[X] People Will Say We're In Love
"You sure that's a good idea?" you ask, smirking and tilting your head to the side. "We might give our classmates the wrong impression. I can hear that little purple-haired chick now," you add, clasping your hands and pushing feigned heartache into your eyes. "'Sasuke-kun... that's the kind of girl you like?!'" You bite your sleeve and toss a hand to your forehead. "'Noooo~ it can't be true! Promise me you won't see her again!'"
Sasuke makes a sound somewhere between disgust and amusement. "How do you do that?" he asks. "You really sound just like her."
You wink. "Trade secret."
"So... what, you can just mimic everyone?"
"Not grown-up men," you admit. "Not yet, anyway. Everyone else, though, yeah."
"Hn." He looks you up and down. "Teach me."
"Fuck off," you reply good-naturedly, "didn't your mom ever teach you the magic word?"
"Pleeeeeeeeeeease teach me?" he begs, folding almost instantly. Guess his Uchiha instincts haven't fully asserted themselves yet.
"Hmmm~" you hum. "Tell ya what. If you beat me in a footrace to the park with the mountain-shaped slide, I'll see if I can't teach you a trick or two."
He's off like a shot without so much as a "Deal!"
Doesn't do him any good, of course; you overtake him before the end of the block.
"Hi Shika bye Shika hi Chouji bye Chouji!"
"See you tomorrow, Ino!" Chouji calls. Shika just shakes his head.
You're at the park a full minute before Sasuke, who pants and rests his hands on his knees when he comes to a stop next to you.
"How often do you train?" he demands. "You're like a genin already."
"Excuse me! I am nothing like those mouth-breathers, thank you very much!" You stick out your chin, defiant.
Sasuke seems to be thrown by this unflattering view of Academy graduates. "But... aren't we all going to be genin eventually? That's why we go to the Academy and not the civilian school."
You snort. "Maybe for you just being a genin is a goal. My goal is to make me, Shika and Chouji the one genin cell that properly serves the public good. Do you know how many of these kids get paid to tend gardens without knowing how to identify weeds on sight? Or to do grocery shopping, and they just buy whatever brand they're most familiar with, instead of looking for the best deal?" Your voice quickly becomes heated as you rant. "And don't get me started on their babysitting abilities, because frankly if I had to list every time throughout my childhood a genin team tried to keep me from doing something fun just because it was less convenient for them than parking me in front of the tv, we would be here all day. There was one time I built a slide from my bedroom window to the backyard-"
"Oh my god, you're the Poisonous Blossom?!" Sasuke's eyes are wide as dinner plates. "I thought cousin Chihiro made you up to frighten Academy graduates! Hey, is it true the Demon-Cat of Potter's Grove lets you ride him because you made a blood sacrifice to him on Midsummer's Eve?"
"... we were having barbecue and I offered him some," you reply, somewhat nonplussed.
"None of the other kids are going to believe I met you," he says, sounding kind of disappointed all of a sudden.
Inspiration strikes you. "Sure they will!" You pull out a pen.
A moment later, Sasuke is examining your very fancy signature, complete with a maneki-neko doodle, written down the length of his forearm.
"Cool!" he exclaims. "Now I just have to make sure they see it before mom makes me have a bath. Thanks, Ino."
"No problem, Sakkun." You take a look around. "Wait. Weren't you supposed to go home with Shisui?"
Sasuke freezes. "Crap!"
"Hey, don't worry, I know how moms think," you say in a soothing tone. "Just go home now, make sure you get there before him, and tell her he said he wanted to give us time alone on our date. Aw, don't make that face," you add, "it doesn't have to be true, it just has to make Shisui look irresponsible and distract your mom. Which it will totally do, trust me."
"... you must be one of those bad influences nii-san told me about," Sasuke says thoughtfully.
You grin. "Why are you still here? Go, quick, before he tells her you're missing!"
And then you're alone in the park. Whistling, you stroll off down the street to your house.
The Poisonous Blossom, eh? I can live with that. >:3
----------
Over the next few months, aside from Shika and Chouji, you decide to hang out mostly with (pick one):
[X] Kiba
[X] Hinata
[X] Sasuke
... and throw most of your studying efforts into (pick two):
[X] Handseals
[X] Kunoichi Infi-hahahahahano
[X] Taijutsu
[X] Chakra Theory
[X] Beginners' Weaponry
[X] Trap-Making
In your remaining free time, you decide to (pick two):
[X] Get in some extra koto practice and bond with Mom.
[X] Try to invent some offensive tessenjutsu moves and bond with Menka.
[X] Take more naps and bond with [REDACTED]
[X] Work on elemental meditation and bond with:
-> [X] Fire
-> [X] Lightning
