XXXOne Year LaterXXX

Naruto looked up from the small book he was reading when Hinata walked in. "Hinata!" Naruto bounded over and hugged her. "Is it dinner time?" As if to emphasize his hunger his stomach growled.

Hinata giggled. "No Naruto. It's not time to eat. In fact, if today goes well. You're not going to be staying in this room all day."

Naruto looked at her with his neck angled. "I can go, outside?" His face started to light up. "Let's go, let's go, LET'S GO!"

Naruto started to run around the room and Hinata opened the door while laughing. "Come on Naruto, there's a whole village to see."

The two quickly walked through the halls of the Hyuuga mansion. Well, Hinata walked quickly. Naruto's head was swiveling around looking at this place he hadn't seen before.

Hinata looked back at him. "Naruto, come on, hurry."

Naruto walked over to her. "Hinata? Why do only you, your father, and Iruka come to see me?"

Hinata turned fully towards him. "Naruto, do you remember what you were like? Right before you came here."

Naruto looked at her. "Shouldn't I?"

Hinata looked stared at him. "Naruto, I'll tell you, but not right now. We have to go."

Naruto nodded and started following her. Hinata gasped as she saw one of the clan council start to turn around the corner. "Naruto, hide!"

She turned to see he was gone. As she turned around she came face to chest with the council member. She bowed to show him the proper respect.

He looked into her eyes piercingly. "I have heard you're finally beginning to grow strong. I think a test will be in order. Another time, Lady Hinata." The word 'lady' came out with incredible vehemence.

Hinata started to look around. "Naruto?" She felt something wet drip onto her head. She looked up to see Naruto hiding in the rafters and glaring at the council member. A Naruto glare was something that should be avoided at all costs. Nowadays it included, baring his teeth and his claws curling, claws that were ready to slice into somebody.

"Naruto, Naruto!" He turned toward her and the anger started to disappear. "Stay in the rafters. Don't let anybody see you." Naruto nodded and moved higher up.

Hinata carefully made her way through the building. As she tried to keep an eye on him, she quickly realized that the only way he'd be caught was if someone was using the Byakugan. She smiled to herself as she made her way out the front door. Carefully checking to make sure nobody was around except the guards, she signaled to Naruto. They made their way past and the guards turned a blind eye to the boy they'd seen enter the house more than a year before.

And so Naruto, for the first time in so many years, could walk freely through the streets of Konoha.

Or so he'd thought.

XXXMarket PlaceXXX

"Hinata, why do I have to wear this?" He pulled at the strap that held the metal mouth guard on his face. It was worked into a pair of fearsome jaws that opened enough for him to breath, speak, and even eat some little things.

"It was Iruka's and my father's idea. When it was presented to the Hokage he agreed it was for the best. When in public you're going to have to wear that, so you might as well get used to it."

"I don't like it." He pulled at the strap again.

The two where walking through the area when Naruto took a whiff of the air around him and growled.

"Out of my way kid." Naruto was roughly pushed to the side. Or at least he would have been if he hadn't grabbed the man's arm and broken it.

He roughly grabbed the man by his shirt and growled at him. "Don't ever touch me again, or I'll rip your throat out with my teeth."

"Let him go! Naruto, let him go." Hinata's voice broke through the haze of beastial rage that clouded Naruto's mind.

He let go of the man's shirt causing him to drop to the ground. He lay there whimpering.

Hinata quickly moved to the man. "Don't worry, I'll find help. Just stay here." She looked over at Naruto with anger. "You can't do that! You CAN'T!"

Naruto stared at her. The anger in her voice transporting his mind back to barely remembered hatred.

She turned quickly toward the man not noticing the sadness on Naruto's face.

When she turned back he was gone.

XXXThe Hokage MonumentXXX

Naruto didn't know why he'd come here. It was almost as if some half-buried memory had driven him to the spot. He found a spot to curl up and stayed still.

"HIIIIIINAAAAAAAATAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" His eyes filled with tears. Something that hadn't happened since he first got lost in the forest. He curled himself into a smaller ball and fell asleep.

(A/N) YOHA BROHA! (fifty points to whoever tells me where I got that) Sorry I ain't updated in the last few days, but my phone line went down in a storm. Screwed us over real good. Even lost some electricity. Compared to others we got off lucky. Well, if you count me having to chop up tree limbs with a hand axe lucky. Anyways so, at this time I still don't have a phone line, so updating this, Betrayed, and Halfa's New Home will be my first priority. YES, I HAVE A NEW CHAPTER FOR HNH!