The lyrics are from the song 'Brave' by Nichole Nordemen. It is also the song I've sung for my school's talent time! (solo…) I lost though… Of course my voice couldn't outshine the competition cause' they were really good. It took me so long to update because this com couldn't connect to the internet and my thumb drive doesn't work. I paid $50 for it!!!

Here's hoping that I do well…

Reviews:

Max Doe: Sorry about the long wait! Thank you so much for reviewing!

Insect-Queen: Hmm… I'll have a think about that pairing. Interesting triangle!

Sabaku no Takashi: Another Gaara fan! Wow! He's quite popular! I kind of like stories with this kind of theme as well, which is kind of why I wrote it! Thank you for reviewing!

XxRebirthDragonxX: Uwa! Thank you for your praise! Sorry about the horrific wait!

On with the story!

The power within

The air was humid and Hinata knew that she had to find the autumn dragon soon. Or she would be sent away to go the water country with Orochimaru. She had never had to live for longer than three months away from home! Let alone forever!

Her heart and chest felt constricted and an odd sensation had settled in her stomach. She was coming so close to being abandoned. Alone forever… Was this how it felt to know that you were going to be abandoned? She found herself observing her surroundings more than usual, taking longer just to absorb the sights and sounds of Konoha. Had her heart already given up?

There was a huge possibility that she would not be able the Akiryuu… How do you call upon a dragon? It was entirely accurate to say that Hinata had no idea how to go about this…

'With your soul…' Her mind mysteriously echoed back.

'W-With my soul? H-How am I supposed to do that?' It was so frustrating. How could she do that? It's not like she could use some superpower and magically find the dragon!

"S-Soul calling Autumn dragon! Hello?" She called to the empty woods. She gave a small sigh. Like anyone would hear her. She was in the centre of a dense forest. She knelt down and buried her face in her hands.

'What can I do now?' Tears began to flood her features. Rejection is what awaited her… As well as loneliness… Hiashi would surely hand her to that snake man. She would be away in a foreign land. Leaving behind all that she had grown to love. The leaves that tumbled in the wind, the sounds of laughter that resounded and her crush… Her first and only crush…

"Hinata-onee-sama? Why are you here?" She lifted her head toward Hanabi. She was truly a beauty and ten times more suited for the title of Hyuuga heir. Her aura was confident and she commanded attention with profession; living up to her given name of fireworks, those lights that shone ever so bright in the sky.

"I-I'm just resting…" She forced a smile. This didn't escape the observant Hanabi.

"You're eyes are red and you aren't smiling like usual." Hanabi had a firm, straight face. She could always read her like an open book, was she so obvious? Or was Hanabi just plain brilliant?

"I-It's nothing…" Hinata gave a small gesture of her hand to signal that she leave, Hanabi ignored her. She stood over Hinata with her air of knowing.

"Do you think I am incapable of interpreting your body language? What did Father say this time? It's him again. That much is obvious." Hinata clenched her fist as she pressed it against her face.

"Y-You wouldn't be able to h-help. I-Its b-because… B-because… I'm just too weak!" Hanabi waited for her to continue.

"Father… H-He's going to give me to another shinobi and l-leave me in rain country. T-To a man called Orochimaru… B-Because I am so useless… T-That's why… T-That's why he doesn't want me! I-I can't do a-anything… I feel so lost…"

'Because everything I do will never be good enough… And anything I try will be trampled upon. Nothing I do can please father…' She had tried to fortify her body against verbal abuse, but it always seemed to worm its way near her heart and damage it. Even a small chink was enough… It always seemed to stab her.

"Prove to him. Make him see that you deserve to be a member of the main house." Her gaze held the same intensity as before yet Hinata felt as if lightning had crossed between them.

"Y-You know I can't…" She spoke in a more resigned tone than intended.

"Do I?" Hinata stared at her in bewilderment. Hanabi gave her a distasteful look.

"You hold back against everyone. Even your enemies who would do you harm without a second thought! It isn't that you're weak. But you are too soft-hearted. An idiot could see that." She huffed in her smug way, her hand placed firmly on her hips.

"Do you think that I am able to?" Hanabi felt it was against her pride the say so, after a minor debate with her conscience she gave a small nod.

"Thank you" Hanabi walked away swiftly, yet held a faint smile on her face. Hinata was once again left to ponder on all that was troubling her.

'If there is but one who believes in me. I will gain the strength to try.'

'Faith is strong and motivates us to do our best. But is that all I need? Hanabi says that I am strong but I don't have physical evidence. Score sheets gave me average and missions were around the same. I always falter when it counts.'

"I-I hate myself!" This was the sad truth. There was nothing she liked about herself. Her heart was breaking, her mind and soul… Her being was constantly overshadowed by others and she was used to sitting in the background, quietly watching those around her.

Why did I take this vow of compromise?

Had she taken a vow of compromise somewhere along the line? She had always abided by the rules and dared not speak out against the unfair ruling of the clan.

Why did I try to keep it all inside?

Her feelings were hidden by her blushes and her voice was never loud enough to be taken into consideration. Neji had tried to run against the stream, he wasn't helped and was knocked at every turn.

Maybe it was time…

So long status quo

To say wash her hands of the rules and regulations.

I think I just let go

To release all her worries and prove she was capable of succeeding the clan. She'd finally show them just how good she could be.

You make me want to be brave

Naruto had inspired her to try to achieve greatness. She had failed him. She did not feel remorse or rage. It was strange how these things never riled her. Her fathers words always affected her from within. Tears were shed, her battle lost, she was a hopeless case.

But, she was thinking differently now. All those things that shot her made her want to rebel.

Brave

'Show them how much… How much do you want to be brave?'

'If I am brave I could achieve all those things that seemed out of reach… I want to be brave!'

Brave

'That's what I wanted to hear.'

A great deal of wind swept many leaves away to create a swirling miniature tornado. The green spring leaves became orange as the dragon from her past emerged. The once violet scales had become a deep purple and her horns were longer and not nearly as smooth as before.

"Akiryuu…"Hinata spoke softly and the dragon gave a toothy grin.

"Hinata-sama you said you wish to gain bravery and regain the power you once had. You told yourself that you are afraid of leaving Konoha because you would miss everyone here. That is not the true reason behind your wish. You view yourself as a selfish person. This is not correct.

Hinata-sama the reason you do not wish to leave is because you know that Hanabi does not want to be the heir. You know that things will get worse for Neji if you leave, there's no denying it. Your teammates will be unable to focus on their work and be worried for you. Your class will sent other ninja's to search for you. You know your leave would cause grief.

This is why I will return your inner power to you. Use it well." The dragon lowered its head to her eye level and blew a red sphere from its mouth in her direction. The sphere spun rapidly as it hovered in front of her.

"Nations wide have searched for you,

It is time to return to owner true." The red ball disintegrated into several million particles and delved into the pores of her skin. Her body seemed to hum in appreciation. A void that had once been empty had been filled.

"You show have no problem in combating your house now. I bid you adieu." The dragon began to turn into a pile of orange leaves leaving but a trace of what once had been.

Its time to show…

The power within.