Dosu's Great Escape

Chapter Eight: Ino, Diabolical Mastermind

Ino took a detour on her way to school to drop by the Hyuga compound. As much as she would have liked to trade barbs with Sakura, she had a promise to keep. Sure enough, there was Hinata, making her way out with her backpack over one shoulder.

Her gaze was on her feet and didn't see Ino until she waved. Ino smiled. "Hey, Hinata."

"Oh, Ino, you're here," said Hinata.

"Yeah, I figured I'd walk with you to the academy," said Ino.

Hinata looked down. "...Thank you."

And so they began to walk. Back when Ino walked to school and back with Sakura, they'd shot the breeze. They'd chattered about clothes and makeup and hair. Walking with Hinata was not like that at all. The timid girl seemed on the verge of running away.

Ino hated this silence. She reminded herself this was for a good cause. "So, do you remember what we talked about?"

Hinata blushed. "Y-yes. But... but what if I make myself look bad. What if he hates me?"

Ino put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Hinata. Talking with people is like a muscle. If you never use it, it gets harder to use it. The first time you try to do something with it, it aches and aches, and you don't get very far. But after you keep at it, it gets easier over time.

"Besides, Naruto isn't a bad person. Just well..." She looked for a word. Stupid? Annoying? Irritating? Insufferable?

"Yes?" asked Hinata.

Why was it everyone hated Naruto? Ino had pegged him as seeking attention and being bad at it. But why was he a social outcast anyway? Oh wait, she knew. "Well, there is something about it. I remember when I first went to the academy, and my parents found out he was in my class, they warned me about him. They told me not to have anything to do with him."

"My father told me the same thing," said Hinata.

"Right, and everyone else was told the same," said Ino. "None of the adults want anything to do with him. But anytime I ask about it; they lock up. They just talk about him being a troublemaker."

"But Naruto only makes trouble because people ignore him. He wants attention," said Hinata.

"It is odd," admitted Ino. Why did they have to talk about Naruto? Why couldn't Hinata have a crush on Sasuke like normal people? Then again, if she did, Ino wouldn't be helping her.

Interesting dilemma.

"What do you think it is?" asked Hinata.

Ino considered all the angles. Then she remembered something Shikamaru had said when he wasn't acting too lazy to think. "I think that his parents were traitors. They must have done something very bad and maybe stolen some secrets or something.

"If you want, I could do a bit more research on the subject. My dad keeps a lot of records about the various clans. Maybe I could figure something out."

"I didn't know you did much reading," said Hinata, coming out of her shell a bit.

"My family specializes in gathering information," said Ino. "It's our specialty. Part of that is putting on an appearance.

"Flowers are beautiful things. But some of them have thorns.

"Just remember. You'll go over to him and ask him to eat lunch with you. That's all."

Hinata smiled slightly. "Right."

Later on, Sasuke was looking sexy as always. The boy's stances were perfect as he moved with practiced grace. It was all Ino could do to focus on her own stances. As she did, Mizuki walked past her. He halted by Sasuke, eyeing him in particular. Still, there was always something calculating about the way he looked at Sasuke. Then he nodded in approval. "Good work, Sasuke. You're really proving your worth here."