Recommended story: 'The Unforgivable Act' by slythefoxx2
Chapter Twenty-nine
The next morning everyone was busy in one way or another. Naruto was spending time with Sakura, Hinata, and Kushina while dealing with the royal family, Tsunade and Shizune were being taught a few things about Alfheim healing, and most of the others were just trying to have fun. Only one member of the group was actually trying to be alone right now.
'I really shouldn't have done that.' Ino told herself, walking around the castle grounds trying to notice the exotic and unknown flowers growing there, but her mind was anywhere but in the garden. 'I can't get last night off my mind. Did Dad ever say anything about not looking at memories of sex? If he did, now I know why.'
The weird thing was Ino wasn't sure what she felt more, guilt or desire. She felt a little ashamed of herself for essentially peeping and yes guilty for enjoying it so much, but the weird thing was as much as she wished she hadn't done it, she more wished to do it again. The feelings that the memory had given her were practically intoxicating. So much so that Ino wasn't sure what she wanted more, another memory or the real thing.
'But that's the problem, I don't deserve the real thing.' She thought, a little disappointed. 'Sakura and Hinata, they care about Naruto. Me, I'd just be in it for sex. They're the ones who deserve to have him in bed, for me it'd just be a fling. There's no way they'd approve.' She then sighed. 'And another thing, let's say they did approve, do I really want Naruto to be my first? I'm sure this arousal from the memory is influencing me, so how can I know whether or not Naruto really has any appeal to me that way?'
"Excuse me miss?"
Turning around, Ino saw a boy about two years or so older than her, and immediately blushed. He was gorgeous to her, a little pale, but definitive eye candy. His brown hair looked like he was walking into the wind, and wore a white shirt with an open leather jacket over it.
"Y-yes, can I help you?" She asked, feeling her heart beat a little harder while looking at the newcomer.
"My family is here for a visit, but I'm going crazy with all the political talk. I'd much rather spend my time with a beauty like you, if that is acceptable."
Ino took a moment to reply. "I suppose so. I'm a little bored here myself. My name is Ino."
He smiled. "Pleased to meet you Ino. My name is Ewa."
"Kushina, you've been difficult ever since we saved you-"
"Kidnapped me." The redhead woman interjected. "You kidnapped me, plain and simple."
Zara frowned a bit, more frustrated than angry, but kept civil. "However you wish to call it, the point is we've been very hospitable to you. Despite your upbringing in another realm, we consider you a part of this family and all we've ever asked is for you to do the same. So why do you protest us extending the sentiment to your son?"
"Because I'm not an idiot. My son has dreams that can only be achieved in Midgard. I will not keep him here and tell him to give those dreams up just so this family can ride on the coattails of his current fame." Kushina stated.
Zara looked offended. "Do you really think I'm only trying to be nice just because he's an incubus?"
Kushina narrowed her eyes and leaned in. "Would you be asking him to stay if he wasn't an incubus?"
Zara kept her offended expression, but did not answer right away, instead sighing first. "We would ask, but we would be... less insistent that he stay."
"In other words, he's useful so you don't want him to leave. And I'm not supposed to have a problem with this." Kushina summarized, her eyes reflecting her anger.
"It would be better if you didn't." Zara said in a way that definitely carried a minute threatening tone.
"Well I do, and if you don't like that, that's your problem." Kushina remarked.
Zara flexed her fingers like she was trying to resist making a fist. "Kushina, I've put up with a lot from you, but-"
The redhead broke out into sarcastic laughter. "You've put up with me? Oh that's rich. Let's see here, you kidnapped me from my home without even bothering to consider taking my newborn son along whether he was an incubus or not. You've kept me here for years and have done all you could to make sure I could not leave on my own. You only allow me to leave when you finally decide that my son just might be worth looking into and you only decide that because you haven't found any incubi yet. And you are trying to keep him prisoner here in Alfheim like me simply because it's in your best interest. So tell me, who's really putting up with who here?"
Zara looked ready to explode. "You do not talk to me like that!"
"And yet I just did!" Kushina said defiantly. "And I'm not afraid to do it again!"
"Dammit Kushina I'm trying to help!"
"And I don't want the help you're offering."
Zara fumed. "So just what do you want?"
Kushina grinned and crossed her arms. "My son is going back home so he can accomplish his dream. Now,maybe if you actually gave some leeway we could work out an agreement that does benefit you."
Zara shook her head. "I'm not agreeing to anything that results in anything other than the incubus being here in my country where he can repopulate us."
Kushina uncrossed her arms but kept grinning. "And I'm not agreeing to anything that forces Naruto to give up on his dreams."
"We seem to be at an impasse then Kushina. Question is, which one of us will win."
Kushina turned away. "Time will tell, time will tell."
The two women walked away from each other, and with that, a silent war had just been declared.
"So Ino saw us?" Sakura asked.
"More like she saw a memory. But yeah." Naruto said. At the moment he and his two lovers were seated atop one of the castle towers looking over the area. Towers were aplenty for the castle, as it gave the succubi good vantage points to take flight from.
"Well, now she knows what passion looks like." Hinata said.
Sakura looked to the white-eyed girl and smiled a bit. "Wow Hinata, and here I would have thought you'd be blushing enough that your eyes would turn red too."
Hinata leaned against Naruto. "I've already had an audience Sakura, you were there. What's the difference between you watching us and Ino watching us?"
"Ino doesn't join in." The pinkette answered.
"She wants to though." Naruto added.
Both girls looked to him. "Really?" They said together.
He nodded. "Yeah, let's just say she liked what she saw."
"So do we let her have the real thing?" Hinata asked.
Sakura thought about it. "Let me talk to her first. That would also give me a chance tell her about my pregnancy." She rubbed her still flat stomach.
"How do you feel about it now that you've had time to let it sink in?" Hinata asked.
Sakura grinned. "I'm still a little worried, but I know that everything will be alright."
Hinata smiled then activated her byakugan. "Hmm... oh there she is, by the gardens. Wait, she looks like she's talking to someone."
"Who?" Naruto asked.
"I can't tell, they don't have any chakra. Could be anyone."
"Anyone from Alfheim, not any of us." Naruto corrected, sounding uncomfortable. "Remember how Mom said people here are up to funny business?"
"You think Ino might be in trouble?" Sakura asked.
Naruto stood up. "No harm in seeing for ourselves."
When Kushina left the room she saw a few men coming down the hall her way. Naturally she stopped, noticing their uniform did not come from Ai no Kuni. "Beg my pardon, but who are you?"
"We are emissaries from Osore no Kuni, here to discuss a treaty with Her Highness." A man who looked like a seasoned aristocrat replied.
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "I was not aware of any meeting."
"Why would you be? Are you not a handmaiden?" He asked.
"No, I'm one of the queen's daughters. My name is Kushina Uzumaki. Perhaps you heard of me during the recent war. I was the Red Death."
The aristocrat and his men tensed. Like in the Elemental Nations, Kushina's actions during war had earned her a reputation. Like how they called her the Fiery Habanero there, here she was the Red Death, for she went through the battlefield in a way that was completely alien to the opposing armies. It was like they were fighting a shinigami dressed in their own blood.
Then the aristocrat smiled. "My, it is an honor to meet you M'lady. Tales of your bloodlust are quite enjoyed back home. We vampires would love to learn a few of your skills."
"My apologies, but now is not the right time for me to make any agreements. My mind is troubled."
The aristocrat nodded. "I understand. But if you see my son anywhere don't be too surprised. He'd love to meet you too."
"Don't you mean bite her?" One of his men asked.
The aristocrat gave a firm look. "My son may be brash but even he wouldn't be so foolish as to bite the greatest warrior Alfheim has seen in centuries."
"Enjoy yourself gentlemen." Kushina said before excusing herself.
"So what brings you here?" Ewa asked Ino as they walked through the nearby forest, the scenery helping Ino relax. Being raised in Konoha meant she felt right at home being surrounded by trees.
"Not much, a little family reunion." Ino answered.
"So you're related to the royal family here?" Ewa asked, intrigued.
Ino shook her head. "No, not me. A friend of mine is, and he's finally allowed to spend time with his mother and I guess his aunt now. I'm sort of along for the ride."
"What's your friend like?"
The platinum blonde fidgeted for a moment. "He's... hard for me to describe. I've learned that I don't really know him that well. He's... a much better person than I used to give him credit for. Someone I should have called friend a long time ago."
"Hmm... sounds like he is honorable individual, but you say that you are only recently a friend?" Ewa asked.
Ino just nodded. She was feeling more then a little shame that she didn't get to know the fellow blonde when she was younger, as she might have considered him date worthy in a different light had she been more aware of things beyond popular trends.
"Um, yes, I think we're still more in the acquaintance stage then friends, but he is a nice guy." She admitted.
"Then perhaps, since he's only an acquaintance, he wouldn't mind if I steal you away from him." The boy with her commented.
The platinum blonde blinked then stared at him as if he was crazy. But as she looked into his red eyes she started to feel lightheaded.
"May...maybe."
What was happening to her? Why was she not saying 'Get away you creep!' or something. She knew that whatever this was, magic or otherwise, it was messing with her mind. It was only her training as a Yamanaka that allowed some part of her mind to remain aware if not in control.
"After all, a lovely flower such as yourself should be beautiful for all times. Beauty of a rose but life of a perennial." Ewa said as his canines grew longer. He put his hands on her arms as if to hold her steady. "Now, embrace eternity."
"Y...yes." Ino said, her head forced to tilt. But inside she was screaming for help.
'Someone help me! Sakura! Naruto! Hokage-sama! Save me!'
Ewa got closer and licked her neck like he was sampling her, then bit down on her. The pain was terrible, like kunai being jabbed into her jugular, yet her body went lax as if he had hit a pressure point. Her vision blurred and she felt... drugged in a way. Like she could feel the pain but was starting to become detached from it, as well as her body.
Ewa removed his mouth from her neck, but he did it so quickly that it hurt. He let go of her arms too and she could hear a thud but she was disoriented, and falling from lacking any strength in her legs. Yet she didn't hit the ground.
"...no? Ino? Can you hear me?"
Her eyes struggled to focus, but looking up she could see a pink blur with specks of green.
"Sa...kura?" She asked, sounding like she was dying.
"What happened to you?"
"I... it hurts..." She said before she closed her eyes and passed out.
Ewa himself was on his side rubbing his face which was already starting to brush. "Who hit me?!" He demanded.
"Me, and if you don't want more, you'll tell me what the hell you were doing to my friend!" Naruto demanded, sounding like he was close to leaking some Kyuubi chakra at the moment.
Ewa looked and saw the infuriated incubus. "It's my nature." He justified.
Naruto added in another punch, making the pale boy faceplant into the earth more than enough to leave an impression. He then went towards Ino, with Hinata checking on her with her byakugan.
"Her pulse is slow, weakened. It's like she's been drugged. And I think more is happening, but I have no idea how to describe it. It's like... her chakra is trying to change color or something."
"Where the hell would a medic be?" Sakura asked looking around.
Naruto created several clones who rushed into the castle. "We'll find some soon. For now, let's take her in."
"Mmm... whe... uh..." Ino started to wheeze when she regained consciousness. Her eyes hurt to open.
"Just relax, don't force anything." She heard.
After a bit Ino could see, and she saw the worried looks of everyone in her group, except for Kushina. The Uzumaki matriarch was currently missing, and in her place was a long-haired brunette succubus wearing a white doctor's uniform.
"Hello miss Ino, ny name is Iyoi and I have bad news and... an option for good news." The succubus started before clearing her throat. "The bad news is you've been bitten... by a vampire."
"He... was a real vampire?" Ino asked. 'I know he bit me like one, but still, he's a real one? Oh Kami-sama, what's going to happen to me?'
"Believe me, Mom is not happy about this." Naruto claimed.
"We found your blood type and have been replacing what you lost." Iyoi continued, and only now did the platinum blonde realize she was hooked up to an IV. "But I'm afraid the venom is already in you. At this point, one of the two outcomes is inevitable."
"Outcomes?" Ino asked, panicking.
Iyoi closed her eyes. "Vampire venom can kill its victims if the blood is reduced too much. You're in no danger of that, but it will continue to thin out your blood from here. If your body cannot fight it, the venom will slowly kill you from the inside. But if your body can withstand it, your organs will be forever altered, unable to metabolize most solid foods and make any protein of its own, along with your skin losing some of its UV tolerance. This means you'll be forced to subside on a high protein liquid diet and you will be more prone to sun damage. In laymen's terms, you'll turn into a vampire."
Ino gasped and covered her mouth, then began to hyperventilate. Iyoi gave her a bag to breathe into.
"You can cure her right?" Moegi asked.
Iyoi turned away. "In theory yes. The problem is the most likely cure, if there is one, is in Osore no Kuni, the vampire homelands. As you can imagine, they're not just going to give away the cure to vampirism. No more than we would give away the spell to become a succubus."
Naruto stood up, then Iyoi turned around to look at him.
"Don't even think about it boy. Getting there will take days and going uninvited risks declaring a Grudge, which our country does not need. And assuming you could get there, get the cure somehow, by the time you got back it would be too late for her. She'd be dead or altered. Are you willing to gamble with her life on the slim chance the cure can work post-completion?"
Naruto still looked displeased.
"What about the spell to become a succubus?" Sakura asked. "Would that prevent her from becoming a vampire?"
Iyoi put a hand on her chin. "Hmm... I did not think of that. It might work, but I can't promise it. I believe it would turn her into a succubus, but the question is would the transformation detox her of the venom? Worst case scenario, she's be no worse off than she is now. But it's possible that the venom will be altered too by the spell, and there's no way of knowing how it will affect her. She could either be a vampiric succubus, or something else."
"Something else?" Sakura asked. "Like what?"
"Like something I don't know how to describe, that's what."
"Would I be worse off if you did that?" Ino asked.
"I can't promise that. Hell, I can't promise that if you do take a turn for the worse that the counterspell will do anything."
Naruto turned to the pinkette in the room. "Sakura-chan, remember when you told that woman to shut up and she lost the ability to speak?"
She nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"What if you did something similar for Ino? You know, tell her to not become a vampire or something?"
Iyoi looked at the blonde boy like he had just gotten stupider right before her eyes. "Boy, I know that magic might seem like it can do anything, but you can't just tell a poison to not work."
"If Sakura-chan can take away the ability to speak, why can't she affect people's bodies in other ways?" He asked.
Sakura thought it over. "We don't really know what my Gift is. Maybe he's onto something."
Iyoi shook her head. "What, you're willing to gamble that this girl can somehow cure this other girl?"
Sakura stood up. "Ino is my best friend, I have to try. Besides, Naruto-kun has great luck when it comes to taking chances like this."
The medic didn't look convinced, but she stepped aside and gave the young girl a chance. Sakura came up to her friend who looked at her with hopeful eyes, then put her hand on the mindwalkers patched up neck.
"You won't become a vampire Ino. No, if you become anything, it will be what you want to become."
All of a sudden, Ino began to lightly glow. Almost like her chakra had suddenly become visible to everyone with or without a byakugan. Everyone was surprised, including Sakura and Ino from the looks on their faces. Then the glowing stopped.
"What was that?" Isaribi asked.
Ino looked over her hands. "Anyone got a mirror?"
"You look normal Ino. Actually, you look... healthier. Less pale." Sakura noted.
Iyoi came up and did a diagnostic spell on the platinum blonde, then gasped. "This... this is impossible. You're all healed, and there's no trace of venom left in you."
Naruto smiled. "Told you she could do it."
Iyoi shook her head. "No, you don't understand. This is truly impossible to accomplish. Even if this girl's Gift was the power to heal others, no such Gift has ever had results like this so quickly. This is... it's like..." She trailed off.
"Like what?" Ino asked.
Iyoi didn't respond right away. "I don't know. The only thing I can think of is simply... impossible."
Zara walked into her throne room as requested by one of the castle workers. She couldn't imagine why she'd have to, as she had just recently left it after meeting the representatives from the vampire country to discuss trade routes. But when she got in there, she could very quickly realize why.
The representatives were laying on the ground in unnatural positions making various sounds of pain in various volumes. No blood looked spilled but every one of them looked like they had taken on a gorilla and lost badly. The only one still on their feet was a very unhappy Kushina, standing at the other side of the room.
"What is the meaning of this?" Zara demanded.
"This is all the proof I need that my son's time here in Alfheim is over." Kushina stated.
Zara held her ground. "Kushina, I am not letting you take him away!"
Kushina smiled. "Just try and stop me."