A/N: dudes, my internet hasn't been working at all so I'm just gonna type this and post it when I get the 'net back. I have a library card so I've been reading reviews at the library. And a reader asked (nicely, demanding won't get you anything from me but a red cheek) for more fluff SO HERE IT IS!!! Later on in the chapter. blink I've got gummy worms and I'm not afraid to use them!

Ino frown deeply, wrinkles forming around her mouth. Her eyes wandered between the large amount of shadows that played out around them. "Ino, are you coming?" Kiba asked.

Her eyes snapped to him, a confused look taking place, before she realized she had stopped completely. Suki and Akamaru looked at her from either side of the man. She shook her head quickly before saying, "Oh, no, go on ahead, I wanna check something out. Suki, go with Kiba." Kiba shrugged and turned back to the path. The man and Akamaru fallowed suit. Suki looked at her with concern. Ino pointed to Kiba and mouthed 'Go'. Suki turned and trudged slowly after the group.

Ino jumped soundlessly into the nearest tree. Pumping chakra into her feet, she started off. Ino landed on a tree and ran up until she was balancing on the tip. She never really had good balance, and this was the hell of a time to loose what she had and fall. Her eyes scanned the sky and landscape beneath her. There was a river about thirteen feet to her left.

She looked back at the sky. Looking for…something. She was not paranoid. A large growl startled her and almost made her fall. She looked around. Something, it felt like a shoulder, crashed into her back, between her shoulder blades. She lunged forward. The feeling of free falling would have been great, if it hadn't been for the claws slashing and tearing at her shirt and back. In about twenty seconds the flesh on her back stopped looking like her back and more like ground beef.

Ino screamed and turned herself around to protect her now bloody and raw back. The Monster thing began slashing her chest and stomach. Ino reached for her kunai. The monster swatted her head with its paw, knocking her unconscious. She couldn't remember hitting the ground.

Well I could be a bitch and make it a cliffy, but I refuse to do so. So on with the weirdness

Ino's head hurt. It felt as if she had taken a mallet to the skull. And was someone poking her? She slowly and painfully raised herself up. A little girl with black hair tied up into piggy tails stood next to her holding a stick. The girl tilted her head to the side and asked, "Are you awright?"

Ino smiled weakly, "I'm fine, there's no need to worry about me." The girl gave her a look before running off.

With a groan she got up onto her knees. She was in a river bed. A very muddy river bed. Her pants, arms, and what was left of her shirt was covered in thick brown mud. She lowered herself back into the water and watched the dirt be wiped away. She used chakra to heal all the wounds she could reach until it looked like someone had taken a large comb to her flesh. She examined the surrounding riverbed until she saw the remains of her backpack. The clothes inside were soaked but she wouldn't be able wear them anyway because they were shinobi clothes. And airtight box had protected her money, passport, first aid kit, and some of her weapons. Her scrolls and exploding tags were ruined. She bandaged her middle over the wounds she couldn't reach, reluctantly pulled on a plain black shirt and hoisted her almost empty backpack onto her back; leaving the ruined ninja tools behind on the riverbank. When the moon rose, the tides would heighten and wash them away.

The town she was in was more modern than the Hidden Leaf village. Subway entrances and bus stops were scatted where people didn't walk. And the streets were so crowded that it would be no small feat to go a couple of blocks without getting knocked in some direction. Ino quickly found a clothing store. The clothes had a laidback theme. It took her a few tries to find jeans that would hide her weapon hoisters and look stylish (she was still a girl). The shirt was easier; it was cold so she could get away with layering. She paid for her clothes and left the cozy store.

Ino got a hotel room for a day. All she needed to regain her strength. Changing into her new civilian clothes, and concealing a few weapons, if they were needed, and went back into the crowded streets of the city. This place was unlike Konahona, crowded, busy, everyone had something to do. The shops that lined the street didn't sell weapons or poison. As she passed an outside café, none of the conversations she heard was about the best way to assassinate someone. The children weren't worried about ninja training. It was nice. Maybe…she would stay. There wasn't any family tying her down in the Hidden Leaf village. But she still had friends there.

Would they notice? It would just be another ninja that disappeared on a miss-hey! A Sweets shop! Ino turned into the warm, sweet-smelling store.

Sasuke trudged down the street. The crowd sort of parted for him…awesome. He had achieved the Makeyo Sharingan about a month ago. And it was all thanks to a sound ninja named Shinji. Sasuke befriended Shinji to a level nobody but Naruto reached. Yes, Thanks Shinji…Shinji was currently lying face down in a shallow, unmarked grave fifty miles away from the sound village. Orochimaru did notice that the ranks were minus one. Ah, Orochimaru, the world's dumbest smart guy. The old snake seemed happy Sasuke was stronger. When asked why, he simply stated that Sasuke needed to get stronger, to defeat Itachi.

It was true Sasuke wanted to get revenge on Itachi, but there was another reason…

"Okay, great Uchiha Avenger, get the highest level of Sharingan, and I'll give you…a kiss," Ino laughed.

Well, she was probably out of her mind when she made the promise. But Sasuke liked hold people to their word. Now where was she? He'd smelled lotus for about an hour now. But there were just too many damned blonde women in this city. Sasuke frowned, racking his brain for details on Ino. Blonde hair, blue eyes, which was the basics of her looks, both of which weren't very rare.

A woman wearing a hat stopped. She pulled the back of her shirt up slightly. Pressing her fingers against her own flesh, she winced and retracted her hand, blood dripping down her fingers. She yanked the back of her shirt back down but not before Sasuke caught glimpse of a mark. A tattoo, one he remembered very vividly. The woman turned into a nearby (convenient) deserted ally way. Turning into the ally way as well, he fallowed her.

Living in the Hidden Sound village, he knew that sound traveled.

"Ino." It was almost a growl, very low, but she heard it. Stopping cold in her tracks she slowly looked over her shoulder. She looked ready to run. But as always, his speed preceded him and in a flash he was in front of her. Sasuke had caught her, gripping her shoulders and pressing his lips to hers. He released her after about a minute and relocating to a nearby roof. Smirking, he watched her. She started, apparently shocked, at the place where he had stood, fingers pressed to her lips, then she ran back to the crowded streets. He lost sight of her after several seconds.

Still smirking, he started back to the Hidden Sound village. He licked his lips several times before placing the taste. Strawberries.

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Well, I hope that satisfied you guys! Cause I'm taking a break to wait for the next idea (or suggestion wink wink) to hit me like piece ice down tha back of the pants! Yahoo!!!! I GOT THE INTERNET BACK:)

sakiya