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Anko and Kushina cried out happily before both downed their beers and seemed to procure another one from nowhere.
Ino's POV (Inside of Uzumaki Residence - Hidden Leaf Village)
Ino offered a small smile and bowed her head as the group burst out from laughter. She was being a bit of a downer and these women, minus Anko, were hurting as well. But she still felt frustrated, why did the one time she went to talk to Kushina one on one she was partying!
However her instincts flared, Ino's head snapped up and she snatched a projectile aimed for her face out of the air casually. Ino blinked as she looked down and discovered a bottle of beer. "Trust me Princess, when you're stuck at home desperately waiting for someone to come back. The game plan is distraction, even I can't do anything as a summoner." Anko assured Ino with a warm smile.
Ino sighed but accepted her offer and cracked open the beer and sipped. However she flinched as one hand wrapped hers and the can trapping them both together, another clutched her face, and one more tiled the can all the way back. Ino almost choked as the beer was forced down her throat, with a gulp she managed to force it down and was freed as she did. She gasped for air and offered a glare for the three culprits to the forced chugging. Anko, Tsume, and Kushina all smiled at her pleased with themselves and settled back down.
"Don't hold it against them." Mikoto said with another roll of her eyes. "They insist we all get drunk on these outings, and since you're seated here that'll include you."
"Besides, from what I saw during the exams you have plenty worthy of discussion for this grand meeting." Tsume said with a shit eating smirk. "Just when I was planning to leave after my Kiba loss I saw your little match up with that bombshell."
"Samui…" Ino growled to herself.
"Talk about a fight with some stakes." Mikoto agreed "And the ending with you decreeing your friendship, so romantic…"
"She has it bad for my son! Ino promise you'll never hurt him!" Kushina cried now, apparently just a bit more drunk. "Damn idiot always getting in trouble."
"Ignore her, she started early." Anko said with a roll of her eyes. "Despite the loss Princess I was almost impressed, you landed a tough cookie however."
"Worse yet she's competition," Tsume added. "A stacked bombshell with the skills to match. Remember when someone was contesting me for my future hubby. Scared the bitch right off, if you want I can show you a trick to break her arm, should be more than enough to scare off the bimbo."
"I don't need to scare her off, and Naruto and I are just friends." Ino contested to the group, however she flinched at the bored stares she received. Damn it she wasn't used to being on the back foot in conversations, she was a psychologically trained woman! "Fine… I well I like Naruto alot… and the whole thing is so damn frustrating!"
"We finally cracked her." Anko whispered to Tsume.
"They always crack eventually." Tsume responded with a calm nod.
Ino ignored both however as she felt a weight begin to lift from her shoulders as she began. "First off I'm hot, not in the arrogant way either, but I've fought off suitors for years now. After all, I was head over heels for Sasuke originally…" Ino flinched as she recognized the awkwardness of bringing up Mikoto's son with her around.
"I take no offense." Mikoto assured with an easy smile. "I love my boy but I detest the fact that all my children inherited their fathers serious nature. Would've been nice to have one lively child, thank Kami for Yuno I suppose."
"Well I finally get over him and manage to fall for a new guy and he doesn't even notice! Worse yet everytime I turn around it's like he's attracted another pretty girl! Ugh and he has no manners, just impulsively doing whatever he pleases. He's always trying to make light of things even when things are so dire, it's like he's not even worried about himself. I mean he's the type to take a kunai for you and then ask you if you're okay. And I mean why does he seem to get involved with everyone's problems. I mean it's all so much and for some reason I like that about him… he's an amazing person, the kind of person anyone would be lucky to have. Naruto makes me look at myself and want to be better, to make him smile that goofy and warm smile at me as much as possible. But he just seems to attract trouble, and doesn't hesitate to face it alone. I just want to be there to help him, make him glow as brightly to others as he does to me. It's weird, I feel like his opinion matters so much more to me than anyone. The whole thing just confused the hell out of me." Ino looked back at the crowd to see them silently stunned.
"Holy shit she has it bad!" Anko exclaimed in shock.
"My boys gonna become a man!" Kushina cried out in joy embracing Mikoto who barely reacted.
"And here I thought you just had the hots for him. But apparently he's denser than cow shit." Tsume concluded.
"That's part of the reason I'm here. During my training for the exams I grew not only in strength but as a person. Before I hesitated because I wasn't sure what I wanted or even if Naruto needed that. But now I realize I have to do something, I can't move on until I do…" Ino declared.
"So that's why she came here. Not only for comfort, but to curry favor with Kushina." Mikoto realized with a nod. Kushina let go of her and her eyes seemed to sharpen.
"I wouldn't say it like that but yes. I decided I want to be with Naruto, and if I want to do that with that thick idiot I need to be up front. So I wanted to make my intentions clear to you, to assure you I'm not some floozy but someone who really sees Naruto. I wanted your support and maybe even help…" Ino trailed off hopefully.
The room was silent as Kushina seemed to think over what she said. Anko and Tsume began to snicker as she rose and marched over Ino. But she could not for the life of her think of what could be funny when Kushina's killing intent filled the room. The woman stopped over to her and loomed over the sitting Ino. Her hair seemed to levitate into the air and her eyes spoke of no mercy.
"You come to my home, drink my booze, and attempt to use me to seduce MY son." Kushina asked, fury coating each syllable.
Ino however met her eyes head on and while she didn't stand she didn't back down either. "Yes. I care about Naruto in a way I never cared about anyone. Anko taught me that a true kunoichi doesn't sit and wait, she gets whatever she wants however she can. And I am the kind of woman who does anything for the people I care about…"
Kushina's killing intent doubled and sweat instantly began to drip down Ino's brow. With each passing moment it seemed to increase, enough to where doubt began to trickle into Ino's mind, however as quickly as it came it went. "Alright sounds like a plan! I like your style Ino and if a good woman like yourself wants to take good care of my son who I am to stand in your way! Besides, I would love blonde grandbabies…" Kushina said with a dreamy smile.
"I think she meant to think and not say the last part." Tsume said with a snicker. "But it seems the next topic has been chosen, and thankfully a fun one."
"Indeed time for seducing 101." Anko agreed with a smile. "If he hasn't been won over yet, a bit of advice from some grade-a hotties like ourselves will have him eating from your palm! I know this trick with your tongue-"
Ino face turned the brightest shade of pink it ever had in her life. And with the four feeding off each other's energy and offering more and more advice, some genuine, some just plain old… well interesting… it was that color the entire night. But with her having been so focused and serious as of late it felt like she had been stressed out all the time. But as she drank and traded jokes and stories (most at her expense) she forgot her worries for the moment. And as she drew even closer to the woman who was her peers she felt happy. And maybe that one trick Anko had described could be useful… one day.