Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its respective characters. I just like to exercise my imagination on them.


Prologue

"There isn't another who has received such thick Hyuuga blood…watch closely, Hanabi." Never did I know at the age of 7 how those words would form the path that my feet would inevitably choose to follow.

I was the talented one. I was the one Father chose to focus on for training. He was strict, it was difficult, but I loved it. I loved my sister, but I was also happy in my place. I felt like I was meant for this role, for this challenge, for the recognition in so many ways that she wasn't; and the fact that I was the younger sister made it all the more worth it. I felt bad that it meant my sister was ostracized by our father, but then I was also 7, and seven-year-olds don't tend to look too far outside themselves for long periods of time. Well, at least I didn't. I was too focused on Father's strict training.

And then things changed.

After the chuunin exams, Father began to train Neji-onii-san. Which meant less time with and focus on me, two things I had grown accustomed to. And so while Hinata-onee-san was able to look upon this patched relationship in a positive light, I think it was only natural for me to begin to view Neji-onii-san as competition.

Another difference he made was despite previous plans otherwise, I was to be enrolled into the academy at the start of the next year. I suspect with more than one potential heir now, it was no longer necessary to ensure that I wouldn't be putting my life at risk on missions for Konoha. As long as there were at least two of us. Maybe there were even three now that my older sister had shown improvement.

Whatever the political reasoning behind it, I was taken out of the shelter of the Main House and flung into the outside world, and no longer having the privilege of my father's constant tutelage, I had to learn to fly on my own.

I still was able to train with my father sparingly during the week, for a few short hours after I returned home from the academy in the late afternoon. But it lacked the intensity and clear line to leadership of the clan it once had. To try to keep going in that direction, I ruthlessly practiced on my own during my unoccupied waking hours. Because of my prior private training, I breezed through the academy and graduated at the age of 10. But as a result of my dedication to practicing on my own and attempt at early graduation, I am also to blame for my sense of isolation during that time and even into my assignment to my 3-man cell group.

But by then, I had already set my sights on becoming a part of ANBU. It wouldn't happen until after I had attained the level of chuunin, which would be two years later. But he had already been a jounin since around the time I graduated from the academy, and I had a lot of catching up to do.

I realize now that I was a bit hard on myself to think I should be, at the same time, at the same level as the one who had most inherited the Hyuuga ability when he was 6 years my senior. I guess I just thought since I could be more skilled than my older sister, the same could apply with my cousin if I just worked hard enough. Up to a point, I was able to progress further at a younger age than he with the advantage of growing up with my father's training, and yet he was able to figure out and master my father's moves with no one training him at all; and afterward he received more training from Father on top of that little fact. It was infuriating.


Part 1: Sparrow
Chapter 1
Shadow

"Hanabi! Can you take them their tea for me?"

The twelve-year-old chuunin let out a sigh as she sat up and swung her legs off the side of her bed. She had been studying the clan scrolls when her older sister's soft voice from outside her bedroom door had interrupted her concentration.

"Why can't you do it like always? I thought you liked doing it," she whined back to Hinata.

"Because I'm already late for a meeting with my team," Hinata replied, still behind the closed door. "We're leaving on a mission for the next few days."

Hanabi noisily picked herself up and slid open the door. "Fine," she muttered as she passed her sister and proceeded down the hall, but stopped before she turned the corner. Turning back toward her older sister, she added with a bit more compassion in her voice, "Take care of yourself on the mission. I don't want to have to hunt down and beat up anyone who has the audacity to hurt you."

Hinata just nodded before Hanabi stepped out of sight. She let out a light sigh herself as she slid closed the door to her younger sister's bedroom. It didn't escape her notice how Hanabi had changed ever since Neji began training with their father. It wasn't that their relationship had ever been better than this, but it at least never felt like Hanabi was so far away despite her sister's efforts to stay connected. Maybe they were just too different. But one thing they did share now; they both had latched onto the desire to improve themselves, and to push their own limits.

Hanabi tucked away that annoying strand of hair that always seemed to fall in front of her face as she loaded the tray with two full tea cups of green tea. At the same time, she wondered bitterly who had come up with the concept that a female had to serve the men tea. Well, regardless of how it started, it wasn't likely to change anytime soon within the Hyuuga. That's just the way things worked. And the tradition now forced her to witness a break in tradition that drastically changed how she worked. But she wasn't in any position to start altering things to her liking, at least not yet. So until that day she envisioned in her head, she would swallow her contempt and serve her father and Neji tea.

"I have brought tea," Hanabi announced as she stepped out onto the walkway bordering one of the outdoor training areas on the complex.

"Did Hinata already leave for her mission then?" her father questioned.

"Yes, sir," she replied back. Carefully kneeling down, Hanabi made sure her motions were smooth and graceful, to not show any weakness in front of either of them. She even gave a polite nod to Neji, who was probably disappointed to miss out on pleasant conversation with his other cousin. He would get no such pleasure from her.

"Neji, what is your schedule for tomorrow afternoon," her father asked.

"Just the usual training with Gai-sensei, but nothing I can't get out of, just like for these training sessions," he replied honestly.

"Do what you can manage, I'd like you to work with Hanabi on her hakkeshou kaiten when she comes home from meeting with her team," Hiashi stated.

Hanabi's head snapped up at the prospect. "But, Father, I thought you were going to help me with that technique." Although she kept her voice respectful, she felt nothing but disgust.

"I'm afraid I have things I need to take care of for the clan, and I don't want to put it off any longer than I already have," Hiashi replied gently to his younger daughter. Turning to face Neji, he continued, "I also want to test Neji on how well he can instruct others and pass along our teachings."

"Yes, Father," Hanabi answered obediently.

"I want you to arrange time and meet for as many sessions as it takes for her to master the technique," he prompted of Neji.

"Understood, sir."

"Excellent," Hiashi condoned with a slight smile. Setting down his empty tea cup, he carefully stood back up and motioned for training to recommence.

Receiving a nod from her father and cousin, Hanabi also stood up to excuse herself, and silently left the walkway that surrounded the training area, clutching two empty cups tightly with the tray tucked snugly under her arm.

After dropping off the dishes, Hanabi ran down the hallways in the vast complex until she reached her bedroom. Once inside, she forcefully slid the door closed behind her, and, clenching both her fists, she paced over to her bed to relieve some of her anger at the expense of her mattress.

'I can't believe Father would leave my training up to him. It was bad enough having the time split between us, with him getting the larger share, but now…now this! Testing him on how well he can instruct others and pass along the teachings? Why doesn't Father just come out and name him heir now?' She let out a muffled shriek of frustration as she buried her face into her soft pillow.

'I thought I was talented. I'd at least be happier if Hinata-onee-san did become heir because she was born to be it, but to be passed up for it by a Branch member...'

It wasn't that she supported the concept of a Main and Branch House and the treatment between them. It's just that she had been on her way to surmounting the obstacle of becoming clan head without being the heir, and now someone else seemed to be farther along on that path, and she was one of the obstacles being skipped over.

'Is he really that much better than me?' She pushed the next thought down before it even had a chance to fully form; Neji had learned the hakkeshou kaiten completely on his own with no instruction before he became chuunin, and here she was, already chuunin for a year and needing help in order to master it. Was it so wrong to want to be the best?

~/~

That night Hanabi lay awake in her bed, staring up at the pale ceiling above her. Her mind traveled back through the years that had transpired from the day he was first brought to her attention until now. She had studied rigorously in the academy, she trained in solitude through her genin days, and she outclassed her teammates to become a chuunin ahead of them.

She wondered what her teammates and sensei thought of her. Only speaking when necessary, coordinating only when in battle. They didn't seem to have any complaints, at least none that she's noticed. Would they miss her if she could manage to quit the squad and enlist in ANBU? Would there be any significant difference with her gone? Did she like feeling like only a shadow ever since that day? Maybe she should-

A knock on the door interrupted her thought process. "Come in," she called out as she sat up in bed. She recognized the silhouette of her father blocking the light from the hallway into her dark room.

"I didn't disturb you, did I?" he asked.

"No, I wasn't asleep yet," Hanabi answered plainly.

Crossing the room noiselessly, Hiashi sat down next to his younger daughter on her bed. Folding his hands in his lap, he remained in that position for a few silent moments before finally speaking his mind. "Are you all right with having Neji as a teacher?"

"Of course, Father, if it is what you think is best," Hanabi replied obediently.

"Good." He patted her lightly on the leg. "Good. I expect then that you will come straight home tomorrow so you will make yourself available as much as you can to accommodate Neji's schedule?"

It was hardly a question. "I will."

"Good," Hiashi repeated again before giving a slight nod as he stood up. Hanabi's eyes followed his figure as he traversed the distance to the doorway. Turning only slightly, he wished his daughter goodnight, and slid the door closed behind him.

"Goodnight, Father," Hanabi whispered into the shadows that once again enveloped her.

~/~

Hanabi ran through the hallways as fast as she could without knocking anyone over along the way. Her team's mission had run long, rounding up a lost dog of all things. The orange light from the late afternoon sun danced in and out of her vision as she passed by several windows. She mumbled a silent prayer that Neji wasn't already there waiting for her as she turned a corner and the training courtyard spread out before her.

She skidded to a halt as she reached the outdoor walkway, only to find him sitting slightly off to the side, most likely in meditation.

At a much slower pace, she crept up to where he rested. At first uncertain how to go about interrupting his concentration, she took a deep breath and was about to call out to him when one eye popped open and acknowledged her presence.

Her breath caught in her throat, but she tried to cover it up with a quick bow and an apology for keeping him waiting.

"It's fine," Neji replied as he stood up and stretched slightly. "Let's just get started before it gets too dark."

"Right," Hanabi answered back as she traced his steps into the courtyard.


A/N: Hope you liked the prologue/first chapter! I plan on breaking this story into 3 or 4 Parts, each with several chapters. I always focused on Team 7 the most as I've gone through the Naruto series, but I thought I'd try a different set of characters on for size, as well as explore a pairing I find interesting, even if most of Hanabi's character is left up to the imagination. I thought I'd also try a more serious style than the periodic humor I used in my other chaptered fic, What Words Can't Say. I guess we'll see how it turns out.

Also, similar to my other fics, check out my profile page for some 'theme songs' to go along with this story. ;)