Name: Cheek Stripes

Authoress: Kitsune On Prozac (Rei)

Disclaimer: All Naruto characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto. Except Rokubi, Yukifuri and the rest of the Hidden Snow. Those are mine. And the bitchy cashier lady.

Ino pulled the loose purple fabric over the bottom of her face. Asuma-sensei was a few feet ahead of her, and Shikamaru a few feet behind her. Chouji was bringing up the rear, huffing and puffing up the side of the mountain.

"Whose bright idea was this?" She muttered to herself.

A day and a half ago, Asuma had come running into the field where Team Ten usually met. Shikamaru had been lying on the grass, staring at the sky, Chouji sitting under a tree eating, and Ino sitting above Chouji dozing.

"Get your act in gear, Team!" yelled Asuma. Chouji ignored the sensei while Ino and Shikamaru winced. Asuma-sensei was rarely this energetic. Perhaps he had been hanging around Gai too much.

Asuma skidded to a stop. "We have a very important mission. Get up and go pack for a very cold journey."

So here they were, climbing a mountain in the Ice nation, trying to find a petty thief. As they reached the top of the mountain, the sensei paused to let the others catch up. Below them was something out of a postcard; a gently sloping valley, and nestled in it's depths a small, cozy village. The entire scene was backlit by a fierce red sunset. The view was only slightly ruined in it's homely look by the fact that the Village's building's were obviously of ninja origin, and that said ninja were bustling about their daily lives as darkness fell. No matter, it was still pretty. Asuma smiled his usual smile at the scene below, as Ino tried to sponge it all in at once, Shikamaru looked uninterested, and Chouji panted for breath.

"Asuma-sensei, who are chasing again?" Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow.

The sensei's smiled became more forced. "Thief, presumed between 20-25, five feet six inches, kunoichi of the Hidden Snow."

Ino looked puzzled. "You still haven't told us the stolen item in question."

Asuma looked down at the town, scanning it for signs of the described thief. "A scroll."

All hell broke loose. "A STINKING SCROLL?" yelled Ino. Shikamaru sighed and made to turn around and head back down the mountain. Chouji started choking on his food and fell over. Unfortunately, on his way down he grabbed Shikamaru and knocked Ino over, whose boot got caught in Shikamaru's thick robes, while Ino grabbed onto her sensei, giving him a glare that said 'If we survive this you are so dead'. Then, the entire team went rolling down the mountain, coughing and spluttering the whole way.

Rolling into a snowball and smashing your way into an enemy village is not generally considered the stealthy approach. Ninjas are supposed to be stealthy.

Apparently, Team Ten needed some work in that department.

They finally came to a stop by tumbling into a snow bank. As the white powder settled, the curious Snow-nin looked on as one by one the snow-covered heads of the Leaf-nin popped out of the snow bank. Except Shikamaru. He thought it was too troublesome.

Ino was about to start yelling at her sensei when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was a young woman with white hair, clutching a scroll that must have been almost four feet long. Suddenly all of her attention was focused on the Snow kunoichi. Climbing out of the snow, she addressed her teacher without turning around. "Sensei, is that her?"

She walked quickly over to the young woman, the rest of her team close behind (even if Shikamaru was only starting to pull himself out of the snow). The ninja looked frightened and clutched the scroll tighter. Ino noticed for the first time the stripe marks on her cheeks.

"You don't understand! I need this!" She yelled.

"Shut up, thief." Ino growled. She was cold. She wanted to go home already.

Shikamaru obviously felt the same way. Giving the kunoichi a glare he pressed his hands into the all-too familiar seal. Because the sun was almost set, he had virtually miles of shadow to work with. The Snow nin was pinned down, unable to move. Ino closed her eyes and entered the other kunoichi's mind, keeping her not only from moving but from fighting back. Chouji walked up to her and Ino, in the Snow-nin's body, handed him the scroll with a wry smile. While doing it she noticed something very odd. It was not unlike what she had experienced during the Chunnin exams against Sakura. Though this was not another personality, but some larger force, held firmly at bay by the Snow nin…

"Chouji, look out!" Cried Shikamaru.

The next few moments seemed to pass in slow motion for Ino. Chouji turning around, and backing off to the side. Shuriken, thrown by another Snow-nin trying to help an ally, coming towards her face. Shikamaru, too stunned to unbind her host. A low, inhuman voice at the back of her mind. "Get out, now!"

Ino withdrew her mind from the Snow-nin's only to open her own eyes and see the shuriken bury themselves in the girl's throat. As the kunoichi fell backwards, blood spurting from her neck, Ino felt a stabbing pain in her neck and realized that the connection was still open. A pair of golden-green eyes opened in front of her eyes as she felt herself black out, and the last thing she heard before she went under was a deep, maniacal cackling.

(-)

Ino felt warmer than she had in days. Cracking her eyes open, she realized she was in a large wood-paneled room. A rather high-pitched voice came from near her feet. "How's the Gaijin?"

A cough was heard, this time from nearer her head. "It's a Leaf-nin, Koorikage-Sama. And we've confirmed that the creature has taken residence in her."

"Very well then. Perform the sealing."

"No, NO! Don't let them seal me! I don't want to be trapped again! Don't keep me in here!"

"…Yes madam."

Deciding that there was no way that this was not a dream and she was really being carried towards Konoha on Asuma's back, Ino made up her mind and went back to sleep.

(-)

Ino opened her eyes slowly, watching a blurry grey world rock by. A small smile played across her lips. Of course she had just been dreaming. She was on Asuma's back, just like she thought. He and Shikamaru were having a hushed exchange in low voices. Aside from a splitting headache, she felt fine. Perking up, she raised her head and muttered sleepily. "You can put me down, sensei."

The sound of her voice startled the two of them out of their conversation. Asuma skidded to a stop and set her down on the ground.

"So, how long have I been out?" She said pleasurably. Then, she looked around. They were barely past the snow line. They couldn't be more than a few hours away from the Hidden Snow. By all rights, they should be almost to Konoha by now. "How long have we been travelling?"

Chouji leaned into her view, looking worried. "You've been out for more than a day." He supplied. Ino frowned unhappily. Had they been travelling ridiculously slowly for her sake?

"Don't count on it." The bitter-sounding voice seemed to come from her own head.

"We left as soon as we got you back."

"Back? From who?" She gave Shikamaru a confused look.

"The Koorikage. She just sort of handed you over and said you couldn't come back to the village. Gave us a weird smile. Let us keep the scroll and everything."

The Koorikage? Ino paused. Hadn't she dreamt that up?

Something occurred to the blond kunoichi. "Asuma-sensei? Why was a simple scroll so important?"

Asuma shuffled uncomfortably. "Well, you see, the scroll contains important Konoha history, and secret ninjutsu used only by the Leaf…"

Shikamaru gave his teacher a strange look. One that said he had an idea of what was on the scroll and would find out as soon as they got home.

Chouji paused, looking like he was about to point something out. "Uh, Ino?"

"Yes?" She snapped. Ino was not a happy person right now.

""Nothing." He covered quickly.

The others shrugged and picked up their gear, getting ready to set out. Leaping up and heading towards the small scrap of woodland, the Leaf-nins picked up the pace. They wanted to be in Konoha by nightfall.

Chouji hung back, thinking to himself. Finally, he shrugged and went after his teamates.

They'd notice soon enough.

(-)

"Stupid kitling. Your mental powers made you wide open. I could have gone into any ninja in that crowd. Stayed back and showed that stupid village. But you went and killed my host. You just had to keep the mental link open, didn't you? I was like water down a channel. Now I'm sealed inside you and stuck in this unbearably hot country. Why would anyone chose to live here? Filthy humans."

Ino opened her eyes, moaning groggily. Another strange dream. All she could remember was a feeling of pent up energy, and the rustle of fur brushing against metal bars.

The girl changed out of her pyjamas and into the clothes she usually wore when not on a mission; Purple tank top with an oversized collar and large purple sleeves held in place at her elbows bysilver ribbons. Strapping her shuriken holster over her black pants on her thigh, Ino grimaced. Just because she had a rough weekend didn't mean that there wouldn't be training today.

Ino pulled her hair into a ponytail, as per usual. Though it was shorter than it was three years ago, she still let a strand fall in front of her face. She considered it a trademark.

Looking into the mirror, Ino paused, touching her face gently. There were three thin, black stripes on each cheek. And…

"Are my eyes darker?" She muttered.

"No, you're insane."

"Oh, that's alright then." Ino said sarcastically. Great, now she was talking to herself.

"Of course you are." Continued the voice. "Bloody stupid kit to get trapped in."

(-)

"Mom!" Ino called. "I'm going to get some groceries!"

At the checkout, the cashier stared dully at Ino's purchases. Fertalizer, a bag of cookies, a magazine and some bacon. Ino found she had an indescribable craving for bacon.

"That'll be eleven-fifty, please."

Isn't that that bitchy little kunoichi? What's wrong with her face?

Ino froze. "Excuse me?" She said dubiously.

"I didn't say anything."

Is she trying to look like that fox bastard?

Ino gritted her teeth. "If you have something to tell me, say it to my face." The cashier gave her a surprised look.

Oh, shit, is she unbalanced?

The blond girl ground her teeth some more and dropped twelve dollars on the counter, grabbing her purchases and storming out.

Walking quickly through the wide, sunny street, nothing happened to lighten her mood. Her headache was back, and it was magnifying everything. It sounded like hundreds of people were talking at once right in her ears, but she looked around and saw that only a few couples were chatting and the rest of Konoha was, for the most part, quiet.

It had been a lot quieter since Naruto left.

'Huh?' She hadn't thought about Naruto in ages. Hadn't he been on Sakura's team? Team seven had been pretty much disbanded. After all, the main star had gone to work with Orochimaru. Sakura was smart, but she wasn't an Uchiha or Hyuuga. Other than healing, she wasn't good for much. And Naruto…

Yeah. Naruto.

"Interesting. This boy, he showed no promise?"

Well, not really, she admitted. His progress had been amazing. He even beat the Hyuuga boy. Everyone had expected him to get creamed.

"Wasn't Hyuuga the clan you compared this Sakura girl to?"

Um… Ino didn't really have an answer to that.

"Didn't you say this Sakura kit was better than Naruto?"

Ino didn't really know what to say to that.

"Mom?" Ino said as she walked in the door. Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, lounging back and reading the paper. "I have a bit of a problem."

The woman smiled good-naturedly. Boy trouble, no doubt.

"I think I might be paranoid schizophrenic."

Ino's mother stared at her daughter. The cigarette she had been smoking fell out of her mouth and landed on the newspaper, still burning.

"MOM!"

The woman shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She picked up the cigarette and put it out on the newspaper. She so did not want to deal with this right now.

"Why don't you go see the Hokage, dear?"

Good save. Pass it on.

"Fine." Ino muttered.

"I told you she wouldn't be of any help." Said the little voice in her head.

'Oh, shut up.'

(-)

"Um, the Yamanaka girl is here to see you, Ms." Shizune withdrew her head from the Godaime's dorrway.

Tsunade sighed. She hated the monotony of bureaucracy. Sakura perked up and titled her head to the side as Ino entered. They were no longer rivals, of course, but she still didn't feel totally comfortable around the girl.

Ino entered, looking slightly miffed. "Um, Godaime-sama, my mother told me to come to you about a problem I have."

Tsunade sighed. An eighteen year old coming into her office with boy toubles? She picked up her coffee and put the cup to her lips.

"I think I'm a paranoid schizophrenic."

The notorious gambler sprayed coffee all over her desk, effectively ruining many a legal document.

"WHAT?"

"And not the way Sakura-san is, either."

"Haruno is schizophrenic?" Tsunade gave her student a worried look.

Sakura sweatdropped and waved her arms in front of her chest. "No, of course not!" She gave Ino the look she sometimes gave Naruto when she was trying to silently tell him there would be ramen for him later if he did not make this worse.

Ino got the message and shook her head. "Anyways, I wanted to know if you could do anything to help."

Tsunade sighed again. Might as well humour her.

"So, what does this voice call himself?"

"Herself."

"Whatever." Said Tsunade, irritated.

"Let me check." Ino paused for a moment, then; "Rokubi no Kitsune, Lady of the Snow Clouds, and you would do well to remember it, insolent human."

Tsunade breathed slowly for a moment. "Yamanaka, I'm going to tell you what to do now."

Ino stared at her. She believed her?

"You're going to pack your bags, and you're going to go into the Northern Konohakagure forest, and you're going to find Naruto and Jiraiya and you're going to bring them back."

"Naruto!" Exclaimed Ino and Sakura in unison. After staring at each other for a moment, Ino was the one who went on. "Why Naruto?"

"Because I can't help you, and he probably can.' After being blinked at for a minute or too, the Godaime went on. "I think you're possessed by a Kitsune, a fox demon. Naruto knows demons."

"How?" Asked Ino, genuinely curious.

"He, uh, studied them." Tsunade tried to cover herself, realizing her mistake only a moment afterwards.

"Naruto? Study?" Said Sakura incredulously.

"Haurno, take Yamanaka home and to the edge of the Village. She'll have to find them on her own from there." Sakura grabbed Ino's arm and hauled her out of the room.

Tsunade sighed, looking down at the coffee stained mess before her. Pressing the button on the intercom, she cleared her throat.

"Shizune, I'm going to need copies of all those files you gave me this morning."

Muffled sobbing could be heard on the other end.

Notes: Wow, this chapter was twice as long as my normal ones. Don't worry, most chapters won't be this long. And the other voices Ino hears will be explained. I may have forgotten to mention that this is pretty much AU after around the time Sasuke leaves. And it's three years later. And it's NaruIno. I might change the title to something like 'Possession' or something. I know Sakura normally wouldn't be hanging out in Tsunade's office, but I imagined it being a pretty slow day until Ino showed up. Oh, and if anybody's wondering, Ino's communications with Rokubi aren't in quotations because for most of the chapter she thinks she's talking to herself. Anyways, review and tell me what you think!