The stink bomb had been a surprise. Though, what else could I have expected from a prankster such as Naruto? He'd had the windows open when I visited, but that hadn't helped much.

Even so, I had felt an immense pull, a force drawing me to him. I almost enjoyed it, really.

So, today, I decided to call on my old classmate Ino Yamanaka. The weather's lovely, and the watched feeling focuses on my face for a second as the breeze passes over it. It's a kind of pressure now, weighing down on my mind. I think of what I'm going to Ino's for, and that helps lessen it.

The Yamanka estate is a lovely place, and the main house is always well decorated with flowers. I'm not a terribly good flower arranger, as I've focused more on my training so that I could walk with Naruto wherever he goes.

I knock on the front door, and am greeted by Mrs. Yamanaka. "Ah, Miss Hinata. Please come in. It's been a good while since we've seen you here," She says as we walk along the entrance hall.

"Yes, it has. Is Ino in at the moment?"

"Mm-hmm, she's in her room right now. Is there something you've been itching to talk to her about?"

"Yes, there's a feeling I've been having lately I want her help and advice on."

"Ah. You know, I've heard her mention she saw you at Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto the other day..." Again, the feeling pulses through me at the mention of his name.

"Uh- it... it is related to that," I say. It's true, though not in the way that Mrs. Yamanaka probably thinks.

"Well," She says leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, "If you don't mind me giving you my opinion, if he wasn't so set on Sakura you'd be perfect for each other."

I look at my feet, and begin to blush. "I think so, too..." I whisper to myself. We arrive at the hall leading to Ino's room, and Mrs. Yamanaka lays a hand on my shoulder.

"Let me know if you girls need anything, okay?" I nod, and walk over to Ino's room. Knocking on her door, I get a little nervous. After a few moment's wait I hear her walking up to the door, and it opens.

"Oh! Hinata. What's up?" She asks, waving me in. She's dressed very casually, just wearing gym shorts and a loose tank top. A few things are out of place here and there, and on her bed are a bag of chips and a cola. I begin to think I've caught her at a bad time, that she might need some space. I sit down on her bed, and she settles next to me cross-legged.

"If you don't mind, I... would like your help with something..."

"You need help with Naruto?"

"No, I'm okay with him. It's... this feeling I have. I'd like your help training."

"What kind of training?" Ino asks with a raised eyebrow, taking a bite of some chips.

"Sensor training. I think that if I'm trained as a sensor type ninja, I'll be able to find out what it is."

"No problem," Ino assures me, washing down her bite of chips with some cola. "Sensor type training is actually pretty easy to pick up, it's just a matter of how good you want to get."

"Oh. It's easy?"

"Yeah, you've just got to fine-tune things. As ninja, we get it drilled into our freaking DNA to recognize that feeling of being watched. Sensor type training is taking that feeling, and sharpening and extending it with your chakra."

I shiver, and ask, "You can do that?"

Ino nods. "Yeah. That feeling is part of your spirit, and moulding chakra is just blending your physical and spiritual energy. Here, I'll do your first little exercise right now. Close your eyes, and after a little bit try to sense where I'm watching you from." I do so, and hear Ino get up off of the bed. Her footsteps are silent, and the creaking of the floor I noticed walking to her bed doesn't sound. I try to listen for her breathing, but I can't hear anything. I focus on my ninja training, but since I can't look, I have to rely on my spirit. The feeling that's been dogging me for the last few days fades slightly, and shifts deeper in. There. On the edge of the feeling is something else, and I point over towards the window. I hear a clap, and open my eyes. "See? That wasn't so hard. You just have to work at recognizing it."

"But, how would I do that with my chakra?"

"With Yin Release. If you mould your chakra to be Yin release and extend it, you should be able to register the feeling on a wider scale, and better sense the chakra of others." Ino studies my face for a second, and comes back to sit down across from me. "...Who is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have a Byakugan, Hinata, and yet you want to learn chakra sensing. Who's bothering you?" The watched feeling stays deep within me, but flares up and takes hold of my heart. Ino leans in, waiting for my answer.

"I don't know, Ino. I've been feeling like someone is watching me the last few days- no matter where I go, the feeling is following me. I starting to wonder if I'm being haunted by a ghost." I secretly think Ino would think I'm being superstitious, but instead she sighs.

"I think we're all being haunted by a few ghosts," Ino says, taking a long drink of her cola. I now realize why Ino and her room had a bit of a rumpled look. She leans over and wraps her arms around me, and I return the hug, starting to tear up a bit. The feeling takes over me, like it had when I was with Naruto, just as strong. I wind my fingers through Ino's hair, and she looks up at me. She searches through my eyes for a moment, and then her lips touch mine, hesitant and yearning.

The feeling surges strongly, and all of me reacts to it and the kiss. I pull back. "Ino, I..."

"Sorry... well, no, I'm not. I need someone, and I'm tired of seeing my friends and colleagues die. I just need someone here, right now, in this moment..."

"I'll be around if you need me, Ino. But, about what just happened-"

"You don't need to say anything, I know. Just let me hold you." I do, and Ino pulls me down to her side as she curls up into a ball, wrapping her arms around me.

Later in the day, I'm with my baby sister Hanabi working with the short exercise I did with Ino. We start out just in my room with her moving around from spot to spot. I try to shelve the watched feeling, but it stays, and at first it's hard to make out Hanabi's stare. But then I recognize the difference between the two, and sensing my sister gets easier. Both are primal, but one feels ghostly, and the other more visceral.

Working the technique with my chakra is different. First there's getting the right balance to my Yin Release, but the main problem is being able to feel my sister watching me, her gaze on my cheek. "There." Before I open my eyes I point, and when I open them my finger is leveled right at where my sister is standing- next to my door.

"Did you really just learn today?"

"Yes." I smile. "I might even help teach you, if we're off on the same days again. Now, remember where I'm sitting on my bed here, and focus on it. Go out into the hall or somewhere, and 'look' into my room."

"With my Byakugan?"

"No, without your Byakugan." Hanabi nods and looks me over briefly, then bows and leaves my room. I focus and work up my Yin Release, slowly letting it extend through my room and then beyond. I feel some people- my relatives, I guess- but their signatures are vague, and I keep sensing for my sister. I sense someone stop moving, and then I can feel my sister. It's very sharp, and between my sister's gaze and the other feeling, I shudder. I note where she is and try to stand, but the feelings swell and I fall to my side, involuntarily starting to cry.