Hey, guys. This just came to me the other day and since my ideas for my other stories are going nowhere, I decided to type this up and let you guys decide if you like it or not. I know that the concept may be a little overdone, but this was just begging to be published.

I know that a lot has happened during the past few arcs of the Manga and Anime, and I'm not caught up. So please bear with me because most of this probably won't take place during those arcs.

I own nothing but my plotline and the rest is brought to you from the wonderfully creative mind of Mr. Masashi Kishimoto.

~ Kurenai Cakes

CHAPTER 1: THE ULTIMATUM

The people of the Hyuga Clan is known for many things in the Ninja World. Their physical similarities-pale, nearly colorless eyes, brown/black hair, fair to pale skin complexion. Their Byakugan and Gentle Fist Fighting Techniques. Their immense strength and chakra control. The division of the clan into two section, houses, the Main and Branch houses- the main house denoted by their un-marred foreheads and the Branch house denoted by the menacing X on each and every one of their foreheads. Their inherent dominating personalities. Their moral righteousness and major superiority complexes. Their ability to be deadly calm in the face of the most heinous of situations. It was to be assumed that all Hyuga born into the world would follow this template that had been created from thousands of years of incestuous marriages within the clan's long history. But all of that was debunked when she came into the world.

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Hinata

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She was sweet and kind and docile and not very strong and had a major inferiority complex and was easily panicked. She was not like any Hyuga of the past or the present. And yet she strived for the 'stoic perfection' that her family was known throughout the Ninja World for. She didn't quite reach the high expectations that her demanding clan placed her young self, but she exceeded her own. She opened herself up to new friends, learned to control her emotions as well as her chakra, and trained herself in the ways of the Hyuga all the while altering the family's traditional techniques to fit her fighting style. Though she wasn't the best kunoichi in Konoha, she had made a name for herself: Hinata Hyuga, a member of Team Eight/ Team Kurenai, a member of the Silent Flames, a chunin, godmother of Kurenai and the dearly departed Asuma's darling daughter Ai, and a part time medic nin. She was a formidable opponent to all of the enemies she encountered. She'd face those stronger than she was with a somewhat brave face and put all of her strength into defeating them. If she couldn't, she'd take the defeat as a painful learning experience and keep pushing forward.

At first this tenacity only served to try to get approval from her father and the rest of the Hyuga Clan; she was halfway successful for her father was the only one that she pleased. Then it was to try to get Naruto to open his Sakura-misted eyes to see that she was with him, fighting alongside him, for him, because she was in love with him. When he didn't notice her valiant efforts to appeal to him, Hinata began to realize that her first love would always remain unrequited, and so she began to push those feelings aside in favor of being content with his meaningful friendship. And when he finally got with Sakura, it didn't hurt so badly. Hinata was honestly put on a brave face and smile for them, a real smile.

Hinata had grown into the sixteen-year-old young lady that she was now, but all of that progress with shattered when she attended the latest clan meeting.

Each and every clan member was seated on a pillow, legs crossed. Branch on the left side of the room facing the Main house who were all seated on the right, also facing their clan counterparts. A large space divided the room and Hiashi sat here near the wall. The Branch elders to his left and the Main house elders to his right.

Topic of Conversation: Hanabi and Hinata and one of them finally receiving the cursed seal

The two sisters sat beside each other Hinata first and then Hanabi, closest to their father on the right though they weren't facing him. They too faced their Branch family members, two of which included Neji and Ko who sat facing the sisters directly, their profiles exposed to clan leader's piercing white gaze. The girls were supposed to be facing their 'aunts' and 'uncles' and 'cousins', but instead their heads were bowed as the words of an elder washed over them.

"Too long have we allowed these girls to live above the rules. They should be forced to obey the traditions of our family that have been kept alive for centuries. The youngest should receive the seal and be cast into the Branch living quarters." The old man's voice was deep, powerfully opposing his graying hair and his old age-more than eighty. Hinata, even with her head down could 'see' her little sister's eyes widen and tinny trembles racking her petite frame. It took all of the older girl's strength not reach out to her sister and soothe the fear coursing through both of their veins.

"You cannot expect me to ask that of them when I have not chosen my successor. As we all know I disowned Hinata when she was younger, but as she began to show promise in her training and ninja career, both she and her sister have now become viable for the role as the next clan leader." Hiashi reasoned. It had been his plan all along to keep the sister's in a competition of who would become heir, slowing down the decision of who would get the cursed seal- if he had his way neither would. It was a clever ploy that the clan elders began to see through not too long ago. "They have a right to compete for the-"

He never got a chance to finish his statement before another elder, a female elder spoke. "They have no such right. The leadership of the clan has always been given to the eldest child of the leader before. Hizashi had no choice in the matter and he was put into the Branch house just as your father's younger sister was before him." You could hear the aristocracy in her tone (that's the high moral righteousness that was mentioned earlier), denoting her Main house standing.

"Ah yes, but it should be taken into consideration that Hiashi's first born is nothing but a weakling in comparison to the promise that Hanabi has shown." Hinata's head snapped up when the dreaded 'w' word was spoken into existence. Tears welled up in her tear ducts, causing the pale lavender eyes to gloss over in pain. She caught Neji's pale blue gaze which was narrowed in anger. His fists were balled up on each side of him and he looked as if he would lunge at the man speaking. As the man kept going, berating Hinata, Neji's anger began to manifest in a shaking frame, coiling like an angry snake. Hinata locked her eyes onto his where she held his furious gaze and shook her head. If he attacked, his seal would be activated, and a secret that she had long since buried would be brought to light, and Neji would be killed. And she wasn't worth it. 'He's not worth it,' she willed her eyes to say. 'I'm not worth you getting killed.' The man's voice droned on. "I for one do not want to leave the clan in the hands of such a young naive and incompetent little girl."

"You will do your best to mind your tone next time you speak lest you want to lose your tongue." Hiashi's voice was calm, but the contempt he held against the man's opinion dripped from every word in that sentence, "I will not let you disrespect my daughter like that again."

"I do not believe that that is a fair assessment. Young Hinata has trained over the years, growing stronger each day just as her sister has. While she may not excel in every part of being a ninja, she is still worthy of the seat as Clan head, which has been promised to her since she has come into this world. "

.

.

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For the most part the meeting continued like that. An elder would oh-so-kindly bring up one of Hinata' many flaws only to have another elder counteract it with one of her improvements only to have another elder bring up how even with these improvements, Hanabi's natural talent and skill and leadership capabilities far exceeded her own. By the end of the meeting, or as it should be called roast, Hinata was ready to run to her room and ball her eyes out. And still no decision had been made. Ultimately elders forced the Clan Head into a corner where he would have only until Hanabi's thirteenth birthday in March-it was already May- to decide which daughter would be his successor. The daughter would then continue to be groomed in the ancient ways of the Hyuga for her upcoming throne. The other, less fortunate daughter would be branded with the cursed mark of the Branch and be forced to remain outside of the main compound where her home used to be.

As soon as the meeting was adjourned, the daughters of the Clan Head rushed out first, hand in hand, and towards Hinata's room. When the warmth of the light lavender walls surrounded them, the younger sister let her facade of composure crack as she hugged sister. Tears streaked down both round faces as the older tried to console the younger.

"H-Hanabi, e-everything w-will be fine. I-I'll fix it I p-promise, "Hinata stuttered as she held her sister close.

Tell me what you think. Thanks For Reading!

~Kurenai Cakes