Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

AN: OK, please review after you read this (or not). I am in desperate need of constructive criticism and advice from all you experienced authors and geniuses out there. Tell me if it's too boring, dramatic, short, retarded, or any other crappy aspects of my writing.

The salty tears burned Hinata's raw flesh as they dropped, one by one, onto her hands. The burden of failure rested on her back, unrelenting and parasitic. Yes, she had developed two new techniques and had mastered them in the past few years, and, yes, her Gentle Fist techniques had improved, but compared to her fellow ninja, Hinata was the same old weakling she had been three years ago. Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, TenTen, Lee, Neji….they had all developed into some of the most respected and powerful ninja in Konoha. Hinata had been left behind.

And Neji…Neji had become so powerful. His improvement and techniques dwarfed Hinata's…a giant compared to an ant. "Big Brother" Neji was the only one of the original so-called rookies to become Jounin. His chakra control was remarkable…his techniques were so unbeatable and powerful. Neji was the genius, the true Byuakugan heir. Hinata had been cast to the side.

An aura of self-fulfillment surrounded Neji, whilst a cloud of failure floated around Hinata. Even Hanabi was stronger than her now. And Naruto, the so-called Dunce, had developed so many new techniques and strategies. Plus, he had recently gone to undergo training to become a Sage, just like the Sannin Jaraiya. Hinata felt her burden of failure become heavier. The Hyuga heiress, was the true heiress no more.

Flashback

Pandemonium had arrived in Konoha. Uchiha Sasuke had become a missing-nin and left with four Sound Ninja. A retrieval party had been sent after him, consisting of Chouji, Kiba, Naruto, Neji, and Shikamaru. Hinata felt more than ever the gaping gap between the other rookies and herself. Even Chouji had been sent, and he had failed after five minutes during the Chunnin Exams. Hinata had fought bravely, and it was a giant step toward becoming a formidable ninja. But soon, she was once more left behind.

Getting up and getting a roll of bandages. Wrapping her bloody hands that she had earned from training. Wiping her tears. Walking out of the Hyuga compound. Ignoring the calls of her friends. Putting one foot in front of the other, slowly making her way toward the forest.

The retrieval mission had failed, but the ninja who had participated in it had survived. It was a narrow miss, a failure that caused improvement. Neji had come back with two gaping holes in his chest, on the brink of death, but he had succeeded in killing his opponent in the end. Naruto had come back unconscious, but had showed true bravery and strength in his fight with Sasuke. The two most important people in her life, Neji and Naruto, had left her behind again.



Walking to a post in the middle of a clearing. Hitting the wooden post again and again, ignoring the repeated stinging in her hands. Byuakugan activated. Using Jyuuken. Hitting, hitting, hitting. Chakra concentrated toward bloody hands. Hitting, hitting, hitting. Sitting down, taking off the bloody bandages and rewrapping her hands. Training, ignoring all else.

Hinata had finally developed two unique techniques that could match Neji's. Although she had failed on her mission, she had become a stronger and tougher kunoichi, and equal in Shino's and Kiba's eyes. For that one mission, Hinata finally felt that she could live up to the Hyuga clan's expectations and requirements. For that one day after the mission, Hinata felt like she was floating, a failure no more.

Walking to a nearby lake. Concentrating fiercely in her mind. Standing on the water and making rapid motions with her hands. Activated Byuakugan eyes concentrating fiercely. Creating beams of chakra that penetrated all, that closed off the chakra points of the opponent. Splitting the water droplets all around her, again and again. Satisfied with her technique, if only for a moment. Creating a weblike formation of chakra around her. Forming an ultimate defense, one that rivaled even Neji's. Again and again until sweat burned her raw hands and her chakra was nearly depleted. Resting on a rock. Feeling the ever-present need to escape destiny, become stronger, tougher, more powerful.

Hinata was sitting at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar with Naruto. Slurping noodles with him, laughing with him, failure forgotten. The name Sasuke-kun popped up. Hinata watched Naruto's face darken. Heard him repeat the tale of his mission, elaborating on how strong Sasuke had gotten within three years of training with Orochimaru. Hinata thought to herself, 'If I became a missing-nin and left Konoha, would I become that strong…?'

The will to become stronger was present, more troublesome than ever. Prodding Hinata to leave Konoha, become stronger, and return. To leave the confines of weakness behind. To come back a full-fledged and powerful kunoichi. A hero in Naruto's eyes, no longer a failure to Neji.

Hinata slowly got to her feet. She was determined to become all that she could be. Iron will strengthened her resolve. She would leave Konoha and train to become a powerful ninja. True, she was not a genius like Neji, or as stubborn as Naruto, but Hinata could persevere and fully develop into the heir of the Hyuga clan's Byuakugan.

Hinata leapt onto the cliff in front of her, higher and higher. She leapt onto the nearest tree branch at the top of the cliff and jumped forward. Crouch, leap, crouch, leap. Thunk, swish, thunk, swish. Farther from failure, and closer to her ultimate destiny, closer to success.

R&R--Your friendly neighborhood Nostradamus.