Once upon a time in the Land of Fire there lived a young prince in a castle. The prince had everything his heart could desire, but he was selfish, spoiled, and cruel. One day a wizened old woman appeared at the castle, and requested shelter from the storm that raged outside. In return for shelter she offered the gift of a single red rose.
But the prince sneered at the gift and refused the woman because of her appearance. The woman warned him not to judge others for their appearances, because true beauty was to be found within, and again offered the rose. But the Prince refused her.
With his refusal the old woman transformed into a beautiful enchantress before his very eyes. Frightened the prince tried to apologize. But it was too late. The Enchantress could see that there was no love in his heart. As punishment she transformed the young Prince into a monstrous beast. She then transformed the Castle and all that dwelled within so that they could serve him. Ashamed at his monstrous appearance the beast concealed himself inside the castle with a magic mirror as his only link to the outside world.
As a final gift she left behind the rose he had turned down. The rose was a magic rose, and would continue to bloom until his twenty first birthday. If in that time he could find someone to love, and who would love him in return before the last petal fell. The spell would be broken. But if not he would remain a beast forever.
As the years passed the prince fell into despair; for who could ever learn to love a monster.
The sun rose over the village of Konoha one fine autumn morning. It was small but prosperous village, and the residents had little to no complaints since life was good and each day went on much the same as the one before.
It was just outside this small provincial town that a girl lived. Her name was Hinata Hyuga. She was a shy and beautiful girl, with light lavender eyes and long dark indigo hair. She was considered somewhat peculiar by the townsfolk because of her hair, and her considerable intelligence. Hinata was rarely found without a book in hand, and a soft dreamy expression on her face as she often imagined herself on adventures in faraway lands in search of a handsome prince charming that she'd read about within their pages.
And so, it was this particular bright sunny day that found Hinata dressed in a blue sundress, with her hair confined in a pony tail by a white ribbon walking carefree through the town towards her favorite book store. The book store was a small but well stocked of reading material that had captivated Hinata from the moment she had arrived in Konoha. The owner Jiraiya was a kind, and generous soul who had taken an instant liking to the young woman, and allowed her to borrow any book she desired for as long as she wished.
Hinata had just finished the latest book about a brave peasant who risked his life to rescue the princess that had had kidnapped. demon, she sighed as she thought of the story. In the story the young peasant had initially been disliked by the princess, but as time passed and they shared many adventures together she had grown fond of him. Then when the princess had been kidnapped by the demon during his attack on their village; the peasant boy had risked everything to save his precious person. In the end they fell in love and lived happily ever after.
She smiled genuinely as she passed the bakery where the smell of sweets and pastries reached her nose and caused her tummy to rumble. She made her way to the open window while bidding a fond good morning to the baker himself.
"Good morning Teuchi-san, how are you today?" She chirped happily.
"Good morning Hinata-san. Wonderful! Things are just wonderful today." He responded before shouting into the store "Ayame! Hurry up with the pastries we need to be ready for the lunch rush!"
"They're almost ready father just be patient." Came the voice of Teuchi's lovely young daughter Ayame. "Good morning Hinata-san, where are you off to today?".
"I'm off to the Book store again to see if Jiraiya has anything new today. I just finished the most wonderful story about a hero, and a princess…" She trailed off with a smile to see that Ayame had suddenly gone to the back of the store to pull the pies out of the oven. Helping herself to a sample she hummed a soft but dreamy tune before resuming her walk to Jiraiya's.
Hitching a ride on a passing wagon Hinata sighed as she watched the townsfolk hustle and bustle to and from going about their usual business. The same arguments, gossip, and general conversations that she'd heard every day since her father and herself had arrived here in. She heard them discussing her and how odd they found her but she ignored it them. She had decided to follow her dreams of seeing the world and what adventures it held for her. Finally the wagon rolled past Jiraiya's book store she hopped off the wagons and entered the shop.
Upon arrival she was greeted to the sight of the old man writing furiously in his notebook interrupted by the chiming of the doorbell as Hinata entered. He looked up with a smile.
"Good morning Hinata. Your done already I see." He laughed as the young woman slid her previous book back to its place on his shelf before scanning them for her next one.
"Oh yes Jiraiya-san, I couldn't put it down." She sighed softly before continuing "Do you have anything new?" she asked with a hopeful expression.
"Not since yesterday." He laughed out loud smiling in genuine good humor as the lovely young woman climbed the ladder and eyed the shelves.
Her lavender eyes sparkled as they finally saw her favorite title and grabbed it, and presented it to him. "I think I'd like to borrow this one please."
"That one?" he questioned with a small laugh, and a knowing grin on his face "but Hinata you've already read that one." he told her gently, he was genuinely fond of this young lady most especially so after she had spent an entire day cleaning and reorganizing his entire store for him shortly after her arrival.
"I know that." She laughed a gentle sound like bells tingling "But it's my favorite book about a handsome prince, and a castle, and dragons, and a princess, and magic spells." She hugged the blue leather-bound cover to her chest as if it were a precious teddy bear.
Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh at her antics, and the soft faraway look she had while dreaming her dreams of adventure. Truly a remarkable girl that Hinata was"If only I were a lot younger." He thought wistfully to himself.
"If you like it so much, then it's yours." He smiled warmly
"Oh no, I just couldn't…" She replied back in surprise
"I insist you keep it, now get out there and enjoy this beautiful day before the weather turns bad and you can't read it outside."
"Thank you so much Jiraiya-san I well." He smiled as the young woman gave him a friendly hug and then left the store the door bell ringing merrily on her way out.
The village of Konoha many would say it that Kiba Iunzuka was the most noble and handsome man in the village . Tall, strong, and irresistible too the women of the village all willing threw themselves at his feet. One glance of his dark eyes could leave them blushing.
Kiba knew he could have anything and anyone he wanted, and now as he listened to his lackey Akamaru chatter on about how great he was he set his sights upon a certain indigo haired woman who was walking along before she sat down upon the edge of a fountain and began to read one of those books she was so fond of.
"Kiba you're so awesome. You haven't missed a shot; you're the greatest hunter in Konoha no beast can stand against you, and no girl for that matter either." Akamaru brown nosed happily.
"Of course fool." He smirked "I've decided to choose my bride to be, and I choose her." He indicated Hinata who had finally stood and started to make her way through the crowd towards her home.
"Her?"He blurted "The Inventor's daughter?" Akamaru asked incredulously "But she's…" he was interrupted as Kiba.
"She's the best, the most beautiful woman in this village, and I deserve only the best." He snorted with his nose arrogantly stuck in the air.
"Of course Kiba..." Akamaru agreed timidly all the while shaking his head at his master's choice. Certainly the woman was stunningly beautiful, but she spent entirely too much time thinking and reading for his taste. Too much thinking was bad for you. But when his master decided on something then nothing could stop him.
As Kiba made his way though the crowd it seemed that everyone was in Konoha at that moment. The fact that it was the middle of the day and lunch time didn't even register to him since he was seemingly focused on the flowing indigo hair before him as even with her nose deep in the book she was reading she deftly maneuvered through the crowd without missing a step; easily circumventing obstacles and impediments in her path all without ever looking up.
Kiba began to get frustrated and annoyed. Usually the crowds would part respectfully at his coming but today they seemed determined to keep him from his treasure. he hopped upon a fence then scrambled up the wall of a house to the roof. Climbing over it he made his way down the side before leaping to a nearby tree branch and landing in front of the young woman in front of him who failed to even look up until he spoke.
"Good morning Hinata." He said while wrapping one arm around her shoulders and relieving her of the burden of the book she was reading with the other.
"Good morning Kiba." She replied before glaring at him as he took her book "Kib can I please have my book back?"
"How can you read that nonsense?" he asked his disapproval unhidden in his voice. "It's not right for a woman to read such things, soon she starts getting ideas in her head and thinking for herself. It's…It's just not right." He shook his head at the ridiculous notion. He saw out of the corner of his eye that several girls had gathered and were watching the encounter with mixtures of adoration for him, and jealousy and incredulity for the woman who he was spending time talking too, and who amazingly seemed uninterested in him.
"What is she nuts?" asked one amazed girl "He's so handsome." Sighed another "Oh my!! He's looking at me!!" squealed another fanning herself rapidly. he ignored them and refocused on the task at hand.
"Hinata you need to get your head out of those books and start paying attention to more important things…" He paused a moment to take in his reflection in a nearby mirror making sure his hair was ok. "Like me." He finished as if that explained everything she would need to know.
"Kiba you are simply too much." She smiled before turning and trying to make her way back down the path towards her home.
"Glad you noticed Hinata." He replied while wrapping his arm snake like around her shoulders and trying to lead her to the tavern. It was as if he had simply chosen her and there was no more argument to be had. Her wishes be damned she had no choice in the matter as far as he was concerned.
"No way !!" her persistent inner version trumpeted. "I have my own dreams and they do not include being some egotist's trophy bride."
Quietly agreeing with her inner self's tirade she slipped out from under the arm and moved back towards the safety of the home she shared with her father.
"Kiba I need to get back to help my father." She smiled before turning and hurrying away as best she could.
"That lunatic?" He needs all the help he can get." Akamaru sneered before mockingly laughing at her, Kiba joined him with a chuckle
"Don't you talk bout him that way!!" Hinata rounded on them both and snapped back at them causing them to take a step back from her fury. "My father's a genius…" She was interrupted as a loud explosion rang out from the vicinity of her house which caused her to take off at a run back home to see what mischief her father had gotten into this time.
Hinata opened the doors to the basement and then hopped back as a cloud of noxious smelling smoke rose up from beneath.
"Father?' she called down "Father are you all right?" she called again when she didn't get an answer the first time.
Slowly she made her way down the stairs covering her mouth and nose with the loose sleeve of her white long sleeved shirt. As she made her way down the smoke began to clear through the opened doors, and she was able to make out more of the workshop as her father referred to the basement where many of his experiments and inventions were created. A soft round of sibilant cursing brought her around and she smiled worriedly as Hiashi Hyuga stood and dusted himself off hacking up a lungful of smoke in the process before berating the medium sized machine he had been working on.
"Confound this contraption! That's it; the last straw I tell you! I'm through with you!!" he kicked the machine for emphasis only to stub his toe and began a new round of pained swearing as he hopped up and down holding his injured foot in the air.
"Father are you all right?" "What happened this time?" she asked with a tone of concern in her voice as she walked over to him and helped him soothe his wounded toe.
"I swear I'll never finish this accursed thing!"He indicated the offending machine. Its supposed to be the greatest farmer's machine in the world! helping with chopping wood and plowing the fields" he said proudly with a bright smile showing through his grime covered face though the smile quickly vanished as the aforementioned machine gave a hacking cough before several of its parts fell off and to the ground.
"That's it! I give up on this piece of junk!" He swore softly "I'll never get it finished in time." He harrumphed loudly while stubbornly crossing his arms.
"Yes you well dad." Hinata talked softly to him while rubbing his shoulders in a way that always calmed him down. "You'll finish it, and then win first prize at the fair tomorrow, and then you'll become a world class inventor." She drew out the last part to remind him of his dream.
"Do you really believe that?" he asked her skeptically.
"Yes I really do." she replied with a genuine smile. Hiashi seemed to think long about that as he rubbed his chin with its couple of days of stubble on it before getting a determined look in his eyes and set to his jaw.
"Well what are we waiting for?!" he exclaimed happily lowering his magnifying goggles in place and shuffling underneath the mechanical machine with its wheels, and four tool like armatures.
"Hand me that 3 pronged tuner please." He asked. Hinata reached into the box and grabbed the odd three pointed device. She had no idea what it did but her father did, and he put it too use right away with a clanking sound.
"So did you have a good time in town today?" he asked while reaching blindly for another tool. Hinata figured which one he needed and put it into his reach before responding.
"I got a new book." She said softly "Papa; do you think I'm… odd?" she asked softly
"My daughter odd?" he asked as he slid out from under the machine his own green eyes magnified to ridiculous proportions by the goggles he wore. "Where would you get a crazy idea like that?" he snorted before picking up another tool and crawling back under the machine to make more adjustments.
"It's just that sometimes I don't feel like I fit in around here. There's no one who understands me, no one I can talk too." She sighed sadly
"What about that Kiba fellow?" he asked "He's a handsome isn't he?" Hiashi queried before getting up and using a sledgehammer to beat a particularly stubborn bolt back down into place.
"Oh sure he's handsome all right, and arrogant, rude, selfish, and brainless." She snorted before sighing "Oh Papa he's not for me."
Hiashi chuckled warmly as he made a last adjustment before stepping back to admire his handiwork "Well don't you worry pumpkin; this machine will be the start of a new life for us. Now lets see if that's done it?" he paused a moment to make a last minute calculation in his head before flipping the on switch and then covering Hinata with his arms to protect her in case the infernal contraption decided to act up again.
But fortunately their was no need as the machine made whirring and clanking sounds of internal mechanisms hissed, and spat his way to automated life and with his first commands input into his systems raised an axe like device and began to chop away at a log placed in front of it. With a few quick powerful cuts the axe made short work of the log and mechanical arms caught the pieces before tossing them carelessly if precisely onto the nearby wood pile.
The automated arms quickly grabbed another off the small pile and proceeded to chop away before flinging the halves onto the pile as well.
"It works!! Papa you did it!!" Hinata cheered happily as a third piece of wood was chopped and tossed.
"I did?" Hiashi seemed shocked at the very notion but as a fourth piece of wood was hacked in two and delivered to the wood pile he cheered "I did it!! HAHA!!" he laughed out loud
"I'm off to the fair!!" he pronounced loudly before a miss thrown piece of lumber hit him on the head
Not more then an hour later Hinata watched as her father rode off Momo on their faithful and stalwart horse. Momo wasn't of a noble horse bred line, but she was loyal and trustworthy as horse's go, and smarter then many gave her credit for. Now she hauled the covered machine in their only wagon as Hiashi began his journey to the land of waves in order to realize his dream of becoming a world class inventor.
"Good bye Papa and good luck! Be careful on the road!" She called out waving at him as he rode off with a confident flare to his shoulders.
"Take care Hinata and be safe till I get back!" he responded waving back as he rode off into the bright afternoon and the wonderful future he envisioned for them both.