Memories

Chapter Four: Confessions

For Ino Yamanaka, the day started far before the sun began to rise into the sky. She took a page out of Rock Lee's book, shivered at the thought, and ran a few laps around the perimeter wall before heading to oddly enough, ground seven, instead of ten. It just felt right to her. She had thought at the time as she listened to Naruto as he talked about using his Kage Bushins that the technique would be ridiculously simple just taxing to one's chakra levels. It sounded easy enough, the three handsigns of the standard Bushin then add a fourth crossed one. The technique would half your chakra with the clone then again with every clone there after. Hence the danger as most people wouldn't survive the threshold for more than say one clone regularly.

Chakra control and chakra levels played a large role in that threshold. An average academy student had enough chakra for making a single Kage Bushin, but no control. A Genin could produce one to perhaps two depending on his training. A Chunin wouldn't get over ten and a Jounin around twenty. Above average would be Jounin shinobi like Hatake Kakashi and Shizune-sempai. They could make upwards of a hundred fully rested. Which was why Naruto was such a bizarre case. She had seen him make literally hundreds of them without breaking a sweat. If she went into equations and probably spent most of the day figuring it out she's have a ungodly high number. Naruto's chakra level was godly, so much it made her wonder why he wasn't turned into breeding stock for future shinobi. It was so high, in fact, she could only imagine it be apart of some Kekkei Genkai. Could that be why his medical sheet was blacked out? Ino sighed as she realized she was side tracking to avoid working on this. Why she didn't know. It seemed straightforward enough. She'd have it down in ten minutes.

Four hours later she was no closer to getting it. Either Naruto was a genius or an idiot savant. Frankly, as she dusted off her once pristine outfit, she was picking the later. Her stomach growled to her, reminding the blonde kunoichi that she hadn't eaten much of anything in the last few days on top of training. She'd eat, rest a little then return, maybe that would help. All else failed she could find the baka and have him explain it again, maybe some hands on approach would work to. Smirking at the thought, she decided to head to her favorite restaurant for lunch.

* * *

"Tsunade-sama." The Anbu, Fukurou, sighed agitatedly as he spied his leader once again asleep at her desk, paperwork covered in drool. For a legendary Sannin not to mention Hokage this was incredibly lax and dangerous to do such a thing. He cleared his hurriedly throat and thankfully she awoke. Irritable as she was it was his duty to report his findings. Someone had entered the records and gone through one of the books. Normally this would be of little concern, for many families the Ninja records were the only tie they had to their deceased loved ones, however this one year had a special seal. It registered when and how long someone had opened the register of that accursed year. The seal had registered nearly twelve hours of constant use. It threw a flag and Fukurou went through the logs. A Yamanaka Ino, heiress of the Yamanaka clan had had been there for the allotted amount of use. Who was answered, now they needed to know what and why. Using another Anbu, whose Kekkei genkai dealt with ink and paper they found the pages. When Yondaime-sama's record was brought up the second flag was triggered. Then they found Uzumaki Kushina. Fukurou floundered there at the moment. It was obviously the Jinchūriki's mother but why the fourth Hokage? The beaked masked Anbu tilted his head almost like his namesake then flipped the pages back and forth. After a moment or two the thought was realized.

The fourth Hokage had a child!

"So small penis' father was him I see." Fukurou had shaken his head exasperatedly. Nezumi was probably the most bizarre of all Anbu, Danzo's Ne' or not.

As he finished Tsunade ushered him out with a solemn look upon her face. Fukurou had been told upon the threat of torture and death to divulging the secret. Fukurou understood. Iwa was still a threat. The name Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō still bred untold hatred in the rocky country. If a heir to that blood was found, it could mean another great war, or countless attempts at the boys life. The very boy who saved them from Pein. As an Anbu his job was to protect the fire country and it's will of fire, so this was a secret he would gladly carry to his grave.

* * *

Tanaka-san waved to his favorite customer as she approached wearily, her usually pristine clothes were torn and she was covered head to toe in a thick layer of dirt and grime. He shuddered to think what his chair would be covered in once she left but ignored it as she sat with a wan smile.

"What would you like Yamanaka-san?" He asked kindly.

"Ramen!" Was the first thing out of her mouth. Her eyes widened at as did Tanaka's.

Tanaka stared down at the little demon who dared defile his seat with his presence.

"Whadda want brat?" The man growled, yet the little blonde was oblivious as he smiled so much his eyes squinted like a foxes, merely adding to the man's displeasure.

"RAMEN!" The child's raspy voice answered cheerfully.

"I don't sell that shit here and I sure as hell don't sell to little demon bastards like you!" With that the man slapped the boy and as the child raised his hands to defend himself Tanaka pulled him by his right, dragged the adolescent. Around them his other patrons laughed and applauded as he threw the demon fox so hard his arm was pulled from it's socket. The man smiled widely at the screams of pain that came from the six year old.

Ino's head lowered as she sought to control these unintended memories. This had never happened before. Tanaka smiled believing it was for her inadvertent mistake.

"Sorry, Yamanaka-san, how about the tojiki trio instead? I have a special on umebo--" But Ino's cold voice cut him off before he could continue.

"You beat and hurt a child." His eyes widened and he looked around his thankfully empty shop .

"I have NEVER done such a thing! EVER!" He declared in a angry whisper. A voice uncannily like the one from Naruto's memory.

"Uzumaki Naruto." The amount of anger that name brought to the forefront of his face would have scared her if it wasn't for her anger towards the man.

"I have never hurt a child in my life, that thing is a monster nothing more. Had your parents raised you well you would see it for--!!!!" His voice was suddenly cutoff as his form was enveloped in her killer intent.

"Watch your tongue you piece of shit!" She rose, her chair flying to the ground, her entire body screaming violence.

"G-get out of my shop…. N-nev-er c-me back!" The man demanded despite the abundance of Ki directed at him.

"With pleasure." Ino snarled and turned.

Tanaka-san watched the demon lover storm from his shop, only stopping to glare at his favorite customer as they walked in. The customer who had laughed the hardest when he hurt the demon spawn.

* * *

Ino growled in frustration as the bad memories of Naruto's childhood flooded her psyche. Extra memories, useless information was THE number one thing her father had taught her to identify and keep detached from herself when she began her training as a mind walker. So how the hell had Naruto's thoughts, ones having northing to do with what she had searched for, become lodged into her head without her knowledge? That boy was becoming more and more a mystery the further she found. In a way it made her interested in him more but all the more frustrating to understand.

But it hardly helped her when she was starving. She couldn't trust herself around people. Faces of people she thought knew as warm and happy people were being turned into dark anger and horror filled visages spouting obscenities, making her distrustful towards the people around her. She could feel herself almost standing alone against the rest of the village.

A small boy stood crying as the rest of the village stared at him. Not a single smile or happy face could be seen as he hid his blue eyes as not to see the glares trying desperately to wipe away his tears, to bring the mask back up so they could ignore him. Their glee at his pain hurt, why? He wondered, why was he alone? No one would answer, no one ever did.

Ino shivered, her younger form and parents had been there. Ino knew she was not so innocent, that she and Sakura had done nearly the same as they were younger to the boy, but Ino never truly disliked the boy, and there was little interaction between the blondes. She was sidetracking… again. Dammit. Until these memories either were forgotten (unlikely) or her mind strengthened to defend against them, she had little hope of dealing with anyone in the village as she use to.

So that pretty much overruled any restaurant or niguruma. As the apartment fridge was empty, and she was forbidden to raid her parents kitchen without having to help at the shop, something she didn't want to do; left her with one option. The only restaurant that was friendly to Naruto. She sighed, her diet was ruined.

* * *

Ino was pleasantly surprised that the broth and noodles were even better than the memory. Techui and Ayame were just as friendly and when mentioned she was friends with Naruto the two opened up even more. It warmed her heart to know that the two were there for her friend. Delighting in the company, Ayame as she moved about serving others, had a few brief conversations with the blonde about their mutual acquaintance, some which made Ino blush up a storm. Ayame played the role of big protective sister well. By the end of her three bowl (Diet be screwed it was good) lunch even though their little teasing about Ino's sudden little crush had gotten a little out of hand, the two made her feel welcome and Ayame even going to say she would be good for him as she left to return to training. Ino blushed at the thought. Yes Ichiraku had another regular customer.

Ino returned to number seven only to find them already occupied with none other than the boy who had been in her dreams. Ino blushed as his jacketless torso glistened with sweat as he focused his elemental chakra into blades around sticks he had picked up from the ground and began a kata. Around him several fully-clothed Kage Bushins also began the same, some using various objects as mediums and some with nothing at all. At first Ino was confused as she had only ever seen the wind element used with her deceased sensei's trench knifes but as the katas progressed it became clear. Obviously Naruto had seen Asuma's limitations and was trying to go the next step future by not limiting himself to special chakra channeling blades. The idea would allow him to fight bare handed or with improvisation, the standard fair for the Blonde male. It was smart, and something your average genius ninja would find tedious and unnecessary, but Naruto took to training and hard work like a fish in water. No one, except for Rock Lee she amended quickly, trained as hard or as long as the last Genin of the Rookie 11.

She toyed with the thought to tell him of his parents right then and there, yet she remained where she was. It wasn't that she didn't want to, certainly not. No, she wanted it to be special, she wanted to give him something more than just blurting out names. That meant she needed time. Just getting the basics of Kage Bushin was insanely hard. But there was no way she would try the appa-henge until she could use the Kage Bushins as it was better THEY blew up then her. She felt bad she would be taking two of his techniques, but the desire for him to see and touch his parents was overwhelming. The joy she could give him would make up for it, and if he hated her… A shadow covered her form just before her thought finished.

"Ino?" Her thoughts were disturbed by the very man she had been watching. Jumping a little, Ino calmed her racing heart and looked up to see a slightly sweaty Naruto. The clones were gone leaving just the bare chested original looking down at her. It struck her just how tall the shortest member of her graduating class had become as he towered over her.

"Oh Naruto." Ino quickly threw up a smile, "I must have dozed off, sorry."

"You do look a little tired." Because of your damn head you jerk, she thought semi-bitterly, though she couldn't blame him in the slightest. It WAS her fault. "Your not sick are you?" Ino closed her eyes shaking her head. This boy was worry wart. Because he's scared to loose someone else. Before she could contemplate that his forehead was against hers, hand softly holding her bang from her face. Her cornflower blue eyes met his ocean blue just inches apart and she resisted licking her lips as his warm breath blew against her lips. Kami-sama he was too close! Her face was on fire, that much she knew and from his look she must of felt as hot as she thought. Though the dense idiot wouldn't know why, thankfully.

"Your kinda hot Ino, maybe you should sit down or something. Do you want a glass of water? Maybe--" Ino sort of tuned out his rambling. She giggled warmly as he continued offering anything in his power, and a few things not, to aid her. Is this was forehead had to put up with? She thought to herself. It was sweet, and very caring, in a puppy dog sort of endearing way.

"I'm fine." Though her blush had not diminished.

"You sure?" He didn't sound convinced. Well actually he was pouting as she denied him the chance to be the great Nurse Naruto or some such thing. It made her laugh again, something she hadn't felt like doing in the last week.

"I'm sure Naruto, thank you." Ino tried to assure him with a smile. He looked unsure but left her at that. He turned and waved heading for home when a word erupted from her lips without warning.

"Hitomi." Naruto froze as she gasped hiding her mouth. What the HELL was wrong with her today!? His suddenly tense shoulders sagged slightly as his hiding smile came up concealing what feelings that name brought him as he turned to Ino.

"I… I know about her… What she REALLY is…. Or r-rather who." When his mask broke the look held in those eyes made her look away. The rampant outbreak of emotions was hard to face and even with her head turned his fiery gaze was felt.

"How?" The voice carried no warmth or question. A demand she couldn't refuse him.

"I was asked…. To find out why….." Her voice began to fail her as he moved in close, his large hands grasping her shoulders.

"You looked into my mind." Ino nodded her eyes clouding with tears. Her shame and guilt coming to the fore as his hands trembled.

"Sorry… So sorry…"

"No, Ino don't cry, onegai… It's okay…" Ino, stunned looked with tear stained cheeks as Naruto smiled down to her sadly, his own tears threatening to fall. "I'm sorry you had to see that." He struggled for a few moments about how to continue and just as he was about to speak again two black robed figures appeared around them.

"Yamanaka-san. The Hokage requests your appearance. Come with us."

Next chapter: Forgiveness.

Sorry to hold this off for so very long but I have been a bit under the weather the last few weeks, on top of me working, then us packing up and moving said business out of one place to a storage facility while we get the new location ready. I was lucky to get sleep let alone trying to get better this last month.

Not to mention it seems all the even chapters in my stories always seem to be the hardest to work on. Go fig. Anyway please R&R, hopefully my grammar isn't too bad, however I still haven't found a beta. Look forward to the next chapter somewhere from two week to a month (depending on the new store's status). Thank again.

Chapter Japanese Glossary:

ふくろう or Fukurou: 'Owl'

人柱力 or Jinchūriki: 'Power of Human Sacrifice' A Container of a Biju or tailed beast.

ねずみ or Nezumi: 'Mouse/Rat'

ね or Ne: Root

Tojiki: an older way/style of (saying) Onigiri or rice ball. I use Tojiki here instead of Onigiri much like Kishimoto uses Ryo instead of Yen.

田中 or Tanaka: means middle of the ricefield. is the fourth most common Japanese surname. A play on words as Tanaka's restaurant is a Onigiri shop.

にぐるま or Niguruma: means simply cart or wagon. This is my way of meaning a food vendor push cart.

おねがい or Onegai: Quite simply 'Please'