A/N
Happy birthday, Ino!

This plot doesn't take place on Ino's birthday, and it portrays a possibly different Ino from that usually depicted in fanfictions.

This follows events in 'The Will of Fire', although it can stand alone. It was written before 'The Will of Fire', but has been posted later because although I intended to let it illustrate Shikamaru's maturity and growth since Asuma's fall, this fanfiction ran away with itself, and evolved into something else altogether.

Disclaimer
All mentioned shinobi (and kunoichi) belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Special Thanks
To all who've very kindly encouraged me consistently and who are still reading this although it's not a ShikaTema fanfict, and especially to JaliceLove, who read and reviewed 'Shadows of the Night' although I know she very much prefers ShikaIno.

Ino's Smile

"Oyaji, can I skip training today?" whispered Shikamaru, who, though out of earshot of his mother, thought it best not to take chances.

His father's eyes met his in mild curiosity.

"I'll train doubly hard on my own tomorrow…" he trailed off.

Shikaku knew he could take Shikamaru's word, but he wasn't about to let an opportunity to stretch Shikamaru even further than he was pushing himself slip up.

Noting Shikaku's dissatisfied expression, Shikamaru added with a sigh, "… and I'll develop a new technique by the end of this week." (#1)

.

"Be prepared, Shikamaru. You're gonna take me on one-on-one with that," warned Shikaku.

"… Friday morning,", he added with a smirk.

With furrowed eyebrows, a weary sigh escaped Shikamaru's lips.

"Fine, fine!" he conceded.

He'd hoped dad would grant his 'end of the week' promise a little leeway so he'd have till Sunday, but it seemed Shikaku didn't intend to let him have it easy. Presently, he had no bargaining power, so it couldn't be helped. It wasn't impossible, but it meant he had two days to get stronger, master at least one new technique and formulate a strategy his dad would fall for.

Great, that was gonna be such a breeze.

Shikaku may not be an Akatsuki with out-of-this-world abilities, but he remained one of only a few whom Shikamaru had taken on and had yet to consistently beat at shougi. He had experience, stamina and chakra that Shikamaru had yet to gain, and he was a seasoned Jounin with remarkable stealth, intellect and adaptability. Not to mention, most of Shikamaru's limited array of jutsu had been imparted by Shikaku.

Team Ten, Team Seven or a Jounin weren't gonna back him up this time. It was just him and his shadow…

Yet he didn't intend to lose.

As Shikamaru exited the Nara compound, he made a mental note to drop by the library on his way home. He then pushed thoughts of the upcoming match aside. It was essential to be prepared, but today, he had other priorities.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

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He found her on the slope of a little meadow, right where he thought she might be, hugging her knees to her chest. Head bowed, she didn't immediately notice him.

He breathed in the fresh morning air, and watched a light breeze tousle the grass. Ino's downcast expression permitted a melancholic smile that brought a little warmth to her eyes when a yellow butterfly landed on her hair.

Seeing her coax the creature onto her finger, raise it to eye level and beam at it, before letting it flutter away with the breeze, made Shikamaru's expression soften, and he smiled down at her. Ino had a fondness of nature that could match Chouji's kind heart, and she seemed to have a natural inclination towards mothering anything she could hug (and getting to know everything that didn't let her, better), just as Chouji had in spoiling every deer he came across in the Nara compound. The deer could sense this, and each time Ino and Chouji dropped by, they knew how to nudge every bit of tender loving care out of the two. Asuma-sensei, on the other hand, had never been one for being affectionate, and had thus always been awkward around the deer, but Ino had ways to bridge gaps between people and animals alike, and help them open up and become less self-conscious. It wasn't long before Asuma began practicing favourites with the deer. Ino had playfully teased and smiled it off with that sunshine smile that urged one not to lose hope, because things were bound to get better. Much as he wouldn't admit it, that smile was one he'd come to associate with her, and her alone. He wondered if she knew what courage her smile empowered people with; he'd certainly never expressly mentioned it to her before.

Ino had given Team Ten more than she'd needed to, and they, being pretty gruff guys, had hardly done anything outwardly special in return, for her. Presently, Ino's sunshine smiles couldn't even be coaxed out, and Shikamaru reproached himself for having approached her only now. This time, it was his turn to bridge the gap between Ino's expectations and herself. He may not be able to give her a sunshine smile, but he wasn't going to leave her on her own. He shifted his gaze to the tree Ino was resting under, and it came to rest on the tree roots.

This was where Ino had taken her very first steps. She lived and breathed the air here since her birth, and she could name and locate every flower in the field by the time she entered the Academy. It probably helped that the Yamanaka flower shop was an ideal learning point, but Shikamaru knew that it was Ino's interest and pride as a Yamanaka that spurred her to explore the fields for wild flowers, occasionally dragging Shikamaru and Chouji out to explore new terrain. Oh boy, Shikamaru remembered those days. Ino could be very forceful, but when Shikamaru got to know her better, he realised that this stemmed from her inborn protectiveness of those she loved. Ino could be pretty sweet… When she wasn't making him do things against his will, that was.

In this meadow, Ino attended preparatory lessons before entering the Academy. It may've been unfair that Konoha kunoichi-in-training had to master the art of being feminine, but Ino never complained about it. After all, the outdoor class and sewing had been a breeze for her, having helped out in flower arrangement, decoration and stringing garlands at the Yamanaka Flower Shop from an early age. Baking and cooking she found fun, and as for tea brewing, she did love flower teas, you know?

On this spot, Ino had defended a fellow student who was getting picked on because of her looks. Right away, she taught the nasty perpetrators a lesson, led the girl aside and unconditionally shared her knowledge of flowers with her. This spontaneity led to a lasting friendship with Haruno Sakura, who became her best friend, eventual rival and current senior in medical ninjutsu.

So much had changed. Back then, it was Ino instilling confidence in Sakura, who had limited skills as a shinobi. Now, Ino seemed to be lagging and lacking that which she'd given Sakura. Sakura who had worked tremendously hard, and who, by now, had surpassed Ino in terms of chakra control, grades, stamina and medical ninjutsu… And proximity to her Sasuke-kun…

Even her techniques, passed down from generations of Yamanaka, hardly seemed on par to the damage Sakura could inflict on her enemies. There were so many limitations. Ino needed her body protected when she used certain jutsus, and the effectiveness was dependent on her opponents' skill-level, willpower and stamina. Without Shikamaru, Chouji, or someone like Yamato or Sai around with the ability to bind an opponent, Ino's ninjutsu was virtually powerless. Sakura managed to create an antidote that the most skilled Suna healers couldn't to save Kankurou's life, and she had held her own against Sasori with Chiyo-baa-sama's help. Ino, on the other hand, couldn't do much as she watched Asuma-sensei die, or when she stood on the sidelines while Kakashi-sensei, Shikamaru, Chouji, Yamato-taichou and Naruto battled Hidan and Kakuzu.

She was so helpless. Even gentle Hinata had more chakra and better control than Ino, largely due to her Hyuuga heritage. Ino felt inferior, and nothing she did seemed to change her situation. Much as she'd like to train, Tsunade-sama and Shizune-senpai were needed in an emergency operation and Sakura was helping out. Her father was involved in interrogations with Ibiki-san. She'd trained hard on her own, with the hope of getting stronger, but all she could improve on were her jutsus, and her chakra and stamina were taking forever to increase despite all the taijutsu practice she'd been undergoing on her own. She wanted to protect Konoha, but she seemed to be getting in their team's way each time she tried. How could she possibly bring herself to heartily greet customers at the Flower Shop, or even find the motivation to train?

.

"Ino," Shikamaru finally interrupted, disrupting her thoughts.

"Shikamaru."

"Would you take a walk with me?" he wondered, offering her his hand.

She looked up in surprise, and forced a smile, before allowing him to help her up.

It was unusual to see Shikamaru in this area. Since Tsunade-sama had granted them a reprieve from missions as reward for defeating Hidan and Kakuzu, she knew he'd probably be training, playing shogi, tending to the deer, doing research of some sort, or cloud-watching (rather, more accurately, thinking).

Before Shikamaru had earned his Chuunin promotion, she used to boss him and Chouji around, and they'd let her. They usually still let her have her way when they met up to reminisce the good old days, provided they had time. How her Team Ten had grown!

.

Shikamaru led her to a river and let her take in their surroundings. The source of life, and a forest thriving with it, with the little sounds of nature chipping in. Curious, she turned to Shikamaru questioningly.

"Ino," he started, unhurriedly, 'What do you see?'

She didn't immediately answer Shikamaru, pondering the significance behind his question while letting her eyes explore the place bit by bit.

She eventually responded, verbalizing the flight of a squirrel into its hole and describing their surrounding in a most poetic, optimistic manner. She gave it her best effort and tried to rouse herself into a more cheerful mood, but she knew that it hadn't worked and Shikamaru would easily see through her facade. While silently counting the number of triangular fish with a cute rounded tail in a shoal of that had just swam into view, her gaze fell upon some weeds that the fish were now hiding among. Watching them weaving in and out made her smile despite herself, and she paused to observe them more closely.

When the shoal abandoned their playground for the next, Shikamaru strode to the river edge, knelt on one knee, and bent forward. Turning to face Ino, he immersed his hand in the water, and when the ripples cleared, he guided his hand towards the weeds, using his thumb and index finger as a tong to grip a clump of it by its roots. In one sharp action, he presented a chunk of it to Ino.

Placing it on her palm, Shikamaru stated, "This is the yellow konoha algae. It's found only in Konoha, but it's plentiful in Konoha rivers. It contains vitamins that can help sustain one when lost in the wilderness."

"Those fish we saw earlier are picky; they're commonly called the 'sensei-fish', because any known weed they hide in has so far proven to be edible, or have medicinal properties. If they need to hide and don't find suitable weed, they'll tunnel through the riverbed and emerge a safe distance away… So, you, know…" added Shikamaru, scratching his head sheepishly.

"… Nature itself knows what's good for it. When studying these, I kinda had help from them."

He pointed out a tall reed, almost unnoticeable in the tall leaves, if not for bright yellow puffs of fluffy-looking things.

"The pollen of those Gama reeds can treat most minor cuts and wounds, so even if you run out of medical supplies, or chakra, having these with you may help."

Ino smiled sadly. Shikamaru was just trying to make her feel better, but this only made her feel more inadequate, because, as a medical ninja, she hadn't realised there was still so much she didn't know. It was discouraging.

Shikamaru gave a soft sigh.

"Ino, you know, Godaime herself may not know this, because she specializes in treating wounds with chakra. Detecting the location, determining the damage dealt, and the type and amount of chakra needed to treat a wound – that's medical ninjutsu."

Ino's shock was evident on her face, but she realised what Shikamaru had said was true.

"Physical medicine… It's mainly necessary for antidotes or supplements, but you've already mastered the properties of common Konoha herbs, and that knowledge is more than enough to get you through. But if you do happen to need or want to learn more, especially in an emergency, just approach any Nara." (#2)

She sighed, then smirked broadly with a cheeky glimmer in her eye.

"Nara Shikamaru, are you showing off?!"

He knew what was coming next, and he tried evading her attacks, but eventually lost out to her determination and his unwillingness to use any jutsu against her. When she had knocked enough sense into him, she settled against a tree and he leant against the one opposite her.

She knew he was trying to show her that they had different duties and responsibilities, and that she shouldn't allow herself to get bogged down with how much further she had to go and how much that was, but it'd been a while since she'd last done something like that to him, especially since he seemed so out of reach with all the tough missions, and she'd been itching to get to.

"Ino, you and me, we both have limited chakra, but we haven't let it stop us yet, have we? I know you've been learning some interrogation techniques from your dad and Ibiki-san, and you already have your mind jutsus. Medical ninjutsu too… If we hadn't had you on the team, we wouldn't have been able to pinpoint the location of the Akatsuki to get a headstart and intercept them… Since young, it's been you pushing Chouji and me on. Without you, we probably wouldn't have gotten this far… And you know we'd both trust you with our lives. Any of the Konoha Eleven would too."

"Shikamaru…" hesitated Ino.

"… I don't seem to be able to do anything." she admitted.

"Tch. Ino, you're a medic nin. You weren't supposed to have gotten involved in the fight against Hidan and Kakuzu, but we needed your help anyway, didn't we?"

He walked over and crouched so he met her eyes, placing both hands on her shoulders.

"Ino," spoke Shikamaru in a serious tone, not averting his gaze so she understood that this was no joking matter.

"The only thing stopping you from improving is yourself. Look, Sakura began her medical ninjutsu months before you, and she's been focusing solely on it since she started. You on the other hand, have interrogation techniques and your clan's abilities to master, the flower shop to attend to, training and medical ninjutsu. The time you spend is comparatively less than what Sakura has been devoting to medical ninjutsu. This doesn't mean you're weaker, but rather, that you've a heavier burden to bear. It's time to step out of her shadow, Ino. Overcome yourself first, and when you're willing to accept yourself for who you are, train hard. There's a reason why not just anybody can become a medic-nin. Chakra control isn't easy to master, and you've gotten the hang of it, but you won't stop improving, Ino, because I know you haven't fulfilled your full potential. The Ino I know will become stronger because she doesn't want to let her comrades down."

Tears wet Shikamaru's hands, and although Ino lowered her gaze, Shikamaru didn't let go. He let his words sink in, and his grip softened when her forehead brushed against his shoulder. He let her use his shoulder, and watched her with gentle gaze. He didn't like being excessively harsh, particularly when it involved a female, but he knew it was the only way to help Ino right now. Asuma was no longer around to check on them every now and then, as he did even after Team Ten had stopped functioning as an official team once they all made Chuunin. But Team Ten would always be Team Ten, and they looked out for each other.

.

When Ino eventually wiped the last of her tears away, she hugged Shikamaru, and he, for once, let her.

"Ino, I'm sorry for letting you hurt alone for so long. I thought you'd be okay, but I realise I should have found time for you sooner."

He then produced an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.

"From Sakura," stated Shikamaru simply.

She took it, and fingered the paper.

.

"About stamina and chakra, Naruto and Lee both volunteered to train in taijutsu with you, Ino. Those two never break a promise; if you can catch them off mission, they'll definitely keep to their word, and you're gonna have to surpass yourself to defend against them. If they're too hard on you, Chouji and I don't mind giving you a hand… In terms of chakra control, you may be surprised, but Neji offered to give you some tips and help minimize your chakra wastage by observing with his Byakugan; he may not be as good as Sakura in chakra control, but Neji's one of the best mentors around – look at how far Hinata has come under his guidance! He'll probably be able to help you develop a unique balance with your abilities; Neji's not called an elite genius for nothing... Kakashi-sensei, too, has assured me that, if we need direction or training, we are to seek his tutelage… And of course you need practice. Come with me, Ino."

Ino, touched by the generosity of the Konoha Eleven and ashamed of her self-doubt, let Shikamaru lead her to the town centre. They turned a corner, and Shikamaru pushed open the doors to the first shop on the left.

Upon entering, Ino realised that this was no shop. A reception counter greeted them. Shikamaru nodded to the receptionist, who told him "She's in the back room; go on in!" with a smile.

There was a clinical smell, and strange yet seemingly familiar scents that Ino couldn't make out. Shikamaru raised his hand to knock, but before his fist touched wood, a voice called "Come in!".

Shikamaru smiled to himself, and held the door open for Ino, before closing it behind them.

"Nice of you to drop by, Ino, Shikamaru!" greeted the same cheerful voice, matched with an equally bright smile; one that Ino recognized. It now made sense that she knew they were there before seeing them; their scent had given them away.

"Ino, I insisted Shikamaru bring you here so I could personally ask if you'd be willing to assist me. You've probably seen Akamaru, or Kakashi-san's nin-dogs at work, and I've heard they don't faze you. But more importantly, I saw you with the Nara deer the other day, and I could tell you have a way with them. If I could, I'd get Shikamaru-kun or Chouji-kun to help me out here, because not many go as far as you lot for animals, but it's medical care I need more than manual labour. I begged Tsunade-sama to spare you in your free time, and she said she agreed only if you did, but on the condition that if you were summoned, I had to surrender your expertise. So, before she changes her mind, would you please help me out, Ino?" pleaded Inuzuka Hana.

"I'll do my best, Hana-senpai!" proclaimed Ino with the gusto Shikamaru had missed for some time now.

Both Hana and Shikamaru smiled in relief.

"Shikamaru-kun, please excuse us; Ino's first patient for the day needs immediate attention!"

Shikamaru nodded, and opened the door just in time to enter a distraught pet owner who was making more noise than her pet. He suspected that if any, the most severe damage the pet was dealt was either damage to its eardrums, or getting squeezed too hard.

His hasty exit from the room didn't spare him from a earsplitting cry.

"YOU'RE HOLDING AOI-CHAN THE WRONG WAY!" shrieked a hysterical voice from the room.

Poor pet. It was probably both. If anybody knew how to carry animals the right way, it'd be Ino; she'd fussed over those creatures all her life. And Hana-senpai was a vet. He wondered how many more grievances the poor puppy had.

He was only too glad Hana-senpai had excused him from this affair, and earned newfound respect for vets. He'd thought medics had it bad, but he'd in fact been wrong. Patients admitted to hospital didn't have guardians who watched over your shoulder and screamed at you for doing things the right way.

He left a note for Ino with the receptionist, telling her to drop by his place for dinner, partly on his mum's orders, and partly because he'd promised himself he'd set aside today for Ino. Chouji would be there too. It'd be like a Team Ten reunion.

Shikamaru spent some hours in the library researching, reading and taking notes. He borrowed some books home to mull over, and left them in his room before heading into the Nara forest to ensure that nothing was amiss.

Ino would be fine now, he knew. But even so, he'd monitor her progress every now and then, on top of merely meeting up with her like he used to. In the past, he'd been unmotivated and disinterested in even making Chuunin, and he wasn't lying when he told Ino he and Chouji wouldn't be here without her. She'd seen to it that they didn't slack off, but now, being a strong shinobi was important to Shikamaru, because regardless of his intelligence, he had limited abilities, and thus taijutsu training was of essence, for the same reason as Ino.

She'd taken it on her to give them a direction back then, and when Shikamaru had newfound purpose in life, he'd taken on that role for Team Ten. Asuma-sensei had entrusted his Will of Fire to Shikamaru; Shikamaru wasn't intending to let it burn out in any of his comrades. Especially not Ino… Or Chouji.

His comrades came first, above his safety, growth and the mission. Hence, training could wait. He'd be harder on himself to make up for it. But more importantly, they'd progress together, because he couldn't imagine leaving anyone behind.

Shikamaru would rather lose his live than see another comrade fall. He'd blame himself even more if his failure to identify all the loopholes in his own plan led to that. He'd learnt from his mistakes, and since Asuma's death he'd review every plan from multiple angles countless times before he allowed himself to put it into action.

Since his first mission as team leader, his sole purpose of getting stronger had been to protect his comrades. He'd made a promise then, in the presence of Godaime, his dad, Shizune-senpai and Temari.

And he didn't intend to break it.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

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Ino heartily finished everything on her plate that night.

Both Shikamaru and Chouji walked her home, and on their own accord.

Yoshino thought she was dreaming. (#3)

.

Before Ino went to bed, two letters sat on her desk. One had a beautiful border with a faint floral scent. Neat, carefully aligned handwriting read:

'Ino,

Back when we were kids, I'd never have dared to believe in myself until you stepped in. Thus, it pains me to see the hurt in your eyes each time we're on a mission together.

We used to fight, remember? Over nicknames and him… I kinda miss those fights; there's hardly any time nowadays, for either of us. But Ino, I've never forgotten those days when I was picked on… And how you helped me stand up.

Know what? It's hardly any fun without you challenging me, and now shishou says it's time for me to attempt self-improvement, because she wants to focus on training you and Hinata. So catch up quick, Ino! I won't wait because if I get complacent, you'll probably beat me when you put your heart to it! ;) But since you're so many months behind me, I shall be a nice senior and give you some chakra control tips and training! It'll be a good form of revision for me! Turn up soon on my doorstep, best friend (and rival)… Ino-buta! :D

Love,

Sakura'

.

The second was less elaborate, but it made Ino smile as much as Billboard Brow's letter had…

'Ino,

Let it all out. Don't hesitate to find either of us for anything; we'll do what we can. You'll always be Team Ten's one and only kunoichi. And the best teammate we've ever known… Nothing will ever change that.

Ganbatte!

Chouji and Shikamaru

P.S. Hope the gifts help a little.
P.P.S. Don't overwork yourself or you'll get it from us.'

.

An exquisite leather-bound diary and a huge bean bag the size of a pillow were placed beside it. So now she could write, and she could bash or hug the bean bag, depending on her mood… But more than that, she knew she could seek either of them out in the middle of the night and they'd hear her out and make things better even if they badly needed sleep. And of course, they'd celebrate every victory with her, significant or not.

So much for her moping! Ino understood now that she'd been feeling sorry for herself for the wrong reasons. She supposed she should feel sorry for feeling sorry for herself when she could've been training with the right attitude and without self-doubt. She knew now that she'd been holding herself back, and now that she'd broken free, nothing would be able to hold her back from beating Sakura, as Asuma-sensei had instructed.

She fingered a hairpin that she'd found in her pocket, and studied it, occupied with the implication behind it rather than its design. Somebody had once casually mentioned she'd probably look nice with her hair pinned up; someone with the ability to fleetingly glance into her eyes and know exactly what she was feeling.

She'd chosen not to cut her fringe, but rather to let it flop over the right side of her face, and she'd told herself back then that she liked that look, but she now saw the lie for what it was. Since Sasuke-kun's defection, she'd retreated behind that veil of hair. Perhaps it was to hide her expression when the uncontrollable tears fell, or maybe she just felt more secure that way, but whatever it was, she'd never found the courage to get it out of the way, even if it sometimes hindered her scope of vision on missions.

"Your eyes… They're kinda nice when they sparkle in the sun."

Those had been his exact words. His way of letting her know that she didn't have to hide behind her hair because that wasn't really how she wanted it. He'd known then, and she hadn't… what she really desired. She hadn't seen the connection then, and she'd thought he was randomly throwing out compliments to make her smile, but now she realised that her fringe covered her eye, and so what he really was trying to say, was that she had to first look beyond herself and overcome her inferiority; only then would she be able to open herself up to those around her to receive the warmth they wanted to shower on her...

It's time, Ino.

She could almost hear him saying that, and as she pushed her long fringe aside and watched the stars clearly for the first time in three years, she felt a sense of inexplicable joy. It was an astonishing sight; one she hadn't properly appreciated for a long while. And as the cool air hit her full on the face, she found she rather liked, and missed it. She beamed to the room, feeling an impulse to waltz around. How ridiculous that a mere sweeping of the fringe, a simple physical action could make her heart feel so much lighter!

Baby blue… It matched her eyes beautifully. He'd known she'd need it, just as he'd probably known she'd love it. She'd tried to hide from herself, but at a glance he'd seen through what she herself wasn't entirely aware of… Shikamaru always had. She could fool everyone, including herself, but he called her bluff. Not because he wanted to, but because she needed it.

He'd probably slipped it into her pocket during her thrashing session. She hadn't noticed then.

She held back her fringe by securing it in place with her new hairpin, knowing it'd probably leave her some scratches if she tossed in her sleep, but doing so anyway. From now, it was there to stay. (#4)

It was time!

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

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She had a long way to go, but she'd been going about progressing in the wrong way. It took Shikamaru, and the trusty Konoha Eleven to show her that. She'd let them down by choosing to remain weak and not putting her heart into proper training, but they didn't blame her for it. Maybe this was what the Will of Fire was all about…

She didn't intend to disappoint them again, especially not her Team Ten… Asuma-sensei, their beloved sensei who would remain in their hearts forever. Chouji, who always seemed to know, and whose warmth and mere presence could make her feel better; and Shikamaru, who could read her better than she could herself, and give her exactly what she needed when she needed it. She was unafraid to show them her weak side, because they were the last people who'd judge or mock her and they'd never divulge a word she confided. They were the closest she'd come to having brothers, and she was fiercely defensive of them. Neither of them had ever failed to protect her, and she was going to reciprocate that.

Ino didn't know a better time to start.

Scratches, bruises and pain awaited her, because she was going to make use of every bit of help offered by pushing herself, and the others as they fought on in their respective battles.

Sakura would be free in the morning, and Shikamaru had arranged for her to meet Neji after lunch tomorrow. In the evening, if Neji was busy, she knew where to find Naruto… At the very least, she'd certainly develop a little stamina. Chouji had promised to pick her up early in the morning to provide some moral support, just for tomorrow. And when they were occupied, or once she grasped the basics, she'd train on her own, or help Hana-senpai, only bothering the Konoha Eleven to gauge her progress level.

Thank you, Shikamaru, Chouji, Asuma-sensei… Hana-senpai, Konoha Eleven, Kakashi-sensei, Godaime!

Soon, she hoped, if she trained hard enough, they wouldn't need to worry about her. She'd do it for them.

And for Konoha.

She wasn't alone. She'd never really been.

She had them, and they all had the Will of Fire.

Strength lay in bonds, and in numbers. So long as it kept burning, Konoha would stand.

She knew it would, because she believed in them, and they believed in her… Even when she'd failed to do so herself.

That night, Ino hugged her new pillow to sleep, and for the first time in ages, slept soundly with a beautiful, determined smile plastered on her face.

-The End-

A/N
I'd appreciate feedback and constructive criticism in the form of reviews. Anonymous reviews are enabled, though I won't be able to properly thank you in a review reply. Did you find this Ino too OOC? I'm open to varied perspectives, and if you'd like to comment on anything else I'd be grateful too.

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(#1) I suspect that Kageyose no Jutsu ('Shadow Endgame Technique') was probably created by Shikamaru for the sole purpose of ensnaring Hidan, rather than one developed and passed down by the Nara clan; it's seems to very much be Shikamaru's style, with the possible references it makes to shogi, and the manner in which he set up the trap (that symbol on the floor seems to be his personal symbol, not his clan symbol; he wore it from young, and it's imprinted on the cloth his mum wraps his bento set in), and the planning involved in it (it seemed more like a name for all that Shikamaru had done till then, right down to that very last move), and it did indeed finish things off. I doubt Shikamaru will ever use that technique again; it does require preparation within Nara land, after all, and I'd thus believe it was invented for the sole purpose of avenging Asuma, thus protecting Konoha and the Will of Fire. Along these lines, I'm sure Shikamaru would be more than capable of inventing more new techniques. After all, if I've guessed right, and if Shikamaru has already succeeded with doing so on his own; it shouldn't be beyond him to do more, wouldn't you say? ;)

(#2) As explained in 'Beyond the Shadows', I believe the Naras have medical knowledge, particularly with regard to herbs. If you're interested, please read and review it!

(#3) Again, readers of Beyond the Shadows would be likely to better understand why Yoshino thought she was dreaming ;)

(#4) For the bit about Ino's fringe, I get an urge to push my fringe aside each time I see her in Shippuuden, especially when I sense the sadness in her. It doesn't seem fair that she's left to look down on herself while everybody gets even stronger. I'm not sure why she's changed so much, but it greatly frustrated me having to think of why she seems weaker compared to the others, and what anybody really could have done to help her.

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Hoped some of you liked it!

Why Ino, you may wonder? Simply because I feel Ino often gets overlooked, aside the fact that she's overshadowed. She's undergone drastic change (specifically in personality, and seemingly, confidence), yet none of the Konoha shinobi seem to have addressed this; I wouldn't know for sure, though.

I've read some Ino fanficts, and I was intrigued at how Ino was still often portrayed as her former self, particularly when she's struck me, even in Shippuuden, as a distinctively different person. Ino, I believe, has kept her doubts to herself either because she thought she was strong enough to handle it, or perhaps because she didn't want to bother others, but she feels she's weak, which's why she asked to learn medical ninjutsu. She's taking on lots of things, and here, it's weighing down on her very badly. Things like that can get to you, especially when you start comparing, wouldn't you say?

Although I don't object to ShikaIno, I have an extremely soft spot for ShikaTema, and I've been occupying myself with reading and reviewing ShikaTema fanficts over the past couple of weeks. (If you ship ShikaTema, I'll be flattered if you'll be willing to have a look at those I've written and let me know what you thought of it!) So, I believe you'll understand that in this fanfiction, the relationship between Shikamaru and Ino is purely platonic. Shikamaru was being a teammate to a childhood friend.

There were a few inventions in this fanfict. I'm sure you can tell what I made up ;)

I'm not sure if I'll attempt more Ino ficts in future; this was challenging (at some points it got extremely vexating and spirit-dampening), and thus took me quite a while. Thankfully, though, after a break, I managed to review it a couple of times and add in bits that I hadn't thought of when I was finally done with my draft; I hope they've made this fanfict more complete.

Prior to writing this, I had a pressing urge to write a fanfict regarding two less known Naruto characters; 'Seeing Eye to Eye' is the result.

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Thanks for bearing with me and reading to the very end of this very lengthy A/N!