Chapter 159: Inside Naruto’s Mind

Disclaimer:

Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto.

I own nothing but the original characters I create.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 159: Inside Naruto's Mind

"Inside your mind?! Are you crazy?" Ino shouted, her voice sharp with disbelief. The mere thought of entering Naruto's mind meant facing the Kyūbi, and she wasn't eager to deal with that. Her father had warned her never to use that jutsu on a Jinchuriki.

"The demon won't bother you, I promise. Do you really think I'd put you in harm's way?" Naruto released her hand, letting her decide.

Ino stepped back, hesitating, but stopped short. Naruto had saved her life on more than one occasion, and he'd never given her a reason to distrust him. "No... I don't think you would," she admitted.

"Then go ahead," Naruto urged.

Ino took a deep breath. She was fully aware of the dangers of her clan's mind-transfer techniques...her father had drilled it into her, but curiosity and trust won out. If Naruto was so eager to show her something, she needed to know what it was.

And Ino had the feeling that whatever she was about to see...was going to change her life.

"Alright, Naruto. I'll do it. But let's sit down first," she said, glancing around the precarious perch atop the Hokage Monument.

Once they were properly seated in a safer place, Ino formed the necessary hand seals and placed her right hand on his forehead.

In the next instant, her consciousness dove into the depths of Naruto's mind.

Ino opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit sewer.

"Why does this look like…this?" she muttered. She had limited experience with this version of her clan's jutsu, but this was unlike any mind she'd entered before.

Taking a closer look, she realized it wasn't a sewer at all...it was more like a prison.

"Oh no…" A chill ran down her spine as she connected the dots. If this was a prison, then she already knew who the prisoner was. Despite Naruto's previous words, she could not help but tremble in anticipation.

The sound of something shifting behind her made her whip around, fear gripping her.

Her scream echoed as she came face-to-face with the Kyūbi. Its massive body loomed before her, and its aura was overwhelming.

Panic surged, and she prepared for an emergency escape...until a voice called out beside her.

"Calm down, Ino. It can't harm you."

Ino turned to find Naruto standing next to her. Except, this Naruto looked…different. His hair was longer and darker, and his face was more mature. Still, there was no mistaking him.

"Look again," he said, gesturing toward the Kyūbi.

Steeling herself, Ino forced her gaze back to the beast. This time, she noticed something she'd missed in her panic: the Kyūbi appeared to be submerged in a deep slumber and even her scream did not seem to disturb it at all.

She also noticed the metal bars in front of it, though they didn't extend to the sides or the top.

"Won't it escape from there?" Ino whispered the first question that came to mind.

Naruto shook his head. "It won't. Don't forget, this is my mind. What you're seeing is just a projection. The real barrier is that seal, not the metal bars."

Following his gaze, Ino spotted the piece of paper affixed to the front part of the bars. "Oh. That must be the Fourth Hokage's work…" Her voice faltered as she realized she was speaking about Naruto's father and his last sacrifice before dying. "I'm sorry…" she said softly.

"You don't need to whisper, and you don't need to worry about the volume of your voice here," Naruto reassured her.

"But…won't it wake up?"

"As I said...it won't wake up no matter what you do," Naruto replied firmly. He pointed above the Kyūbi. "Look there."

Ino squinted, scanning the area he indicated. At first, she saw nothing. But when she focused harder, she spotted a faint red mist rising from the Kyūbi's head and dissipating into the air.

"Mist?" she asked.

"That's the Kyūbi's chakra," Naruto explained. "It's leaving its body. Well, metaphorically at least...since the Kyūbi doesn't have a body right now."

"Why? What's happening to it?"

Naruto's expression grew serious. "I'm absorbing it into my body."

Ino's eyes widened in horror. "What?! That'll kill you!" She'd seen what even a small amount of the Kyūbi's chakra could do to him. Trying to take more was suicidal.

Naruto smiled calmly. "I know what I'm doing. I'm taking it slowly." He turned and gestured for her to follow. "But that's not what I wanted to show you. Come with me."

Ino cast one last wary glance at the slumbering Kyūbi before following Naruto. He led her toward what appeared to be a solid wall, but as they approached, a door materialized.

Her curiosity deepened. As someone trained in the workings of the human mind, Ino was keenly aware of how secure Naruto's mind was compared to others.

Chōji's mind was open and easy to read, filled mostly with thoughts about food.

Shikamaru's was more complex...his mental "doors" were closed, but with effort, they could still be opened.

Naruto's mind, however, was a fortress: a giant prison with no visible doors and a terrifying beast inside.

For any mind-reader, it was the ultimate nightmare.

'What are you hiding in there?' she wondered. And how had Naruto built such an impenetrable mental defense? This wasn't something one could learn at the Academy.

Naruto opened the door and glanced back at her. "Stay close to me, and don't wander off. I don't want you getting lost in my memories."

"Your memories?" Ino asked, stunned. "I thought you had amnesia. Have you recovered your past?"

A.N 1 - I haven't originally planned on writing this short arc. But as I was thinking about the previous conversation with the two main girls, I realized that Ino was never going to just accept being part of a harem without questions. It made no sense for her strong personality, so she needed some extra convincing.

Given that she had the ability to delve into people's minds, this was an opportunity to deepen her relationship with Naruto by having her learn some of his secrets, while also allowing the reader to learn more about his past. But it won't be long, don't worry. The big time-skip before Shippuden is near.-

A.N: 2 - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it.

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