..Chapter Four..

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When Hinata had left her final class for the day she'd come to one conclusion...

People hated Gaara.

Well, no, that was too strong a word. They didn't hate him. They were outright afraid of him. How had the boy managed to incur such a reputation in two years?

Hinata assumed the rumor Naruto had told her about had to be just a joke. Apparently people actually believed it. Some did anyway. Especially the hard ass christian types. She'd even been told by one girl that someone had tried to exorcize him last year; thinking his outright horrible attitude and mute-by-choice ways were the work of a demon. Boy had they gotten the shock of a life; considering, she'd been told he'd been near beating the idiot into a pulp for throwing holy water on him. Had it not been for his older brother he would have.

These people were nuts. They had to be.

Ok, not all of them were. Some of them, like Sasuke Uchiha and his brother Sai didn't seem to have much bad to say about him. Another shock there. She'd only found out by accident that the two men were brothers. Supposedly they didn't like announcing it to the world. Sakura told her they both had too many fan girls as it was. If the school knew they were related, even if only by marriage, girls would show up by the troves to get one to help her nab the other. And while Sai liked to play around with the 'chicks' as Sakura put it... he didn't like dealing with Sasuke's fan girls. They were worse than his own.

Or so she'd been told.

"Hinata!" A familiar voice called her.

She looked up from her dragging feet to see Temari. She tried for a tentative smile as the older women made her way to her.

"Are you ready for an afternoon of shopping?" She grinned at her.

She nodded. Inside she was still unsure. But how could she refuse the kind woman's offer to help her? Besides, she really was looking forward to an afternoon with some friends. Something she was in sore need of. Something that had been on her list of goals this trip.

"Great! Oh, and Sakura told me." She smiled. "She's so pushy. Poor thing had no idea I was going to invite her and Ino anyway." And then she was leading her down the hall and towards the entrance.

And... in the back of Hinata's mind... she had to wonder however she came out of this... would Gaara like her new look?

ooo

"This one! Try on this one!"

"You'll look fantastic in this."

"Guys will be all over you in this as well."

Hinata blinked at the clothes being tossed in her arms for the dressing room. She looked back up at the three girls with bleak eyes. Half the clothes they'd picked out showed more skin than she'd ever been prepared to reveal in her life. Were they trying to turn her into a hooker? Her thoughts were moving in a disastrous direction.

Maybe she was over reacting a little bit, she tried to tell herself. He'd always wanted her to dress more confidently. Not whorishly. Just confidently. She vaguely recalled looking through magazine with him as he tried to get her to visualize a new look for herself. Many of the items in in it he'd suggested looked no different from the one's she was now holding in her arms with confusion and fear ridden all over her face.

She felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, that girl who's name she could never recall from Never Been Kissed and Audrey Hepburn from My Fair Lady all wrapped into one. Well, she thought, a little disgusted with herself, maybe not so much Julia Roberts. She'd really been a hooker.

"You ok, Hina?" Temari looked at her with concern.

"Yes," She smiled with a new found enthusiasm. "I am. I'll go in the dressing room and try these on. Just keep handing me more when we figure out which ones to go with and which ones to put aside."

Temari looked almost surprised. She'd been worried for a moment that the shy girl would back out of this whole thing and want to go home. She'd been more than prepared for a pep talk. However, whatever fears the young ebony haired girl had seemed to have before were gone. Temari couldn't be happier. "Good." She said with a smile and watched the girl wander off behind the white door.

Temari turned back to the two women currently chatting it up. "Hey... is it just me... or are we picking out things maybe... too..."

"...normal?" Ino offered, her full attention now on Temari.

Temari nodded. "Most of these clothes seem more my style or yours, Ino." She turned to Sakura. "What do you think?"

She shrugged. "Have we even asked what she wanted to wear?"

"No, we haven't..." Temari pondered. However her mind was wondering what Gaara might like to see her in. The problem with that was she had no idea, since she had nothing to base it on. Gaara never indicated any interest in any women in his whole life. The closest he got was bands. Bands that happened to have a good female member. And he never commented on their looks. Only the sound.

She eyed the two girls. "You know... I'd rather not make too much of a drastic change.. but.."

"But what?" Ino offered.

Her lips twitched as she considered. "I think it might be just what she needs."

Sakura blinked, hands on her leather skirted hips. "What kind of change?" She loved plotting.

"What if... "Temari edged quietly... "...we had her try on some thing more Sakura's style. Not exact... but more dark. More goth.. Not too much pink. I think the color might look terrible on her. Too Strawberry Shortcake." She paused a moment, thinking. "Something more... black. It would not only bring out her hair and eyes but show the lovely contrast in her pale skin."

"Ohhhhhh," Sakura breathed. "I love it. Not as skimpy as my style. Maybe more refined? More elegant?"

"Exactly," Temari said. "We could make her out to look like a bloody fallen angel or a lost princess. Hell, she's got the act. All she needs is the look."

Ino grinned. "Regality always gives one confidence."

"And that's exactly what our girl needs." Temari finished triumphantly.

"But..." Sakura edged with a pout. "We won't find any of the stuff here. And I'm not going to Hot Topic again. I'm so sick of their commercialism I could be sick."

Ino wrinkled her nose. "True... where then?"

Temari grinned. "We'll go to my favorite shop. It's got enough variety to satisfy even the most picky of dressers. The Blue Demon."

"Um, how's this?" Hinata came out.

"Not too bad," Temari said, "We'll take that and go. Keep it on and rip off the tags. We'll buy the bras and underwear too we picked out earlier."

She blinked in confusion. "Why? Is something wrong with the other clothes?"

She shook her head. "No, I've got an idea I need to run with. We're going to another shop."

"O-ok," Hinata said and turned to do what she asked.

ooo

The first thing our young heroine thought when she walked into the small shop was... whoa. It had clear, clean windows to peer into. The front one bore the name The Blue Devil in bright silvery blue letters. It was like a cross between calligraphy and tribal.

The shop itself was daunting. It was daring and different. The clothing came in all shapes, colors, fabrics, styles and sizes. The most amazing part of it all...? She felt like she was in a dream. Everything was so... abnormal and yet lovely all at once. A lot of it reminded her of something she would see on a movie about vampires, fairy princesses and noble courtiers all rolled into one.

"Ok," stated Sakura as she looked at her, "I know we said we were going to help you. And I promise you we will. But, for now I want you to go look through some things and pick out some stuff you like."

Hinata nodded eagerly. She much preferred this idea. There was so much in the shop she was already wanted to dive into.

"Ok, have at it!" Ino cried to her.

The shopping took almost all afternoon. They didn't leave once. The poor sales clerk was at her wits end trying to get them everything they needed for the young girl. Accessories, earrings, shoes, more bras and underwear, hose and even some make up. Hinata was amazed they sold that.

She tried on everything. From sparkling silver shoes to gowns that looked like they belonged in the Renaissance. There were hats of all shapes and sizes. Gloves, she found, were her new friend. She purchased one pair for every day of the week. Her favorite pair being a set which were fingerless only at the tips. They cuffed slightly halfway up her forearm. All black and all leather. She could see herself playing her cello in these.

She had at least three new pairs of shoes. One were a pair of boots for everyday wear that reached her knees. They had only a slight heel and buckled in the front. Another pair were small ballet type slippers. They too were black and had a red ribbon on the front. Her final pair were just a pair of fuzzy white slippers. Nothing too important. but she needed some.

She bought skirts, dresses, tops with belled sleeves and silken scarves for just about anything one could think of using them for. She bought picks for her hair to be done up oriental style and tiny butterfly looking clips made of false crystal to pull some of her bangs back.

She bought warmers for her arms and legs made of an array of colors. And the gowns... oh, the gowns. Some were made of chiffon. Some had corset-like tops that seemed more elegant than whorish to Hinata. Sure, they showed a food amount of cleavage... but, she'd always wanted to look as pretty as some of the women in those films.

By the time all of this was done she was in daze and worn out. At some point her other three friends had wandered off; more than happy she'd found what she needed on her own. Temari said she'd had a hidden style of her own just waiting to pop out in the right shop. And it had.

Now she found herself looking around more closely. She still felt like there was something missing. Something she needed for tonight. She just couldn't put her finger on it. All of her clothes were lovely. Every one of them was... gorgeous. Temari was more than kind for all of this. She intended to make it up to her some how.

As she wandered further to the back of the shop something in a darkened corner caught her eye. It was almost fleeting and yet there all the same. She drew in closer to it, feeling like something marvelous was just waiting for her.

When she finally reached it her breath caught. It was the most magnificent dress she'd ever seen. It was almost too good for her. The first thing she noted about it was the back as she circled. On the back were two white angel wings stitched in elaborately. They were lined in silver and looked to be almost painted on. That's just how good the seam work was. The wings were done not into the back of the gown itself, but instead into a cape that was attached to the back of it. The material was that same blue black midnight. Sewn into the fabric itself were tiny sparkling sequence. It fell to the floor in length.

It was just off the shoulders and would easily reveal only a hint of cleavage. Just enough to catch the eyes but not too much to leave nothing to the imagination. The edges of the neckline spiked upward all around in just a bare hint. Like soft lace. The sleeves were only slightly belled to go past one's wrists and over her knuckles.

It was enough to make her want to cry. There was no way imaginable she could afford this lovely gown. Nor would she ask Temari for it after she'd spent so much already.

"You like it?" The sales clerk was suddenly right next to her.

She nodded.

"Take it."

Hinata turned her eyes swiftly to her. "W-what?" Had she heard her right?

She only smiled. "I made it for someone like you."

"Y-you? You made this?" She stared at her with new found admiration. It was beautiful. More lovely than anything else in the store. "I can't take it. I just can't. You put so much w-work into it."

She grinned at her, chuckling. "You're right. I did. But I don't sell my favorite pieces. I make them because the inspiration comes to me; telling me that eventually... someone will walk through those doors and be made for it." She leaned over and whispered. "I have a gift... and I know this dress, without a doubt, will fit you and only you."

As she pulled back all Hinata could do was stare.

"It'll be an insult to me if you don't take it." She began to frown.

Hinata felt her face flare up. "Oh... n-no I wouldn't... I m-mean... I wouldn't want to insult you." She fought for words.

She laughed, bring Hinata back as ease. "I'll pull it down as you can take it with you." She was already reaching up and pulling down the false model the gown was draped over.

"Shouldn't I try it on first?"

"I told you," she smiled as she carefully took the gown off the model. She started towards the counter and Hinata followed. She reached for a hanger and a bag to cover it in. "it will fit no one but you."

Hinata could only nod at the mysterious woman as she accepted the gift. She did manage a, "Thank you," though.

"No problem. Take good care of it. It's my best piece."

"I will," she said urgently.

All the woman did was smile at her.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

AN: My inspiration for Hinata's gown came from the dress in Ever After that Drew Barrymore wore near the end of the movie when she goes to finally tell Henry the truth and it backfires for her. It isn't the same exactly, but the design is there. I didn't give her the large wings in the back because... well... she is going to a party with a bunch of kids and it would hamper her. It's not a masque.

And a store named the Blue Devil really does exist here in Florida. It's located in Ybor city. Although it's just a really, really good tattoo shop. Better than atomic in my opinion. However, more expensive.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews make me want to write more sooner. But, for those who have reviewed... Thank you.

--Blade