"What is this place papa?" Asked a young girl with dark blue hair, and lavender coloured eyes, she looked up at a man with dark brown hair, matching lavender eyes as they stood in front of a shine. The young girl knew that they all came here to pay their respects to the spirit that resided here. It was the spirit of a fox named Naruto no Kyuubi. Though, the young girl didn't know the reason behind the shrine at all
"This shrine is a reminder Hinata. Long ago, when the village was being built a fox spirit came, forewarning everyone that there would be danger if they stayed here. The villagers didn't listen, thinking that the fox was only trying to trick them"
"Cause foxes trick people right papa?"
"Yes, the fox had told them that they were being crazy and had left. Thinking that humans need to learn their own lesson though, as the time went by the fox had come and again tried to warm the villagers and again, they didn't listen Finally, the fox decided to leave and let them find out on their own."
"Then what happened?" Asked Hinata as she looked up at her father, wondering what had happened next, wondering if the fox spirit every helped them or anything. Or if the villagers said sorry to the fox spirit, this story was starting to get interesting to the young girl.
"The village was attacked by an unknown army of ninja's. The villagers tried their best to stop them but they couldn't fight off that many at once. But, when they thought that it was all over the fox spirit appeared once more but this time. To protect them, and used all the power he could muster and stopped the war, creating a unity between villages and thus, creating this shrine to remember what could have happened all those years ago."
"Wow" Hinata smiled up at her father, thinking that this was all so amazing though as she stared at the statue, she wondered if it had all happened. The statue was that of a man with nine tails thrashing out behind him. Fox ears that rested atop his head, but his face was too worn out for her to make out.
Though, when Hinata turned her head, she thought she saw a tall man. He was fairly tall, muscular under his jacket. Blonde spiky hair and beautiful ocean blue eyes. She's never seen him in the village before. It made her wonder who he was though soon her gaze went back to the shrine. Maybe it was only nothing that her young mind to even think about.
"Papa, why are we here though?" Asked Hinata with her wide innocent eyes, wondering why her father had brought her to this shrine, when all the other times her father could care less about shrines. She remembered one time when she had asked if they could go to the shrine in the next village, but he had refused.
"For this shrine was made by our ancestor and therefore we are to protect it. And, since this shrine was built each member of our family has come here for luck. For, the spirit of the fox protects the heir of the Hyuuga clan."
Hinata just nodded softly, and just kept looking back at the shrine. Letting go of her father's hand, she prayed to the spirit of the shrine. 'Oh fox spirit, please protect me and hopefully meet you one day I wish to meet you and be your friend' Though, as she made her prayer, Hinata felt the breeze and a soft whisper had gone through her mind.
'I wish to meet you too young Hinata and be your friend'
Blinking in confusion, Hinata tried to think who the voice belonged too, but she had a feeling that it was the voice of the spirit. Looking up at her father again she asked "what was his name papa?"
"Naruto no Kyuubi…"
"Naruto no Kyuubi" Hinata whispered softly, liking the way it sounded. Smiling brightly Hinata walked on home with her father, though as she left she stared at the tall blonde haired man and saw him smile a bit at her. Who was he? And why did he seem so happy?
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Hinata had gone to the shrine each and every day. Not wanting to be away from the shrine so long as it meant that she could pray to the spirit of this shrine. But, every day she came to the shrine she would see the same man there. Still wearing the black jacket with an orange t-shirt and black jeans, but him being here was what confused Hinata the most. Why was he here every day? Was he waiting here for someone? Or was it something more?
Though, for some reason this man looked so very sad Frowning in thought, the little girl walked over to him asking "you okay mister?" She tilted her head to the side, her short blue hair hung in her eyes which caused her to tuck her hair behind her ears as she waited for the man to answer her.
"Nothing's wrong little one, I'm just here to admire the shrine." Said the man, though his eyes betrayed his voice for his voice sounded happy but his eyes were sad, as if he had lost something dear to him. Though, she didn't know what it was. Hinata turned back to the shrine and smiled. "You seem very interested in this shrine young one."
"Yeah, papa said that the spirit of the shrine protects my family from harm."
"Oh? So, your part of the Hyuuga clan?" Asked the man with a small smile as he stared at Hinata, seeing her nod the man couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I'm sure that the spirit of Naruto no Kyuubi will hear and protect you."
"How are you sure mister?" Asked Hinata with a tilt of her head,
"Oh I just know." He said with a smile and turned back to the shrine. The strange sad look had returned to his eyes, which made Hinata blink in confusion. Making her wonder he looked like that, as if he felt something bad was to happen. But, she tugged his hand trying to get his attention.
"Do you need a friend mister?"
"You would want to be a friend with someone you don't even know?"
Nodding, Hinata just smiled brightly as she looked up at the sky, seeing that it was getting late. Frowning in deep thought, Hinata knew that she had to get home or her father would get upset with her. Bowing a bit, Hinata calmly said "I'm sorry sir, but I have to go" With that, she started to run off.
Running down the streets, Hinata tried to get on home as fast as she could. Though, as she ran she couldn't help but wonder if the man would be okay. He looked so sad and wondered if he was going to tell her something for, the way he stared at her made her think if something was wrong. Though, as she ran Hinata noticed that a minivan was following her. It didn't cross her mind that something was wrong with that.
Just thinking that maybe it had just had to go in the same direction that she had to go. But just as she turned the corner, the minivan had caught up to her and grabbed her. Hinata let out a muffled scream as the people tied her up and drove off with her.
"Hmm, she's a pretty little girl. I bet her father will pay a pretty penny to have her back." Said a male's voice, which made Hinata look up at the people around her, she couldn't tell what they looked like, they wore masks of different colours. The one that had spoken was the one with a black mask and green eyes.
"Yeah, now we just have to call her father and get him to pay what we want." Said the man with a green mask and brown eyes, the green masked man looked down at her and smacked her saying "stop staring brat!" The smack had bruised her cheek and made her cry a bit. She couldn't help but let out muffled sobs as she cried.
'Papa please help me' she sobbed out, wanting someone to come and help her. But, she had a feeling that no one would come. That no one would save her, that she'll die cause of this.
"Hey, we have your daughter Hyuuga. If you want her back alive we want ten million in cash and we'll spare her life." Said a man with a red mask, she couldn't see what colour his eyes were since he wasn't facing her at the moment.
'Naruto no Kyuubi if you're real please help me I I'm so scared' Hinata thought with a sniffle, thinking, hoping, praying that the man in the statue would come and save her.
Suddenly, the van stopped which had caused everyone to fly forward a bit. Hinata hit the floor of the van hard, causing her to whimper a bit in pain. Groaning, she looked up, wondering what had happened
"What the hell man? Why'd you stop?" Shouted one of the men, Hinata didn't know who spoke but at the moment, it didn't matter to her. All she knew was that the van had stopped for some reason, and maybe, it was her father? "Who the hell is that?" Said one of the men, which had confused her, sitting up more, Hinata looked out the windshield of the car and blinked for standing outside of the van was the blonde haired man from the shrine.
'Mister' Thought Hinata, a little confused on why he was here right now. It didn't make any kind of sense to her right now.
"Hey freak, get outta the way, we have places to be." Said the red masked man with a growl in his voice, but the man didn't respond, in face he didn't even more at all. He just stood there, his blonde hair shadowing his eyes and his head bent forward a bit.
Though, when the man lifted his head, Hinata almost gasped. For his once blue eyes were crimson with black slits for pupils. It was a little shocking right now. His jacket lifted a bit, revealing nine reddish orange fox tails. Atop his head were matching pair of fox ears, the tips of his nine tails were white, the tips of his ears were black. It was as if he was a real fox.
He growled his lip lifting as he revealed razor sharp fangs. It was as if he was really a fox man just like 'The spirit of the shrine' Thought Hinata; she was still in shock at what had happened. Not sure what she should or could expect to happen right now. As soon as she had thought that, the fox man lifted his fist and slammed it into the hood of the car, leaving a huge hole within the engine.
"Holy shit!" shouted one of the men; they were shocked that someone had done that. Let alone, look like he did. Many of the tails flared around him as if to show his rage. One of the tails went to the side of the van, opening the door and ripped it off its hinges and throwing it aside, then pulling Hinata out of the van and gently placed her at his side.
"You mess with this girl, and then you mess with me. I won't allow anyone to harm Hinata." Growled the man as he flexed his fingers, revealing the claws that adorned his fingertips, Hinata just stared in shock, she hadn't expected any of this before never knowing that anyone could have claws, or fangs Heck, she didn't even know that people could even have fox ears and tails.
The men ran out of the van and charged at the blonde haired fox man.
The man grabbed Hinata with one of his many tails and hid her behind his back as he used the others to hit the men. Then used his claws to slash at them, he punched kicked and wacked the men so he wouldn't kill them. Though one of the men shot him in the shoulder, causing the fox man to roar in pain as he slashed at the men as his eyes flashed with rage.
The man slashed at the men, ripping their skin and sending their blood everywhere. It all happened so fast that Hinata couldn't remember how it ended. Though, when the fight was over, Hinata felt the man move her into his arms as he ran off. His form slowly returning to that of a human and placing her in front of her home, which only confused the little girl even more for how did he know where she lived?
"You'll be safe now I'm sorry you had to see that" He whispered softly, he only saw Hinata nod softly. Giving a sad smile he said "I'm sorry Hinata I want to give you something it'll protect you for I failed to let you know about the incoming danger" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful necklace. The chain was pure silver, and on the chain was a beautifully carved crystal fox with nine tails. "Wear this, and I'll be with you in spirit I'll always be looking out for you little one."
Hinata looked up at him and took the necklace then looked up at the fox man once more. Wondering if he was really Naruto no Kyuubi. But couldn't think on it at the moment she placed the necklace around her neck and looked back up wondering if she'll ever see him again.
"Don't worry little one, I'm sure we'll meet again Just you wait" He said before kissing her forehead and ran off in the shadows.
And so she did...
Many years had passed since then; Hinata was standing in front of where the shrine once was. It was destroyed when she had turned seven. Her father saying that since she was kidnapped that the shrine was worthless now, that there was no point in keeping it anymore. Though, she had tried to explain to him that it had worked. That the spirit of the shrine had come to her rescue, but he didn't believe her. Only saying that it was because he had told her stupid stories when she was a kid, but no matter what Hinata knew that it was real
Least till she had turned seventeen, for at that age she had started to believe that it had been a dream. That she had just been so frightened that she had willed the idea of being saved by the spirit of the shrine to save her. Sighing softly, Hinata knelt where the shrine once stood as she said "I'm sorry that I couldn't keep this up. You may not be real but you were the closet thing I had to a friend as a child." Turning around, Hinata started to head to her car. Now, at the age of nineteen, she had moved out of her family's home and was moving to the city with her abusive boyfriend Kiba. She had hoped to find someone different, like the man she had seen in her dreams.
But that's all it would ever be, a dream.
"Hurry up Hinata! We have to get to our new house!" Shouted a man with tanned skin, dark brown hair and animal-like eyes, Hinata didn't know why she had fallen for him in the first place. But now, she was too deep with him and couldn't get out. She gripped the fox shaped necklace in her hand as she took a deep breath.
This necklace was the only thing that gave her the strength to get past her problems with Kiba. Maybe someday, she would have the courage to get out of this relationship with Kiba, but for now she was stuck with him. Though, what she didn't know was that she was in for one huge adventure.