The Hidden Girl And The Caged Prodigy

Starting over with Ino

We ate while having peaceful small talk between the 6 of us. Mainly Ino didn't give any input, "So Hinata we heard what happened how are you feeling" Izumi asked like a mother. "I am good Izumi san, Naru helped make sure I healed completely while I slept last night. I have been informed that there was quite the show and ruckus at the compound while I was resting though" Hinata said looking at me.

"I did not cause a ruckus. I just showed up mad demanding to know what happened and who did it. I promised the next one to touch you bodily harm ending in the hospital and told Hiashi that you were staying overnight to heal" I said smiling. "Yes, Hiashi said it was quite the sight Naru. Like a mini Kushina, he also informed me that the man was hospitalized by Neji's gentle fist attack. He threatened them as well" Inoichi finished our take on last night's adventures. Hinata smiled to herself nodding at Inoichi and Izumi, we finished dinner and my clones took the plates away to wash them.

Ino had cleared her plate of food, "What is wrong with me? Why don't you like me" Ino blurted out looking at me seriously?

"I do not care for you does not mean I don't like you Ino. You try to be the boss and manipulate everything around you to fit your own needs. A team is meant to work together, not have one person so humiliated by another and the third person pissed off at the one who humiliated his comrade. I told you did I not that it was a disgrace to be a kunoichi when you won't eat as you should. You have been raised by parents who love you and give you the world Ino. Yet you take that high praise of being a clan heir and use it to your every need. I am a clan heiress as well, I will inherit two clans when I accept the responsibilities that go along with it. I also do not use that knowledge to fit my needs. As you can see Kakashi Sensei is not my father nor my mother, it's simple I do not have living parents. They both passed when I was just born by an attack, I was not raised on kindness or love in this village. Your parents, the other clan heads, and ANBU rotated me from house to house so that I would not be tracked down again after I was almost killed on my 3rd birthday. When I revealed to the Hokage my heritage I was given this compound in secret. If I was to walk through the village, you would see a kunoichi with her head held high ignoring the ignorance of those around her. This is not a game nor a trick, my parents had many enemies that if I was to go and gloat about who they are would send even more people after my head" I said letting what I had said sink in.

Taking a sip of my tea Hinata laid her hand on my arm in a comforting manner. Smiling at her in appreciation we all watched Ino go through emotions, "But why not tell someone? Why be a kunoichi? Why hide and only be seen when you want? How do you know so much" Ino asked seriously. "I have been reading anything I could get my hands on since I was little. I have told someone, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Kakashi all three know the entire truth. It would not do well in this village if there were suddenly two of me walking around. If not a kunoichi then what would I do? I can't be a homebody, I want to make a difference. I want to show the world that I can be my person and not need someone to protect me. I'm Naruto Uzumaki and there's no going back from that" I said smirking as her eyes widen then she laughed.

"Why do you pretend to be a boy," she asked calming herself and noticing the dirty looks from those around us.

"Because you saw the glances, you heard the words thrown my way. What would happen when they attack me as me like they do every year, it would worsen. I would lose myself completely if that happened I'm afraid. I do not retaliate or defend myself from those attacks, these people are ignorant and blind to something they don't understand. As such I do not have it within myself to retaliate against those, why would I do that even in self-defense if it convinces them I'm a demon? I don't want that view I want these people to see me for me because I truly want to be Hokage one day. Besides, I have to make it until the end of the chunin exams this next time hoping that this village will change its view. I made a deal to reveal the fact I'm a girl to everyone, the clan heads all know who I am and who my parents are as well. Hinata, Shikamaru, ANBU, our 4 Sensei's and a select few other shinobi around the village know as well. When the chunin exams come everyone might know" I said thinking of ways to still keep it a secret.

Ino listened to me as she stared at me long and hard, "You know even as a girl you kind of remind me of the 4th Hokage" she said before her eyes widened. "No! How do you not want the praise from that" she asked covering her mouth in shock.

I laughed "Because why would I want to live in their great shadows? My parents were two of the strongest Shinobi and as such, they died honorably. I do not wish to be compared to them, they had many enemies and we as a village are not ready should Iwa try to invade to get revenge for my father. As I have already stated Ino my parents had many enemies, and I don't want them to know right now. I am young and a genin" I said kicking a snickering Kakashi and Inoichi under the table. "I'm not prepared for them to come after me yet. You can't be your own person if you're trying to live in the shadows of another" I said looking at her. "Like me, I'm trying to stay in the shadow of Sasuke because he's a Uchiha. The last Uchiha" she said looking down.

"Exactly he is a Uchiha and as the last Uchiha you all fawn over him much like Neji was fawned over in the academy. They don't have any need for someone who cannot defend themselves. If you were to go on a mission with Sasuke do you think he would give up his life to protect you" I asked her seriously. "No, but Sakura," Ino said in horror, "Sakura knows that she can't rely on Sasuke to save her. She has already talked with me and I have decided to help her by providing the materials she needs for her training. I, myself can't even begin to do the things great medics would. But I can help guide a medic to that field when I see one" I said seriously leaning on my palm.

"How could I ever make this up to everyone? Sakura we gave up our friendship for rivals of Sasuke's love" she asked tears in her eyes.

"You start over Ino. As a person, you are to be the next clan head of a great clan in our village. You are a part of our generation's Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Do you always want to be in their shadow? Your parents' team is legendary on its own, they work flawlessly without a single word spoken between them" I said looking at an embarrassed Inoichi.

Izumi snickered in her palm at her husband, "We weren't alive during the war. How would you have seen them" she asked puzzled. "Simple. They came to my rescue when I was younger, I had just turned two and Shikaku realized I wouldn't defend myself or speak back to the attackers. They along with ANBU solved the problem quickly but I remember that day. Hizashi a man I knew who would often talk to me and smile at me, was walking with his child a year older than myself. He saw me cornered and began to defend me telling his child to run to the compound and get his brother" I said a sad smile on my face.

Hinata had a look of shock on her face as Kakashi signed something to her behind my back. "So why the hiding from the rest of us or acting stupid in the academy," she asked curiously now. "Because I can't let him know yet. He can only know when his hate is released. It was the biggest and only deception mission I have ever done. How do you think the village would have reacted to me being smart? As for hiding, well many of our class already knew, Shikamaru and Hinata both knew. Shino knew because of his bugs and we talked about it. Kiba knew because even though I'm in a henge most of the day I still smell feminine. Iruka Sensei knew and Choji knew but he never said anything but has always had my back no matter the problem" I said smiling at the memories of ditching class with Shika, Choji and Kiba.

"Okay, so we don't talk about this to anyone it is an S-class secret until she reveals it to the rest of the village. Her parents are an SS class secret you don't say anything to anyone about that. We do not speak of them outside these clan walls" Inoichi said seriously. "Hai tousan I understand. Naruto I am sorry for everything I have done. I would like to start over" Ino said smiling at me.

"Thank you Ino and we started over the moment I told you my secret," I said smiling a small smile back at her. "Thank you," she said, "We're proud of you Naruto. They are proud of you as well" Izumi said smiling at me. "Thank you," I said blushing.

They thanked me for dinner and we had dessert talking about random things with Ino giving her input or asking questions this time.

After they left Kakashi nii sent us to bed saying it was a long day tomorrow. Me and Hinata hugged him making him chuckle as we said goodnight and retired to my room. Taking turns in the shower and talking we got ready for bed. Laying down we fell asleep quickly not noticing Shikamaru show up to check on us and how dinner with the Yamanaka clan went. He talked to Kakashi before joining us in sleep, Kakashi took pictures of the three of us, he classified all of us his younger siblings.