Disclaimer: Hyuuga Irihi and Aburame Shinju belong to me, all other characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Notes: This miniseries will be centered Hyuuga Irihi. If you don't know who she is, be sure to read the warning that follows.
Warning: This story follows my Naruto fanfic "White Dog Night" and all it's companions. A more detailed list is in my profile, but in case you found this story without going through my author page, I'll list them here, too. Keep in mind that the timeline jumps between stories quite a bit (all the more reason to read my profile, then the stories listed there, and to pay attention to the warnings in every chapter).
White Dog Night & Hyuuga Secret Arts
Building Clan Uzumaki
Shadow in the Sun & Hokage Climbing
Rise of the Rokudaime
So no complaining you don't know what's going on if you didn't bother to read the stories that come before this one. If you ask me a question that's answered in one of them, I'll be a jerk and tell you I've answered it without saying which story it's in. Well, probably not, but you should still read them all before you get to this one.
Summary: The Hyuuga clan head formally meets her young heir. But neither one is prepared for what they will take away from this meeting.
The Iron Hyuuga
Part 1: Auntie Hanabi
A Naruto Fanfic by
Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Life was very odd sometimes.
Hyuuga Hanabi had always preferred to avoid pointless social gatherings when she could. And yet, even as the Hyuuga clan head, she still got dragged into them by people she'd known and supposedly trusted for years.
This time in particular was all Tenten's fault. Well, really it was Naruto's fault for throwing a party every time something good happened in his life. This latest party was to celebrate Hinata's successful first year in "the baking industry," as Naruto liked to call it. Hanabi hadn't had any definite plans to attend, not even when Hinata had personally invited her.
And then Tenten had to "casually" mention that she was using the party as an excuse to introduce Irihi to the rest of their family and friends.
It was, of course, both completely possible and infinitely easier to just arrange a formal introduction between Hanabi and her young heir. It would've taken place in the Hyuuga compound, so they wouldn't even have had to leave home. The problem was that Hanabi knew very well that such situations were uncomfortable for young children, having been through them herself, and she didn't want Irihi's first impression of her to go badly. Certainly she was under no pressure to impress the child (quite the other way around, in fact), but this was Neji's only daughter, and Hanabi wanted things to be comfortable for her.
And by the time she'd admitted to herself that one of Naruto's loud parties was a much more comfortable environment, Hanabi had already been in a bad mood.
It was only after Hanabi had arrived that she discovered Tenten intended for Irihi to meet everyone else first. This was not so much surprising as it was mildly annoying, because it meant Hanabi had to sit there, not doing much of anything as she waited to finally speak to Irihi. Several times during the party, Hanabi found herself glaring through walls as Irihi was introduced to other people, all the while gripping the same cup of some concoction Naruto had presented her with earlier (and that she had no intention of bringing anywhere near her lips).
She wanted very much to leave, go home, and stick her head under a pillow for a few days. But Irihi was here now, and so was she, so there was no getting out of it.
Still, after over two hours of waiting, Hanabi had lost a great deal of patience. That was when a hand gently touched her shoulder.
"There are some very comfortable chairs in the next house over. Akamaru will make sure you're not disturbed."
Hanabi looked up gave her older sister a small, grateful smile before standing. "I should let onii-san know where I'm going."
Hinata shook her head, smiling warmly. "There's no need. I'll bring your heir to you, Hanabi-chan. Just take a few minutes to relax. I can tell you'd rather not be here, and I think Irihi might pick up on it, too."
It was a small relief that Hinata didn't sound offended, and Hanabi made a mental note to visit her more often so as not to give the wrong idea. "Is she enjoying herself so far?" Hanabi asked.
"Yes, and she seems just as anxious to meet you," Hinata replied. "I'll bring her once you've both had a chance to calm down."
Roughly ten minutes later, Hanabi was seated in a very odd chair that kept molding itself to her body no matter how much she shifted. It was less comfortable for her and more worrisome, since she couldn't sit still in it. She finally decided to sit on the floor and meditate while she waited. After some reflection, Hanabi decided that maybe Hinata had been joking about the chair being "comfortable," or that they just had very different ideas on the meaning of the word.
The house itself seemed more devoted towards meetings than actual living, as there were an abundance of chairs and tables, but little else. Naruto probably used it for the few important guests that visited. All things considered, it was the best place in the entire Uzumaki compound to have a first meeting with the Hyuuga heir.
It wasn't long before Hanabi heard two sets of footsteps approaching the house, though only one set made it to the front door.
"Don't worry, oba-san," said a young voice as the door swung open. "I'll be fine. Anyway, I need to do this on my own."
Hanabi quickly stowed the small, insistent sense of pride that those words inspired. At least the girl had the right attitude to start with. But then, she was Neji and Tenten's daughter, so that was no real surprise.
What did come as a surprise was how much the girl resembled Neji (or more specifically, Neji as a second-year genin) as she stepped into view. Everything about her identified her as her father's child, from the way her waist-length, dark brown hair was secured behind her back, to the same type of training clothes she wore (had they been a few sizes too big and in worse condition, Hanabi might have thought them the very same set Neji had worn).
What Hanabi did expect was the brief look of awe that flashed over the girl's face as their eyes first met. That happened quite a bit with the younger girls, who apparently considered her a major inspiration, not just to kunoichi, but to any female who wanted to be treated with respect. Hanabi didn't like to think of herself as an example for anyone without ties to her clan or ANBU, but she didn't have much choice in the matter.
Fortunately, the girl quickly remembered who she was, and more importantly, who she was standing before. "Hello, oba-sama," she said after a brief pause, bowing politely. "It's an honor to finally meet you."
Hanabi had a sudden urge to indicate that they needn't be formal, but quickly forced that thought from her mind. "Have a seat, Irihi." She was secretly pleased when the girl passed up all the chairs to join her on the floor, although they ended up much closer than Hanabi would've expected or preferred for their first meeting. She chalked this up to Irihi being eager, or thinking herself overly familiar from Neji's descriptions.
That was when the strangest thing happened. Hanabi realized she had no idea what she intended to say to the girl. Certainly she'd gone over this a million times in her head, but now that Irihi was right here, staring up at her curiously, it was very different.
"Do you have any questions?" Hanabi asked, trying to stall while she ordered her thoughts.
"Just one, really." Irihi lowered her head. "I probably shouldn't ask, though. I think it might be rude, oba-sama."
"But you would still like an answer, wouldn't you?"
"Yes... but only because it concerns my parents."
Hanabi was intrigued, to say the least. "Ask, then," she encouraged.
Irihi bit her lip uncertainly. "Am I... I mean..." She trailed off, trying to find the right way to pose the question. Finally, she simply blurted out, "Do I belong to you?"
Blinking slowly, Hanabi stared at the girl. "If anything, you belong to your parents."
"Could you take me away from them without their consent?"
Hanabi frowned slightly. "I don't think you quite understand our respective positions, Irihi. Your father has walked beside me for much of my life. In return for his guidance and loyalty, I decreed that his firstborn child would be the heir of the Hyuuga Clan. For many, an heir is a living embodiment of a clan's pride and power, not just someone who will one day assume control. Your being the heir is my gift to your father. I would never have any need or desire to remove you from the care of your parents."
"But... in some ways, I am your child, aren't I?" Irihi insisted.
The answer to that was rather obvious in Hanabi's own mind, but she wasn't quite sure if Irihi was ready to know and understand such things just yet. "I suppose you are. In some ways," Hanabi agreed at last, somewhat reluctantly.
"So will I get in trouble if I want to hug you sometimes?"
That question caught Hanabi completely off guard, valid as it was. Not just anyone could approach the Hyuuga clan head with intent to hug. Hanabi trusted Neji and Hinata completely in that area, and she was largely comfortable with Tenten as well. Naruto tended to get carried away, but Hanabi was unfortunately starting to get used to his crushing hugs. Perhaps it was the very idea that Irihi would make such a request within five minutes of their first meeting that surprised Hanabi so much.
"You have the distinct honor of being the only person alive who could never be punished for wanting to embrace me, Irihi," Hanabi replied firmly. "Although, if you would have to interrupt do so, I would expect you to conduct yourself in a manner befitting your position."
Irihi grinned at her. "Papa never told me you were so cool."
Hanabi wasn't quite sure what to make of that. "Then what did he say?"
"He said that if anything ever happened to him and Mama, you would look after me. And if anything happened to you, then I'd go to Hinata oba-san and Naruto oji-san. And if all of you got wiped out, I could chose between Lee-san and Temari oba-san."
The list and order of preference didn't surprise Hanabi. Neji seemed most concerned with keeping Irihi with family, and failing that, people he trusted to raise her in a certain way. Lee was his teammate, and while Neji didn't actually like Temari, he did trust her to keep Irihi strong.
"You'll probably want to be getting back to your parents now," Hanabi suggested quietly. She figured they'd covered enough ground for day one.
"Why would I want to do that?" Irihi asked, frowning a little. "I can see them anytime. I'm hanging out with you now, oba-sama. I mean, unless you don't want me to...?"
"You are not... bored?" Hanabi asked hesitantly.
Irihi shook her head. "Hey, is it really true that you climbed the Hokage Monument all by yourself when you were a genin?" she demanded suddenly.
Hanabi relaxed slightly, since that was familiar ground. "No, that is not true. My teammates climbed it as well."
Somehow, Irihi didn't seem disappointed in the last. "So you ALL did that? Cool! Do you think I could one day, oba-sama?"
"That is a very lofty goal, Irihi. You must keep in mind that my teammates and I had a certain amount of influence and determination that you perhaps do not. It would not be wise to approach such a feat lightly, and if I ever hear that you attempted it without my permission, you will be punished severely."
The girl's face fell. "But... I just want to be like you, oba-sama..."
"You can only be as you are meant to be. Your path may turn out to be similar to someone else's, but they will not be exactly the same. You should strive for your best, not mine. For all you know, you may be able to surpass me at some things, but you will never know if you are too consumed with only matching my accomplishments. Aside from that, I would rather be proud of you for doing something no one else had done before you. I expect you to reach new, unheard of heights, and you can hardly do that by remaining in my shadow."
"I guess I never thought of it that way," Irihi admitted quietly.
"Then you should from now on. Escaping someone else's shadow is often very difficult, and without constant effort, you may fail to do so entirely. If you remember nothing else from this conversation, remember that." Sighing softly, Hanabi closed her eyes. "Tell me something about yourself, Irihi. Anything at all."
There was a short pause.
"Um... I only have one friend," Irihi said.
Hanabi opened her eyes. "Tell me about this one friend."
"Her name is Aburame Shinju. She's the tallest girl... no, the tallest kid in my class. We both sit in the back row, and everyone's afraid of us. That's how we met, because no one else would talk to us, so we figured we should at least talk to each other. She gave me this really neat good luck charm last week." Irihi reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked like a plastic butterfly with pale lavender wings.
Hanabi smiled faintly. "And did she say what the purpose of this charm was?"
Irihi nodded. "She said it would keep me safe, but she never said how."
"That charm contains larvae, Irihi. I do not know their exact purpose, but I imagine they would somehow alert Shinju if you were ever in danger."
"You mean Shinju gave me some of her bugs? But doesn't she need them?"
"Some can be safely separated from their host," Hanabi explained. "I am sure Shinju simply values your friendship, and you, far too much to risk losing either. Her father gave Hinata a similar gift when they were slightly older than you. That is but one of several reasons our two clans have been on good terms for some time now. You really should make a point to thank Shinju for her protection."
Irihi pouted slightly. "But she gave me this super cool gift, and I didn't give her anything..."
"If she is anything like her father, then your thanks will be enough, Irihi."
"You're probably right, oba-sama. Shinju always acts a little funny when I hug her. At first, I thought I might be squishing her bugs, but now I think she just doesn't like too much touching." The girl paused and frowned, as if something had just occurred to her. "How come some people don't like to be hugged, oba-sama? I mean, hugs are great!"
Hanabi tried to decide how best to answer the question without letting on that she was often one of those people. "Surely you're aware that shinobi must sometimes show no emotion, Irihi. For some, it is easier to always be that way, rather than to try and turn it on and off at the appropriate times. And, as you said, some simply don't care much for physical contact. But at the other extreme, there are those who thrive on it."
"You mean like Naruto oji-san and Hinata oba-san?"
"I suppose. What made you think of them?"
"Oh, that's easy," Irihi replied. "When Naruto oji-san hugs me, I feel like I'm going to disappear because his arms are so big... but in a good way. And with Hinata oba-san, it's like hugging a sunbeam. It's all warm and happy and tingly." She stopped there, staring at Hanabi expectantly. "I'd say what hugging you was like, but since I've never done it before..." Irihi let the sentence hang there, smiling hopefully as she slowly moved to her feet.
Hanabi remained exactly as she was, not because she wasn't interested in hugging, but because she had found this was the best way to prepare herself, and to alert people that she was simply not the hugging type. Most people figured it out when she remained stiff in their arms, but there were some (like Hinata and Naruto) who insisted on remaining blissfully unaware that embracing simply was not one of Hanabi's preferred activities.
Having never hugged a child before, Hanabi wasn't quite sure what to expect. Part of her hoped that Irihi would get this out of her system quickly, and yet another part prayed that the girl would never want to let go. So she was both startled and somewhat pleased when, instead of simply hugging her, Irihi actually climbed into her lap and slid her arms around Hanabi's neck, tucking her head just under Hanabi's chin, as if she belonged there. And perhaps she did, because before Hanabi could stop herself, she had wrapped her arms securely around her heir, holding the girl closer than she had ever held anyone. It was a strange and wonderful feeling, one that she desperately hoped she would never be too busy to enjoy again.
"I wish I could stay like this," Irihi murmured, closing her eyes and yawning quietly.
Hanabi simply reached up and lightly stroked Irihi's hair a few times. Within seconds, the girl was snoring softly. Any other day, Hanabi would've carefully laid her niece down somewhere and left her to sleep. But today, they were meant to meet and bond with each other, and Hanabi had never felt so comfortable being this close to another person before.
She didn't want to put Irihi down. Not now, and maybe not ever.
"It's because I'll never hold a child of my own," Hanabi whispered. "Irihi is... everything to me. Everything..."
As if she had heard, Irihi stirred slightly and turned her head so that her ear was pressed against Hanabi's heart. The girl settled down almost instantly, and would not wake again for some time.
Hanabi was still holding her niece when Hinata came to check on them an hour later.
The scene was no different when Tenten poked her head in an hour after that, smiled softly, and left them alone.
Shortly after that, Neji and Naruto entered, and didn't offer a single word as they quickly and quietly cleared some space on the floor, laid out a futon that could easily fit either one very large person, or one average-sized adult and a child. Hanabi didn't say so for fear of waking Irihi, but she thought they rather looked like two men who had just done the bidding of their wives, and would be rewarded (or at least avoid punishment) shortly afterward. Naruto beamed at her before he left the room, but Neji lingered, as if he wanted to say something. He never did, though, and after several long minutes of simply staring at the pair, a multitude of emotions flickering through his face, he left as well.
More than anything else, Hanabi had seen the unmistakable pride in his eyes. But she had not missed the sadness, because Neji was perhaps the only person that would ever truly understand what Hanabi had sacrificed for his daughter. It was not something that he could ever repay, but she knew he would try. Hanabi would never need an excuse to see her niece, nor would Tenten ever complain that they spent far too much time together.
From all indications, Irihi was going to insist on being with her regularly, anyway. And this thought did not bother Hanabi nearly as much as she'd feared it might. There would of course be plenty of awkward moments in which Hanabi found herself completely out of her element, but she had found that those usually only occurred with people she truly cared for, and that made them worth the trouble.
Irihi woke up the following morning to hear a strangely familiar buzzing in her ear. At first, she had no idea where she was, or how she'd gotten there. But then she remembered the party, talking to Hanabi, and then falling asleep at some point. Apparently, her parents had allowed her to stay overnight at the Uzumaki compound, though she wasn't sure why. Certainly her mother wouldn't have minded, but her father... well, he was just in the habit of having his two girls under the same roof when night fell, and Irihi could count the times she'd stayed the night with the Uzumaki or Aburame Clans on one hand and still have fingers left over.
Once she sat up, the buzzing stopped abruptly, and Irihi was not quite surprised to see Shinju sitting against the wall, staring at her expectantly. As with most Aburame, Shinju almost never exposed more skin than her hands and parts of her face, and even the latter was usually hidden beneath a virtual veil of shadows that extended from her wide, black straw hat all the way down to her high collar. Irihi was almost positive that it was some sort of genjutsu, but hadn't quite worked up the nerve to ask her friend so personal a question just yet.
"I was starting to think you weren't going to wake up," Shinju stated. "You said you wanted to spar this morning. Did you forget?"
"No," Irihi answered truthfully, stifling a yawn. "I just lost track of time. How'd you know where I was?"
"Your aunt," Shinju replied simply. "She suggested there was something you wanted to tell me?"
Though there was no need to ask which aunt, Irihi had a hard time picturing Hanabi talking to Shinju. Maybe she'd just passed the message on to Shinju's father... but that was even harder to picture, since Irihi had known him for years, and had yet to hear him speak a whole sentence in her presence. "Shinju, why didn't you tell me what that charm was really for? If I'd known-"
"I did not wish to insult you, Irihi," Shinju interrupted softly. "I realize you can defend yourself, and I know you are proud of that. I did not want you to think I was implying anything else."
"Shinju, you're my only friend. And I'm your only friend, too. I would never get mad at you for trying to help me. Knowing you cared enough to do this makes me really happy, actually."
Shinju tensed slightly as Irihi scooted towards her. "You're not going to hug me again, are you?"
"Maybe just a little," Irihi replied with a warm smile.
Sighing, Shinju looked away, muttering something under her breath.
"What'd you say?"
"Make it quick," Shinju repeated uncomfortably.
Irihi instantly wrapped her arms around Shinju's neck, squeezing tightly for a few seconds before letting go. "You're a really good friend, Shinju."
"I'm glad you think so. I just wish you'd find another way to express it." That said, Shinju stood up and shoved her hands into her pockets. "Can we go now?"
Nodding, Irihi got up as well. She then paused, realizing she should probably change her clothes for a fresh set. But then, she was likely to get dirty while sparring, and there was no point in ruining two sets of clothes in one day. With any luck, she'd be able to bathe before her parents came back to get her. Anyway, Shinju was really sensitive to smells, so if Irihi started to get a little ripe, her friend would be the first to tell her.
"Hey, Shinju?" Irihi asked quietly as they stepped into the morning sunlight. "What did you think of her? My aunt, I mean?" She felt completely comfortable asking that, knowing Shinju would either be honest, or simply opt not to answer at all. She was smart that way, and in many others, for that matter.
"She is very, very strong," Shinju said after a long moment of thought. "She must be, to carry so much pain in her heart."
Irihi froze, alarm creeping into her expression. "Pain? What pain? She's sick?"
"No. But whenever she looks at me, that's the first thing that occurs to me: that she is in terrible pain."
"But... why? What is it that hurts her?"
Shinju shook her head. "I do not know, Irihi. And I do not think it is your place to ask. Not yet, at least."
The thought of Hanabi being in constant pain made Irihi want to cry. But not once last night had she detected any trace of it, so maybe it wasn't a crippling pain, at least. Aside from that, Irihi trusted Shinju's judgment, and she would've said so if she thought the condition were life-threatening at all.
"We could always spar another time," Shinju offered, sensing her friend would be in no mood to train now.
Irihi blinked and shook her head slightly. "Um. Yeah. We can do that," she murmured, trying to keep her voice from cracking.
In a rare act of affection, Shinju reached out and placed her hand on Irihi's shoulder. "She didn't tell you, because she didn't want you to worry. You should try to respect her wishes, if you can."
Shinju was rarely wrong about anything she gave much thought to, so Irihi knew she was probably right in this as well. Still, she had only been taught to ignore her own pain, not that of others. But if this was the way that Hanabi really wanted it, what else could she do?
Hanabi had a certain policy on being a clan head, and it was simply this: being clan head was a job, and like every other job, there were business hours. When they ended, there essentially was no Hyuuga clan head until the next morning, unless there was an emergency. And whether she spent those free hours sleeping or not, Hanabi loathed being disturbed for any reason, so anyone that dared to call on her during that time always had an excellent reason.
In short, Hanabi didn't know what to think when she came home to find Irihi sitting on the floor of her bedroom.
"Is there something you need from me, Irihi?" she asked after a long moment.
"No, oba-sama," Irihi replied at once, watching closely as Hanabi moved past her.
"Then what is it that you want, exactly?"
"To stay with you."
Hanabi paused and slowly turned to face her heir. "To stay with me," she said slowly, noting that Irihi seemed perfectly serious.
"Yes, oba-sama. I missed you, when I woke up today and you weren't there."
In truth, Hanabi had felt slightly guilty about that. But that was why she'd gone to the trouble of fetching Shinju, so that Irihi wouldn't wake up alone. Apparently, that was not enough.
"Do your parents know you are here, Irihi?"
She nodded. "Mama said it was okay, and that she'd tell Papa when he got home. But... if you want me to, I could go home..."
It was obvious that Irihi didn't want to go anywhere, and Hanabi was becoming more reluctant to send her away by the second. It didn't really matter why Irihi had come, in the end. All that mattered was that she was here of her own free will, and that she wanted to stay.
"You may stay, Irihi. But in the future, you must ask me directly. If I had been called away on business, you could have been here by yourself all night."
"I'll remember next time, oba-sama," Irihi promised. And then, without missing a beat: "Oba-sama, could I-?"
"Yes," Hanabi sighed, resisting the urge to smile. "For the rest of the week, if you like." That, if the way Irihi's face lit up was any indicator, was more than she'd hoped for.
"Thank you, oba-sama!" Irihi practically flung herself at Hanabi's legs and latched on rather tightly.
She had definitely been exposed to Naruto too much. But, just as with him, Hanabi found she could do little more than roll her eyes and let it go. After all, the only way she could overtake Naruto's influence on her heir was to spend even more time with her than he did, and Naruto was a very devoted uncle.
"Um... oba-sama? Do you think, maybe, when I go to the Academy for the first time, you could go with me?"
Hanabi slowly looked down to see Irihi gazing up at her hopefully. "That is a privilege usually reserved for parents, Irihi."
"I know, and they can still go. But I especially want you there. Please? You said I was your child, too..."
"In some ways," Hanabi couldn't help adding.
"Can't this be one of the ways?"
"I... may be available on that day," was all Hanabi could think to say after a moment.
Irihi grinned at her. "I could stay with you that week, too, so you don't forget!"
Yes, life was indeed very odd sometimes.
As Hanabi went to bed that night with Irihi curled up against her side, she could not find any trace of the consuming envy that gripped her whenever she came across someone else with their child. She had very nearly forgotten herself when she saw Sakura leaving the bookstore that day, followed by a blond boy that was obviously Ino's son, and a girl that looked exactly like Sakura. Even Shino had been up since dawn, collecting insects with Shinju when Hanabi visited them.
But only with Irihi was Hanabi's pain largely dulled and forgotten. And somehow, it seemed that Irihi had figured that out for herself.
End of Part 1.
Endnotes:
Irihi: evening/setting sun
Shinju: pearl
You might notice that Irihi and Shinju don't bother using "-chan" when addressing each other. This is done: 1) to indicate their closeness, and 2) because these are two girls who take after their fathers quite a bit (and not just in appearance). In some cases, they might even expect or prefer to be confused for boys (girls only get so much respect from boys in the series until they've cracked a few skulls), and being able to compete on or above the level of their male peers would only earn them more respect (grudging as it may be at first). That, and Shinju would view being called "Shinju-chan" as more of an insult that anything else. Irihi, on the other hand, wouldn't mind it so long as the person is a relative or a close friend.
Don't read too much into Irihi simply referring to Lee as "Lee-san." Somehow I think her calling him anything else would make him feel older than he prefers.
The climbing stunt that Irihi asks about refers to the ficlet "Hokage Climbing." But I'm sure you've already read that, right?
Oh, and before I forget, the party in the first scene was to celebrate Hinata's home-based business of baking and selling cinnamon buns, but more on that next chapter.
At the moment, I'm debating whether this miniseries (four chapters planned right now) should go hand in hand with "A Uchiha Among Uzumaki," the way "White Dog Night" goes with "Hyuuga Secret Arts." I only mention it because they'll each focus on a young girl, who conveniently have quite a bit of interaction with each other, so it shouldn't be too hard to balance out. The main difference being that Irihi's chapters have a more lighthearted, fun feel to them, while the other story is a bit more serious and angsty (as you no doubt expected with a Uchiha involved). It'll also deal with some people I've been largely avoiding, such as Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Itachi, and Sasuke. Mind you, they won't all show up, but at the very least they get mentioned more than once.