Appearances Can Deceive
Chapter Two
"Welcome Home"
I'm back ya'll. I was trying to go a little longer on this chapter. Hopefully I made it. . Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed, it really meant a whole lot!
Well before we go to the present were going to take a look at what happened to Naruto before coming back to Kohnohagakure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naruto fell hard, rolling at least 20 yards before coming to rest at the base of a large cliff. This was pathetic. A year! It's been a whole year and he hasn't gotten anywhere in his training. The only thing he was able to do was make a rasengan without using a bushin.
He pushed his way to his feet and wiped the blood oozing from his lip away. 'Where did that old pervert get too?'
Jiraya appeared in a cloud of smoke next to Naruto, almost giving him a heart attack. "That's enough for today. Take it easy kid. You're pushing yourself way to hard."
"No Way! I'm not giving up yet!" Naruto rushed into hand signs and shouted. Kage Bushin no Jutsu.
Forty bushin appeared surrounding an ever calm Jiraya. 'This kid is gonna kill himself if he keeps it up.' "Come on Naruto. It's not worth getting hurt again."
Naruto didn't back down. They all rushed at once enveloping Jiraya in a dog pile, only to collapse to the ground. 'Damnit! It was a Shadow Clone the whole time'.
A sudden pain shot through Naruto's arm as his face came closer and closer to the ground. Jiraya stood over Naruto with both his arms pinned painfully behind his back.
"You've lost! You need to learn when to give up! Your gonna end up getting yourself killed one of these days."
Naruto ignored him and decided to pout instead, irritating Jiraya even more. "Fine, be that way." Jiraya released Naruto's arms and moved a few feet away to give Naruto some space to stand. "When you're ready to listen then come find me." With that Jiraya turned and made his way toward the village they were residing in for, at least, this month.
"AAAAHHHH! STUPID OLD PERVERT! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ANYWAY?" Naruto shouted only to be greeted with silence.
He was acting ridiculous, he knew that, and under normal circumstances would have admitted to it. But Ero-sennin was getting on his last nerve. Jiraya hadn't taught him a damn thing! They constantly moved from place to place, never getting any closer to finding information on Orichimaru or Sasuke. How could he bring Sasuke back, when he can't even beat the old perv?'
"I can help you out kit…" Naruto was suddenly sucked from the sunshine to the damp dark cell that imprisoned the Kyuubi within him.
'Not again?' This was becoming one of Naruto's least favorite places to be. It was too eerie and sent him on edge. "Are you paying attention brat!"
"What do you want you stupid fox?!" God he hated it here. The worst part was the cocky smile plastered all over the Kyuubi's face.
"Do you want to save your friend or not?" Kyuubi hissed.
Naruto sat down crossing his legs. "Ha, why would I trust you? You could care less if I get Sasuke back!"
"That's true, but I also realize that I'm stuck inside your body until you die. Which will be very soon if you do not get any stronger, and keep rushing into dangerous situations without thinking just for the sake of your miserable friends!
"Watch it fox! Yo…" Naruto was cut off by Kyuubi's booming voice. "Do you want to get stronger or not you ungrateful brat!"
Naruto scowled at Kyuubi. Then took a minute to think it over. "Ok what's the catch?"
Kyuubi's sadistic smile spread from ear to ear. He knew Naruto wouldn't be able to resist his proposition "No catch. You train under me, with absolutely no sassing back. Just follow my instructions. Do exactly as I say, and soon you'll be as strong as the old pervert…..or stronger!"
Naruto hesitated. It sounded all too good to be true. There HAD to be something wrong with this.
Kyuubi noticed Naruto's hesitation and frowned. "Listen kit this is probably the one and only time I offer you this option take it or leave it, your choice."
He needed to get stronger he knew that. He also knew that if Kyuubi said he wasn't going to offer this to him again, he wasn't bluffing. "Ok…." Naruto stood and faked a smile as best he could. "What do I do first Kyuubi-Sensei?"
Kyuubi's laugh made the walls of the cell vibrate like an earthquake. "Good choice Kit! Oh, and one more thing. Don't be surprised if I start to rub off on you."
-----------------------------------Present---------------------------------------------------------------
Jiraya sprang from another branch at top speed, barely able to keep up with Naruto as they neared the gate to Kohnohagakure. It was mind boggling. After Jiraya had refused to train Naruto till he learned to listen, he felt bad, and went to make amends with the brat.
Only, Naruto refused Jiraya's training claiming he would become strong with out Jiraya's help. At the moment it struck Jiraya as funny, but looking at Naruto know he realized it was just plain eerie.
The kid wasn't even a ghost of what he used to be. The goofy smile was replaced with almost a constant frown, or on occasion a cocky smirk. His outbursts had stopped all together. Instead Naruto took to barely speaking at all, unless he deemed it absolutely necessary. This just happened to be not very often. Jiraya had barely even seem him over the 2 and half year period.
The last few years had really changed Naruto, and not necessarily for the good.
Even his looks had taken a drastic change. He now stood at 5'9. Almost as tall as Jiraya. His blonde hair was tinged with red close to the tips and was still unruly as ever, but longer sometimes covering his eyes completely. The whisker marks on his face were becoming a little less noticeable. Though his canines were now impossible to miss.
Over the years Naruto had grown out of his clothes, so Jiraya had bought him new ones. After a big argument that consisted of Naruto claiming he didn't need anyone's charity.
He still wore orange, much to Jiraya's annoyance, but he opted for a darker almost black, blue around his shoulders.
They would be at the front gate soon at the rate they were going. So Jiraya called ahead to Naruto "Naruto slow down we have to talk to the guards first!"
Naruto didn't slow or even take the time to glance back before he focused more chakra into his feet and took off at a speed that would put Lee to shame. The guards only had enough time to see a blur, and feel a gust of wind that could knock them over, before Naruto jumped the gate. Leaving an angry Jiraya to explain the situation to the guards.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Thank you very much Ino-chan!" Hinata called back to Ino as she made her way out of the Yamanaka flower shop. She looked down at the beautiful white lilies in her hands. Hanabi was going to love them. Hinata reached her hand up beside her head to feel a fury head rub against her palm.
"There you are Okito." Hinata laughed as the little otter made his way from hiding behind her hair to sitting atop her head. Watching as people made there way past them, occasionally getting squeals of delight from the children wanting to pet the little fur ball.
It was funny, she wasn't even supposed to have the little hell raiser.
flashback
It was her first time trying to summon anything. Yugao had decided that Hinata would follow after Hayate and summon the otter. Of course Hinata was a little skeptical, out of all the animals; she didn't think an otter would be very fierce.
But Yugao went on to explain that Tsunade summoned snails, and if a snail was good enough for a Sennin in battle than an otter would be do wonders for Hinata. She couldn't argue with Yugao on that. It made to much sense so she agreed. Yugao took out a scroll and made Hinata sign her name next to Hayate's in blood. Then demonstrated to Hinata what to do.
Hinata nodded and started. Biting her lip then running quickly into the hand signs. She slammed her hand to the ground and watched as a black seal formed, and a puff of smoke erupted.
It took a few minutes before the smoke cleared, to reveal an otter about the size of little Akamaru. Hinata sweat dropped, but Yugao smiled and nodded her approval. Yugao then explained that she didn't expect Hinata to even be able to do it the first time, since not many did.
Hinata stared down at the ball of fluff and almost died when it spoke. "Hello my name is Okito. What can I do for you?"
"I-it can talk!" Hinata nearly screamed.
"Of course I can!" Okito said defensively, making Hinata apologize for the outburst and explain that she would know be able to summon otters as Hayate had before her. Okito nodded his understanding then jumped onto her shoulder. "Not bad for a beginner. I'm not the hardest Otter to summon but still not the easiest."
Needless to say Hinata was confused. So Okito went on "I'm still just a baby otter myself. And don't let the size confuse you. I'm still just as powerful as my father!" Okito puffed his chest out in an attempt to look manly that made Hinata giggle, and Okito blush.
end flash back
Ever since that day Okito refused to leave his masters side. He went everywhere with her, sometimes opting to hide behind her shoulder length hair. So as not to attract any attention. Today though, he felt uneasy. So he sat atop her head, on the vigil.
"What do you think Okito-Chan?" Hinata asked not realizing that Okito hadn't even been listening.
But like always he just pretended. Leaning down to dangle his head in front of Hinata's eyes. Obscuring her view. "I agree Hinata-san!" Hinata laughed knowing the little guy was just agreeing because he hadn't actually been paying attention.
Okito's head snapped out of the way just in time for Hinata to realize she was about to run into someone. Too late, she fell to the ground with an 'eep' forcing Okito off of her head to stand defensively in front of her.
Naruto stared down at the girl, she looked familiar, but he honestly didn't care who she was at that point. Then his gaze followed to the rat in front of her. "Damn rat." Was all he said before he side stepped to walk past both of them.
Hinata was seething with anger to say the least. They guy knocked her down, didn't even say sorry, and then had the nerve to call Okito a 'Damn Rat' She quickly grabbed the lilies that had fallen from her hands and stood. Turning to face the back of the man she had run into.
Her eyes grew wide; her heart beat a hundred miles an hour. She couldn't even get the insult she had prepared out. It was Naruto, she would know that spiky mess of hair anywhere...
Inner Hinata: "So What! He just knocked you down! Are you turning back into a push over? Huh?
Hinata clutched the flowers tighter and yelled in a voice so loud it made even Okito cringe. "You ignorant A' whole. Watch where your going next time you jerk!"
Naruto stopped dead, and Hinata realized she may have gone too far. Naruto turned to show he wasn't scowling; instead he had a cocky smirk and an annoying glint of amusement in his eyes. "A' whole? Ha. That's a new one. Usually I get Ass whole."
Naruto had to suppress a laugh. But the Kyuubi erupted with sadistic laughter. "This girl is too innocent for her own good."
Naruto knew who she was now. He knew before he even turned around. The only girl in Kohnohagakure that would say A' whole instead of using the much more insulting cuss word, was Hinata. Kyuubi was right. She was way too innocent for her own good.
She knew he was mocking her and it made her even angrier. Hinata never swore. Not once in her whole life, so she knew how dumb she sounded when she could only reply to people with what seemed child like insults.
Naruto turned to fully face Hinata "Well aren't you going to apologize. You're A'whole comment really hurt you know."
Apologize? To him? When he was the one that knocked her down? Naruto was joking….he had to be…. She took a deep breath to collect her self, remembering what Yugao had told her about showing anger, and spoke in a calm voice that could have made anyone feel beneath her. Something she had to give her dad at least some credit for. "Naruto-kun..." She smiled and continued. "It's nice to see you return safely to Konoha. I'm sorry we had to meet this way. I hope to see you again soon."
Hinata bowed gracefully and turned to leave with a smiling Okito trailing behind her. 'It seems Hinata has learned enough to control her temper.' Okito smiled and jumped onto her shoulder to be greeted with a pat on the head.
Hinata however wasn't feeling as triumphant as Okito. She couldn't even manage to hide the frown ruining her delicate features. 'Naruto…what has happened to you?' He acted so rude just then….. 'He was probably just joking Hinata calm down'.
Naruto watched Hinata walk away, and couldn't help the curiosity burning in his mind. She hadn't even stuttered, blushed, or fainted once while talking to him. Not to mention she formally disregarded giving him an apology. It had actually surprised him. He was prepared for anything, except her calm fleeting form.
"Looks like she's over you kit!" Kyuubi erupted into waves of laughter causing Naruto to scowl.
That's right. Naruto knew the whole time of Hinata's feelings. He might have been an idiot, but even a blind mind could have told you. He opted to act oblivious, letting everyone believe he was clueless. If Hinata didn't think he knew about her feelings then she wouldn't say anything to him. And he wouldn't have to hurt her by telling her he was only interested in Sakura. "Shut up fox."
Naruto was about to head the direction Hinata left but was stopped by none other than the pink headed kunoichi herself. "Naruto! I finally found you Tsunade-sama has already talked to Jiraya-Sama, she wishes to speak with you now." Sakura's smile was so wide it almost enveloped her whole face.
Naruto stepped around her and headed off. Only to see Sakura standing in front of him with a vein sticking out of her forehead. "Now Naruto!"
He took one last look at where Hinata had disappeared to, fully intending to continue their conversation later. Then turned to Sakura,. "Screaming doesn't make you look very appealing Sakura-Chan."
Sakura could only gap at Naruto as he left.
Inner Sakura: "That no good piece of shit! I'll break both his legs, and pound that hot face of his into the dirt…."
Sakura gasped and turned a bright shade of pink. (Very much like Hinata used too). Did she just think Naruto was hot!
'Well he sure as hell isn't ugly.' A voice in the back of her mind pushed. But she suppressed it.
"That's ridiculous! He's an idiot! And he's going to get the bashing of a life time!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's it for now! Sorry I couldn't help but put Sakura in here. I hate the pairing NaruSaku, but hey if it spices things up a little why not?
Me: "Next time on Appearances Can Deceive. Naruto is finally able to take the Chunnin exam but needs a three man team. Who will he be paired up with, and what's the cause for celebration at the Hyuuga's household?"
