A/N: Sorry for the late update! I had to go out of the country and wasn't expecting not to have wi-fi access. Oops. I did still manage to get some writing done though, so I'll post two chapters, possibly a third tonight, if I can get around to editing it. Thank you to everyone for your reviews, favs, follows, and your kindness / critiques! They all make this such a pleasure to write.

...And at last, we're at the point where I cover my ass for my earlier oversight, and the match-ups for the final exam are chosen...! Oops. Again.

Happy reading!

Chapter 10

"Secrets, Secrets"

...

After an exhausting week of countering hallucinations with illusions, Ino is at last cleared for release.

She has few memories of her time in the hospital, which is likely a good thing, considering what she'd told Sakura about her… little fantasy escapade. Sakura is all too ready to not mention it. (Half of her, anyway. The other half is just waiting for the opportune time to bring it up.)

The doctors insist that Ino refrain from her usual training regimen for another twenty-four hours, however, and she has to spend a lot of time convincing Sakura that she'll be fine on her own for the duration of Sakura's morning training, and yes she'll be careful, and Sakura has the finals in two weeks and she's going to be late so would she get out of here already?

As soon as training is over, though, Sakura is back at her side, and Ino readjusts quickly to her ever-present companion. They decide on an impromptu barbecue lunch to celebrate Ino's recovery. Sakura listens intently to their joint recounting of the mission told in three differing parts like a pitchy, poorly tuned acapella group.

"The guy we were sent to protect tried to kill us," is how Shikamaru starts, and then Ino berates him,

"You forgot the part where I super helpfully realized that we were all trapped in a genjutsu!"

"There was a lot before that, too," Choji cuts in, "and also why…"

"Tch. For fame."

"That doesn't explain anything!"

Sakura eventually receives enough pieces to put it together. Although her other half insists that Ino is gloating, hers is the story that she's most willing to accept, and by the end of the tale, she's more than impressed.

"That's amazing, Ino – I can't believe you were able to recognize it every time and break it just like that!"

"It wasn't every –" Shikamaru is promptly quieted by what sounds like a foot being shoved into a shin underneath the table. "Damnit, Ino…"

She ignores him. "What can I say? Someone has to take the lead, and as the most capable member of our team, I had to accept that responsibility."

"You really are amazing," Sakura reaffirms, the stars practically falling out of her eyes and clattering onto the table. "I wish I'd been teamed with you…"

Asuma chuckles under his breath at the display. Ino's ego inflates to dangerously high pressures. Shikamaru sighs at the repercussions of such endless flattery. Choji just eats.

After lunch, the two agree to at last complete their long delayed shopping trip, since whatever outfit Sakura buys will take time to break in. It wouldn't do to get new shoes or a new skirt and have it catch on something during the finals. She doesn't have anything particular in mind, and they agree that, besides her gloves, everything else can be replaced.

"They," complicatedly enough, being all three of them.

Ino holds up two different skirts against Sakura's waist, checking for length, but Sakura's eyes are squeezed shut. Her grimace looks pained.

"What's wrong?" Ino pokes her gently.

"Ah, well, Sakura… has an opinion."

"An opinion that would be…?"

"I'm not wearing a catsuit!" Sakura blurts out, her cheeks flush with embarrassment at the very thought.

Ino drops the skirts. "But I guess she's not the modest type either, is she?"

"No…"

It turns out there are also disagreements about practicality. It's not like Ino hasn't had to solemnly balance her own wardrobe along the line of functionality and cuteness, but she'd at least only had to appease herself. In this case, if she takes into account both of their requests, the outfit has to be practical, cute, sexy, not too sexy, no catsuits, nothing baggy, no leather, (why don't you just put on a damn parka and be done with it?), and no fishnets.

Not that Ino would dress Sakura in fishnets. The idea is hilariously unsuited for both of them – one too shy, the other too liable to turn into Anko 2.0 if allowed to dress like her. That is an outcome Ino simply won't allow.

She, on the other hand…

"What do you think of these?" She holds up the fishnet tights to her body, though she's simultaneously wondering why she's asking Sakura for fashion advice.

Sakura's face is perfectly blank for a moment. "I like them," she says, smiling through that odd stoicism. "But I think you'd look good in anything."

Right. That's why she asked Sakura.

"Yeah," Ino considers the fishnets but puts them back on the shelf. "I guess you're right."

They eventually decide on a fair compromise. Spandex shorts – but with a skirt. No crop tops – but a sleeveless shirt will work. The knee-high black boots, Ino picks, and though they're a little… tall and heeled for Sakura, her other self loves them and Ino loves them and that matters more.

Best of all, Ino informs her, it all matches.

#

Their opponents for the finals are chosen five days before the exam.

Ino stands with a nervous Sakura as the announcement is made to an eerily quiet room, the only sound coming from the shuffling papers inside the urn as Hayate reaches inside to draw the names. It's super morbid that they used an urn for this, Ino thinks, but she doesn't say so. She's already not supposed to be here. This is for contestants only, but Sakura refused to enter without her, not that she blames her for needing the extra comfort. Ino's gaze slides discreetly over the other participants. Although some people here couldn't care less about the match-ups – Shikamaru, namely, and Lee is too kind to exude malicious energy – all the other contestants are pulsing with a distinctly violent aura.

Notably, Sasuke and Naruto are actually present. Naruto had surprised them both when he jumped Sakura, scaring the ever living daylights out of her and nearly earning himself a severed limb in the process – "I don't mind surprises, Naruto, but my other half doesn't like them much…"

She'd promptly switched personalities to save his life. After reassuring him that she was glad to see him, and that he'd have to tell her where he'd been all this time, they settled in line much to the relief of the six impatient jounin in the room.

Ino made a point of glancing slyly at Sasuke, catching his eye once and flashing him a winning smile, but he didn't even blink.

That's par for the course for Sasuke, she supposes. It still stings, because he's sexier than Gaara's face is hairless, and they'd make a heavenly, unbeatable match, both in love and life and the shinobi arts, but he's so caught up in whatever goes on in his head that for all of Ino's wishing and wanting for the somber Uchiha, she's doubtful that her mission will succeed. Part of her wonders if that is, in fact, why she continues to pursue him. Most people don't turn her down for anything, and even if they do, she can usually convince them to change their minds.

(Here is where Shikamaru might replace the word "convince" with the word "nag" or "bully," but what does he know, really?)

So, although she's used to the cold shoulder from Sasuke, something else affronts her about his behavior today.

He doesn't even glance at Sakura.

Ino frowns, her eyes flitting back and forth between the two. That's no way to treat a teammate, she thinks, and it's not like Sasuke wouldn't have noticed Sakura looking over at him every minute or so to see if he'd noticed her there. Attractiveness and mysteriousness and sexy brooding aside, it's sort of a dick move. More than a dick move, actually.

She'll have to ask Sakura about it later. Maybe something happened between them?

She turns her attention back to the match-ups. Naruto's grinning wickedly at Neji as their names are called, but Neji only nods once and promptly exits the room.

Sakura is called second. Her heart jumps into her throat at the sound of her own name and instinctively, her hand scrabbles to find Ino's, who reassures her with a small squeeze.

"Haruno Sakura," Hayate calls, then coughs, then opens his mouth to speak, then coughs again… Isn't it cruel of the Hokage, Ino wonders, to make someone with only partially functional tonsils be an exam proctor? "And Rock Lee."

The hand in Ino's tenses to an almost painful point and then relaxes. From the far left, Lee looks equally surprised, and Sakura turns to face him. The unreadable expression on his face morphs quickly into his usual blinding smile.

"It will be an honor to battle you, Sakura-san!"

Sakura gives him a weak smile in return.

An honor? Yes. Hopeful? No.

(Are we screwed or what?)

It seems that way. Although…

She can nearly feel the smirk of her inner personality. (Yeah. At least we'll put on a good show.)

Shikamaru looks annoyed to even hear his name spoken – it's a wonder he hadn't just forfeited his place preemptively to avoid the trouble of having to fight, and Temari certainly isn't a pushover if her battle with Tenten in the preliminaries is any indication.

The call for Sasuke and Gaara is the one that worries Sakura the most. The last person she'd seen Gaara fight had not only lost his life, but his corpse held more of a resemblance to a bowl of jello than a human.

Sasuke does not so much as flinch, however. Neither does Gaara.

When Shino and Kankuro are inevitably pitted against one another as the only two remaining, the three sand siblings are the first to leave. The rest of the genin follow suit to allow the Hokage to prepare the public announcement of the matches. How wonderful that all of their pain and suffering is such a great pleasure to put on display, Sakura thinks.

No part of her wants to fight Lee in a potential death match. Even her overly combative inner self is having doubts.

Before she can approach him about it, however, Naruto is dragging her down the hall, and Sakura sends a pleading look over her shoulder, urging Ino to follow. He pulls her all the way down the stairs and out the front door where Kakashi and Sasuke are waiting, and Ino is relieved to see that, finally, Sasuke greets her.

"Sakura," he nods. And then, after a short pause, "You look different."

Sakura smiles, honestly surprised that he would say something about it. "Ino took me shopping."

"That's not what I mean." His stare is critical, but not mean, and though he doesn't smile, she knows this is his best attempt at being friendly. "You look stronger."

Did the sky just fall or something? "Thank you, Sasuke. So do you."

And it's true, he does. Stronger and unkempt. His hair has grown long, his bangs now trailing just above his chin. He looks even more like a beautiful woman than he already had – not that Sakura would ever say something like that aloud.

"Neh, Sakura-chan, and what about me?!" Naruto bounces into view, puffing his chest out proudly.

He looks… the same. Same dopey smile. Same overly enthusiastic expression. If he's gotten stronger, which he no doubt has, since it's been two months, it's obscured by his baggy clothes. But, still, Sakura agrees.

"You look stronger too, Naruto."

He beams, Sasuke snorts, Naruto glares, and then Kakashi steps in to stop the fight before it happens.

"Well!" He breaks the tension with this one, cheery word. "It seems we have a lot to do over the next four days. Sasuke and I had better get back to it, considering who his opponent is. I trust both of your training is going well?"

The question is directed at Naruto and Sakura, but Kakashi's eye wanders to Ino for an answer.

"Of course, Kakashi-sensei! You should see all the things Ero-sennin taught me, he's strong even though he's a pervert, so –"

"I'm glad to hear that, Naruto," Kakashi cuts off what would no doubt have been a long and rambling rant. Naruto doesn't even look annoyed, his mind already five days away and on his upcoming battle. "And you, Sakura?"

"It's going well," she says simply. Behind her, Ino nods her head to confirm, but she can't bring herself to smile at this man.

You would know if you'd been around to see it, she thinks irritably.

But he wasn't and doesn't plan to be in the future, either. With a last piece of advice to do some research on their opponents, the bit of wisdom directed entirely at Naruto, he vanishes with Sasuke.

"It's not fair, huh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto whines. "How come Kakashi-sensei only ever trains Sasuke?"

Sakura smiles reassuringly. "I think it's because they're well-suited for each other, that's all. Besides, weren't you training with Ebisu-sensei? He's fairly skilled himself."

"Nah," Naruto scoffs. "That guy's just a perv. Well, so is my new sensei, but at least Ero-sennin can teach me some super cool stuff!"

"Ero-sennin?"

"Yeah! Well, that's what I call him – I think it suits him more than Jiraiya-sensei, what with how he's always peeking into the girl's bath."

Sakura and Ino share a look. It would be just like Naruto to not remember any of their history lessons at the academy and simply have no idea the meaning behind that name. But it couldn't be, could it?

"Jiraiya," Ino repeats. "White hair? Old guy? Friends with toads, maybe?"

"Yeah! That's the one! How'd you know?"

There is something that Sakura desperately wants to ask but can't bring herself to, and promptly, she switches places with her other self.

"Hey, does that mean you know where Tsunade-hime is?" Sakura's change in demeanor does not go unnoticed by Naruto, but he doesn't question it. He just seems happy to have her undivided attention.

"I think I've heard Ero-sennin say that name once or twice, but I don't know where she is. Why?"

"Nevermind that," Sakura dismisses it. "But listen, if you get the chance, will you ask him for me? It's important."

Naruto shrugs. "Sure! I'm meeting him at Ichiraku, so I'll ask him then. See you later, Sakura-chan, Ino!"

When he's rounded the corner and the two girls are walking back to the Yamanaka flower shop, Ino casts a glance over at Sakura. She isn't sure if they'd switched back or not since either one of them could wear such a pensive face.

"What's so important about finding Tsunade-hime?"

"Everything!" That answers that question. "Gai told me that she's the only one who can train me to use the chakra-enhanced strength. And also…"

The silence is not awkward, but it is prolonged. They sidestep the group of bumbling children in the village square, catch the whispers about the sure-to-be-legendary match between Sasuke and Gaara – that was fast – and have the front door to the flower shop in sight before Ino finally loses her patience.

"And?" She prompts.

Ino catches the door that Sakura does not hold for her. The other one would have done so politely, but this one uses any excuse to pick a fight with her, not that Ino doesn't reciprocate on every single occasion. She's never minded a good bit of competition. It's actually a nice change of pace to have someone willing to butt heads with her, considering Shikamaru's laziness and Choji's docility.

It's strange how naturally her own behavior has changed to suit both of Sakura's personalities, actually, and perhaps especially considering how thoroughly it had unsettled her in the beginning. Now, reacting to the changes in behavior, both subtle and overt, is a thoughtless shift in her own perspective. She knows them both like – well, like the close friends they are.

That's why it's so unsettling to see this Sakura bite her tongue with that serious expression on her face. She still hasn't answered the question. She watches Ino pull on the uniform's apron and tie it before attending to the wilting display flowers, pulling two bouquets from the vases and gesturing to the wall to let Sakura start another. It's become something of a ritual at this point.

She expects them to switch back, since it's always the quieter of the two that's interested in acquiring any and all new knowledge, but Sakura stays put, her eyes fixed on Ino.

"Look, I know you're probably hypnotized by my infinite grace and beauty, but are you going to answer the question or not, Forehead?"

"Ha! Some kind of grace you showed earlier, prostrating yourself for Sasuke like that," Sakura snarks back easily.

"You're just jealous because you'd never have a shot with a guy like him! And showing off my beauty doesn't make me any less so, now does it?" She tilts her chin up proudly, totally prepared for the rebuttal that doesn't come.

Sakura is just staring at her. The silence feels tense and her dramatic posing makes Ino feel incredibly awkward without the banter to accompany it, and somewhere between irritated and concerned, though mostly irritated, she puts her hands on her hips and gives her best no-nonsense look.

"It's not like you to bite your tongue, Sakura."

"No," she agrees. "It's not."

"Then what's wrong?" She pushes, and when Sakura grimaces like she's considering not answering, Ino closes the distance between them and goads her, shoving a finger into the center of Sakura's forehead. "Eh? What's this? Has your infinite storage device finally run out of space?"

Thankfully, it works. Sakura swats her hand away. "Very funny, pig, but unlike you, my brain isn't shallow as a roadside puddle, thank you very much."

"Well, if that's the case, then what the hell is wrong with you?"

Sakura goes rigid. Ino does not miss the strained posture; it looks, she realizes, as if Sakura is fighting herself.

(The other half of me is being a scaredy cat, that's what.)

You don't have to lie to me. You're scared too.

(I didn't say I wasn't. I just think we should face it.)

…Please?

(Ah, damnit. Fine.)

"For your information," Sakura finally says, her body relaxing like someone has thawed her from a block of ice, "I want to find Tsunade-hime because someday I'm going to be the best medical ninja ever!"

"You? Heal people? Maybe the other Sakura, but you?"

"Potato, Potahto," Sakura dismisses it. "One of us is both of us, and someday you're going to have to come begging us to patch you up!"

"You wish, Forehead! I bet you're just looking for an excuse to get your hands on me!"

"As if! If I wanted to put my hands on a pig I'd go to a farm!"

"I bet you're actually desperate enough to do that, too!"

"You're the one that should stick to your own kind! And anyway," Sakura interrupts Ino's retort. "We'd better get this flower stuff going."

#

The odd interaction in the flower shop is forgotten, and life continues on as normal. Their training with Lee and Gai lasts only one more day before Gai call it quits until after the finals, saying at this point, they're better of training alone in order to work on their individual skill sets without giving away all their secrets before it counts.

Ino is both happy and disappointed to hear that. After her botched mission and her short stay in the hospital, restarting her training under Gai had been hellish on her body, but it also felt good. As much as she hates being sweaty and bruised and unattractively disgruntled, there is something satisfying about pushing herself to her limits. Sakura, too, seems to enjoy it, and the camaraderie they'd built on their shared pains and improvements is something she'd missed.

It's not the only thing, either. The arguments, the banter, the uninvited sexual innuendo – it's safe to say that Ino would miss these things dearly if she were to lose them. It's an odd friendship, and not one built on the best premises – she does not forget for an instant the way Sakura sounded in the preliminaries, the desperation on her face, the gritted declaration, "I hate you," or the oceans of pain that pushed it out of her mouth – but its strangeness does not diminish it any. For all that she and the fiery Sakura push each other to their furthest limits in their endless competitiveness, the gentler one reminds them both that it's all in good fun.

The compliments don't hurt either. There is nothing quite like having someone constantly there to flatter your every move, Ino thinks happily, often finding herself bathing in Sakura's open admiration. After graduating from the Academy, she hadn't gotten very much of that. It's refreshing to be so utterly appreciated.

But.

She hates that there's a "but."

It's a small thing, really. Not worth worrying over. It's just that, when Sakura recounts her impromptu training session with Kakashi and asks Ino to join her ninjutsu training, and Ino does, Inner Sakura manages to turn the leaf in her palm into a withered husk, and then Sakura reforms it into its original shape. Ino only manages to draw enough water to make it wrinkle after three days of practice.

It's not exactly a fair comparison considering Sakura's inherently superior chakra control. Ino's is impressive in its own right, and she's fully aware that she's beaten the usual timeline of progress by even getting this far in the exercise so quickly, but she can't deny the little spark of jealousy when Sakura clutches her fingers around the pile of dust and unfurls them to expose the reformed leaf-shape. The envy abates somewhat when she gasps and immediately looks to Ino for approval, as if the success were meaningless without it. Ino suspects that, if she chose to belittle it, Sakura would believe that to be the case, and she vehemently squashes the petty thought.

"Good job," she says earnestly, meeting Sakura's wide eyes. "That's amazing!"

"Do you really think so? I mean, it doesn't feel like much, but…"

Ino smiles, tipping Sakura's chin up to raise her eyes from the floor. "Don't be silly, Sakura. This exercise normally takes twice as long. You should be proud."

Sakura bites her lip to try and keep her smile in human proportions, but it doesn't quite work and she grins, ear to ear, as she leans forward and wraps her arms around the other girl. "Thank you, Ino! Maybe someday I'll be as good as you."

It's not a jab. Ino knows that. But the weight of the leaf in her own palm, still flexible with its hydrated tissue, feels heavy as stone.

#

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