of training, and even then, their company was far more 'business'-oriented than anything else. And with that argument she had with Ino a few days ago, the regret over which was already permeating throughout her psyche, the blonde wouldn't even speak with her.
But even if she did, what could they say to each other? Once 'sorry's were exchanged, what then? This wasn't the sort of thing they could just forget or put behind. The words they exchanged echoed through her mind like a shout through the highest mountain-ranges of Earth country.
---
"Could you repeat that, Ino?" She growled, unconsciously baring her newly elongated canines as she did, "Because I know I heard you wrong."
The blonde sighed, almost wearily, "You didn't hear me wrong, Sakura." She said.
At this point, Sakura was pacing about Naruto's hospital room, not entirely unlike a madwoman, murmuring an 'unbelievable' or something to that effect, every few moments.
Finally, Ino seemed to have had enough, "Sakura, will you just calm down already?"
"Calm down?" She burst, "How can I calm down after hearing that? And who do you think you are, anyway?"
"I thought I was your friend," Ino replied stubbornly.
"My friend?" The pink-haired girl laughed mirthlessly, "My friend? Friends don't fall in love with their friends' boyfriends, Ino!"
"Do you think I planned for this to happen?" Ino spat.
Sakura snorted, "I don't know what to think."
"Well, I didn't," The blonde retorted, "Believe me, I was perfectly happy not being in love with anyone."
"Anyone but yourself," Sakura muttered.
"Excuse me?" Ino snarled, "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Forehead?"
"It means, Porky, that you keep trying to steal guys away from girls who fell for them first. First it was Sasuke and me, then Shikamaru and Temari, and now Naruto and me. You only care about how you feel; nothing about what others feel."
"First off, Pinky, I was the first one that crushed on Sasuke, and Shikamaru and I had something going long before Temari was even in the running. Second-"
"But not Naruto," Sakura interrupted, "You never looked at Naruto with anything other than disdain or disgust. You always put him down, even when he was entirely undeserving of that treatment. Hell, most of the time, you were worse to him than I was, and now you just woke up one day and realized that you're in love with him-?" She didn't get to finish her point, because Ino had just slapped her hard across her face.
Through the ringing in her ears, she managed to hear Ino's choked voice, "Fuck you, Sakura," The voice said, hurt and anger abundant in it, "Before, I wasn't going to do anything about how I felt. I only told you because I thought you deserved the truth." She walked to the door, "But after what you just said, I don't give a flying fuck anymore. I'm going for him." And with that, she slammed the door, but not before saying, "And I'm not losing him this time."
---
Sakura planted a soft kiss on Naruto's now bang-covered forehead, whispered a short goodbye, and left for Ino's house. She needed to know; What did she mean by 'this time'?
---
Ino had spent a good few minutes running before her legs gave out beneath her. It wasn't that she was out of shape, or unconditioned – she was a ninja, after all. No, what brought her to her knees so soon was the proverbial weight that rested now on her shoulders – the same weight that rested on them ever since she had begun to run from her house today; the weight of her memories and regrets concerning Naruto, chief among them was her prime sin against him and Sakura.
It had been a few years after she had broke things off with Naruto when she met, befriended, and helped Sakura's confidence. It wasn't long after that that Sakura had come to her, speaking excitedly.
---
"Ino-chan! Ino-chan!" The pink-haired nine year-old practically squealed as she ran at Ino, grabbed both of her hands and looked as though she was only stopping herself from jumping around in circles by the ends of her teeth. "You'll never guess what happened?"
"Whoa, Sakura-chan," Ino asked, half amused, half stunned at her friend's behavior, "What's up?"
"I," she began, a slight flush rising to her cheeks, "I met a boy today."
Ignoring the sudden sense of déjà vu she felt at those words, Ino let a sly smirk rise to her lips, "Oh?" She asked, "Do tell."
"Well," Sakura began, "He's blonde, like you, although his hair is a bit more yellow. And he has these weird birthmarks on his cheeks; kinda like whiskers. And he's really funny, in a silly, goofy sort of way." There was an almost dreamy look in her eyes when she spoke the next words, "And I think he likes me, Ino-chan."
No… No way… It couldn't be… "Sakura-chan," She ventured, not even noticing the fact that she wasn't wearing that sly grin anymore, "Is that boy's name Naruto?"
Sakura nodded hesitantly, apparently sensing something in Ino's voice, "Do you know him?"
What she told Sakura next would be something she would regret for years. It would fuel her self-hatred, and thus, her mean temper, for many years to come. "Sakura-chan, I don't want you to go near that boy."
"What?" Naturally, Sakura looked stunned, "Why?"
---
Ino didn't answer that question. She didn't know how; Why, after she had abandoned Naruto, was she trying to stop him from being with Sakura? It would be a few days later that she realized the reason; she wanted Naruto for herself, and no one else. But by that time it would already be too late to repair any of it – she would have already said far too many derogatory things about him to turn back.
It was her fault that Sakura had spurned Naruto so many times. Had she done nothing; had she simply let things play out between them, the pair would have been a couple long ago. More importantly, they would have been happier, and Sakura and Ino wouldn't have been fighting over Sasuke. Although, to be fair, they would probably have been fighting over Naruto instead.
But either way, if she hadn't been so stupid then, so selfish, Naruto and Sakura would have been together, and would have been happy.
But the stronger thought permeating Ino's thoughts was that had she not been so stupid and selfish before then, and, indeed, would have never broke things off with Naruto, they would have been together by now, and they would have been happy.
She had wronged him so much, and so many times. She wasn't sure that she could forgive herself for all she'd done, much less that he'd be able to. But there was still hope, as one particular memory, now standing in the forefront of her mind.
It had been the day that Naruto had left for his trip with Jiraiya. She had left for training with her team early that morning, after having finally convinced the three lazy-asses to do some. She didn't return home until late in the afternoon. When she did, she went straight up to her room and plopped down on the bed. As she lay there, she saw a box on her desk. Curious, she opened it, only to be struck by an amazing sense of déjà vu.
Within the box were three objects; A bonsai tree, a cup of strawberry pudding, and a note, which read thus;
Hey, Ino-chan (Sorry if you don't want me to call you that anymore. It just didn't feel right calling you anything else here).
Well, I'm going to train with Ero-sennin (Jiraiya) for a while. Don't really know when I'll be back. Probably gonna be a couple years.
Anyway, I left you my bonsai because you're the only one I can really trust to take care of it. You were always better with those things than I was, so I know you'll be able to keep it healthy.
Speaking of health, take care of yourself, that lazy jackass and fatty (don't tell him I called him that, though). Oh, and stop with the dieting, will ya? Exercise works better anyways. You've seen how much I eat, right? I left you a strawberry pudding (non-fat-free). Those used to be your favorites, right?
I'm not entirely sure why I'm writing you this… Maybe just because you were my very first friend, even if things didn't really work out. I guess I still consider you a friend on some level. But I'm just babbling now.
See you in a few years, okay?
Uzumaki Naruto
He had still considered her a friend, even after everything she'd done. So maybe, just maybe, he could still forgive her.
She had to try.
---
Memories.
Memories.
Millennia of memories, none of them mine, all his, all in my brain.
But there was finally some clarity in the haze, some form of light at the end of the tunnel.
He was waking.
---
Tsunade sighed. She had just finished berating the guards that had allowed Uchiha Sasuke to escape a few days ago when her apprentice came in, asking for her advice. That had been twenty minutes ago. Sakura had only now finished telling her about the diary she found in her friend Ino's room. And she still had no idea what the girl wanted to ask her about. Too tired for subtleties, Tsunade lifted her hand, shushing Sakura, "Can you get to the point? What did you want to ask me?"
Sakura looked at her sensei incredulously. Wasn't it obvious? "I wanted to ask you how I should handle this."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair. How should her protégé handle this? Let's see… Two best friends, both in love with the same guy, both have a good deal of history with the guy, as well as with each other. The guy loves one of the girls, and, given some time, will probably fall for the other one as well. They guy is much too loyal to cheat on the first girl, but the tension will most likely rip them all apart eventually. Tired as she was, Tsunade could only think of one solution that would include as little pain and tension as possible. And, thankfully, due to Konoha's Clan Resuscitation laws, was also legal.
"Sakura," She spoke finally, "Have you ever heard of bigamy?"
Sakura blinked. Hard.
---
She closed the door behind her as she silently walked into the room. She thought she saw his face scrunch up momentarily, but it was gone in an instant, and she blamed it on her imagination. For a moment, she seriously considered leaving the room; He was unconscious - he probably wouldn't even hear her. But as soon as those thoughts came up, she squashed them. She walked around the bed and to the window side of the room, and then sat in the chair normally taken by Sakura, which was right next to the head of his bed.
He looked so peaceful, as though he was only asleep, and would wake up any minute, wondering where he was. She couldn't help but grin at the thought. If there was any time to do what she had come here to do, this was it.
"Hey, Naruto," She said, "It's Ino. I don't know if you can hear me right now, since you're in a coma and everything, but I'm going to try anyway. I-" She paused then, unsure of what to say exactly; apologies weren't her forte. "Do you remember when we were kids? When we were friends? Well, I remember. It was one of the best times of my life. When I broke things off with you, it… Well, it wasn't because I wanted to. See, there were these girls, and they told me that people won't like me if I was your friend…"
A small chuckle escaped her lips, "I know, I think it sounds lame too. Point is, I didn't want to stop being friends with you. I was just afraid that people won't like me. But there's more; I'm the reason it took you and Sakura so long to get together. The day you met her she came to me. She was so excited about meeting a boy that liked her, and when she described him to me, I knew it was you. I told her to stay away from you. I just didn't want anyone else to take the place in your life that I once had.
"What I did was selfish, and it was mean, and I-" Her voice failed her once more. "Damn it, I'm sorry, Naruto." A silent tear fell from her eye, "I'm so sorry, Naruto. If it wasn't for me, you and Sakura would have been together years ago. Everything I did to you… You didn't deserve any of it. I wish I could take it all back, but I can't." Her hand had reached over to his, holding it, "So if you can hear me, Naruto. Give me a sign. Do you forgive me?"
A silent whisper answered her, "It's… Okay…"
She blinked her eyes, "Naruto?"
His eyes opened slowly, and a small smile rose to his lips, "It's okay, Ino-chan."
Ino couldn't help herself; she all but jumped on him, holding him to her tightly, as a mix of regret, relief and joy caused tears to flow from her eyes and onto his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she let out, "I'm so, so sorry."
Holding her as she cried, all Naruto could do was whisper in her ear, "It's okay, Ino-chan. It's okay."
---
As she looked in through the crack between the door and its frame, Sakura battled herself. While one side of her mind kept telling her that to share Naruto with Ino was the wisest course of action to take, another side of her was refusing to even consider the notion of sharing him, because of the possible result of her losing him. Her mind battled itself, common sense fighting emotional insecurities, until her eyes caught sight of something which made her mind go blank.
Ino's lips were on Naruto's, and their eyes were closed. But, seemingly halfway through the kiss, Naruto's eyes shot open, and he gently pushed Ino off of his lips. "I'm sorry, Ino-chan," He breathed, "I can't. I love Sakura-chan. I can't do this to her."
Ino pushed herself off of Naruto and now was standing next to his bed. "I- I understand," She said, "You're right, I'm sorry." And with that, she ran out of the room, leaving Sakura only enough time to dodge out of her way as she burst through the door. Ino slammed the door behind her, and, as though all of her strength had been sapped from her, she slid down to the floor, her back to the door, as sobs wracked her body.
The look on the blonde's face had settled Sakura's inner battle for her. She looked so depressed, so lost, so heartbroken. Sakura couldn't bear to see her friend like that. She knelt down beside Ino, placing her hand on her shoulder. Ino looked up. Their gazes locked for a few long, silent moments, before Sakura spoke. "You really do love him, don't you?"
A sad smile grew on the blonde's face, "Yeah," She half-said, half-whispered, "I really do."
Sakura sighed, but put on a smile, There's nothing for it, I suppose. This was the best choice for all of them, after all. "C'mon," She said, "Get up." She pulled Ino up onto her feet, and back into the room.
Naruto went from joyful surprise at seeing Sakura at the door, to horrified shock at seeing her pull Ino into the room behind her. "Sa- Sakura-chan," He sputtered, "I- that is Ino- We didn't- I didn't- I'm-Mmmph!" She shut him up with a kiss. When their lips parted, he saw that she was smiling. "You're not angry?"
Sakura shook her head, "I heard everything, including how you loved me too much to cheat on me. I'm not angry." After saying that, she pulled Ino closer to the bedside. "Speaking of which," She began again, "Have either of you ever heard of bigamy?"
The blondes blinked.
---
I know, such a short chapter. What can I say; I had a bad case of writer's block, coupled with severe bouts of nervousness and anxiety regarding my enlistment (I start tommorow, September 3rd, 2006, BTW). Usually, I would have held back until I had a thousand or more words in this chapter (This wasn't meant to be a multi-parter originally), but because of the time constraints, and me wanting to put this chapter out there in time, you'll have to do with this short, lower-than-normal quality chapter.
Hope you still managed to enjoy it, and remember to visit my forum. It's almost completely empty now, but you can help with that, can't you?
See ya 'round!
Daniel Goldberg