Chapter 28: Doomsday

When Ino walked into the kitchen that morning, she was greeted by a warm smile that belonged to a stranger. Still in her pyjamas, Ino was just rubbing the sleep from her eyes when she noticed that she was not alone. Besides the tall, dark, and dashing young man standing before her, an older woman with greying brown hair was sitting at the dining room table with Naruto across from her. Ino felt like an idiot for not having been aware that they would be having visitors. She did not really like presenting herself in her pyjamas.

"Hey Ino!" the young man greeted, "nice shorts."

Ino couldn't help but blush. This man, despite not being Naruto or anywhere near her alternate-self's age, was attractive. He reminded her of Sasuke, surprisingly, with the dark hair and onyx eyes. But what really knocked the wind out of her were the tear-troughs under his eyes. She had seen those distinct features on someone before, although only in pictures. And the name of that man still made shivers run down her spine. Not because she feared him, at least not enough to feel it in her bones, but because she did not like what he had put Sasuke through.

"Oh," Naruto exclaimed when his blue eyes landed on his wife, "good morning, Ino."

"Morning," Ino returned the greeting with a hesitant smile. "Um, what's going on?"

"This is Beniko," Naruto stated, motioning towards the woman opposite him. Ino blinked, surprised. This was Sasuke's sister-in-law, which explained the young man's resemblance to… well, that name still made her shiver.

"Oh," Ino hummed, surprised that Naruto was introducing her as if she didn't know the woman. Then again, their original plans to keep the whole 'dimension hopping' a secret had sort of fallen apart. A lot of people knew, and so far things seemed to be okay.

"And that's Natsume," Naruto continued as he gestured to the man. Natsume grinned and waved. Ino grimaced and returned the wave.

"Naruto," Beniko interrupted the introductions, "I need you to pass this on to Karin. I am in no condition to run around chasing danger."

Naruto turned his attention back to the older woman. "Of course. I'll make sure Karin knows every detail. Now, this… chakra you sensed in the shopping district: what is it like?"

Beniko seemed to ponder this for a while, allowing Ino time to try and decipher what was going on. Natsume had since moved to the window to stare at the street outside. He seemed awfully intrigued by a bicycle.

Finally, Beniko spoke. "I am not sure how to explain it. How about I dismantle it and explain it in colour?"

"Colour?" Naruto asked, confused. He did not seem convinced that Beniko was approaching the topic very well.

"Yes," Beniko continued. "I'll use Ino as an example." This got Ino's attention. "Ino, who is clearly not your wife in spirit, has three different chakras in her system at the moment. Each has its own colour."

"What do you mean I have three different chakras in my system?" Ino interrupted, surprised. As a medical ninja, she was well aware of chakra and how it worked in the body – three chakras were not common. In fact, it should be impossible. Some ninja had crazy bloodlines that allowed them multiple chakra sources, but Ino was certain she was not one of those.

Beniko sighed in irritation. "Just let me explain. First, there is the yellow chakra – the main chakra. However, in Ino's case, this is disrupted."

"Like I'm under a genjutsu," Ino interrupted again, having heard it before. Beniko nodded.

"Then there is blue. This chakra belongs to the foetus that is not present in your womb. I have reason to believe this is a side effect of what bought you here. The foetus must be caught in between the worlds."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "we sort of deduced that, too. How did you figure it out?"

"I'm blind, not stupid," Beniko snapped. "I can sense this is not the Ino we know. Her chakra is far too undeveloped."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ino asked, annoyed.

"It means that you are still carrying the chakra levels of a teenager," Beniko retorted, "As a ninja grows older and stronger, their chakra increases. Occasionally it decreases, depending on what you do with it, but that is not common."

"Right," Ino huffed, moving to sit down next to Naruto. He placed his hand on her knee and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

"Returning to our original topic," Beniko said, "there is a third chakra in your system. It's a miniscule amount, almost tiny enough to be ignored. This one is red."

"Red!?" Naruto exclaimed as he shot up, surprising both women. Panic was all over his face, but Ino could not determine why he was panicked.

"Hold your horses, Naruto," Beniko sighed, "I meant figuratively. Don't worry, I was not alluding to Kurama. Besides, if it was him, you would have known."

"Oh, er… yeah." Naruto laughed nervously and sat down again. Ino looked at the two of them, an eyebrow raised questioningly. Who the hell was Kurama?

"When was the last time you spoke with him anyway?" Beniko asked.

Naruto did not answer at first. Ino noticed his shoulders tensing, and reached out to gently touch his back, rubbing soothing circles to calm him down.

"It's been years," Naruto finally grumbled. "The last I heard of him was just before Minato was born."

"I see. Well, this tiny speckle of red chakra in Ino's system is exactly like the chakra I sensed in the shopping district," Beniko concluded her explanation.

"You sure it's not Kurama?" Naruto asked as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Because if it is, at least I know I can handle him."

"No, it is not," Beniko replied, "and even if it was, would you really stand up to him?"

Naruto did not respond.

"He's your friend, Naruto," Beniko continued, "do not forget that. Because I highly doubt he'd forget you."

That made Naruto smile. "Heh, I did grow on the guy, didn't I?"

"So I've been told," Beniko agreed.

"So, this chakra… it could be what caused all this? It could be the source of the whole 'dimension hopping' thing?" Naruto asked.

"'Dimension hopping'? That's a ridiculous name, Naruto. But yes, it could be," Beniko replied, "I guess that basically answers most of my questions. I had been meaning to ask what happened to… well, land us with this Ino."

"Thanks, Beniko," Naruto said. "I'll tell Karin all of this. Are you sure you want her to take over the investigation?"

"I'm old, blind and retired. I've not been a kunoichi for several years. I am not strong enough to be wandering into potentially dangerous situations," Beniko hummed. "Besides, I'm only here for a few days to spoil my young niece."

"Ah yes, Mikoto," Naruto grinned. "She's gotten bigger."

"I can imagine," Beniko replied. Her gaze had softened and looked almost sad. Ino wondered why the woman looked so lonely when she was clearly talking of something happy. Before Ino could ask, Natsume joined the conversation.

"Yo, mom, could I hang here with Kaguya for a while?" Natsume asked.

"Don't 'yo mom' me, young man," Beniko scolded sternly, "and why are you even asking? You're turning twenty-two soon – I think that's old enough to make your own decisions."

"Okay, maybe I was more asking permission from Naruto and Ino," Natsume muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Kaguya would love to see you again," Naruto said. "She's upstairs studying some scrolls I gave her. Be sure to knock, or she'll have your head."

"Thanks, Naruto!" Natsume grinned as he skipped to the stairs. Ino watched, amazed. He was awfully cheery for an Uchiha. Not to mention a fully-grown Uchiha.

Silence enveloped the room until Beniko stood up, her chair loudly screeching along the floorboards. Naruto stood up as well, preparing to follow her.

"I think I'll take a walk," Beniko stated. "Why don't you join me, Ino?"

"Er, sure," Ino muttered, wondering why the woman would want to take a walk with her. "Just let me just get dressed."

"You have never met me before," Beniko boldly pointed out once they had reached a nearby park. The walk up until then had been rather awkward and quiet; neither of the women had said a word. Ino had, however, received the occasional greeting from villagers, all of who obviously knew who she was, at least in this dimension. It was strange as being recognised as the Hokage's wife. Did that make her The First Lady?

"Er, no," Ino replied, not sure where Beniko was going with this.

"In fact," Beniko continued as they walked down the path into the park, "you never even knew I existed."

"No," Ino replied again, "Sasuke never mentioned you, and there are no files that record Uchiha Itachi getting married."

"Who ever said we were married?" Beniko asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

"You're still wearing your ring," Ino pointed out. Beniko's smile faded as her fingers subconsciously reached out and touched her ring.

"Indeed I am," Beniko whispered. "I don't even notice putting it on anymore. That's how automatic it has become."

"Really? Because judging by your age, you wouldn't have been married long before he… you know…"

"Died?" Beniko finished the sentence for her. "No, you're quite right, but also wrong. We were thirteen when we married."

"What?" Ino asked, surprised.

"It's a long story," Beniko stated, "marriages at young ages are less common now, but back then it was not considered strange at all. Our marriage was one of convenience for The High Council. You see, Konoha's elders and the council are tainted. They are drunk with power and they will do anything to keep that power. That includes marrying off children to combine bloodlines."

"So you were… forced to marry him?" Ino asked, her disgust directed at the council increasing. She knew The High Council was tainted – they had already caused plenty of trouble – but now this too?

"Well, yes, and no."

"Huh?"

"I did not like that they were using me to get my genes into the Uchiha bloodline. But I agreed to marry him because I cared about him. I knew that the council was going to marry me off someday, even if I said no, but with Itachi, I knew he would care for and respect me. After all, he was my best friend."

"Why were you so important?" Ino asked bluntly. She nearly kicked herself for sounding so rude, but Beniko merely chuckled.

"You really don't know me, eh? Before I was married, my name was Senju Beniko."

Ino stopped walking. Beniko halted a few steps ahead of her and turned around.

"Senju? As in Tsunade? As in the First Hokage?" Ino asked, flabbergasted.

"Yes," Beniko hummed, "Tsunade and I are cousins. My grandfather was Senju Tobirama."

"What? The Second Hokage had kids?"

"Just one," Beniko replied, "a son. My father eventually married my mother and had me."

"Oh."

"But none of that is really important," Beniko changed the subject. "Think about it, Ino. You have never heard of me. I am a Senju, one of the few who still remain. If you have never heard of me, what does that mean?"

Beniko started walking again. Ino had to run to catch up to her. Ino was confused, she had no idea what the woman was trying to explain.

"What are you trying to say?" Ino asked. "That because I have never heard or read of you, it means you don't exist where I come from?"

That small smile returned to Beniko's lips. "You are still intelligent, much like your other self."

Ino stopped walking again, her legs frozen. Could it be true? Could it be that Beniko did not exist in her dimension? Was that even possible? Shouldn't there always be a copy of a person in other dimension, dead or alive? And if Beniko was right, if there was a chance that some people didn't exist, who else out there was like that? And what kind of threat would this pose? Would it change anything?

"I…I don't know what to say," Ino finally muttered.

"Then don't say anything," Beniko replied, "just think about it. My grandfather was Hokage, my great uncle and second cousin also both Hokage. I am a Senju who married an Uchiha, despite the rivalry. I married a criminal, one of the biggest Konoha has ever seen. Do you not think I would have showed up somewhere by now? The only answer I can find is that I do not exist in your dimension. I was never born. And I'm sure there are others just like me."

Ino's eyes widened. Beniko had a point. And it all made sense. But she had no proof.

If only she could contact older Ino…

Meanwhile, with thirty-seven year old Ino…

Blue stared at blue. Ino and Naruto were sitting across from each other in a tea house, tea steaming before them. They had decided to sit down and try to decipher a way to reverse the transfer, but neither of them were coming up with any ideas.

"If only I had my notebook," Ino sighed as she rubbed her temples with her fingers. Naruto frowned.

"Notebook?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Ino replied just before she took a sip of her tea. She let the liquid roll around in her mouth, savouring the taste, before putting her cup down. "I created the Five Dimensions to Heaven. It took me several years to get the formula, and then I realised it was too dangerous for normal use. So I stopped and labelled the technique forbidden."

"The notebook has all your formulas in it?"

"Yes. And other notes and scribbles. If I had it I could go over it all again, and try to find what I am missing."

"Didn't you tell Ino through Gaara to essentially do that?"

"Well, yes," Ino sighed, "but not in those words. And there's no guarantee that she will understand the formulas."

"Oh."

Ino sighed and pulled her fingers through her long hair. She had let it loose when they arrived because she had been developing a headache from having it up all day. It was just barely past five and the sun was slowly setting over the horizon. She had spent the whole day with Naruto, feeling the most comfortable with him. He also seemed to enjoy her company, despite the whole 'we're married in another reality' thing.

"What I would do to openly communicate with the other side," Ino grunted, "that would allow me to work with Ino. We could find the answers together!"

"Why not try to communicate like the last time?" Naruto suggested.

"I told you," Ino huffed, annoyed, "it's dangerous and gave me a bloody painful headache."

Naruto smiled sheepishly and silence ensued. The two sipped their tea, at a loss for what to do.

Suddenly an idea struck Naruto, who jumped up, excited. "I got it!" he shouted.

"What?" Ino asked, surprised at his sudden outburst, but enjoying it much the same. It was good to see him energetic.

"You said you ended up communicating with Gaara, right? Because he has an open mind or whatever?" Naruto asked.

"Yes…?" Ino asked hesitantly. Where was he going with this?

"Well," Naruto hummed proudly, "why don't we ask Gaara to do it?"

Ino frowned.

"I mean my Gaara, the one from this dimension," Naruto continued to explain. "Maybe he's open minded too? Maybe he could communicate with Gaara from your world without the side effects!"

Ino blinked, allowing Naruto's words to sink in. Her first thought was, that it would be impossible – Gaara was not from the Yamanaka clan and therefore he could not use the Mind Transfer that was needed for the technique. But then a tiny voice interrupted that thought, reminding her that Gaara did not need to be from her clan to be able to communicate mentally. Her thoughts wandered to a memory, distant but important. It was the memory of when she first found out that Gaara was special.

Ino hated the desert. It was hot, dry and ruined her skin. She could not wait to complete the mission and return to Konoha where there was more humidity to allow her skin some moisture. She also couldn't wait to take a bath. Nevertheless, Ino was a kunoichi and she persevered, no matter the condition.

She was sixteen, a skilled Mind Transfer user and already two years a Chuunin. She usually worked with a team and sometimes was even team captain, but this time she was on a solo mission. It was simple enough: all she had to do was deliver a scroll to Sunagakure. Tsunade had told her that there were no obvious threats, since the scroll was old and didn't carry very valuable or dangerous information. However, the scroll did have some information that was needed badly in Sunagakure. The most dangerous things Ino could encounter on the mission were stray bandits looking for trouble and the intense heat of the desert.

Ino doubted there was going to be a problem.

She arrived in Sunagakure after traveling for three days. Ino was lucky enough to evade any sandstorms, which picked up just after she arrived. She silently thanked the gods for that; sandstorms were treacherous for the skin.

Ino was immediately escorted to the Kazekage's office. Now, she knew who the Kazekage was – after all, he had been Kazekage almost as long as she'd been a Chuunin – but she hadn't actually seen him since the rescue mission when they were thirteen. The thought of meeting him again was a little daunting.

The guard that escorted her from the village gate took her all the way to the Kazekage's office's door. He even knocked. She found this a bit odd; it was almost as if he thought she was a child that needed babysitting. But she shrugged it off; she shouldn't be thinking like that.

There was no response from the other side of the door, and the guard frowned and knocked again. Ino just waited patiently. She wasn't really in a hurry; she could not return to Konoha until the sand storms stopped, anyways. Then, she felt it. It wasn't strong or obvious, but she felt a familiar sensation in the back of her head. It was the same tingling feeling she got when training with her father – he would try to invade her mind and she'd block him. It was the same light, prickly sensation that occurred just then, as if someone was trying to enter her mind; but at the same time it wasn't quite the same, because she did not feel threatened. It was almost as if someone was tickling her in the back of her head.

And then it stopped and the door opened. A blonde woman stepped out, who Ino immediately recognised as Temari.

"Oh," Temari said, "you're here. You can go in."

Temari stepped aside, allowing room for Ino to enter. She thanked Temari, who merely smiled and closed the door behind her. Ino looked straight ahead at the desk. Behind it sat Gaara, perfectly calm, dressed in black. He was staring out the window.

"I have just arrived from Konoha," Ino stated, "with the scroll you requested. The Hokage has also included a letter addressed to you."

Gaara ignored her. Ino felt a twinge of annoyance. What kind of leader ignores a ninja from an allied country?

"Um," Ino tried to get Gaara's attention, "Lord Kazekage?"

The tingling sensation returned. Then, Gaara turned to face her, and a shiver ran down her spine. His eyes were… blank. The normal green-like eyes were very pale. It looked almost as if he was possessed. Ino panicked. Should she call for help? Was this normal?

And then, just like that, Gaara snapped out of it. His eyes returned to normal, and the tingling disappeared as well.

"My apologies, Ino. I was… talking to someone," Gaara apologised, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred.

"Talking to someone?" Ino asked, dubious. Who on earth could he have been talking to?

Gaara noticed his slip of the tongue and sighed. "That did not make sense. Never mind. You have the scroll?"

Ino nodded and handed him the scroll, along with the letter from Tsunade. Ino was still trying to figure out what had happened; she was so preoccupied with it that she hadn't even realised that Gaara had addressed her by her first name.

It was only two days later, when Gaara was once again in a similar trance at breakfast with his family, that Ino finally cornered him.

"Gaara?" Ino approached him in the living room as he was preparing to leave for work. She had been staying in a hotel for the past two days, waiting for the sand storms to pass, but Temari had been kind enough to invite her over for breakfast.

"Yes?" Gaara looked up from a scroll he was rolling up to put in his bag.

"This is going to sound really weird," Ino began, "but I've noticed that you… go into trances sometimes. Your eye colour changes, and this… tingling sensation appear in the back of my head. It's almost as if you're trying to invade my mind, but with my training I have barriers against it."

Gaara frowned, but he did not say anything. If Ino didn't know any better, she'd have said he suddenly seemed nervous.

"Look," Ino sighed, "I've done some research and I think I know what's going on, but I just thought I'd ask you first."

Gaara smirked. "You have a theory? I'd like to hear that."

Ino raised an eyebrow, surprised that he wanted to hear what she had to say. She had read about his 'condition' before. Her father had also told her about it. It was rare – believed to be impossible – but her father always warned her that it could happen. And because she was sensitive to minds and how the brain works because of Mind Transfer, she would sense it, just like she could sense other Mind Transfer users.

"Well," Ino hummed, "the general population call your kind 'psychics'."

Gaara seemed uncomfortable at her use of the word. "I hate that word."

Ino blinked, surprised. Did that mean he was admitting to it? That she had hit the nail on the head?

"I was right?" Ino asked, flabbergasted. "Wow. What abilities do you have?"

Gaara sighed and looked away from her. "Precognition. I've also had some run-ins with telepathy."

Ino's eyes widened. "Precognition? As in… seeing the future?"

Gaara turned back to her and raised an eyebrow. "I don't even know why I am telling you this. Only my family has ever known."

"Huh," was all Ino managed to say. "Guess that makes me special. So, who were you 'talking' to the other day?"

"What?" Gaara asked, confused.

"You told me you were talking to someone in your office," Ino pointed out. "Who was it?"

Gaara was quiet for a few minutes. He seemed to be debating with himself whether he should tell her. Ino knew he did not have to; she was sticking her nose into this business after all. But she was curious. She had never thought the legends of 'psychics' were true. And to think she could sense them!

Finally, Gaara relented. "Shukaku."

Ino blinked. Who was… oh, right. Shukaku was the One-Tailed Bijuu. The one that had been sealed into Gaara before he was born. And also the very same one that had been extracted from him several months earlier…

"Shukaku?" Ino exclaimed. "But he's been extracted and sealed by Akatsuki! How on earth could you still communicate with him? Heck, why do you still communicate with him?"

Gaara smirked. "The Akatsuki's seal does nothing to block telepathic links, if you can manipulate them. And my reason for communicating with him is really none of your concern."

"Right," Ino hissed. So Gaara could still communicate with the demon that had lived inside of him. "Can you communicate with the other Bijuu?"

"I can," Gaara replied, "but I don't. I've only ever spoken to two Bijuu. I've mainly communicated with Shukaku, obviously, but I have also spoken to the Kyuubi once."

"Really?" Ino asked, amazed. She knew the Kyuubi was under Konoha's control, but she was still not certain who it had been sealed into. She had her theories though, much like the rest of the Konoha Eleven did. She could still remember discussing it with Shikamaru. He was convinced that Naruto was the host, and she had constantly told him it was impossible. And then she befriended Naruto and started training with him. His stamina was insane and he healed very quickly. That tipped her off. And the markings on his cheeks were also bit of a giveaway. But she had to admit she liked his whiskers, they made him cute.

"Yes. Now, have I satisfied your curiosity?"

"Ino?" A voice snapped her from her memory. Ino looked up into Naruto's worried eyes. She smiled.

"Sorry, just remembering something," Ino replied. "I don't know if Gaara here would have the same abilities… or even just a hint of it. But we have to try."

Naruto grinned. "Great! I'll go ask Granny Tsunade if we can leave for Suna right away!"

Ino blinked. "What, right now?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Oh, uh," Ino trailed off. Truthfully, she wasn't allowed outside of the village. Tsunade had banned her from missions and leaving the village when she first arrived and that has not changed. She wasn't sure if the old woman was going to allow her to leave after she broke her promise to keep her identity a secret.

Just then Sai materialised next to their table, nearly scaring Ino out of her wits. She stared at him, surprised once she calmed down. He looked so young… but it was good to know that he was part of Team 7. He was a good friend to Naruto, even in her dimension. Naruto trusted Sai with his life and had even appointed him ANBU Commander because of it.

"Naruto, the Hokage has summoned us," Sai stated.

"Really? I was just going to head there! Do we have a mission?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know," Sai said.

"Bugger," Naruto sighed. "And here I was ready to go to Suna with Ino. Never mind. It will have to wait."

Ino smiled weakly. "No, Naruto. You go. I'll be okay on my own."

"You sure?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. Now go before Tsunade gets annoyed," Ino said. Naruto nodded and disappeared with Sai.

It was past eight and Ino had still not returned home. After Naruto left with Sai, she had ordered more tea and continued to think of the issue at hand. Asking for Gaara's assistance was smart, but what if he didn't have the same abilities, even on a minor scale? She would never get access to her notebook, which would mean she would have to find the answer somewhere else.

But Naruto was right – they had to try.

It was a bit late to report to the Hokage, but Ino knew Tsunade would still be in her office. She needed to get to Suna… and soon. And she had to convince the Hokage to allow her to go as soon as possible as well. So, after paying the bill, Ino gathered her things and headed for the Hokage Tower.

As she was walking, she got a sudden odd feeling in her gut. She stopped walking and furrowed her brows. Something was wrong and her gut was telling her to turn left. Why, she did not know, because the Hokage Tower was straight ahead. But the feeling nagged her and before she knew it, Ino had turned left. She walked for a short while until she passed a familiar face. And it suddenly felt like she was forgetting something important.

"Shikamaru?" Ino asked, surprised. Her friend looked solemn, his hands tucked in his pockets. He was heading in the opposite direction, but he stopped when he heard her voice.

"Hi, Ino," he greeted.

"What's up?"

"…It's complicated. You're married to Naruto right?"

"In my dimension, yes," Ino replied. Where was Shikamaru going with this?

"What happened after Itachi died?" Shikamaru asked.

Ino blinked, still not fully comprehending what Shikamaru was saying. And then it clicked and she felt her stomach drop.

"No…" she muttered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Yeah," Shikamaru sighed, "I had a feeling it was similar in your dimension. He's up ahead."

Ino nodded and pushed past Shikamaru, her heart heavy. She had to get to Naruto as soon as possible. She had to be there for him, she had to comfort him, just like he had comforted her when Chouji died, even though it was a different Naruto that had done that.

"Ino," Shikamaru called out. Ino stopped and turned around, annoyed. She had to get to Naruto! Shikamaru sighed. "Take care of him, okay? I've already talked to him, told him I know what it feels like… but he needs comfort now."

"I know," Ino whispered. She was already crying. "I know."

With a nod, Ino turned around again and dashed away into the darkness. She knew exactly where Naruto was. He would still be where Shikamaru left him, all alone on a bench. And as she ran, her limbs screaming to run faster, she continued to cry. She cried her heart out for Naruto.

Because Jiraiya was dead.

-----------------------------

23.09.13 - Revised the chapter. Changed the outlook on marriage laws because it was bothering me. Also changed Natsume age (I finally decided to do the maths).