Chapter 3: Enter the Head of the Clans

HAHAHAHA! My stupidity annoys me. It was brought to my attention that there was a major error in the last chapter. Hyuuga Hizashi should have been dead, yet he answered the door for Kiba. Thank you Chaotic Demon for bringing up this mistake.

Year Ten

Storm-bruised clouds, heavy and lowering, dropped teeming rain into the howling January rain, slanting in from the northwest to batter at the roofs of Konoha village. Most people were indoors, sheltering from the torrential weather. However, three people and one dog still stood outside. Hyuuga Hinata was standing in a clearing, her father accompanying her, both braving the elements for "training".

Inuzuka Kiba was playing with Akamaru. The weather didn't bother them. Kiba was wearing a raincoat that covered his entire frame; only his nose could be seen. Akamaru had his own cute little raincoat that got muddy and wet when he rolled around on the ground.

There was very little chance that the two parties would cross. However, fate was fickle. Kiba, running around with only his nose to guide him, couldn't have known that Hyuuga Hiashi was standing right in front of him, when he tried to race Akamaru across the park.

The force of the blow sent Hiashi staggering. Kiba bounced off and landed hard on his butt in the mud. Hinata covered her mouth, as her father stood up straighter and stared down at the boy that she recognized as Kiba.

Kiba loosened his hood and smiled up at the scowling man, "Err, sorry about that Mr. … Mr. Me and Akamaru were just playing a game. I didn't mean to run into you like that. You must be from the Hyuuga clan, like Hinata. I hope you're not mean and stingy like Hinata's father. My name's Inuzu-" Kiba stopped, looking at the figure standing behind Hiashi, "Oh hi Hinata, I didn't see you there."

Hinata was waving her hands madly, pointing at her father and shaking her head. Kiba, being rather slow on the uptake continued talking, "-ka Kiba. Please to meet you."

Hiashi was flabbergasted, he had nearly been knocked over by a mad boy, and now the very same boy was insulting him. His scowl grew more ferocious, "You! Boy! I don't like children that run around like mad beasts with not a care for other civilians, I don't like children that find it entirely impossible to keep there mouths shut, and I especially don't like children who try to associate with people above their level and insult them in the process."

Kiba blinked, "Wow, I guess you must be Hinata's father. You use a lot of big words. Well, I apologized didn't I? You don't have to go on a row like that. But now that I finally met you, I want to ask a question. Can Hinata come over to play sometime? I asked my mom and she said that she could and that if Hinata is coming over, she'll make a big dinner and lock the dogs in the basement."

Hiashi felt his mouth fall open for the second time that night, the nerve of the child. Icily, he said, "Absolutely not, my daughter does not need to associate with anyone like you." At that, he grabbed Hinata's shoulder and quickly walked away. Hinata managed to meekly wave back at Kiba, who was still sitting on the ground, before her father forced her hand down.

Hinata lay crying on her bed, remembering how horridly her father had treated Kiba. After taking her home, her father had told her that she must never even look at Kiba again. For the first time in her life, Hinata felt something rise within her, a rebellious feeling. She would continue to be friends with Kiba; she would not listen to her father.

Quickly, Hinata stood up. Grabbing some clothes, she opened her window and sneaked off into the night. The storm had died down, leaving the world at peace. It wasn't that late, the Inuzukas would have just started dinner. No one would come to her room until dawn the next morning.

After wandering around for a while, Hinata realized that she was lost. She had never been to allowed anywhere in the village. The only places she could remember being were the schoolhouse, her room, the clearing where most of her training took place, and the hospital, when she came down with pneumonia, which damaged her lungs and voice box.

Night was really approaching. The last rays of the sun died down leaving only empty darkness behind. Hinata jumped when she heard an owl hoot in the distance. Hinata nearly screamed when a squirrel flitted across a tree branch near her head. When, Hinata heard a strange growl in the bushes, she took off running.

Kiba emerged from the bush. He had been playing Monster with Akamaru, when he heard footsteps. He looked down the path at the figure that was currently running away full speed. He sniffed the air, "AKAMARU, THAT WAS HINATA. LET'S CATCH UP WITH HER." They bounded away.

Hinata heard the sounds of pursuit and ran faster. She had never been so afraid in her life. In her rush, she tripped over a protruding tree branch and went flying. She curled up into a ball when she heard the footsteps behind her stop.

Nothing happened for a moment. When Hinata opened her eyes, she saw Kiba staring at her.

Kiba saw her eyes flutter open and grinned, "You're pretty fast Hinata. Me and Akamaru had a hard time catching up to you. Why were you running away?"

Hinata said, "I thought I heard something in the bushes."

Kiba laughed, "Oh, that was just me and Akamaru playing Monster." He extended his hand to her, "What were you doing out here all alone? Where's your father?"

Hinata's eyes dropped, "I came to apologize for my father's behavior towards you this afternoon."

Kiba stared, and then chuckled, "THAT'S OK. But, now that you're here, why don't you come to my house for dinner. My mom made a big meal today, cause we're expecting company, but you can come as well."

Hinata blushed, "Company?"

Kiba counted them off on his fingers, "There's the Akimichis. They have a son named Chouji and he's really fat. There's the Harunos. They have a daughter named Sakura. She has a really big forehead. Wait, why am I telling you this? You already know from school. Shikamaru's family and Ino's family are coming too. Sasuke's family isn't coming for some reason. Your family never comes, but you'll be coming this time. And Shino's family never comes. We have a big party like this once in a while. Our parents were friends in school."

Hinata blushed and asked, "Umm, what about the Uzumakis?"

Kiba scowled, "Naruto is an orphan and my parents told me not to go near him. No one likes him."

Kiba looked at the sky and shouted, "OH NO! I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HOME FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO TO SET THE TABLE. MY MOM'S GOING TO KILL ME."

He grabbed Hinata's hand and ran off towards his home.

Kiba's house was the last one on the block. There were already a few pairs of shoes on the doorstep when the two children and Akamaru arrived. Kiba quietly slipped through the window, only to be greeted by his furious mother.

"INUZUKA KIBA. YOU ARE TWENTY MINUTES LATE. KUROMARU IS OUT SEARCHING FOR YOU AND EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE NARAS ARE ALREADY HERE. I OUGHT TO GROUND YOU! Oh, you brought company," Kiba's mother said.

Hinata looked down and stuttered, "H-hello Mrs. In-nuzuka. M-my n-name I-is H-h-inata."

Kiba's mother kindly took her hand, "Hello Hinata. Oh dear, your hands are freezing and your pretty clothes are so mudstained. My ignorant son wouldn't think of being gentlemanly enough to give you his coat," she glared at Kiba, "Let me take you upstairs and get you some clothes. KIBA! GO INTO THE DINING ROOM AND HELP YOUR SISTER WITH SETTING THE TABLE. I'LL WORK OUT YOUR PUNISHMENT LATER. WHEN YOU'RE DONE SETTING THE TABLE, YOU CAN PLAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS."

"Yes mom," Kiba muttered as he stalked off.

Kiba's mother outfitted Hinata with some of Kiba's sister's clothing. She led Hinata down to the living room, where the adults were chatting and the children were engrossed in a board game.

Akimichi Chomaru was the first to notice her, "Well, by the eyes, I'd say you're from the Hyuuga clan. Whose daughter are you, little girl?"

Hinata blushed, "H-h-hyuuga H-hiashi."

The room was silent for a moment. Then, Yamanaka Inoshi said with great feeling, "Dear girl, I am so very sorry for you. Ouch." Mrs. Yamanaka had elbowed him in the ribs.

Ino ran up to Hinata and said, "Hi. Do you want to play with me and Sakura? Sakura brought over her nail polish." Hinata agreed and joined the two girls.

At approximately eight o'clock, Kiba's mother called them all in for dinner. There was a large table situated in the middle of the dining room. There were plates, utensils, and napkins at one end and drinks at the other. But in the middle, lay the food. There was roast pork, green beans, sushi, broccoli, duck, peas, toasted bread, fruit salad, ham, fish, cakes, pies, soup, ice cream, pizza, skilly 'n duff, anything you could think of was there. Every family had brought over there own specialties (the Akimichis had brought over a half of all the food).

A line was formed; the order went Akimichis, Inuzukas, Yamanakas, Harunos, Hinata, and the Naras. Hinata ended up with barely anything, as the Akimichis nearly polished off everything. Kiba was quick to notice this and offered her his remaining pizza. Hinata blushed, as the other two girls giggled, and shook her head. Kiba shrugged and scarfed it down. Then, he ran to play with the two boys.

Ino and Sakura glanced around, and then sidled up to Hinata. Ino said, "Do you like him Hinata?" Hinata's eyes widened, "Who?" Sakura giggled, "KIBA, I think he likes you. Why else would he offer you his food? He's so gentlemanly."

Hinata blushed scarlet, "Oh no, Kiba is just very nice. We're just friends."

Being girls, Ino and Sakura giggled and prodded each other, "He didn't offer any to us. He's always trying to talk to you in school."

Hinata turned away to hide her face, which was now a deep beetroot red, she repeated, "We're just friends."

Hinata sneaked into her bedroom at midnight. She had never been so happy in her life. However, the minute her feet landed on the floor, her happiness was punctured like a balloon. Her father flicked on the lights. He was sitting on a chair in the dark, waiting for her to return.

Hyuuga Hiashi never injured his daughter physically. He never hit her, and never beat her. But the pain that he could inflict upon her with only his voice, was more severe than a whiplash across the back. Hinata spent the rest of the night comforting her bruised soul.

Kiba's image came floating into her mind. His happy face when he was playing with Akamaru, his sad face when the guests had to leave, his sullen face when his mother scolded him, his mad face when she mentioned Naruto, and his contented face when he talked to her. Hinata smiled and curled up under her sheets.

Kiba sniffed as he sat on his bed staring at the ground. He hated it when a party ended, just as much as he loved it when a party started. Hinata's face swam into his vision. Her happy face when she was the number one girl in the class with taijutsu, her sad face when her father mistreated her, her depressed face when she told him in school that she wasn't allowed to play with him, her scared face when she thought that she was being stalked, and her contented face when she watched him play around with Akamaru. Kiba grinned and flopped down onto his bed. There would be more parties and more fun. Next time, he'd make sure that Hinata would come.

A/N I managed to put in the request made by ShikamaruChick. Thank you for your idea. Sasuke's family couldn't make it to the party because Sasuke's family is dead. I really hope that I got my facts right. I don't want another screw-up like last chapter. For those of you who think don't know what skilly 'n duff is, I'll just tell you it is the greatest food every after sushi. Personal taste of course. You may not like it. REVIEW PLEASE OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE. No, don't do that, but please review.