Ino Blink of the Eye

8: Mission complete – Now we can go back to ignoring each other.

Morning came and went several times. Ino did her best to sleep, but the idea that at any time the missing ninja could strike once more, kept her alert. Her body was slowing as the need for sleep overtook her.
They were two days away from the borders of the leaf territory and had set up a camp near a high cliff. The trees were thick and there was little room for maneuvering far from the tents. They were all tired and the younger ones had already retired for the night. Tamika was asleep also.
Kotetsu had first watch and Iyashi was staring at Ino across the small fire. Genma was gathering more wood, and Sakura sat between the two looking back and forth in discomfort.
“You look beat. You should go to bed,” he told her.
“I’ll go when I am ready. You have second watch. You should sleep so you won’t get tricked so easily this time.
“It was a Jutsu, not a trick. I wasn’t even tired, then.”
“But you are now. So just go.” Ino said, looking away in dismissal. She was exhausted but wanted to ask Genma something before she went to bed.
Iyashi sighed as he stood and headed for the tent he shared with the two genin. He climbed through the flap without turning back and Sakura watched him.
“He’s worried about you.” She told her friend.
“He doesn’t need to be. It will affect his performance. Sakura, don’t you get it. A ninja cannot afford to take these kinds of things into battle. He should worry about his own safety or he will risk all of us. It’s okay to feel, but you have to know when to separate yourself from the feeling for the sake of the mission.” And Sakura took her turn at sighing.
“I wonder how you do that. It seems like such a cold way to live.” And she rose and crossed to the waiting tent and the two warm bodies there.
“Interesting philosophy.” Genma said as he came through the trees. “I only see a few flaws. Is that your Nindo?”
“No. I’ve tried, but I can’t forget what I feel when I go out. I have to make sure that those I care about just don’t go on missions with me. I asked not to be sent out with certain people, and it seems to be helping. Now, I only worry when they go out and I have to stay back and wait.” She admitted, looking around the small glade.
“That can be hard.”
“I wanted to ask you something. You don’t have to answer, but I have to ask.” She said, looking back his way. “You suspect Iyashi of something don’t you? That isn’t really the question, cause I think you’re right. But, why bring him with? It is dangerous to bring someone untrustworthy on a mission like this and you picked him, why?”
“I like to keep my enemies where I can see them. I won’t trust him as much now that I am surer of his allegiances. He was a friend of Kabuto’s when the maniac was still in the leaf. I thought I noticed him around Samia’s room. So both girls are safer if I watch him.” Ino nodded. She couldn’t think of anything else to do.
Genma built up the fire and Ino made a trip to the ‘Little girl’s bush’ before heading for her tent. She was nearly there when they heard the sound of Kotetsu’s warning. Ino stood quickly and rushed to Genma’s side, scanning the trees for possible dangers. He placed a hand on her arm to get her attention and she followed his gaze to a lone figure on a high branch.
“Kabuto!” he roared. The sound ninja just stared at him, as he looked over the camp. Sakura had come from the interior of the tent and was guarding it even as she watched the man watching her.
“You have my child, Shiranui. I have come to retrieve it. I have gone to great lengths to bring this about, and I will not be stopped by you. Turn over the girl. You can’t save her and the child is mine.”
“The child will be sacrificed to protect the world. You can have neither of them.” Genma said, ignoring the gasps that surrounded him. He hoped that the girl would see through his lie, but Kabuto must be forced to believe that they would never keep the children or he would keep coming back to try to take them. It was a necessary deception, though a cruel one.
“You could not do this.” Kabuto gasped. “You are too kind and loving in your simple natures. Look at how the village that hated it, never killed the demon bearer in their midst. There is no way they would destroy a tiny life, even if it is a soul they hate.”
“The Hokage has not allowed any others to aid in the decision. We are sworn to follow her orders. Just as you followed the insanity of Orochimaru.”
Sakura stared at the Jounin, realizing at last his deceit. She had worked under Tsunade long enough to know that the woman could never make a decision like that.
Ino stared too, and the realization that hit her, had her turning away to drop near a bush and retch. Her hands out of the view of the traitor began to work their way through a series of hand signals and then she went limp.
She landed just as the pale weak girl pushed Sakura out of the way and began moving toward the sound traitor.
Genma grabbed Sakura as she stumbled and pushed her toward the fleeing teen. “Stop her!” he yelled as he turned toward the crazy man and began his own Jutsu.
Ino felt the blast on her back just as she was on the last of her signs. The pain was momentary as she flew out of herself and across the encampment. She missed the girl, though and dove into the medic that had come out of his tent and aimed the incendiary at her body.
Ino was quite upset by that little action.
The hands now under her control contained two more such devices and she quickly figured out their functions. The sights around her showed that Sakura had caught the fleeing girl and subdued her, tying her to a log, Genma and Kotetsu were fighting Kabuto and her own body was lying in the dirt, bleeding. Sakura moved from the girl and began to heal Ino’s back as the other’s fought. Ino decided to join the battle. She watched the men move from tree to tree and jockey for position. The sound traitor was quick and Ino figured her best location would be near the tied girl in case Kabuto tried to come and take her.
Her instincts were right on as she was joined by the gray haired Sound Jounin who reached to untie the girl as he spoke to her thinking she was Iyashi.
“Good work, now keep them away while I get her free,” and Ino stepped back about two feet as she adjusted her aim and watched the approach of Genma through the camp.
Just as Kabuto had untied the last of the ropes, Genma kick with his full force and sent the lunatic flying. Ino tossed the bomb behind him as she grabbed the now free girl and held her to keep her still. Kabuto came up from the fall, to find her device headed directly at his face.
“You idiot! He screamed and jumped to the trees. Once there, he found another device waiting and armed to explode. They heard the first blast as Ino pushed Tamika to the ground. The second came moments later. When the dust settled Kabuto was gone.
Kotetsu followed but returned later only to report that he had found blood on some branches, but no sign of the missing criminal in the near vicinity.
None of the adults could sleep the rest of the night.
Iyashi was very concerned when he found himself tied to a tree and surrounded by very upset and angry looking Jounins and Chuunins.

Two days later they dropped the girl off in the hospital to be cared for, and arranged for the medic to be held before they went to the Hokage to report.
Once that was finished the group separated and went their ways.
Ino slept well that night. She slept so well that she slept late and was still sleeping at noon the next day. Her parents were very concerned about her and called Sakura.
The pink haired girl informed them that Ino had been worried about the need for her and had not slept much, they left her be, and she rose from the over-long nap at four o’clock to find the sun preparing for its trip to its sleep.
She dressed and headed down the stairs to take a walk, calling out to her parents as she opened the door.
Once out of the house she worked her way through the streets and past the various people she came across.
No one stopped her, though many waved in greeting. Ino headed out of the streets and into the outlying area. She stopped at the training field and approached her favorite tree stump.
She crouched into an offensive stance and began a mild routine.

Genma had spent the day with the Hokage and the medical staff of the hospital.
Iyashi was being charged with treason and the girl was in stable condition.
The two girls were happy to be together again and though they would be spending what was probably the last of their lives in a guarded hospital room they seemed like happy teens chattering and hugging.
When Tsunade drew him into her office her concerns were for the village safety and she was tired looking in her relaxed state.
“I have arranged both families for the children, hopefully the truth about them never gets any farther than the closed circle we have allowed it. I think that will be the only hope for the children. I don’t know at first, but as they grow we will have to make sure that they are kept apart and don’t look too much alike. I am sure that they will be smart so eventually they will figure it out, but we will need to keep them in the dark as long as possible.”
“Yes, I suppose. You should know that the Yamanaka girl knows.” He admitted.
“What? Ino? I suppose that is all right. But why?” she asked.
“She had to inhabit the girls body, it was a necessary thing for her to understand the importance of keeping her from Kabuto. I judged it time.” He said.
“I trust your intuition, Genma. Now about the parents I have chosen. I think you will agree that they are perfect. Look,” she said, pulling out a scroll.

::: Sorry, this is last part is kinda lame. I call it a transition chapter. I hate them, but they are a necessary evil


krickets - Welcome and pull up a chair. Ino is actually not my favorite either. This all started when I used her in another fic and had her pregnant. I decided to explain how she got there.

Ruka - Tanks, Hon. I love that kind of reinforcement. I think you'll find the real cross over to the Choji story comes up in the next chapter.

If you haven't noticed I am doing my best to avoid any OC's. I have two and they are both doomed. Every other character is from somewhere in the anime or manga. It's kind of like a challenge to myself. If you have any info on ones that I could use and have missed I'd love to hear about them.

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