The next chapter. Yeah . . .I hope this doesn't make the story drag. This is one of those scenes that might end up on the deleted scenes if this were a DVD animated feature or something.

I had a few objectives in mind though, the first being is that a study of Sakura absolutly can not be complete without including Ino.

I needed Sakura to revisit the conflict with her family, but I need to sow a progression of conflict, and I'm finding it difficult not to just jump to the solution.

Finally, I needed to develop my ideas on what light and dark chakra might be. Ino and my sexy little shower scene started to serve that purpose.

I hope you like!

"Hey kid! You gotta concentrate! You'll never master the dark chakra going all googly eyed like that all the time! What? Don't you start ma! Keep that thing steady! Listen I know he mastered the light chakra easily but you know he needs . . . ouch!"

- The elder frog "Pa," in a training video recording labeled "Uzumaki Kyuubi Chakra Control Training."

From the Personal Diary of Haruno Sakura 30 March 112th Year of the Leaf

I got home late this morning utterly exhausted. I had been meditating all night in the Nara-clan's dojo and I couldn't decide weather to eat first or just go to sleep. I really don't evenfeel like writing much either, but I still have a few things on my mind that I didn't feel like putting in my training journal.

Naruto. I miss him so much. As I meditated he kept popping into my mind in different visions. I thought it might be a distraction, but there were times I could swear he was right there with me. I experienced a deeper more profound mediation while focusing all of my thoughts on him just a moment ago, and I can't help but wonder if there is a connection I can use for my training somehow.

After a quick breakfast on some microwave breakfast rolls and toast I stripped out of my day-old clothes and stepped into the shower. I didn't even bother to wash my hair, and just let the warm water roll down my back with my head against the far wall. After staring at dancing leaves in my mind for a whole day, it felt like gazing at a beautiful morning sunrise somewhere high in the mountains just to picture his smile. I relished in the memory of his touch, and his childlike way of looking at me as he held me close that night. I clutched my arms across my breasts and hugged myself as I turned and let the water glide down the front of my body. If I could glow I felt like I would light up Konoha for the night if I could just hold this feeling.

But it was more than a feeling. My recent extended connection to my chakra had left me very aware of its nature, and as I thought of Naruto it swirled like fire within me. It felt light and free, almost like I could use it to fly.

Why hadn't thinking of Sasuke ever made me feel this way? I wondered. As soon as I thought of Sasuke, the chakra began to settle back to a flow that I was more familiar with within myself. As an experiment, I focused completely on Sasuke. I remembered his pearcing eyes. Not the blood red Sharingan, but his real eyes. Those dark and shimmering eyes were the ones that had captivated me back then. It was those eyes that I felt could always see right through me.

I remembered the way he confidently held himself. It was a confidence I so badly wanted to be a part of. I could almost still hear the amusement in his voice even as he called me annoying, or see the way he would brighten when I would cheer him in his rivalry with Naruto. The "thank you" as he left that day . . .

The last thought caused a cold feeling in my stomach. Sasuke is still out there somewhere. Konoha got an anonymous tip from "a friend of Sasuke's" that he was now with the masked Akatsuki member, training. It makes a little sense I suppose, since Kakashi-sensei says the mystery ninja definitely was a Sharingan user. I just still can't believe that Sasuke might go so far as to join Akatsuki.

These thoughts caused my chakra to feel heavy and slow. I was cold, but I felt like I could crush s diamond in my bare hands. I wonder if this is what Kurunai-sensei meant when she mentioned teaching me how to manipulate light and dark chakra.

I went back to thinking about Naruto the re

From the Personal Diary of Haruno Sakura 30 March 112th Year of the Leaf Continued

I awoke to a pounding on my door. It was a distant thudding that annoyed me in my sleep like an alarm clock after hitting snooze for the third or fourth time. I pulled a pillow over my head but it was no use. That pig Ino is just too good at making a ruckus.

When I opened the door I was actually surprised to see her standing there. I had no idea what time it was. I hadn't bothered to check, but the gloom outside and the rumbling in my stomach told me it must be dinner time, and around dusk. I had slept the better part of the day.

"What do you want Ino?" I grumbled grouchily. "I was awake all last night for training. We have these mission rest signs to put on our doors for a reason you know."

She waved me off as she pushed the door open the rest of the way and brushed past me into the room. She was carrying something in two plastic bags, and it smelled good.

"Yeah, Yeah, Sakura, whatever," my blond rival said with a sigh. "You know you need to get up now or you won't be back on a proper sleep cycle to train tomorrow."

"I-Ino!" I complained, making a grab for her arm and missing. The action made me have to adjust my night shirt to keep the loose fitting garment from sliding off my shoulder. "I'm not even dressed! What are you . . ."

I narrowed my eyes at her as she proceeded to make herself at home, tossing the bags on the counter of my small kitchen. She was fully dressed in her usual purple and black kunoichi gear. I wondered vaguely why she was here, especially if she had a mission soon or was just now returning from one. It as only then that I noticed the smell of dumplings and perhaps some kind of curry emanating from the direction of the bags. My stomach growled loudly enough for Ino to hear easily. She looked over her shoulder at me and smirked.

"Such a temper as always, Sakura. Well, if you don't want to share in this food I brought, I'm sure Choji would . . ."

I didn't let that stupid pig say another word.

"I didn't say that!" I snapped as I pushed myself past Ino and grabbed a spring roll with my hands while I got out some dishes to prepare a table."

I ate with reckless abandonment. I forgot to even say, "Itadakimasu" and I didn't even care that Ino kept comparing me to Choji and teasing me that maybe we would make a good couple. I've learned to ignore Ino fairly well over the years, but what she said next nearly made me choke on a dumpling.

"What would Naruto say if he saw you like this? He may dump you and then I would have to deal with all your emotional baggage again."

I had to hit myself on the chest to clear my airway, and as I coughed and wheezed Ino rolled her eyes and pushed my glass of water toward me. She grabbed a spear of barbequed pork and began to nibble on it with a bemused look on her face.

"How?" I coughed. "How did you know?"

"Oh - come - on – Sakura!" Ino said with a laugh. "You throw a going away party for him at the hospital and don't even show up yourself, but then I see you leaving the next morning? You're so easy to read. Besides, even someone like Sai could tell that you had it bad for that noisy troublemaker."

I stared at Ino for a long moment. "Sai said that?"

Ino nodded enthusiastically, then pursed her lips and put a finger to them, signaling me that she was trying to remember exactly how the conversation went.

"Well, his exact words were something like 'I think Sakura wants to have sexual intercourse with Naruto, but how will she do that when he doesn't have a penis?"

"Oh, he's got a penis all right," I scoffed. I had said it without even thinking.

I drank the water slowly, and tried unsuccessfully not to blush. Ino stared at me open mouthed for a moment before bursting out laughing. She rolled off her small cushion by the table and onto her back with laughter. I was blushing harder than ever now, and I tried to escape by getting up to clean off the table. Ino intercepted me, crawling forward on all fours and chuckling as she studied me.

"So . . tee hee . . so its true then? You really did . . ."

"It's none of your business." I said matter-of-factly.

Ino took a deep, noisy breath. The sound was both excited and curious at once.

"You did!" Ino exclaimed as she brought her clasped hands to the side of her cheek. "Ooooh! You have to tell me everything! How did it . . ."

"I said its none of your business," I repeated with a cold edge to my voice. I began loading the dishes into the dishwasher noisily to emphasize my serious mood. "The relationship

between Naruto and I must remain strictly professional. You understand, right, Ino?" I stopped what I was doing and looked her directly in the eye as I waited for a response.

Ino made a sour face, but relented.

"Fine, Fine." she said with a sigh. "If that's the way you want it." She studied me for a moment, twirling her long, blond ponytail absentmindedly with the finger of one hand. Her eyes had many questions in them, but they were serious ones beyond her sexual curiosity, so I returned to the dishes. I could feel her eyes on me though a she asked the one thing I dreaded talking about the most.

"You really do love him, don't you Sakura?"

I didn't want to answer her. The conversation was just making me miss him again.

"With all my heart," I said.

Ino sighed. It was a long and dreamy sounding one, and it almost made me laugh.

"I really am envious of you then."

I smiled. For Ino to admit that to me must have been like shaving her head.

"But all this reminds me," my platinum-haired rival said, as she immediately regained her composure. "I saw your mother today."

"Huh?" My blood ran cold at the mention of one of my parents. I still hadn't seen them since my birthday. Ino must have seen something in my expression, because she leaned over my kitchen counter with great interest.

"I knew it!" she declared. "Your mother is worried about you again. Every time this happens she comes into the shop to make small talk, but I can tell when I'm being interrogated."

I sighed deeply. "What did she want?" I moaned.

"Well, she bought some flowers that she said were for your dad, and then she wanted all the gossip on boys you and I had been interested in. Then she wondered if I knew anything about when . . ." Ino stopped. She put her hand to her mouth and I could tell she was holding her last inhalation.

"What?" I asked. "What is it?"

"She knows about you and Naruto, doesn't she?"

This surprised me enough that I couldn't help but ask, "She was asking about Naruto?"

Ino nodded. "Mmmm-hmmm. She wanted to know roughly where he went, how long he was going to be gone and all that. I didn't know myself and its all classified of course, so I couldn't tell her anything. Why would she want to know all that? What's she worried about?"

This conversation was already well past my comfort zone, but now it had crossed too far.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said as I brushed past Ino into my living room.

"Does your father know too?"

"Ino, did you hear what I just said?"

"Holy crap! He does!"

"Ino, please leave. I just want to be alone for a while."

My annoying blond friend placed herself in front of me as I searched for the TV remote.

"Sakura," she said with genuine concern. "Tell me what happened. You've never been able to hide your feelings when something was bothering you, you know? For once could you not be so stubborn and just talk to me?"

"Its nothing." I said. "Really, Ino. I just made the mistake of mentioning I had a boyfriend now. Naturally my mom wanted to know who. End of story."

Ino furrowed her brow at me. "No its not," she said.

She peered at me, as if trying to pull the truth right from my brain. I really wanted her to leave now, but that Ino really is pig-headed sometimes, and I knew short of tossing her out myself she wasn't going to leave. She gasped as if she had indeed figured out what it was I didn't want to deal with at the moment. Then she startled me by leaning down next to my stomach and poking me gently there.

"You're not pregnant are you?"

I felt my temperature rise. This had gone on long enough, and the implications that I might look fat enough to be pregnant made me snap.

"Do I look pregnant to you, Ino pig! It's been over four months since he left, I wouldn't be able to hide it any longer if I was! Now go home already! I have another long day tomorrow."

"I can't go yet." Ino said with a smirk.

"Yes you can. It's easy. Just walk through that door over there."

"But I haven't given you your birthday present yet."

I immediately felt sheepish. I had completely forgotten. I had been so busy that Ino wouldn't have even had a chance to see me in the two days since my birthday. So this was more than just her being nice by bringing me dinner after all. It was a belated birthday dinner. I smiled at her and sat down on the couch.

From her belt pouch she produced a small green box wrapped in blue ribbon. There was a small envelope of the same aqua blue color attached. It was the kind of gift women get excited about. The best stuff tends to come in small boxes. I think I might have actually squealed like a little girl again, not that I would admit it to anyone.

Ino watched as I opened the box eagerly. Inside was a pair of gold stud earrings. They were beautiful. A smiled at Ino as I began to try one on.

"Thank you very much Ino," I said. "They're very pretty."

Ino made an exasperated grunt and folded her arms in a signal of impatience.

"Read the card you dope!" she commanded at last. "Geez, what kind of person opens the presents without reading the card anyway?"

Ino had turned her face away from me in annoyance, but I could tell she was peeking at me as I read the card out loud for both of us.

Sakura,

Before Asuma-Sensei died he gave our team a special gift when our team all became Chunin. They were silver earrings similar to these. They were to symbolize that wherever we went, whoever we ended up teaming up with, we would always be together in spirit. I'm not very good with words, but I wanted you to know I felt the same way about you. So, wear one of these golden earrings and I'll wear the other. You are like a sister too me.

Ino

I regarded my rival with tears in my eyes. I almost couldn't finish reading the note as my voice began to waiver and crack. It was just like when we were kids, before stupid concerns like

boys got in the way. I had no idea Ino could still be so sentimental. I put the earring on right away.

"Ino . . ." I began. "You . . .this means a lot."

"Don't kid yourself into thinking this means we're equals," Ino said grabbing the other and putting it in a second hole in her own right ear. "I'll still top you in a fight any time, and I'll surpass you in medical skills soon too."

Even though I was extremely touched, I wasn't going to just let her ramble on and ruin the moment.

"Ino?" I said.

"What?"

"Shut up."

"Right," she said with a little giggle. "Well, I guess I will be going now, then. Happy Birthday Sakura. And don't you dare become to busy for . . ."

"My father . . ." I interrupted. I had decided to tell her. It was more like I needed to tell her. I had just realized a moment ago that if there was anyone I could talk to in the whole world about what I truly feared right now, it was this annoying blond. "My father will never accept my feelings for Naruto."

It took Ino a moment to register what it was I was telling her. And when she realized I was indeed talking to her about what was upsetting me she sat next to me on my old sofa. I was pleased to see her concern was genuine, and it encouraged me to continue.

"You . . . you know about my aunt, right?" I asked.

Ino nodded. "Of course. Everyone knows your aunt Rin was the one who . . . oh!"

I nodded at Ino as the serious of the situation began to take shape in her mind.

"That's right," I said. "And she was killed in the Kyuubi's attack."

"I see," said Ino. "So then when your father found out you were dating him . . ."

"He forbade it, yes."

Ino folded her arms confidently. "Hmph. So what? You're seventeen now and a Special Jonin. You can do as you please."

"Ino," I explained. "He can still make life very difficult for me. My relationship with my parents is strained as it is. You know that."

Ino sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I know."

She patted my knee. "So talk to him then."

"Huh? Ino, its not that simple."

"Sure it is!" Ino beamed. "Does he know how much you love Naruto?"

"Well, no," I admitted somberly. "But it doesn't make a difference."

"Well sure it does!" Ino cried, throwing her hands out in a wide gesture and then clasping them underneath her chin to make the most pitiful puppy dog face she could manage.

"Remember, you're still daddy's little girl. Never underestimate the power of cuteness and tears on a daddy!"

I laughed. "Thanks Ino. You're probably right. I should talk to him. I . . .I just don't know if I'm ready yet."

Ino tilted her head and smiled. Then her face went passive as she thought of something.

"Its hurting your training isn't it?"

How could she know that? I wondered. I pressed my lips tightly together. I wasn't going to admit my training struggles to her.

"Come on Sakura, I know it is. Shikamaru was the one who told me you were meditating all day in his family's dojo. Besides, no one's a better expert at meditation than me."

"You?" I snorted. I didn't want to laugh at her at a moment like this, but the thought of that woman quieting her mind was just ludicrous to me.

"Of course!" Ino said, looking a little stung. "How else do you think I learned the mind-transfer jutsu at the youngest age ever for my family?"

I bowed my head, feeling a little foolish.

"Its not that far removed from normal genjustu you know, except the beauty of it is that you don't need an anchor for mind transfer or mind control techniques because you are dominating the motor centers of the mind completely with your own will. It's very advanced."

I smiled at Ino, and for once I didn't try to compete with her pride. Maybe I could really learn something from her. I had been helping her with the medical ninjustu, so in my mind it was a fair exchange. I decided to yield to her experience.

"I know it is, Ino."

Her reaction was priceless. I should surprise her by being nice to her ego more often.

"And yeah, I guess it is effecting my meditation a little."

Ino smiled. "You just need to confront this and put the worry out of your mind. When you have no worries is when you find your center the fastest."

"Thanks Ino," I said. "In any case, I feel talking about it with you has helped a lot."

Ino nodded and looked into my eyes. We shared a moment that was beyond the need for words. It was the comfort and understanding of best friends . . . of sisters. I couldn't let her leave without a hug, though I think we both understood that as far as the rest of the world was concerned such a moment never existed. But here in my heart, it will live forever.