Secrets and smiles

by sabersoul13

A prank gone wrong ends with Naruto's secret being found out by the unlikeliest of his comrades. Learning to trust each other more, and discovering new feelings along the way, the two blondes can only hope that their stubbornness doesn't get in the way of the new bonds being formed. NarutoxIno.

9. The Monster Inside

Naruto knew a lot of things. You needed only ask him, and he would be more than happy to list off a great number of things he was sure he knew, whether it was true or otherwise. He knew several jutsu by now, even a good few Fuinjutsu. He was confident he almost had sage mode down, and in time there was no doubt in his mind that his list of skills as a ninja would only grow larger and more extravagant. Naruto also knew a lot stuff not related solely to being a ninja, despite how hard he had tried in his youth to only absorb shinobi-based information. He knew how to cook and clean to a standard he was happy with, live off the land, how to hunt, among other menial things. Much to his annoyance, he was also confident that after the years spent with Jiraiya, with his godfather's insistence on reading as much 'learning material' as possible, among plenty of other things, he knew how to handle himself around women in any scenario that he may find himself in.

That assumption had been wrong. Dead wrong.

Now that wasn't to say Naruto didn't know what to say, how to act, and what to do when it came to women. He knew a lot. The fact that many of Jiraiya's teachings often revolved around the art of escaping the wrath of a woman was neither here nor there. In this particular moment, Naruto was grateful for the knowledge. If only any of it was of any use to him. The perverted sage's words still echoed deep in his mind as the world around him was frozen in place. 'Escaping the wrath of a woman is the easy part,' Jiraiya had said sagely. 'Unless it's the mother of the girl you're trying anything with. If she has it out for you, or if you find yourself in a situation that would earn her anger, you're pretty much fucked.'

At the time, that hadn't made a lot of sense to a young and naïve Naruto. Surely, if he was attempting anything with a girl, then he would care deeply for them, and any misunderstanding with the girl's mother could be explained. He knew better now. From his place, laying down in Ino's bed, with said blonde cuddled up on top of him peacefully, Naruto could only stare at the bedroom door in silent horror, hoping beyond hope that what he had heard was nothing more than an auditory illusion. A trick of the mind resulting from the concussion he likely suffered the night before. Another rap against the timber door proved he was wrong, deepening his fear.

"Ino, sweetie. Are you up yet?" Himiko called out.

Naruto paled, remembering the last time he had been in Ino's room. While it was a saving grave that Himiko had decided to respect her daughters room and was knocking this time, that didn't mean the safety of said boundary would last forever. It was only a matter of time before that door swung open, and Naruto's predicament was put on full display. Speaking of his predicament, Naruto didn't quite remember how he even got in this situation to begin with. And where was his shirt?

He froze as Ino stirred in her sleep. Her arms wrapped around him tighter, pulling herself deeper into him as her face nuzzled into his neck. Each breath she took tickled up his jaw and coloured his cheeks a bright red. No, he would not be caught like this. His dignity demanded he not die at the hands of a wrathful mother. With caution and dexterity only a ninja could hope to have, Naruto slowly and carefully wiggled himself free, inch by inch, until he was able to pry himself from Ino's formidable grasp, his place quickly being replaced by a pillow. He almost felt bad as Ino stirred again, nuzzling into the pillow and seemingly pouting at the sudden loss of warmth she had grown comfortable with. Naruto would definitely be picking on her about this later.

With his freedom, Naruto quickly found his clothes, all clean and neatly folded on Ino's desk. Okay, maybe she had earnt herself a pass on the teasing this time. Giving himself a quick once over, he was pleased to find all his wounds had been treated and bandaged. With the Kyuubi's chakra still being cut off, Naruto figured Ino had been forced to put in more effort to heal him. Why she hadn't taken him to the hospital like she was supposed to was still open for investigation. Regardless, he would need to get his seal sorted soon. The aches and throbbing headache from last night's ordeal still lingered and he didn't like that at all. Getting dressed, Naruto snuck over to the door, placing his ear gently against its cold surface and listening out for anything on the other side. He was planning on jumping out the window, but it didn't hurt to be safe.

Hearing nothing on the other side, Naruto let out a quiet sigh of relief. Turning back to the room, he was caught a little off guard by the sight before him. He had always known Ino was beautiful, there was never any question about that. Even in their youth, she was easily one of the prettiest girls in the village, in Naruto unbiased opinion. In this moment, laid out on her bed, hair messily sprawled out and arms clinging to a pillow like a lifeline, Naruto could do nothing but stare in awe. An uncomfortable warmth burnt its way up his neck, reigniting his face with the realisation that he had just, unknowingly, spent a night in bed with the Ino Yamanaka. Jiraiya could never know about this.

Almost as quickly as he found himself caught in the alluring genjutsu that was Ino's curves, all deliciously visible even under the thin blanket draped over her, Naruto was pulled away from his less than pure thoughts by a sudden gust of wind and the creaking of wood. He didn't need to turn around to know the door had been opened. Somehow, Naruto knew that him standing there, fully clothed, watching Ino sleep, was a much worse image than if he had simply been caught in bed with the girl. Oh well. If he were to die today, he could die happy with this being one of the last images he burnt into his mind.

"Good morning, Naruto," Himiko greeted quietly with a smile.

Naruto grinned nervously as he turned to her. "Morning," he said weakly, doing his best to banish the blush from his face.

"Should I be worried?" Himiko asked sweetly, now no longer caring to keep her volume down as she looked quizzically between the pair.

Ino didn't stir at her mother's voice, leaving Naruto to let out a breath of relief before turning panicked eyes to Himiko. At this point, he might as well just accept death. He had no idea how skilled Himiko was, or if she was even a ninja, but he was cornered, injured, and cut off from his biggest trump card. If there was ever a time to end him, now would be it. Worst of all, Naruto knew that no one would even question his death at the woman's hands. What mother wouldn't murder a boy they just found creeping in their daughters room.

Himiko only smiled wider at Naruto's clear panic. "Don't worry. Ino is a deep sleeper," she said casually. "So, I ask again, is there anything I should be worried about?"

Naruto shook his head. "No ma'am."

The woman hummed suspiciously. "I thought you promised not to go sneaking around my home again."

"Oh, umm, I did, yes. But I, uh…" Naruto paused and looked down at Ino, her peaceful expression as she slept all but demanding he not place the blame on her. How could he possibly blame her. "I'm sorry."

Himiko smiled knowingly at Naruto. "Well, at least I don't have to worry about you having a good poker face," she said in amusement, much to Naruto's confusion. "Ino told me you were here after you passed out last night. I did tell her to set you up in the spare room, but it seems she had her own plans." Himiko shook her head as she laughed softly. "What ever will I do with her."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a bother," Naruto said. "I'll get out of your hair. Just let Ino know I'm all good and that I'll catch up with her soon. Also, thank her for healing me."

"Nonsense," Himiko said. "You aren't going anywhere, not until you've had something to eat. I'm making breakfast already, so I'll just whip up some extra for you. You aren't a picky eater, are you?" Naruto shook his head. "Perfect. Come on down when you're ready. I'm sure you're hungry after last night."

Naruto remained frozen in place as Himiko closed the door as she left. This was nothing like how Jiraiya had explained/warned. There was always the possibility that Jiraiya was flat out wrong, or that Ino's mother was a unique case. No matter the case, Naruto could sense danger. Turning to leave through the window he stopped short of his goal as his stomach growled, and with its audible protest Naruto had to carefully weigh his options. He could take the risk of Ino's mother having evil ulterior motives for being so outwardly kind, or he could bail and possibly upset both Himiko and Ino… and be hungry.

Another growl from his stomach made the choice for him, and soon he found himself cautiously venturing down the stairs and into the kitchen, guided by the pleasant smells of food. While he did try to offer to help, Naruto was quick to find that despite not having grown up with a mother, he was still just as easily silenced and seated by a mere look from the older woman. Sometimes instincts just kick in like that. And so, he sat down at the table, patiently and silently waiting for a chance to properly apologise for and explain his intrusion into the home, when a plate of food and a bowl of rice was suddenly placed in front of him. Naruto tried to not come across as rude as he stared at the meal before him with wide eyes, taking his time to memorise this moment.

"Is that okay?" Himiko asked worriedly. "I can make you something else if you prefer."

"No!" Naruto said a little too loud. Wincing at his outburst, he grinned sheepishly at Ino's mother. "Sorry. I just… I've never had… it smells really good."

Himiko smiled softly and nodded in understanding. "Growing up as an orphan can be tough," she said simply. "You aren't used to anyone making you food, are you?"

"No. At least not until Ino started doing it," he admitted. "Are you sure it's okay I'm here? I don't want to be-"

"Naruto," Himiko cut him off. "If I didn't wish for you to be here, I would have asked you to leave already. I certainly wouldn't be trying to feed you. Ino invited you into our home, or kidnapped you, whichever way you want to look at it. Either way, you are a guest, so please, relax."

He let his shoulders slump and breathed deeply, inhaling the mouthwatering food waiting to be eaten. A nod from Himiko was all the permission he needed to dig in happily, making sure to restrain his hunger so as to eat in a semi-respectable manner. No sooner was he finished was another serving placed before him by a smiling Himiko, the woman sitting across from him with a cup of coffee. Finishing his second serving, Naruto wasn't sure what to do from here. He had hoped Ino would have woken up by now, or he'd think of some excuse to leave of his own accord. Sadly, neither had come about, so he was left awkwardly sitting across from Ino's mother in silence.

"Ino's told us much about you," she said suddenly.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Yeah, you did say that. I hope she left some parts out," he said. Having certain parts of his history being remembered by more than those who had been present was not something Naruto wanted. Enough people knew too many embarrassing things about him already. Although, Ino's family, and her clan, were mind readers of a sort, so he supposed them knowing everything was only a matter of time. Still uncomfortable to think about.

"She probably did. And of course, some parts were obviously exaggerated for the sake of storytelling," Himiko said with a laugh. "That being said, it's not so much what she told us about you, but how she told us."

Tilting his head curiously, Naruto could help but ask, "How do you mean?"

"After a certain point, not long after you both became genin, Ino began mentioning you," Himiko said, remembering that first year of her daughter's shinobi career fondly. "Honestly, it was such a relief to have her mention anyone other than the Uchiha boy-" she noted how Naruto seemed to wince at the mention of the other boy "-but when she spoke of you, it was different. Perhaps not at first, but over time, the way Ino used to smile when she told us about your training sessions, or a prank the two of you were planning, the way she used to practically run out the door to go and spend time with you, it all started adding up."

Naruto couldn't quite help the blush that was slowly making itself known on his cheeks, but he didn't dare interrupt as Himiko went to continue.

"To put it simply, Ino has had a crush on you for much longer than even she realises," Himiko stated, enjoying the sight as Naruto blushed much brighter. "I'm sure you two are well aware of your shared feelings by now. At least, I hope so, or this must be the most confusing conversation of your life so far."

Naruto laughed along with her. "You'd be surprised with some of the conversations I've had," he said jokingly, trying and failing to distract himself from the main point being brought up. "I do care about Ino… a lot. But…"

"You're scared," she surmised, to which he nodded. "That's normal. Everyone gets a little scared about such things, especially with your line of work. There is a lot of constantly changing factors, risks to be taken into account. A shinobi's life is not a simple thing when you add love to the mix. Which is why I'm glad we have this little moment together, just the two of us. I've wanted to talk to you for some time now."

"You have?" Naruto asked, his mind already working overtime to find the worst possible outcome. While normally he was treated as an annoyance, or outright disregarded, Naruto wasn't a stranger to the concept of being let down gently. Perhaps the food and this pleasant conversation was just a way to peacefully tell him that they would rather he not return Ino's affections. It would make sense.

Himiko nodded with a gentle smile. "I know your parents aren't around, and that you've been on your own since before you can remember," she said. "Life is a fickle thing to traverse even with the structure and support of family. Without those things, it's much harder. I know Ino will go out of her way to help you in any way she can, but she is still young, and it isn't quite the same. So, I wanted to let you know, if there is ever anything you need, anything you need to talk about, or get advice on, my husband and I are here to support you, regardless of whatever choice you an Ino make in regard to your feelings. Ino cares for you deeply, as a friend, and possibly more, and I want you to know that no matter what, you will always be welcome here."

Naruto was lost for words. He looked down at the empty plate in front of him as he felt a tightness in his throat, knowing that if he looked up at Himiko's soft caring expression he wouldn't be able to stop himself from falling apart. The emotional turmoil of last night still hadn't fully died down, and this moment was not helping in the slightest. As much as he had dreamed of having a dad to teach and guide him, such a fantasy only came second place to what he felt he truly needed. Between Sarutobi, Iruka, Kakashi, and Jiraiya, Naruto knew he had enough positive male role models in his life to help fill the void his father had left. The void left by his mother though… Tsunade and Ayame were the only real relationships he had with any women, and those were a grandmotherly and sisterly bond. No one had tried to act motherly to him in any capacity, until now.

"Thank you," he said weakly, counting his blessings that the words weren't croaked out pathetically. "I appreciate it."

Himiko smiled wide. "Think nothing of it dear," she said. "Now, enough of that. A little birdy told me that you are the man to talk to about pranks. I hope that with all your growing up you haven't given up that particular skillset." A look of realisation crossed over Naruto face as he caught a glimpse of the mischievous glint in the woman's eyes. "I could use your help, if you're interested that is."

Naruto narrowed his eyes silently for a moment at the unhinged grin starting to tug at Himiko's face, her eyes glancing sporadically towards the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. Suddenly, Ino's own interest in pranks, and her twisted sense of humour, was all starting to make sense. It did make Naruto wonder which of his parents he inherited his own tendency for pranks from. "I'm listening," he said seriously, leaning in close with a smirk of his own.

The evil cackle that Himiko tried to stifle made him second guess for a moment… only a moment.

---

{I}

When Ino woke up, she was disappointed to find that the bed was noticeably colder than it should have been. Devoid of a certain body of warmth that she knew was supposed to be present. Sighing slightly at the lost chance of stealing morning cuddles under the guise of pretending to still be asleep, Ino got up and stretched. On the plus side, with Naruto already gone, at least she wouldn't have to deal with her parents asking any annoying questions or accusations. Her mother anyway. Her father seemed happy to be kept out of the loop for most things and Ino intended on keeping it that way.

Making her way to the bathroom, Ino went about her usual morning routine. She spent a few minutes panicking over the possible meaning behind Naruto's disappearance, wondering if perhaps she had been a little too forward with things. Not that she would apologise. The 'date' had gone surprisingly well until Jiraiya showed up and shit on everything, and Ino wanted to keep a close eye on Naruto with his injuries. Putting him into her own bed to rest, and then crawling into said bed alongside him, may have pushed the line. But it wasn't her fault. Naruto was so warm, and soft, and cuddly, and… ugh. Ino refused to apologise for seizing an opportunity that so boldly placed itself before her. That being said, if it had upset Naruto, and he had run off in frustration or confusion, then Ino swore to make it up to him somehow.

Finally awake, dressed, and with her mind cleared of unsure thoughts, Ino headed towards the stairs. She could smell breakfast and she needed to eat a good meal before starting her hunt for Naruto. Stopping suddenly at the top of the stairs, the hairs on the back of Ino's neck stood on end and her eyes narrowed dangerously, the sound of laughter reaching her ears. Her mother's laughter, which was common enough under this roof. Her father's laughter, while a little rarer, was still not out of place. But there was a third, a more boisterous laugh, a more… Naruto laugh? Ino paled. If Naruto was still here, and was having breakfast with her parents, then that meant… 'Oh no.'

Ino couldn't remember if her bedroom door had been open when she woke up. She didn't know when Naruto might have woken up, when her parents had woken up. Dealing with Naruto waking up to his own compromising position would be an easy problem for Ino to solve, but if either of her parents had caught sight of Naruto in her bed after she promised to set him up in the spare room, well, going missing-nin wasn't a terrible idea compared to dealing with the embarrassment that was her family. Carefully venturing down the stairs, Ino took a deep breath and composed herself before strolling into the kitchen as if nothing was wrong, making a point to walk straight up to Naruto and place a glowing green hand on his forehead.

"Good to see you're up," she said cheerfully. "How do you feel? Any lasting pain? Headache?"

Naruto shook his head and grinned. "Nope. Just a few aches here and there," he answered. "Once I get that seal Pervy-sage put on me fixed up, I'll be good in a few hours anyway. Thanks for healing me though. I appreciate it."

Ino rolled her eyes and pulled her hand back with a nod. He wasn't lying at least. Almost all of his injuries had healed overnight, the medical freak of nature that he was. "Anytime," she said, taking a seat next to him and assessing the room. Her mother was smiling at her in a way that made Ino feel uneasy, but her father didn't seem off in any way, unless you took into account his curious glances between both Naruto and Ino. Obviously, he had questions, even if he wasn't jumping to any conclusions just yet. It wasn't until her mother and Naruto shared an almost unnoticeable look, the tiniest hints of matching smirks on their faces, that Ino realised something was terribly wrong. 'Fuckery is afoot.'

"How did you sleep, sweetie?" Himiko asked Ino, giving her a knowing look. "Warm enough? How are your pillows holding up? Is it time to get you some new ones perhaps?"

Ino struggled not to roll her eyes. Perfect. So, her mother had caught her and Naruto in bed, or at least knew what the sleeping arrangement had been. That was manageable. Looking to her father, Ino was relieved to find him only half paying attention to the conversation, focussed mostly on his morning coffee. "I slept well. My pillows are fine, thank you," she replied, levelling a stern look at her mother that screamed 'I will end you'. Sadly, that only proved to provoke the woman further.

"And how about you, Naruto?" Himiko asked. "Did you sleep well? Please, do let us know if any of our hospitality is lacking. We'd hate to know that you didn't get a good rest under our roof."

With the power of pranks far outweighing his own embarrassment, Naruto was able to completely abolish the blush that wished to grace his face. "I slept great," he exclaimed cheerfully, grinning wide at Ino and making the girl blush. "You guys have really warm blankets. Super soft too. You'll have to tell me where you got them. I need one."

Ino failed to fight down the glowing redness in her cheeks as the heat of her embarrassment moved up her neck. 'You two…' she hissed mentally, glaring at Naruto and Himiko with realisation and the promise of womanly fury. She was ecstatic, in a way, that her mother and hopeful future boyfriend were apparently getting along like old friends. Ino was, however, also enraged at the understanding that the two were working together against her. How dare they. Why would they do this to her. Or, more importantly, what the hell were they playing at. Glancing back at her father, Ino was a little less relieved to find the man looking questioningly at Naruto. Even with his early morning sleep riddled mind, the way his wife and house guest were talking was too strange to ignore.

"They are just the cheap ones from the store," Inoichi said. "You can get better ones almost anywhere."

Naruto's grin grew wider. "Oh, well, it felt expensive last night," he said, side eyeing Ino. "Special, even."

Ino accidentally let a growl escape her, earning three worried looks, although two of them were noticeably less worried than they ought to be.

"Everything okay, Ino?" Naruto asked. "You aren't still upset about last night, are you?"

"What happened last night?" Inoichi asked curiously.

Ino jumped at the opportunity to take control of the situation at hand. "Oh, right. We live far enough away that you wouldn't have felt anything," she said quickly. "Naruto found out that Jiraiya is his godfather, and when Jiraiya got back to the village last night, they had a bit of a fight and destroyed a training ground. Made a big scene about it too." Smirking as her father nodded, accepting her little explanation, she turned smugly to Naruto. "And no, I'm not still mad about that. Even if you did make an idiot of yourself for no reason. I'm just hungry, that's all."

Himiko chuckled. "Ino does get rather hangry at times, especially in the mornings," she said. "Something for you to look forward to, Naruto."

Naruto snorted. "Just the mornings?" he asked. "I thought that was just her all the time. She used to get so grumpy for no reason in the academy, and even during our first year." Ino would have yelled had Naruto not immediately turned to her with a tilted head. "And I wasn't talking about the fight. I was talking about our date. You aren't mad about that, are you?"

"Date?" Inoichi asked, his eyes suddenly less tired and focused on the two blondes sitting across from him.

"Yeah. Ino took me out to dinner last night," Naruto explained happily, grinning ear to ear. "I didn't know it was supposed to be a date until like halfway through. I dunno if I messed anything up, or if it was going well, because Jiraiya sort of interrupted before we could finish. Guess I did kind of ruin it by running off to fight pervy-sage…" Sheepishly, Naruto looked at Ino apologetically. "I'm sorry I did that. If… if I didn't blow things completely, I'd love to try and make it up to you. Any chances of a second?"

Inoichi cleared his throat. "Yes, Ino. Do tell us, does Naruto get a second date?" he asked dangerously.

Ino ignored her father, looked past Naruto's beautiful blue puppy-dog-eyes, and glared at her mother who was smiling far too smugly for her liking. 'This is your doing, you evil woman.' In that moment, Ino swore revenge. Sweet, savoury, served cold on a silver platter, revenge. Naruto would get what was coming to him as well, all in good time. Not bothering to try and fight her blush, Ino turned to smile weakly at her father. "I'm sorry, daddy. I didn't want to tell you I was going on a date in case it didn't work out. If I didn't click with him, I didn't want you to worry."

"And did you?" her father asked.

"Huh?"

"Did you and Naruto click?" Somehow, Ino's blush got brighter, and Naruto shared in the unwarranted expression beside her. That was all the answer Inoichi needed as he down the remainer of his cup and focused solely on Naruto. "Naruto, come with me please."

Ino watched in muted horror as her father escorted Naruto outside. What for, she didn't know, though it couldn't have been anything good. Choosing to focus on what she could actually do anything about, Ino turned to glare at her mother. "What have you done?" she hissed.

Himiko didn't react, taking a sip from her cup. "I don't know what you're insinuating, dear. I assure you, I've done nothing," she said calmly, smile never leaving her face. "Perhaps I should be the one asking what you've been doing. Going on dates, sneaking a boy into our house, not once, but twice. That's not even mentioning the state that I found you two in this morning."

"Nothing happened!"

"Obviously," Himiko said. "But that isn't the point. The point is, you're trying to sink your claws into poor Naruto without even properly introducing him to us. I told you to invite him to dinner so we could get to know him a little."

"I asked him!" Ino exclaimed. "He agreed. Or at least he did last night. Now, after his little chat with dad, who knows if he'll ever come back." Speaking of, Ino quickly got up and moved to a spot where she could see where her father had taken Naruto out to the back of the house and was now talking to him. If the scared look on the jinchuuriki's face was anything to go by, Ino suspected her chances of getting a second date were going to be slim.

"Hmm, I wonder what they are talking about," Himiko said nonchalantly, earning a grunt from her daughter.

---

{I}

"Look scared."

"Huh?" Naruto looked up at Inoichi questioningly, paling slightly as the man placed a firm grip on his shoulder.

Inoichi leaned in a little and sternly repeated himself. "Look scared." Naruto followed his instruction, perhaps with a little more legitimacy than was necessary. "Don't say anything. I'm going to ask you some questions, and you are going to nod or shake, yes or no. Understood?" Naruto nodded. "Good. So, Himiko put you up to this, didn't she?" Another nod. "Hmm, that woman. I love her, but she can be so frustrating at times. Was the plan to prank me as well?" A shake. "Smart. Although teasing Ino comes with its own risks. I'm sure you already understand that. What to do, what to do. Do you actually intend on trying to date my daughter?" A nod. "You love her? Actually, don't answer that. I don't want to know yet. Would you die for her?" A very enthusiastic nod.

During this strange interrogation, Naruto couldn't help but notice both Ino and Himiko watching on from the window. Inoichi was smart enough to keep his back turned to the house, and by keeping Naruto from talking, there was no way for either woman to read their lips or attempt to figure out what was truly being discussed. 'Maybe I bit off more than I can chew with this one.' It had been some time since he had given into his mischievous side. He had jumped at the chance to bond with Ino's mother with a light-hearted prank, but now he was questioning how smart of an idea that had been. Thinking before acting was not something he was widely known for.

"Look, you're a good kid, Naruto," Inoichi said. "I know it, Himiko knows it, and Ino knows it. She cares about you a lot. Has for quite a while now actually. I'll be honest, when the Hokage called me into his office that night, all those years ago, and I learnt what my daughter had done to you, I never would have expected things to turn out the way they have. You put your trust in Ino, in me and my clan. For that, you earned my trust. The years since have only shown me how well placed that trust is. You're growing into a fine young man and a shinobi this village can truly be proud of, who your parents would be proud of."

Naruto's face softened. "Than-"

"Ah-ah," the man interrupted. "Still need you to look scared. I have a reputation to uphold. Now, while I trust you, and I know you are a good person, this is my baby girl we are talking about. My little princess. My precious Ino. You understand what I'm getting at?" Naruto shook his head with an unsure expression and Inoichi sighed deeply. "What I'm trying to get at, is if you want to date my daughter, then I need you to promise to do so honourably. No more sneaking into the house, no more secret dates, and certainly no letting that perverted fool Jiraiya anywhere near my baby. If I ever hear about one of his little books having a character even close to resembling Ino… not even the Kyuubi will stop me from doing what I must. Do I make myself clear?"

Naruto smiled fearfully and nodded. "I understand, sir. But… Jiraiya is my godfather. His perverted habits aside, I know he means well, and I did intend on trying to have him around more often," he said, only to gulp audibly as Inoichi's glare didn't lessen in the slightest. "Although… I've gone this long without him around all the time. Guess it won't hurt, so long as it keeps Ino safe, yeah?"

Inoichi placed his other hand on Naruto's other shoulder and stared into his soul, seemingly searching for any hint of deception. "Good man. Now…" the Yamanaka clan head's entire demeanour changed as he grinned mischievously at Naruto. "What say we all work together and get one over Ino? That little brat still hasn't paid for that time she put hair dye in my shampoo. Do you have any idea how long that stuff lasts? So, whaddaya say? You in?"

"Wait, what?" Naruto quirked his brow at the man in surprise, his eyes jumping between the unnerving smile aimed at him and the prying faces watching them from within the house. 'A whole family of pranksters? When in the… did I die and go to heaven?' "Did you have something in mind?"

The glimmer in Inoichi's eyes was more terrifying than his wife's.

"Tell me, Naruto…"

Naruto froze at the tone, a little voice in the far recesses of his mind screaming that he should have just kept his mouth shut. His one true weakness was coming to haunt him yet again.

"Just how far have you gone with my innocent little Ino?"

---

{I}

"Ino, I said I'm sorry. Please stop ignoring me."

Ino didn't even acknowledge Naruto with a glare as she sped up her pace and left him behind, leaping through the trees ahead of the team. Naruto hung his head in defeat and allowed his fellow blonde to keep her distance, dropping back to hang with his teammate who in turn looked at him questioningly.

"Naruto, what did you do?" Sakura asked. Watching her childhood rival give her teammate the cold shoulder and silent treatment all day had been entertaining at first, but now it was just dragging on too much. While Sakura would have understood anyone's reasoning for ignoring Naruto some years ago, she simply couldn't wrap her head around Ino doing so, especially knowing how the Yamanaka thought of the blonde jinchuuriki. Whatever Naruto had done to piss Ino off, it must have been really bad to overpower her naturally affectionate personality.

Naruto groaned. "I didn't do anything," he protested. "Ino took me back to her place after my fight with Jiraiya, to heal me and stuff. Then I fell asleep in her bed, and her mother walked in in the morning, then we had breakfast, everything was going so well. Then Himiko wanted my help to pull a little joke on Ino, and then her dad wanted the same thing, and you know what I'm like with pranks. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, Sakura. I couldn't pass it up. Now Ino won't talk to me."

Sakura eyed her teammate sceptically before sighing deeply. "God, Naruto. Even after all these years, you're still so dense sometimes," she muttered. "What exactly was the little joke you pulled with her parents? And keep in mind, jokes between family are not usually something you can just insert yourself into. Don't be surprised if you crossed a line with Ino."

"But they asked for my help?"

"Doesn't matter," Sakura insisted. "If it hurt Ino's feelings, all that matters is that you chose their side over hers. Now what was it?"

"Okay, okay, so, at first, Himiko just wanted to make a bunch of suggestive comments to pick on Ino for letting me fall asleep in her bed. Once Ino took the bait and tried to defend herself, then she would either deny it and lie, or she would have to admit it, along with sleeping in the bed with me-"

"You two are sleeping together already!"

"-anyway," Naruto continued, ignoring Sakura's blushing yet accusatory stare. "All was going well, Ino even seemed a little nervous. Then her dad got involved and pulled me outside for a talk. I was expecting him to yell at me, but he's a super cool guy. I look forward to talking to him again actually."

"Naruto."

"Right. Getting off track again. Basically, once Inoichi caught on to what Himiko was trying to do, and once I found out that I was surrounded by people who could appreciate a good joke, well, it's only natural that we all tried to team up against Ino and-"

"Don't you dare tell her what you did!" Ino yelled from up ahead.

Naruto grinned. "You're talking to me again," he cheered.

Sakura shook her head. "You really screwed it up this time, you idiot," she said, looking towards Ino. "What did he do?"

Ino stopped suddenly, the team behind her following her lead as she glared daggers at the object of her affections. "They acted out a whole scene that revolved around my parents approving of our marriage and wanting to know how many grandkids Naruto intended to give them!" she explained, a dangerous edge to her tone. "This idiot had the gall to say he wanted a big family. No less than nine kids! We haven't even kissed yet!"

"You haven't?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "But you slept together."

"Slept!" Ino shouted. "That's all. We slept in the same bed, clothing on. No funny business. Completely innocent!"

Sakura smirked and gave Ino a knowing look. "Bet your thoughts weren't innocent," she said with a wink, causing the blonde to blush brightly and rush off again.

Naruto grumbled under his breath and looked at Sakura pleadingly. "Please don't make things worse for me."

Sakura put a hand on his shoulder and nodded solemnly. "Naruto, there is nothing that could possibly make this worse for you. Now let's go."

They continued on their way, followed closely by the stand in jonin of their team, a strangely quiet man named Yamato. Naruto wasn't sure what to think of the guy, but Tsunade and Kakashi both swore by him, so that was good enough for him. The man was learning much more intimate information about Naruto's personal life than he would have liked on a first meeting. He was, however, keeping respectfully quiet about it all, which was nice. Sakura was bad enough to deal with, not to mention the newest addition to team seven. While technically there was no reason to run a five-man team, Ino's addition to the mission had been the result of her availability, sensing ability, and assurance that her psychological training could help with the mission at hand.

The mission in question was to track down and meet with Kabuto Yakushi. With the spy's ties to Orochimaru, among many other notable figures in the criminal and non-criminal world, there was a hope that capturing and interrogating him could lead to the reclaiming of one Sasuke Uchiha. It was too good an opportunity for Konoha, and by extension, Naruto to pass up. And so here they were, racing their way towards Kusagakure's Tenchi bridge, silent jonin leader and creepy weirdo new teammate included.

Naruto had his reservations on letting the creepy one, Sai, join in on the mission. Aside from attacking him openly in the street, something just didn't feel right about the pale, ink-wielding boy. Tsunade, while also not without her own doubts, had assured him it would be fine. Team seven did technically need a new member to fill out the team, even if Naruto had argued that his clones more than made up for their lacking third member. Surely, they could make do until they got Sasuke back. Sadly, it was not to be, and now Naruto was stuck dealing with the strange emotionless boy who had made unsavoury comments about his genitals no less than four times. And he thought Pervy-sage had been weird for always talking about boobs. What he wouldn't give to put up with his godfather's antics instead.

By the time they reached the bridge, Ino still wasn't talking to Naruto in any capacity that wasn't directly mission related. Choosing to do the mature thing and put the issue on the backburner for the moment, Naruto focused solely on the mission at hand. Yamato, unsurprisingly, managed to be even stranger as he revealed his Mokuton abilities, turning himself into a perfect solid copy of the puppet wielding Akatsuki, Sasori. Everything seemed to be going just right, Kabuto even showing up in person, and alone at that. Or so they thought. From their hidden vantage points, overlooking the exchange on the bridge, none of the team were close enough to act when Kabuto attacked and was quickly joined by none other than Orochimaru.

As the team all gathered on the bridge to aid their leader, the idea of retreat crossed all their minds.

"Well, well, what a pleasant surprise," Orochimaru said, eyeing the team and licking his lips before focusing on Naruto. "If it isn't little Naruto. I've heard so much about you. Sasuke has been nothing if not forthcoming with his opinions on you… and his intentions for your future."

"Where is Sasuke?" Naruto demanded. "What have you done with him?"

Orochimaru smiled in a way that made everyone uncomfortable. "I have done nothing but guide his rage, mould his natural talents into what they so deeply desired to become. With my help, Sasuke has become the perfect weapon, a true example of what a shinobi should be, both body and mind. Though, seeing you here, still alive after your last bout with my precious apprentice, I do have to wonder, which of you is stronger right now. Kukuku, I'm sure Sasuke would be delighted to find out."

"Don't listen to him Naruto," Yamato said, clutching his wounded arm and glaring at the man who made him the way that he was. "Everything he says, anything he does, is all specifically to get in your head, under your skin. Don't give him the satisfaction."

Naruto grit his teeth as he felt the rage inside him begin to boil. It had been enough to stoke his flames when Orochimaru explained his connection to Yamato just before, how he had experimented on the man as a child and twisted his body in an attempt to recreate the first Hokage's Kekkei genkai, but to have the snake mention Sasuke as well. There was no shortage of twisted things Naruto's mind could conjure up that Sasuke might have been put through. It wasn't until Ino silently put a hand on his shoulder that he felt his control truly take hold, the Kyuubi's power and rage sitting just behind a threshold that Naruto needed only open and let free.

"Your words wound me," Orochimaru said. "I would never deceive my former teammates own apprentice. Not when his blood is what mine so desperately needs to continue on his path. If you truly wish to find him again, you need only come with me, Naruto. But I cannot promise you will survive the encounter."

"Naruto…" Ino said softly, her grip on his shoulder tightening slightly.

Naruto didn't need to look back at her to understand. Ino had made her opinion on Sasuke very vocal, especially to him. While she herself would never go out of her way to try and get the Uchiha back, she had promised to help Naruto and Sakura wherever possible, though she would often try and dissuade them of the idea of hunting down Sasuke after everything he had done. Right now, it didn't take a genius to know that Ino was not liking where this was going, or the fact that Naruto was reacting so much in this moment. Naruto had promised he wouldn't risk his life for Sasuke's, and Ino was making sure he stood by his word.

"I'll survive just fine," Naruto growled. "Just point me in the right direction, and make sure you say your goodbyes, because once I kick his ass, he's coming back with us."

"Still so confident," Kabuto muttered. "Too bad you don't have the skill to back it up."

"Get over here and I'll show you just how much skill I do have!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth was Naruto staring straight at the grinning face of Orochimaru, now mere feet in front of him. "Gladly," the snake Sannin hissed, his mouth opening wide as a snake erupted from his throat, a sword emerging from its own mouth as it sprung forward. Naruto brought his hands up ready when at the last minute the serpent twisted and coiled itself, turning its aim to beside and behind him. Naruto felt the warm spray on his cheek before he could turn his head, smelt the coppery liquid stain the air, heard the pained yelp, all the while staring into Orochimaru's excited eyes. The sadistic shine in those sickly yellow pools of filth reflected in them the image of what the snake had done. Naruto saw it clear as day, his pupils collapsing into blood red.

For all his training, all his preparations, nothing could have prepared him for the actual feeling associated with seeing someone dear get hurt like that, right in front of him, when he was too slow or powerless to stop it. He hadn't been able to control himself when he saw Gaara, and he wasn't faring any better now. Naruto didn't turn to make sure Ino was okay. He didn't think to. He didn't think anything. In his mind, only two knowns swirled around unimpeded. One; Ino had gotten hurt, or worse, and he had let it happen. And Two; Orochimaru needed to die, right here, right now. Before the Sannin's sword could pull free from its victim, Naruto's hand was already wrapped around the gleeful man's throat, fingers tipped with claws, and shrouded in chakra that burnt both of their skin on contact.

Orochimaru's eyes shone with anticipation as he looked deep into Naruto, no longer faced with the confident jinchuuriki from moments before. "Yes. Show me your strength, Naruto. Show me the Kyuubi's power. I must see it for myself," he said hungrily, his foot driving into the boy's stomach hard enough to send him flying back away from the bridge. His jaw unhinged as a fresh new Orochimaru crawled out, free of the chakra burns and claw marks on his neck, already salivating at the chakra presence in the air and paying no heed to the team around him.

Yamato tried to perform a jutsu but was quickly forced to move back as Kabuto closed on him with chakra scalpels. "Do not interfere with Lord Orochimaru," the silver haired spy said.

"You bastard!" Sakura roared, charging Orochimaru with a fist reared back.

The snake smirked at the display, bringing his own hand up to catch the brutish and hilarious attack, only to realise his mistake all too late. Pain shot through his arm as the girl's fist continued unphased, every bone in his extended limb shattering almost instantly and doing nothing to dull the impact as it closed in on his chest. Even as he twisted his bodily inhumanly to avoid the direct hit, Orochimaru couldn't avoid all of it, instead opting to take a clip to his shoulder that still sent him flying across the bridge with more broken bones. Slithering out of yet another discarded skin, the snake Sannin could only stare at the pink haired girl curiously.

"So, Tsunade finally saw fit to take an apprentice," he mused in fascination. "Consider me intrigued."

"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto said, jumping to the man side.

Orochimaru paid him no mind, his eyes never leaving the Konoha team as Sakura quickly took to healing both her teammate and leader. This was almost too perfect. One of his old experiments, both of his cursed teammates students, and the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, all standing before him like a gift wrapped present just asking to be claimed or disposed of. The two that seemed out of place were of little concern. From the emotionless face of the pale one, Orochimaru could deduce Danzo was trying to get involved in some way. The old fool's precious ROOT were often times too easy to pick out of a crowd, not that the war-hawk would believe it if you told him. No matter. Orochimaru knew he could just kill the boy if Danzo's intentions were anything but beneficial to him.

The snake was quick to turn his eyes to the blonde girl he had stabbed. She was the odd man out it seemed, neither of any significance to Orochimaru himself, nor seemingly of any skill worth his attention. Her only worth it seemed, was in Naruto's clear attachment, which Orochimaru was all too happy to take advantage of as he saw said jinchuuriki getting back to his feet, the unmistakable chakra shroud already beginning to bubble uncontrollably around him. Without a word, he extended his arm and bit his thumb, smearing the blood across the summing seal.

"Summoning jutsu!" Three large purple serpents burst into existence, their targets in sight as they lunged for the team. Orochimaru looked forward to seeing just what young Naruto was capable of when nothing held him back.

Ino was the first to act, pushing Sakura away from her, feeling more than healed enough to move, and racing through her own hand seals before biting her thumb and slamming her hands down on the bridge. "Summoning jutsu!" The snakes that were charging them were consumed by the much larger plume of smoke that threatened to envelop the bridge entirely. Only the pained hissing of the snakes, and the groaning of the wooden structure beneath them gave any indication as to what was going on. The smoke was quick to clear, revealing a fourth snake, much larger than the three Orochimaru had summoned, and beautifully coloured with diamond like patterns adorning its scales. Its body was coiled around two of the smaller purple serpents, with the third held limp in its jaws. Its eyes were focused on the Sannin, as if challenging him.

Orochimaru allowed a small amount of annoyance to grace his features before he schooled them back and chuckled. "Oh, Anko. How you continue to be a painful thorn in my side," he said, his eyes watching the new summons with excitement. Suddenly, much to his delight, this was becoming an encounter worth remembering. Now if only he could make sure to leave his mark before he had to leave.

Ino smirked victoriously at her summons efforts. She would definitely remember to treat Anko to some more Dango once she got back to Konoha. Her good mood was short lived, however, as a twisted feeling of hatred and rage began to boil from within her. Turning back to where Naruto was, her eyes widened as she was met with sight of him hunched over on all fours, red chakra pouring out of him. "Yamato!" she yelled, jumping up with the intentions of running to Naruto's side.

"No," Yamato said quickly, putting himself between his team and Naruto. "You three handle them. I'll take care of Naruto."

Ino wanted to argue. With Orochimaru now in the mix, there was no logical reason to continue the mission. None of them were equipped to deal with a Sannin. Nevertheless, she complied, knowing from her own experience and training that Yamato was likely the only person who could help Naruto right now. It was, after all, part of the reason she had been sent along with him on this mission. Tsunade was a trusting woman, but after Naruto's incident during the Kazekage's retrieval, and his little stunt with Jiraiya, there were questions about his mental state and control over the Kyuubi. Ino wanted to stand by Naruto one hundred percent, vouching for him in any way she could. Her family training kept her from doing that. Ino knew Naruto; what he was like, how his life had been, how it still was. There would always be a risk factor with him, no matter how much she wished there wasn't.

As such, Ino had been allowed to tag along. Partly because she could already work well with Yamato, and also because of her unique status as a pseudo jinchuuriki. She had no idea how that could be of any help just yet, aside from being able to feel how bad Naruto's control was getting through their apparent connection. As it stood, he was still holding out, though Ino could feel his control slipping for some reason. Maybe her tagging along had been a bad idea, especially considering the pairs recent disagreement. As light-hearted as Ino had intended their squabble to be, she should have known better than to mess with anyone's emotions while out on the field.

"Yes, please, do try and finish your mission," Orochimaru said, licking his lips. "I wonder which of your sensei's will miss you the most. Don't disappoint me."

While Sai remained as unreadable as usual, both Ino and Sakura could only gulp as they realised just what was being expected of them. Ino's summon coiled up defensively in front of the trio, yet even with superior numbers, the sensation of being truly outmatched wouldn't go away.

---

{I}

Yamato weaved the necessary hand seals and from the ground around Naruto grew several large pillars of wood, encircling him and trying desperately to suppress the Kyuubi's chakra. It was a good thing he had gotten so much practice with Ino, though in this moment he was realising just how different it was with the real deal. Suppressing Ino had been a walk in the park once he figured out the how, but Naruto, containing the full bijuu, was proving a challenge. It was like trying to build a dam without diverting the water first, with the weight of the ocean behind it. Yamato wasn't sure he would have any hope if it weren't for the first Hokage's necklace acting as an anchor for his jutsu.

"Come on, Naruto," Yamato groaned, already straining under the pressure. He was only barely stopping the third tail of the bijuu cloak from forming. If it grew beyond that… "Reel it in. Control it."

"I'm… trying…" Naruto growled, clawing at his stomach. This was just like the mission to save Gaara all over again. Despite all his training, all his progress with the fox, it was still so easy for him to lose control. Was he really that weak? 'What the hell are you doing?' he called out through his mind.

"Nothing," the fox answered boredly. "My chakra is merely the amplifier for your own shortcomings. You cannot expect to control my power without first learning to control yourself. This is your fault. Resolve it yourself."

Naruto waited for more, only to realise that the fox was done talking, the connection severed from the beast's end. 'Stupid fox.' That was helpful. Fingers digging into the dirt, Naruto did idly wonder just how it was that Yamato happened to have a technique that was attempting to suppress the Kyuubi. Not that he was complaining, he was just curious, well, as curious as one could be when an ungodly amount of bloodlust soaked through every fibre of their being. He let out a pained sigh as he felt the chakra ease ever so slightly, no longer trying to force itself upon him and take over. As soon as he relaxed into the idea that he wouldn't lose control again, he wished he hadn't.

With his relaxation and the initial suppression of the Kyuubi's chakra, came a clarity to the world around him. With that clarity, Naruto was able to refocus on the battle on the bridge, remembering just what it was that had set him off to begin with. He should have waited. Watching on helplessly, there was nothing he could do as Ino's summons was effortlessly dispelled, both Sakura and Ino being put on the defensive by Orochimaru himself while Sai was kept at bay by Kabuto. Naruto clawed at one of the wooden pillars, desperate to get back into the fray and keep his friends from getting hurt. With each of his teammate's efforts being thrown back in their faces by a superior opponent, Naruto felt his control slip more and more, drawing out the suppression and prolonging his absence from the battle. Calming down seemed impossible.

Then, as if watching fates twisted sense of humour play out right in front of him, Naruto watched as the Sannin summoned once again, briefly hidden by the smoke until it cleared to reveal large snakes coiled around both girls, Orochimaru's sword pressed firmly to Ino's throat as he faced Naruto eagerly.

From his place still holding the suppression jutsu, Yamato could only curse under his breath. This whole mission was a mistake.

---

{I}

Ino knew she had fucked up the moment she and Sakura were the ones left to fight Orochimaru. She didn't blame Sai, he seemed busy dealing with Kabuto, but even if it had been all three of them against the Sannin there was little hope of coming out on top. All she and Sakura could do was keep the man entertained long enough for Yamato to bring himself and Naruto back into play. Other than that, the plan was simple, don't die. 'Easier said than done,' she thought, narrowly ducking under a kick. It was clear that Orochimaru was playing with them, being able to keep up with Ino's speed and masterfully avoid or redirect Sakura's heavy hits. Such was to be expected. He had, after all, grown up with Tsunade as a teammate and gone on to train Anko as his apprentice. As far as Ino and Sakura were concerned, Orochimaru was their worst possible opponent.

With Naruto currently fighting back the Kyuubi's chakra, Ino could feel the power still within her stir in reaction to its origin. She was grateful that she no longer had to worry about holding back, letting the red chakra seep into her freely and feeling its benefits almost immediately. While still no match for the someone like Orochimaru, it did give Ino just enough of a boost to keep her head attached to her shoulders. Side stepping a swipe from his sword, Ino cocked her fist back and launched a punch, focusing as much of her bijuu chakra into her arm as she could, while on the opposite side Sakura did much the same with her own strength technique. The Sannin's response was to grin, one hand grabbing Ino's wrist and directing it up and over him, while his other whipped the sword around and drove it down through Sakura's hand, pushing her down as he pinned her to the bridge. Rolling with Ino's momentum, driving his knee into her stomach as he went, Orochimaru rolled over Sakura and threw Ino aside before delivering a kick to the medic's face that sent her sailing in a different direction, tearing her hand painfully from his blade.

Orochimaru shook his head. "Barely worthy of entertainment," he said amusedly. "Perhaps my expectations were too high. Tsunade never was cut out to be a teacher it seems, and little Anko is too soft even after the gifts I left her with. Neither of you hold a candle to the prowess of my own student." His eyes turned curiously to Ino, who's blue eyes were now blood red, and a faint red shimmer was glowing around her. "However, I am nothing if not fascinated."

Ino bared her slightly sharpened teeth as she charged again, hoping to give Sakura enough time to heal her hand before rejoining the fight. "Fuck you!" she screamed, lashing out with a series of kicks and punches. Each strike was effortlessly dodged or countered. It made sense. Anko had help Ino perfect her taijutsu, but at its core it was still a combination of the generic Konoha style and the snake style Orochimaru had taught to Anko. This may as well have been a game to the Sannin, or perhaps just a gentle stroll down memory lane. With each failed hit she sent, with each painful yet clearly restrained hit she received, Ino couldn't help but let her anger take over.

Orochimaru had been the cause of so much pain, so much loss. Even before her time, he was a problem that stained Konoha's history and reputation. Anko had shared enough in their time together for Ino to understand just what kind of man Orochimaru truly was, and the damage he often left in his wake. Ino didn't care about his past crimes though, no matter how bad they might be. Right now, all she cared about was his part to play in the pain of her life. He was the one that had marked Sasuke, twisting the Uchiha's own issues against him and offering him power, enough so to cause Sasuke to go rogue. That much was enough to hate the snake summoner. That wasn't what truly burned her. If Orochimaru hadn't taken an interest in Sasuke, if he hadn't led the Uchiha astray the way he had, resulting in the inevitable attempted retrieval mission, then Naruto wouldn't have nearly died. That, after all these years, was still the one true reason Ino hated Orochimaru with the passion she did, the passion that he was now facing.

"Why won't you just die!" Ino yelled, the red shroud having now gotten darker and her features further animalistic. She had never drawn on the chakra this heavily before, so it was proving interesting even to her just how much she had to pull from.

Orochimaru caught her next punch, smoothly following with three precise strikes to her stomach, arm, and chest, knocking the wind out of her and stopping her next attempt at a punch. As she reeled back from the attack, he reached out and grabbed her by the throat, two snakes spewing forth from his sleeve and wrapping around her arms. "Simple, my dear," he said, chuckling softly as he eyed her up like a valuable gemstone. "I have transcended death. I am no longer bound by such pitiful restrains, and in time, all other restrains will learn their place behind me as I claim what is rightfully mine."

Ino smirked, even as his grip tightened and the snakes wrapped around her threatened to crush her. "Is one of those restraints underestimating people?" she asked cockily. Without waiting for him to respond, Ino channelled her chakra into her long braid, which was thankfully not caught up in the snakes, whipping it around and aiming the poisoned senbon at his throat. He caught it with his free hand, obviously, but Ino hadn't made a point to comment on his underestimation of her for no reason. As soon as he grabbed her braid, Ino grinned wickedly, her chakra flaring as she activated the series of tiny sealing scrolls hidden in her hair. In several plumes of smoke, her braid was riddled with senbon, all jutting out in different directions, and each just as poisonous. Orochimaru's hand let go, now sporting a few parting gifts, and with her braid free again Ino thrashed it around, peppering the snakes with senbon, making them dispel and forcing the Sannin to retreat quickly.

Orochimaru sneered at the blond as he withdrew the senbon from his hand. The poison wouldn't affect him, but the insult to his skill had done enough damage. In all the fun he was having, toying with these children, he had allowed them to get more than one cheap trick over him. Never again. Glancing over to Kabuto, Orochimaru was surprised to see that he had come out victorious in his fight with the pale one, though he was now carrying said boy on his shoulder. Orochimaru didn't care to take captives from this encounter, but a look from Kabuto was enough to tell him it was worth investigating, once they were safely away from the others that was. Gesturing to his sword, the blade heeded his command, and pulled itself free as it returned to his hand. Wiping more blood down the seal on his arm, he summoned two more snakes, this time not caring to waste time with theatrics.

The summons launched themselves at the two girls immediately, too fast for either to react to properly, and wrapped them up tightly. Orochimaru could barely contain his excitement at what was to come. Walking up to Ino, he kept his eyes focused on Naruto as he pressed his sword to the girl's throat and smiled at the jinchuuriki. He had not come all this way just to leave without gaining anything. Sure, not being able to kill Sasori was annoying, but he would happily settle for seeing what a properly enraged Kyuubi jinchuuriki was capable of. If the resulting disaster happened to cost the lives of those around them, then that would be a happy accident. He pushed the blade firmer, drawing a small trickle of blood and revelling in the expression he could see on Naruto's face.

"Little Naruto," he said, chuckling. "Couldn't stop Sasuke. Couldn't stop Akatsuki from taking the Ichibi. And now you can't even save your comrades. What a failure. Your parents would be so disappointed in you." With each verbal jab, Orochimaru delighted in the visible effect his words were having on the boy. Even Yamato was struggling more and more with each passing moment. It wasn't enough. He needed to see what power the boy contained. Turning to Ino, he smiled and began pressing his sword further, more blood flowing down its blade. "Say goodbye, my dear. Make sure to look at him while you do. Show him how much he failed you."

Ino shut her eyes tight in defiance, only to open them wide as an explosion of power washed over the entire… everything. The sword was removed from her throat, and as she looked over to where Naruto was, Ino's breath hitched at the sight. Whatever was standing there, four tails furiously flailing around it, was not Naruto.

"Naruto…"

"Yes," Orochimaru called excitedly. "Show me everything."

---

{I}

"Thanks," Ino said, rubbing her now healed neck as Sakura pulled away.

"Are you two alright?" Yamato asked. The team leader was healed now, the signs of exhaustion from his prior efforts clear on his face. As well as the physical injuries, he was also forced to deal with the knowledge of his own failures. Allowing his team to come into confrontation with the likes of Orochimaru, and also proving incapable of properly suppressing Naruto. Letting Sai get captured was just icing on the cake at this point.

"We're fine," Sakura said, finally letting her medical jutsu die down. The ground shook and Sakura turned a worried eye to the direction of a giant explosion. "Naruto's not. We need to help him."

Yamato shook his head. "No. If we get involved in that now, we will just die," he said grimly. "With any luck, Naruto will kill Orochimaru before he burns himself out. But if that isn't the case-" he turned curiously to Ino. "-Ino, you're still channelling the Kyuubi's chakra?"

Ino frowned and looked down at her hands, noticing her nails were still clawed. Running her tongue across her teeth told her that those were still changed too. "No," she said unsurely. "I… I'm not trying to. But I can't push it down right now. It feels like it's everywhere."

Sakura placed a glowing hand on the blonde's chest and her eyes widened. "Your chakra is growing steadily. Just how much of the Kyuubi's chakra do you have in you?"

"Not this much," Yamato answered. "There is so much chakra in the air right now, its flowing from Naruto in waves. Your body must be naturally absorbing it."

Ino's eyes widened. "Am I going to be stuck like this?"

"Not likely. More importantly, how do you feel?" he asked.

"Uhh, I feel pretty good, you know, aside from getting my ass kicked and having to see… that," Ino said, pointing to where the battle above them was raging on.

Everyone winced at the memory. The moments after Yamato's technique had failed were a blur to them still, with only the obvious being clear to all involved. Naruto had lost control… again. In his rage, triggered by seeing Ino's life in danger, the unleashed jinchuuriki was quick to lay waste to the bridge, not in a state of mind to care about friend or foe. If it hadn't been for Yamato, the two girls would have plummeted to their deaths. As it were, they were now taking refuge on a platform of wood spawned from the ravine's wall. Down here, out of sight, they seemed to be safe, though they all knew they couldn't stay here. Naruto needed their help, and in his current state, they were likely his best chance of returning to normal before he did something he would regret.

Yamato scratched his chin thoughtfully as he looked over Ino. Even as she was absorbing all the stray chakra in the air, her emotions were still in check, and her thinking wasn't impaired at all. Through the wood beneath them he could sense how much she currently had, and while it still paled in comparison to what he had felt within Naruto, it should have been enough to affect her. "Ino, can you try and draw the chakra in consciously?" he asked.

Ino tilted her head questioningly. "Why would I…? Oh!" Yamato's intention clicked suddenly and without another word she closed her eyes and focused, willing the chakra within her to grow, to draw on what was around her. Within seconds she could feel her own reserves increasing, the power swelling inside her as the tingling sensation of her faint bijuu cloak covered her skin. It wasn't until the chakra began to burn slightly and pooled suspiciously at the top of her head and her lower back that she eased off and let the chakra flow out of her harmlessly as she had been trained to do. Opening her eyes, Ino saw her team's very surprised expressions. "What?"

"You… nearly formed a full bijuu cloak," Sakura said in astonishment.

Yamato looked on with wide eyes. "That is most unexpected," he said softly, a smirk slowly forming on his face. "But we can use that. When an opportunity arises, I'll use my jutsu to contain and try to suppress the Kyuubi. Ino, I wont force you to expose yourself any more than you already-"

"I'll do it!" Ino shouted, glaring at him with determination. "Whatever it is, if it helps Naruto, I'll do it."

"Good. Once I have him pinned, I need you to get close and try and leech as much chakra from him as you can and disperse it out. My jutsu will do the rest," he explained before turning to the medic. "Sakura, you saw as well as I did what that chakra is doing to him. Stay out of the way, keep safe, and when me and Ino get him under control, be ready to heal whatever damage is left."

"Understood," the medic said, offering a firm nod to her team. There was no questioning just how seriously Sakura took her role as a medic-nin.

"Right. Let's get back up there. If we're lucky we can…" Yamato trailed off as he and the girls looked up, watching as Naruto was sent sailing across the ravine by Orochimaru's sword, crashing heavily back on their side of the expanse. "Move!"

They all jumped into action. Running up the wall and back to the surface, all three looked over the ravine, expecting to see Orochimaru following. It came with a small sense of reprieve that the Sannin had seemingly taken his chance to flee. As they felt the vile chakra encroaching on them, they cursed the snake for having childishly unleashed what he couldn't handle. Yamato was the first to charge, meeting Naruto with a series of large trees with many wooden hands branching out from them. While it drew his attention, the efforts were useless as his claws and tails tore through the forestry and he continued his charge.

Ino stood to the side, waiting for her moment to jump in. When it became clear that Naruto would close the distance to Yamato too quickly, she leapt in, much to the shock of her team. Flaring her chakra, already drawing on that around her, Ino caught Naruto's full attention almost immediately. It was only after she pulled her stunt that she realised how stupid it was, like waving a red flag in front of a bull. She may as well have gone and challenged the Kyuubi directly, which wasn't even out of the realms of possibility considering her family jutsu. Rushing in, she rolled under his sweeping tails, Yamato erecting more constructs around her as she went, each one acting as a vital lifeline of defence against the suddenly vicious onslaught of chakra tails.

With every dodge, with each strike blocked by wood, more and more of the Kyuubi's chakra spewed carelessly into the air. After a certain point, Ino didn't even need to focus on drawing in the foul chakra. Like gravity, the embers of power that hung in the air were simply drawn in, making her faster, stronger, more powerful by the second. She used this to her advantage, gaining distance quickly and trying to find an opening. Had anyone told Ino that this was something she would have to do in her life, she would have ordered a full psych evaluation on them. Nevertheless, here she was, trying to match a jinchuuriki. When did her life get so messed up? Ino jumped over another tail, smirking as it was stopped and quickly pinned to the ground by a wooden dragon.

"Now!" Yamato called out.

Ino didn't waste a second. She knew the process, if only because it had been used on her before. Yamato had never needed to go to these extremes with her, obviously, but the opportunity to train and hone his abilities for when and if the time came were there, so it only made sense to seize the opportunity. Ino had helped him plan and practice his techniques, apparently modified from what was known of the first Hokage's own Jutsu. She moved, faster than she had ever known she could, weaving between the now three remaining tails that hunted for her knowingly, the mind behind them having figured out their intentions already. Pillars of spiked wood encircled the pair, a tendril of chakra extending from Yamato's hand and connecting to the necklace around Naruto's neck. Attention suddenly ripped away from her, Ino took her chance, and closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms tightly around Naruto and letting as much of the Kyuubi's chakra bleed into her as she could take, no matter how much it burned just to breathe this close to him.

She remembered, of course, when it was that her life had begun spiralling so chaotically, allowing for such events to unfold with her caught in the middle. Ino would never forget that night. Tears stung her eyes before being burnt away by the chakra that now enveloped her completely as she recalled that night from years ago. Ino remembered everything about it; her fear and frustration as she sought Naruto out, demanding answers, hoping for something, anything to use to justify her treatment of him in the years before. Instead, she had her eyes opened, her heart squeezed, and her mind changed, all in a simple conversation that ended with her tearfully clinging to the boy and apologizing. Not a scene too dissimilar to right now, minus the raging bijuu shroud that was thankfully already being forced into submission.

It burnt in ways Ino never expected. Her whole body, her thoughts, her chakra, everything may as well have been fire at this point. She couldn't expel the foul chakra quick enough to combat the ease at which it flowed into her, and every second with it inside of her was agony. Ino would never have known just how much Naruto suffered when he used the Kyuubi's chakra like this. He had told her of how it made him feel, how much he disliked relying on strength that wasn't his own, yet he never told her how much it hurt. Was he keeping that from her on purpose? Was it his idea of making sure she wouldn't worry about him? It would explain why he was so distraught at learning of her own share of the burden.

Her grip tightened, keeping his arms pinned to his sides even as claws dug into her back. What amounted to only seconds felt more like painfully long minutes with the Kyuubi's chakra rushing through her mind. Eventually the power faded, leaving only pain and blood in its wake. Ino clung to Naruto, holding him up as the shroud evaporated from both of them and his strength left him. She would never let him go. Even as her own body screamed at her, begging for the relief of unconsciousness, she refused to let him fall.

When Naruto finally blinked away the fog in his mind, his eyes returning to their beautiful blue colour, Ino smiled through the pain and eased up on her tight hold. She watched as Naruto took in the sight around him, fighting through his own pain to process everything and catch up. It didn't take him long to figure out what had happened. As he looked at her with so much worry, so much concern, tears welling in his eyes, Ino simply continued to smile. She loved his smile, and she knew he wouldn't be able to smile right now, so she would just have to do it for the both of them.

"Ino…"

Ino almost faltered at the crack in his voice. She had no idea what kind of state she was in right now, not a very appealing one no doubt. Certainly not the way she ever wanted Naruto to see her. "Hey," she said. The pain far outweighed her desire to chuckle at her own ridiculous attitude in this moment. She raised a hand gently to his cheek, noticing that the skin on her hand was in much the same condition as Naruto's. Apparently that burning sensation wasn't just a suggestion. "Welcome back."

Naruto's hands went to wrap themselves around her, eliciting a pained wince from her. Brining his hand up to view, the sight of the blood on his fingers was the final straw. Tears ran freely down his face, burning against his raw skin as they went, as he looked deep into Ino's eyes. He expected to see anger, hatred, fear, something that he could make sense of… anything. He didn't. Her smile held strong, her touch remained gentle, and her gaze, so warm and full of concern, never left his own. Neither blonde was aware of the world around them, nor their teammates rushing to their sides. In this moment, all that mattered was each other.

Ino smiled a little wider, which only proved to hurt that little bit more. Her face was definitely burnt. That night back then, and every night since; Ino would never change a thing. She would never regret her choice to befriend Naruto, to start hanging out with him, training with him, falling for him. Oh yes, she could never wish to forget the reason for the chaos in her life. Naruto Uzumaki. The dead last. The idiot. The man she loved. Ino hugged Naruto a little tighter, despite Sakura now trying desperately to pry them apart. Healing could wait. Ino had a point to prove. She could see it in his eyes, the way he was waiting for her to step away, to remove herself from him like he was a leper. Ino wasn't about to give him the dissatisfaction of having his worries proved right.

Naruto needed to know, that no matter what he did, no matter how much others saw him as a monster, or how much he saw himself as one, Ino would never walk away. She wouldn't walk away, she wouldn't turn her nose up in disgust, or look at him with fear or anger or anything that could be interpreted as negative. Whether he liked it or not, Naruto was stuck with her now.

And she would never let him go.

"For fuck sakes, have your moment after I've healed you!" Sakura yelled in frustration.

Okay, maybe she could let him go just this once.

---

{I}

Naruto could still feel the burning within him. Even now, hours later, the Kyuubi's chakra continued to remind him of what had happened, of what he had done. As if he needed the reminder. He could still feel the blood on his hands, no matter how many times he had stopped to wash it off. Ino's blood. It didn't matter how many times Ino herself assured him it was fine, how sternly Sakura assured him that there were no permanent injuries, nothing could shake the sickness swirling in his stomach. He had hurt someone, someone close to him, and he didn't know what to do about it.

'This is what everyone was afraid of…' he thought. Memories of his childhood flooded his mind, the hateful stares, the avoidance, the fear. Maybe they were right all along. How could they not be. Who was he compared to the bijuu within him? How could one person possibly hope to hold back such destructive power. Even with his years of training almost solely devoted to harnessing and controlling the bijuu, control was still so easily lost. Four tails was within his realm of management, he knew that, and yet it had taken him over completely, and in the process he had hurt one of the people he held so dear. Perhaps he truly was destined to become the monster everyone saw him as.

"Do not be so naïve,' the fox grumbled from within its cage. "You will never become me, no matter how much you may aspire for such greatness."

Naruto rolled his eyes and ignored the beast, opening another door and peering into yet another bland, empty room before closing it and moving on to the next. It was a blessing that Orochimaru had an obsession with making his bases large sprawling mazes of tunnels and rooms, forcing the team to split up and cover more ground. Naruto usually didn't care for alone time, but right now it was proving to be just what he needed, even if he was never truly alone. The fox had been gratefully silent on the matter, which was strange in and of itself. Usually there was no shortage of verbal jabs and insults thrown his way. Something else must have been going on.

The empty rooms continued as Naruto worked his way silently through the halls. His mind ventured to his teammates, wondering what they thought of him now. Sakura had seen him lose control twice now. How could she trust him again, go on missions with him, train with him; knowing that he was just a bad mood away from possibly killing her. Would team seven even continue after this mission? Naruto figured it wasn't a coincidence that Yamato, with his surprise ability to suppress the Kyuubi, and Ino, who had apparently been training with Yamato to control her own chakra, had both been sent on this mission with him. He was thankful, however, for their efforts and preparations, as uneasy as it made him feel. Having stopped him from causing too much harm or damage, there was no way he could be mad at them for following orders. Still, the fact remained, it was clear now that he wasn't trusted to keep his cool alone out on a mission.

As much as that annoyed him, Naruto knew only he was to blame. Tsunade had everyone's best interests to look out for. Regardless of how much her decisions and secrecy might have left him feeling like the odd man out, he couldn't argue with them or even blame her for thinking such actions were necessary. His actions had proven just how right Tsunade was to plan for the worst. What an idiot he had been. Slamming another door closed, he marched a little faster to the next. This seemingly endless search for Sasuke was getting on his nerves.

It had been annoying enough to learn all the mess about Sai, now they had to run around in the worst game of hide and seek he'd ever played. Naruto didn't expect to find the Uchiha anyway. Sasuke had made it clear that he didn't want to be found or returned to Konoha. As much as Naruto wanted to drag his old teammate kicking and screaming back home, he had other things on his mind right now. Another empty room. He stopped and took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to lose his temper again, especially not over something so minor.

"You're afraid."

Naruto sighed and glared at a wall. 'What are you on about now?'

"Anger is not your weakness. My power channels through all negative emotions, and I know that which is strongest in you," the Kyuubi growled. "Your fear is what is making you so weak, so susceptible to my influence. And yet, your fear is so strong as to keep me from full control. Were it not, I'd have been able to avoid us injuring the girl. The fault is yours, and yours alone."

"You think I don't know that already!" Naruto yelled, punching the wall and cracking the stone beneath his fist.

He waited for more scolding, another reminder of his failure, but it never came. The fox chose to recede back into its domain and leave him alone with his thoughts, none of which were pleasant. At some point, Naruto began to wish he would run into Orochimaru again, if only to put an end to this maze. Naruto hated mazes. He was about to round another corner when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, the still air in the underground hallway shifting from behind him. Turning around was a mistake Naruto realised too late, his eyes meeting the red six-pointed star of a strange Sharingan before his body went stiff.

"You should have stayed far away from me…"

Naruto smirked, which only earned him a harsher glare from the eyes that now held him in place. Standing there, arrogant, and smug as could be, was Sasuke, staring him down with the same disgust and superiority complex that he always used to. You could take the Uchiha out of Konoha, but you can't make them humble it seems. Sasuke scowled at Naruto, slowly drawing his sword from his back as his eyes threatened to burn a hole through the blonde. If only the jinchuuriki knew just how possible such an idea was with the Mangekyo aimed at him.

"I'll show you how foolish you were," Sasuke said, sword drawn as he stepped closer. "To dare come for me… to try make a fool of me… to wear his face in my presence." Anger boiled into every word he said until he was spitting them at Naruto.

Head tipped and eyebrow cocked, Naruto could only offer an indignant "Huh?"

Sasuke smiled. A sadistic and twisted expression on an otherwise handsome face. "You are not Naruto," he said. "I killed Naruto. With my own hand I felt his life fade from this world. My eyes now a constant reminder of the price I had to pay for the power I need. And you! You come here, wearing his face, with our teammate, and for what? Did you really think I would be fooled by such a thing?" Sasuke clenched his teeth as 'Naruto's' expression only got more confused. The continuation of the act only stoking the flames of his anger. "No. My eyes see the truth. You're just an imposter. A last-ditch attempt from Konoha to try and get me back."

"Sasuke I-"

"No!" Sasuke yelled, his sword glowing blue with lightning. "You do not get to make a mockery of his image in my presence! I will kill you, and make sure Konoha knows better than to disgrace their fallen ever again." He raised his sword, aiming it at Naruto's heart and smiled. "When you see the real Naruto… tell him… I'm sorry."

---

A/N:

Sorry for the wait guys, had some stuff to do. Anyway, new chapter is here. Little bit longer this time. Now, I did mess up and tell someone that I didn't intend on writing any actual arcs from canon into this story, but then I started writing this chapter and got carried away. Guess it's okay since I'm mostly glossing over the little Tenchi bridge arc. I just needed something to get a certain aspect of my Naruto moving forward and somehow bring Sasuke back into the fold. Head's up, Sasuke will not be playing a huge role in this fic at any point, I'm just messing around with giving him actual emotions and regret for his actions.

As a warning, I feel I should let everyone know that this fic will likely have an open ending at some point. Hope that's not a mood killer for you all.

Alright, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, especially the little Orochimaru bit. And yes, I gave Ino the snake summons, because why not honestly. Plus, the snakes seem to have a thing for 'pretty' summoners, Sasuke included, so I'm just following the vibe. The beginning part was interesting for me, I ended up making Ino's parents extremely welcoming because I firmly believe the overprotective and rejecting parent's trope is overplayed. I always enjoy stories where Naruto is happily accepted by his prospective partners parents.

Reviews are still going great. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on this chapter. And don't worry, I'll aim to put more fluff in the next chapter.

Till next time guys.

Soul out.

EDIT: Embarrassing spelling mistake corrected. Thank you for pointing that out.