Pre-Story note: For those who do not wish to spoil themselves for as far as the series has come, I suggest waiting until one has caught up. So, go find some manga scans and catch up already! Naruto's a good story! Get it on bit torrent if you can, you'll be glad you did!
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Cousins
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"Two!"
Twice the practice dummy was struck.
"Four!"
Four times the dummy was struck.
"Eight!"
Faster than eye sight could register, the dummy was struck in eight precise locations symbolizing chakra veins.
"Sixteen!"
More veins struck. If the dummy had the veins the practitioner was aiming at, the dummy would have lost the ability to use part of its arms and legs.
"Thirty... ah!"
Hinata Hyuuga gasped for air and collapsed to her knees. Her attempt to disable the Keirakukei and the Tenketsu of the practice dummy had failed once again. She had been trying for the past year and a half to use the '64 hands of Hakke', a technique of the Hyuuga her cousin had mastered by himself, but it was far more difficult than she had expected it to be.
In the first place, it required speed that could move faster than the eye could follow so the enemy could not prevent the attacks from coming. Her lack of balance at high speeds was a great hindrance to learning the strike. Henceforth, the first hurdle was simply acquiring the speed necessary to make it effective.
Secondly, the Hakke required the utmost precision when it came to attacking the Tenketsu. Though the "Gentle Fist" technique of her family could easily ignore any kind of physical armor and do damage to the inside of someone's body, she had no real desire to do harm to anyone, even if it was an enemy. With the assistance of the Byakugan, she could easily see the points where she needed to strike, however, considering that her opponents would not likely be standing still when she attempted the maneuver, she had to perfect it standing still before she could hope to achieve it in battle the way her cousin had.
Looking to her battered and bruised hands, she sighed in frustration. The indents of the dummy's torso mocked her efforts, for the early attacks of the Hakke were far more numerous than later. In fact, her spirits sunk even lower when she remembered she had yet to achieve the final sixty-four strikes necessary to complete the move.
"Hinata-sama," a familiar voice said from behind.
She turned to see her cousin Neji stepping in slowly. His face held no emotion that she could see and wondered what reason he had for coming to the Main Family's house. As far as she could tell, the defeat of Neji at the Chuunin exams almost two years prior had only deepened the resentment of the Branch Family House against the Main Family.
"Neji nii-san," she replied cordially with a bow before turning away, feeling somewhat ashamed of attempting something that was obviously out of her league.
Her cousin closed the door quietly and padded over to the dummy she had been practicing in secret for the past year and a half.
He looked to the dummy and then to her, no emotion showing in his face.
"You've been trying to achieve the Hakke?"
She nodded. Not sure whither he was going to chide her or not. The contact between them had been sparse at best. However, she had hoped that his defeat at Naruto's hands had changed him somewhat. She still was unsure.
"Did you try and replicate this from watching me?"
She nodded again. Looking up to the pupil-less eyes which she also had could reveal no sort of malice, nor affection she could see.
"I... I want to be able to do something than just the Hakkeshou," she stammered, doing her best to maintain her composure. "I will... I will not be a burden to my team mates." She looked to him, despite her jaw was shaking a bit. She had always feared her cousin. His technique was easily greater than hers and though she had done her best against him in the Chuunin exam, she could not even lay a hand upon him. Regardless, she could not cower in fear anymore. Not to her father, her sister, or him.
The look in her cousin's face remained as it was before he turned to the dummy. "I can see what you're trying to do, but the order you're trying to hit the Tenketsu needs a bit of work."
She blinked when she expected to hear a belittling remark, one often given by her younger sister and father, but there was nothing cruel in his tone. It was... how could she put it? It was almost like a friend, trying to help.
"Neji."
He moved his fingers over the grooves made by her previous attempts to attack the Keirakukei.
"You need to make sure to move in a diagonal pattern in one direction when you go past eight strikes. If you try and go from the center, you'll only be increasing the range between your strikes and the time you need to attack."
Imagining the directions he had indicated, it seemed so much more simple. However, she turned to her cousin, wondering. "Neji-niisan, why are you doing this?"
Neji was still for a moment before turning to her. "Because I made the same mistake when I was developing this technique." There was still no emotion to be found in his face, however, gone was the bite and anger in his voice she had always heard before.
She shook her head vigorously. "No, no. That's not what I mean. Why are you even bothering to help me?"
Neji stared at her straight in the eye. He was still as a statue, though she could tell there was something inside of her cousin that wanted to escape.
"Hinata-sama..." he began with what sounded like apprehension, "I've had much to think about... and I even had a chance to speak with your team and leader."
"Kurenai-sensei?"
He nodded. "Roughly a month after the Chuunin exam, I confronted them and... requested that they tell me of your development."
She noticed the pause in her cousin's dialog, but said nothing as he continued.
"They told me of the difficulty you've experienced as a genin and the number of failures you've had to endure. However, there was one consistent aspect of all their stories. You've changed for the better. And I am willing to believe that as well."
She blinked in surprised. To hear her cousin actually compliment someone else was a rarity. She still remained quiet as her cousin went on.
"You've done all you can to show that you can still remain as you are and still be a shinobi, with little to no help from others no less." He paused and in a sight that would have surprised anyone, he looked down in shame. "I let my anger and resentment blind me to the effort you made and was cruel to you during the exams."
She wanted to faint in disbelief when she saw her cousin forced himself to his knees and bow in front of her. "Hinata-sama... I can only pray that you will forgive me."
She held back a gasp, but held it in and knelt down in front of her cousin. She placed her hand on his shoulder and raised him so they met eye to eye.
She smiled to her cousin and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"I forgive you, Neji-niisan."
Gently, he took her hands off of him and sat backward. Now, there was the smallest hint of a smile on his lips as he replied, "You really are too kind to be a shinobi."
Before, he had said it as an insult because of her lack of ability. Hinata smiled to him, understanding what he meant now.
"O nee-sama, mail's here. There's a letter for you." Hanabi said, casually tossing the letter on the table by the entrance of the training room..
Hinata blinked in confusion, walked over to the table, picked up the letter, and noticed the name.
'Fox Face'.
"Naruto-kun!" she whispered excitedly. With careful speed, she opened the letter and folded the envelope carefully before placing it in her pocket.
Hearing the Uzumaki boy's name, Neji's eyebrow cocked in surprise.
"You've been writing letters?"
She nodded happily and sat near him, running past the two page letter as fast as her eyes could read. The outside world didn't exist as she was mired in the somewhat sloppy handwriting of the letter from the boy that had given her the courage to continue. Too quickly the letter ended and she sighed wistfully and held the letter close to her heart.
Neji's curiosity got the better of him as he asked, "what did he have to say?"
She turned to him excitedly, "he and Jiraiya-sama have been going through the Snow Country and seeing the aurora borealis! But... there... well... let me read it!
"There's a lot of things I miss... like the Ramen shop, Iruka-sensei, Sakura-chan and Ino fighting. Kinda makes me wish I was back home again. But I'll be back before you know it! Tell Neji I said 'hi'!
Signed;
Uzumaki Naruto"
There was a poignant pause in the room as Neji whispered, even more apprehensive than before.
"Do you believe he can change the Hyuuga?"
Hinata's attention shifted from the letter to her cousin as she carefully folded it and placed it back in the envelope. Though the question wasn't something that could be asked in all seriousness for a while, it still deserved some consideration.
She had heard from both Neji and Kurenai-sensei that as the match between him and Naruto came to a close, the latter announced that once he became Hokage, he would change the Hyuuga after learning of their unsettling connections.
Her grand-father had heard it and scoffed at the idea. She had heard him grumble that a grimy wild boy like him could do nothing, though he and the rest of the leaders of the house did not have the confidence in Naruto the way Hinata did.
Hinata looked to the ground for a minute, carefully choosing her words. Soon enough, a small smile appeared and she replied, "Yes... I believe he can."
Doubt then appeared in Neji's eyes. "But... he would have so much against him... the heads of the family would never stand for it."
Hinata's smile did not falter. "Then he would try all the harder. Neji-niisan, you have to know that Naruto doesn't give up on something that he knows isn't right."
Neji 'hmph'ed slightly in understanding. "So I've seen. I can't remember if you saw it, but he stood up even after I hit him with the Hakke. He refused to give in."
Hinata noticed Neji's gaze elsewhere as he spoke.
"And he's earned your respect, hasn't he?"
Neji nodded reluctantly. "He certainly has that effect on people doesn't he? Determined to prove the people wrong that look down on him."
"But... that's not all, is there?"
"Yes... just as he gave you courage... he pulled me out of the darkness of my hate... well, punched me out, at any rate."
Hinata giggled at Neji's attempt at humor and smiled fondly at her cousin.
"I believe he can... and he will," she said in all confidence of Naruto. Then a new though came to mind. "And... I think we can help him."
Her cousin looked to her with a questioning eye. "How so, Hinata-sama?"
Her gaze became solemn as she gathered her courage. "If we want to stop the hate, we have to do something about it too." She swallowed quickly before she continued. "Neji... I want you to stop calling me Hinata-sama."
Neji almost gasped. What she had offered was practically treason to the politics of the Hyuuga family. The branch was supposed to protect the main family and the very thought of the opposing families treating each other as equals was unheard of.
Despite her shaking hands, Hinata went on. "I'm serious, Neji-niisan. It's titles like those that only makes the hate stronger."
She reached forward and gently stroked the Kohona leaf on his headband. "And the mark... if you ever have children, I wouldn't want them to have that awful thing on them. If we want to stop the destiny of hatred between the main and branch families, then we have to do something about it too."
She pulled back her hands and looked him in the eye, waiting for his response. In spite of her best efforts, Hinata let out an audible breath of relief. Those words were things she wanted to say for so long, but were kept silent because of so many factors that would work against her.
A long and awkward pause settled between them as Neji considered the words his relative had spoken. He then considered what he had promised his deceased father. Initially, he wanted to be stronger than anyone else... but now that seemed so pointless. He understood now what he truly wanted as he saw the birds flying through the sky.
Freedom.
"It will not be easy, Hinata-sa... Hinata."
She nodded in understanding. "I know. And things may become worse for both of us... but considering what could happen... I think it's worth it."
Neji sighed openly. "I know... however, the thought of being free of his curse is..." for one of the few times in his life, Neji actually was fumbling with words. "I agree that it's worth enduring the pain."
Hinata's smile returned as she stood up and turned to the practice dummy once more.
"So then, could you show me how you do the Hakke? I'm still having a little trouble."
Feeling his cousin's contagious good mood affecting him as well, he stood up and began to indicate the order of the move she would eventually master.
For once, Neji felt the heavy weight on his shoulders due to his destiny become significantly lighter.
The End
Tenketsu: chakra openings in a person's body Keirakukei: the chakra highway in a persons' body Hakkeshou: gentle fist technique
Notes: I admit to liking Hinata a lot. She's such a little darling! Like one of those little kitten motivational posters. "Hang in there, kitty! Friday's coming." :)
Anywho; this little one shot is something I hope would happen during the three year jump in the series. Not to say that Kishimoto doesn't know what he's doing, there's a few loose ends that I'd wish he'd tie up before moving on with his story.
Also, as hard as I tried, I failed at trying to keep this little 'forgiveness is one of the greatest virtues' story separated from the 'socio-political'ness the original story had. Politics, though significant, can be such a headache.
Oh and I've always wanted to see Neji apologize to Hinata for what he said. What a jerk! I've never liked the guy, though he has gotten a little better, acknowledging that Naruto can do something he can't while they chased Sasuke and the Four Gates from Kohona.
Next; we loves our constructive criticisms, don't we, precious? Give me your best shot, I'll be sure not to cry like a little girl and sob in the corner... though I can't guarantee anything. :p
Finally, all things Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, Shonen Jump, and Studio Pierrot.