Once again Hinata found herself watching Naruto. Where before she hadn't approached him out of nervousness, this time she was studying him. It wasn't all that hard if you knew where to look. On the other hand Very few people knew Naruto enough to look in the right places. Focusing upward Hinata stared through the tree behind her and up to the top of the tree next to it. Naruto was sitting in the upper branches apparently lost in thought. Sighing Hinata de-activated her Bykuggan.

What is it that you see up there Naruto? I've been watching you for at least twenty minutes… what do you see? What is it that has caused this sadness that always seems to hide behind your eyes. This sadness that masks it's self with your smile.

Re-activating her Bykuggan Hinata took another look Naruto. For once he wasn't smiling. In fact he sat with a small frown on his face. It was odd for Hinata to see him without that trademark grin, but in some ways she liked the Naruto that she was watching now much better than the one she usually saw. He seemed more… real. Somehow without his ever-present smile, Naruto seemed to be real in a manner Hinata had never quite been able to see before. Hinata frowned slightly.

It's odd, but when only I could only see the pain I found it attractive. I had found someone who had what I wanted, the perfect mask. Now that I see him without the mask, that look, that lonely expression… I'm no longer nervous, in fact instead of wanting to be his girlfriend I wish only to help him.

Hinata's frown deepened a little.

But I DO like him don't I? Isn't this the same Naruto that I have watched since I first met him? Why is it that I, The only person to see behind the mask am also seeing Naruto-kun in a new light? Is this wrong? Am I really that shallow?

Hinata was still struggling with that question when she caught sight of Chouji, Shikamaru, and Shino walking into the far side of the clearing. Oddly enough, just as he had the times before, Naruto suddenly started and looked directly at the spot where Hinata was hiding. Once again his frown deepened, and he looked as though he was about to say something. unfortunately for him Shikamaru had caught sight of him while staring at the clouds.

"Ohoyo Naruto!"

Startled Naruto's head snapped around to stare at the three newcomers. Hinata hadn't thought it possible, but Naruto's frown deepened even further. With a VERY obvious sigh Naruto looked down at the three gennin on the ground before calling out.

"I don't suppose that telling you to go away right now would matter to you?"

'Sigh' "So troublesome, No, not really. Ino, Sakura, and Ten-ten are ALL after me to have a chat with you. If one female wasn't troublesome enough three is certainly to many to ignore."

Naruto shifted his gaze to the other two shinobe.

"I assume that the two of you have similar difficulties?"

Chouji grimaced, his bag of chips conspicuous in their absence

"Ino swore she'd burn every restaurant in town if I didn't. Besides, she had my Poor Lovely chips held hostage."

Naruto sighed and shook his head before looking expectantly at Shino

"And you Shino? What did they threaten you with?"

For a moment Shino appeared not to have heard, and then EVER so slowly one eyebrow rose.

"What makes you think that I was ordered here? My bugs have been reporting your suppressed frustration to me since we first met. To be honest I'm surprised that you lasted as long as you did. I came to tell you that it's time to calm down a bit, you've agitated pretty much everyone you know already today, and I want you to stop kicking the hive."

Chouji stared openmouthed at the reclusive Abrume, and Shikamaru muttered a quiet 'Troublesome'. Shino spotted their reactions

"Because I usually choose not to speak does not mean I am Incapable."

Sighing, Naruto lay back against the tree and stared back up at the sky.

"Look guys, I really do appreciate the fact that everyone is trying to look out for me, but to be honest I really just want to be left alone. I wouldn't have 'kicked the hive' as you put it, if they would have taken my warnings and left before I lost my temper."

"I can't blame you Naruto," said Shikamaru" but frankly dragging you back to the women will be much less troublesome then convincing them to leave you alone."

Shino looked up expectantly while Chouji nodded empathetically in the background. With another sigh Naruto leapt out of the tree and caught himself lightly on the ground

"Alright, if it sets their minds at ease I can show up for a moment or two. Maybe I can even convince them to leave me alone."

Shikamaru looked slightly uneasy for some reason. Naruto was about to comment on it when Chouji spoke up again.

"Good, we head back, you give a quick apology for what ever it was you said, the girls give my food back, and everyone walks away happy.

Chouji started walking toward were the girls (and the rest of the gennin) waited, but he stopped a moment later when he realized that Naruto hadn't twitched a muscle since his comment. Looking back Chouji watched with mild interest and Naruto slowly spun to face Shikamaru.

"Apology? You said NOTHING about apologizing."

Shifting uncomfortably under Naruto's gaze Shikamaru gave a short, fake cough before answering.

"I may have forgotten to mention that all of the girls are demand… err requesting that you apologize for whatever it was you said to them."

Naruto had been fairly certain he had gotten his emotions under control in the half hour since his last encounter. Without realizing it Shikamaru had just given Naruto the ONE thing that was still likely to push him off of the razors edge that we call 'sanity'

"Apologize? APOLOGIZE! I wouldn't apologize to those… CHILDREN… if it makes the sun rise in the west tomorrow. I meant every word I said and I'll be DAMNED before I recant on a single word of it!"

It was then that Chouji decided to act. Running up behind Naruto he attempted to pin Naruto's arms to his side by using a family Jutsu that was similar to the meat tank. The difference being that instead of burning fat to increase his size, he burned it to increase his strength.

"OK guys, I've got him! Come tie him up and lets get going."

Luckily for himself, Naruto got over his shock rather quickly. This was unfortunate for Chouji however.

"Sorry buddy, I owe you a bowl of Raman for this."

Saying that Naruto stepped down as hard as he could on Chouji's left foot. Surprised Naruto would do that, Chouji's grip loosened Ever so slightly. It wasn't much, but it was enough. With agility that none of his fellow shinobe had expected, Naruto dropped straight down and slid out from under Chouji's attack. Rolling, Naruto jumped up behind him and, before he could react, delivered a chopping blow to the side of Chouji's neck. He crumpled like a rag doll, drifting off into a deep slumber.

I'll have to remember to thank Baa-Chan for showing me that move.

Once again Shikamaru sighed and muttered 'troublesome'

"Alright. Shino, Plan two."

Less than ten seconds later Naruto found himself paralyzed while watching a swarm of insects headed his direction.

" I really hate to do it this way," apologized Shikamaru "But I just can't go back to those… WOMEN empty-handed. I'd much rather them take it out on you."

By now Naruto was more than just a little bit pissed

"Shikamaru, you have exactly one second to let me go."

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow

"Or you'll do what exactly? It's not like you can escape me."

Naruto snarled

"You were warned!"

KYUUBI!

What do you want you little rat?

I need the smallest fraction of your power.

For what you pathetic little worm? There are no enemies nearby, only pack mates.

They are trying to usurp my place and hand me over to the vixens

That can be quite enjoyable kit

BAKA, not for THAT! They are demanding I humble myself because I spoke the truth!

This is a fight you should win on your own moron.

It is hard to fight two pack mates at once when they jump you unexpectedly

At this comment Kyuubi's lip curled backward in a low snarl. This was the closest Naruto had ever seen Kyuubi come to laughing

Fine. But know now that I only do this because I refuse to bow to anyone!

On the outside Shikamaru and Shino had watched Naruto close his eyes. In less than a second he opened them again but they were… changed. Unlike all time prior Kyuubi hadn't just poured out all the chakra that Naruto could handle. This time Kyuubi had given Naruto just enough to match his already impressive chakra. There was no lengthening of Naruto's nails, no real change in his teeth, the only things that the two other Ninja really noticed where that Naruto's eyes had gone from his regular blue to a reflective yellow, and the fact that his ears were now slightly pointed

"I warned you!"

Naruto may not have been a genius, but he was far from stupid. Shikamaru may have been able to control his body normally, but as everyone knows. If you force more chakra in to your limbs, you become far stronger. Shikamaru's Jutsu worked by snaring his opponent, and then using chakra to infuse his entire muscle network, helping him control the target. In this case it was unfortunate for him that Naruto had just been infused with Youki. For half a second the two of them stared at each other, and then Naruto calmly began walking foreward. For all of two seconds Shikamaru's mind raced as he tried to figure out exactly what was happening. When he realized that Naruto had somehow figured out the basic principle behind the shadow bind (he had done no such thing initially, but had realized it when Shikamaru started to mimic Him instead) Shikamaru quickly released his hold

"Shino NOW!"

Looking up Naruto noticed that the bugs that had been hovering at a distance up until now were all diving at him. Now Naruto liked to spar. In fact there were very few of his 'friends' that he had not fought with at one point or another. Naruto had only managed to fight Shino twice to date. The first time Naruto had concentrated on fire Jutsu's. The second time on wind and water attacks. This time however Naruto was ready. He had been waiting for an opportunity to test a theory he had about Shino's bugs. Growling Naruto reached out and captured Shino with his now slightly purple chakra.

"Call them off"

Shino stared impassively, that is until one of Naruto's hand burst into flame and the other began collecting frost.

"Call them off or I will snuff them like moths caught in a flame."

Shino paled, up until now he had always assumed that his bugs had no real weakness, but Naruto had just pointed out the flaw in his reasoning. You see Shino had always managed to block Jutsu by altering the chemical composition in the shells of the bugs before sending them out, usually he kept a decent mix of bugs, each immune to a different form of attack, but this new combination of both fire and ice had taken him completely by surprise. If Naruto attacked with one, or the other, Shino would have had no problem but with both… sending out a mental command, Shino shivered at the thought of his precious bugs being frozen and cooked at the same time. Slowly the bugs retreated until, once again, they were nowhere to be seen.

"Why is it" growled Naruto as he let go of the Kyuubi's chakra "that when all I want is a little attention you people do nothing but ignore me at the worst, or tolerate me at the best? Why is it that the moment I'd finally welcome some time to myself you people just WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"?

"Look Naruto," began Shikamaru "I don't know what it is you've said to anybody, all I know is that whatever it was it shocked the whole lot of them. Nobody will say what you said, but from the looks they gave me when I asked, it was like a slap to the face."

Sighing Naruto summoned up some water and dumped it on Chouji waking him near instantly.

"I said nothing to them that shouldn't have been said a long time ago. I admit that there was probably more tactful ways to phrase it, but they pissed me off, and my mouth just kind of… said it."

"Look Naruto," interjected Shino "You really can't be letting your anger get the better of you."

"He's right," added Chouji "I don't know what you said, but I do believe that you angered pretty much everyone."

"Look," said Naruto getting angry again "I have the right to my opinion, and I have the right to express that opinion. Hell, all of you have constantly told me EXACTLY what you think my flaws are. Whether it's Shino's muttering about 'that eyesore in orange' Shikamaru's whining about 'that troublesome loudmouth' or Chouji's comments about 'that Raman hog', All I did was return the favor."

Naruto noticed with some satisfaction that all three of his fellow ninja were now shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"What? Did you think that I couldn't hear you? I'm not stupid you know. Having nobody to talk to means that you listen a whole lot better."

After a rather uncomfortable pause Shikamaru spoke up again.

"That was all in the past. We can't change it, you however can alter the present… so, a quick apology and then we can…"

At the same time Chouji had spoken up

"Well, it was true. Sure you left all of the better food for the rest of us but…"

Oddly enough Shino had also started trying to defend himself

"it's true I tell you, those clothing stand out like a sore thumb, if you just consent to something a little less…"

What ever Naruto had expected, it wasn't what any of these three were saying. Somewhere in the back of his mind Naruto had almost hoped that these three would be intelligent enough to just go away… hearing them try to rationalize their actions put Naruto's temper through the roof again.

"Will you all just SHUT UP!"

Stunned at the anger shining through those piercing blue eyes all three of them fell silent again. When Naruto started speaking it was in that deceptively calm voice. It was the first time that any of them had ever had it directed at them, and to be honest all three of them could hear the suppressed anger that hid in it.

"I don't want your apologies today. I don't want you to rationalize to me, and I sure as HELL am not going to apologize for anything that I've said. All I want is to be left alone."

When the three Nin's all started their protests again Naruto's temper flowed back up to that uncontrollable level.

"What the HELL is wrong with you all? I made a CIVIL request, and I at least ATTEMPTED to show you every courtesy. I was unfailingly polite and all three of you have just THROWN MY ATTEMPT BACK IN MY FACE! Do you want to know what I said to the rest? I told them a couple of truths about themselves that I've noticed over the years. My temper is hanging by a silk thread at the moment. So DON'T PUSH ME. Or you'll find out first hand."

Hinata was still sitting out of sight behind the tree, she had watched everything with her Bykuggan, and it hadn't exactly been hard to hear them. At this point she was just hoping that they would be smart enough to keep quiet… They weren't.

"You watch what you say!"

Said Shikamaru, his own temper flaring for the first time in years

"We are your Peers and we deserve your Respect!"

Hinata was tempted to stop watching right there. It might not have been so bad if it had only been Shikamaru who felt that way. If even one of the other two had disagreed. Hinata was ashamed to note however that the other two were nodding in agreement. Hinata closed her eyes… not that it mattered with the Bykuggan active.

"Respect? RESPECT? WHAT HAVE ANY OF YOU DONE TO DESERVE MY RESPECT TODAY? OR EVEN IN THE LAST WEEK! BLOODY HELLS BELOW! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO PISS ME OFF SO BAD YOU COULD HAVE SAID SO!"

At this point Chouji made the stupid mistake of trying to say something, and Hinata winced in sympathy as the full weight of Naruto's glare was directed at him.

"SHUT UP CHOUJI! YOU WANT TO BE FIRST? FINE, HERE'S SOME TRUTH FOR YOU. FOR ALL YOUR PROTESTS THAT YOUR JUST 'BIG BONED' YOU ARE OVERLY FAT!"

Shikamaru winced at this comment expecting Chouji to blow up. Oddly he just sat there with his mouth hanging open

"IF YOU TOOK JUST HALF A MINUTE YOU'D REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT FAT THAT YOU NEED, IT'S MUSCLE! YOUR JUTSU'S BURN THROUGH YOUR BODIES ENERGY, BUT IT BURNS MUSCLE MUCH SLOWER THAN FAT THEREFORE MORE MUSCLE MASS EQUALS MORE ENERGY TO BURN."

Now Hinata's sympathies lay with Shino, who was the new target of Naruto's icy glare

"AND YOU! FOR ALL YOU ALOOF ATTITUDE I CAN SEE PAST IT. YOU ARE JUST AS INSECURE AS ANY OF THE OTHER GENNIN, AND JUST AS OVERLY CONFIDENT AS NEJI. YOU WERE SHOCKED TODAY WHEN YOU FOUND THAT I HAD A COUNTER FOR YOUR BUGS. THAT MUCH ANYONE COULD SEE. WHAT THEY COULDN'T SEE IS THAT WITHOUT THOSE BUGS YOU ARE POWERLESS. YOU TRAIN YOUR BUGS EXCLUSIVELY, WITHOUT TRAINING YOURSELF. HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU THAT THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN THEY ARE RENDERED USELESS? WHAT IF I HAD SUMMONED A TOAD? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE THEN?

And finally Naruto's gaze turned to Shikamaru where it blazed even brighter. But now Naruto didn't shout, his voice dropped to a venomous hissing whisper that was many times worse than his shouting had ever been.

"Last but not least we have our 'genius'. For all your protests that everything is to 'troublesome' you seem to have overlooked the simple fact that the faster you get everything done, the longer you have to rest peacefully rather than being yelled at all the time. Do you know what else? I think you LIKE it. I honestly believe that you enjoy the attention that Ino gives you; do you know why I think that? I think that because otherwise you would have realized the exact same things about her that I did, and YOU would have mentioned them. Because anyone smart enough is willing to shut up and change when confronted by an inexcusable truth when it isn't complementary. I also learned something else about you just today. No matter how smart you THINK you are. You have no clue when it's a good time to SHUT THE HELL UP AND LEAVE A PERSON ALONE!"

With that final comment Naruto turned on his heal and stalked away, Hinata continued watching just long enough to have a good Idea where he was headed before de-activating her blood limit. Sighing she stood up again and walked toward Naruto's next thinking spot. All the while her mind racing furiously. Something about Naruto had changed in her mind, she just couldn't quite figure out what.

Enigma:
why would I change his attitude?

DragoonVBK:
I know that this isn't exactly a really rapid update, but it's the fastest I could get it done

naruhina1:
Well, Kyuubi kinda got brought in, as for going postal on kakashi... well, Kakashi didn't make Jounin on a fluke, He knows when It's best to avoid people.

Carrot-Six:
The format of this particular Fic doen't work well for long chapters, and I'm pretty sure that I've already hit his team once... on the other hand I'll probably do a confrontation between Naruto and ALL of the others in the next chapter... we'll see.

RockFox:
Should I spare her? ... I'll have to cansider that. Naruto could probably go off on a rant about her to. on the other hand she's the only person who has NEVER provoked him... I just don't know.

Yuki:
hmmm. Odd, I've been thinking that I had him confront the two of them in the first chapter... your not the first person to say that though... maby I need to put them in again after all.

LordLans:
I deeply appologise, but they most likely will NOT be making an appearence, primorarly because Naruto would probably attack them physically the moment he saw them (The perfect vent for his anger), Thanks for the suggestion though.

Ru Shin:
I'm working on it. One or two more chapters, and then this fic is done. Thanks for the review.

nonengel:
Thanks, I particularly like that reasoning myself. As you can see I kind of shot down Shikamaru in this chapter, And I think I'll be keeping the adults out of this. (except for maby kakashi) as for hinata... at the moment He probably will not rant at her, but it really depends on the mood I'm in when I do the next chapter or two.

Dragon Noir:
Ya know, I think your the only person who's comment asked me to hit sakura and sasuke AGAIN. most other people ask me when I'm going to DO those two, so thank you for that. I'm thinking I may put kakashi in the next chapter, but he's probably the only adult, and even that's not certain. I could throw in the Sennin, but to be honest, I think they would be able to understand the need to be alone for a while...

ranma hibiki:
Doesn't look like it huh :-)

Doopy Jones:
NOBODY raised him. thats WHY he thinks that crying is a weakness, the bullies can taunt you for it. I realize that the Insult to ten-ten wasn't the best, but honestly your right. he really hasn't had enough interaction with her to make up a decent verbal attack, He was just pissed and venting. BTW, what is abakimono? I havn't run into that one yet.

Arnoldstrife:
Honestly, it WAS going to be a oneshot... it just kinda got outta hand :-)

thestoneox:
Thanks, I do so love being difficult. I'm sorry to say that I havn't read your ficcy yet, but I should have a review on it before today is over. be sure to tell me if you decide!

Tsugath:
I know, But it's so much fun forcing you to. and no problem with the neji thing.

TimeShifter:
I think that is pretty much everyone... one or two more chapters and the story is done.

Dragon Man 180:
Probably in a good way, I havn't really decided yet. as to the other... we'll see.

RedVulpine:
I'm just hoping there is no permant damage done...

To everyone else:
I appologise for not replying to yours as well, but because of the sheer number of Replies I really only answer the ones that require specific comments. Know however that I do read, and Very much appreicate your comments. Please keep them coming.

Thank you all.

Sincerly,
Manatheron