Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.

~Alex Haley

The feeling of sunlight of her skin always makes Tsubame feel safe. It's warm and comforting like a hug from a mother; and sometimes she feels as if she can see the light as it trickles through the trees, if only she would open her eyes. Even after seven years, she still manages to trick herself into believing there'll be anything more than darkness when her eyes open. Seven years and she still can't help the pang of sadness that fills her when she peeks, and the all too familiar darkness is still there.

A cool breeze wafts through the area, ruffling the fabric of the traditional kimono the girl is wearing and pulling a few strands of her chocolate locks from the loose braid they were kept in. The air is refreshing and shakes the melancholy from the young girl.

Yuki, the snow white hawk perched on the branch beside Tsubame nuzzles its head against its master's palm. She can't help but smile slightly at the birds attempt to help cheer her up, and obliges the hawk by scratching its head. The sound of a door sliding closed captures Tsubame's attention and she feels the familiar chakra signature of her brother approaching the tree she was lying on.

"I'm off Nee-san." Tsubame's younger brother, Neji Hyuuga states, keeping his tone neutral like always. The young woman almost visibly flinches, knowing his neutral state is partly a reflection of her own demeanor, but never towards her brother. Her impact on her brother is larger than she would have hoped.

"Today is you graduation exam correct?" Tsubame questions despite already knowing the answer, simply wanting to have a conversation, no matter how small, with her brother. He's been distant ever since her started the Academy and ever so arrogant. Arrogance gets people killed in battle. Tsubame has to shake that from her brother fast.

"It is." Her brother replies simply without offering further comment. Tsubame knows the reason for her brother's attitude; he was very much a prodigy, one who hasn't been dealt the fairest hand in life, and her own attitude never helped, but she always tried to keep his moral compass pointed in the right direction. To instill the same beliefs their mother instilled in her. Their mother would have done a much better job.

"Well," Tsubame says, a mischievous smile on her face as she jumps from the tree branch she was lounging on and landing nimbly in front of her brother. "Though I know you hardly need it, I'll give you my luck regardless."

With speed only a trained ninja could possess, Tsubame pulls up the strip of blue fabric Neji keeps tied around her forehead and with scary accuracy, plants a small kiss of the curse mark that decorates his forehead. The reaction is immediate. Neji jerks away, anger radiating off of him in palpable waves, but Tsubame keeps a smile on her face. She knows how much her brother resents the seal on his forehead, the anger he feels when looking at hers that she refuses to cover up. That was her not too long ago.

"Love you Neji." Tsubame says joyfully as her brother huffs in indignation and storms off. His hushed reply of 'I love you too' doesn't go unnoticed.

With her brother now gone, the chakra signature that's been lingering a few yards away finally approaches the young woman. Tsubame's felt it for a while now, her chakra sensitivity showing. She immediately identified it as a Hyuuga. Family members' chakra signatures always have a similar feel to them. Everyone has unique chakra signatures of course, but when it comes to family members, there's always a similar something with the signature. However, just because Tsubame can identify the ninja as a Hyuuga, doesn't mean she lowers her guard. Her muscles have been tensed to spring since she first felt the ninja.

When the ninja lands behind her, Tsubame turns and focuses in on them. The shock radiating from the ninja doesn't go unnoticed. The woman's condition is in no way hidden; practically every ninja in the village is aware of the fact. But hearing and seeing are two different things it appears.

The way the woman's unseeing eyes immediately landed on him unnerves the Hyuuga ninja.

"How can I help you today cousin?" Tsubame asks politely, back straight, chin up, hands folded in front of her. The epitome of a lady. Something about her presence as a whole sets the Hyuuga ninja on edge. If he had to voice it, he'd say he felt like he was standing in front of a beautiful flower, a beautiful flower drenched in poison.

"Hiashi-sama wishes to speak with you." The Hyuuga ninja states and Tsubame's mind races before coming to the most likely solution. Neji graduates from the Academy today. It wouldn't surprise her if the meeting was about her brother's prowess, which has obviously not gone unnoticed.

"Thank you for delivering the message cousin, I'll be on my way immediately." The ninja is gone immediately, eager to be out of the woman's presence.

Tsubame sighs. She wishes she wasn't always so paranoid, so suspicious of people, even her own family. It wasn't something she could help. It's built into her at this point. It's second nature for her to distrust people on sight. Living in a ninja village tends to do that to people.

Yuki chirps worriedly, sensing Tsubame's melancholy. The bird rubs its head against her cheek in comfort, causing the girl to smile.

"What would I do without you Yuki?" She questions, gently scratching the hawk's head. "Well, let's get going."

"Good morning Oji-sama." Tsubame says while bowing her head in respect as she's ushered into her uncle's office. Unlike her younger brother, Tsubame preferred to keep a more familiar relationship with their uncle.

More than one of her cousins would chastise her for referring to her uncle as such, despite the fact that she uses a formal honorific. He never seemed to mind much himself.

Hiashi does a once over of his niece, his eyes coming to rest on her unseeing ones as always.

"Tsubame, have a seat." He replies, wasting no time getting to the matter at hand. "I assume you're aware of why I've called you here."

"I assume it has to do with Neji, Oji-sama." Tsubame replies, eyes ahead to where she knows her uncle is sitting.

"You are correct. He is taking his graduation test today and at his skill level I've no doubt he will pass, meaning he will be assigned to a squad of his own." Hiashi states. "How has his training been progressing?"

"Very well. His mastery of the Byakugan at such a young age is remarkable, and his taijutsu skills are phenomenal. He'll no doubt rise the ranks of shinobi quickly." Tsubame was in charge of her brother's training, so she knows first-hand just how talented he is.

"As you are aware, Hinata will be entering the Academy next year. Her skills are less than satisfactory for a Hyuuga her age. As she is now, she is a disgrace to the clan." Tsubame keeps a blank face despite her anger boiling at the lack of compassion her uncle has for his own daughter. But that's how it's been for a long time now. Hinata simply didn't have the same battle prowess as Neji. She was too gentle, too kind. With Neji only being a year her senior the two were often compared; the fact that Neji belonged to the branch house only made it more of a disgrace in the eyes of the main house. "You have been extremely successful in training Neji, so I want you to begin training Hinata. Perhaps with your guidance she won't be so much of an embarrassment."

"It would be an honor to instruct Hinata-sama." Tsubame replies, overjoyed to have the heiress' training in her hands.

"That will be all then." Hiashi states and Tsubame stands, bows, and exits. Hiashi's eyes follow his niece until she's gone, sadness filling him. He's well aware of the pain she's had to endure because of him; because his brother chose to die in his place, his niece was left to navigate life in darkness while simultaneously raising her brother. Darkness that he was unable to prevent. Darkness that was his own fault.

However, despite that, she still managed to become one of the best ninja in the village. She single-handedly became the best medical ninja in the village, people within, and out of the village, praising her as 'the Tsunade of her generation.' Despite her lack of sight she still carries out S-rank missions when needed without hesitating. Not to mention that his nephew was truly a prodigy in every sense of the word.

Hizashi really should have been born first, Hiashi thinks ruefully before sighing and getting back to the work on his desk.

A/N: I like this chapter 500 times better now. Also, I'm looking for a beta-reader because I am the QUEEN of grammar mistakes, so if anyone is interested just let me know!