Disclaimer: Oh forgot this in the first 3 chapters! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! Damn, why must the world be so cruel!
Mine Alone
A Yang Production
Look at the swarm of people! So many come to say goodbye to that girl. What a pleasant surprise, something I did not even see. Everyone wept so bitterly…fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
"-Lastly, I do not want you to wander alone after dark, stay paired up, and report anything suspicious to the nearest ANBU." Hello Hokage. Do you like to listen to your own voice? Everyone's too busy cry their eyes out…
" Please pay your last respects to our fallen Shinobi." With that, the group walked forward to place their flowers at her picture. Face to face with her picture, I place my rose down like any other human…You look lovely in your picture, Sakura-san. Why don't you show off that lovely face now? Turning away, I walk and in chance hear the voice that could only belong to an Angel.
" Sakura-chan…" Naruto called out. My heart stopped beating right there. " No…there was still a chance you would go out with me!" He was holding back, still trying to act. " I swear to you that I will find who did this to you." I took off and anyone seeing me would think I could not take much more. Maybe I was too quick in killing off the Cherry Blossom? No! With time Naruto's love for her will die like the last embers of winter, and he will have to go on…and I'll be waiting for him.
" Naruto…" Ino placed a hand on the boys shoulder. " I know how much you miss her…I do too."
" But who would do this!" He asked. " Who would kill her! What did she ever do to them?" Then Ino did something that she had never done before, She hugged Naruto.
" Don't cry you big dolt. Sakura wouldn't want you to cry."
" Yeah, she'd want me to get up and go on."
" Yeah, so why you go do that?"
" Thanks Ino-san…" He got up, dusted off his pants, and still sniffling walked away to join the others. Ino waved that she needed a minuet or two more.
" Sakura, you Baka! Why did you leave? Don't you see that now without you, I have a better chance of getting Sasuke?" The wind supplied her with an answer. Slightly content with that, she got up and joined the others. They walked until they reached a small diner. Naruto didn't even complain when he saw that they had no ramen, the very elixir of life.
" To Sakura, the smartest and prettiest Shinobi of her time." Naruto stood and held his glass up. Everyone followed suit. " To Sakura."
" To Sakura." Came the soft voices of those around him. Food appeared and somehow everyone ate knowing that they had to go on with their life. Naruto looked down at his plate and then at Ino who sat off in a corner by herself, just staring out a window at the clear blue sky.
" You know that the sky is always there." He said standing behind her.
" It seems to be the only constant thing in my life."
" Ino, eat something. If not for yourself, then for Sakura." In his hands he held a plate filled with and assortment of food. " Even just a little."
" What's the point? Sakura's not here." She left him slide in next to her. Taking her hand into his, he replied.
" You're here aren't you? That's what matters. Think about, what would Sakura say to you right now?"
" I won Sasuke's attention and you didn't?"
" That's not what I really had in mind…but I'll work with that. You not eating isn't going to bring here back. Will you eat now?" A small nod was all he got. " Good."
" You know, for a blonde, your not that stupid."
Blushing he gave her a quick thanks. Excusing himself, he said good bye and left the small diner. Outside, he could hear the silent steps of the shadow that followed him.
" Sasuke!"
" What is it dobe?"
" What do you want?"
"…Nothing."
" Then why are you following me?"
" To make sure you don't do anything stupid like try to join Sakura." For this Naruto gave no reply and continued his walk home. There were whispers around him.
" That's him…that you know what boy."
" Maybe she couldn't take it being in the same Cell with him and ya know…"
" Poor girl…to be around him…no wonder she died."
It was bad enough that they talked like that when he was within ear shot…but to have them defile Sakura's good name? Hot prickling tears blinded him as he took off running. Sakura didn't kill her self okay? He told himself over and over again in his head. Something hard ran into him, something hard and thin. The door to Iruka's house.
" Dobe! DOBE!" Not the voice he really wanted to hear right now. " Can you hear me Dobe or have you gone deaf?"
" I'm not in the mood Sasuke you bastard." He fumbled with his keys. Opening the door was hard enough, but with tears in his eyes and his body not moving like he wanted to, Sasuke came right next to him.
" Crying dobe?"
" No! Dust flew into my eye." Sasuke grabbed the key from his fellow cell mates hand. He opened the door and led Naruto in.
" It's alright. When my clan was buried following the massacre…I cried too." Pause. Naruto looked at the retreating figure that was Uchiha. " Sometimes when people care so much for someone else…they do stupid things." He closed the door behind him, leaving one dazed blonde behind.
Days passed by…weeks…months…okay that was exaggerating but it felt like time would never speed up. Stupid Ino had stole time away from Naruto! Time that he'll never have back. She was the last one to leave the place, she loved to take her time.
" Brr…" She shivered at the evening air. Rubbing her arms for warmth, she took off in the direction of her home. There were ANBU all around. On great…I'm so scared.
" Ino!" I placed a hand on her shoulder. " Hey, you okay? You seemed a little pale today." She turned and gave me a smile.
" No…how about we go near the lake?"
" Fine by me. Do you want to talk about it?" Wanna die? Playing nice was not really my thing.
" Yes…I would."
" Come on then." Taking a back alley we reached the near by lake in no time at all…and better yet, no one saw us.
" Why did she have to die?" Her first question really hit base.
" Because she lived?"
" Be serious!"
(sigh) " I don't know."
" She really was the worst best friend I ever had. The worst." She sobbed. I patted her back and tried to calm her down. Well…I didn't really try.
" Ino, would you…If you could that is, talk to her again?"
" I'd give anything to talk to her."
" Anything…?" Pulling out a bottle and two cups I grinned at her. " They say that sometimes when you dream you cross over to their side and then you can talk to them." I poured out the Sake that I managed to smuggle out. " Here, Sake. So you can sleep well."
" Thanks." She grasped the cup firmly in both hands. Rolling around the candy that I popped into my mouth earlier, we drank in Sakura's name. 6 shots later, Ino smiled drunkly at me.
" You know a lot about plants don't you Ino?" I drank my 7th glass.
" Flowers!"
" Flowers! Plants what's the difference? Have another glass!" That's it. Drink up, let your guard down.
" So what? You wanna open a plant shop?" She swayed lazily underneath a tree branch.
" Nah! I just wanted to know something." Swirling the remaining liquid in the bottle, I opened Ino's mouth and poured what was left down her throat. " Do you know hemlock is?" I spit into my hand what was left of the candy.
" Poison for the human body. Oh boy…drank too much Sake." Bending over in slight pain, Ino groaned. " Strong stuff."
" Heh, you don't know the half of it!" I just hate the small round pit that I used to make the an- er candy.
" Eh? Why Hemlock?"
" Because…" The Sake bottle lay at our feet, an innocent bottle that helped bring to me the life of another. " You just drank 2/3 of that bottle yourself. It had a strong dose of Hemlock in it. That pain you felt earlier was just a way of your body to say, ' You're gonna die.' Do you remember what your parents taught you about Hemlock? It paralyzes you…you slowly lose consciousness and you drift into the great beyond. Oh look it's starting to work."
Ino struggled to move her body. It jerk awkwardly and some parts were becoming numb. " W-why aren't y-y-you dying!"
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a ball of wax sheet. Inside were more 'after dinner mints' that I had been eating the whole time. " Mints…want one? Of course you don't!" With strength that even surprised me, she reached into her bag and pulled out a Kunai. Her long lovely locks were cut and she scattered the, in the air. Oh, boy…I'd seen this trick before. Rushing forward, she swung trying to plunge the Kunai into me. Jumping back, I realized that I had stepped right into the path of falling strands of hair. Standing in her usual pose, she got ready for the Mind-Body switching that her family was so famous for. " Katon Karyuu Endan!" From yours truly the 3rd Hokage, rest in peace ya dead Hokage! A huge dragon made of flames erupted from my mouth, and it encircled me, causing the hairs to be nothing more that air. Now it speed across the ground with one more target in mind, Ino. Of course she wouldn't be dumb or drunk enough to just stand there. Apparently she had forgotten that a poison moves quicker if you move your body. The again…good for her! The dragon disappeared. (cough) (cough) After fumes…gotta hate it.
" Hey Ino-san…what's wrong?" Straining against her own body, she tried to get up. " Better lay down and let the poison do it's job." I pushed her back down. "Forgetful girl! Now it's nearly done. Here you'll lay in death. But don't worry. Do you like lilies or roses?" Her eyes just sent out a glare. " Lilies it is!" Putting them in her hand, I smiled at my lovely work. Poor girl. " Looks like rain…better for me. Have a good night. I'm sorry that I can't be here to watch you breathe your last…oh what the hell! I did bring an umbrella! Don't make me wait to long." I sat down next to her and watched.
Death was not so quick this time around. But it was amusing to watch her glare at me. But what was better was when I told her to say Hi to Sakura.
" After all, we had a fun time…you know me disfiguring her. I always believe that best friends need to stay together."
Hokage-sama…oh what am I going to do to you? Keep these pest away from Naruto. He doesn't need them. I don't need them. Hell…they don't need us. But I rather have them die than Naruto. To see life slip from those blue orbs…that would be murder. I am no murderer, I am merely saving one life by killing those around him. So peaceful when he is asleep. Like an angel. The window was open so I decided to let myself in. My hand trembled as I reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. Inching closer, I could almost feel his breath on me. Those warm loving lips. They tasted so much better than anything I had ever imagined. Someone was standing outside his bedroom. Crap! How could I forget that he was now living with Iruka?
" Naruto!"
"eh?" He sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. " Iruka-sensei! Wots th' matt'r?"
" I heard something in here. You okay?"
" Sleepy." Iruka looked around…nothing was missing and there was a closed window. I thought Naruto left that window open?
"Sorry…I'm just a little paranoid with what happened today. Go back to sleep."
" That's something I can do…" He fell asleep right after that. Assured that Naruto was in no danger, Iruka went to bed.
Sasuke, unlike some people, was still awake, pacing around his home. In his mind still fresh was the image of Naruto crying over the loss of his love. It stirred something forgotten in his heart. Wait did he even have a heart anymore?
" Don't worry dobe. I'll make sure that no more harm comes to you." A blush crept up on his pale face. Damn, is it hot in here or what? Mental note to self: FIX HEATER!
Official Report
Hokage-sama-
It is my regret to inform you that again another body was found. That of Yamanaka Ino who was found at 4 this morning. We had difficulties retrieving the body, there were unknown poisonous plants covering the whole area, a touch could have killed us. A sample of the plant has been taken to be tested. In your hands Hokage, rest what shall be known to the public. The parents are anxious about the whereabouts of their daughter.
-ANBU Captain.
Another death. Tsunade was growing impatient with the progress that was taking place. In her village that so many had died for, someone was shedding innocent blood. The autopsy showed Hemlock present in the body. A high amount. Oh, and traces of Sake, but that did not matter. Another note was wrapped around Ino's head protector.
Roses are white
Violets are blue
Death ain't so swift
For traitor like her.
Again a fresh cut across the leaf symbol. Made not too long ago. "This had got to stop."
"You know, when you personally make them a betrayer, it makes things so much sweeter." I said to no one in particular. Good bye Boar. It was nice to know you.
Yang-chan: Okay…mhm. You know, that unnamed person who corrected me on Ch. 2, I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but I don't know your name…pen name. Oh well just call me BAKA BLACK! (poses dramatically) No really, I was looking at my stuffed ferret at the time ( grabs ferret and tries to kill it) STUPID FERRET! YOU TRICKED ME!
Ferret: That I did and I got stuffing for brains! Besides, it's your fault for believing me. You even had a conversation about Itachi last week with your friends.
Yang-chan: I'll kill you later, but for now…stay in your cage.
Ferret: I'm not really alive…I can't go anywhere.
Yang-chan: How are you talking to me then?
Ferret: I slipped something into your tea and coffee this morning.
Yang-chan: (evil glare) Fine! Question! Who do you think is the stalker? IF you guess right…then your right. If your wrong then…your wrong. I might be able to give the winner who gives me the right answer with the right motive, why they want to kill the betrayers, and all that lovely bloody stuff a role in my story! Except…
Ferret: Except?
Yang-chan: I need to make one up! So send in your guess! Review, Ciao (wink) Now ferret about YOUR tea…