Appearances Can Deceive

Chapter 4

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Chapter 4 HECK YESNESS! In this chapter I wanted to show how much Hinata had advanced…..hmm…I wonder what Naruto will think…hehe.

Hinata woke as the moonlight streamed threw her paper thin bamboo blinds to lie on her porcelain face. She looked over to the clock on the nightstand beside her bed. It was only 1:00 in the morning.

She sighed knowing now that she was awake there was no use in trying to go back to sleep. She stretched and tried to sit up, but something on her stomach kept her from moving. Hinata glanced down to see that Hanabi had shifted during the night and had her head rested on Hinata's stomach as a pillow.

Hinata smiled and laid back. The party last night was surprisingly pleasant. If you didn't count her dads constant badgering on Yugao of proper dinning etiquette. It didn't take too long for the two of them to get into a fight that had to be taken outside. Though when it was all over, neither one was victorious, but both smiled and laughed as if it was some big joke.

She was glad her father accepted Yugao. He would even invite her to the Hyuuga's House as a guest of honor during celebrations. That normally only Hyuuga's would have been able to attend. Yugao's presence, needless to say, angered the elders to an extreme.

It was true that Hiashi was still rather harsh with Hinata regarding training, but Hinata know realized it was out of love and not hate. Knowing that made it a lot easier for her to speak with her father.

She let out a small smile and looked over to see Okito scrunched up on the pillow next to her head. She should at least try to get a little more sleep. Since it didn't look as if Hanabi planned on waking up anytime soon, but she couldn't. Her gaze fell upon the full moon shining just outside her window as her thoughts drifted off to a certain blonde ninja.

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Naruto sat in the darkness of his room with his knees clutched close to his chest. It was 5 in the morning and he still hadn't got any sleep. He couldn't, his dreams were plagued with carnivorous snakes and betraying friends. It was enough to drive him crazy. He hadn't had a good night sleep in months. Only getting shut eye when he finally passed out from exhaustion, and even then his rest was short lived. For there they would be waiting in the shadows, to pounce, ruining his night.

He rubbed at his eyes vigorously, trying to discard any sleepiness from them. He had to think of something else. Anything but sleep. He laid his head onto his knees and stared out the window beside his bed, at the full moon. The glow that radiated from it reminded him of a certain lavender eyed beauty, and he couldn't help but think of what she told him.

"If you ever need to talk….I'll always be here for you."

"Getting in a little too deep aren't you kit?" Kyuubi knew just the right moment to ruin Naruto's thoughts.

"I'm not getting into anything. She didn't know what she was saying, that's all." Naruto frowned. Pushing himself off of his bed, deciding to get ready since sleep was obviously something that had to be avoided.

Kyuubi chuckled "Well since your up and about why don't we see just how strong our Kunoichi are? A fight should be rather amusing. Don't you think?"

Naruto smirked, a lot like Kyuubi and nodded his head as he slipped on a black t-shirt and his orange jumpsuit. 'That should prove to be rather amusing.'

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Hinata shivered as she felt a strong presence consume her. She was sucked from the sunshine of her dream to a damp dark room. Then she saw them, glowing red eyes, with a crooked smile. Hanabi lay dead at the feet of a shadowed figure of a man in front of the cage that held the horrifying animal. Pools of blood surrounded the ghost pale Hanabi.

Hinata snapped up with wide eyes. She looked down for Hanabi but her little sister was gone.

Hinata panicked as she got to her feet and ran out of the room. She searched every room up stairs. No one, not even Yugao was home. She would have found that unusual if it wasn't for the fact that Yugao was rarely ever home these days.

"Hanabi!" Hinata's scream was followed by nothing but silence.

Quickly Hinata ran downstairs to be greeted by Hanabi's laughter. She peered into the kitchen to see Hanabi sitting across from Naruto, smiling from ear to ear.

Hinata's eyes were filled to brim with unshed tears as she gave Hanabi a chocking hug. "Why didn't you answer me?"

Hanabi was confused but hugged Hinata back to comfort her. "You didn't call for me Onee-San."

Hinata shook her head and stood wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm overreacting. You probably didn't hear me."

Naruto cringed. He hadn't meant to make her cry when he snuck Hanabi out of the room. He did mean to scare her, mostly as a semi-cruel joke….but not to make her cry.

"What's the difference? It's just an added bonus!" Kyuubi boomed with laughter. He was right of course. Naruto had never cared before. He had seen many people cry in the last few years, and not even give it a second thought, but something was eating at him know. He hadn't wanted her to cry.

"Are you ready to train?" Naruto took another sip of the tea Hanabi had made then looked up to see Hinata smiling her beautiful smile at him again. "What?"

She let out a small giggle and shrugged. Hinata was so glad Naruto was back she couldn't help but smile when he came around. "Nothing Naruto-kun."

'Why is she giggling?' Naruto felt a spike of self-consciousness stab at him. Was she laughing at him? Naruto was so angered by his confusion he didn't realize he had slammed his cup down on the counter hard enough to break it. Finally realizing what he had down when the hot liquid fell around his hand and Hanabi let out a small gasp. But he didn't apologize. His pride wouldn't let him, it was Hinata's fault! What was so damn funny he wanted to know?

Hinata didn't jump or even lose her smile as she walked to the cupboard to pull out a towel. She was so surprised, she wanted to scream and run from the room, but she stayed. Something must be bothering Naruto for him to act like that

"It's ok we have other cups. It's no big deal if we loose one." She dabbed at the table, then carefully grabbed the cup from Naruto's hand and threw it in the garbage.

She then realized that there was still tea on his hands and quickly rinsed the towel out with warm water. "Here let me get that." She reached for his hand but he pulled back and grabbed the wet towel with the other, to do it himself.

Hinata had to lighten the mood somehow "So what were you two talking about that was so funny before I came down?"

Hanabi went to answer, the smile returning to her face, but Naruto interrupted. "Get your things. Ino and I will be waiting at the training grounds." Then he stood and left with nothing more than a slammed door.

Hanabi looked at her sister with concern. For whatever reason Naruto didn't seem to think much of Hinata, and Hanabi wanted to know why. But she couldn't bring up the question. The heartbroken look on Hinata's face was too much to bear on its own.

Hinata straightened herself and forced the uncaring look back onto her face. So he wasn't as warm as he used to be. It was only a phase; it would be over soon enough. And when it did Hinata would be standing there by his side.

She smiled at Hanabi then made her way back up to her room to get ready. She had a feeling today would be a very long day, and she was determined to see it through to the end, no matter what. She could take anything he threw at her!

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Ino stood against a training post and watched as Naruto started to go threw some warm ups. She hated to admit it, but Naruto was turning rather handsome, not to mention strong. It didn't matter though. He would never be her type…..Naruto could never be like him. Her daydream drifted off to a lazy genius, who thought nothing more of her besides the fact she was 'troublesome'. She would have to do something to get his attention soon.

"Hey Naruto, when is Hinata getting here?" Ino looked up to see Naruto hadn't stopped his warm ups, instead deciding to ignore Ino altogether.

"Naruto! I was talking to you! You idiot answer me!" Ino screamed in her usual boar-ish manner.

Suddenly Naruto stopped his back facing Ino and in the blink of an eye he was standing so close to Ino she could feel his breath against her skin. His gaze boring wholes into her very soul "What did you call me?" was all he said before someone else's voice broke through.

Hinata couldn't believe what she was seeing. Naruto was so close to Ino, it could have told anyone they were about to kiss. She didn't let the sadness seep to her face. She faked the best smile she could and tried to speak. "H-h…Hey guys."

Ino took a few steps back and gave Hinata a pleading look. Ino knew exactly what that had looked like, and she also knew how much Hinata cared for the idiot, even if she had been denying it recently…. "Hinata its not…"

"Lets go the exams are in three months. We don't have any time to sit and chat." Naruto interrupted Ino before she could explain, and stared at Hinata.

She still wore her black Capri's, and sandals, but she didn't ware her Jacket today. Instead she had a low cut light purple Kimono top with small flowers outlined in gold, and a black sash just under her recently developed bust. The sash had something else wrapped around it. Naruto figured it was a rope with what seemed to be little balls of fur on the ends. The slits up the side of the kimono top ended right below the sash and revealed the netting she wore underneath.

"Hmmm not bad…" Kyuubi's voice was laced with perverted meaning as he took in all of Hinata's features from head to toe. Naruto ignored him, but was thinking along the same lines.

"Alright, we'll start with a one on one fight between the two of you. Whoever wins gets to face me." Naruto waited for some kind of argument to erupt, but there wasn't any

Instead Ino spoke up. "We'll make it strictly Taijutsu and weapons only. Ok Hinata-chan?" Hinata nodded and Okito jumped from his hiding spot to sit on top of a training post as both girls got into fighting stance.

Hinata didn't move, remaining as calm as ever, staring down Ino with everything she had. 'Remember Hinata intimidation is half the battle.' Yugao's voice echoed through her mind.

Yugao was right too. Ino was starting feel the jitters run through her body as she met Hinata's demeaning stare. Without thinking she rushed the Hyuuga. Hinata readied herself.

Ino had gotten so close Hinata could have reached out and caught her right in the shoulder, but she refrained. Ino had realized her mistake quickly and hurried to fix it. Swinging her self around to stand back to back behind Hinata. Then swinging her leg around to try and catch Hinata upside the head.

It didn't work. Hinata had already realized what Ino was doing and ducked just in time to miss her foot. Then turning swiftly she sent a punch to Ino's stomach that made the girl fly back, and spit up blood.

Hinata jumped back to make some more space between them as Ino recovered from the blow and wiped away the blood. Ino smirked. 'So I guess I have to up my expectations.' Ino reached behind her back and into her weapons pouch to bring out 4 stars between each of her knuckles.

Again she rushed at Hinata, throwing the stars to either side of Hinata's body then hurrying to duck behind them and catch Hinata's legs with her own. Forcing Hinata to hit the ground hard.

It had caught Hinata by complete surprise; she finally realized what was happening. But it was too late Ino had already forced her to the ground. By throwing the Kunai at either side of Hinata. It made it so if Hinata were to move to the left or right she would get impaled by the stars. If she were to go ahead she would meet Ino's fist, so the only way to go was backward. But it was too late. Ino had taken Hinata's confused state as an opportunity to get her. Running fast to crouch behind her and swing, taking both legs out from under Hinata.

Ino was about to punch her, but Hinata twisted in just enough time for Ino to get dirt. Hinata sprang to her feet quickly. 'I guess we've resolved to use weapons.' Hinata reached to the rope tied around her sash and unhooked it to reveal that it was rather long and had been twisted around her waist several times.

Hinata grabbed some of the rope and twisted it around each of her fists till it was only about the width of her spread arms with slack on each end, the poufs on each end touching the ground. Ino stood and watched as Hinata went through all of this in less than a second. Her speed was impressive, but surely she had a better weapon to use than that?

"Hinata? Are you serious?" Ino had to stop from laughing. Hinata wanted to beat her with a little string and too puff balls that were probably too soft to kill a bug. Hinata however didn't respond or laugh as she got into fighting stance.

"Fine then, have it your way." Ino started to run at Hinata then ran as fast as she could in a wide circle around her. Hinata looked on as it seemed there were tons of Ino's circling her. Ino's speed was causing Hinata to hallucinate and see more than there actually was. Not to mention Ino was kicking up so much dust, it was making it difficult to breath.

'Concentrate Hinata' she focused on a point ahead of her. Every time one of the Ino's passed by she would check for a chakra character. It was several minutes before she found one. The Ino's circled again and she found it again, by the third time Ino had a Kunai in each hand and had it aimed at Hinata.

Before Ino could throw them something lashed out and caught her. Hinata smiled as she felt the rope wrap around Ino and pulled. Ino was forced to drop the Kunai as both her arms were pulled close to her body. The pull caused her to lose balance and fall to her knees on the ground.

The smoke cleared to reveal an angry Ino and impassive Hinata. Ino quickly grabbed for the Kunai she had dropped and tried to slash at the rope, but every time she tried it started to glow with chakra and tighten. "Sorry Ino but it's laced with my chakra. There's only one way to break it….and I'm not telling how. Do you give up?"

Ino tried to think of her options quickly then sighed and nodded. "Yeah yeah. You win Hinata-chan." Ino's pride was taking a severe beating and she could hardly bring herself to look up.

Hinata sensed it and wanted to make her friend feel better. "Good, I wasn't sure if I could get lucky like that again."

Ino snapped up to see Hinata smiling. "W-What do you mean?"

Hinata just shrugged. "I got lucky that's all. I lashed out at the right time and got you. Complete accident. But a rather lucky one."

Ino jumped to her feet and placed her hand behind her head as she laughed. She knew Hinata was only trying to make her feel better, but she wasn't going to tell the girl that she knew she was lying. "I guess we'll have to do this again sometime, then."

Hinata nodded as Naruto jumped from the tree he had been watching from and approached the little group. "Either way Hinata won." He turned his attention to Hinata with a look of mild surprise. "We'll fight tomorrow."

Hinata nodded and grabbed Ino by the arm to drag her away. "I'm sorry Naruto-Kun but we have some things to get to."

Ino looked at Naruto then Hinata with udder confusion as Hinata dragged her away. "W-we do?"

Hinata laughed "Ha-Ha! Of course Ino-Chan you remember!" Then she called back over her shoulder to Naruto. "Tsunade wanted me to tell you to be at her office at 7:00 tonight she wants to talk to you. Ok." Without waiting for a reply Hinata took of running with a semi-scared Ino dragging behind her.

Chapter 4 Done! Well not bad I hope. I know you only saw Naruto a little at the beginning and at the end, but I wanted to focus more on Hinata. And I'm also thinking of other couples at the moment. ShikaIno and maybe even some SakuLee. Man I love Lee He's just too adorable.

Also in case you didn't notice. Hinata has gotten stronger yes, but she's still as sweet as ever. I decided it would make the story a little better.

Ino: "NEXT TIME ON APPEARANCES CAN DECIEVE! Why is Hinata in such a big rush? What does Tsunade and the rest of the rookie nine half to do with it? What new developments are taking place within the Naruto, and how will he react?"