While Hinata, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru were done resting, Hinata insisted on finding Gaara. Therefore she had to go by herself. Her team mates know that she'll be fine on her own from now on so no one really worried. And that was something Hinata liked. While walking, Hinata bumped into a blonde blur that finally came to focus. It was none other but Ino Yamanaka. Beside her were Shikamaru and Chouji. They were all staring at her except for Ino, who believed to be disgusted with her face right at this point. Hinata just kept walking until Ino shouted at her.

"Don't walk away from us like that!" Ino yelled at her.

Hinata turned around slowly and faced the opposing team. Her face was straight. No laughing, even though she wanted to smirk. No anger, no fear, no nothing. It was like a song she would always listen to whenever Neji bothers her.

Fear is how I fall...

Confusing what is real.

Exactly.

"Hey! Say something already!" Ino kept yelling at her.

"If you don't stay quiet Ino, enemies will attack you from afar" Hinata replied emotionless.

"Well stay and fight! Unless you're some kind of coward!"

"I have no time for your foolish impudence so please leave me be. I'm busy."

With that said, Hinata continued to walk. Ino, not controlling herself, ran head on and tackled Hinata from behind. Hinata already felt her presence but decided to let Ino take her anger out on her. Ino flipped Hinata so she could have her pinned down facing up. Hinata just smirked.

"And you call me a coward..." Hinata murmured.

"Shut up!" Ino screamed. "You think you're so innocent that you can get away with anything! You want people to pity you and not let them see your true colors! Well this, my former friend..."

Ino got off of Hinata and took something oh-so-familiar out and threw it at her. Hinata sat up and looked down at her lap where the item was thrown. There lied the sunflower that she stepped on days ago. Hinata got up and let the flower fall to the ground. She stepped towards Ino with a smirk crossing her face.

"First of all..." Hinata started. "Whoever said that I was innocent?"

"Everyone baka!" Ino screamed at her face.

"Who would pity me?"

"Everyone!"

"How could I get away with anything?"

"Secretly!"

"Would I not let anyone see my true colors?"

"Of course not!"

"Final question... Was I your friend from the beginning?"

"Ye- I mean n- I mean..."

"Exactly."

Hinata picked up the sunflower and held the stem tightly, like she wants to break it but decides not to. The flower was dead but smelled like chemicals. It was slowly regaining its natural color.

So the Flower Grower does more than grow flowers instantly...

Wow... Very surprising to see.

Hinata took out a black rose and held the sunflower next to it. Ino identified the two and realized what Hinata said days ago. You're fighting over a flower that can't bloom well... Ino snatched the black rose from Hinata's hand to fully analyze it. When Ino was about to take the rose to the light, Hinata snatched it back. Ino glared at her and Hinata sighed in relief.

"This is a special rose that grows in the darkness. When touched by light, even sunlight, it burns to nothing. Even the flame disappears along with it" Hinata explained as she put the rose away and looked at the sunflower. "You really are a flower expert to realize the Flower Grower does more than grow flowers. Who would've known that it could restore the flower from the dead?"

Ino sort of took that statement as a compliment but Hinata continued so Ino wouldn't get the RIGHT idea.

"However, you don't know anything about black roses and how they were made. Therefore, I have no right to call you a specialist" Hinata spat venomously. "And by the way, I'm not innocent. I didn't tell anyone to pity my pitiful actions in the past. If I got away with anything, I would've confused you into thinking someone else must've done it. Do you NOT see what I'm wearing!? If I didn't want to show my true colors, I would still be wearing the stupid Hyuuga Uniform! Also, I wouldn't be talking like this! AND WHEN WERE WE FRIENDS!? You only talk to me for five seconds and go off to find your so called Prince Charming Sasuke Baka Uchiha! You never held a real conversation with me ever! The only real conversation we ever had was when we argued over a STUPID SUNFLOWER!!!"

Ino just stood there stunned. Stunned by the words that came out of Hinata's mouth. Chouji had to stop eating his chips when Hinata screamed and called Sasuke a baka. Shikamaru was also stunned but recovered quickly and scratched his head.

"Geez, can you two get any louder? You'll attract enemies and get us all attacked" Shikamaru told them bored. "What a drag. Hinata's finally standing up for herself before my eyes and is acting very troublesome."

Hinata smirked and crossed her arms.

"Shikamaru" Hinata called out, getting his attention successfully. "How I've longed to hear those words come out of your mouth. Bravo..."

Hinata clapped softly and continued her sentence.

"I'm finally labeled as troublesome like the others. I would call that an accomplishment in my book" Hinata smiled. "At least now you three know my true colors. Oh well... Toodle-oo guvna!"

Hinata began to walk away and remembered the sunflower she still has in her hand. While away from Ino's team's view, Hinata held up the sunflower to her face.

What should we do with this?

Seeing that it has chemicals in it, it would be useful for my midnight seeds.

So how do we extract it?

We don't.

Huh? Where are you going with this?

If we extract then the chemicals that belong to the sunflower will turn my seeds to morning seeds, and that would effortlessly kill me and you altogether.

Ouch... So what do we do?

It's obviously what YOU have to do.

And that is?

You have to eat the sunflower.

NANI!?!?

Ouch!

There's no way in hell I'm eating a half-dead plant! Especially something I've stepped on!

It's rather you eat it and let your roses last longer in the light, or throw it away and let your supply of roses last.

Hinata was about to protest but knew that the Koumori was right. She wanted her roses to last a little longer in the light before they could die. She stopped walking and held the sunflower above her head. She opened her mouth and ate the stem and leaves first. After that, she finally stuffed the petals in her mouth. The sunflower was pollinated and silky, with a horrible after taste. Hinata kept the flower down as the Koumori cackled in her mind. She felt like sleeping but kept going to find Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari. She was unaware that Tenten was spying on her the whole time.