Beauty's evening quickly passed by in firelight, Naruto's antics speeding the time along. Before she knew it, it was time to sleep. She crept upstairs by herself, reminding herself she really wouldn't be alone in this great, dark, dank castle.

♥ ♥ ♥

The next morning she awoke to little faces peering into her own. Naruto's big blue eyes and Shino's round little glasses so close that she could see her own reflection. Of course she screamed in shock, flinging the bed sheets off and in the air, and Naruto and Shino landing on the floor.

"Oo...ow...d...d...dattebayo..." said an obviously in-pain Naruto. Shino said nothing, but slowly and carefully got up. Beauty apologized.

"Aaaa! I'm so sorry! But you know you really shouldn't do that to a person!"

"Why not?" said Shino.

"It's how the master has us get him up." said Naruto. Beauty shook her head, wondering at this strange request.

"Well, please don't get me up like this." she requested, picking them both up off the ground to rest on the soft bed.

"...I told you Naruto." Shino deadpanned, and Naruto pouted. Beauty started to giggle uncontrollably at the expressions on their faces, and proceeded to tickle them both. Naruto responded splendidly, his little belly rumbling with laughter. Shino even had a hard time keeping a straight face.

"So." said Beauty. "What is on the schedule for today?"

"Nothing." said Shino.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"We never do...ANYTHING." whined Naruto.

"Of course you must meet the master for dinner once again." Shino said. "But otherwise you are free to do as you please."

Beauty closed her eyes in thought, "Hmmmmmm." she mused. "Could we visit the library?" Naruto upon hearing the request began pulling her fingers futilely.

"DOINGSOMETHINGDATTEBAYOOOOO. We're going to the library! We're going to the library! Where is the library! Shino! Shino!" ♪ sang Naruto.

Shino looked a little stressed.

♥ ♥ ♥

"Here it is my lady." said Shino, gesturing towards beautifully carved wooden doors. Naruto was still jumping around excitedly. Beauty picked them both up, Naruto squirming around in her arms, and she pushed one of the doors open. Inside was dark, and unlit. Naruto's glow was faint in the vast room. The floor was of stone covered in woven rugs, of complex patterns, and tapestries depicting dogs and wolves. The walls were lined with books, and shelves more took up so much space that only a little area near the fire was open, but it was quite cozy with a window looking out into the snow. The snow was what made the room so dark, because the sky was so overcast that there was almost no sunlight. She put down Naruto and he hopped over to start the fire. Shino stayed with her, claiming he wanted to read as well, and that he needed help to find his books. Not surprisingly, he only chose books about...bugs. Beauty chose a number of things, from fairytales to histories, to a book on ninjas. If everyone here had once been a ninja, she was more than a little curious to find out what they were like. She left them by the fire, then took Naruto with her to explore. He chose no books, and apparently had 'other reading material'. Shino whispered to her that it was comic books full of ninjas; because he was convinced he could learn new moves from them. Even though the room was so cozy, it was also very vast. Past the lines of shelves several clear areas could be found, but the one of particular note was a part of the room that was also obviously a mini-tower, a spiral of stairs leading up to a room. This room had a glass dome-shaped roof, and a telescope was there, along with all kinds of astronomical trappings and books. Beauty walked over to the telescope and was just about to turn it around to inspect it when a cool voice said.

"Without my permission?" Beauty jumped back, and Naruto bristled in her arms.

"Neji! Be polite to her! She's going to break the curse, dattebayo!" he said angrily.

Beauty petted him, saying soothingly, "It's alright Naruto...it must be a strange feeling to be a telescope and have people err...look through you." Naruto said nothing, but glared at Neji.

"May I look at the stars sometime?" Beauty didn't know a better way to phrase this, and politely waited for his reply. She could see his eyes now, large and violet, empty.

"You may. Please, however in return give my regards to my cousin." he said coolly.

"Your cousin?" asked Beauty.

"His cousin, Hinata." answered Naruto. "Remember? She was in the kitchen with us, dattebayo." And Beauty remembered the kind little stove. Beauty nodded.

"Of course we will. Anything else?"

"No...that will be all." said the imperial Neji.

Naruto's head seemed to be even more on fire than usual, but he was too angry to speak. Beauty quickly picked him up and took him downstairs. Shino glanced at the two, and knowingly said.

"See Neji again?" And Naruto absolutely burned with rage.

♥ ♥ ♥

Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

Notes for the Reader
• This is a slightly promotional fanfiction for my other fanfiction, Dream.
• Please review!