Away.

It was a...remarkably pretty day outside. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, no clouds, no missions……………..or so she thought.

Ino got out of bed and with a look outside, she just knew something would go wrong.

One of the downs of being a Yamanaka she mused.

Ino got out of bed, bathed, ate, and put on some clothes. Very different from the ones she had used when she was young. Ino wore a completely plain kaki colored tank top, a pair of black tights, with loose grey shorts on top. Her long blond hair was tied in a loose braid, and covered one of her eyes. Her hitai ate was around her neck.

Ino opened the door, and with a…………..slightly cynical smile and a jump, she was running towards training grounds 9.

When she got there, Ino saw she was not alone. A certain Hyuuga heiress was currently obliterating a tree. Ino smile widened.

"Hinata!" she called out.

Hinata stopped in her training and turned around. The perma blush (as Ino had come to call it) in place.

"Ino-cha chan"

"Mind if I join you?" Called out the Yamanaka.

"No not at a all"

Ino skipped happily to were Hinata was and sat down. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes. It was the standard meditating pose. Yamanaka's had to meditate at least 2 hours every day, so as to not loose themselves.

But today Ino didn't feel like meditating.

She opened her eyes and looked at the sky. Hinata had resumed hitting the tree.

"Nice day ne?" said Ino

"Ha hai"

they were quiet for sometime, enjoying each others company. Of course, Hyuuga Neji had to ruin that.

"Hinata sama"

Hinata eeped, and turned to face the older Hyuuga.

"Ne Neji neesan"

Neji stared at Hinata for some time. Then he closed his eyes and talked.

"The elders have decided to do a deciding fight between you and Hanabi sama. They request you go immediately."

Ino saw how Hinata visibly paled. And making a quick desision, she stood up and grabbed Hinata's arm. She then turned to Neji and said with complete conviction,

"The elders can wait"

And she marched off with Hinata feebly protesting, and Neji slightly frowning.

It was a full ten minutes later when the three of them (Ino, Hinata and Neji) got to their destination, Ino's home. Neji's frown had deepened, and Hinata was at the boder of hyperventilating.

With a strict order to the female Hyuuga (don't move!) Ino turned around and surveyed Neji. She looked at him through narrowed eyes suspiciously.

"You!" she said, "are you with the Hyuuga's or with Hinata?"

Neji showed no outward emotion when he answered.

"Hinata sama is a Hyuu-"

"Don't fuck with me! I know that the so called elders want to get rid of Hinata, so tell me!"

Neji was quiet for a moment

"With Hinata sama"

Ino looked at him again. He seemed sincere…………..

"Fine"

She marched inside, not caring if the older nin followed her. She looked at Hinata. She had grown out her hair, but that was the only change outwardly noticed. But underneath the big jacket, Ino knew that Hinata had some fine curves, and Ino knew just the way to build the female Hyuuga's confidence. She ushered Hinata into her room. Then, she started disarming her closet, looking for something.

Ino gave out a triunfant 'Aha!' one she found it, then, looked for a permanent marker, and wrote something on the garment. Then, She turned towards Hinata.

With quick movements she made Hinata take off her jacket and thrust the pice of clouthing she had found to Hinata.

"Put it on."comanded Ino

The shirt was a plain orange color, with a V neck and short sleves. With the marker, Ino had written a frase ont the front of the shirt, wich read, 'I'mhot and I know it!'

"Bu Bu But t"

Stuttered Hinata, But Ino was hard to move, and in a couple of minutes, Hinata was wearing the shirt. Her face as red as a tomato, but she was wearing it. Ino made Hinata look at afullbody mirror.Hinata's hands instinctually presed together, but Ino held them apart.

"look at the mirror Hinata"

Hinata did, hesitantly, and while she gazed at her reflection, Ino took her hair, and with a evtra ruber band that she allways had, Tied hinatas hair into a high ponny tail (think of Motoko from Love Hina)

Then, Ino wraped her arms around Hinata and burried her face into her back. Hinata stiffened.

"Hinata, I made you wear these things, but right know, I'm going to leave the room. Your jacket is there on my bed, so is your shirt. The marker is on the desk. If you want to, you can take of the shirt and rubberband and put on your stuff again. But if you want, stay with them, their a gift from me to you. What I did, are ust guidelines, as to how you could gain some confidence, but it's your choise."

Ino steped back, and smiled at Hinata. Then she left the room.

For a long while,Hinata just stood there, infront of the mirror, gazing steadily into her eyes.

okay...thats the second chapter of 'Away'. just incase, the whole sumarry for this fic is this:

Yamanaka Ino encouraged haruno sakura to bloom, nara shikamaru to become a jonnin, and know hyuuga hinata to become the main house head of the hyuuga...mabe this time she will be rewarded with something more than just a cold shoulder...And Neji discovers that like the sharingan, the byakugan has a second stage...But it dosen't involvekilling...

And, thanks for the reviews anyway...