Exclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I repeat…I do not own Naruto. That is all.

When Nightingales Weep:

By The Way

'blah blah'means thoughts

'blah blah' means Kyuubi is speaking or any other animal talking in another's mind

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CLICK

Hinata turned the knob to her new apartment. Closing the door behind her she felt around for the light switch. Hinata breathed deeply and concentrated on any auras nearby. When she couldn't feel any she took off the bandaging around her eyes and looked around.

The apartment wasn't really that big, just the normal kitchen and dining room, small living room, one bathroom and two bedrooms. The neighborhood wasn't so bad, seemed safe enough for a six year-old.

'Hmmm. Needs furniture.' She thought. She quickly replaced the bandages and walked outside the front door making sure to lock it.

She walked down the stairs to apartment 4A, Hiroshi and Aname's new apartment. She knocked on their front door waiting to be let in. The door flung open revealing an excited couple.

"Hinata-chan! This place is awesome! It's so much bigger than the place we have back home. It even has TWO bathrooms!" Hiroshi shrieked in excitement. He eagerly grabbed Hinata's left hand and pulled her inside. Aname walked across the empty living room and picked up their masks.

"Hinata-chan, are we supposed to wear these all the time? I mean, even if we're going grocery shopping?" Aname asked handing Hiroshi his. He pouted.

"Man, I still can't believe I got a damn monkey because of my 'mischievous ways' it's a load of crap if you ask me…" Hiroshi complained. Aname rolled her eyes and turned to Hinata. Maybe getting a new wardrobe would help her not standout as much.

"Hinata-chan, maybe we should all get new outfits and equipment today. I mean, we do have to blend in now…" She reasoned.

"What's wrong with what we look like now?" Hinata asked.

"Well, nothing, it's just that I think it's time for a little change you know? I mean, you've been wearing the same style of clothing since I met you." Aname really hoped she would take this persuasion. Hiroshi silently stood to the side also hoping.

"Well, I guess I could use a change…" Hinata pulled at a rip in her coat.

"YES!" They both cheered. The three put on their masks and headed out the door. "Let's go!" They headed off to the market for new clothes and furniture.

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Time Skip- 3 hours

Hinata, Hiroshi and Aname sat around a round table at a local tea house taking a break form their extensive shopping spree.

"I've gotta say I've never shopped that much in my entire life!" Hiroshi said fanning himself.

"Hehe, we've still gotta buy new clothes and weapons. So let's get of our asses and shop!" Aname threw herself onto her feet and dragged Hiroshi off. "We'll meet up later Hinata! Get something good will ya?!"

Hinata sighed and paid for the tea. She started walking around all the shops till she saw (she has her byakugan activated) a decent looking ninja supply shop.

"Welcome to our store, how may we help you?" The shop owner asked.

"Yes, I need a set of new kunai, senbon, makibishi, and shuriken." Hinata replied.

The owner got the requested items and put them on the counter. He rung them up and asked for the money she owed. Hinata paid the man and collected her things. Hinata gave a short 'thank you' and was out in the busy streets again.

She made her way the shoddier part of town where she knew the best kimono maker would be. She's known the Morioka family since she was a child, she would often come to this family not only to help them financially by buying their products but because they made the most detailed and beautiful kimonos in all of Konoha. Though no one knew of them because they were so poor.

Hinata pushed aside the noren (doorway curtain) and entered the small shop. An older man and women, about the ages of 50 and 48 turned toward their new customer and offered a greeting.

"Hello. Welcome to our shop how may I help you today?" The older women bowed.

Hinata bowed back. "Hello. I'm here looking for a new kimono. My friend's think I should change my style to 'fit in'" She said.

The couple laughed quietly causing Hinata to smile. "Oh yes. We have many Kimonos here, just tell me what you would like and we'll see what we can do."

Hinata nodded. "Okay." She started to look at all the intricate designs and patterns, till one already finished kimono caught her eye (byakugan activated…). The Kimono itself was a rich crimson color decorated with white fuchsias and sakura blossoms running up the sleeves. The obi was a silky black and a thin white rope to tie over it. Hinata was struck by its simple beauty. The owners looked over and saw her facing the kimono.

The older man explained how it came to be. "This is beautiful one, ne?"

"Hai." She breathed.

The owner looked sadly at the kimono while his wife held his hand. "We made this kimono for a very special girl, one that we considered our own…we were planning to give it to her when she got older." He stated sadly.

Hinata took her eyes of the kimono to face the couple.

The wife continued. "The girl was of the Hyuuga clan, her name was Hinata. She was a very shy girl but she was so sweet and kind" she smiled "As you probably know, we aren't a rich shop, but she came here anyway not only to buy her kimonos but to check in and just chat."

"What happened to her?" Hinata asked.

"Well my dear, she passed on. She died of sickness." The woman explained softly.

Hinata looked at the sad couple with guilt. She didn't know she would affect people like this. She had always been close to this little family, she even thought of them as the mother and father she never had but always wanted. She contemplated whether she should ease their sadness and show herself. She decided she would. She pushed her mask to the side and pushed the bandages aside and turned around.

The couple gaped with tears in their eyes, "H-Hinata-chan?" They whispered.

Hinata smiled a warm smile. "Hai."

The older women gave a small cry and threw her arms around Hinata, "I t-thought y-you were d-dead!" She wailed. Her husband looked at the scene with tears in his eyes.

Hinata closed her eyes and hugged her back. "Iie, I'm okay see?"

They held each other for a few more moments till she let go of her, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"When did- What- How are you still alive? Hyuuga-sama said that you died." The older man said.

Hinata sighed. "Yes, Hiashi told everyone that, but really I was disowned…I guess I was never good enough no matter how much I tried."

The older woman, Ai, cursed. "The old fool be damned! You are as strong as they come my child. Don't listen to that crazy old buffoon!" Her husband, Sanosuke, agreed.

Hinata chuckled. "Hai, Ai-san Sanosuke-san."

Sanosuke smiled, trying to change the subject. "Well now, weren't you here for a kimono?"

"Hai."

He looked at the red kimono and back at Hinata. "Well, now that you're here. We can finally give this to you like we had planned." Ai nodded. "Yes, it's yours."

Hinata walked up to the kimono to feel its soft fabric. "Really?"

They smiled. "Yes really."

They took the kimono off display and carefully wrapped it up and put it in a bag.

"Here you go." They handed the bag to her.

Taking the bag, she asked how much this was.

"Oh no my dear, it's our gift to you. Think of it as a welcome back gift." They smiled cheerfully.

Hinata smiled and thanked them. She put her bandages back in place as well as the mask.

She faced the happy couple. "I ask you not to tell anyone who it is under the bandages."

The couple smiled. "Your secret's safe with us."

Hinata hugged them one final time and bit them a good day.

"Be sure to visit us again soon! We still have to catch up!" They called waving.

Hinata waved back. "I will!" then she disappeared.

Ai looked at Sanosuke. "I'm glad she's okay."

Sanosuke looked at where she last was. "Me too Ai, me too."

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After 5 hours of grueling shopping they finally bought all that they needed. All their furniture was delivered and put in place and their grocery shopping was also complete.

Hiroshi and Aname knocked on the Hinata's front door.

KNOCK

KNOCK

KNOCK

"Hina- I mean Saiya! Come on, open up!" Aname was anxious to see what kind of clothing Hinata bought.

You could faintly hear light footsteps reaching the door. "Yeah Yeah, I'm coming." She opened the door and let them in.

Hiroshi threw himself onto her new couch. He buried his face into the soft fabric of the cushion. "Maa Hi- Siaya-chan, you bought some comfortable chairs."

"MmmHmm." She agreed. 'Those things were expensive, they better be comfortable.'

"Anyways- So Hinata... I can't help but notice that you are still wearing the same clothing from this morning. What were you doing all this time? HMMM?" Aname questioned.

Hinata faced Aname. "What do you mean? I did what we said we would, I went shopping."

"Oh really? Then let's see, Try it on. Give us a show." She teased. Hiroshi's head instantly lifted. His interest was piqued. Aname turned around and gave him a good smack.

"That's what you get. Ya damn pervert." She muttered.

Hinata walked to her room and put on her new ANBU gear and Kimono. She decided to leave the kimono open to make it easier for her to move. Her long dark hair is put up into a messy ponytail and her bangs are still covering her eyes along with the black bandaging. Hinata sighed. 'Well, this is as good as it's gonna get.'

Aname and Hiroshi were sitting on the couch talking when they noticed Hinata walk in. Their eyes widened and their jaws fells to the ground.

Hinata chuckled. "You're gonna catch flies with your mouths open like that."

Aname was the first to collect herself. "Wow! You look sexy Hinata-chan! Hmmm. It seems no matter what clothing style you get you're always gonna stand out…"

Hiroshi smiled. "I like the kimono. You look nice."

Hinata smiled. "Thanks. So… what did you guys get?"

"Well, we got the normal ANBU attire." They answered.

They all stood there for a few minutes.

"Soo…."

Hiroshi rubbed his chin then snapped his fingers, "OH YEAH! Weren't we supposed to meet those guys to spar?"

Aname rubbed her hands together, "Oh yeah, we're gonna kick some ass!" she cheered.

Hinata rubbed her temples; she could feel a headache coming on.

"Well if you guys are gonna fight go put on you new ANBU clothes and bring your masks…"

"Okay. Meet us in the front in five minutes!" With that they vanished.

Hinata grabbed her mask and stared at it.

'I'm back'

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AN: Soo…Here it is! The sparring scene is the next chapter! YAY!

-Oh yeah! I decided to change Hinata's style. If you want to get a better idea of her new attire, I based it off of a picture. Just go to Deviantartcom (put a . between deviantart and com) and type: Natsuo Rikiya the art is by: enduro.

-Just add boobs and erase all the golden designs and instead add white flowers on the sleeves...

-Re-L-sama