Recommended Story: 'Saimin no Jutsu' by Shywhitefox

Chapter Fifteen

After Shino and Tenten left, Ino felt even though this group did not intend it, she still felt like their hostage. 'I can't leave, no one will tell me anything, and I don't even have a say in where we go. If I'm not a prisoner, then I'm one confined guest.'

At the moment she was seated at a campfire back on the mainland. The group decided to leave Sea Country now that there had been some recent activity that was bound to attract attention they didn't want to be a part of. Isaribi was with them, and surprisingly she had not been that difficult to convince. Tsunade promised to see if reversing her treatment was possible and if so would do it ASAP.

Right then Ino was surrounded only by Sakura, Hinata, Moegi, Isaribi, and Ayame who was preparing some food for them while Tsunade, Shizune, Kushina, Tayuya, and Naruto were elsewhere, talking over something she'd likely not be privileged to knowing either.

"What's troubling you Ino?" Sakura asked sitting next to her friend. She already had a good idea what the answer was, but knew this was a good way to break the ice.

"What do you think is troubling me? I can't go back home and no one will tell me why we're trying to get away from it in the first place."

"There are people back in Konoha that are trying to kill Naruto-kun." Hinata told her.

"So?" Ino asked, sounding more uncaring than she intended to. "I mean, that can't possibly be the only reason. Right?"

"Ino, doesn't that strike you as the least bit suspicious?" Ayame asked without even taking her eyes off the brewing stew she was making. "I mean, do you think Naruto is supposed to be killed?"

"No, but why would anyone want to kill him?"

"Exactly. Why would anyone want to kill him? Think about that." Ayame replied.

Ino closed her eyes and thought as hard as she could on the subject. 'Okay, obviously something's suspicious here. Let's start from the beginning. Naruto was sent to the hospital after his mission to retrieve Sasuke-kun because according to Sakura Sasuke-kun was trying to kill Naruto and came close to succeeding. Within a day or two some if not all of the Anbu are trying to kill Naruto themselves. Hokage-sama does not like this and decides to take Naruto and several others out of Konoha to protect them.'

Ino shifted in her seat to get more comfortable and her train of thought continued uninterrupted. 'Hokage-sama chose to do this rather than step forward and stop the Anbu. This means that the Anbu were not acting on her orders and are likely to turn on her too just as much as they are Naruto. And with everyone in this group connected to Naruto in some way, people close to him must be at risk too. This of course implies that someone in the shadows wants Naruto out of the picture for some reason and is not afraid to circumvent the Hokage to get what they want. And such a person or group is a high threat to Konoha, but nothing can be done about them because Hokage-sama must have no leads to them and thus wants everyone targeted out of harm's way until she gets something she can use.'

Apparently Ino wasn't the dumb blonde many thought she was. She was Inoichi's daughter after all, just not as dedicated to her job as he was.

Opening her eyes, the platinum blonde looked at the other girls. "Someone's conspiring something nasty in Konoha and Naruto's on his hit-list for some reason, right?"

"Yes." Ayame answered. "And FYI, this isn't new. At least half of Konoha's population have wanted Naruto dead since the second they learned he existed."

"Don't exaggerate like that." Ino told her.

"What makes you think I'm exaggerating?" Ayame asked, narrowing her eyes slightly at the young mindwalker.

"How could so many people hate Naruto so much?" Ino asked, not seeing any reasonable answer. She was aware of his misbehavior when younger, but in all honesty what kid didn't misbehave on occasion? She had been a bit of a troublemaker herself when young.

"Should we tell her the reason?" Moegi asked Ayame.

The ramen chef shook her head. "She has to earn our trust first, and right now I don't trust her enough with that info."

"Well who exactly am I going to tell like this?" Ino argued.

"Doesn't matter. Until we know Naruto can trust you with his secret, we won't let you know it."

"How bad could it possibly be?" Ino asked.

"Trust me Ino, it's major." Sakura told her with complete seriousness. "Until you learn to trust and like Naruto like we do, you're better off not knowing."

Ino semi-glared at the pinkette. "And since when have you trusted or liked Naruto Forehead? I remember you once said that if the baka ever-"

"Don't call him that!" Hinata demanded, raising her voice but not yelling. Either way, it sure surprised Ino. "Don't you dare talk about Naruto-kun like that again. Or so help me I'll rewire your metabolism with my juuken to make you gain weight."

"Can you really do that?" Ino asked, not having enough knowledge of the body or Hyuuga fighting style to know if it was an empty threat or not.

"Would you like to find out?" Hinata asked back, raising her hand with chakra points on her fingers.

Ino gulped and hung her head. "I'm sorry Hinata. I'll try to watch my words from now on." One thing Ino did know was that she had never heard of Hinata threatening anyone before, and if she was doing it now for Naruto's sake, the wise thing was to not provoke her.

Hinata lowered her hand. "That's better."

Ino turned back to her old friend. "But still Sakura, you've never liked Naruto or cared about him before. So why now? You once said if he ever did become hokage you'd become a missing nin; in your words it would be better out here on the run than under his authority. And now you've become a missing nin to protect him? And not only that, back in that lab you said you actually believed Naruto will become hokage someday. What the hell changed? Why him and not Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura just looked blankly at the platinum blonde for a moment, then closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. "You really want to know? Alright, I'll tell you. It's because I was wrong. About Naruto and Sasuke. I was wrong about what kind of people they are."

She saw Ino was confused and decided to clarify things a bit. "I've spent the past few months around them both. Surely you must know I've learned more than just a thing or two about them both. But for now, I'll focus on Sasuke since that's what you want to hear about." Ino slightly perked up a bit now that the subject of interest came up.

"Sasuke is strong, of that there's no doubt, but that's his only good trait. Believe it or not, he's... also shallow, arrogant, and cruel. Cruel enough to attack his own teammates when he feels like it. He tried to kill Naruto on the last mission he was on, and he even tried to kill me in the hospital." Sakura said, getting shocked gasps out of Ino and the other girls.

"Really?" Hinata asked, speaking for the entire audience.

"What kind of person is this guy?" Isaribi asked, the only one among them who had no knowledge of Sasuke Uchiha. Even Ayame and Moegi knew, but mostly from what they learned from Naruto.

"He's my and Naruto's teammate. Most likely former teammate now, but I haven't heard anything made official yet. He was the most popular student in our class and considered the strongest ninja in our age group, and he was part of one of the most prestigious clans in Konoha." Sakura explained, for once not talking like her usual fangirl self on this subject. "For a while most of the girls our age were attracted to him because of this. Hinata was probably the only one among us who was attracted to Naruto instead."

Sakura briefly gave Hinata a sympathetic look before returning her gaze to Isaribi. "At first we all thought she was monumentally stupid to like him. That was part of why even though we knew she liked him, none of us ever helped her approach Naruto. Sure, we would say that she'd do it on her own when she was ready, but in all honesty, the rest of us just didn't care what happened to her or Naruto and saw no reason to do anything for them."

Hinata glared harshly, making Sakura feel about two inches tall right then. "So that's it then? That's why you led Naruto-kun on? You knew he wanted a friend and you knew I wanted him as my friend, and you kept silent simply because it wasn't your problem?"

"I was stupid and selfish Hinata, and for that I cannot be sorry enough. If you want to hit me right now then I'll let you. I deserve no less." Sakura replied with complete humility.

Hinata tightened her fist momentarily but relaxed it right away. "I can't say I'm not tempted Sakura. I mean, you said you wanted Naruto-kun to leave you alone and knew I would have gladly taken his affections, but you did nothing. I don't think apathy is the real reason you did nothing. I think maybe you wanted him to keep chasing you, and that is why I really want to hurt you." She briefly paused, trying to calm down. "However, I can see now something's changed in you, and I will at least hear you out before I do anything physical."

Sakura nodded. "Over the past few weeks, I've started to realize just what it is you see in him. Naruto is warm, trustworthy, and much more talented than I gave him credit for. He actually tries to talk to me and make me feel good, and when I'm hurt he tries to make me feel better. He's... better company than Sasuke ever was."

"I first realized that back in my first real mission to Wave Country. When we had spare time Sasuke barely said anything to me, but Naruto did. On the way back home it was the same, and even thru the chuunin exams it was still the same. Sasuke just didn't want to interact with us if it could be helped. But even though I saw this, I ignored it. I don't know why, maybe I just wasn't ready to consider the possibility Sasuke wasn't Mr. Right."

Sakura then sighed sadly. "Then came the time I couldn't ignore it any longer. This happened when Tsunade-sama came and treated Sasuke. In fact, this might even have happened around the time you and Naruto were talking about your own relationship Hinata."

Hinata didn't look angry anymore, which Sakura took as a good sign. "Go on."

Sakura nodded. "Tsunade-sama left to go check on Lee I think, and Naruto was gone, and I thought Sasuke and I finally had that private time I always dreamed of. Unfortunately, it was a disaster."

-Flashback-

Sakura was sitting by Sasuke's bed watching him rest a bit more. He had already awakened thanks to Tsunade but he wasn't very active. 'I'll be right here when you're back on your feet Sasuke-kun. I hope that now you'll open up a bit more. I do enjoy being on your team, but I'd like it more if you weren't so closed off from me. Never thought I'd say this, but there were times Naruto was better company.'

She had no idea how she sat there, but she did in time see Sasuke open his eyes, making her smile. "Sasuke-kun!"

"You're still here? Dear Kami you've got absolutely no life do you?" He bitterly stated.

"What?" She asked, not expected that to come from him.

He stared firmly at his kunoichi teammate, not looking happy. "Sakura, did you seriously have nothing better to do than wait for me to wake up? Did you? Or did your one track mind forbid you from doing anything else?"

"I... I thought you'd be happy to-"

"To what Sakura? See you keep hovering over me watching every move I make and breath I take? Don't you have any fucking idea how annoying it is having you as my shadow? You're even worse because my shadow at least is silent."

"Sa-Sasuke-kun I'm just trying to-"

"I know exactly what you're trying to do Sakura. You think you can make me love you by smothering me. Newsflash, if that worked the dobe would be your boyfriend by now. You've proven you're just as stupid as he is. You're even worse because the dobe at least can put up a fight." Sasuke interrupted, looking madder when he finished.

Sakura was stunned silent by his enraged tone and expression. Considering the Uchiha's usual facial expression over the past few years, it was often difficult to tell if he was in a good mood or not even for his fangirls. But this was clearly not a good mood. No, instead he looked like one more trigger and he'd be out for blood.

"Sasuke-kun calm down. Nothing's wrong?"

"Calm down? Nothing's wrong? EVERYTHING'S wrong you dipshit! I still can't fucking beat my damn brother. All my training has been completely worthless. I'm falling behind, and if that wasn't worse enough that lousy dead last got away from Itachi in better shape than I did when he shouldn't have even survived the first second near my brother."

"Sasuke-kun you should be happy you're still alive." Sakura tried to tell him.

"Why should I be happy? I've spent my entire life trying to surpass and kill him and I still can't do it." He challenged.

"Well what did you expect? That he'd just stand there and let you kill him?" Sakura challenged back. "Sasuke-kun if you tried fighting him you would have died."

Sasuke glared at her like he was willing her very soul to burst into flames. "So you think I'm weak too huh?"

"What? No I don't. You're one of the strongest people I know. But you're not strong enough to kill an S-rank missing nin like it's child's play."

"Then I'm not as strong as I'm supposed to be." He replied bitterly.

"For crying out loud Sasuke-kun you're only twelve years old. You can't possibly expect yourself to be kage-level at this point." Sakura stated, a bit exasperated. "Just be glad Naruto was able to go get the best medic in the country to heal you."

"Glad? I should be glad that the reason I'm still alive is because HE helped save me? I'd rather be dead than saved by that... that loser!"

"With all due respect Sasuke-kun, Naruto's not a loser anymore. He's gotten a lot stronger since he graduated. I mean, you did say that he was the one who beat that sand-user, not you." Sakura said.

If Sasuke was just mad before, he was certainly pissed now. Reacting quicker than Sakura could anticipate, he leaned up and slapped her hard across her face. Hard enough to lose a tooth and spit out some blood from it.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun?" She asked, shocked he actually struck her.

And apparently he wasn't done. Sasuke now seemed to lunge out of bed now that he knew he could move better, or maybe it was the adrenaline rush he was feeling, but either way he got out of bed and pushed Sakura to the floor. With the way things looked right now, if anyone else walked in right now they'd think the boy was raping the girl.

Sakura panicked and tried to shove him off, but he wrapped his hands around her neck and started constricting. Gasping for breath, Sakura tried to pry his hands off her neck, but he wouldn't budge. 'He's really trying to suffocate me.'

"Don't you DARE compare that weakling to me!" Sasuke shouted at her, ignoring any pleas coming from her. "I am strong! I am important! I am never supposed to lose! I am the exact opposite of that dobe and I will not allow a weakling like yourself to say he's better than me!"

Doing the only thing she could do while she was still conscious, Sakura reached for her equipment pouch, which she only had on her because she kept some makeup in it, and pulled out a smoke pellet she also kept there. She threw it on the floor creating a large cloud of smoke that obscured vision and breathing. Sasuke coughed and covered his eyes, releasing Sakura in the process.

By the time the smoke cleared, Sakura was gone.

-End Flashback-

When she finished her story, Sakura pulled her lips to reveal her left set of teeth. Everyone could see a missing one on the top jaw that wasn't obvious when she was talking. "This is what he did to me. The choke bruises healed at least, but this won't go away anytime soon."

No one knew what to say to her, but everyone felt bad for her. Ino was even shedding a few tears, sympathizing with the pinkette the most since she knew how painful this must have been for her.

Sakura shed a tear too. "Whatever love I did have for Sasuke died that afternoon. What he did was inexcusable. I... I was so frightened from it and upset that I locked myself in my bedroom for an entire day. I just kept asking myself why he would do such a thing to me?"

"He was likely angry and bitter about something and taking it out on you. But the fact that he went that far is indeed inexcusable." Ino told her old friend, finding her own interest in Sasuke weakening a lot too after hearing this. "If he can attack you like that and try to kill Naruto like you said, then no one's safe around him."

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I realized that I could no longer feel safe around him anymore and was strongly tempted to ask the hokage to be reassigned. But we got a mission to Tea Country before I had a chance. I... I knew if I acted different it would only make things worse, so I tried to pretend nothing happened as best I could. Thank Kami-sama Sasuke didn't try to finish what he started. Guess he thought I wasn't worth it anymore."

Hinata then looked confused. "Wait, then why was it on that so-called date you had with Naruto-kun all you talked about was the Uchiha?"

"I wanted to clear my head of so many negative thoughts, and Naruto was the best second opinion I could get. I... I wanted to know what Naruto's thoughts on Sasuke were, see if maybe he was a jerk to others or just me. I just wanted to know if I was the only one he was rude to. Apparently I'm not."

"Okay, that explains why you're not so enthusiastic about Sasuke anymore, but what changed your mind about Naruto?" Ino asked, unaware she also dropped the kun suffix on the Uchiha.

"What changed me Ino? Well, what I can tell you is Naruto at least has never hit me. I'm not even sure he's ever even insulted me. If you knew what I knew, you'd be amazed I'm still alive after all the crap I've given him over the years. And despite all that, Naruto still tries to be my friend. He wants my friendship and respect, he tries to make me happy, and before he realized Hinata was better than me, he actually wanted my affections. So in a way Sasuke was right, he and Naruto are exact opposites."

Hinata nodded. "That they are. Too bad you took so long to figure out which one was the yin and which one was the yang."

Sakura nodded shamefully. "Then again, my loss is your gain, right Hinata?"

Hinata came over and sat by the pinkette. "Sakura-san, I will not hurt you for your past atrocities against Naruto-kun. If you're truly sorry and he forgives you then I will not begrudge you either. But if you betray him or try to come between us, all bets are off between you and me. Same goes for you Ino-san."

Sakura nodded, and Ino did so feeling it was the only right thing to do here.

A moment later the rest of the group came back and sat down. Ayame served them all their dinners and they ate quietly. Hinata sat in Naruto's lap, making Kushina smile and Sakura feel a bit envious.

"So what's the next step in our plan?" Ayame asked the older women.

"We've decided to head to a place where Konoha's hunter nins can't find us." Tsunade answered.

"Where? Land of Earth?" Ino asked.

Kushina shook her head. "Nope. Yggdrasil."