DISCLAIMER: I certainly don't own Naruto or any other anime. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto and all the credit really belongs to him. This fan fiction is created for entertainment purposes only. I don't make money off of this and I'm doing it all for my enjoyment and hopefully for others to be entertained.
I would like to thank everyone for the reviews I received. As DrkKni observed, the ending was a bit weak. I didn't like it either. It wasn't complete enough for me.
For any and all people that hope for a quick "Naruto finds out fic", I would like to apologize. Once I started to get reviews I thought about it some more and decided to continue from where the previous one should have ended. This particular chapter will deal with the actual responsibilities that Hinata has in addition to being a shinobi, as well as Naruto finding out that there is more to being Hokage than he had expected. For those that do not know Japanese, don't worry. The only things I'll use Japanese for are titles and Jutsu. Japanese titles just plain don't translate well enough. I shall put a list of titles and the money system that I'm using at the bottom of the fic. For those interested, I'm using the old feudal money system as well. What can I say; I prefer old fashioned stuff when I'm dealing with ninja. The entire setting for this fic is about 6 months after the events of the manga. I know a few of the characters will be a bit OOC, but then I've only been able to watch the Japanese episodes and read many fan fictions, so hopefully I at least stay true to the spirit of the anime ;
So basically, the reviews made me look at the ending again and go, "By Amaterasu what was I thinking?" Obviously, I wasn't. Except for the Neji part. I enjoyed that. I am of the firm belief that Hinata has a different kind of strength than Neji. Like many martial artists though, they get caught up in their weaknesses, trying to fix them instead of using what they're good at to cover it. Ah well, as it was said in Ranma 1/2, the life of a martial artist is wrought with peril. All things considered, I do believe I'll be using the Feudal Japan focus for this fic at the very least. Now, less yap, more fic!
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The Hyuuga Way 2
Duty
HINATA'S DUTIES
To say that Hyuuga Hinata was ill at ease would not truly be stating the case. With her father, she had always been sure of the fact that she would never meet his standards. In one day, her father had put to rest all that had made her uncomfortable in her own home and given her a whole new set of things to fret over. At least this new set of things was a bit more entertaining to fret over than the previous. In addition, her father had giver her one of his precious bonsai for her to care for in her free time.
"It is relaxing; I use it when my own nerves have nearly reached their limit." Hiashi had told her. It was, of course, going to be kept in the strictest of confidences. The Hyuuga family had an image to uphold. One that she had failed to uphold for quite a while, at least in the presence of the one person in Konohagakure that did not seem to know any of the proper manners whatsoever.
At this realization, Hinata stops in the middle of the hallway. Naruto didn't know any of the formalities that the villagers knew. This meant that he would have to learn all of them in order for them to marry. As she looks at the small tree in her hands, she gives a smile. The words of her father ringing through once more, "All things in life to be likened to each other if you reflect upon the nature of such things. When problems seem overwhelming, I want you to look at this bonsai and think upon your situation as you would think while trimming the bonsai." After a few moments of thought, a bit of clarity came to her. Sure this situation seemed hard, but Naruto would need to learn all the manners in order to become Hokage too. When put in that light, the blond shinobi might be a more apt pupil. In addition, this train of thought did not lead to other, more improper, thoughts.
Hinata shakes her head as she starts to walk once more. Best not to let the mind drift that direction at the moment. She knew it was quite natural for such things, but that did not make it any more comforting to the young shinobi. The family being quite traditional, many of the other Hyuuga ladies her age were already married. Most of those that were married already started a family. When put into context with the rest of the family, she was behind many of the others her age. Due to most of the extended Hyuuga family actually living in Kanohagakure, she had the mixed fortune of hearing many interesting things when her cousins came over to speak. She labeled it all under 'interesting information' because the knowledge gained did nothing but cause her problems.
Her door opens silently and closes just as stealthily. The bonsai is quickly given a spot near the window where the sun could find it and she could see it while doing the family finances. On a typical day, Hinata found the finances to be an unwelcome chore that she executed because she was the eldest daughter and future heir. She had tried a few times, without much success, to teach finances to Hanabi. The younger Hyuuga would need the knowledge later. Men simply could not be trusted with money. Her mother had taught her that and she had seen as much with Inuzuma Kiba.
The thought brought a chuckle to her lips, "Kiba-san is so silly when you give him money." She could not help but to let slip from her mouth as she continues to stifle a laugh. It was true, the last time she had seen Kiba with an amount of spendable money the boy had looked like he had been given the world. She had been forced to excuse herself prior to seeing what her team-mate had purchased; otherwise she would have made a spectacle of herself. She had quickly gone home and collapsed upon her futon in fits of giggling that, to her embarrassment, could be heard two rooms down.
As the finances continued, she would call for various branch family members and request for them to do various errands. Finally she sits back on her heels and gives a sigh. The bonsai certainly made her room seem a bit more energetic and that had helped the chore of the finances immensely. "Well, the Thatcher has been requested to fix the west wing roof. Hourenzou should be back in an hour or so with the groceries for the week. The pond has just been cleaned and the Zen garden has been raked." She smiles at her new companion, "It would seem that I am free for the day now."
Hinata gazes out the window for a few moments and sighs, "Although I wish I had been a bit faster. It is mid afternoon." Carefully, Hinata picks herself up from her desk. Soft pops issue from her knees warning her that she had been sitting in the kneeling position for longer than she had intended. Oddly, it had not felt like such a long, nor had the job been as tedious as usual. She reaches out to grab her jacket and put it on in a smooth motion, the layers helping to hide the contours of her body which she certainly did not feel like allowing everyone to see.
With her preparations finished, Hinata carefully leaves her room to avoid any trouble. She had heard that one of their extended family was to visit. Thankfully, she had arranged suitable entertainment beforehand and she would not need to show her face to this part of her extended family this time. Neji had managed to secure her normal alternate walking area for her and as she leaves Hinata gives her cousin a bow, "Neji-oniisan here is your allowance for the week. Thank you very much for the help." She then holds out her hand and drops the precious metal coins into Neji's hand.
Neji shakes his head, "Hinata-sama, do not worry too much about it. Hade-obasan is not my most favorite relative either. Go and enjoy the rest of your day. I shall see you around dinner."
Hinata gives a soft bob of her head before turning and effortlessly scaling the wall to escape to freedom. She surveys the street for a moment before hopping down from her perch. A soft tap is the only sound heard as she touches the ground and then she disappears into the crowd.
Within the walls, Neji takes his allowance and places it in the folds of his clothing before he heads inside the compound. Though he did not entirely enjoy speaking with much of the Main Branch of the family, he found it entertaining to match wits with some of them and Hinata's absence would give him plenty of time to do just that.
Hinata was entirely true to her namesake. She quite enjoyed the feeling of the sun shining down upon her as if Amaterasu herself was giving her blessings. She would have to remember to visit the family shine when she returned home and give thanks to the ancestors and the kami for this day.
It was indeed a good feeling to look about and know that she would only ever have to worry about competition for Naruto from one person. Sakura was the only person she needed to worry about and even then, she did not truly believe it would be a problem. That relationship had toned down considerably since Naruto had returned from training almost a year ago. These days, the remnants of Team 7 were more likely to sit and chat than anything else. Last time she had talked to Sakura, the pink haired medic was swooning over her fathers' new assistant and that had only been a few weeks prior.
As she walks down the street, ore than one of the people of Kanohagakure take notice of her small yet prominent smile. Some of the older villagers' even comment, "She has the same smile as her mother."
A familiar black and orange outfit becomes apparent as Hinata enters the training grounds. However, the thoughtful expression upon the face of Naruto seemed quite out of place. The random thought crosses her mind, 'He looks so cute when he's thinking. Almost looks like a little lost puppy.'
At home that thought might have received a giggle. With Naruto not 20 feet away from where she is standing, it made her want to hug him. Hugging, however, was strictly an intimate thing done within the walls of the home, if anywhere. This didn't stop the thought, which in turn caused her to blush. As Shikamaru would say, 'Troublesome.'
Hinata almost lets out an undignified "Eep" as she realizes that Naruto is now facing her. Instead, she merely turns a slightly darker shade of red, reflecting her added embarrassment of not having been paying attention to her surroundings.
NARUTO'S TRAINING
It was early morning when Naruto received a knock upon his door. He knew it wasn't another mission. Despite the amount of work, shinobi needed a little time to relax between missions, if for no other reason than to restock. Needless to say, he was quite surprised to see one of Tsunade's assistants at the door.
"The Hokage wishes for you to be at the tower in two hours. You are to look your best." The ninja says right before disappearing.
Naruto stands at the door and blinks, 'That's odd, even for Tsunade-baachan. Maybe old age finally got to her.' Shaking his head, he closes the door and begins to prepare. Even if the orders were weird, he still needed to do them. Tsunade wasn't fun if you made her too angry.
Two hours later, Naruto knocks on the door to Tsunades' office and then barges in the door, "Hey Tsunade-baachan! What did you call me here for?"
Tsunade stands up and fumes, "You idiot! Quiet down and get over here. We don't have a lot of time. Normally I ask Shikamaru to join me for this stuff, but since he's on a mission I want you here. You'll have to do this as a Hokage anyway."
As Naruto moves into the room, he notices that instead of her normal outfit, Tsunade is wearing the traditional robes of the Hokage. To him it seemed a little odd; Tsunade was known for doing things her own way. This was slightly out of the norm, and he wasn't entirely sure he liked it.
"The Kazekage and his delegation will be here shortly." Tsunade explains, "No doubt he'll have Temari with him. She will be examining us for weakness. Your job is to keep quiet and to keep watch on Temari as well as try to learn something other than jutsu for a change."
Naruto blinks and then gives a frown, "So, my job is to just stand here and look strong?"
Tsunade sighs, "Kind of…I'm sure you'll figure it out. At lest you're wearing something decent. Just try not to speak. Gaara might be forgiving considering it's you, but if you ever want to do this again you need to learn to stay silent. It's just the way things are done."
Naruto frowns once more and gives a nod while muttering, "Fine…"
Tsunade picks up the traditional hat of the Hokage and places it upon her head before motioning for Naruto to join her in the next room. The room was….sparse. He could see the low table, and spots for 4 people to kneel at the table. Other than that, the entire room was almost totally blank. The only thing that broke up the monotony of the walls was a silk screen on one side with what looked like a raging fire, obviously to signify that this was the office of the Hokage and not of one of the other Kage.
Naruto steps forward to kneel down and get this done with, but before he can sit a sharp pain lances through the back of his skull. "Hey! What'd you do that for Tsunade-baachan?"
Tsunades gives Naruto a glare from under the hat, "Use some respect. At the moment I am Hokage-sama. Remember that. Also, it's rude to rest before our guests. You want to be Hokage; you're going to have to learn to act like one."
Naruto grumbles under his breath while standing slightly behind Tsunade. The entire thing seemed to be more of a pain than it was really worth. However, if he'd have to do this when he became Hokage it was a necessary evil.
A few moments later, Gaara enters the room, followed by Temari. 'No, this is the Kazekage.' Naruto mentally corrects himself. Indeed, the stance, the look, everything about the ninja known as Gaara screamed Kazekage at the moment. It wasn't the only creepy look that made you think if you looked at him wrong he'd kill you. This stance seemed to command respect. It was a different look than he was used to. A bit of movement is noted by his eyes, Tsunade bowing and saying something horribly formal that he didn't fully catch as he was busy looking over the Kazekage.
Gaara returns the bow to Tsunade, his rough voice replying, "It is my honor to be received as a guest of the Hokage. I only hope that my appearance here does not cause undue stress to the Hokage and the village of Konohagakure."
Naruto blinks, 'This is Gaara? Is this what I'll need to do eventually?' The thought was slightly unsettling. He could fight shinobi of higher rank then him, but this was a radically different thing than a fight. Suddenly, this didn't seem so easy.
With the introductions finished, Gaara and Temari head for their places at the table. Only after they kneel does Tsunade kneel as well, which prompts Naruto to join them. One of the lower ranking ninjas in the tower enters the room and pours them each a cup of tea, then bows before excusing themselves. As the tea is poured, Tsunade and Gaara begin to exchange pleasantries.
Inwardly, Naruto sighs. This was horribly boring. The two Kage's seemed to be talking about nothing at all. With his mind relaxed, it was then that he saw the look on Temari's face. Odd, she seemed to be concentrating. What was she concentrating on? He shifts slightly, the move unnoticed by the two kage's, but not gone unnoticed by Temari. She shifts just a bit in response. His mind wanders in an attempt from being bored, 'If she were to attack now…what would I do?' Unbeknownst to Naruto, this one thought would keep him occupied the rest of the day as the two ninja do their best to calmly find the most advantageous position while not bringing it to the attention of the two Kage's.
It was the afternoon before Gaara decided that the meeting for the day had gone long enough and he wished to rest a little from his travel. Once Gaara is gone Tsunade turns to Naruto, "You are free to go. Don't worry about your day off, I'll give you an extra one."
Naruto nods and gives a wave, "Ok Tsunade-baachan. I'll see you later." With that, he exits the Hokage's office and heads down to find someplace to think.
Back in the office Tsunade looks over at Temari, "How did he do?"
Temari shakes her head, "He's not nearly as good as Nara, but he did decently once he realized what he was supposed to do."
"Or he got bored and wanted something to do." Tsunade sighs, "Do you think he understood anything at all?"
Temari shrugs, "I know he didn't understand a lot of it, but he understands that he didn't understand." As she finishes, gives a small smirk.
Tsunade rubs her head, "Sounds like an answer I'd get from Nara, only he'd say it was all troublesome."
"If it makes you feel better, it was troublesome." Temari comments before heading out.
Tsunade plunks herself down in her chair now that she's alone, "Not really. Damn strategists always have to be elusive."
Naruto's head wasn't any better than Tsunade's at the moment. He'd caught about half the conversation and understood even less. The entire thing had been filled with subtle comments, extreme politeness and guarded motivations. Somehow, he felt that at times they were saying the very opposite of their feelings, but did not wish to make it apparent. The entire thing was utterly confusing. He had enough trouble remembering who was supposed to be "san" and who was supposed to be "sama" without worrying about all the other formalities. Normally he didn't even worry about the formalities he actually knew just because it upset everyone.
The one thing that he HAD caught in that entire thing was that one of the Hyuuga's was getting married. At that moment, however, Temari had moved and he'd forgotten the conversation in favor or the mental battle between himself and the Sand ninja. He really wished he'd listened to that a little more closely. It had been the discussion right as lunch had started. There hadn't been any ramen, but the food was good none the less, too bad he couldn't afford anything like what he'd eaten today. The stipend that he normally ended up with was enough to keep his weapons up to par, keep his clothing patched, and eat ramen.
What had they been saying about the Hyuuga marriage? Something about a strong ninja, he remembered that. Gah! It was frustrating. It was like a battle, only with words instead of fists. He knew he lost this battle, but to be honest he wasn't sure if anyone could help him. Sakura was busy as a med-nin lately. Lee wasn't exactly known for manners. Kiba was worse in certain ways. Shikamaru would just write it off as troublesome…
He could hear a soft sound behind him. 'Funny. Most people don't use this area in the afternoon.' His mind comments as he turns to see who entered. 'Hinata?' His momentary confusion over why the Hyuuga heiress is here passes. It didn't really matter.
"You feeling ok Hinata?" Naruto asks, as he watches Hinata's cheeks flush deeper.
Hinata nods, "Y…yes Naruto-kun. I...I am feeling f…fine." She stammers in reply, mentally cursing herself for her weakness. She could talk to anybody except the one she really wanted to talk to. While she could vent her frustration in practice, Naruto was in the training area so that plan wouldn't work.
The simple words ease Naruto's worry. After all, Hinata was his friend and he didn't want her to be ill. "That's good. I'm not in the way or anything, am I?"
Hinata shakes his head, "N…no. Y…you are fine Naruto-kun." Absentmindedly, she taps her fingers together, "What w…were you thinking about?" She asks after a few moments.
"Huh?" The blond shinobi replies, tilting his head slightly. He'd almost forgotten that Hinata was one of the more observant people. "Well, I was thinking about this boring meeting from today. Not really too fun, I doubt you'd want to hear about it."
Fussing slightly, Hinata steps forward to join Naruto, "I…I don't mind. If y…you wish to talk about it."
Naruto blinks and then smiles "Come and have a seat then. You'll get tired if you stand there and listen."
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And thus ends another chapter of The Hyuuga Way. Hopefully this one is as enjoyable as the last episode. While I didn't entire have a full purpose for the first part, I actually have an idea of where to go from here. In fact, I have a few more episodes to work out. If anyone would like to proofread these things for me. I'd be more than happy to do so. Just a word of warning, like the title says, the fic will be Hyuuga-centric…specifically Hinata. Have fun!
Edric Loto
