Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... but if a certain someone is willing to auction it... ;P

Chapter 4: Punishments

"We're women, we know how to accept consequences with style."

They arrived at the barbecue place where Ino's team constantly ate. Tenten and Ino slumped in their seats. The brunette was receiving constant looks from boys and daggers from girls. Not to mention it was cold inside, except for the sizzling of the grill on each table. The blonde, on the other hand, was dreading the embarrassment she would be feeling.

Hinata was fidgeting in her seat, still thinking what would happen to her if her father ever found out that it was she who prank called him. And Sakura didn't want the day to end, because by tomorrow morning, all eyes will be on her shocking pink hair.

While Temari had nothing to worry about except the wrath of the four girls if they meet again.

Tenten put her head to the table. "This is so embarrassing. How do you two live with the stares?"

Ino just smiled and Sakura shrugged.

And then, the meat appeared.

Ino looked pleadingly at Hinata. "Can you be the one to put my meat on the grill?"

Hinata smiled and nodded, "We don't want y-your face t-to get burned." They heard a scoff from Sakura. And thus began the punishment. Once the meat was cooked and Hinata placed the meat on Ino's table, she had to eat.

Ino gulped and bent her head down, and bit on a meat then threw it up in the air and caught it inside her mouth. People began glancing their way at the event.

After a few pieces, the blonde was about to bite into another piece before she noticed that nearly everyone were staring at her, and some were even heading towards their table.

She groaned, "I hate you, forehead!"

Tenten let out a gasp as she felt a hand on her own, she was at the edge of the table, and noted that some guy was near her. "Hello there, gorgeous. How much are you?"

Ino and Sakura burst out laughing while Hinata giggled softly.

"Excuse me?" she asked. "How much... am I?" But then her eyes widened as she realized what he was talking about. She scowled and pulled out a kunai and placed it on his throat, "I'm worth you're life, if you can afford it."

His eyes widened and he quickly ran away.

"I think we went a bit overboard," Ino said with a smirk, as people stopped glancing their way.

Tenten glared at her, "You think!? He thought I was a prostitute!"

"B-But you aren't," Hinata told her.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, who cares what people think?"

"You," they all answered.

"I'm going to dye my hair a shocking pink! Even you would think I was crazy! Enemy ninjas could spot me in seconds," she retorted.

Hinata shrugged, "Y-You already have p-pink hair, it won't m-make much of a difference."

"Yeah, people will just stare at you," Tenten said. "And gawk, don't forget the whispers of judgement."

Sakura just buried her head in her hands.

Once Hinata arrived at home, it was already half past nine, not exactly the best of times to return, but she didn't exactly have a curfew. She quickly walked past the halls, but before she could get into her room her father appeared in front of her.

Her eyes widened, "O-Otoo-san?"

"Where have you been?" he asked, quite harshly.

"I-I helped S-Sakura greet o-one of the representatives from S-Suna," she answered.

He studied her for a moment, but then nodded and left. Once out of sight she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"He's been like that after he returned." Hinata turned around and met Hanabi. "Ever since he rushed out of the building and returned he's been real angry, you know what happened?"

Hinata shook her head.

Hanabi just raised an eyebrow, "I have a feeling you do." Then she walked away. And Hinata quickly walked, almost ran, to her room. And once inside she let out a sigh of relief.

But then there was a knock on her door.

She opened it slowly, and was met with her father once again.

"It seems I was wrong. I expected you to be honest, but we all know what you did," he said.

Her eyes widened.

"I believe it's best we discuss your punishment right now."

She gulped, "Um-"

"I mean, honestly, Hinata," he said, venom in his words, "Is your refridgeator running? Do you take me for some kind of fool?!"

Hinata looked down, "B-But you f-fell for it." But then her eyes widened, I did not just say that.

But it is true. The legendary, wise Hyuuga clan leader fell for the simplest of prank calls. Big attack to man pride there, go Hina.

"So what are you implying?" Hiashi said, towering over her.

She was looking for the right words, "T-That you should g-give me some credit f-for deceiving a w-well know shinobi?" and found none.

"No." Was his stern reply. "And what was that other comment? A stick up my ass? Do you want to be locked away in your room for all eternity?"

A picture of her as a damsel in distress with long flowing midnight hair locked away in a tall tower entered her mind. As well as a Naruto in shining armor riding a white stallion, yelling, "Hinata, Hinata, let down thy beautiful hair! So that I may rescue thee and live our happily ever after-eth, believe it!" I think I'd want to, she thought with a grin in her head.

Ah, the joys of being Rapunzel with a prince who would climb thy golden/midnight blue extensions.

"Well?" he asked, angered at the delay.

But she quickly snapped back to reality and shook her head. "N-No." Like my hair could get that long.

"So what should I do with you?" he said, getting to the punishment, which was supposed to be the first topic that was to be discussed.

Her gaze remained on her blue ninja sandals. Maybe I should've painted my nails a dark blue, while Ino was still there with the pedicure materials, she thought.

So much for being an attentive daughter.

"Cleaning and cooking."

Reality finally set in her head as she looked up at her father. "W-What?"

He smirked. "I am going to give the cook and the maids a vacation for a while. I expect you to clean the house, cook the three meals, and cover any other task the cook or maids do, for a month."

Now a picture of her in a large house, cleaning and cooking entered her mind. And then Kurenai would come along and use a genjutsu to turn her jackets and pants into a gown and her shoes into glass slippers. Wherein she will meet Prince Naruto, who will be astounded by her beauty-

"Are we understood?"

Cinderella would have to wait, evil father was first in line.

She nodded. "Hai."

Hiashi grunted then left her.

She'd rather be Rose, the sleeping beauty, instead.

Everyone was staring.

Some had their mouths opened.

And others were whispering to each other.

Why did Tenten have to be so accurate?! Sakura clenched her fists and took deep, long breaths to control herself. Her short hair, her shocking pink hair, was swaying as she headed to the bridge to begin training. She was hours late, since it took quite some debate time with herself to finally place the dye in her hair. So, when she arrived, Kakashi was already present.

Naruto frowned, "... Something's different about you, Sakura-chan... did you cut your hair or something?" The three gave him looks of disbelief.

Sakura clenched her fists. "I think you know perfectly well, Naruto."

He shook his head this time, "Uh... you lost weight?"

A vein popped.

"No! You did something with your clothes, didn't you?"

Her eyes were burning with anger.

"... Or are you wearing contacts?! That must be it!"

Kakashi just sighed, A very strange boy.

"No, that's not it... you grow taller or something?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Or shorter?"

Sakura's anger flared down and all that was left was annoyance.

"Oh! You got a tan, right?"

I mean, who could not get annoyed by such... unintelligent-ness?

Naruto shook his head. "Nah, not that. I'm sure you probably just cut your hair."

"You were there when I was told to do it." She finally said, anger coming back at the memory.

"... Oh!" he snapped his fingers. "You mean when you became 'normal' your looks changed!" He slapped his forehead, "How could I forget?"

Kakashi just grinned beneath his mask. "Yes, Naruto, how could you forget?"

Sasuke was the one to speak up. "Her hair, dobe."

It was then it finally dawned on him.

"Oooh." She was about to speak before he cut in. "I knew you cut your hair, Sakura-chan! Even the teme agrees with me!"

A ninja. A shinobi. Weren't they supposed to be observant? Common sense is required as well.

"Naruto," she said, darkly.

He frowned, "What?"

"Please tell me that every time I hit you, you lose brain cells."

"Why?"

"Because I doubt you were born that way... to some extent."

Naruto was now very confused. "What are you talking about?"

Sakura just sighed and pointed to my hair. "My hair, Naruto. What color is it now, compared to before?"

"I thought you just bleached it in a weird way... kinda like Ino."

...

Sakura smiled, anger fading away at the Ino comment. "You're forgiven."

Sasuke and Kakashi practically fell down anime style.

"Um, Ino?" Asuma asked as they finished their training and she was literally stuffing her face in the food.

She looked up at him, some sauce around her mouth. "What?"

"... Are you sick or something?" their sensei asked.

"Do I look sick?!" she exclaimed.

"Yes," Shikamaru said. "Extremely. You're eating with your mouth."

She glared daggers at him, "No duh, genius!"

"I'll race you!" they heard Chouji say.

Ino faced him. Heh, why not? "Sure! Ready, set, go!" Then their faces were practically in the plate itself.

Asuma just sighed at the behavior of the twelve year olds and merely got his cigarette out.

And Shikamaru just wiped away the piece of meat that landed on his forehead. "Troublesome pigs," he muttered.

But then the two froze.

The brunette sighed, So much for being a genius.

"What did you call me?!" the two 'troublesome pigs' said in unison.

Asuma just walked out of the shop that was about to be closed for a few weeks due to repairs.

Tenten just crossed her arms. "If you laugh I'll castrate you all." She was wearing a purple skirt with black shorts beneath, only below her thighs, and a strapless pink tank top with purple and pink arm warmers that started at the wrist and ended above the elbow. Her hair was placed in one bun yet again.

But, instead, Lee burst into tears. "Oh Tenten! The beauty of youth has finally settled into you!"

She glared at him. "So does that mean I didn't have the 'beauty of youth' before?"

"Of course not!"

Her eye twitched.

"Your inside was bursting with youth! Finally causing the youth to spread over your appearance as well! Now you are as youthful as Gai-sensei and I!" he exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. But then he released her and examined her clothing yet once again.

"The colors do not suit you though," he observed.

Tenten glared at him.

"And the skirt is a bit too unyouthfully high, as if though you are trying to show something."

She tried her best to hold in her anger, Does that mean I have nothing to show?!

He frowned. "I believe there are some split ends atop your hair as well."

She took deep breathes.

"And you must walk more gracefully Tenten!" he advised. "Your muscular strut does not match well with your new clothes!"

M-Muscular?! Tenten grabbed the poor critic.

Neji just sighed and began to meditate, ignoring the screams of pain coming from his male teammate.

After doing the laundry, wiping the windows, sweeping the corridors, fixing up the garden, and grocery shopping, it was time to clean up the rooms within the Hyuuga household.

Who knew the maids had so much work to do?! but then she frowned, Even if they were ten. She began pushing the cart that was filled with cleaning supplies out of Hanabi's room and headed towards Neji's.

To be honest, she heard that the maids weren't allowed inside. But her father might not know and go on some rant saying things like "Do you think that less of a person who is better than you?!" or "Are you slacking off from just one room." She entered the room, pushed the cart in, and examined her surroundings.

Nothing unusual. It was just a typical ninja Hyuuga room.

She began sweeping the floors, but when she stepped on a floor board there was a creak. Her eyes widened and she bent down and flicked the floor board, there was a noise that gave her the idea that there was a space underneath. She pulled the floor board off, and in it was a book. The words on the cover were 'Shinobi Diary'. She pulled it out and opened it up, her eyes widened.

Dear Diary,

Neji

Sasuke

Appantly the dobe made some plan on how to socialize with the two male siblings who helped almost destroy Konoha. While Sakura on the other hand there has been a rumor that her crush on the Uchiha has disappeared, causing her to truly see the world without any dumb distractions Actually say something when you grab the book, Hyuuga. Yes well, ANOTHER rumor has it that the Uchiha was in some line, a line for a date with the pink haired girl. Puppy love, pathetic if you ask me. Ah, so says the one who's been pinning his teammate for two years, and never once asked her out successfully

Yo! Cut it out will you! Uzumaki Naruto here with his favorite frog pen! I'm here to share something I saw, did you two know that Sakura-chan and Ino aktually made up?!

No one really cares.

You spelled 'actually' wrong, moron.

Tch! No wonder you two never win a girl!

(then there was a bunch of scribbled writing, signalling some sort of fight)

Sasuke XP, Neji -_-', Naruto! :P

Hinata blinked. T-They have a diary?! Together?! she almost fainted. But then it registered in her brain. Not something safe. But something she knows would probably be worth it... if she didn't get caught, that is.

She grabbed the book and placed it under some sprays and cans on her cleaning counter, hiding it completely, placed the floor board back, made sure there was no fingerprints, then she resumed cleaning.

Hyuuga Hinata was able to find a diary that was hidden quite well.

But wasn't able to notice the countless hair items littering the shelves.

The powers of being a shinobi. One can gain the keenest of senses... but lose the most common as well.

A/N:

I hope Hinata wasn't TOO OOC, I was just trying to show that nobody in the world is that innocent. I made her... Hinata-ish on the outside, but the mind parts I made her normal-ish. Hope that's okay.

So yeah, I TRIED to make it funy. But when I read it... I didn't laugh. I wonder if that how it is? Authors don't laugh or cry at their own stories, well, most anyway.

Either that or I have no sense of humor... pity, really.

But anyway, review to all thy newcomers who have only read this chapter for the first time!