Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did Hanabi Hyūga would get much more screen time!

Hey again! Here with another chapter! In this chapter, it strays from canon. If you don't like that, watch the actual thing, this is fanfic! :P

some people were confused about Hanabi's age. Both Hanabi and Shrey are 7-8 years old. They both had to grow up quickly since they're ninja-in-training. Just to make it clear.

please r&r! I'm open to criticism, and whatever you think will help make this story better. (Complements are welcome too :3)

Hope you enjoy!

"The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people."
-Randy Pausch

Hanabi panted for breath. Her father had started rigorously training her, now that she had beat Hinata in their duel. She had worked for hours trying to perfect her gentle fist. Her father was constantly pointing out what she needed to fix. She was extremely tired. 'I must keep going. It is my fate.' Hanabi thought.

"Put some power into it." Her father commanded sternly

Hanabi stopped panting and composed herself, getting into her ready stance. She lunged again, complying to what father told her to do.

He blocked it easily but gave a small nod in approval. Hanabi started panting again while bending down to hold onto her knees. All her muscles ached from training hours on end. Hanabi looked up through her strands of hair to see her father looking down at her with an emotionless face.

"That is good for now. You are dismissed." Her father said stoically. Hanabi thought she could hear a hint of exasperation in his tone.

Hanabi nodded. 'Why do I have to get tired so quickly!' Hanabi thought, angry at herself.

'Father must think I am weak!' Hanabi thought to herself as she walked out the door.

Instead of heading up to her room, she walked outside heading to her safe spot. She needed a place to train, and not be interrupted.

As soon as she got there she started pounding her fists into a tree. She didn't bother to notice her surroundings as she continuously pounded the tree.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

'I must prove to everyone—father—that I am worthy of being the Hyūga heiress!' Hanabi let her thoughts fuel her as she continuously punched the tree.

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

Hanabi was about to stop to catch her breath but stopped herself. Instead, she grit her teeth and continued on with beating up the tree. Hanabi's arms ached for her to stop but she didn't care, she kept on going. It seemed like her whole body was protesting her to stop, but Hanabi wouldn't. 'I. Am. Not. Weak!' With each word, she threw a punch. Just as Hanabi went in for another punch someone spoke.

"You're sure persistent." The voice came from behind her.

She turned around to see Shrey leaning against a tree. It'd been a while since she'd seen him. 'But when did he get here?!' Hanabi thought surprised, though she tried to hide it.

"Now who's the one interrupting who?" He said playfully, grinning at her. His diamond-like turquoise eyes glinting in the sun.

Hanabi narrowed her eyes at him. 'Wait, that must mean he was here before I got here!' Hanabi realized. How did she not notice him?!

"What're you doing here anyway? I thought you said you would come here to train." Hanabi asked, spitefully.

"I was training." He shrugged.

That only infuriated Hanabi. She heard no sort of training when she entered the area. If anything, it was completely silent. How can you train silently!?

'This idiot is something else' Hanabi thought, still confused.

He just nodded, as if to say that was all he would say about the topic.

"Sooooo...something on your mind? This is the first time I've felt bad for a tree." He said, changing the topic.

Hanabi glanced back at the tree. She really did beat the stuffing out of it. She slightly blushed and looked away.

"I need to prove that I'm not weak," Hanabi stated loudly. She didn't even process what she was saying. Why on earth did she tell him that?! She didn't even know him that well! All she really knew about him was his name.

She looked at him. He looked as if he was thinking deeply about something. Suddenly, he grinned at her. 'He's one cheery person, isn't he' Hanabi thought to herself, amused.

"Don't train yourself to death just yet," He said jokingly.

"But I'm glad that you're working hard for your goals. Makes me want to work even harder to achieve my own!" He said a bit more seriously.

Hanabi then wondered exactly what were his goals. Though she did not voice this thought.

"So are you going to the academy this fall?" He asked her, changing the subject.

Hanabi looked at him confused. 'Father didn't mention anything about me going to the academy this fall?'

His jaw dropped open comically.

"You mean you've never heard of the ninja academy?!" He asked, his glinting eyes widening.

"I have!" Hanabi said defensively, in an innocent seven-year-old way.

"My sister Hinata goes there. My father hasn't mentioned anything to me about going there. I was never really interested, so I never really asked what it was. I'm pretty sure what it is. Will you stop staring and tell me what it is already!" Hanabi pouted.

He shut his mouth and gave her one last incredulous look before elaborating.

"The ninja academy is where all children who want to become a Genin go. It doesn't matter if you're a commoner or if You come from an old clan, everyone can go. They teach you how to do all sorts of cool ninja things, like using cool ninja tools like kunai!"

As he continued to babble on about the academy Hanabi zoned out as a million thoughts went through her head at once. 'Will this help me get stronger? Why hasn't father ever mentioned this? This might be my chance to redeem myse-'

Suddenly a hand waved in front of her face.

"Hello, are you there?" Shrey asked, still shaking his hand in front of her face.

She swatted at his hand and glared at him.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Hanabi whined, still swatting away his hand.

"So I'm guessing you're going," Hanabi said.

He stopped waving his hand at her and nodded.

"I think I'll ask father about it," Hanabi said.

"Great! We could go together! Well then, catch you later!" He replied, running off into the village. Hanabi watched as his figure dissappeared into the crowd of villagers. She shook her head. 'What a strange idiot he is.'

Meanwhile...

Hiashi looked worriedly over at Kurenai. He didn't know who else to talk to about his problems and worries. The only one he could think of was Hinata's sensei, Kurenai. If Kurenai was willing to take his daughter Hinata as a student, he knew she would be the right person to ask.

Kurenai glanced concernedly over at Hiashi. She had never seen the clan head look so worried and decomposed. She wondered feverishly why he had summoned her. Truth be told, she was a little intimidated.

Finally, Hiashi spoke.

"I don't know what to do about Hanabi. She is at the age where she can enter the academy. I haven't told her about the academy yet. I don't know if I should send her to the acadamey, or train her myself. I've already gotten permission from lord third to train and teach her myself. She needs to be protected now that she is the clan heiress, but the only problem is I don't know how much she will grow in strength if she trains by herself. If she enters the academy and becomes a Genin, she will be able to push herself against others. I just am worried about her protection." Hiashi vented.

Kurenai blinked. He had spoken so fast she had almost missed it. It was hard for her to think that the stoic clan head was actually a just a worried father. Kurenai smiled to herself.

"I think you should send Hanabi to the academy. It will do her good to compete against the other students. You will still have time to teach her the clan techniques. And don't forget she will have her teammates and Sensei to protect her. You can't keep her from growing up forever." Kurenai told him.

Hiashi looked thoughtful for a moment before responding.

"I think you're right. I will send Hanabi to the academy. I'll tell her this evening. Thank you for your help. I really do appreciate it." Hiashi said.

"It was nothing. And I'm always here if you need to talk." Kurenai said. Hiashi gave her a small grateful smile as she exited.

'Well ,who would've thought, Hiashi is really just one big teddy bear that's nervous and caring about both his daughters. I know right now he is being hard one Hinata, but I can tell he still cares about her even though Hanabi is the clan heiress.' Kurenai thought to herself as she left the Hyūga compound.

Hanabi slowly approached her father's door. She knocked. "May I come in?" She asked

"Yes. Come in." She heard her father says from inside his study.

As she opened the door she felt nostalgic about when she went here with grandfather after he had caught her training.

She saw her father put down his book as she stepped inside.

"Hanabi, I'm glad you came. I've got something to tell you, but why have you come?" He asked her formally.

Hanabi was surprised. So he also had something to tell her.

"I also have something to tell you, father," Hanabi said.

"You may go first." Her father said.

Hanabi gulped and nodded. Inside her head, Hanabi tried to build her self confidence. 'Come on! Just ask him!' She berated herself.

She looked up to her fathers piercing gaze on her. She cleared her throat.

"Father, I wanted to ask you about the academy," Hanabi said, a little nervous.

Her father looked a bit shocked but nodded at her to keep going. 'I guess I don't need to tell her then. Did someone else mention the academy to her?' Hiashi thought to himself.

"Well...I was thinking it would help me get stronger. I hear they teach you lots of things there. You would still teach me clan techniques of course, but I think it would be helpful and informative to go to the academy." Hanabi said, rushing the last part as she looked in her lap. She could feel her father's eyes on her. She squirmed in her seat.

Hiashi sighed.

'I guess it's official, my baby girl is going to the academy.' Hiashi thought.

"If that is what you think, then so be it. I also think it will benefit you some. Though you will not be in the same class as your sister Hinata." Her father said.

Hanabi looked up. 'Maybe I'll ask her about it' Then Hanabi remembered the tears she saw no her sisters eyes.

'Elder sister must hate me. She probably can't even stand to look at me. After all, I am the reason father turned his back on her. I wouldn't blame her if she never spoke to me again' Hanabi sulked.

"Then it is decided! You shall go to the academy starting this fall." Her fathers booming voice snapping Hanabi out of her depressing thoughts.

"Father, what was it you have to tell me?" Hanabi asked.

"Oh, it was nothing..." He said.

Hanabi wasn't really paying attention anyway, since she was itching to leave.

Hanabi bowed her head.

"Thank you, father." She responded, as she hastily got up to leave.

"Oh, and Hanabi," her father said.

"Yes?" Hanabi paused

"I hope to see some real improvement once you join the academy." He said sternly.

"Yes, father." Hanabi nodded as she closed the door.

Once she got to her room she flopped onto the bed. After training with father to beating up a tree, to having an interesting conversation with an idiot, and finally getting permission to go to the academy, she was beat. She lay there for a few moments trying to grasp everything that had happened to her today.

'Maybe this will actually help me get stronger. I don't want to let father down. Though I can't believe father actually agreed to it! I thought for sure he would say no.'

'Well, I guess I know one thing for sure. I'll be seeing a lot more of that idiot once we start at the academy' For some reason that thought made her smile as she drifted off to sleep.