Survival of the Fittest

Note: Please review if u like the chapter! Shout out 2 me bud Eva whose b-day is just around the corner! Happy early...very early b-day!

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Ino stomped off angrily towards her room. "Life just wasn't fair! What did I do go deserve this!" she moaned covering her face with her hands. "I thought I saw something in Hokage's eyes...that baka planned everything!" she wined pathetically, as she plopped unceremoniously onto her bed.

She glared about the room, sighing in disappointment. Thanks to the bitch, her room would never look the same again...she could just picture it...it splattered with blood. Ino shuddered lightly. Although she'd never admit it, there was something about Kin that scared her. No...terrified her.

Ino glanced towards her nightstand where a single picture frame stood. The picture was taken three years ago, a smile curved her lips, as she stared at them. Shikamaru had his arm wrapped around her waist, trying to pound her, and Chouji (did I sp it right?) was finishing off a bag of chips. "We were all so close back then," she whispered as a tear welled up in her eye.

"We each had a dream, the same dream," she reflected as a single tear trickled down her face and fell towards the picture. "We worked together, and overcame many obstacles along the way." Ino bowed her head in sorrow as she stared intently at the ground. "Together..."

Ino smirked slightly. When she first met then, she was horrified that she would have to be on the same team as them...become friends with them. Trust them...

"Yet, now..." she whispered softly, clenching the frame with with enough force to shatter it. "I would do anything to get them back. For things to return back to normal..."

Their team had split apart, no...deserted each other. Well, maybe not physically at any rate. They still approached each, and trained together. But, something was off, they pulled away from each other mentally. The bond that held them together had disappeared. The trust and friendship that they've gained through years of hard work was gone...all gone.

Ino had always pushed people away when they got close. She didn't want to experience the rejection and pain that was bound to follow. When she had been friends with Sakura, she allowed her into her heart. She trusted Sakura with her feelings and offered her friendship.

But...something always goes wrong. A sad smile crept up Ino's face. The inevitable had happened...they had fallen for the same guy. A guy that brought about the end of their friendship.

When they passed each other on the streets, sure they greeted each other...but it was always formal, always indifferent. Ino sighed in defeat as reluctantly placed the frame back on the stand.

She jumped up in shock when she heard a light knock on the door. Ino desperately wiped the tears off her face, no one should know that she had been crying.

"Come in," she replied weakly, half-expecting to see Shikamaru. However when the door opened, Ino hissed in rage. If she had been a cat, her hair would have been standing on end, and puffed up twice her size.

"What are you doing here," demanded Ino with malice, all the pain that she'd felt moments before disappeared.

Kin shot her a knowing look. "Are you stupid, or do you just act stupid?" she snapped, ignoring Ino's ferocious snarl. "You know what you remind me of?" she said with sweet malevolence. "A typical blonde, that doesn't known right from left. (no offense to any blondes out there.)

Ino's eyes flashed dangerously, she ground her teeth together. "Oh...what she wanted do to kill that bitch. Skin her? Drown her? Cut her into tiny pieces and toss her into the wind? Yes...it was so tempting," she smirked mentally.

"Don't mess with fire, bitch, you might get burned," she taunted mockingly, as she hooked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. "You aren't half the women I am. You'd be blind if you didn't notice that..." Ino muttered casually.

Kin's livid expression satisfied for Ino beyond words.

"Now get out of here," she whispered, her voice no louder then the wind. But caused Kin to take a step back. "Go else I'll make you," her sapphire eyes were like maelstroms. Insinuative and deadly.

"Fine," Kin muttered reluctantly, refusing to cower. It hurt her pride to back down from a fight, but she had no choice. The aura that had flared around Ino was strong...too strong...almost inhuman. She turned on heel and walked out the room and slammed the door shut.

Ino glared at the door for a few minutes before flopping down upon her bed. She had overcame her fear of Kin, and looked who came out on top. She smiled lightly, her eyes filled with sorrow.

She glanced at the picture, with a pleading look upon her face. "Please..."

~*~

Naruto was walking around the training grounds with a wistful expression on his face. He would do anything...let me repeat that...anything to have something truly care about him.

(wow...Naruto's thinking...amazing...lol)

All his life, he'd been shunned by everyone. In his veins flowed the blood of the Nine Tails. Naruto strives to become the best, and yet he can't seem to reach his goal. It seems so close...but not close enough. Someday, he'd become the Hokage and have everyone acknowledge him. That was his dream, his destiny(...well that's what he thought)

Naruto wandered aimlessly around, as he thought about his classmates, the ones that he considered his friends.

Sakura-chan, now a young women with bright pink hair, and deep emerald eyes. His one time crush, the only girl that he'd ever cared about, one of the few that had accepted him for who, not what he was.

Sasuke, a baka that was his rival. He was stronger then ever, and more determined to train for the upcoming battle with his brother Itachi. Although he could be considered a friend, every now and then. Only when he isn't hitting on Sakura! Naruto's eyes popped in fury as he tried to regain his composure.

Hinata, a normally shy girl, with dark hair and white eyes. She would be considered a friend, since she always bought him ramen. He thought casually.

He sighed, as he plopped down upon a rock, and angrily tossed a rock into the stream. Watching it bounce along the water, before landing in a sickening splash. Naruto didn't notice anything unusual until a shadow loomed over him.

He scratched his head in confusion, as he turned around to give the person a fierce tongue lashing for blocking the sun. He swallowed nervously when he noticed who it was...

"Hello..."

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Note: Please review if you like the chapter!

Oh yea...it was a really close tie between whether it should be a Neji/Sakura or a Sasuke/Sakura...it was pretty hard to decide so pick you favorite...thanx