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Pride and Prejudice

- A Naruto Adaptation -

by cacrulz

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.:Chapter 1:.

Of First Impressions

"Oi! YOU'RE TOO SLOW, TEME! I BEAT YOU BY LIKE... HALF A MILE!"

"Hn."

"Look, teme, LOOK!" The blonde haired man hollered, pointing enthusiastically at the large prospect in front of him. "That's gonna be my new home..." he crossed his arms in front of him, evidently proud of himself. "... and I found it all by myself!"

His companion gave the property a brief glance. "It's reasonable enough."

"Admit it! It's better than your place up in, watcha-ma-callit... Pemberley."

"Hn." The more reserved man responded absently, guiding his horse away from the property, away from the blonde man.

"... place and move all my stuff here, I'll set up the most BIGGEST BESTEST BALL this town has ever se- HEY! YOU'RE NOT EVEN LISTENING! HEY, WAIT UP... Geez, you're such as ass sometimes."

"Hn."

The silence only lasted a few seconds before-

"RACE YOU BACK TO MERYTON!" The blonde's voice echoed loudly as he sped across the field.

"Moron."

On this particular Sunday, one can find the Hatake family in its usual state of disarray.

"Hanabi! What on earth did you do to my bonnet? Mom, Mom! Hanabi tore up my bonnet and says that she's going to wear it to church. Tell her that she's dreaming!"

The two youngest Hatake girls are, as usual, making a racket out of the most trivial things.

"I was fixing it and I will wear it. I'll look better wearing it. Moegi's not even pretty enough to look good in it."

Hanabi, a well-grown girl of fifteen with a fine complexion and flirtatious nature, is the youngest of the five Hatake girls and is perhaps the silliest. Her actions are often selfish and impulsive. With her imprudent spirit, Hanabi devotes all of her energies to collecting gossip, roaming about the town, and flirting with young men.

"No. It's MINE!"

Moegi is the fourth daughter in the Hatake family. She is weak spirited, fickle, ignorant and reliant. Even though she is older than Hanabi, she is often found dependent on Hanabi's guidance.

"Will you two SHUT THE HELL UP! I'm having a friggin goddamn hangover and if you two won't pipe down I will rip that bonnet to shreds and SHOVE the pieces up your BLOODY ASSES. And Gaara! Stop that bloody racket!"

Hatake Anko, a sadistic woman with a very morbid sense of humor, is the mother of the Hatake girls. She is of a crude disposition and possesses a bad temper. Anko does not have any regard for proper manners or behaviour and is a perpetual embarrassment to her family.

Gaara looked up briefly at her mother before continuing to play on the piano.

Gaara, the third of the Hatake daughters, is unfortunately quite plain as a girl, preferring solitude rather than the trivialities of her sisters. She takes contentment from reading and, like now, is often found playing the piano.

"But it's MINE! It's not fair, mom, you let her have everything that's mine." Moegi wailed loudly before running upstairs to her room.

"I said to shut the HELL UP, you little DIPSHITS. HINATA! SAKURA! Get your sorry asses down here, NOW!"

"H-Here, mother."

"Coming, mother."

Hinata, eldest of the Hatake girls, is indisputably the fairest and most gentle of souls, never seeing fault in anyone and generous in her opinion of others, despite being in possession of an unfortunate stuttering and being exceptionally shy.

Sakura is the second of daughter the Hatake household. She is a lively and intelligent girl who delighted in anything ridiculous. Although not possessing the classic beauty of her elder sister, Hinata, but instead a temper that is easily riled, she is without a doubt attractive, with her rosette-like hair and striking green eyes.

"Oi! Kakashi. Put down that goddamn porn and listen to this. Some rich hotshot rented Netherfield."

Hatake Kakashi, husband of Anko and father of the girls, is the head of the household. He is knowledgeable in countless topics and well respected by others. However, he possesses an unsavoury habit of retreating to the library, his sanctuary, and reading his precious orange covered porn.

"Mhm."

Anko, hating to be outdone by a book, plopped herself onto his lap and whispered into his ear. "Are you not interested?"

Kakashi sighed and placed his book aside. "Do I have a choice?"

Anko grinned. A wide, malicious grin that, quite frankly, scared Kakashi. Fortunately he was able to conceal it well enough from Anko lest she uses it against him in the future.

"Well," Anko began in a deceptively sexy voice – God knows, he had been deceived! – "This rich single hotshot, Uzumaki I think, is moving into this god forsaken town. Can't you imagine the possibilities!"

Kakashi could almost swear that he heard a 'KA-CHINNG' as the eyes of his wife lit up. But he continued to feign ignorance, for the sake of his own amusement, "Hmm? What kind of possibilities can you be talking about?"

Anko promptly slapped him. Hard. Grinning all the same. "Think of all the money we can milk off him if he marries one of the girls. Better yet. He can marry all of them! Then we'll be free from feeding and clothing them." The idea seemed to be getting more and more appealing to Anko as she thought of it.

"Well since you have it all thought out and planned, I guess I can return to my reading now." Kakashi drawled before picking up his orange covered book.

Anko simply plucked the book from his hands. "Uh-uh. You will go and visit him when he arrives and get into his good graces."

"Mmmhmm…" Kakashi simply hummed before procuring another orange covered book from seemingly out of nowhere.

The maniacal gleam in Anko's eyes faded. "You're not going to visit him aren't you?"

Kakashi eyes widened in mock surprise, his sarcasm dripping off his voice. "By heavens dear wife, what on earth makes you think that?"

Anko, displeased at not getting her way, ripped the second book out from Kakashi's hands, before stomping out of his library. Kakashi pulled out yet another copy of his porn and simply continued reading. "Let's see, so Sachiko slipped into his room and…"

"M-mother, are you a-alright?"

Hinata fidgeted slightly at the sight of her mother's annoyed expression as she absently played with her sharp knifes in the kitchen.

"Kakashi, that goddamn son-of-a-"

"M-mother!" Hinata gasped, horrified.

Anko rolled her eyes at her far too sensitive daughter. "Fine, fine! Kakashi, your respectable father, refuses to visit the rich brat that's moving in! How on earth can we marry you lot off then? Why else would we have so many daughters?"

Hinata flinched at her mother's less than savoury words, but she remained silent.

It wasn't until Anko started stabbing the breakfast table that Hinata decided it'll be best to attempt to calm down her dear mother.

"M-mother? I-I'm sure everything will t-turn out for the b-b-best."

When Anko's stabbing slowed to a more 'civil' pace, Hinata gathered more of her courage to continue.

"Father is just t-teasing you. I'm s-sure he will c-call on U-U-Uzumaki-san, as he calls on any n-new n-neighbour."

Anko's only reply was stabbing the table more viciously at the mention of Kakashi.

Hinata visibly wilted at the sight and stood further back from her mother, resolving to wait for Anko to calm down by herself. Unfortunately for her, Kakashi had decided then was a good time to take one of his rare trips out of his library and into the kitchen…

…and promptly walked out at the sight of his wife with the sharp knife.

Anko gave out a growl at the sight of the thrown kitchen knife pinned against the swinging kitchen door, just barely missing her husband. In her anger she didn't notice Kakashi's presence immediately and hadn't thrown the knife until it was too late.

Hinata, judging that the situation had turned irreparable, and fearing too much of her own safety to stay in such close confines with her mother, gracefully tucked out of the room and up her stairs to her dear sister's room.

"That's just absolutely ridiculous!"

"S-sakura..."

"I'm serious, Hinata. If I could love a man who would love me enough to take me for a mere fifty pounds a year, I would be very happy." Sakura gave a moment of thought before adding. "But such a man could never be sensible and you know I could never love a man who was out of his wits."

Hinata had always admired her sister for her strength and wit. In her eyes, there was nothing that Sakura would not be able to overcome if she tried. But the thought of their financial situation was bleak. For the idea of marrying for love has always been the sisters' dream since they were very small children. But for practicality's sake, marrying for a mere fifty pounds is simply impossible.

Sakura took note of her sister's sympathetic expression before asserting. "But what I can't understand is a marriage where neither partner cannot love nor respect the other. That would be like imprisoning oneself to a life of degradation and insults, as we have daily proof." Sakura made a brief reference to her parents. Sakura made a few more angry paces in their bedroom before plopping ungracefully on the bed giving a loud resigned sigh. "But beggars can't be choosers."

"W-we're not that p-poor, Sakura."

"Okay, we're not. But you know that if father dies we can't inherit anything, just because we're female." Sakura waved her hand dismissively in the air. "At least one of us will have to marry very well if we have any chance of supporting the family, and since you're five times as pretty as the rest of us, and not to mention the obedient, I'm afraid that mother will force the task onto you." Sakura voice dimmed softer and softer as she reached the end of her rant. Not feeling quite as angry as earlier, but now overcome by concern for her dearest sister.

"O-oh, Sakura. I w-would w-w-wish… I should so much l-like… to marry for l-love…" Hinata whispered timidly.

Sakura grasped onto her sister's pale hands. "And you shall, I'm sure." She smiled at her sister, and Hinata returned it with a shaky smile of her own.

"Only take care to fall in love with a man of good fortune."

Hinata gave a small giggle. "W-well, I shall t-try. To p-please you." Sakura was glad to see the happiness in her sister. "And y-y-you?"

Sakura gave an exaggerated sigh. "I am determined that only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony. So... I shall end an old maid, and teach your children to embroider cushions and play their instruments very ill."

They erupted in soft giggles and laughter, unheard outside the sanctuary of their bedroom.

"Mother! Mother! You have to hear this!"

It was a little later into the afternoon that day, when Hanabi and Moegi ran into the kitchen, desperate to share with their mother the new piece of gossip they had heard in Meryton. Undeterred at the sight of Anko, no longer playing with knifes, but with her head face down on the breakfast table, surrounded by sake bottles, they began screeching for their mother's attention.

Despite being muffled by the tablecloth, Anko's threats rung loud and clear. "I have a GODDAMN hangover! So why don't you two be good little girls and SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Moegi took a step back, no longer sure if the piece of news they came to share would please their mother and feeling the inklings of her unrelenting cough coming along. Hanabi simply rolled her eyes before continuing excitedly. "Uzumaki-san has come! Sir Maito Gai has met and spoken with him!"

Anko lifted her head up from the table, a sight that was surprisingly more frightening than it should have been, with her eyes glinting predatorily and her hands inching closer towards to discarded knives. "And why, pray tell, would I want to hear that?" She spat the words, a cold chill settling down Moegi's spine. She began to cough in her nervousness, but a sharp glare from Anko compelled her to hold her breath in her efforts to quell the fit, lest displeasing her mother more.

Hanabi braved on, not out of obliviousness of the situation, but out of her extreme confidence to gratify her mother. She is her favourite daughter, afterall! "I heard he loves to dance! And that he'll come to the next ball!" Hanabi clapped her hands in anticipation. Think off all the fun she will have! There'll be boys, and dancing, and wine (which she's not supposed to drink, but she has always managed to sneak a glass or two here and there), and music, and… and boys!

"It's at the assembly rooms. On Saturday!" She added after breaking away from her momentary daze.

Anko still didn't look very pleased, in fact quite the opposite. She began bitterly. "So what? So what if that rich brat is going to the ball. He'll just get picked up by some gold-digger bitch." Hanabi had no doubt that her sister, Sakura, would laugh at the irony of those words.

"But mother…!"

"I don't give a shit whether the brat likes dancing or having gay orgies on the beach! If I can't get anything out of it, I don't want to fucking hear about him!"

"Hmm… well I'm sorry to hear about that." It had taken Kakashi a number of hours, but he had finally gathered the courage to walk into the kitchen the second time that day. "If I had known as much this morning, I would have never called on him."

Anko spun her head towards her husband, the haze from her hangover and anger rapidly disappearing. "You called on him?" Already, her mind began turning, plotting the fastest way to gain access to the Uzumaki brat's wallet.

Kakashi gave a nod from behind his orange-covered book. "I'm afraid we can't escape his acquaintance now." As much as Kakashi wanted to say that he did this on his whim and for his own amusement, he'd be lying if he didn't admit that it was partly due to his fear for his wife that compelled him to contact the new neighbour.

Anko, in her typical unpredictable manner, gave a large (scary) grin at this change of situation and turned to her two youngest daughters before saying sweetly. "Girls, don't you have a wonderful father. And to not tell us… What a good joke." Anko paced slowly towards Kakashi with each word she said, a scene not unlike a panther, cornering her prey. Kakashi stood warily but refused to show Anko his growing fear, unsure of what is to come. It wasn't until he noticed that one of the longer knives from the kitchen set was missing from the haphazardly placed cutlery on the table, that he fully regretted entering the kitchen at all today.

"Don't you think it's a waste of time to spend the evening here of all places, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke spared a brief glance at his friend's sister, Ino, but didn't deign to answer any further. Ino, not put out by the lack of response, roamed her judging eyes over the crowding assembly rooms. They call this a party? She has seen better company with better fashion tastes back in the butcher shop in london. Not that she has ever set foot in one. No, of course not, as that would be simply disgraceful and she has plenty of maids and servants to do those unseemly tasks for her household. She couldn't quite understand her brother's insistence of being here. Something to do with getting to know the neighbours. If she had her choice, she would rather spend the winter back in London, at the weekly social gatherings searching for potential husbands.

Actually, Ino corrected herself, there was no need to search, as she had pretty much made up her mind who she would marry. She gave an ambitious glance over to the tall raven haired male she stood next to. It was only a matter of time before he realises that she was perfect for him and proposes. Ino was not ashamed to say that she spent most of her life grooming herself to be the perfect bride, the perfect hostess and the perfect Lady Uchiha. But until then, she would have to continue entertaining the whims of her stupid younger brother, who at least managed to be of some use by becoming best friends with a hot, rich man who happens to possess a very enviable prospect in Pemberly. And if part of that would involve rubbing elbows with such less than satisfactory individuals, then so be it, she thought while forcing a tolerable smile on her face as a tall man with bushy eyebrows, an appalling bowl haircut and wearing a green – Green! You cannot be serious? – ensemble strode up to them.

"Uzumaki-san!" Ino couldn't help but feel affronted at the sight of the green monstrosity slapping a friendly greeting on her brother's back. "How very delightful for you to be here! Allow me the joy of welcoming you to our youthful assembly!"

Uzumaki Naruto gave a cat-like grin in response. "Sir Gai! I am SOOO glad to see you! Could you introduce me to the pretty girls?"

Gai gave a hearty laugh. "Ahhh, young youth! I'll be sure to introduce you to all the pretty youthful girls that have blessed our little town. But before I do, would you give me the pleasure of introducing these two young ladies here."

Naruto nodded excitedly before gesturing to the two blonde girls in his company. "These are my sisters, Uzumaki Ino…" Ino curtsied politely; discretely dodging her younger brother's enthusiastic sweeping arm, "…and Nara Temari." The other blonde lady only gave a stiff nod as her response. "She's married to Nara Shikarmaru here." He jokingly whispered conspiratorially to Sir Gai. Gai played along with him, whispering back. "The tall gentleman beside you?" Naruto have a loud guffaw. "Temari with the teme? Eww… no. Shikamaru's that lazy guy in the back with the pineapple as a hairstyle."

Ino stood there disgusted but maintaining the tight smile on her face, as Naruto and Gai clapped each other on the backs and acted like they had known each other for years. Such fools…

"I t-think they look v-very n-nice… and e-elegant."

"Really?" Sakura raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "More pleased with themselves than what they see, more like."

They stood against the wall on the far side of the hall, as it was still too early to dance. Both were dressed in their prettiest dresses at their mother's insistence. – "Hinata! I don't fucking care if you can't breathe, tighten your damn corset! And Sakura, didn't I tell you to dampen your skirt? We need it'll stick to your legs! Guys love that sort of thing! We'll have to bring out the big guns, if we want to bait that Uzumaki." – Their mother had burst into their bedroom after finding out about the ball and 'speaking' to their poor father. Their reputation and decency was barely saved by Sakura's flat out refusal, giving Anko no choice but to relent. However, she did keep an eye out for their mother, just in case she decides to 'accidentally' tip her wine glass onto their skirts… again.

"Oi! Sakura! Hinata! Asses. Here. Now!" Sakura frowned at her mother's uncouth behaviour, but obediently followed Hinata nonetheless, but only after making sure that Anko had no immediate access to any liquid substances within her reach.

Anko grabbed her daughters wrist before gesturing to the dark haired man across the room, at the entrance with the rest of the new company. "You see that man? The one that seems like there's a pole rammed up his ass?" Sakura glanced over but didn't respond. Hinata gave a hesitant nod. "Lady Maito says that he's the Uzumaki brat's friend. His name is Uchiha Sasuke and his rich and has a giant mansion in Derbyshire." Sakura's wrist throbbed in pain as her mother's grip tightened as she got more excited at telling the news. She noticed that poor Hinata's pale wrists were starting to show the beginnings of a bruise. "Uzumaki's wealth is like spare change compared to his! Ten thousand fucking pounds a year! At least!" Sakura didn't like the way this conversation was going. "Don't you think he's hot? I bet you regret not wetting your skirt now, Sakura!" Sakura scoffed. "I wonder you'll think he'll be nearly as 'hot' if he wasn't rich." Her mother gave a short glare at her before replacing it with a deceptively sweet smile at the sight of the very subject approaching. "Shit! They're coming over! Don't you girls fucking screw this up." Anko whispered softly, so as not to be overheard.

"Ahh, Mrs. Hatake. Young Uzumaki Naruto here wanted to become acquainted of you and your youthful daughters." Sir Maito Gai's booming voice was easily heard over the music.

"That is very kind of you, Sir Gai." Anko's tone and words sounded grateful, but Sakura could sense the irritation coming from her mother, most probably from Gai's implication of her not-so-youthfulness. But Anko restrained from lashing out, knowing too much was at stake here. "This is Hinata, my eldest. And Elizabeth. And Gaara sits over there." Both Hinata and Sakura politely curtsied at their introduction. "And Moegi and Hanabi, my youngest, you see there, dancing."

Sakura took this chance to have a closer look at the new comers. Uzumaki Naruto seemed like a happy sort of fellow, undisputedly handsome with his golden hair and cerulean blue eyes. His friendly, good-natured demeanour simply radiated off him and his charming smile seemed to be getting bigger and bigger by the second. Sakura was pleased to note that his eyes had yet to stray from Hinata since the beginning of the introduction.

She could not say the same for his friend – Uchiha Sasuke her mother had said – however, who very posture and body language screamed superiority. Yes, she had to admit, he was very handsome – Sakura simply refused to use the word 'hot' like some lovesick fangirl – with his raven black hair, prominent facial features, and standing at least a few centimetres taller than his friend and everyone else in the room, but Sakura quickly dismissed him as a possibility after one look at his cold eyes and the perpetual scowl he wore.

Sir Gai introduced the very fashionable lady wearing a brilliant scarlet red gown and standing close to Uchiha-san as Lady Ino, Uzumaki Naruto's elder sister. She seemed polite enough, smiling at all the right moments and giving compliments about the party, the hall, and the people here and there, but something about her conduct indicated to Sakura her superficial nature. The other blonde lady, standing further back, was Temari, Naruto's other sister. Sakura didn't had much of a chance to form an opinion on her as she spent the whole time loudly berating her husband, Nara Shikamaru, the last man of the party, and taking no notice of anyone else. Shikamaru simply stood there, boredly observing the crowds and turning a deaf ear to his wife.

"Hinata-chan! Do you want to dance?"

Hinata blushed deeply as the handsome blonde man addressed her directly, sticking his face closer than what was considered polite. "I-I-I am n-not otherwise e-e-engaged, S-sir."

"Great! I love dancing. Especially with pretty girls." Naruto said that like it was the most natural thing in the world. Hinata promptly turned a deeper shade of red.

Anko eyes gleamed at the success of the first catch, and redirected her attention to the second one. "And you, Uchiha-san? Are you fond of dancing too?"

"No. I rarely dance." Sakura was not surprised at the dismissive first words she heard from the Uchiha, but Anko continued, undeterred. "Well, why don't you? I bet you'll be able to find a pretty partner here." Sakura felt her mother attempting to push her forward, but she stubbornly dug her heels onto the hardwood floor. She was sure that the man could sense her mother's intentions and she felt embarrassed for both their sakes.

Uchiha-san gave a curt nod, murmuring a soft, "Excuse me Madam." before briskly walking away. The rest of the company followed without a word, but Naruto did give a quick wink to the blushing Hinata.

The smile on Anko's face dropped. "Who does that asshole think he is?"

"M-mother! H-he wil h-h-hear y-you!"

"I don't fucking care if he does!"

Sakura couldn't resist mocking her mother. "Perhaps he is not quite so 'hot' anymore."

And even Sakura couldn't say she was immune to the poisonous glare her mother gave her.

"Look at Moegi and Hanabi, Gaara. They seem to be having a lot of fun."

"…"

Sakura had danced a number of dances and was currently taking a break on one of the chairs provided around the room. She sat next to her younger sister, Gaara and was trying, and failing, to get her to be more involved in the night's festivities. But she simply wouldn't budge. "Gaara…" Sakura sighed. "I know how much you'd rather stay in this corner until the end of the party, but who knows, you might actually have some fun. Or even meet someone you'll like."

"…"

Gaara had settled herself into this very corner of the room since arriving at the assembly hall. And, like all other parties she attended, she intended to remain there until it was time for them to leave.

"Come on Gaara. It's a party and everyone's having fun. Just one dance, please? No one's going to judge, I promise."

Sakura just wanted her logic-driven, socially awkward sister to let loose once in a while. She knew the other younger girls at Gaara's age avoided her younger sister like the plague, and she didn't blame them. Gaara was, quite frankly, very intense and at times, downright scary. But she also knew that if you dug deeper, Gaara is actually a very insecure little girl who had buried herself in her own protective barrier to avoid getting hurt.

"I don't dance."

Sakura's eyes widened at her words. Sure, she wasn't going to get Gaara to dance anytime soon, but the fact that Gaara spoke aloud in public was improvement enough as it is. She felt ridiculously happy at her sister's small display, but unfortunately for her, her happiness was about to be cut short.

"Teme! What on earth are you doing just standing there?"

Sakura didn't notice earlier, but just a mere three meters from where they were standing, beyond one of the thick poles supporting the hall, was Uchiha Sasuke, now joined by his blonde haired friend.

"Go dance or something!

Sasuke gave a slight scoff. "I certainly shall not. At an assembly like this? That would be insupportable."

"And why the hell not?"

"It would be nothing but a punishment for me to dance with any other woman here."

Naruto looked affronted as his best friend's words. "Stop being a bastard, teme! There's so many pretty girls here."

Another scoff. "You have been dancing with the only attactive girl in the room."

Sasuke had meant it as an insult to the town and his friend's hasty decision to move there, but was unsurprised when Naruto turned this conversation to lighter topics. "Hinata is very, very pretty. But Sakura-chan is very pretty also! You should dance with her!"

"Hn. She's tolerable. But not nearly as attractive enough as to tempt me."

Naruto continued trying to convince his friend but Sasuke stood firm.

"Go back to your dancing, dobe. Enjoy her smiles. You're wasting your time on me."

It wasn't long before Naruto gave up and hurried back to pretty Hinata's side, ready to ask for yet another dance. But even this thought did not cheer up Sakura, as she was still fuming at the proud Uchiha's insulting words. The silence was only broken by Gaara's second and last comment she made that night.

"So, no one's going to judge, eh?"

To be continued.

I've been wanting to do this for a while. In case you haven't realised, this is based off the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, but I have seen the Keira Knightly version and read the book, so don't be surprised if you see bits and pieces here and there. About updating, I honestly can't guarantee anything. It basically just depends on my mood and whether I have time. But reviews would encourage me *shameless grin*. And for those people who want to kill me for making Gaara a girl, please feel free to express your displeasure in a review (Lol! I really am shameless.) Oh, and it'll be sasusaku and naruhina, but I think that much is obvious already. For other pairings, you'll have to wait and see. I've already plugged in most of the naruto cast into the P&P roles but I would love to hear who you think should be what. Who knows? I may actually change them if it works better than my original idea.

So give me opinions, suggestions, flames, whatever.

:::cacrulz:::

Edit: 23 April 11 - Just some small changes to spelling and grammer that I noticed after I posted and a slight change of title at the suggestion of one of my reviewers. Also quick question: WHO SHOULD BE MR. WICKHAM? Pick who you think is best from the Naruto cast. I have a vague idea, but I'm not very satisfied with it, so any ideas/suggestions would be much appreciated.