A/N: As said before, if anyone finds mistakes in this, I am always happy to listen! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except the idea for this fanfiction. So there!
Ino awoke, feeling the sun's rays on her face like a new breath. She stretched, feeling and hearing the tendons and ligaments popping into place as her hands reached for the ceiling. Kicking her feet out of bed, she walked to the bathroom, undressing and turning on the water. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she scowled. Her ears were pointed to the sky, flicking lazily back and forth in slight agitation.
"Why do I have these things? They're nothing but an annoyance!" She gave the fur a slight tug, wincing as a few of the follicles fell from her head. Sighing once more, she stepped into the shower, feeling the day's agitations melting from her. She allowed the heated water to cascade over her, not moving under the deluge. After a few minutes, she began her normal routine of hair cleaning and tail preening. Once that was accomplished, she exited, drying herself off vigorously and being sure her tail was neat and tidy. A knock on her door made her start slightly as she left the bathroom.
"Ino...are you up?" She grasped the handle, opening it as her father walked into the room.
"Ohayoogozaimasu, chichi." Her father, Yamanaka Inoichi, stared down at his daughter as she began to pivot anxiously.
"Ino...I heard you got into a fight at school. Is this true?" She gulped, staring at the ground. Her tail hung limply behind her, almost folding between her legs as she remained glued to the spot.
"...Hai..." Her unenthusiastic response seemed to agitate the man more.
"Hmm. I thought that I strictly forbid you from doing anything at school to draw attention to yourself."
"...Hai. But, otoosan, the other girl...she started it! She said..."
"Shut up! I don't care what the other girl said! I don't care about the other girl at all! You are not the other girl!" She cowered, her ears drooping. Under her father's reproachful glare, she had nowhere to turn to. Her mother was already down in the shop, so she couldn't rely on her coming to save her. She had nowhere to hide from her father's vengeance.
"...Hai..." She cringed, ready for the beating that she knew would come. However, a giant hand lay on her shoulder, and she straightened, looking at it as her father bent down on one knee. Instead of a scornful look, his face held a smile...and promise.
"Listen, Ino. You...you aren't as the other children are. Do you not understand that? You are a special person, and as such, you shouldn't be going down to the level of a bully or a coward. Do you understand me?" She sniffed, nodding slightly.
"Hai." He smiled back, bringing his daughter in for an embrace. She stood, almost statuesque for a moment, before melting into his arms and embracing him back. They stood for a moment, locked in an ethereal embrace, before he released her, staring at her tear-brimmed eyes with his.
"Very good, musume. You understand. I am sorry if I came off as harsh. I apologize." She smiled, hugging him once more. Upon his release, he stood, turning and walking down the first few steps. Suddenly, he stopped. "Ino!" She turned, staring at his back as he continued. "You're weak, musume. You need to become strong! Meet me outside in an hour. Do not worry. Today...you will be sick from school, ne?" He continued his walk down the stairs as she gazed questioningly after him. What did he mean, become strong?
An hour later found the young girl outside, staring at her father on the other side of the yard. "Ino, you must learn how a ninja acts...how he or she learns the tools of the trade. You...must learn our secret technique." She gasped. The technique he talked about was well known by most in the village. He...he was going to teach her such a technique?
"Chichi...nani?" He smiled at her, raising his hands to his face and beginning to concentrate chakra. Suddenly, his hands flew in a whir, creating hand-signs faster than she could watch.
"Shintenshin no jutsu!" Immediately, Ino felt herself give way. She floated within another reality. Looking left and right, she couldn't understand where she had been taken.
"What...what is this? Where am I?" She began kicking out fiercely, attempting to override what was happening. She couldn't. She was stuck, floating in an endless abyss within her own mind. A tear began to float down her face. "Why am I here...why can't I leave this place?" She began searching around her, until suddenly, she was thrust back into her own self, gazing at her father, who stood in front of her, a slight smile on his face. She swayed slightly, than fell heavily to the ground, lying prostrate on the sward of grass, staring up into the marine colored sky.
"Ino...are you alright? Ino!" Her father's voice echoed in her head, and she tried to shake off the feeling that she was under, to come again to the waking world.
"Nani...what happened?" She sat up, shaking her head to rid herself of the awful feeling of being alone. Having no one around who could hear you scream was a terrible thing to feel.
"Ino. That was the shintenshin no jutsu. That is our clan's jutsu. That is what I will teach you...if you are willing to learn." She gazed up into her father's eyes, a tear threatening to break loose from her.
"I...I..." Suddenly, she threw herself at him, hugging him around his neck. "Hai! I will learn it. Doomo. Doomo." He smiled, patting her on the back as she continued embracing him.
What the hell was that I felt? That was no normal psyche. What the hell am I doing here? He thought to himself. What he had seen in the child...well, he would wait until later to explain to her mother. She always had a knack at figuring out what was plaguing him. She would know.
"Ino wasn't at school today. I wonder if she's alright? Those wounds weren't that serious." Walking home from her day at kunoichi class, Sakura gazed up the street at the Yamanaka flower shop. She smiled, walking in and waiting patiently until Ino's mother had finished with a customer. Stepping to the side as the man left the store, she walked to the woman who was beginning to tidy up.
"Ojama shimasu. I was wondering where Ino was today? Is she still sick?" Ino's mother gave the young girl a thoughtful glance before motioning outside. Sakura bowed slightly, turning and walking out the door to the backyard.
"No, Ino! You have to concentrate harder! You'll never get this unless you concentrate! Now, again!"
"Hai! Shintenshin no jutsu!" Sakura watched, intrigued, as Ino's hands shot out. Her father stood a distance away, breathing heavily as the young girl stood in place. Ino's eyes shot back open, staring around her. Then, she pouted, letting her legs splay out underneath her.
"I'm just not getting it. Why can't I get this!" Her father smiled, walking to her and sitting down.
"You didn't honestly think you would be able to understand this ability from the get-go, did you?" Ino sighed, staring up at her father, who giggled slightly. "No no no. You misunderstood me. It will take a while before you are able to do this jutsu. It took me two years learning it from your ojiisan. It may take you even longer." Ino scowled, jumping up.
"No way! It will take me two months! No...two weeks! I'll learn this in two weeks! I will!" Her father smiled, standing up.
"Very well. As you say. Just be careful and try not to overdo it, hm? I don't want you passing out tomorrow at school." Ino smiled up at him, understanding that her well-being was first and foremost in his mind.
"Well, that's all for today. We will do more training after school tomorrow. Come, you have a visitor." Ino gasped, turning towards the domicile and seeing Sakura standing there, scuffing her foot slightly.
"Konnichiwa, Ino-chan." Ino hurried over, bowing slightly to the pink-haired girl.
"Gomen. I...I didn't see you, Sakura." Sakura smiled, waving off the apology.
"No big deal. Whatcha doin'?" Ino smiled, taking Sakura's arm and leading her away. Inoichi stood, watching the two leave. The girl had a ways to go, but secretly, she was already far more talented than he himself had been at her age.
"So, are you going to tell me the secret or what?" Having finally made it to the bedroom, Ino took the opportunity to tell her friend about the practice that her father and she had been going through.
"And when I'm done, I'll know how to take over people's bodies. Who knows...I may even take over that guy Sasuke's body and make him kiss you..." She smiled, turning around as Sakura pouted.
"Don't say that. You know how I feel about Sasuke-kun. Just...just don't say that." Ino turned, still smiling.
"Why not? You'd like it if Sasuke-kun kissed you in front of the whole class, right? Why shouldn't I help out my best friend?" Sakura smiled. Best friend? She hadn't had a best friend before. Not ever. People were too busy looking at her forehead than trying to get to know her.
"Well...maybe. But not right now." Ino shook her head.
"No. I have to learn the jutsu first. Than...who knows?" She laughed playfully, pushing Sakura onto the bed, then jumping on herself. Together, they wrestled around the room, tearing up the organization Ino once had. After both were effectively tired, they lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.
"You know...I'm really glad that we became friends." Sakura propped herself up, looking at Ino as she gazed back. "I...I don't think that I ever had a friend like you." Ino smiled, looking up at the ceiling again.
"Nani? You mean a friend with a tail and dog ears?" Sakura shook her head, getting off the bed and turning.
"No...I mean, a true and honest friend. No one has ever been there for me before. You know, like that whole thing in the meadow. Just...well, doomo." Bowing slightly, Sakura turned, leaving the room as Ino watched her go. She smiled, standing up and feeling the weight of the day taking a toll on her body. Grabbing a towel, she walked to the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror.
"I think that I'm going to like this new jutsu." She began practicing her hand-signs in the shower and in the mirror, trying to get them perfect. That is where her father found her, asleep in front of the mirror, her hands still in the sign for the ox. He smiled, picking her up gingerly and taking her to her bed. Laying her down, he kissed her gently on the cheek, shutting off the light and walking downstairs.
That night, she dreamed of Naruto, as she had almost every night for the past four years. He was indeed the Hokage, always passing by countless lines of women to be with her. In one dream, she used her new jutsu to force him to say he loved her, to marry her, to have children with her...In the next, she didn't need the jutsu anymore.
Japanese translations...
Ohayoogozaimasu: Good morning
Chichi: My father
Hai: Yes, or yeah
Otoosan: Father
Musume: My daughter
Nani: What?
Shintenshin no jutsu: Mind Body Transfer Technique
Doomo: Thank you
Ojama shimasu: Excuse me for bothering you
Ojiisan: Grandfather
Konnichiwa: Good afternoon
Gomen: Sorry, I'm sorry