A/N: Thank you again to those who reviewed, I really appreciated it (:

Disclaimer: No, but you can give it to me for my birthday.

Claimer: My Kari. MINE.

Secrets, Feelings and Acceptance

And for the first time he truly felt he wasn't alone.

She didn't care about the circumstances.

He was himself and she loved him regardless of anything.

"Run that by me again?"

Kari heaved a sigh, inhaling until her lungs expanded to their maximum, before she huffed out again. She had come straight to the Hyuuga compound to tell Neji and Hinata of her adventures only for Hinata to faint at the sight of her and Neji's usually blank face to explode into complete and utter shock. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Now this would have been incredibly funny to Kari if she wasn't so horribly self-conscious. She was paranoid people were staring at her (which they were) and was very embarrassed. She absolutely hated crowds of people she didn't know and hated even more when people stared at her, judging her.

"I told you, it just happened on the mission" Kari repeated. She decided to keep to herself what Kakashi had explained to herself and Naruto.

"All right you lot, I think it's time for a break, we'll be there soon" Kakashi said boredly. "Naruto, Kari-chan, come here I need to talk to you." The two ninja looked at each other wondering what they'd done before following Kakashi a little away from Sasuke and Sakura, who were having a one sided conversation; Sakura talking, Sasuke ignoring.

"What's up Kaka-sensei?" Kari questioned the jonin as he looked at them seriously. Kakashi was a lazy, easy-going guy with a hint of playfulness here and there. He was only serious or angry when necessary.

"I noticed strange chakra coming from you two while you were in the dome of mirrors with Haku" Kakashi said. Kari's eyes immediately dropped to the floor and her face saddened. Haku's name was taboo for her; she was still really upset she lost him.

"Eh?" Naruto asked, ever the clueless one.

"Demonic chakra" Kakashi said staring down at his genin. They had the right to know, Naruto already did, Kari didn't. They would easily be able to support one another. Besides, Kari's newly developed canine ears and tail would sure to cause some commotion.

"You mean…?" Naruto began, his eyes widening in understanding. Maybe there was hope for him after all, but then again, if he hadn't realised, Kakashi would have really, really wanted to hit him.

"Hai Naruto. Kari, Naruto holds the Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox.It attacked Konoha just over twelve years ago. It was sealed within Naruto when he was a baby by the Yondaime, the fourth Hokage, who sacrificed himself for the technique, to save the village. You on the other hand, I have reason to believe you hold the Torai-Kenshi; the Tri-canine" Kakashi explained.

"The what?" Kari asked, her head snapping up as confusion danced in her eyes.

"That would explain why you came to this world, the Torai-Kenshi have incredible powers. Transporting between dimensions and worlds could easily be possible for them. I'm afraid I'm not too sure on the details of your demons Kari; they were thought to be myths. It was thought to be impossible power; the power of balance; Good, Neutral, Evil."

"Wait… they?" Kari repeated. Kakashi sighed inwardly. He would have to read up on the Torai-Kenshi once he finished his paperwork. If Kari really did contain them; well… Kakashi would sure be in for a bumpy ride.

"Hai, they. Good, Neutral, Evil."

"So… Kari-chan's like… Kami?" Naruto asked, utterly nonplussed.

"No Naruto… Kari is not God…" Kakashi sighed. Though the boy may have a point come to think of it… If memory serves correctly they're said to have unfathomable power. "I'll look into it when we get back. Oh and you two," Kakashi gave them a very hard look. "This is to remain secret. Understood?" Naruto and Kari quickly nodded, slightly unnerved by their sensei. "Good" he said airily, beginning to walk back.

"And how exactly?" Neji pressed, wanting to know the reasons for my sudden hybridity. After all, it's not everyday your student, if Kari could be called that, walks in with a tail.

"I just… I dunno… Do you think of me differently?" Kari asked shyly looking at her hands which were folded in her lap. Neji had led her to the nearby porch and sat down to pull himself together. Kari felt horribly uncomfortable and ever so nervous under his penetrating gaze. She was suddenly hit with a flashback, continuing on from the last.

"Wait, Kari-chan!" Naruto said suddenly, as Kari went to follow her sensei. She looked back at him, surprised to see he seemed awkward and anxious, his eyes glued to the ground.

"Naruto?" Kari questioned, turning back to face him. She was slightly worried at seeing his stress. She wanted to know what was bothering him.

"Now you know th-that I…" Naruto trailed off and gulped. "That I have that… that thing… inside me… Do you hate me too? Everyone has always shunned me because of it. Because I'm a monster…" Naruto sniffled slightly and Kari's heart went out to him. Her brave Naruto-kun, he had said everyone ignored him when he said he wanted to be Hokage. That he wanted people to notice him and give him respect. Everyone must have been scared of him and given him the cold shoulder because he was different.

Before Naruto could bring himself to look up and await his friends reaction to his deepest darkest secret, he felt arms wrap around him and pull him into a tight embrace.

"You idiot, you're still Naruto! It's inside you; it's not actually you as in yourself. You're still that sweet goofy guy that welcomed me with open arms and a big smile. Besides, don't I have one inside me too? Or did Kaka say three? Anyway, surely we're closer because we know each others secrets. Best friends tell each other everything after all!" Kari pulled away, a sincere smile gracing her lips. "You're still my Naruto-kun aren't you? Except now…" her smile widened. "You're my Kitsune-niisan! My fox brother!"

Naruto's eyes widened as a smile spread across his face, curving his whiskers as his eyes became watery.

"KARI-CHAN!!" he cried, flinging his arms around her. "We're gonna be best friends forever! I'll never think different of you because you've got something inside you; it means we're more alike! I'm always gonna be here for you Ookami-neechan! Always, always, wolf sister!" Naruto cried, his face buried into her shoulder. Kari would probably never know how much this meant to Naruto, to truly be accepted and understood, loved regardless of that monster that caused him to be hated by everyone. It was the first time he had been held and told he mattered, that she cared about him.

For her, he was truly thankful.

Neither of them noticed Kakashi standing behind a tree, smiling in pride over his too young jinchuuriki-ninja. No doubt they would face troubles in the future holding bijuu, but for now, embracing each other with smiles on their faces, they're just kids, just best friends, just happy and that's what they're meant to be. Happy.

"I don't suppose so, you're still yourself after all" Neji said after a minute's thought.

"Really?" Kari said surprised. Neji nodded, his arms folded. He was still trying to figure out the reason for her sudden canine-like extras. But no matter how much he wracked his brain, he couldn't think of any logical answer. And it irritated him. Oh how it irritated the genius to not be able to work something out. "NEJI-KUN!" the girl cried, throwing herself on the unsuspecting Hyuuga. He stared at her in confusion (and also slight pain; she was hugging rather tightly). "I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me anymore because I looked like some freaky science experiment! I mean I got such funny looks, I was sure I'd be an outcast or something and—" Neji placed a finger on her lips to stop the flow of stressed speech. She was talking too fast for him to understand properly.

"It's all right, no one who knows you will think of you differently. If they do, I'll have a word with them." Neji soothed in the best way he could. Her eyes shined and for one tense moment, Neji thought she was going to flood him with gratitude again and pull him into an even more suffocating hold. To his relief however, she pulled away and a bright smile lit her face.

"Arigatou Neji-kun I needed that" she said. "And thanks for looking out for me, same for you, any problems and I'll go kick ass" Neji lightly chuckled. He almost believed she could solve his problems, if only it was that simple… "Oh! Hinata-chan! Is she ok? I kind of scared her with my… you know" Kari motioned to her triangular wolfish ears. Neji's smile vanished as he hmphed and turned away scowling. "Neh? Oi Neji-kun, what's with the sour look, did I say something wrong?" Kari asked frowning.

"It's a long story Kari" he grumbled, still refusing to look at her. She scooted in front of him and sat on his feet, her chin resting on his knees. Neji almost laughed at how dog-like she appeared.

"I got time, now come on, your feet will go numb and I'll get uncomfortable" she coaxed. Neji placed a hand on Kari's head, a smile creeping onto his face at how her ears twitched at his touch. He really was fond of her, all her little ways of cheering him up and getting him to smile. It was a rather rare occurrence these days. In the little time he'd known Kari he'd really gotten fond of her. After a few hours non-stop of questions and training she had become comfortable around him. He was glad; he found it hard to get close to people, yet she just had a way of getting through.

"Very well, though you should make yourself more comfortable" Neji said, patting the space on the porch beside him. She immediately sat there and stared at him with interest. "You see, the Hyuuga clan has two families. The head family, who control the clan and live in the head house, make all the decisions and such, and the branch family who are to serve them until death." Kari bristled a little and Neji was glad to see she didn't agree, even with the little he had told her so far. "I am of the branch family—" Kari's fur on her tail stood on end as she looked to explode into a rant. Luckily though, she held it in. Neji appreciated this as it was easier to keep going when he had started. "Hinata-sama is of the head family, she is the heir to the clan."

"She is?" Kari said tilting her head to the side. Neji nodded and continued.

"Hiashi-sama, her father, is the head of the clan and also my uncle."

"Then surely you should be in the main family too?" Kari cried.

"Hiashi-sama was older than my father Hizashi by a few mere minutes yet, those few minutes meant he wasn't to be the head of the clan, he was thrown to the branch family to serve his brother, the cursed seal placed upon his forehead."

"Seal?"

"It gives the main branch the power to torture the branch member, activating the seal attacks the brain causing unimaginable pain and could very easily kill them. The seal turns your brains to mush." Neji said bitterly.

"Do you—?" Kari cried in horror. Neji nodded solemnly and was surprised when she squeezed his arm in a motion of comfort. She nodded for him to go on.

"But… worse than that... As a member of the branch family, my father was forced to sacrifice himself for his older brother. He was killed in Hiashi-sama's place. You see, when Hinata-sama was four years old she was kidnapped. Hiashi-sama killed the man instantly and rescued his daughter. However, the kidnapper was the leader of the Cloud Village. The leader had only just signed a peace treaty with Konoha. Despite the Sandaime's protests the Cloud Village were in fury, refusing to accept the truth. They believed their leader had been murdered for Konoha's own gain. They called for Hiashi-sama's head. Should they be refused, war was sure to break out." Neji paused before continuing. "But the Hyuuga elder came up with a plan to use my father's body instead of Hiashi-sama's. As twins they looked identical, there was no way to tell between them. And so… my father was killed in Hiashi-sama's place… and I was left alone."

"Oh Neji-kun…" Kari said softly. "But surely that's not Hinata-chan's fault?"

"She's one of them Kari, I hate the entire main branch" Neji spat.

"Well, sorry if I say I'm not going to stop my friendship with her." Neji shot the kunoichi a very dirty look. Kari smiled sadly. "Come on Neji, what could she have done? I agree Hiashi's in the wrong and is a complete prick, that the main/branch thing is a load of crap and that it was completely unfair on your father. But it wasn't her fault" Kari reasoned.

"Believe what you want" Neji said. Kari rolled her eyes. Teenage boys… Got to hate puberty. Wait… she was a teenage girl back in her world and was… a woman… Was she …a woman… here? Yes, she did have the necessary …items… required for …monthly needs… but she should be starting her cycle soon seeing as she's been here nearly a month… and had just finished before coming… Did anime people even have them? They must do… But did she have them now at the tender age of twelve? She was fourteen when she started. How stressful…

"Do you want me to lick you?"

"What?!" Neji cried moving away from her.

"I needed a tension breaker!" Kari cried indignantly. Must be… I'm temperamental and all motherly over Naruto and Neji and Hinata at the moment. Oh KAMI what am I gonna do about Sasuke!? This will only end in my tears… "Just because I'm friends with Hinata-chan doesn't stop me caring bout you! Look, I'll go see this Hiashi guy and go give him a piece of my mind!" Kari cried immediately standing up and making her way towards the grander looking part of the Hyuuga compound. In horror, realising Kari was completely serious about going and biting Hiashi's head off, Neji immediately grabbed her and held her back. "OFF! I'm gonna go tell this He-she guy exactly what I think of him!"

"You can't go storming up to the head of the Hyuuga clan and rant at him, you'll be—"

"I don't care! He's not getting away with this!" Kari struggled fiercely against Neji's hold, the boy's heels dragging into the floor as he struggled to hold her back. Finally, after a ten minute struggle, Kari began to get bored. Neji was definitely winning there little struggle and she was sane enough to recognise defeat. "All right, all right. Now let go. I didn't exactly pick daisies on my mission and your pressing on my healing ribs."

"You were hurt?" Neji said. She could almost see him narrowing his eyes in displeasure. So Kari decided she'd share her story in payment for his. She explained about Zabuza and Haku, about both fights and the struggles she and her team mates faced and also about her new name (created by Naruto). She left out about the demonic chakra and how she jumped in front of Kakashi's attack and almost died and the fact she cried a little when Sasuke 'died' (she will never forgive him for that). "It sounds like a difficult battle, you must have really benefited. Did you struggle because of your inexperience?"

"Definitely. But thanks to you training me in the morning I didn't do too badly! Oh and I owe you a hug and a free serving of your favourite food in payment" Kari grinned at the mental promise she made to herself. "Without you I'd be dead meat!"

"Right… You don't need to repay me, just continue to allow me to teach you, I want to see how much you've improved in the three or so weeks since I last saw you." Kari inwardly whistled. Three weeks huh? It seems like I've been here a lot longer, even if I haven't properly settled in. Wonder how everyone is back home… Never realised how much I would miss them all…

"Well I'm off. Catcha later Neji-sensei" Kari said with a wave. She saw him raise an eyebrow at being called a sensei. "Neji-kun" she decided, changing her mind. He's not old enough to be considered a sensei.

"Ja Hikari" Neji said simply. Yup, Kari had decided that her Naruto name may as well be 'Mitsukai Hikari' after all, Naruto named her. Yes, she will always be known as Kari, she's grown incredibly fond of the name and feels it suits her, but Naruto named her 'Hikari' therefore that is her name. God bless Naruto, she loved the little dork to pieces.

"Anou… Kari-chan?"

"Aiyee! Who—? What—? Wh—Oh! Hinata!" Kari cried clutching her heart. "Holy mother of Kami you're good at hiding!" our dearest wolf-girl had skipped past Hinata without noticing she was there. Needless to say, Kari was feeling rather stupid at the moment. Hinata glanced at the ground, pressing her fingers together nervously.

"I heard… w-what you s-said to Onii-san…" she said quietly. Had Kari's not been a rather soft spoken person herself, she would have missed what Hinata had said. Kari had a natural quiet voice which she had inherited from her father back in her world. But if she was hyper or annoyed she could screech just as loud as Naruto, a trait she picked up from her grandmother on her mothers side.

"Who?" Kari asked rather cluelessly. My, wasn't Naruto rubbing off on her…

"N-Neji-niisan…" Kari instantly paled. Kuso! Had she said something offensive?

"O-oh! Yeah I was talking to Neji! I umm… GOMEN! I didn't mean to upset you in anyway!" Kari blurted out throwing herself into a bow of apology, in the tradition of Japanese manners.

"Upset me?" Hinata repeated, her lilac orbs questioning. "Y-you didn't upset me Onee-chan… I just… w-wanted to th-thank you… f-for defending me" Hinata said softly.

"That's ok Hina-chan" Kari said warmly, placing a comforting hand on the shy girl's shoulders. "If you don't mind me asking, why'd you call me Onee-chan?"

"I j-just… I w-well I… w-wanted t-to… I won't if y-you d-don't want me t-to…" Hinata said softly. "You s-seem like an older s-sister. Standing up f-for m-me and such…"

"Well there's no need to stutter in front of big sisters are there Hinata-imouto?" Kari said smiling. She couldn't help but find the shy Hyuuga girl adorable. She was so kind-hearted, if she could just build up her self confidence she would be able to see it for herself. Hinata's cheeks flushed as a shaky smile crept onto her face. She nodded, her dark blue bangs swishing with the slight movement.

"Do you want to come in and sit down?" Hinata offered, without so much as a trace of a stutter. Kari beamed with pride at Hinata's inner strength, seeing great promise. You sure are a strong-hearted person aren't you?

"Neji-niisan seems to like you" Hinata said softly, from her seat across from Kari. Hinata's room was simple and clean painted lilac and white. Light flooded in from the open window and the pleasant scent of fresh air mixed with flowers drifted across the room. Kari had come to notice an increase in sense awareness. Things seemed louder to her, smells more strong and she found she could see clearer and further and in much more detail than before. She was incredibly happy about this, as it made her feel more in tune with nature. Kari shrugged.

"What's up with your dad though? Why does he have this Main and Branch family thing?" Kari questioned. Having your own relatives as slaves, it didn't get much harsher than that in Kari's opinion.

"It's been Hyuuga rules for a very long time, to be honest I don't agree w-with it e-either…" Hinata said softly fiddling with her fingers again. What Kari had realised is that Hinata only stuttered badly when uncomfortable, and played with her hands when she was nervous. Kari smiled and nodded in approval.

"That's a good thing Hinata-chan, it shows you know the difference between right and wrong. You don't seem that keen on your father though." Kari had noticed she became more withdrawn with the mention of her father and seeing as Kari didn't have the best impression of the Hyuuga head she would most definitely go and obliterate him if he was abusing Hinata.

"It's n-n-nothing…" Hinata said softly. Kari gave her a stern stare, it made Hinata slightly uncomfortable but she could see it wasn't unkind.

"You can tell me anything Hina, if Neji trusts me I must be good for something" Kari said softly. She couldn't help but feel the need to shelter and protect the shy girl, having had shyness troubles of her own in the past.

"W-well… he has very high exp-pect-tations of m-me…" Hinata admitted. "A-and H-Hinabi-chan m-my younger s-sister… she… she shows m-more p-promise than m-me…" Hinata admitted awkwardly. Kari felt her heart melt.

"Hyuuga Hinata" Kari said, Hinata's eyes snapped up to meat Kari's. It was strange how different they are. Hinata's pale orbs of the moon with an ever so slight tint of lilac, Kari's eyes alive with a mixture of greens, greys and blue's, ever-changing with her moods yet holding a beauty regardless. "Everyone's special in their own way, just because you may not be as strong physically as other people, even your younger sister, it doesn't mean you're not strong. You've got inner strength Hina-chan; you just need to see it in yourself."

"I do?" Hinata said surprised. She wondered if Kari was just being kind, she was a lovely person from what Hinata knew about her so far, greeting her with a smile when she saw her on her way to train with Neji and was ever so friendly. But there was some sort of sincerity in Kari's words that Hinata found strength from, found courage. A smile made its way onto Hinata's face; it hurt her cheeks slightly, as the shy girl was not used to smiling in such a way but it felt wonderful. Is this what its like to smile like Naruto-kun? Her cheeks flushed as her smile soften slightly, yet with the same amount of happiness. Kari's smile mirrored Hinata's, able to read the girls thoughts easily. She'd be great with Naruto, they'd complete each other… She looked so loving when she saw Naruto at the ramen stand, what sweet puppy love…

"How 'bout we make a promise?" Kari said as the idea struck her. Hinata looked up in slight confusion. "We'll be friends forever, no matter what!" Kari said happily. She and Naruto had done something of the sort between themselves, a super secret, unbreakable contract to always, always be friends. It had been Naruto's idea and Kari thought it was the sweetest thing. She thought Hinata might like it, especially since it was Naruto's creation (not that she knew that, it could be a conversation for when they were a little closer). Hinata's eyes shone as she nodded; amazed at the girl in front of her. Hinata barely knew Kari and yet, the girl was willing to swear to be her friend forever. It took a special person to make such promises and Hinata knew that Kari would keep it, taking their friendship to the grave and beyond.

"I promise Kari-neechan, we'll always be there for each other" Hinata said, her hands taking hold of the blonde kunoichi's, her Hyuuga's eyes filled with determination. Kari was slightly taken aback by the fire in Hinata's eyes, but was incredibly happy for her.

"Best friends 'till the end."

"Sister's forever."