"Ok Ino..." Sakura growled angrily as her sound dampening seal activated. "What the hell did you do to my boyfriend..." Sakura cracked her knuckles menacingly.

"What? Why do you assume I did something?" Ino retorted. She really didn't want to face Sakura's wrath.

"Because Naruto was happy when I sent him to serve you, and when he returns there was something wrong with him. You do the math Pig."

"Ok ok, fine. I may be part of the reason to blame for him being down, but I didn't mean it." Ino defended.

"What. Did. You. Do." Sakura ground out. Naruto had been through more than enough today, she didn't want him to have to deal with any more negative emotions. Not today, not ever.

"Well it all started when he heard Hinata screaming out in pain from you torturing her."

Sakura's previously hostile stance softened and Sakura looked at Ino with a surprised look. "What?"

"It bothered him what you were doing to her, because he blamed Hinata's situation on himself. She was only enslaved because she tried to help him, and she was only being punished because she was trying to comfort him after you completely devastated him."

"Hey it's not that simple!" Sakura retorted.

"I know Sakura, and I tried to explain it, but it wasn't really getting through. He didn't think Hinata would do the same thing to you if the situations were reversed..."

Sakura snorted. "Yea right, with the gentle fist she would've made the rest of my days a living hell..."

"I know, and I tried to explain that to him, and just when it looked like he might start to understand we heard Hinata begging you to not do that. I realized what was happening and told him that you were about to make Hinata your toilet, and then he asked me how I could grin at that because Hinata was my friend."

Sakura frowned. "Damnit Ino, why the hell did you have to tell him? That's why I had you play with him in my room, I knew he wouldn't like knowing what I did to Hinata. So is that what's wrong with him?"

Ino sighed. "Well, it got a lot worse from there. I told Naruto that Hinata is no longer worthy to be my friend because she's your slave, and as your slave she's inferior to me."

Sakura had an idea where this story was about to go, but she didn't want to be right.

"So Naruto noted that slaves can't be my friends... And well... I had to tell him the truth."

"Ino..." Sakura growled. "Tell me you didn't..."

"What choice did I have? He needs to know the truth Sakura. You're not going to be able to keep the fact that he's your slave hidden forever. Eventually everyone is going to know, and eventually kunoichi are going to start treating him like the slave he is. He is not our equal, you and I are simply nice enough to treat him as such. Other kunoichi won't be so nice."

"I see." Sakura said in a calm voice, although her fists were clenched tightly together in anger. "Well, let me explain something very important to you Ino..."

Oh shit... Ino panicked. She knew that look, she was currently facing the calm before the storm. Sakura was about to unleash a torrent of rage upon her.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL NARUTO INFERIOR! YES HE'S A SLAVE, BUT HE'S SPECIAL!"

"Sakura, once it gets out..."

"I will protect him from all of the other kunoichi." Sakura growled. "If any of them try to treat him like crap then I will beat the living shit out of them. Naruto is my foot slave, yes. He serves me, yes. But I love him, so no way is he inferior. Do you got that?"

"I...I... yes Sakura." Ino stammered in fear. Individuals rarely escaped Sakura Haruno's wrath without receiving some sort of blow...and Ino really wasn't looking to get beat up.

"Now, normally I would beat the crap out of you for what you did to him then make you my bitch in front of him. But you're getting a pass this time because he would be dead if it weren't for you." Sakura's voice was low and menacing. It promised extreme pain if Ino didn't tread carefully.

"Thank you Sakura. I'm sorry, I really was just trying to help Naruto." Ino replied.

Sakura's eyes softened slightly and she let out a frustrated sigh. "I know...and I understand why you did it... It's just...fuck."

Ino chuckled. "Looks like he's rubbing off on you, you have his way with words."

Sakura grinned at her best friend, but her grin quickly returned to a frown. "He's just been through so much today, he really didn't need that. I don't want him to have any more negative emotions after today..."

"You're still scared that he'll try to kill himself again aren't you?" Ino asked softly.

Sakura shook her head sadly. "I mean... I know he won't, not know that he knows that I care about him. But an irrational part of me is terrified. What if he manages to get away from him and stabs himself and I'm not there to heal him?"

"Sakura, he's not going to leave you." Ino assured.

Sakura smiled softly at the door to her bedroom. "I know, like I said... it's a completely irrational part of me."

"For what it's worth... I'm sorry. To make it up to you both, when the time comes that the village knows that he's your slave, I'll help you defend him from the other kunoichis behaviors."

"Thanks Ino. Now if you don't mind, I need to get to Naruto and nip this in the butt now."

"Right. Thanks for letting me use him, and well... sorry for fucking him up a little."

Sakura chuckled. "It's alright Ino, he'll be ok...I'm going to make sure of that."

Ino smiled at Sakura before taking her leave.

Sakura slowly walked to her bedroom and unlocked the door. Truthfully she didn't know what she was going to say to Naruto. She knew how his mind worked, and she knew that he probably wouldn't believe her words... But Sakura had to do something...