Beauty and the Beast

It had been a week since Sasuke had abandoned the Leaf village, and in that short amount of time Naruto's life had changed drastically. He no longer had the goofy smile pasted on his face, or that hyper active knucklehead attitude he was known by. Not only had his attitude changed but some of his features as well. Naruto had visible flowing red chakra running all over his body. Chakra that was uncontrollable and linked to his emotions, dangerous to anyone it perceived as a threat. His eyes were a gloomy dark crimson red, with an angry scowl on his face.

Most of the older generation of village despised him, they feared him and thought of him as the demon. When Naruto's appearance changed their fear turned to anger. They remembered all too clearly the destruction the Nine tails brought upon them, the deaths of loved ones and the horror they each experienced. Although many wished him dead, few would risk their lives. The villagers were all scared of him and avoided him as much as possible. When they did encounter him, they all gave the teen hateful glares and taught their children to hate and fear him. Making sure their children stayed away from him. As time passed by many of the children grew up fearing Naruto and alienated him.

The rookie nine- minus Sasuke, were worried about Naruto, however most were starting to be frightened by him. Old stories and prophecies they heard as children by the villagers resurfaced, how Naruto was a monster and would bring the village and its citizens to ruins. They started to notice the similarities between both Naruto and Gaara.

"I-I'm worried a-about Naruto-kun. "Thought a shy and timid Hinata. She was one of few Leaf citizens that remained unafraid of the current Naruto.

"I-I want t-to he-help him." Thought a soft-spoken Hinata. Just thinking about the young blond brought mixed emotions to the young heiress. She had a light tint of pink on her cheeks just thinking about her long time crush. She was saddened that he was suffering and in pain from losing his teammate. She was disappointed and angry with the villagers. She didn't like their cruel and unstoppable hatred towards him.

Most of all she missed Naruto's inner strength, his ability to overcome any obstacles. She missed his goofy smile and carefree attitude. Naruto had always carried the ability to see the silver lining to any situation.

As Hinata's thoughts drifted towards Naruto, she soon spotted him from the corner of the street walking towards the training grounds. She decided to carefully follow him. She had an unknown compulsion to make sure he was safe, she only new that she missed him and wanted to be near him.

After Naruto had walked past the corner of the street he started to sense an unknown presence that was following and watching him. He had decided to go to the training ground to escape the constant onslaught of eyes that seemed to constantly follow him. When he sensed someone following him he decided to go to training ground 7. He wanted to make sure he had enough coverage, moreover he knew the layout and landscape therefore would be prepared incase anything was amiss and he was attacked. He kept waiting to see what malicious intentions the stranger had towards him.

As Naruto was walking towards the training grounds of team seven, he deducted that whomever was following him must be a girl by the sent of her shampoo. Although he liked the lavender fragrance he was annoyed that she kept followed him and was taking too long to attack. Although not many had the courage to be near him or fight him anymore those who did tended to aim for the kill. The constant need to be on guard and the wait for her to attack was wearing him out. She she was taking too long to attack. Naruto was angry thinking that the girl wanted to hurt him without being provoked.

It wasn't his fault he was the jailer of the nine tailed fox, couldn't they all just leave him alone! Even though Naruto understood that he was simply the jailer of the Kyuubi he hated that the villagers all thought and treated him as the demon reincarnation. Just thinking about the villagers brought a strong gust of chakra to flow though his body. (Similar to when he was fighting Haku)

As Naruto was standing on the training grounds of team seven he suddenly stopped, in an angry voice he shouted that the stalker following show herself. He was mad, thinking that the girl following him was one of the villagers who hated him and was trying to kill him. As his anger kept pilling up, he could feel his chakra flow faster creating a chakra tail, as well as his facial features to take in a vicious looking half human half fox appearance.

Back with Hinata-

As Naruto had come to a stop, the young heiress was wondering about Naruto's abrupt stop until he shouted for her to come out. Hinata was embarrassed to be caught spying on him, she had thought she had kept a good distance; she was becoming more frightened as the seconds ticked by. She could feel the malicious chakra in the air. Although she was certain Naruto would not intentionally harm her without reason she knew he had a difficult time controlling his chakra when he was upset.

As she stepped aside from the tree she had been currently hiding in, she could tell Naruto was shocked. Hinata took a quick peak at his eyes and was stunned that they were a dark crimson red. She had seen them before during the past week yet couldn't help but feel the loss of his bright blue eyes. She didn't care that his facial features were different or that he didn't look human, all she cared about was the anger and hurt visable to her in his eyes.

Hinata frantically bowed and apologized to her crush. Hinata was ashamed that he thought she might attack him. As her nerves could no longer take the stress of the situation she fainted only to be caught by Naruto's strong arms.

Naruto was speechless; nobody had ever bowed or apologized to him. He had always been accused outright of being the culprit if anything went wrong. His anger soon faded as he noted the sincerity in her expression and was stunned when Hinata fainted promptly before his eyes. As he caught her he gently placed her on the ground. He couldn't help but feel nervous for causing the powerful clan heiress to faint. He couldn't even imagine what her clan or others might do to him if he was ever caught harming her. Deciding it would be best to guard her while she remained unconscious.

As Naruto waited, he pondered why she had followed him in the first place. Did she hate him like the rest of the villagers? It hurt just thinking about it, she was one of the few nicest person he had met and he didn't think that he could handle being hated by the village angel She was known as being kind to everyone. She had never looked at him with hated. Sure she fainted when he was around her but he thought it was due to he being sick or had a fragile body. (Boys)

As he was deep in thought he heard her mumble and start to become alert. He turned giving her his full attention, not wanting to scare her further he tried to calm himself down and felt his facial expression receding back to normal and only a small amount of chakra flowed though his body.

Naruto looked her straight in the eyes and asked Hinata," Why where you following me." He firmly asked her. Desperately hoping she didn't hate him like the rest of the villagers.

Hinata was shocked to find him so close, feeling her face heating up, she tried to calm herself down and tell him the truth. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for him to tell her to leave and never bother him anymore. Hoping that he could still remain her friend.

"I-I, w-well you s-see, I-I have a-always admired yo-you, I w-was worried about you a-and followed y-you here," Hinata prepared herself waiting for Naruto rejection. Just thinking about him telling her to never come near her was making her eyes water.

Naruto seeing Hinata's glassey eyes panicked. Trying to reassure her he was not mad and would never hurt her. He could never truly hate her, for she had had always been kind to him. He tried to explain that his anger and hatred was directed towards the villagers and Sasuke. How upset he was upset at Sauske- his teammate for leaving. Sauske left to seek revenge and in the process of doing so had abandoned his friends and betrayed his village. He was upset at the villagers for their disgusted expressions every time they looked at him. To them his crimson eyes and the dangerous chakra that kept streaming though out his body defined him as a monster. Torturous thoughts kept streaming though his mind, keeping him constantly ill tempered. Suddenly all thoughts of both the villagers and Sauske faded away; he was overcome with concern for Hinata.

As Naruto crouched and tried to comfort a teary eyed Hinata a tear slowly fell from his right eye. The young heiress seeing the tear fall down from her crush's face was worried; she had never seen Naruto in tears. She gently and quickly raised her hand and wiped the tear away. As the heiress was wondering why he had shed a tear she slowly brought her face forward to see if he was harmed. Looking at him with a worried look in her eyes.

Hinata was confused as to why Naruto had shed a tear. As she slowly brought her face up she was shocked at what she saw. Naruto's dark crimson eyes where slowly fading away and his chakra receding until only a faint blue flow of chakra flowed though out his body. His natural bright blue eyes were slowly replacing the fading crimson. Astonished, the young heiress formed a smile, truly happy, thinking that he would now go back to his optimistic attitude.

Naruto was confused; he didn't understand why he had shed a tear. As he looked Hinata straight in the eyes, wondering what was going on. As he noticed her expression change from sad and worried into a blossoming smile for no apparent reason and he looked curiously at her. Curious as to what she was so happy about. Silently asking her what was going on with his eyes.

Hinata seeing the confusion on Naruto's face brought her hand to the back of her neck slowly taking of her headband, as she softly shed tears in the process. Pointing the headband to Naruto at an angle in which it would reflect back his eyes. Naruto not understanding why Hinata was taking of her headband placing it to reflect his eyes until he suddenly understood. As he looked closer he saw that his eyes were back to their normal self!

His eyes where bright blue again, the chakra flowing at the tip of his skin was no longer the malicious red he had become accustomed too but a fait sky blue. A smile slowly forming on his face while tears where rapidly flowing down his face.

As Naruto looked back at Hinata he noticed that she was also in tears. She looked at him with a soft happy smile with tears of joy on her face. He was brought comfort by the knowing that someone truly cared about him. The hurt and anger he felt towards the villagers and towards the abandonment of Sasuke was released. He slowly bright his hands up to her face and softly wiped her tears away.

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