Before reading this there are a few changes that I am making to the Naruto cannon for this fic.

1) The first change is that Neji's father did not volunteer to take his brothers place in the execution but was forced by the elders of Hyuga clan to take his brother place because he is a branch member. After the chunin exam Hiashi Hyuga confronts Neji and tells him that he did not want his brother to die and that he wished that he had been executed but because of clan politics Hiashi had no choice but to watch as his brother was killed. Neji then takes his anger away from Hiashi, Hinata and Hanabi but instead puts his anger towards the institution of the main branch and the elders of the clan.

2) Second is that the main branch are much harder on the branch members treating them as less than human.

3) Third is that Hanabi is only two years younger than Neji with her being eighteen, Hinata is nineteen and Neji is Twenty.

Chapter 1

If I was caught, I would be in more trouble than anyone could possibly imagine. Having the second daughter of the head of the Hyuga clan being caught sneaking around the branch house late at night would not only get me in trouble but would also spawn endless rumors about why I was there. I walked down the main hallway of the branch house, doing all I could to not make a sound as I searched the empty halls. After a minute or two of walking I found the door I was looking for and stopped in front of it. I activated my byakugan and saw that the person I was looking for was peacefully asleep in their room.

I slide the door open, stepped into the room, looked back into the hallway to make sure no one else was there, once I saw the hallway was clear I quickly slide the door closed. I turned my attention from the door to the figure sleeping on the futon. I had successful got into Neji's room with out getting caught and hadn't even woken up Neji himself. I lightly stepped closer to Neji and looked down at his face, god the Hyuga prodigy even slept perfectly, I was hoping I could find him snoring or something, so I would at least have one thing to bug him about. Then it hit me, Neji Hyuga the perfect shinobi had not woken up while some one hovered over him in his sleep. Was Neji a heavy sleeper and truly unaware of his surroundings? If Neji got ambushed while he was asleep he would be screwed.

a smile slid onto my face, It was time to teach the great Hyuga prodigy a lesson on awareness. I tiptoed over to Neji's desk and looked through the drawers until I found a black marker. I walked back over to Neji and took off the markers cap. I leaned down closer to him and made my move bringing the marker close to his face. Just as the marker was just about to touch his skin Neji's hand grabbed my wrist and I nearly screamed in shock but restrained myself. Neji's eyes slowly opened "what do you think you're doing?" Neji said in a monotone voice.

I dropped the marker to the floor and took a couple steps back from Neji "Well you know I just wanted to pay my favorite cousin a visit." I said in a nervous voice.

Neji gave me a blank stare void of emotion "You wanted to pay me a visit at two in the morning?".

"Well you know, I just kind of … I need to talk to you" I stumbled through my words like Hinata did when she was young. Neji dropped his serous expression when he saw my nervousness, Neji got out of his futon and sat down on it and gestured for me to sit down beside me. I accepted his offer and sat down on the soft futon.

"So what's the problem?" Neji questioned giving me a sympathetic look.

"I want you to train me" I asked in a quite voice. Neji looked confused and remained silent for a few moments leavening the room completely quiet.

"Hanabi you know that's not allowed" Neji looked away from me as he spoke almost like he was shameful of his answer. I cringed when I heard his response, as it was what I expected but did not want to hear.

"That's why I had to sneak in here, I don't care about the rules. The Hyuga main branch members and elders that are training me are getting me no where. Hell, I think I could beat most of them, but you are still so far ahead of me and you had to teach yourself everything. If I keep training with the main branch I will never get any better than I already am. I can't stand that, I need to keep getting better or there's no point to even being a shinobi. I know that there are rules that say a branch member can't teach a main branch member but I don't care so I beg of you cousin, brother please help me" I spoke quickly and frantically while trying to convince Neji to train me but also was doing my best to keep the noise I was making to a minimum. Neji closed his eyes and stayed quiet for a while, I even started to wonder if he had fallen asleep. "I know your busy with team Gai, missions and being a Jonin or whatever else you are busy with, but please can you make time for me. I need to be taught by the best or I will never improve, Please brother." I pleaded and closed my eyes in fear, waiting for a response.

"You know If we are caught there will be consequences? I don't know what they will do to you, but I know what they will do to me. My curse seal has not been activated in a long time and I like it that way" Neji was firm with his words not wavering once in his speech.

"If you get caught teaching me I will take the fall, I am the daughter of the head after all I will be able to get you out of it. Please train me" When I first came here I told myself I had more self pride then to beg but apparently I had forgotten about that as I had quickly fallen to begging.

Neji opened his eyes and looked down at me "If we are going to do this then we are going to go on my schedule and will only meet in the forest outside the village. We will not mention our training to anyone and I mean no one including Hinata. You also can't use anything I teach you in your training with the main branch or else they will figure out someone else is training you.".

"So you'll train me?" I spat out in an ecstatic voice.

"I will" Neji stated. I leaned in and hugged Neji tightly despite how much I knew he hated it. Neji didn't even move as I constricted him in a tight embrace.

"Trust me Neji you won't regret this you're the best. I better get going before anyone finds me here. Goodnight brother." I let go of Neji, stood up and started walking toward the door.

"Lady Hanabi, what was your plan if I had refused to train you?" Neji asked with curiosity heavy in his voice. Nervousness once again overtook me as I turned back to look at Neji.

"Well, if you refused I was kind of planning on threatening to scream. If people found me screaming in your room during the middle of the night… I think you could put together what everyone else would think was happening." I said in an almost shameful voice.

"You would really do that if I refused?" Neji almost sounded hurt, something I had never heard in his voice before.

I laughed to myself causing Neji to give me a confused look "I only said I would threaten you, I wouldn't actually go through with it, I'm not that cruel." I started to open the door when Neji spoke again.

"Three days from now, meet me at the village gate at five am don't be late." I nodded my head to Neji and smiled as I left the room. I silently made my way out of the branch family area of the Hyuga compound making sure I was not seen.

When I reached my room, I fell face first on my bed with a massive smile plastered across my face.