Naruto grabbed a blue zip up hoodie and put it on, leaving it unzipped. Exiting his apartment with Ino he locked it up. It was late in the afternoon by now and Ino lead the way to the café. Walking side by side with Naruto, Ino brushed her hand up agents his. Naruto gave her a worried look. Ino got the message. "I don't care who sees us or what they think." She said and grabbed his hand, intertwined her fingers with his, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Naruto was a little stiff at first from the contact. He got over it quickly thought. He really liked having a girlfriend. "Girlfriend I always hoped it would be Sakura. Not that Ino is unattractive or a bad chose for a girlfriend. It's just not what I expected and I never thought I would ever get a girlfriend in the first place." Naruto thought. They continued on there way to the café. Naruto had planed out a date in his head long ago.

He did it just incase Sakura ever said yes to go out with him. He thought it was funny that he was using what he planed on her best friend. It was a plan that did not need to go to waist. As long as Ino never found out that this was all originally for Sakura and not Ino. There are things that just are better left unsaid. Reaching there destination they found that they were it was a café with a bookstore attached to it.

People were sitting inside and out on the patio eating and sipping drinks. "Now for the moment of truth." Naruto said barely whispered from his lips. He hoped that it would be a peaceful visit tonight without someone trying to kick him out or refuse to server them. The pair walked to the door and Naruto opened it for Ino. The café was a seat your self place and they made there way to one of the tables away from the windows. Naruto pulled out the seat for Ino and then sat down across from her.

"When did you turn into such a gentleman Naruto?" Ino asked in a teasing voice. "I'm Leaf village's number one most surprising ninja Ino-chan." He replied. "You forgot the knuckle head part." Ino quipped. "Yeah…wait, what? Why is everyone always calling me that?" Naruto said in dismay. He mocked hitting his head on the table. A waiter came over and gave them some menus and took there drink orders. When he left Ino looked Naruto right in the eyes with a serious expression on her face. "You're my knuckle headed boyfriend and I would not have it any other way and I'm your girlfriend so it official now." Ino said.

"I want to be your boyfriend if you want to be my girlfriend?" Naruto said in a timid voice. Ino struck a mock thinking pose. "Hmmm… I don't know... what's in it for me if I'm your girlfriend?" She laughed at the face Naruto made. "Yes I want to be your girlfriend." Ino said with a smile on her face. Naruto smiled also not his ever present grin but a real smile. Ino liked that and found it all the more handsome of him. She also liked that he was not wearing his orange jump suit and with his head band off it reminded her of someone she had seen but could not come up with the name.

She shrugged it off and started to look through the menu. Naruto did the same. The café was nicely furnished and had soft music playing as back round noise. There waiter came back a few moments later and took there orders. So far there date had been going smoothly and Naruto was relieved. "How are you feeling Naruto?" Ino asked. She wanted to check if there were any problems. He seemed upbeat but she wanted to make sure. Naruto looked at her and smiled.

"I'm fine really. I just have a small head ache but other then that I feel fine." He said. "I'm glade your ok we can get you something for your head later if you want just let me know if it gets worse ok." Ino said concerned for him. Naruto nodded to her. "If you don't want to talk about it now I would understand but what do you think about Sasuke's execution?" The waiter came back with there food and Naruto was quite just picking at his food. Ino was just about to change the subject when Naruto spoke.

"I just don't get why he would leave like that. He was my best friend and he had everything I ever wanted. He wanted to throw it all away for that snake bastard just to kill his brother." He was quit for a moment and ate a little of his food. Ino picked at her food wanting to know hear how he felt. "I don't know what to feel about his execution. I want to hate him but I can't. I want to hate Kakashi sensei well Kakashi but I can't do that ether its just not who I am. I am just going to have to train and get stronger to keep this from happening again." Naruto said.

Ino was some what surprised that he did not have any malice about what Kakashi did to him. He was bitter about the whole thing but he would get over it eventually from what she could see. He would channel those feelings into his training. "I admire your courage Naruto most people would hate the people that wronged them especially for what Kakashi did to you but you're going to do something constructive instead. I'm impressed." Ino said. He flashed her one of his patented true smiles.

Ino was starting to quickly like when he did that. It made him seem so much more handsome in her eyes. After Ino's serious questions they ate and chatted on a wide range of topics till they were done with there food. Ino and Naruto both found out a lot about each other, sharing personal information a couple should know about the other person. There favorite foods, colors, and things of that nature. Ino found out the most. Even though she practically walked through his mind hearing him talk with passion about what he liked, didn't like, and hobbies it some how made it real for her.

Naruto was quickly trying to commit all the info he was getting on Ino to memory. He did not want to forget anything about her. Women don't like guys that forget the small things, well anything they deem worthy. As there meal portion of there date wound to a close the waiter came back and gave them there check. Ino and Naruto both reached for it. "Let me get it Naruto." Naruto quickly stanched it away be for she could get to it.

"What kind of date would this be if you were the one taking me out?" Naruto questioned. "New age thinking Naruto at least let me pay half. You already proved to me you can be a gentleman." Ino said. "Nope tonight is all on me." Naruto proclaimed pulling out Gamma-Chan to put the money in the bill caddy. Ino sighed it was not worth arguing about. The waiter came back and picked it up and they both got up. "Thank you Naruto." She gave him a kiss on the check. "Let's go check out the book store?" She said.

"You don't need to thank me Ino-chan I wanted to pay. Being with you is thanks enough." Naruto said. Ino blushed. That was a sweets thing some one had said to her in a while. They walked over and began to brows through the different book sections. It was a very large store and there are plenty of sections to choose from. While looking around Ino and Naruto separated and browsed on there own. While walking one of the sections a book caught Naruto's eye so he stopped to skim through it.

Ino did not find anything that she wanted. She put down the books she was looking at and looked around to find out were Naruto went to. Spotting him she made her way over to him. When see reached him she wrapped her arms around him from behind resting her head on his shoulder. "Find something you want?" She asked kissing him on the cheek again. There was a crash be hind them and they both turned to see what happened. A book display was knocked over and the sound of running was heard.

Hinata was in the medical section of the book store looking for some books to improve on her skill of making salves. Making her selection on what book she wanted to get she was about to go pay and leave when she spotted Naruto browsing around a different section in front of her. He did not seem to notice her so she followed him keeping out of sight. She saw him stop and pick up a book and she crouched down behind a display case.

She was gathering her courage to go talk to him. She watched as Ino came up behind Naruto and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Hinata froze in place. "What's going on?" She thought. Then she saw Ino kiss Naruto on the cheek. One thought went through her head. "No… I'm too late." She dropped her book and bolted. Tears streaming down her face she ran all the way home strait to her room. She cried her self to sleep that night.

They did not see who had knocked it over and made the mess. "That's just plane rude they did not even pick up the mess they made. I wonder who that was I would give them a piece of my mind." Ino huffed. Naruto walked over the display and righted it and him and Ino picked up and replaced all the merchandise back on it. All the books put back except for one book on medicinal herbs that did not belong. The store manager came over and identified himself as such. "What seems to be the problem here?" The manager asked. He was a talk lanky man with gray hair and gray mustache.

Ino quickly went on the defense. "Hey we were just looking around keeping to ourselves when I walk up to my boyfriend here. Then there was a crash from behind us and the display was on the ground and someone was running away. We even picked it up because who ever did it was too rude to do so." Ino quickly explained. We don't know were this book goes though. She handed the book to the manager "Thank you for picking up the mess. Just please be more careful ok." The manager said and then walked away heading off to the proper book section to put the book away.

Ino was about to go off when Naruto put his arm around her waist. "Its ok Ino it's not worth it. Let get out of here and find something else to do." Naruto reasoned. They walked outside on to the street. Out side the sun was just about to set casting the whole area in a red-orange light. "So what do you want to do now?" Ino inquired. People were walking about heading to various other establishments for the night. Be they bars, restarts, or gambling halls.

"How about we go get some ice cream?" Naruto said happily. "Ok I haven't had ice cream in a long time." Ino said in just as happy a tone. They walked together down the street to the parlor they passed on the way to the café. On the way they heard an argument coming from a parlor they were passing. "I wonder what's going on." Naruto asked. "Come on lets see." Ino said. She grabbed his hand and they jogged to were the heard the voices.

Arriving at the source of the disturbance they saw who was making all the commotion. Shikamaru and Tamari were sitting inside a shogie parlor arguing. "Damn it Shikamaru you were supposed to be showing me around the village not sitting here playing shogi!" Tamari shouted at him. Not looking up from his shogi game "I never said I was going to show you around. If you want to explore just go your so troublesome woman." Shikamaru said in a lazy and annoyed voice. Tamari huffed and started for the door.

Hearing Shikamaru blow off Tamari like that made Ino mad. She marched right into the parlor grabbed Tamari's hand as she was going by, and continued right behind Shikamaru. Naruto just followed dumbly behind Tamari who was also a little dumb stuck at what was happening. Shikamaru was totally oblivious to what was happening behind him and did not notice the three of them behind him. "Tamari this is how you get Shikamaru to listen. "Watch." Ino raised her free arm high and swatted Shikamaru in the back of the head as he was about to move a piece.

Dropping the piece he quickly turned around. "What the… Ino…what the hell are you doing?" He asked angrily. "Hey were trying to play a game here." Shikamaru's opponent protested. Ino shot him a glare that could kill and he quickly shut up. She grabbed Shikamaru by his ear and pulled. Naruto flinched and unconsciously reached for his own ear. Ino still holding Tamari's hand guided it to Shikamaru's ear and she took hold of it. "See this is how you get things done with Shikamaru." Ino said.

"Let go of my ear you troublesome women!" Shikamaru protested. Ino promptly swatted him again. "Quiet!" Ino scolded. "Now Tamari take Shikamaru and have them take you on a date. And if he protests this is how you deal with him see." Ino said pointing to Tamari's hand on Shikamaru's ear. Tamari quickly caught on to what Ino was proposing and a sadistic grain spread on her face. "Let's get going Shikamaru." Tamari said hauling him out of his chair.

As they left you could hear Shikamaru's voice protesting into the distance. Ino nodded firmly and she felt like she accomplished something with Shikamaru. When the two were well enough away Ino grabbed her knees and burst into laughter. Soon Naruto was joining her. "That was to funny and a little mean Ino-chan." Naruto said. Taking a deep breath Ino composed her self or at least tried to. She tired to speak and instead sucked in more air and continued to laugh. Naruto who was calming down himself could not contain himself. It went on for a few more moments till they really did calm down.

Now able to speak "Shikamaru needs a kick in the ass to get him moving sometimes. It's good for him to get out and do something other then play Shogi. Besides I can't do it all the time." Ino said. "Let's go get that ice cream then." Naruto said. Ino and Naruto resumed their way. "So what is your favorite flavor?" Naruto asked. Ino though about it for a moment because she hardly ever eats ice cream and replied. "I like the watermelon sorbet. How about you?" She asked.

"I like Ube the purple yam flavor." Naruto replied. Ino stopped. She had heard of that flavor but never thought Naruto or anyone could like that it. "Making yams into an ice cream. That's just icky." Then she though about it and figured it was just like Naruto to like that kind of stuff. Arriving at the candy shop they entered and made their orders. "So how about we go to the park." Naruto suggested. "Ok one quick stop at the drug store to get something for you headache." Ino said.

Naruto nodded and they both quietly ate there cold treats as they walked. The sun was low in the sky. They both ate there ice cream quickly and by the time they made it to the drug store they were both done with there cones. "How does your head feel right now Naruto?" Ino asked as they arrived. "It's just a dull ace that comes and goes. Nothing that is too bad." Naruto replied. Ino was a little worried. Very, very, very rarely a reconstructed mind can re-break and a head ace was one symptom of it.

Ino ran into the store and grabbed some pain killers. She payed for them and then left. Walking back to Naruto's they walked hand in hand. "Time to see if there are any other symptoms." Ino Thought. "Are you having trouble seeing or keeping your thoughts strait?" Ino asked. "No, no, nothing like that just a headache, why?" Naruto replied. "Let's go back to your place I want to check something." Ino said. "What about our walk in the park." Naruto asked. "I just want to make sure you're alright and check something ok." Ino said forcefully. Naruto did not argue and they walked quickly to Naruto's place.

He unlocked the door to let them in. "What is it you want to do?" Naruto asked. Ino was not sure about telling him what she was doing but she figured that it was better to be honest with him. "I want to check your mind and make sure everything is ok. Come lie on the bed and get comfortable please." Ino replied.

"Is something wrong?" Naruto asked. "I just want to be sure is all." Ino said. She kept chanting "I'm only checking. He is fine and I am just being paranoid." Over and over in her head. Naruto climbed on his bed, took off his hoodie, and got comfortable like he was asked. Ino kissed him on the lips. "Relax I wont hurt you just focuses on the ceiling. I am just going to do an all around scan." Ino reassured.

She went through the hand seals and touched Naruto's head. She was transported to the same mind space she usually sees a dark void with a glowing ball of blue that represented Naruto's mind. She looked around the black for any sings of missing fragments she could have missed or came off again. She then focused on his mind orb. It seemed normal from this perspective. Something was just off to her. His mind seemed to be tinted purple in color.

It was subtle so she got closer. She found a net of fine red lattice around his mind.
It was so subtle you could miss it unless you could get really close. "It must be the Fox." Ino thought. She checked all around his mind and was startled at what she found. Cracks. Some looked about as long as her arm and as deep as her first finger knuckle. Others were smaller and still others went in many directions like spider webs.

They seemed to be only located in the memory section of his mind. Ino did a more through search to see if he had any more cracks but as far as she could tell she could only find the ones in this part of his mind. She got as close as she dared to Naruto's mind and found that the net around his mind was more dense around that area. Chakra was at the edges of the cracks pulling it closed and healing it slowly.

In the background of his mind, coming from what looked like the depths of his body, was a thin strand of chakra running to Naruto's mind, and forming the net. She tried to run her hand through to his mind. She wished she hadn't tried. The net closed around her hand and it started to burn. She pulled with all her might and tried not to freak out. It was painful but she needed to remain calm.

Thinking quickly she ended her Jutsu. She needed to report this to the Hokage. She had never seen something like this in a mind before. Naruto did not appear in any danger so she thought. Then again the Fox could be trying to break free or influence Naruto in some way but it looked like it was trying to keep his mind from fracturing again. Blinking till her vision cleared to the real world she looked down at Naruto. He blinked till his vision cleared as well.

"So what did you find?" Naruto asked breaking the silence. Ino shook her hand from the mock pain of her hand burning. It seemed to linger longer that it should of. She had experienced it a couple of times before and did not pay it any mind. Sensations that she felt in another's mind usually left a ghost of a sensation when she went back to her own body. She set her hand in her lap and winced. Naruto looked down and his eyes went wide. She was not sure what he was looking at but he looked scared.

Looking down at her hand she, lifted it to her face, her eyes wide like they were going to bug out. "How did that happen?" Naruto said while pointing at her hand. Ino's right hand was red and puffy with skin that was pealing like a bad sunburn. She had at least a first degree burn on her whole hand. She had no idea how her hand was actually burned. She had never actually injured herself with her Mind Transfer Jutsu. She knew that there was fail safes built into the techniques her clan used and she had never heard of or had this kind of thing happen to her.

She would have to look into her clan scrolls and talk to her family later. She did know that it was the Fox that did that to her hand and Naruto's mind and it was powerful. First things first though she needed to dress her wound and then talk to Naruto about her findings. "Where's your first aid kit." Ino asked. Naruto ran to his bathroom and grabbed the kit from under the sink. "What happened Ino-chan? Did I do that to you? I am so so so sorry. Please forgive me." Naruto pleaded. "It's ok It's ok Naruto. It's just a burn and it is not your fault."

"Your unique and I should have been more carful poking around your mind. It seems like the Fox doesn't want a repeat of what happened. It is protecting your mind. I have never seen anything like it before." Ino said as she gave Naruto her hand. Naruto gently rubbed some aloe ointment on her wrist where the redness was the worst. Her hand seemed to be mostly ok. He went to work bandaging her wrist and Naruto looked up and was watching Ino as he was ministering to her wound. Ino felt Naruto's eyes and her and she looked up at him and into his eyes. He was done with the bandages and was just caressing her hand.

Ino was struck by how tender Naruto was being and Naruto was enjoying the feel of Ino's hand. They were soft and small compared to his own. Ino leaned in and kissed Nartuo after a few more seconds. It was a chaste at first but then Naruto got bold and started to open there mouths. It was quick to become more heated and Ino's hands snaked around Naruto's neck while his hands made there way around her waist. They both where at the edge of the bed and as they continued to make out they both slowly ended up lying down on it. This time Naruto was on top.

Ino and Naruto where both enjoying the kissing and making out. Ino never knew Naruto could be such a good kisser. The sent of Naruto combined with his bed was also really intoxicating. She ran her hands through his hair then down his back. The hard muscles easily felt through his clothing. "Wow!" was the thought that went through her mind.

Naruto was lost in the sensation of kissing and holding Ino. The new sensations of it all. The smell of Ino's hair and the taste of her lipgloss was so good. He rolled holding on to Ino so she was on top and his hands started roaming over her back. He kind of lost track of his hands and one of them went a little lower then he intended. Thats when Ino froze.

Ino's mind quickly realized she was laying in Naruto's bed alone and Naruto's hand was on her butt. Teenage hormones aside she knew this was getting out of hand. Not that she was scared of Naruto doing something she did not want to but it made her wake up about where she was and what they where doing. She put her hands on Naruto's chest and gently push off him. Naruto quickly pulled his hand off of her bottom.

He began to apologize profusely and was about ready for her to hit him. "I'm not mad Naruto. I think I should be getting home. This has been a great night." Ino said. Naruto for his part knew where Ino was coming from. They got of his bed and they both made there way to his door. "I had a great time too Ino-chan lets do it again soon." Naruto was sad that Ino was leaving.

"That was my first date and it was a lot of fun. Lets go out again maybe tomorrow. We can train together and maybe grab some lunch if your not dragged back to the hospital." Ino looked up to Naruto and pecked him on the check. "It was my first date as well Ino-chan. It was great too. I will see you tomorrow. Do you want me to walk you home?" Naruto asked. "No it's ok Naruto. I'll be fine." Ino made her way home while Naruto got ready for bed. They both were happy and looking forward to the following day.

Naruto was dreaming that night and it was vastly more vivid then any he has ever before had. He was back at the Valley standing on the edge of one of the cliffs. He could see himself and Sasuke battling down below. He watched with morbid fascination from his vantage point as they traded blows. It was like he was in some sick twisted movie. He could see them talking but could not hear any words or sounds from them, the river, or forest around him. He walked around the cliff and watch as the red chakra from the fox covered his body and the sick cursed seal activated on Sasuke's neck.

The fight really picked up from there and even he was having trouble following the whole exchange. Everything in his dream started to distort from there. It was like a radio that was not dialed into the station correctly. Then it came to the point where Sasuke and him where about to charge one final time. The last strike that would decide the winner. He could not look away. His eyes where unblinking and he was rooted in place. He wanted more then anything to step into the middle stop what he knew would come.

And yet he stood watching from the side lines as himself covered in the Fox's chakra holding a Rosangan and Sasuke in cursed form level 2 with his Chitorie ran to there inevitable conclusion. It all became hyper clear as the two ran at each other. Just before the two collided with there best attacks Naruto felt a pull backwards that he recognized as him waking up. Everything froze and then started to fade away back to the depths of his mind. Naruto woke up the next day in his bed and felt eyes on him.

He did not stir or give any indication of waking up. He was not sure what it was but the feeling of someone watching him was just something he could not shake. He questioned if he was just shaken up by his dream or was it a memory but what ever the case he could not shake that he was being watched. He took a deep breath, rolled over as if he was still asleep, trying to see if there was a sent in the room. It was subtle on the edge of even a ninja's perception. "Who could it be?" Naruto questioned in his mind. He sent chakra to his ears and really tried to listen to his surroundings.

"Good your awake. If you think your doing so well give me one good reason why I should not drag you kicking and screaming by your toe back to the hospital." Tsunade was not happy. She had gone to check on Naruto this morning. When she was examining him she noticed a lack of chakra output in her scans. She started to do a more through examination when the clone popped out of existence. It scared her to death as she watched the bed sheets collapse from the clones dispersal. When it clicked that Naruto had escaped. She grit her teeth and cracked her knuckles.

Naruto's eyes popped open to look at Tsunade. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a fast moving vehicle. "I... Um... I I I... I just wanted to go on a date with Ino-chan. Please don't take me back I am training with her later today." He was scared and was seriously thinking to run. "Oh just a date with Ino-chan huh? And how was this date with your girlfriend hmmm?" Tsunade questioned. Naruto opened and closed his mouth with nothing coming out. "Well? Are you going to say something or just keep imitating a fish." Tsunade still towered over his bed.

Naruto closed his mouth and took a deep breath. "It was the best time I have in a long time." Tusnade smiled down at him. "Good now hold still." She bopped him on the head then started to scan, poke, and prod him. "Your lucky you know that." She checked his shoulder where he used to have a hole in it. She asked him all the standard questions then gave him the all clear. "I really should take you back to the hospital... But I wont." Naruto started to cheer. Tusnade bopped him on the head again.

"What the heck Granny!" Naruto cringed as she was about to hit him again. Instead she sighed. "You are free but your not to train till Jiraiya comes back. Do you understand." Naruto started to pout. "It could be worse. I could be stuck in the hospital still and eating what they call food." Naruto thought. "Fine Granny I'll be good till he comes back. Thanks." Naruto relented. "Your welcome. Go have fun." Tusnade left and Naruto got up and started to get ready for the day.