submitted by various readers, who will listed at the end.
Author Note:
I apologize for how long this chapter took to get out, and for any errors found. My beta reader,
DarkAngstScary, has done a wonderful job and is monumentally helpful, and I also tender
my apologies to her for being so slow at posting and responding to her emails. Chapter
nine will not be posted for at least another week, maybe longer. I want that chapter to be
as good as possible, and quite frankly, I don't feel like writing anything at the moment.
Any suggestions will be listened to, as will requests. Flames will be ignored.
A Demon's Kindness
By: CrystalinElf
Chapter 8
A light seemed to have gone out in the Hyuuga Household.
The young heiress to the great clan had stopped smiling - an understandable reaction to the
sudden announcement of her upcoming engagement. She didn't want to be engaged in the
first place. All boys, with the exception of Naruto, were frightening entities that usually
teased and tormented her whenever her father wasn't about.
And with the odds in favor of her betrothed being a complete stranger staggeringly high, Hyuuga
Hinata certainly didn't feel as though she had much to smile about.
In a way, she felt as though the fate of her entire clan had been placed on her small shoulders;
her father had made it abundantly clear that once she was married (and he was going to
marry her off whether she liked it or not) she would be going to the Uchiha's to live, and
take on the Uchiha name. Even if she weren't forced to get married until she was older,
she would still be leaving behind her family, her home, and her life.
And her currently unborn sibling would take Hinata's place as heir.
Oh, there was still some hope. Naruto would be in this competition as well, and she was
confidant he would do well. Naruto was good, after all. A good fighter, and he had been a
good friend the last time she saw him.
But how far apart in age was her father thinking of engaging her to? Would he accept an older
Uchiha, maybe someone years older than her, as her husband? Probably not, but still-
There were plenty of boys just a few years older than her - one of them was Uchiha Itachi,
Naruto's adored older brother. She knew he would do well, perhaps even win his division.
And if he did, he would become a likely candidate for her husband.
She refused to hope that Naruto would be the one chosen for her.
She also refused, in her own way, to give her father the satisfaction of knowing how much the
upcoming Uchiha fight bothered her. Though she no longer smiled, she went about her
day-to-day routine as though nothing were wrong. She ate, slept and trained just as she
always did without any hint of discontent, and when her family started to insist she learn
new household and 'womanly' skills she did so with no complaint.
Still, without her gentle smile, nothing really seemed the same in the Hyuuga home.
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"One, Two. One, Two. One, Two."
Her hands hurt, and were bleeding.
Her body trembled with exhaustion.
Still, with a stubbornness that surprised even her, Hyuuga Hinata refused to quit training. The
wooden post before her was smeared with blood - her blood. Bloody prints showed
where she had struck it so many times with the palm of her hands, in the open handed style
of her family.
She'd been out here for hours, practicing long before the sun had risen. Doing so at this time
was the only way she went mostly undisturbed by the rest of her family, who suddenly
seemed intent on making sure she learned more domestic skills. She firmly ignored their
reminders to smile and look happy, and instead went about with a mask of indifference.
Even when some aunt or uncle she barely knew would drag her off to learn more about
sewing or plants or cooking - she still refused to smile, just as much as she refused to show
her discontent with her current situation.
She did feel an unusual bitter satisfaction when her father seemed unsure of how to deal with her
- which resulted in him not dealing with her at all. Everything that was being crammed into
her young mind came at the hands of other relatives, which was bearable.
Mostly.
White-eyes narrowed a fraction as she felt her frustration building once more. She hit the pole
with more force than she intended, and flinched when the wood fractured around her hand.
When her hand began to hurt she realized that she now had several large splinters of
wood in it.
"Ouch," she murmured under her breath as tears gathered in her eyes. She was going to get a
lecture for this - she just knew it. She was always lectured when she accidentally hurt
herself, however infrequent that was.
Unless…
Unless no one knew she was hurt like this. She could take care of the splinters herself. It'd only
take a bit more effort than she was used to, but why not try? She already knew how to
take care of such small things - she had simply been going to the family doctor to do it so
she could get a little bit of non-patronizing attention…
If she always relied on others, to treat her wounds or do any of the other countless small things
that were usually done for her, she'd never been a good shinobi. And being a good shinobi
was important to her.
She'd made a promise, after all.
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"No! Yukino, give me back my kunai! That one's my favorite!"
The young female voice rang clearly and loudly amongst the corridors of the Uchiha's main
living complex, livening up the somber attitude the place usually possessed.
Naruto looked up as his door slammed shut, and he looked curiously toward his brother as the
slightly older boy rushed into the room.
"Yukino playing tricks on her sister again?" He asked quietly, smirking internally as Sasuke
hurried over to him, and flopped down on a cushion beside his little brother.
"No tricks; Yukino only borrowed some of Kina's weapons." Sasuke sighed. "She hates
sharing weapons more than she hates losing in practice. As you can hear."
"You don't like to share or lose either, onii-chan." Naruto pointed out, even though he agreed
with the assessment. Kina didn't like to share any of her possessions with her twin sister,
even though they were really close. As Yukino's twin sister, Kina was the only person in
the clan, (besides Naruto, who seemed to smell what other people felt), that ever knew
what Yukino was thinking or feeling. And he certainly wasn't going to pry into anything the
girl felt. Girls were to weird to mess with on a regular basis.
"I don't like losing, but I always share my things with you," Sasuke stated calmly. "Still, couldn't
Kina be quieter about her protests? She does share everything else with her sister, why not
her weapons?"
"Never question a girl's right to protest things loudly, onii-chan. They'll hit you, then tell
everyone you're being mean to them. And don't bother trying to understand why
something is important to them. It's impossible to understand." Naruto replied, smiling slightly.
A loud crash made both turn their heads to stare at the wall, wondering just what Kina was
doing to try and get her weapons back. The two were sharing Sasuke's room for the
duration of their stay at the main House. Sasuke hoped they weren't destroying his room
too much… he had decorated it to match Itachi's room as much as possible.
Which didn't mean much, considering Itachi had only the bare necessities in his room, but the
principle was the same. Several more crashes resounded from his room and he sighed.
"They're hopeless," he muttered.
Naruto nodded his agreement, and then went back to folding origami lanterns. He was
determined to use the family competition as a chance to pull a couple of pranks, and the
lanterns would be perfect for that. He knew he wouldn't really scare anyone, but even the
Sharingan users would have a hard time duplicating his Ju-Fu.
And he still had a week left to perfect some of his techniques by using them as pranks.
Ah, the joys of having family!
"At least Hikaru and Sanosuke don't fight the way those two do," Naruto said.
"Yeah. I think they're being different sexes helps some." Sasuke said, tipping his head to the
side contemplatively like Naruto often did. "They don't have to share no where near as
many things as Kina and Yukino do."
"True," Naruto agreed, then lapsed back into silence. Working on the lanterns was relaxing…
perhaps he should teach Sasuke how to do this some time. After the competition of course.
"What's Itachi-nii up to?" Sasuke asked a few minutes later, after deciding he didn't like the
quiet that followed the end of Kina and Yukino's fight.
"Hm? Oh, spying."
"Spying?"
"Hai."
"On who?"
"Probably Sanosuke. They're the same age, and out of the chuunin, the one closest to him in skill."
"Nobody is as good as Onii-chan."
"I said closest, not as good as."
"So long as you understand that."
"Of course. Itachi is the best."
"Glad you understand."
They stopped and looked at each other silently for a few moments. Then Sasuke picked up a
stray scroll from Naruto's table, and Naruto went back to making his origami lanterns,
both comfortable with the companionable silence.
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"Hinata-sama, there you are."
A displeased voice echoed forbiddingly behind her, and Hinata sighed. She really didn't want to
have to deal with any of her relatives at the moment, least of all this aunt. Hyuuga Touko
was a soft-spoken woman, when she was happy. At the moment, the woman sounded
anything but happy. Which wasn't really surprising; Touko was never seemed happy with
Hinata. She acts just like Father, which makes her extra scary.
"Hinata-sama, it is extremely rude not to look at someone when they are addressing you."
She cringed inwardly and obeyed the implied order. Turned swiftly, she clasped her hands
before her and tried to look solemn.
"How can I help you, Touko-san?" Why can't I act like a normal kid, or at least speak
like a normal kid? I hate having to be so polite to an adult that obviously doesn't
like me. I never did anything to make her not like me…
Emotionless white eyes offset the very annoyed expression on Touko's face. "Hinata-sama, you
are late for your etiquette lesson. I suggest you hurry to it, as you obviously need such lessons."
Hinata stiffened imperceptibly and inclined her head slightly. "Of course, Touko-san. Thank you
for reminding me."
With commendable dignity Hinata turned and continued on her way down the halls of the
Hyuuga complex, holding fast to her under developed patience. Aunt Touko… so
annoying! The adults here are awful… I hope Naruto doesn't have to put up with
people like this.
But with the interest the Hokage shows in him, he must be in a place he likes. Right?
Hokage-sama wouldn't put Naruto in a place where he couldn't be happy.
She held tightly to that thought as she entered the austere room where most of her lessons were
held and quietly took her seat. Naruto must be happy with the Uchiha's.
That thought, which now cast her impending marriage in a sudden and different light, carried her
through the rest of the day.
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"You're gonna lose."
An hour ago, Kina and Yukino had descended upon the two youngest male Uchiha's,
demanding information about the training they had received. Or rather, Kina had
demanded, and Yukino was just there. Since the four were so close in age, Kina had
decided that they were immortal rivals, something she had declared earlier over breakfast.
(Which had provoked the usually silent Shizuru to say that she sounded like 'Gai', though
no one but him knew who this 'Gai' person was.)
"I won't! Itachi-nii has been training with me."
Not that Sasuke or Naruto had actually paid attention to her; to them, they were each other's
rivals, and no girl could take that position with them - which was why Kina was now in
their room, insisting that Sasuke was going to lose to her in a week.
"You will!"
"I won't!"
"You will!"
"I Won't! You'll lose! And then I'll fight Naruto, cause he'll win too!"
"He won't! Yukino will win!"
"Naruto!"
"Yukino!"
"Naruto!"
Naruto looked over at Yukino as Yukino looked over at him. "Does it really matter so much?"
He asked her softly. "Either way, whoever wins will lose to Itachi-nii."
"At least they're confident in our abilities," she replied calmly. "Earlier she insisted that she'd
win, and beat everyone competing as genins. She never mentioned going further than that,
so I think she knows her limits. She's so like Sasuke's, so I think that's what started this debate."
"Yukino!"
"Naruto!"
"Yukino!"
"Naruto!"
"Yukino!"
"Let's make pancakes! Pancakes, pancakes; have nice brown coats like foxes do. When
they're brown is when they taste great. Does that mean a fox is tasty too?"
The melodic signing voice that floated into the room made Kina and Sasuke stop arguing; as
one they turned to look confusedly at the door. Yukino and Naruto had sensed the girl's
presence long before her song had reached them, and had already turned to face the door.
As they watched, the door to Naruto's room vanished, and the person singing the song
entered - carrying a large tray with four plates of pancakes.
Kina and Sasuke stopped fighting immediately, and simply turned as one to stare in disbelief as
a young woman with extremely short black hair walked into the room.
"Hello, Hina-chan." Naruto said with a smile, "Why don't you come in?"
Yukino leaned closer to Naruto and whispered, "shouldn't she be Hina-san? She is older than us…"
"-chan is enough for her," he whispered back. "If you don't use 'chan' she'll think we're upset
with her."
"Thank you, Naruto-kun. I've brought you all some pancakes for lunch." Hina smiled sweetly at
them and walked forward, the tray of pancakes held out.
"The door…" Sasuke murmured as he stared at Hina.
Kina remained speechless. Her mouth hung open, and the shock had turned her light purple
eyes to a darker grape color.
Hina giggled, and once Naruto cleared a spot for it on his table, set the tray down.
"Now, eat up or you'll be sad," Hina declared, before turning and skipping out of the room.
"Yellow chick, yellow chick, why do you turn white? Does all your fluffy fur disappear
into the night? It's all so strange, it's all so strange."
"Another weird song…" Kina murmured, still dazed.
"So that's Uchiha Hina." Yukino commented, tugging absently at her hair (which, Naruto
noticed for the first time, wasn't black at all. She and Kina both had really dark blue hair,
which only looked black if you didn't pay attention.) "Well she's certainly… interesting."
"I heard she isn't participating next week," Sasuke said, picking up a plate of pancakes.
"She's not," Naruto confirmed. "She's going to be the referee, so she isn't allowed to fight. Not
that she would want to. Hina's a little unusual. She's better than anyone else in our family
in everything. Literally. Except for one small detail."
"What's that?" Kina asked, leaning forward a little.
"She's incapable of thinking of people as being 'bad'. She can't hurt anyone, or do missions as
a shinobi, because to her it's mean. She thinks that everyone is good."
"Everyone? And how do you know?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto nodded. "Everyone. And I know because I overheard her parents complaining about
her yesterday. They said she blurred the line between 'simply innocent and innocent
simpleton.'"
"Interesting," Yukino murmured.
"Yeah. So, she doesn't participate, and she'll never be a shinobi. Everyone stills loves her
though," Naruto said, and handed Yukino and Kina their pancakes.
"Interesting."
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Itachi was amused.
Like Naruto had thought, he was spying.
He was hidden in a tree that overlooked the family's main training ground. This place was in the
center of the Uchiha complex and surrounded by trees, so the site of others practicing
didn't bother anyone - and everyone had equal access to it. He had spent the past hour
observing his main opponents in the chuunin section of the family competition.
There were four people for him to fight directly, five if he counted the genin that would be
allowed to test his or her skills against his. Of his fellow chuunin, Sanosuke seemed to be
the person he needed to watch out for.
Shizuru and Aya (two of the older children, at fourteen and twelve years old, respectively, and
without any siblings) seemed to be the best at knowing how to properly use their team to
accomplish a mission, as well as just knowing when to quit. Still, he wasn't worried about
them - he knew all of those things as well, and was confident of his abilities. Their range of
skills was also appeared to be smaller than his own.
Hikaru and Sanosuke though… The chuunin were twins, which wasn't all that unusual (though
their bright green eyes were). The girl was quiet, but had a strong determination to win.
Her aptitude with teamwork and her above average intelligence was what had allowed her
to pass the chuunin exam. She's somewhat like Naruto, he thought, but my brother is
better. So is hers, and she knows it.
Sanosuke was a bit different, and someone he would need to watch for. He wasn't as smart as
his sister, but he tended to think things through a bit more thoroughly than Hikaru. He also
had a decent range of skills, all based around his samurai sword - including one that stole
his opponent's chakra for his own use. Which he'll need, since he has less stamina than
most people in our wondrous family.
He was certain he'd be facing of against Sanosuke in the competition - his only real concern
was when he'd be facing Sanosuke. At the beginning would be better for Itachi - near the
end would be better for Sanosuke.
I really need to learn how to use a sword, so I can use that chakra stealing technique of
his. That's certainly a useful ability, especially since the Sharingan takes so much
energy. Hmm…
"Enough!" = = = = = = =
"Enough!" Hikaru threw her hands up in the air, as her eyes went from red to a vivid green. "I
need a break."
She moved off to the side of the training ground that was covered in a nice amount of shade and
slumped to the ground. "The Sharingan certainly takes more out of me that I expected."
She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, enjoying the cool feeling that seeped into her from
the ground.
"Are you alright, Hikaru-san?"
Hikaru opened her eyes again and smiled slightly at the polite inquiry. "I'm fine Aya. Just a bit
tired. I haven't had use of the Sharingan as long of my brother."
Aya nodded, as though she had expected the answer, then sat down beside the younger
Uchiha. "You are good, even if you are not as good as Sanosuke-san."
"Everyone in our family is good, " Hikaru said quietly, turning her attention back toward her
brother. Shizuru had joined him in the center of the training area, and the two were now
working on their swordsmanship.
"You feel being good isn't really enough," Aya commented, after they had watched the boys for
a few moments. Neither was really interested in the use of swords, and found ignoring the
boys' practice an easy feat.
Hikaru sighed and closed her eyes again. "How can 'good' be enough? Especially if you
compare any of us with Yuta, Taiide, or Hina?"
"Really? Yuta is a Jounin, but she's also seventeen. Taiide is still a genin, and Hina isn't even a
shinobi," Aya said, glancing up at the trees above her.
"Yuta became a jounin when she was fifteen. Taiide just has bad luck when it comes to taking
the chuunin exam… and Hina… well, Hina is Hina I guess." She sighed again, then peeked
at Aya. "You don't mind being labeled as 'good' when everyone around you is 'good'?
"Of course not," Aya replied with a smile. "I didn't become a shinobi because nearly everyone
in our family is, so I don't compare myself with the other members of our family. My health
was very poor when I was little, so I became a shinobi in hopes of overcoming my weak
body. Now, I compare the me I am now to the me I was yesterday. If I've improved any
I'm happy. If not, I try harder to become a better me."
"That's… a bit confusing," Hikaru admitted, giving Aya a puzzled look.
"Then perhaps you'll understand once you're older," Aya smiled serenely, and then stood back
up. "Isn't it lunch time now Hikaru-san? Why don't we go see what Hina-chan has made
for us today."
Hikaru stood and thought for a moment before agreeing. "Aya, shouldn't we ask those two to
come with us?"
Aya continued to smile as she shook her head, "No, let them have the leftovers."
"If Hina is cooking, there won't be leftovers. She'll make extra just for whoever missed the
initial meal." Hikaru commented.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Still…"
"Yeah."
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"This town is so warm…" Uchiha Taiide murmured softly, glancing over at her older sister.
"Indeed, this place is very warm," agreed her sister, Yuta. "As to be expected, since this is the
fire country."
"Smartass." Taiide tried to glare at her sister, but couldn't and instead started to giggle.
"And you love me for it." Yuta said. "Anyway, things would be better if you changed how you
dress."
Taiide sighed, and offered a slight smile. "You only say that because you like netted clothing."
She studied her sister's form carefully. Yuta was wearing the typical Jounin vest, but her shirt
was made of a thin-netted material. Doesn't leave much to the imagination, but then, if
anyone harassed her she could probably kill them Not that she would, but… as a
jounin, she could. Today, Yuta wore tan pants, and had her head protector tied around
her left forearm.
Taiide adored her sister. Yuta was everything a shinobi should be; calm, collected, intelligent,
strong, and downright cool, no pun intended. The two were closer to each other than
either were to their parents, and were quite comfortable keeping things that way.
They were children of Konoha, raised in the Water Country. Neither had visited their home
village more than a handful of times and didn't really feel at home now that they were back.
How could they, when their parents had dragged them all over another country, never
staying in a single village for more than a few days?
"I want to go back," Taiide murmured. "I don't like this overly warm country, no matter that it's
supposed to be our home. Being among so many fire users is a bit unnerving."
"I want to go back as well, but this is our home, and where we belong. And besides, do you
really want to miss this competition? I have the feeling that something interesting will occur."
Yuta placed an arm around her little sister and hugged her close. She was no more comfortable
here than Taiide was, but she was glad to be here, for a variety of reasons. For one, she
liked meeting the other young members of the Clan, and was glad to have her sister
interacting with those youngsters. Being around people at or near her own age was good
for Taiide, an experience her sister had rarely been indulged in before.
Being around people younger than her was even better, because it gave Taiide an opportunity
to be a role model for someone else.
"Don't worry little sister, I'm sure you'll get used to this place. We're going to be here for
awhile, after all, since this is where we'll be living from now on."
Taiide smiled slightly and hugged Yuta back. "Yeah… I guess you're right. All we both need is
time."
Both lapsed into silence and returned to looking at the small waterfall that lay before them,
enjoying the cooling mist that sprayed them. With something like this here, things felt much
more like the country they called 'home.'
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The setting sun cast a myriad of interesting shadows on the floor of the forest about the little fox,
and it chased playfully one lengthening shadow after another. The cooling air about him
seemed so full of interesting smells, showing him just how alive the world about him was.
It filled him with a joy, deep inside and in a place that even learning new ju-fu and jutsu
never touched.
Here, he could be just a little fox, among many other little foxes that liked to play in the twilight
that came before true darkness fell, and no one would think anything about it. Except
maybe Itachi-nii, but Itachi-nii wasn't here at the moment. He was away for the night,
doing some sort of mission with his team. And until the competition finished, Hokage had
promised that this would be his last mission.
After all, even Itachi needed to train.
He wondered idly if he should be training at the moment, instead of just playing. But Mirra-san
had disappeared somewhere, saying she felt the presence of another kitsune, and
presumably wouldn't be back for a while.
I'll play. All work and no play make Naruto a dull kitsune.
He grinned as a squirrel crossed his path and gave chase after it. As the small thing declined to
run up a tree, he knew it wanted to play with him as much as he wanted to play with it. He
laughed mentally, thrilled.
He chased after the squirrel for a while and delighted in the activity. The squirrel just wanted to
play. No strings were attached to the fun, no sense of this being training for some greater
purpose or competition. They were just two simple animals, having fun…
But eventually, that had to come to an end, and when it did Naruto found himself alone in a
small moonlit glade. The grass and flowers completely hid him, but wouldn't once he
resumed his human shape.
Oh, how cliched. A Moonlit glade, and me all alone. Wonder where the mystical maiden is?
Seconds later Naruto stood up straight and stretched his arms as far above his head as he
could. He closed his eyes, and tilted his head upward to face the moon. Had he stepped
out of the moonlight he could have hidden himself from anyone seeing him (and he would
have been practicing yet another of the kitsune arts), but for once he just wanted to enjoy
the soft feeling given off by the moonbeams.
He should have paid more attention to his surroundings. -
He yelped as pain blossomed in a very sensitive place and dropped down to the ground before
any more pain could be administered there.
"Wha…"
Soft laughter filled the glade and Naruto grimaced.
So, the mystical maiden likes hurting me? Not so cliché.
"Sorry Naruto-kun, sorry!"
A small girl, approximately his own age, now stood before him. Dressed in the typical Uchiha
white and blue, and grinning with all the mischief of a young cat, was one of his many
cousins. After a quick examination he decided she must be Mujou-chan. She was one of
the few Uchiha children with blue eyes, and since she was alone (and didn't smell like
either one), she couldn't be Kina or Yukino.
"Mujou-chan, that was mean."
He kept his tone sulky, and looked at her with large black eyes that shimmered with unshed
tears. Even though her name meant 'ruthless' she was still a very kind girl, albeit a bit more
competitive than any other girl he knew, which included Kina-chan.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. I didn't think you'd be hurt…"
Then she leaned close. Very close.
"But… are those tails real?"
He froze for an instant and stared at her, feeling like Yuta had used a body-binding jutsu on him. "Uhh…"
"Ne! Are they? Ne, ne, ne!"
With each progressive 'ne' she leaned closer and closer to Naruto, until-
"Eeep!"
She fell forward and landed on with a loud 'thudding' noise.
He took the opportunity her slight fall provided to hide his tails again, mentally cursing at himself
for forgetting to put them away when he had shifted back to human form. Idiot. Never
forget that!
"You're even meaner now, Mujou-chan, making me lose my jutsu like that…" he complained,
as he fished a small smoke bomb out of his pocket and dropped it.
Hopefully…
"Ehhh???"
He repressed a grin as she slipped her arms around his waist and patted at his lower back and butt.
"But I was sure…"
She pulled forward again while biting her lip. "Sorry Naruto-kun… I thought they were real."
He nodded, and looked at her with every bit of understanding he could muster. "That's ok, I
understand. But can you back off now, so I can go home and to bed?"
She blushed and her eyebrow twitched a bit. Good, let her get a bit angry. The more emotional
she was, the easier it would be to convince her that his tails really were just a new jutsu he
was practicing. Only Itachi-nii needed to know that his tails were real, and Naruto knew
Itachi would never tell anyone.
"Alright. Let's go home."
Mujou stood first and offered him a hand, which he took. With a single wistful glance around the
glade, which he mentally dubbed as 'his', he turned and followed her out of the forest, and
back home.
Had he looked back a second time, he would have seen a small artic fox watching his
interaction with his 'cousin'.
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Ok, so I'll now I'll list the characters.
Hina-chan: Actually, Hina-chan is Asahi Hinata from the CLAMP manga 'Suki'. I like her, but
she is sooo hard to write about.
Taiide: Lagrange. Taiide was THE best described character anyone put forth, bar none.
Aya: Fluffy-kins. Not much was submitted about Aya besides her skill with weapons, so I
based her off of another CLAMP character. She's one of my favorite characters, maybe
because she's so much more mature than everyone else.
Shizuru: Naruke. Shizuru is basically an older version of Sasuke, especially in his abilities. He
does have one skill Sasuke doesn't, which you'll see in chapter nine. He had another,
which I dropped as a kitsune-only skill.
Mujou: DragonPrincess. The scene where Mujou sneaks up on Naruto and pulls his tails was
suggested by DragonPrincess, and I like it enough to write it in. In the pilot manga, even
when Naruto was twelve, he still had trouble hiding his tails when he used the henge
techniques. I made her younger than she originally was, but I think she'll still give a good
accounting for herself in the upcoming fight.
Hikaru: Hikaru-chan. Hikaru had her personality described pretty well, and all in all she
reminded me of Hikaru from the Magic Knight Rayearth series, minus the red hair.
Sanosuke: cpotaylor. Almost everyone wanted a 'special' eye color, and Sanosuke was no
different. That's why he has a twin sister; making Hikaru his twin balanced out his skills a
bit, and helped make black the normal Uchiha eye color. Of various people's skills,
Sanoske's were the most unique. He's focused solely on his sword skills, and is lacking
the normal Uchiha fire skills to make up for it.
Yukino: Delores. I made her Kina's twin because doing so made things easier for me. Skill
wise she's the opposite of Sakura, but personality? She definitely has an 'Inner' Yukino,
though I didn't write about it.
Kina: DarkAngstScary. My wonderful beta reader gave this name, as well as gender and age.
Everything got left up to me. I'd guess she's a lot like 'Inner' Sakura, but less mature (well,
she is only 5) and more talented.
Yuta: I'm afraid to say that I can't remember who sent me this girl, only that she was the only
person who emailed me info on her character. Yuta was the second best described
character, and since she was already supposed to have a sister, and was from the Water
Country, putting her as Taiide's older sister seemed perfect.
That's everyone, I think. Should be. Thanks to everyone who submitted a character, and I
reserve the right to use them in other stories if no one protests too loudly :p I am working
on a couple of other 'Naruto really is a kitsune' stories, including one where the Kyuubi
was sealed into an infant of Konoha. That one should be fun hehehe.