AN: Is it really the year 2020 and I am posting something? Something new and funky fresh? Why yes, yes I am. I am mixing a lot of things that have happened after the War, Sakura Hiden, and Naruto the Last Movie. I still have not watched the Last but I do most of the things that have happened. I'm just taking small unimportant things from the movie. Anyways, I'm rambling. I just want to say, there will be a lot of things happening. Will it make sense? No, probably not nut you're all here for another weird pairing right? Right.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Rating: M for Language, Sexual Themes, and Violence.

Legend: Italics for Telepathic Communication.

Chapter 001

The years have come and gone, since that time in their lives. That time when the days and nights seemed like they lasted for ages, if not eternity. In reality, it had only been merely a week, a blink of an eye in time in space. However, for them, it had lasted far longer than it should have, for it still lived in their minds. Haunted them in their sleep. It was a point in time that could never be erased. They had lost too much. They had suffered too much. It was something that they had to learn to live with. It was something that they had to learn to ignore, should those memories flood forward into their minds. To endure and survive, that was the Shinobi way. That was what she had learned at a young age though it was never something she fully understood, until she was far older.

It was difficult, in a sense, to believe how much time had passed. Some days, it felt like they had finally found the peace that they had so desperately fought for. As if waking up from a dream and all was right within their world. Other days, it felt like it had all happened such a long time ago. Ghosts of injuries and scars ached in a dull pain, distracting her briefly, making her think that she had aged too fast and far too soon. She often found herself, waking up at night, panting and searching for something, anything. She knew that the past would always haunt her, she knew that eventually she would have to let go of it but she wasn't as strong as she liked to believe at the time. She was still weak, still growing into knowing herself. Or so, that was how she described herself, but others would state differently.

Leaning back in her seat, her pen tapped on the file of her recent case. It hadn't been too long after the Fourth War, that she and Sakura had opened up a small clinic to help with the trauma that the War had caused. There were many children, struggling to cope with a life without a mother or father and sometimes, there would be a child that had lost both parents. Aside from the children, there was the older generation, trying to figure out how to deal with the loss of a child, a spouse and so on. It wasn't just dealing with the loss and despair of losing a loved one, that they focused on. As she specialized with the mind, she tried to help ease the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that affected many Shinobi, including herself.

Yamanaka Ino was not so ashamed to say that the War had affected her, it had created a great loss in her life. Yamanaka Inoichi had been a beacon of light in her life, despite her idolization of Sarutobi Asuma. Her father had shown her how to blossom into the woman that she could proudly call herself today. He had taken the time, to guide her when she struggled and to stand behind her as she fought. He had given her a hobby, involving the language of flowers and their different meanings. He had expanded her arsenal of attack, as well as, led her into the proper direction of creating her own Techniques, to further aid the Yamanaka Clan. He had been her rock, her voice of reason and her sole parental figure. He had been her everything and he had been taken away from her, in the blink of an eye. Some days, she would wake up with tears in her eyes, dreaming that he was still with her. Some days, she would wake full of rage and despair, unable to exact her revenge upon those who had taken him from her. Some days, she would act as if nothing was wrong, that she had managed to overcome her grief, even though it was nestled away deep within her subconsciousness.

It was unfortunate. It was unfortunate that she was unable to perform her own Techniques upon herself, in order to help heal the wounds that were buried deep within her heart. She almost thought it humorous, that she knew all about the workings of the mind and how to mend it, but she was unable to fix her own. Perhaps, the proper word for it was ironic. She knew that it was only a matter of will and determination, that she would be able to overcome her own faults and griefs. She knew that, eventually, she would be strong enough to allow the pain to fade away. After all, time heals all wounds, didn't they?

How long has it been now? Her eyes looked up to the ceiling, as she thought of those days of chaos and calamity. It would be at least six years now, almost marking the end to this day. She knew from the activity and energy that floated around the Village, that their celebration of Peace would be soon. She felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips, as she thought about what kind of energy the celebration would bring. Ino knew that this celebration meant a lot to everyone around the World. This was a firm reminder that they were alive and well, that those days were not a dream. They had survived. They were still recovering from the wreckage and turmoil but they had survived. That was enough, wasn't it?

Still there were some things that she couldn't explain. Things that caused her to regret not speaking up in the past. It was a brief encounter but it had stuck with her, even after the last couple of years. Chewing on her lower lip, she thought of that moment. The way his eyes landed on her face, studying it briefly before it seemed that he was gazing at her in a familiar manner. It was strange, because this had been the first time she had encountered him, for he had long passed before her time. Perhaps, she was not supposed to have noticed the way he glanced at her in mild surprise. Perhaps, she was not supposed to notice the slight clenching of his jaw and how tense his body had become before her. When his brother spoke to her via her Telepathic Link, perhaps she wasn't supposed to notice how familiar her name sounded coming from him. It was indeed strange but even she was unable to understand why it was so strange.

Of course, she was not the only one to notice. Shikamaru had made a comment once about it, after all was said and done. Ino, of course, shrugged it off and made a comment that all men would be stumped by her beauty. It was a childish remark but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She wouldn't want to admit that those eyes had unnerved her briefly, distracting her from the cause that they were fighting for. She would not allow herself to believe that she was uncertain about him, even though he was an ally. It simply never made sense, why he looked so pained to see her, as if she were some sort of ghost. Perhaps, in his lifetime, she reminded him of something or someone. Perhaps he was pained to see that the future he had been working towards, alongside his brother, was still full of violence and chaos. She would never know for he had returned to the Afterlife, where he had come from. She wasn't sure why she still thought of it, perhaps it was her curious nature that brought up the memory from time to time.

She would never forget those eyes.

A small knock at her door, caused Ino to snap out of her thoughts. She cleared her throat briefly, before she spoke to allow the person in. A small smile touched her face, as the weary face of Sakura entered through the opening.

"Hey Ino, we'll be closing up soon, are you ready to go?" Sakura asked, fighting back the yawn in her voice.

"Go ahead and go home, Sakura. I still have a few errands to run after we close up," Ino stated, shuffling around the papers on her desk.

"Don't work too hard, Ino." Sakura chided gently.

A small snort left Ino as she rolled her eyes. "Like you're one to talk, Forehead."

There was a faint laugh that left Sakura, as she shook her head. "Later, Pig."

Ino allowed a fond smile to touch her lips as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes glancing down at the collected files on her desk. She knew that Sakura was genuinely worried over her but this was nothing that she couldn't handle. While helping to run the Clinic, Ino also had managed to devote the rest of her time to the Torture & Interrogation Department of Konoha. For the last six four years, she had fought nail and tooth to become the very best in the Department, much to the dismay of many. After two years of rigorous training and studying, she had taken over the position of Head of the Department. It was thanks to the guidance of Morino Ibiki and Mitarashi Anko, that she had grasped the bull by the horns and finally claimed her prize. However, this task hadn't been as easy as she had hoped it to be, seeing how there were many that still didn't believe that a woman could handle all the responsibilities that came with this position. At the age of nineteen, she had proudly stood at the end of the Conference Table, finally named the Head of the Department, her predecessors standing behind her as she gazed at the men and women who were now beneath her. She knew it would take a long time for those old geezers to finally recognize her prowess, she was a Yamanaka after all, they needed her. Sure, Ibiki had his own abilities to toy with the mind, however this was something that she was born to do. This was something that no one could deny her.

This past year, would mark her fourth year in command of the Department. At the age of twenty-three, she knew that no one would continue to oppose the idea of her being in charge. She still had trouble persuading those who were still ruffled at meetings, but her word was law in that place and she ruled with an iron fist. She did not undergo all that she had with Ibiki and Anko, in order to have insubordination. She was not just a pretty face among the crowd, which they had soon found out, she was as ruthless as Ibiki and as tenacious as Anko, if not more. Ino was the epitome of all that her Teachers' wished her to be and she would prove to be more in due time. She was a heavily relied on asset to the Village and the Shinobi World at this point. Ino understood her worth.

Clearing up her desk and making sure everything was in its proper place, she headed out of her Office and locked up the Clinic. She felt a jolt run down her spine as something, or rather someone, wished access to speak with her. The corners of her lips tilted upwards in a small smile, as she realized that she was possibly late for an appointment. She allowed the other person to have access to her Telepathic Link, listening at the mildly concerned voice filling her mind.

Relax, Kakashi. She responded as she turned to head towards the Hokage Tower. I was catching up with some paperwork. I do have other obligations to attend to.

I apologize for my overbearing concerns. His voice drooled in a dry manner, causing her to chuckle slightly. It has been more than an hour, since you said that you would arrive. You can see why I grew rather.. anxious.

Yes, yes, I do apologize for that. I'll be there in less than ten minutes. He responded with a slight hum of acknowledgement before the Link grew quiet. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head as she picked up her pace slightly, knowing it would ease her friend's mind if she were earlier than what she had stated.

Entering the Hokage Tower, she immediately ambled up the long staircase, knowing that there was a rather impatient person waiting for her. She nodded and smiled at those who were within the building, she was not an unfamiliar face in the building. Without knocking, she entered his Office, a sly smile on her lips. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she teased with a slight smile.

Dark eyes glanced over at her before he let out a sigh beneath his mask. "You always do," he responded in a dry manner.

A mock pout came to her lips as she walked over to his desk, leaning her hip against it. "Aw, did I hurt your feelings? I'll make it up to you, I promise." She gave a small wink which only invoked a roll of the eyes from him. She chuckled, shaking her head slightly, knowing that he easily grew tired of her teasing ways. She moved behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders. "How are you feeling today?"

"I feel normal, as usual," Kakashi stated, tensing slightly at the hands upon his shoulders before he allowed himself to relax.

"And your mind would say otherwise, now wouldn't it?" Ino replied, her hands sliding up the curve of his neck and cradling the occipital bone and the frontal bone of his skull. The Mystic Palm encased her hands in a gentle emerald glow. "This procedure could have detrimental effects on your mind, Kakashi."

"So you have stated many times, Ino." He murmured, not wanting to acknowledge the risk or the fact that the healing properties of her Chakra were very soothing to his mind. "You know I understand the risks."

"Do you really?" Ino questioned in a low tone, concern laced within her voice.

It was a delicate procedure. One wrong move and surely, she could destroy the fragility that was the mind. If she hesitated too long or acted too quickly, the damage that would be irreparable. Despite the risks that were involved, she was more than pleased to know that she had garnered such trust from Kakashi. How contradictory of her. Perhaps it was merely because she was the only one that was capable of doing such a task or maybe it was because she truly had excelled in this area, where her father could not. Either way, she was more than willing to help out. She too, had this curiosity deep within her, the burning passion to push herself beyond her own limitations. She supposed, this was how it all started for the two of them. Their shared need to gain more knowledge, to understand how things worked.

It had started not too long after the War had ended, when Kakashi made this proposal. Of course, she was still grieving from her own personal losses but she found that this was a good way to distract herself. The idea was, to be able to replicate certain Techniques, without the use of his Sharingan anymore. More specifically, the ability of transferring one person in another temporal dimension, as Uchiha Obito had done during the War. Ino had been slightly hesitant with accepting to aid Kakashi though this. Without the Sharingan, it would probably be more than impossible to be able to achieve such a feat without the use of a Kekkei Genkai. However, Kakashi was ever so persuasive and enthusiastic about the idea, that she too found herself wondering if it was possible.

It was marking close to the end of year two of their little experiment. Perhaps, she was still too unsure of how this would work. She always stopped when she felt his mind falter within her grasp. She always stopped when she felt as if he were placing too much of a strain. Ino would not lie, she had grown very fond of the current Hokage. He was a strange friend to have but a friend to her nonetheless. Kakashi was a very cautious person, ever since she had begun to know him, Ino realized this much. Setting up a Telepathic Link with him was necessary for he was the ever cautious fellow. Throughout the couple of years that they had become accustomed with one another, she would constantly hear him in her mind, asking if the Village was secure. If she could detect any enemy movement towards the Village. Of course, the War had resulted in allied nations but even Ino was not too naive to believe that their peace would last an eternity.

Humans were not perfect.

"Are we ready to start?" Kakashi questioned after a while and Ino found herself smiling slightly.

Running through a small series of hand seals, she placed her hands back in their proper place against his skull. "Of course, we will be striving for better results today." Ino stated, knowing that those words were what Kakashi wanted to hear.

"Yes, Doctor Yamanaka," Kakashi quipped in a teasing manner and she rolled her eyes.

There was a moment of brief silence between them before Ino took a deep breath, allowing herself to activate her Technique and she closed her eyes. She could feel Kakashi begin to concentrate on the outcome of the Technique, the ideal outcome. It felt as if her fingers dipped past flesh and bone, travelling straight to his brain. This Technique was something that was fairly new, one that she had come up with nearly a year ago. It was mainly for therapeutic means that she would use this Technique, to ease the ailed minds of her patients. It was a way for her to find the problem that they faced and to help ease the pain away. It was a way to help patients move past roadblocks that troubled them. However, in this current situation, she was doing something similar yet different. She was searching for the proper place to inject a jolt of Chakra into his primary visual cortex. The risk was if she injected Chakra too soon or too much, she could damage his vision and the surrounding areas around his brain. If she injected too little or too late, then they would have no results.

Not only was she juggling Kakashi's ability to see but she also had to monitor how hard his mind was working. Should his brain go into overdrive before she was able to inject the Chakra, then she would have to cease the experiment. Should it go into overdrive and she injects the Chakra, she would once again damage him and she was positive that she would be unable to fix it. It took great skill and concentration in order to make sure that things would not go awry. Ino was confident in herself and the dealings with the mind but she was not nearly as confident as Kakashi was. She felt him shudder beneath her hands, perspiration beginning to pool beneath her hands.

Pressing her lips together, she knew that he would be upset if she were to stop now, but she was also concerned about how much his mind could handle. "Alright, I will begin to administer small amounts of Chakra. This should cause a chain reaction, should we have accessed the proper place within your mind, Kakashi." She stated slowly. "Be sure to keep the Technique you wish to achieve in your mind."

He gave her a hum of acknowledgement, his brows furrowing slightly. Ino took in a deep breath, allowing a concentrated amount of Chakra to touch his primary visual cortex. She could feel his body flinch slightly, as if it had been shocked with electricity. A frown touched her lips, perhaps she was a bit too soon.

"Try again, I feel like I'm almost there," Kakashi stated in a strained voice. She followed his orders, knowing that she would probably have to stop soon or else his mind would go into a frenzy.

"You're being too cautious, Ino." Kakashi chided, a frown touching his lips. "Use more Chakra, we'll never get anywhere at this rate."

"Says the man who could have his mind fried," Ino seethed out in annoyance. "I'll only do a high amount once, there's no point of debilitating you."

"Just do it."

Rolling her eyes, she took in a deep breath, feeling herself tremble slightly. This was perhaps, the furthest they had ever come and she knew that she was the reason why he wasn't progressing. Exhaling heavily, she concentrated a larger amount of Chakra into her fingertips. She mentally counted down to when she would release the amount, studying the way his mind was running and how his brain would react. If she could time it perfectly, then maybe, just maybe they would be able to gain more grounds in this experiment.

"Alright, here it comes." She stated, hearing her voice waver slightly. "In three, two, on-"

As she felt her control slip, the door slammed open and a loud voice rang into the Office. She accidentally administered the Chakra to Kakashi's brain, feeling his body jerk violently beneath her hands, before her eyes flew open to see the face of a surprised Naruto. She let out a yelp of surprise as pain began to travel up from her arms and burn up through her neck and jolt her temples. Kakashi's mind was backfiring on her, due to the sudden intrusion. It was all happening so fast that she was unsure as to what she was to do. It wasn't until it felt like something was pulling her backwards did she realize the current situation. It was like a magnetic pull, causing her to stumble backwards, her hands releasing from their hold on Kakashi's face. Next, was the sound of air whipping around her that was deafening, a sudden gust caused her to tumble even further away before a thick blanket of darkness surrounded her.

Blinking furiously as the wind whipped around her, she realized that the Hokage's Office was fading from her vision. She reached out her hand, hoping to latch onto something but there was nothing within this dark abyss. The last thing that she could recall were people screaming for her name before those too, faded into this vacuum like abyss. The last thing that she could recall thinking was that they had succeeded unlocking the Technique but...it was used on the wrong person. Her eyes glanced up at the bright light that seemed to stare down at her as she continued to fall into the void. She wasn't sure how to feel as she continued to stare at the light, before it was quickly shut and all hope of her coming back from this Technique was lost. What she felt now, was a hollowness that ached within her chest.

Despair.

AN: Welp, I'm going to end this chapter here. I'm pretty sure you all will find it boring but as usual, we gotta set the stage and tone for this crazy story. I've been sitting on this story for roughly...4 or 5 years now? I figured, well, it is time to do something with it. I hope you all enjoy it. I'll try to be upload frequently but life happens. Let me know how you feel. Until next time! -tinyraver