CHAPTER 2: INNER MAKES A FRIEND

For the second time that he could remember, Naruto woke up with Sakura lying next to him. This time, he did notice Inosuke between them. Nervously, Naruto got out of bed, scared to wake anyone else in bed. He crept to the door and left the shed. His morning walk wasn't to Ino's grave or Tsunade's shed, it was to the Uchiha shed. Outside of the shed, Itachi and Sasuke waited. "'Bout time," said Sasuke. "Morning, Sasuke," greeted Naruto, "Itachi." "Good morning, Naruto," returned Itachi. The trio continued without a word toward the training grounds.

The three all had things they would need to work on, Itachi his Susanoo, Sasuke his new eyes, and Naruto his Kyuubi. Itachi worked on his own, creating his Susanoo and destroying it again; he was trying to fully master it. Sasuke and Naruto worked together; Sasuke would use his Mangekyo to enter into Naruto's mind and release the Kyuubi. Naruto would try his hardest to control Kurama while Sasuke tried to subdue it. This training would typically culminate with Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi sparring each other in a light-hearted match. They might not have been improving much, but every little bit mattered.

After the spar, the three split up; Naruto went home and Itachi and Sasuke headed for Hinata's bedside. "Goodbye!" Naruto shouted out, with Sasuke and Itachi responding in kind as the trio split into two and one. As Naruto headed home, Itachi and Sasuke began to discuss the little things in life. Everything from how blue the sky was to their impending blindness. "Itachi, your eyes, is there a cure?" asked Sasuke. "No, it is the price of the Mangekyo," answered Itachi, "There is a way around it, but it isn't normal." "What does 'not normal' mean?" asked Sasuke. "'Not normal' as you put it means trading eyes," said Itachi, "In order to stop our blindness, I'm sure you've noticed it yourself, it is for us to trade eyes." "Ok, I trust you brother. After you visit your crush we'll ask Tsunade," said Sasuke. "She, she isn't a crush."

"I've never heard of anything like this," said Tsunade, "but it does sound like something my uncle would say. Tobirama would have definitely said something like that, but I don't know if he knew if it was true." "It was Madara who discovered it," said Itachi, "but his method of switching eyes was much more brutal." "I see," said Tsunade, "and you both agree to this?" "Right," said Itachi and Tsunade in unison. "Alright," said Tsunade, "I will begin later today. See you both at 1200." "Right," said Itachi. "Got it," said Sasuke.

Across the Mount, Naruto just returned home to his home. The scene hadn't changed much since he left in the morning, except Sakura sat up on the bed. "Hey, Sakura," said Naruto. No reply. Naruto waved his hand in front of her face, "Hey, Sakura. Are you ok?" Suddenly, she leaped forward off the bed and landed roughly on the ground. She quickly apologized for being so out of character. She wouldn't admit it, but inside she was battling Inner.

'He loves her!' she shouted at Inner. 'She is gone and that child needs a mother!' Inner shouted back. 'Let me talk!' shouted a familiar voice from somewhere in the back. 'Who the hell is that?' demanded Inner, 'Who the hell are you?' 'I'm his wife!' the voice shouted back.

"Are you ok?" Naruto asked Sakura on the outside. "Yeah, I'm fine," Sakura said, clutching her head, "I just need a glass of water." Naruto ran across the room and got her a bottle, "Sorry, but this is all we have."

Back on the inside, Inner was having a… conversation with "His wife". 'His wife is dead,' Inner told the voice, 'You can't be her.' 'Sakura,' the voice yelled, 'I know you can hear and recognize my voice. Please answer me!' 'How could, how could you be here? Ino?' questioned and confused and worried Sakura. 'How about you're glad to hear my voice, Billboard-Brow?' 'Glad to talk too, Ino-Pig.' Ino came into view and smiled, 'I'm happy,' she said, 'That my son will have a mother!' 'I win!' shouted Inner. 'Shut the hell up!' Ino and Sakura yelled back at him, 'You haven't won anything!' 'No, but you've got my vote,' said Ino, 'Now you just need his.' Ino began to fade into obscurity with Sakura shouting after her, 'What do you mean your vote? How did you get here?'

"Sakura?" asked a worried Naruto, "You keep zoning out." "Yeah, I'm ok," Sakura said, "I think I'll be alright."

'I like her,' said inner 'I hope I see her again.' 'Me too,' said Sakura.

Sakura got up from the ground and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" asked Naruto. "For a walk," replied a smiling Sakura, "I need to talk to someone."

Sakura headed out the door and towards Ino's grave. Like Naruto, she frequented the grave. On her way there around 1145 she passed the two Uchiha boys, both appearing to be incredibly nervous. Sakura normally would have asked what had them so worried, but she was on a mission of her own.

When she got to Ino's grave, she knelt down to clean the weeds that grew during the night. Mentally, she spoke to her friend. 'I'm sorry, I don't know what you meant. I don't know if you meant what I thought, what I hoped, or something else. Your son is doing wonderful, he's growing to be both of your spitting image. He always eats a good amount and is progressing like normal. Naruto is doing his best, but he is struggling. He won't show it, but he really misses you. We all do.' Sakura finished cleaning Ino's grave, gave her prayer, and left. On her way back to the shed, Sakura overheard two toads talking: "What's the date?" "You already forgot? It's the tenth!" Excuse me," Sakura asked the second toad, "What month is it?" "October of course, how could you forget the month? Do you want the year too, ha, ha." "Crap!" Sakura shouted, running back towards the shed, "It's Naruto's birthday!" "Language!" shouted the second toad after her, "People these days. They're just so rude."

She ran into Shima on the way back to the shed and was able to get her to agree to babysit. Shima followed Sakura back to the shed and waited outside while Sakura went in. "Naruto," she commanded, "Put on some decent clothes. We are going to celebrate your seventeenth birthday." "OK," reasoned Naruto, "but who is going to watch Inosuke?" "Lady Shima is outside," she said, "Hurry up while I'm still fired up." "Right," Naruto quickly got changed, handed Inosuke on his way out the door, and met up with Sakura to celebrate his seventeenth birthday. He was finally officially a man, even if he already passed the tests and other requirements.

Someone added Storm Surge to "Absolute Worst of the Worst", LOL! Guess I made it, thanks Troll! Please add Ripples along with it so I can feel complete inside.