Title: Clover

Summary: Being reborn into the Narutoverse is one thing, but being reborn into the body of Yamanaka Ino is a whole different thing entirely. A self-insertion tale told through the eyes of a girl reborn into Ino. SI OC — eventually AU

AN: edited/published: 02 - 21 - 2014

Guess whose off of their brief and unannounced hiatus? This terrible authoress right here! And guys, go and reread the prologue because I edited and it's officially a million times better, I promise! Anyway, this chapter has been taking up 48KB on my computer for a few months, all versions being saved on one HUGE document. After attempting to clear out my memory, I realized that I should get this chapter published, so that's exactly what I'm doing. THANK YOU ALL THAT HAVE STUCK WITH THIS STORY DESPITE IT NEVER BEING UPDATED, I SHALL ONE DAY SHOWER YOU ALL WITH BUCKETS OF YOUR FAVORITE CANDY AND HUGS!

Uh... yeah, go on and read this long overdue chapter…

But, just to warn you guys, it's kind of unimportant, I guess…? Well, read it and judge it yourself.

WARNINGS: Cursing, self-insert, breakdown?

DISCLAIMER: I only own my OC, who is technically not even mine… so, I guess I kind of own her but then again I don't?

edited: 11 - 18/23 - 2013

Now, things are going to get serious as Ino puts her plan in motion. Yes, I am fully aware that 'humor' is one of the main categories and trust me, I'll attempt to make this story as funny as possible. However, a story cannot just be humor in every chapter with little seriousness (technically they can but whatever). So, you'll know more about Ino's past life soon and of her terribly put together plan.

Haha, no you won't: You'll have to wait until Shippuden for that stuff. I know, I'm a terrible authoress.

original: 10 - ? - 2013

So, I'm guessing you guys liked the prologue? Yes? That's good. Anyway, here is chapter one!

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Chapter One: Arc I - Hysteria

Breath coming out in heavy pants, I stumbled away from the mirror, eyes wide with panic. I backed away, momentarily stumbling over the rug in the center of the bathroom before I fell back into the bathtub. Shrieking as I fell, I grasped the closest thing to me, which happened to be the shower curtain. I clung to it and yanked it down with me as I finally fell onto my backside in the tub. The rod from above fell and narrowly missed my legs, of which I pulled to my chest at the last second. Gazing around, I realized that the bathroom was in complete disarray; the shower curtains were yanked down and curled up in my arms, the array of personal products were dumped all over the floor and toilet, water was running out of the faucet. Feeling helpless, I pressed my hands against my face.

This wasn't happening; this couldn't be happening.

For years, I had been a normal girl; average parents and home life, average friends, average grades and, overall, average girl. These kind of things only happened in the fan-fictions; the ones about the girl dying and being reborn as a fictional character just so she could somehow change the world of Naruto for the better. They were self-inserts and through the sorrow, the drama, the agony, they managed to smile and stay strong. They were strong—unbreakable—and smart—wise—and more often than not did they manage to fix the Narutoverse while somehow managing to conquer all of the challenges that they faced along the way. They spent years, plotting and planning and training so they were prepared for the final confrontation; prepared to finally put all of that to use.

It wasn't… it wasn't fair! I was Yamanaka Ino, an heiress that was supposed to have years of training under her belt; but no, I had none of that. I didn't have the advantage of being reborn as newborn baby and then being able to train from a young age to prepare for this; I was expected to know all of this already because whether or not I liked it, I was officially Ino—member of Team Ten and one of the main supporting characters in the series. I was expected to know when to fight and flee, how to fight and how to flee, when to spout emotional nonsense out of my mouth and when to stay silent. I was expected to… to…

Whatever control of emotions I had dissolved as I curled up, burying my face in my arms; it just wasn't fair. I shouldn't have left like I did; I shouldn't have left my mother, who had been only been so strong for so many years because she had her family, my grandmother, who had already lost so much but still managed to smile and make jokes, my brother, that was so many different types of fucked up but we still loved him anyways; I shouldn't have died like I did.

"I'm sorry; I'm so, so, sorry Mama. I didn't mean to fuck up so bad; I'm sorry… so fucking sorry."

It was until much later that I finally stood from my position in the bathtub, wiping the somewhat dry tears off of my cheeks and putting on my best poker face. My mother wouldn't want me to be like this; she wouldn't want me to cry and wallow in self-pity because I thought—knew—I was too weak to do anything. In fact, she would want me to face my fears if that was what would make me feel better in any way; she would want me to be strong… strong for my family; not for anyone else and not even for myself, but for the family that I had lost; for my mother and brothers and for Nana and for everyone that I had ever loved,

For everyone that I had lost, I would attempt to embrace this new life, welcome it slowly and adapt to it, but I would never forget all of those that had been left behind.

Stretching out my tired legs, I cautiously bent over to pick up the discarded items on the floor, smoothing out the rug as I did so; I wouldn't want Ino's parents to ever question why the bathroom was in such a state because that would lead to unnecessary questioning. After all the items were back in their rightful places, I stood and approached the mirror, slowly and carefully. I knew who would stare back at me. I closed my eyes and reminded myself to breathe.

Opening my eyes, I was met with the familiar sight of Ino; pale blue eyes, long blond hair, tan skin. However, the image was different. Instead of being seemingly flawless, Ino couldn't have looked more flawed. Long hair tangled in a matted mess in the back of her—my head, deep and dark bags under my eyes, usually light eyes now dark with an unbearable sadness along with tears appearing in them yet again; cheeks flushed, teeth gnawing nervously on my bottom lip. I looked… tired, like I hadn't slept in years and would collapse at any second. Not able to bear it a second longer, I turned away from the mirror.

This was my reality now; no matter how twisted and dark and sorrowful it was, it was my reality now—and I had to live it.

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After my initial discovery that I was Ino, I had wandered my new bedroom for what felt like forever before I gathered enough courage to leave my bedroom. I discovered a staircase, and after reassuring myself that I had nothing else to lose, I ventured downstairs. There was faint humming that gradually got louder as I got closer to my unknown destination. Finally, I stepped into a flower shop; one similar to that I had seen in both the manga and the anime. And there, behind the counter, was the first character from the anime I had ever seen in person; Yamanaka Ino's mother, an anime only character of whom no one knew the name of.

I inhaled sharply. I have to do this, I told myself, I have to do this.

It seemed that In—my mother had already noticed my presence, as she whirled on me the second I took two steps into the shop. I attempted to keep my features neutral and not tense my shoulders, but the minute her honey-colored eyes burned into my blue ones, my emotions, yet again, slipped out of my control. My shoulders tensed and my eyes widened a fraction, but other than that, I prayed that I looked calm; calm enough for my mother to not notice anything was wrong.

"Ino!" She cried, pulling me into a tight, suffocating hug. My arms remained limp at my sides. "You were up there for an awful long time; I was just about to go up there and get you. You know we have a shop to run, sweetie; you can't just sleep in like that, and what are you wearing honey? We've talked about—"

Pushing away from her, I attempted to calm my breathing yet again. No, this is wrong; this was all wrong. Inching towards the door, I averted my gaze to the ground, not able to meet her nearly heartbroken gaze. Ino probably never treated her mother like this; what was I doing? Screwing up, that's what.

"I'm going to go take a… walk…" I murmured in a strained voice; this woman was not my mother and yet she scolded me like she was. I had to consciously remind myself that I was Ino and that this woman was now my mother in an attempt to calm down. The tears were beginning to burn in my eyes again and I forced them back as I stumbled out of the flower shop, dressed in nothing but a dark blue shirt and matching pants that may or may not have been mine.

Bare feet padding against the dirt roads of Konohagakure, I attempted to busy myself with gazing around at the many buildings and people I passed. No matter what I did, however, my mind always went back to the two main sources of my distress; my supposed 'rebirth' into a fictional character and my family. No matter how many times I attempted to divert my attention to something else, my mind always managed to link it back to the situation I was in or what I had left behind. I continued to trek through the village, no clear goal in mind; if I couldn't admire the architecture or the culture, what else was there to do?

Abruptly, I stopped, my legs refusing to move and dull throb becoming evident in the back of my head. I grasped at it, the pain beginning to slide down my neck, over my shoulders and into my back. My legs moved on their own and I ended up in an alley, back pressed against the wall as sweat dripped down my body. The pain reached my toes and then shot back up, reaching my head yet again; then and there, the pain exploded and then it just… stopped.

Panting, I waited for another sudden burst of pain, yet it never came. I blinked slowly and began to shuffle out of the alley, when I paused.

Oh God, my head… what happened…?

I stopped breathing. After all of the minor mishaps I had encountered today, this one had to take the cake; hearing a voice in my head was definitely new.

W-Wait… W-W-Who… Who the fuck are you?! The voice—definitely female and definitely enraged—shrieked, and I winced as pain became evident in my head yet again. W-Why the hell are you in my body?! W-W-What kind of jutsu is this?!

My heart dropped to the very pit of my stomach and I forgot how to breathe. Y-Yamanaka Ino? I-I-Is that you?

There was a brief silence before the voice answered, tone still strong and defiant as I expected it to be. How do you know my name?

Just like that, the dam I had briefly built up broke down; I told the real Yamanaka Ino all about what had happened the past twelve years of my life. I told her about my parents and how my mother attempted to teach me me how to be strong, about my grandmother of whom had practically raised me when my parents were left in a rough spot, about my brother that I had always tried to fix. I told her about my eventual death at the hands of three unknown assailants and I gave her each detail—I described the harsh winter winds as they ruffled my hair, the ice as I skidded across it in a blind panic, the snow as I curled up against it as I took my final breath, and I described the feeling of absolute helplessness—through a haze of a fear and anger and sadness all you can do is think, 'I really fucked up.'

By the end, I was crying yet again; I couldn't help it at this point. Crying seemed to come so easily to me now—it was still my first day in this universe and I had cried more than I had in the few years of my life.

Ino… Ino… you have to help me! Please! I slapped my hands against the wall, breathing heavily. I needed Ino. I didn't know why, but something was telling my that I needed her; why or when or for what was unknown to me, but I was being told that I needed her cooperation; it was need, not a silence was long and I waited anxiously for her response. Finally, I heard a sharp intake of breath and Ino finally answered.

No… She spat and I raked my trembling hands through my hair. No. No. Fuck, no! This wasn't happening… this couldn't be happening. Ino continued, voice filled with venom as she addressed my request. I… I won't help you. You've somehow managed to take everything in my life from me... Papa, Mama, Sasuke-kun, Sakura; you've taken them all. I… I…

There was a brief pause.

I would rather die than help you.

AN: edited: 02 - 21 - 2014

You guys didn't really think Ino would just vanish, did you? Hah, for a while there I thought she would.

So, this chapter is a bit on the depressing side, but guys—THIS IS WHEN THE PLOT OF THE STORY COMES IN! REJOICE!

Back to the original topic, yes, Ino's past family is actually a really big deal in this story. In most other stories (the ones I've read, at least) , the families aren't thought of much and I decided, Hey! I'll be different! And her 'Inner' is also a super big deal because without the help and guidance of someone who knows her secret and is able to help her she is going to screw things up… big time. I would've but a spoiler alert warning in front of that, but what does it spoil? Nothing.

Anyways, THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS AND FAVORITES AND FOLLOWS! YOU'RE ALL SO SWEET! And I am so so so sorry this seems rushed; I promise I'll edit it later but I really want to get this out for you all! Next chapter will be out on... Thursday? Yah, I'm going with Thursday.

edited/original: 11 - 28 - 2013

I'm sorry I didn't get this out earlier; homework was a bitch to do. Well, technically I was being lazy but that's totally irrelevant. Updates will be at random, if I didn't mention that in the previous chapter. School is something I must sit through.