Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its respective characters. I just like to exercise my imagination on them.

Part 1: Sparrow
Chapter 3
Considerations

Hanabi dashed straight in toward Neji, but pushed off to the side at the last second and attempted a surprise attack from the side. But the change in motion didn't escape the notice of her opponent, who blocked her easily and pulled back quickly so she couldn't pull the same trick she had the day before.

However he immediately reached back out to try to grab her arm. Hanabi was able to slip out of his grasp before he could get a firm grip. Seeing how quickly she leaned back in with a counter-attack, Neji spun around and ended up behind her as she stepped forward.

She was able to jump away and put distance between them before he could take advantage of the position he had gained.

They continued in this manner, neither one gaining the upper hand long enough to make use of it, for nearly forty-five minutes. Neji, sensing his partner's progressing fatigue, decided to end it quickly from there.

With his sudden accelerated speed, Hanabi nearly missed the unexpected rapid movement behind her and lost her balance as she dodged. Hitting the ground with an audible thud, she rolled away from her cousin and tried to push back onto her feet as fast as possible. But she felt a hand squeeze around her throat before she had a chance to get her bearings. Hanabi had lost the match.

Confirming that she had accepted the defeat and wouldn't continue the fight any longer, Neji released his grip on her and stepped back to a respectable distance.

"You could have defeated me at any time, couldn't you?" she muttered, almost inaudibly.

Whether he hadn't heard, or did but chose to ignore it, Neji instead suggested, "I think this is a good time for a break. I brought water, it's sitting over there." He motioned toward a tree not too far from where they were standing.

"I'm not thirsty," Hanabi replied bitterly.

"That's fine then. Still go sit over there and review the sparring match on your own. See if you can pick out what I mentioned earlier about your movements," he answered back directly.

"What is it with you and always taking breaks? Always stopping to meditate, or rest, or think? I know you didn't get as strong as I saw you were in the Chuunin exams by constantly interrupting your training," Hanabi spat back in anger and frustration. She stood her ground, staring at him levelly.

"No, and I nearly lost something of a lot more value than the strength I had gained," he replied softly. "Skill and power are only good if you understand the reason for having them." Even more softly, added at the end, "Otherwise it could lead to tragedy and regret."

But Hanabi wasn't finished. Placing her hands on her hips, she accused, "Are you implying I'm not going about things the right way? That not only is there something wrong with my basics, but also my outlook on life?" Hanabi had never felt so furious and insulted in her life, not even when she first realized Neji had taken over her position as her father's favorite. "It's all about the clan, isn't it? Doing everything we can to protect the clan and its ways. What we do isn't for ourselves, but for the good of the clan. Isn't that the right answer?" She paused momentarily. "And the best thing I can do to protect the clan is become as strong as I can. And that's not going to happen if you won't even train me properly. You're just trying to baby me instead!"

'So much for working off some of that hostility' Neji sighed. "Hanabi-sama," he began cautiously. "What makes you think I'm trying to do anything but train you to the best of my ability?" he asked her.

"Why would you?" she answered him back. "Don't you hate me? Aren't I the one you need to surpass to become leader of the clan?"

"I don't think these training sessions are going to work out," Neji posed reluctantly. "I'll talk to Hiashi-sama, and arrange for him to continue teaching you instead." When he was only met with a steady glare, he added, "It is what you prefer, isn't it? I'm sure you never wanted to work with me."

Hanabi had to admit it is what she would prefer. But admitting that she couldn't accomplish something, even if it meant continuing to work under his training, was something she couldn't bring herself to do, or at least something her stubbornness wouldn't allow her do. It just felt too much like failure. After a few calming breaths, she regained her composure and formulated a proper answer.

"No," she insisted firmly, "we will continue this. I promised to give your methods a chance, right? My accusations were rude and broke the arrangement we had agreed on. You wanted me to sit over here, right?" Hanabi walked as casually as she could manage and sat down where her cousin had indicated earlier. She even brought one of the canteens to her lips for just a taste of the refreshing liquid.

Neji didn't know how to react to the sudden change in her demeanor, Hanabi's sudden compliance. But he decided it was best not to push his luck. And he wanted to observe what came from this.

He turned his attention to his own training in the meantime, although he kept her continually within his vision.

Neji was surprised that even after an hour and a half had passed, she still hadn't stirred from the spot. He was just contemplating whether to interrupt when she suddenly stood up.

"I think I'm ready to work on the kaiten," Hanabi announced to him. She cleared her throat. "Unless of course you still have other training methods in mind before that."

"No, if you feel you're ready to proceed with the kaiten," Neji trailed off as he motioned for her to take the center of the clearing.

"Is there anything you want to ask me about what I figured out?" she inquired.

"That's all right. Let's just see where you're at right now," Neji decided.

Hanabi nodded in return, and positioned herself for the technique. Taking a deep breath, she tried to relax her muscles as she began to spin. She looked to Neji for comment as she came to a halt, a neat circle carved out of the ground around her.

"It is better. You're having a lot more success getting power out of it," Neji observed as he walked toward her. He took note that she allowed a bit of pride shine through her face at his words. "But I think you could still get more intensity out of it by making your movement even more natural," he concluded as he stopped in front of her.

"May I?" he asked for her permission.

Not sure exactly what he intended to do, but caught up in how effective his methods have been to this point, she replied hesitantly, "Y-yes."

Hanabi's breath caught in her throat as he walked around behind her and she felt him gently close his hands over each of her arms. He lifted them up into the ready position for the jutsu. Slowly, he guided them through the path of motion. "You've gotten better about keeping your muscles relaxed, but while you still want to control your movements, you should let the motion lead you through the technique, really let your momentum guide you through it." Neji directed her through the beginning motions a few more times. "Are you feeling a difference having someone pull you through the motions, as opposed to just placing your arms in the right locations?"

His student couldn't find any words to speak. Such physical contact, even as minimal as it was, was very unconventional of Hyuuga training, and so she only nodded in affirmation. Stepping out from behind her and once again facing her a good distance away, Neji prompted her to try the technique again.

Closing her eyes and imagining the feel of Neji's touch guiding her motion, Hanabi once again set into a spin. She couldn't believe her eyes when she opened them again; she had to be sunk down a good twenty centimeters into the ground. Hanabi's eyes snapped up to her tutor, and swore she could almost detect a small smile grace his mouth.

'Is he…happy for me?' Hanabi questioned to herself, confused.

"I don't think we'll need to meet anymore for kaiten training," Neji commented. "But I had already cleared my schedule for today. Would you like to continue working, or separate for the rest of the day?"

A day ago, she wouldn't have hesitated in her preference to not work with him more than necessary, or even at all. But now curiosity had begun to creep into her mind. Hanabi realized how much she didn't know her cousin, and maybe he wasn't the kind of person she had believed him to be. Or maybe it was that she had never really viewed him as a person at all, but only a representation of everything that went wrong five years ago. And as much as she hated to admit it, what he did had really helped her.

Noticing her delay, Neji offered, "It's almost lunch time. Why don't we sit down and eat, and then decide what to do with the rest of the day?" He sat down and leaned against one of the trees, as he watched Hanabi walk silently over to where she had left the lunches she had packed.

Hanabi sat closer to Neji than he had expected, although there was still a good space between them. She gracefully unzipped the pack and pulled out two obentou boxes. Setting them down on the ground between them and lifting off the lids, she explained, "I didn't know what you liked, so I made two different lunches. You can take your pick."

"Oh, so Hanabi-sama knows how to cook? I thought you would have bought some from the store, or had one of the servants make them for you because you would have been much too busy training all the time to ever learn how to cook," he commented, a little more snidely than he meant to sound.

"Yeah," she answered quietly, head bowed, "one of the few things I remember about Mother is how much she loved to cook. When I was little, I was determined to learn how in memory of her. It's been a while since I took time to make anything though." She lifted her head a little, but not enough to make eye contact.

"I'm sorry," he replied sincerely, all mockery removed from his voice. "I didn't mean to-"

"So let's eat, I'm hungry. Hurry up and pick the one you want," Hanabi attempted to cover up the awkwardness, and the fact that she had so easily divulged her sentiments to him. It must have been because she was exhausted, so probably less guarded than usual. That's all.

Neji, following her prompt, quickly snatched up one of the containers and purposely gave an observable sign of approval after the first taste. Hanabi slowly picked up the remaining box and also began eating.

After finishing his meal in silence, Neji set the empty obentou box on the ground, and comfortably leaned back against the tree trunk. After a few minutes, his cousin spoke up.

"What is it that you regret?" she asked suddenly as she took another bite.

Neji paused for a minute before finally answering. "You were probably too young, so you might never have been told about this." He watched her deliberately rest her chopsticks on the box as she turned to give him her full attention.

Clearing his throat, he decided he might as well say it directly. "I nearly killed your sister. During the Chuunin Exam." Neji didn't need the byakugan to see her anger rise up.

"You…what?!" she cried out, incredulously, her face scrunched menacingly. "You were the one who did that to her? It took months before her heart condition was back to normal!"

"Hanabi-sama, please calm down. I was wrong back then. Wrong and very bitter. I would never do anything now…"

"But you did then!" she screeched at him. "How could you…to Hinata-onee-san! I knew I never should have trusted you!"

She started to stand up, but Neji put a firm hand on her shoulders to hold her down. Hanabi was about to struggle against his grip until he spoke commandingly to her. "Listen, this is what can result when you keep everything inside, when you put up the Hyuuga facade. When you don't allow anyone in and let everything build up until you can't see straight. I thought you would be able to understand that."

"I hated you, but I would never try to kill you. I'm not like you," she spoke coldly.

"I blamed her for my father's death," Neji answered back. "I put all of my grievances against the Main House into that fight. I don't ask for your forgiveness, but I'm explaining this to you because I had thought you would understand."

"Your…your father's death?" Hanabi repeated. She sunk back down, although Neji didn't remove his hand from her shoulder, as she remembered the story Neji had recounted in his fight against that loud blonde kid.

"It happened before you were born. I guess it wasn't significant enough for Hiashi-sama to tell you about it," he muttered. Hanabi noticed he clenched his free hand into a tight fist. Perhaps there was still a little bitterness left in him even now.

She pulled away from his grip and leaned back against the tree. He let her go and did the same. Hanabi turned her head and looked back over at him. She gently put forward, "I remember you describing it to Naruto-san during the tournament. And how surprised I was to know that something like that had happened." Neji nodded in reply.

"Why is everything with the Hyuuga so complicated?" she questioned aloud after a brief silence. He didn't offer a reply; she wasn't expecting one.

Picking up her lunch and finishing the last few remaining bites, Hanabi inquired honestly, "What was it like growing up as a Branch member?"

"Like a bird in a cage," Neji replied simply. "I was born to only serve others, to live my life only to protect the Main House. And I learned to despise it with my father's suffering. Resolved to hate it with his death. I felt trapped by the fate that was given to me by my birth, and loathed those born into privilege, freedom."

After a short pause, and a deep breath, he continued. "I remember my father telling me one day how I had been so blessed by Hyuuga talent. I think after his death, that was the only thing I had left to cling to."

Neji talked further on the how events in his childhood had convinced him on the philosophy of fate, and how grateful he was now that the jounin had stepped in and stopped him from making the fatal blow against Hinata in his anger, and conceit in his beliefs. How an unconventional ninja first opened his eyes to a new way of seeing, and prepared him for the truth behind his father's death.

He didn't know how much time had passed in his recounting, but it felt like the words just readily poured out as he stared straight ahead at nothing. But when Neji glanced to his side, he discovered his cousin had quietly dozed off next to him. She looked so small and fragile to him in that state. He was careful not to wake her as he gently reached over and rested his arm on her shoulder; he wasn't blind to how much she must push herself all the time, she needed the peaceful rest. He had been there, clawing and struggling toward a destination that turned out to be as tangible as air. Fortunately, she had been spared of some of the darker times in the clan. He believed she would find her way.

Hanabi woke suddenly, and before attempting to move at all, immediately took in her surroundings. She was still in the forest where she and Neji had met for training, and it looked to not be too far into the afternoon.

Then she noticed. Neji's arm was around her, and her head was leaning back against his shoulder. Hanabi couldn't tell if he had also been sleeping when he opened his eyes but avoided looking directly at her.

Hanabi immediately pulled away from his hold, and didn't realize just how comfortable his embrace had been until it was no longer there. Affection wasn't something common in the Hyuuga clan, and certainly nothing she had ever received from her stern father, or the sister she kept at a distance. So despite her stubbornness to think nothing of it, Hanabi couldn't help but feel a small surge of excitement rise up within her. But only for a moment.

Taking a few steps farther from him, then sharply turning back around to face him directly, Hanabi challenged sternly, "Where did you get the idea that you can act in such a familiar manner with me? How could you show such…disrespect? Huh?"

"Forgive me, I stepped out of line. I meant no disrespect," Neji replied coldly. 'Is this out of fear and mistrust of getting close to anyone, or does she feel this way because she is a daughter of the Main House, and I am born into the Branch House?' his thought ended cynically. "Perhaps this is a good time to separate for the day. We completed what was required after all," he offered with disdain.

"No!" she shouted back surprisingly. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, she continued more casually, she straightened her shoulders and explained, "Despite my reservations, you were able to help me. A lot. And I could probably learn more from you. So if it's all right with you, I'd like to continue this."

"I have no objections," he answered back, although still not quite sure what to make of her frequently shifting attitude. Everything that he had seen of her before, she was very constant in her obedient and composed appearance. Did he just happen to bring out all these emotional outbursts because of their relative situations, or is this who she really is?

Either way, if she wanted to practice further with him, it would only give him more opportunities for observation in trying to piece together the cousin he knew very little. Besides, she was clearly very talented, both natural-born and from working diligently, and that he was interested in seeing more of as well.

~/~

It was already dark when they walked wordlessly back to the Hyuuga compound after a full day of working out. Hanabi glanced up at the stars as she felt the contentment of a very productive day; the satisfaction of being thoroughly exhausted, and in surprisingly agreeable company. Sometimes agreeable company; sometimes unbelievably aggravating.

As Hanabi stepped up onto the porch surrounding the complex, Neji bowed politely to her before turning in the opposite direction. He then continued by himself toward the buildings where the Branch members were housed.

Hanabi wound her way to her own room, but was lost in thought and nearly walked into her father on her way.

"Oh, Father!" she called out as she stopped herself just in time, and bowed in greeting.

"How did the training session with Neji go today, Hanabi?" Hiashi asked of her. "You're out pretty late," he commented.

She was reminded of the negative consequence Neji's proficiency holds over her situation. The thought crossed her mind to be conservative in her report and give as little praise as possible of her older cousin without feeling like she was betraying the truth. But when the words were at the ready, as much as it grieved her in some respect, Hanabi could only be frank and give him the justice he deserved.

"Neji-onii-san is a very observant instructor, and although his methods may seem counterintuitive at first, everything he does is with purpose and was proven not only effective, but efficient. Within half a day, I was able to correct myself and successfully execute the hakkeshou kaiten," she reported objectively. "He is an excellent teacher."

"Good," her father responded. "I appreciate your willingness, and your details. I will see you tomorrow after your team meeting for our lesson?"

"Yes, sir," Hanabi gave her usual and expected reply.

"Good night then."

"Um…Father?" she ventured.

"Yes, Hanabi?"

"I was wondering…since you are often busy with clan affairs…and working with Neji-onii-san, and if it's not inconvenient for Neji-onii-san…if I could train with him again," she requested, a little nervous. "If you wish it of course. I am not implying that you are not a good teacher in any way, or that I also don't want to train under you, it's just that, if it would make things easier for you to split the responsibility between yourself and Neji-onii-san…"

"We'll discuss this at a later time," Hiashi replied neutrally.

"Of course. Good night, Father," she spoke as she bowed respectfully and hurried the rest of the way to her bedroom.

Hiashi continued staring where his younger daughter had disappeared around the corner. His stoic expression was unreadable, but it was clear he was deep in thought.

~/~

Closing the door behind her, Hanabi walked straight over to her desk and slid open the top drawer. She gently pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. Her eyes scrutinized the completed application for ANBU. She had been ready, she had already made up her mind a long time ago and it was nearing the time she had set for herself to turn it in.

But in the course of a day, her resolve had already begun to yield. The escape that held so much promise of a challenge that would help her grow as a ninja and return triumphantly to claim her place in the clan, now had lost some of its appeal. Joining the elite squad and spending considerable time away from the clan no longer seemed to be the only way to progress quickly. Another path had opened up to her, one where, in her goal to surpass her competition, she could remain here and attempt to do so - working directly with him.

Hanabi ignored that how much she had enjoyed spending time with him played any role in her growing doubt and possible change in plans. It was nice to have someone to relate to, though.

~/~

Neji cleared his mind of all thoughts as he went through his usual routine in getting ready for sleep. But scenes of that day persisted in holding his attention. No matter how hard he tried, memories of Hanabi's stubbornness, determination, even her condescension surfaced to the forefront. How much she pushed herself, and how close she kept herself to the breaking point. Now that he was made aware of what she was really like, Neji didn't want to let her stray too far from his scrutiny; she was too much like he was, and that's what worried him.

A/N: Took me a while to get around to this chapter, but I'm really enjoying writing this fic and developing Neji and especially Hanabi, who unfortunately has very little available presence in the series. There's one more chapter left to do for Part 1, then onto Part 2!