Holy wow, I updated within one week. :) I'm trying really hard to maintain the funniness and fluffiness of this. But here is chapter 26! Btw, thanks for anyone who gave suggestions for Ino. I liked the suggestion from ShikallllTema to have Ino with Kankuro. I really didn't want to pair Ino with Kiba. That would have just ruined Kiba's entire character for me. Also, I'm pretty sure I don't have to say this but PLEASE don't set your computer on fire. It'll explode.

And I am inclined to put a disclaimer up that I do not own Naruto or any of its characters and that they belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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Chapter 26: Rise and Fall

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Ino was on her way to the flower shop to help her mom take inventory when she realized she'd forgotten the final draft of her script in Hinata's room. When she turned around back up the path, she saw that Kankuro had been followed her.

He stood there looking at her awkwardly. "Uhm… Oh, hi there. Yeah, I didn't notice that was you."

She raised an eyebrow. "This is the road to the flower shop. Isn't the gate out of Konoha the other direction?"

"Ah…" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, that was a stupid thing to say. The truth is… I followed you on purpose."

She blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't just hallucinating Kankuro there. He never moved, all the while waiting eagerly for her response. "What reason could you possibly have for following me?" she asked skeptically.

"You heard what I answered to Tenten's would you rather question," he said. "If I wasn't clear even before that, then let me clarify. Ino, you captivate me in a way that no one else ever has. Every turn of your head, I notice. Every step you take, I'm ready to follow you."

"But." She felt her heart start to pick up its pace. "You just seemed so reluctant to answer. I've been stupid so many times before, and just for once I want to play smart. If you're not completely sure about this, then please don't waste your time, or any of my time."

He didn't take his eyes off her. "I'm sorry if I seemed unwilling before. Temari was in the room. She's my sister, and she loves to meddle. If I said I liked you back there, it would have only been to satisfy her. But if I say I like you now, when it's just the two of us, won't that have the most meaning ever?"

She took his words in one by one. Then, she smiled. "You like me," she said. It wasn't a question.

"Go out with me?"

She laughed. "Oh my god, you really like me. Legit."

He nodded, joining in her laugher and slowly closing the space between them. "Go out with me?"

"Yes!" she yelled in excitement and happiness. "I like you too!"

They beamed at each other for a moment longer. Then, Kankuro took her hand. "Can I walk you home?"

"No."

"What, did I do something wrong already?"

She shook her head. "No! I mean… I forgot something in Hinata's room and was actually on my way back to get it."

"Oh." He grinned at her. "Can I walk you back to Hinata's room then?"

She beamed. "Why, certainly."

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Hinata's eyes suddenly opened, and she jerked up, with the mark of the activated Byakugan on her eyes. "Neji and Sakura have been trapped by Iruka in the mall and I must rescue them!"

And she ran off without another word. Naruto and Kiba looked at each other. "I should help her," Naruto said. He went off and followed Hinata in her determined and almost hypnotized daze.

"Well that was anticlimactic," Temari said.

Kiba turned around. "What was?"

She pointed to the fire dancing on the remains of Hinata's computer. "We're all expecting a humongous fire and there's just this thing."

Gaara watched it burn on, consuming the bits with its hungry fire. It rose higher, maybe about a foot and a half tall, before falling again, to a tiny flame that danced with the sensitivity to breeze. It much amused Gaara, who had given life to the little monster.

"It's pretty," Tenten remarked. "It's not spreading out, or burning too quickly, or giving off so much smoke."

Shikamaru nodded. "The computer was made completely with raw materials found in the Fire Country, and Naruto's oranges are grown locally. Maybe the balance of chemical reactions is keeping and constricting the fire at the same time."

Temari shrugged. "I don't know. This could be aliens, the way things have been going. Or magic."

"What do you think this is?" Sasuke asked. "Harry Potter? Besides, it's the power of orange. Alas, blue is utterly defeated."

Ino and Kankuro came in, holding hands. Temari gasped. "This can only mean one thing."

Ino blushed, then rolled her eyes. "Temari… Shut up, please."

Temari smirked. "Only because you're my friend, Ino."

Ino quickly picked up the script she had come for, then she turned to leave when the flame caught her eye. She leaned in closer to it. "That's beautiful…"

Temari nodded. "Yeah. I say it's magic."

"Science," Shikamaru said.

Shino straightened in his chair. "Aliens are trying to communicate."

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm telling you, it's the power of orange."

Ino giggled at their arguments. Kankuro smirked. "That was beautiful."

She nodded. "Yeah, I already said that."

Kankuro glanced at her. "I wasn't talking about the fire." He paused. "You just laugh… beautifully."

Her face grew rosy, and she giggled again. "That was sweet."

Temari shuddered. "Ino, I'm still in the room. That's my brother."

Kankuro suddenly wrapped an arm around Ino. "Weren't you the one who wanted us together so badly, Temari?"

"Ugh." She sighed. "Well, as long as I still have Shikamaru." She smiled up at the guy in question.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said as he yawned. "Yeah, you still have me."

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Neji opened his eyes suddenly. "I've made contact."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Just face it. Iruka's going to keep us here until we die." She looked over at Iruka. "You're really going to eat all of those doughnuts?"

Iruka picked up his sixth doughnut, and wearily brought it up towards his mouth. "As long as I wear this badge, I shall eat as many doughnuts and give as many detentions as possible." Then, he stuffed his mouth with the pastry in his hand.

"Don't worry," Neji whispered to Sakura. "I got help coming already."

"Oh, like the Byakugan gives you telepathy."

"Oh, like you're not completely jealous."

She flipped her hair. "I'd rather not get wrinkles and veins around my eyes, thank you very much. It's just gross."

Neji crossed his arms. "The Byakugan does not approve of your ignorance. And you totally just dissed Hinata too."

She shook her head. "Nope. Hinata's just adorable no matter what. She could come running in here sweating and flushed, and she could have twigs and leaves in her hair, but she'd still be cute."

And then the door burst open suddenly, causing Iruka to fall over and drop he's doughnuts. In came Hinata, sweaty and flushed from the sprint, with twigs in her hair and mud on her sandals and capris. But even then, she was the picture of adorable shy girl cuteness. Exhaustion caused her to begin to fall. She landed right in Iruka's arms.

"Uhm…" He looked around, panicked. "Should I…"

"Smile for the picture!" Sakura took her camera out—and Neji couldn't help but wonder where she had been keeping it—and snapped a photograph.

A flash caught in Iruka's eyes, and he yelped "Detention!" Blinking furiously, he tried to grab the door knob and lock his prisoners in. When his vision cleared, he looked around. The door was locked close, but he was on the wrong side of it. Neji, Sakura, and Hinata were gone. And worse, he was trapped in.

"Oh, darn."

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Kiba watched the fire grow, then shrink, then move like a delicate fairy, then rise with the might of Sakura when provoked. It really was mesmerizing, and he could have marveled at it infinitely, had not a more beautiful sight come into the room.

Hinata entered through her door. She saw the fire, but just sighed and went to the window and opened it. "Let's not all get carbon monoxide poisoning."

Naruto came into the room after her, followed by Neji and Sakura. Tenten got up and ran into Neji's arms. "I was so worried for you!" she cried. "Knowing how crazy Sakura is, she could have wiped your entire existence from the face of the earth the way she was going."

Neji hugged her back. "Yeah, I survived. She's not nearly as crazy as I thought she was."

"Ha, think again," Sakura said as she walked by them. But they weren't her focus. "Did you miss me, Sasuke?" she asked him when they were closer to each other.

"Oh yeah," he whispered into her ear.

Meanwhile, Naruto came up to Hinata. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

She smiled tiredly and nodded. "I'm just exhausted. That's all… Ah… Achoo!"

His eyes widened. "You're sure your fine?" he asked, trying not to think about how adorable her sneeze was. "You just ran your legs off in the rain."

"Achoo!" She sat down on her bed. "Maybe I should rest it off."

He nodded, then turned around. "Okay, everyone! Time to leave. Hinata's getting sick."

"It's Neji's fault for flaunting his so called Byakugan telepath," Sakura said.

"It doesn't matter," Kiba told her. "We should just leave so Hinata can rest. I think we've destroyed her room enough."

Gaara looked down at the fire that now began to die as the remains of the computer were almost completely gone. "Yeah, I'll pay for that… or something."

"No, don't worry about it," Hinata said as Naruto pulled a blanket over her. "It was nice having you over, Gaara. Come by more often." She smiled shyly at him.

Gaara was surprised by her kind response, and he left the room more carefully now, so as not to knock down anything else that might possibly be expensive. He was doing okay until he knocked over her lamp. "Uhm… I'll pay for that… Maybe."

Temari dragged him away. "It's fine, I'll get Hinata a new lamp. Let's just get you out of here first." And with that she also dragged Shikamaru out with her.

"I should probably go too," Kankuro said.

Ino nodded. "Yeah…" She looked at the ashes one more time. Then she looked at the screenplay in her hands. "Wait… Wait, I think I just thought of a solution to our fire problem for the play!"

Kankuro leaned closer to her to listen to her plan. "What is it?"

"Well, we need a fire that won't spread or give off too much smoke and set the fire alarm off…" She continued giving him the details of her idea as the two of them walked away together.

Neji looked at Shino. "Time for me to drag you away now."

Shino shook his head. "You're not the boss of me. I'm kicking you out of the antisocial club."

Neji stared at him. "Are you insane?"

"No, I just noticed you're not very antisocial anymore. I'm going to be groupies with Lee now."

"Lee? But he's had one line in the past three chapters."

"And so therefore he is antisocial," Shino reasoned. "He's my new best friend."

"Perfect!" Lee said. "I think I have a green jumpsuit in your size!"

Shino stood up suddenly. "Wait, what?"

But it was too late. Lee was already running to his house to get Shino matching clothes. Shino went escaped mysteriously out the window, mumbling, "I will not wear a jumpsuit, I will not wear a jumpsuit," over and over again.

Neji and Tenten just watched them. Then, Neji folded his arms. "I am finally free of that weirdo."

Tenten laughed. "Come on, let's go." She turned back to Hinata. "Bye! I hope you feel better."

She nodded. "Bye, Tenten. Bye, Neji. Bye Sakura and Sasuke."

When the rest of them had left, it was only Hinata, Naruto, Kiba, and Jimmy. Hinata hugged her teddy-beaver-bear and yawned. "Goodnight, Kiba."

Kiba bowed his head slightly. "Goodnight." He turned to Naruto. "Goodnight to you, too."

Naruto grinned at him. "I'll be right out. Just let me make sure Hinata's okay."

Kiba nodded, then left the room, knowing it would probably be better if Naruto took care of Hinata now. He thought back to the fire, growing and shrinking. He compared it to his friendship with Hinata and with Naruto. Fire hurts. It burns. But at the same time, it's something to marvel all. It's beautiful. It's just like love, or like any friendship. Kiba loved Hinata, and he valued Naruto as one of his best friends. Whatever was between Hinata and Naruto, from what Kiba could see, it was something beautiful.

When he was outside, he looked up at the stars, and he wondered how many of them Hinata had wished for Naruto on. Kiba decided then and there that he loved Hinata meant more to him than his own happiness, but that it didn't have to be one or the other. I'm going to be happy for her, he thought. I'm going to be happy because she's happy.

He waited for five more minutes before Naruto came, and then walked home together, like the two friends they'd always been.

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Whoa, that was a lot of plotlines closed. I hope I didn't seem like I rushed through it. Next chapter, and possibly the last one, depending on how much I can fit, will be their play performance! Reviews are awesome. Constructive criticism is welcomed.