Pairings: GaaIno

Warnings: Extreme sap and poking fun at really bad shoujo manga.

Author's Notes: Hahahaa...behold the power of Shoujo manga! and kindness!

...(shakes head)

Enjoy!

Chapter Two: Shoujo

I wake up and roll to my side. It's another day. Before I can climb calmly out of bed a giant flash of light hits my groggy eyes. It stings and burns and I moan. It's another beautiful day in Konoha, damn it. I know there's only one person that would open my curtains so cruelly like that and I hear her familiar voice now.

"Ino-kun! Get up! Get up! What are you doing still asleep?" she yells at me.

"Ma! This is the time I'm supposed to get up!" I yell back at the old hag. Honestly, I'm 17. I've been getting up all by myself for the past 10 years. I guess she forgets sometimes that I don't need her to blind me and yell at me in order for me to get up. I resist the urge to voice my agony to her. She wouldn't listen anyway. She's just as stubborn as I am.

And she still thinks I'm a baby.

Instead of starting a fight with my mom, I wobble downstairs. It's seems that she's less likely to yell at me if I stay quiet and do what I'm supposed to. It's become almost like a habit to wobble downstairs like this and make breakfast for my dad. My mom wakes up earlier than the both of us and leaves for work before I get up, unless she decides to wake me up like she did today. After breakfast, I wash all the dishes and wipe down the counter.

I sigh.

"Ino-chan! I can't stand it when you are so sad like this!" my dad wails emotionally. I turn with an honest smile. I'm glad he cares, but it really doesn't matter how I'm feeling. I can't change anything. I can't change how other people feel about me.

"It's ok, Dad! I promise!" I smile, but a nagging feeling in the back of my head keeps me from believing my own words.

"I'm gonna get dressed so I can get some training done, ok?" I say, pounding my hand into my fist with fierce determination. You will become stronger, Ino! Yes! Even if nobody notices, I will be stronger! Then just maybe you can teach that beast, Temari, a lesson and show Sasuke how wrong he was to choose Sakura.

I run up stairs and get dressed quickly. I'm out of the door before my dad can say anything at all. I'm feeling a remarkable energy today. I want to run until I'm so exhausted I can't think.

Ten miles around Konoha later, I'm panting a little but feeling good. My speed is improving. Sakura might have the Hokage to watch over her training, but I have unbreakable spirit. I've always trained like this. Sakura never understood that respect and strength is gained with hard work and confidence. I had to teach her that by being her friend - and then by being her rival. I talked big when we were kids, but I really did have something to back it up.

I wipe some sweat off my brow and head for one of the many training areas. I kick and punch at the logs until my fists are splintered and my legs feel like jelly. In between my pants, I hear a tiny rustling sound. I quickly jump into a fighting stance.

"Who's there?" I call. A bush wiggles to reveal a small girl in a big coat. Oh. It's just Hinata. From the looks of her hands I can tell she's been training here too.

"H-Hi, I-Ino. Are y-you training here too?" She stutters. Stupid girl with her stupid questions.

"No. I was walking my dog," I reply bitterly. I wish she would just go away. I have inanimate objects to beat up.

"Oh!" she jumps nervously, "I-I'm sorry, I-Ino. I should have k-known you were t-training."

She blushes and fiddles with her fingers nervously. Jeez, some things never change. I know she trains hard too and I've grained some respect for her, but still, I can't stand her stuttering. She always seems so much braver whenever she's around a certain blonde-haired loudmouth. Stupid power of love. I spit and ram my fist hard into the wood. My breath shakes as the pieces of wood fly out.

"Oh! I-Ino-chan! ...are you o-ok?" she asks with a hurt look on her face. Why does she care? Why is she even here?

"Hey! You know, I'm kinda in the middle of very rigorous training, ok? Shouldn't you be out on a date with Naruto?" I snap at her.

"A-Actually, I-I kind of missed being around girls. N-Naruto is out on a mission, a-and I-I was hoping maybe I could...w-well...I g-guess you s-seem t-too busy. I'm s-sorry, I-Ino...n-nevermind..." She fumbles around her words. Oh. Whoops. I think she wants to hang out with me.

"Are you trying to say you wanna hang out with me? Like a girl's thing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"W-Well y-y-yes, b-but..." she starts, but I cut her off. how can she stand to be so sweet? It's annoying.

"Fine."

"R-Really? Oh! That's g-great, I-Ino!" she chirps at me. "Is there anywhere y-you w-want to go?"

"Well, I like to go to the hot springs after I train to wash up..."

"I l-love the hot springs!" she smiles happily and I can't help smiling back. My shoulders loosen up a bit too. I didn't know I was so tense.

She talks a lot more than she used to. She's talking more than I am right now. I mostly grunt and talk in monosyllables. I might not be exciting to be around right now, but I can't help it. It's Spring. The season of love. Sakura trees are blooming and the delicate petals fall on the water. I watch them sadly. As we soak in the hot water she talks about almost everything except Naruto. She almost avoids the subject. Is she trying to be considerate just for me?

"I-Ino-chan...you look so sad..." she says to me.

"Nah, I'm just tired...and it's Springtime..." I mumble under my breath. She nods and I have a feeling she knows more than she's letting on.

After the bath I feel much better. Being clean cheers me up. I get dressed in my fishnets, bandages, black skirt and purple blouse and dry my hair thoroughly. When I finish, I turn to Hinata.

"H-Hey, I-Ino...? W-Whenever I'm f-feeling d-down I have a place I like to g-go to...I'd like to s-show y-you," she says timidly. I shrug. Maybe she'll take me to a snowy white mountain complete with llamas where I can talk to a wise old man and make all of my problems disappear. That sounds good. That sounds magical.

We walk out of the baths and she takes my hand to lead me to glorious enlightenment. I sigh. Save a spot for me, geezer, I've got a lot weighing on my shoulders right now. She stops not very far from my shop and points timidly to a building. It's a book store. Way to go, Hinata, this istotally lame.

I turn to her to give her a look a annoyance, but something in her eyes stops me. She looks like an excited little kid. Her eyes are almost dancing. Hinata's eyes don't dance.

"Yay! Let's go inside!" she beams ecstatically.

Well, this should be interesting.

She rushes me to one of the back corners of the store. I don't really frequent the book store. The only time I've ever been to one for something other than school purposes was when Shikamaru dragged me to one as punishment for taking him on a shopping spree. Yeah, Shikamaru dragged me somewhere. He was really pissed off. I sighed as I remembered the good times. I would never tell him, but I loved his boring cloud-watching and lame book-reading. I wish he was here with me. I turn to Hinata.She reaches off one of the shelves and hands me a book.

You've got to be kidding me. It's one of those cheesy girl mangas.

"You don't really read these, do you?" I ask, looking at the manga distastefully. I look up at her and I'm surprised by the sudden change in her.

"Of course, Ino-chan!" she exclaims proudly. "Mangas are wonderful! The heroines are always so virtous and they always find a nice man to be with!"

I look at her in disbelief. She's scary.

"And look!" she continues, flipping the manga open. "The guys are so hot!"

I jump back. I stare at her with disbelieving eyes. She's clutching her hand into a fist dramatically and small tears are forming in the corners of her eyes. I can almost see the dreamy sparkles in her eyes. What the Hell is going on? Someone's taken over Hinata's body! She doesn't say things like that!

"U-Uh...H-Hinata..." Now I'm the one stuttering.

"O-Oh! I m-mean the b-boys are very h-handsome..." she blushes. Phew. I thought I'd lost her there for a second.

"I-Ino...I t-think you would l-like t-this one," she says, handing me a pink and purple covered manga. She's smiling at me again. I can't refuse, so I grab it and sit down on one of the couches with her.

I begin to read.

Blah, blah, blah...There's a girl. Damn it! Why do they have to draw her so cute? Oh, it seems that she's poor and living in the city on her own because her family abandoned her. How sad! I lean back into the chair to read more intently. She has a kind heart despite her troubles and always helps other people. She rescued a kitten for a little boy and gave her last penny to a poor old man even though she didn't have any to spare.

"Aww..." I say out loud. I feel a little touched.

Enter the handsome popular boy! Wow! Hinata wasn't kidding! He's totally tall, dark, and handsome and good at everything. I'm impressed. I'd tap that. He notices the poor girl and slowly falls in love with her. Good! She deserves him. There's another girl at her school that also notices her. She's an angry, bitter, but beautiful blond bully. She's jealous that the handsome boy is in love with the humble girl because she loves him too. Wait...this is sounding kind of familiar...She always says cruel things to the girl and teases her.

"Oh my God! I'm the villain!" I say to myself.

She doesn't know the girl is poor and working two jobs. The girl is sweet and gentle with the blond bully even though all she does is make fun of her. The sweet girl finds out that she has a grandmother across town that is very sick and she has to send money to her. She doesn't have enough money for rent and is going to be kicked out of her apartment! The handsome boy finds out about her problems and helps her out by doing nice things for her, but this only drives the blond crazy! Oh, no! One day, the ruffian follows the girl home to give her a piece of her mind, and she stumbles through her door. She sees the poverty! Just then, the landlord comes in to kick her out for good.

"Now she knows!" I gasp, putting my hand up to my mouth.

She confronts the sweet girl and finds out that she was poor all along. Her soul is shaken because the girl is still kind to her even after finding out her bad intentions. The blond has a remarkable change of heart and takes the girl to her house, yelling at the landlord for being so cruel and they quickly become the best of friends. After a while, the blond realizes she isn't good enough for the handsome boy and vows to help the sweet girl. Finally, the blond's new friend finds her love.

But the blonde is left alone.

Tears are forming into my eyes. Oh the agony! It's so true! Whoever said blondes have all the fun was insane! She keeps her tears private and continues to go to school and be kind to people despite her pain. The blond learned her lesson from the sweet girl. She puts away her stubborn fighting attitude and promises to live for other people, even if she never finds happiness with another person.

I'm bawling. I'm going to be alone forever!

But, wait...the sweet girl returns. She would never abandon her friend. She takes her out and gives her friendly company. She always smiles and the blond smiles back. A handsome youngthug notices the change in the once angry blond bully. Heis dazzled by her personality. He vows his love to her and she loves him back! He quits the path of crime and delinquency to be with the blond. Everyone is happy in the end because of the kindness of the two girls!

I put the book down.

That's how you win a man's heart? I never would have guessed. I thought you won them by beating them into submission...and by seduction, of course. Little did I know!

"Oh! Hinata! That was beautiful!" I turn my sobbing eyes to meet hers. She's sobbing too.

"D-Didn't I-I t-tell y-you, I-Ino?" she struggles to talk in between sobs.

"But I'm not like them! I'm cruel and evil and nobody loves me!" I cry loudly. A few customers turn to look at me oddly.

"N-No, I-Ino! D-Don't say t-that! Y-You are s-so strong! You're g-good at heart too! I a-always wanted to b-be someone l-like you!"

"N-No, Hinata! You are perfect the way you are!" I cry as I hug her warmly.

"Hinata!"

"I-Ino!"

We are sobbing into each others arms and drawing attention from everyone else in the store. The manager comes by to see what's going on, but as soon as he catches a glimpse of us crying females and the huge cloud of estrogen and emotions floating in the air he turns right back around.

"T-Thank you, Hinata," I smile at her through my tears. She smiles back. I feel so happy! I understand everything now! I buy a bunch of mangas she recommends and I head home with a new light in my eyes. Screw you, old geezers on mountain tops! The answer was right in front of me all along!

I run into the house with my face still wet with tears. The door slams shut and my dad stares at me in shock.

"Ino! Ino-chan! Why are you crying? What's the matter?" he panics.

"Nothing's the matter! I have found the secret of love!" I beam ecstatically. I pose with my bag and head up stairs.

"Y-You f-found the secret of love?" he asks.

"Yes!"

"I-Ino-chan, you need a boyfriend," I barely hear him say as I shut the door to my room. Ha! He doesn't know!

I vow to become a kinder person and live for others! Even if no one loves me, I can live with the satisfaction of knowing that I am on the right track!

I grin to myself. Starting tomorrow, I will be changed.

(SOBS) Ino is my hero!

Well, Gaara wasn't in this chapter, but I promise he will be back in the next one:)