N.O.-S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y- Hey everyone. I had decided to first update the first chapter. I didn't just want to leave the prologue. So anyways, I will update if I get 4 or more reviews for this chapter. Hope you like and thank you for taking the time out to read. Please no flames, thank you!

I do not own Naruto or its characters or anything that has to do with well…Naruto!

Chapter 1: They Don't See…

Soft blue eyes stared at the limitless fortress above, the sky. It was a nice shade of blue, a few shades lighter than her eyes. It only had few clouds which were rich with brightness. The sun casted a heavenly glow to the village of Konoha.

15-year old Ino Yamanaka sat upon a grassy, hill, still wearing the yellow apron from working in her family's flower shop. Her wrist bands were still pulled up on her arms acting as armlets. Her long, pale blonde hair tied up into a bun with the occasional long loose strand of hair that framed her face nicely. Yes, the flower shop had closed. It was Sunday, so the flower shop had closed at 6 PM. It was a little after six now, and instead of returning home, Ino watched the sunset. Ino loved to watch the sunset; it made her feel more comfortable, and gave her something to look forward to. It also gave her time to think. To just think about her life and her feelings; just time to let her get in touch with her emotions.

Tears gathered near the corners of her eyes. She needn't bother to force them within herself. She let them fall, cascading down her gentle face. She was alone, it was safe to cry. She sighed, no; today wasn't a good day to her. In fact, it's never a good day with her. It seemed like everyone was against her. People judge her so much. At times, she felt like killing herself. A group of girls had called her a whore who throws herself at random guys. They said she was a blonde, and proved the stereotype. Guys had automatically assumed she was a whore, a slut, a pathetic young woman.

But who was to blame but herself? She was the one who continuously flirted with Sasuke, or as people say, throw herself at him. She was the one who started this mess, she thought. She blamed herself entirely. In fact, she regretted ever flirting with him as she had done. But at times she had to wonder, why? Why did people choose to call her a whore when every other girl would actually chase him? Why would people choose to call her a whore when other girls go googly-eyed for him? Why her out of all people? But she had given up trying to understand the way people act. She got up, and started to walk home, her father would be angry if she is very late. If her father is angry….well…she shouldn't take him lightly.

She began to take the usually route home. She hoped that she wouldn't have to face another group of girls and boys calling her names. Her blue eyes planted on her feet, it was as if she practically memorized the way she had to walk. She then heard voices, her curious blue eyes glancing in front of her. There, walking together, were Sasuke Uchiha, the raven-haired avenger, Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage with a very strong will, and Sakura Haruno, her ex-friend. They were conversing among themselves. Her eyes widened. She had to put up her act. Her teammates Chouji and Shikamaru are saying that she looks a bit depressed and that her fighting in training has slacked; they were getting suspicious about her. She didn't want anyone to know she was secretly depressed, so she just smiled and shook it off, saying it was nothing. They might have discussed her actions to other people, so she had to put up her act to make sure no one got suspicious.

'I have to put up my usual act! Come on Ino, stop being sad right now and just do this!' She had thought.

She then conjured up her usual I'm perfect smirk, and she then twirled the loose strand of blonde hair between her fingers.

"Hey Sasuke-Kun," Ino said, smiling.

"Hn…" Sasuke groaned and narrowed his eyes.

The usual routine.

"Hey Forehead Girl, you better not be making any moves on MY Sasuke-kun, or you're toast!"

Sakura glared, her sea foam green eyes staring at her. "Your Sasuke-Kun! Get real Ino-Pig!"

Ino glared and 'hmph'd before walking off, hearing Sasuke's agitated groan and Naruto's mumbling words of jealousy.

As soon as she made sure that she was safe, her face softened, and a flood of tears cascaded down her face. Sobs racked her body as she ran home. Her hiccupping, she tried to withhold, but a few hiccups managed to escape her lips. She finally made it to her home and she breathed heavily, wiping her eyes before going inside her abode.

She entered the house and slipped off her shoes before going into the living room. Her father was reading a book. He took off his glasses and stared at her.

"Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry father; we had a last-minute customer."

His face softened. "Please don't let it happen again. You worried me sick."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Dinner is in the kitchen, help yourself. You might have to heat it up."

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry. I think I'll take a bath, and then go to bed."

Her father looked at her. "If it is what you desire, so be it."

Ino walked up the stairs and quickly went into the bathroom. She walked inside and prepared the bath. She then stripped and got inside. She settled in, and stared at the pinkish bubbles.

'I'm such a coward…I ran away…I ran…how long I have to run…?' Tears gathered once again. 'I hate this…I hate this…'

Sobs once again racked her body and she buried her face with her hands...

The next early morning Ino met her teammates Chouji and Shikamaru at their usual training spot. They had begun training, working on their aim at stationary objects. Ino threw her kunai at the stationary object, not quite at the red circle where they aimed to throw it, but close.

A couple of kunoichi had passed by them.

"Look its Ino Yamanaka, that blonde dumbo." One of them mumbled, but loud enough for Ino to hear.

"Yeah. I'm actually surprised that she's not looking for Sasuke. I thought he was her world." One of them mumbled back.

Ino's blue eyes narrowed, and she roughly retrieved her kunai from the stationary object, and began throwing the kunai angrily.

Shikamaru watched, his eyes widened as every single kunai pierced the stationary object exactly in the red circle in the middle. He watched as Ino breathed heavily.

"Damn…" He said as he watched her retrieve the weapons.

Chouji, standing and eating a bag of potato chips, nodded. "Looks like she's one tough cookie today." He said while still eating.

Shikamaru continued to watch as Ino continuously threw her weapons at the object perfectly.

"Whoa...you okay?"

"I'm fine." Ino snapped.

After a few hours of training, Shikamaru and Chouji started walking.

"Hey Ino, we're done for the day. Aren't you tired?"

"No."

"So troublesome…give it a rest, you'll pass out."

"I'm fine." Ino said, looking at them, breathing heavily.

"Well okay then. See ya tomorrow."

Shikamaru glanced at Chouji. "Something's up. I haven't seen her this angry."

Chouji nodded. "Me either, she's been acting so strange."

Shikamaru thought, and then shrugged. "I don't know, maybe it's THAT time of the month or suttin."

Chouji started to chuckle, as they walked away, but secretly Shikamaru's eyes narrowed.

'What's going on with you…Ino…?' He thought.

Later….

It was a bit after 12 pm.

Ino bent a bit out of exhaustion, her face flushed. She was sweating profusely, and it hurt to breathe, so she had to take small breaths.

'My shift at the Flower Shop isn't until 1…I have one hour left…I cannot…waste it. I have to prove myself…for everyone…' She thought.

She limply got up, and began to punch and kick rapidly at the piece of wooden board hanging from a tree branch. Not long after that, her punches and kicks slowed down until she couldn't stand. She fell on her knees, her hands gripping the grass.

'Stand up Ino…stand.' She commanded herself.

But no matter how much she tried, she had no strength to stand up. Tears fell down her face.

'Please…stand up…stand…'

And then, the world went black, total darkness surrounding her vision…

Sasuke Uchiha walked randomly. He had no specific destination, but he just decided to walk around. Team 7 had finished training a while ago, and he didn't feel like hanging around Sakura nor Naruto. His onyx eyes stared at the path ahead, and the gentle breeze blew his raven hair. He than glanced upon a tree-filled vacant full of grass. He had thought he saw something on the ground.

'Probably a dead rabbit or something…'Sasuke thought.

But then the form looked longer than a rabbit.

'Why should I care? I should be making a plan on how I will avenge my clan…'He thought.

Soon, curiosity overtook him and he began to walk over to it. As he got closer, he observed the pale blonde hair, the familiar outfit. It was Ino Yamanaka. He saw a kunai, clutched into her slender hand. He gazed upon her form, and he bent down. He looked at her face; she looked exhausted. He figured that she must have trained herself to death.

'Should I leave her here….?' Sasuke contemplated on what he should do.

He sighed, and then gathered her in his arms; he hauled her up and adjusted her so he held her bridal-style. Her arm hung limply, the kunai slipping out of her grip. Sasuke began to walk. She wasn't even the least bit heavy, she was light. He glanced at her face and saw heard her mumble, a tear escaping her closed eyes.

'A tear…? Is she…crying in her sleep…?' He pondered this before lifting a pale hand to her face, and gently wiping the lone tear. 'Never mind. It's not my place to know…'He concluded….

N.O.-S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y. - Hoped you liked! Please read and review and you will surely see more chapters! I will update once I get at least 4 reviews for this chapter or more. Thanks for reading!