The Good Wife

Everything was white.

Yamanaka Ino's eyes fluttered as she regained consciousness, and flinched at the bright white light that invaded her senses. She huffed and tried again, this time opening her eyes slowly. She sat up, expecting to find herself in bed, Naruto asleep next to her, but she was not in bed at all.

An endless void surrounded her. All around, there was nothing but an expanse of white that continued on infinitely.

Where was she?

She stood up slowly, stretching her legs and rolling her shoulders. It was eerily quiet, and the feeling of weightlessness reminded her of when she was Mind Walking. However, this place was empty. This was no brain, filled to the brim with memories and knowledge.

She took a step forward, and winced at the loud echo of her own footsteps. That was not at all pleasant. She stopped.

The echo continued.

She was not alone.

Tense, she slowly turned around, her heart beating furiously in her chest. She had no idea where she was, and thus had no idea who or what to expect. The person came to a stop once their eyes met. Ino's eyes widened.

She was looking at herself.

Platinum blonde hair cropped beneath the chin, eyes as blue as seafoam, signs of aging around the eyes and mouth. It was the appearance of thirty-seven-year-old Ino. The wife and mother.

Confused, Ino looked down at her own hands. The wrinkles and calluses she had come to know the last few months were gone, and in its place were her youthful and supple skin. Wanting to confirm her suspicion, she lifted her arms to touch her head, and brush her fingers to the back. She met resistance, and further movement confirmed her thoughts.

Long hair.

She was back in her own body. She was a sixteen-year-old in her sixteen-year-old body.

Which meant…

She looked back up at the other Ino. Older Ino.

Uzumaki Ino smiled. "Hello, Ino."

Ino blinked. Well, this was weird.

"This is…" Ino began.

Older Ino laughed. "Confusing, right?"

Ino nodded.

Older Ino shook her head, the smile still lingering on her lips. "I can't hold the jutsu for long. But, I felt it would be prudent we speak before I reverse the Five Dimensions to Heaven."

Ino blinked. "You figured it out?"

"Yes," was the reply. "Or, well, Gaara figured it out."

Ino chuckled. "Of course he did."

Older Ino also chuckled, but then her expression sobered and she grew serious. "I must reverse the Five Dimensions to Heaven. It is an unstable jutsu, even with the tweaks. And I'm pregnant…"