Hey guyz!! I finally updated! Yaay!! Hahaha! Sorry if it took long… What can I say? I'm just lazy!!

Anywayz….on with the next chapter!! And don't forget! Read and REVIEW!!


SPLITTING WAYS

"Blood clones," Ryuuchi said.

"What?!" Katsurou exclaimed while Naomi and Hinata widened their eyes.

"You're teaching us how to make blood clones? A forbidden jutsu?" Katsurou asked.

"Yes, or are you too weak to make one?" Ryuuchi taunted him and Katsurou growled.

"Like I said, progress has been going slow since you are still going to the Academy, so the best solution is blood clones," Ryuuchi said.

"The jutsu is very hard to perform. It isn't like a clone wherein you just picture yourself, the blood clone is an exact and I mean exact copy of you," Ryuuchi ended.

"Now, do as I say. Make a clone," Ryuuchi ordered and afterwards, their clones stood beside each other.

Out of the blue, Ryuuchi threw kunais at each of the clones but the kunais just zipped through them then they were dispelled.

"As you see, a clone like that is easily found out since its chakra system is lower than the original and it is not solid," Ryuuchi explained.

"Now, observe as I do it," Ryuuchi said as he stood a couple of feet away from them.

He cut his palm, making it bleed profusely, and then he made the same hand seals.

"Forbidden Ninja Art: Blood Clone Jutsu!" he said and then thrust his bleeding palm to the ground.

Immediately, a seal was formed by his blood and then a line of blood was gathering beside him, making a small blood puddle, all the while it was glowing blue. And then the blood rose, forming into a human being identical to Ryuuchi except it was still blood. After that the blue glow, which was suspected to be chakra, was absorbed into the bloody form and all of a sudden, another Ryuuchi stood beside the original Ryuuchi.

"Bloody brilliant…" Katsurou mumbled.

"Sugoi…" Naomi said out loud.

Even if Hinata didn't really see it in color, she knew that the jutsu was really complicated because when he was doing it, chakra was pumping hard to his head or brain and to his bleeding palm. And when the blood formed a puddle, enormous amount of chakra enveloped it, molding it into a human being.

And there was another thing there too. It seemed that the chakra surrounding his heart was getting faint in color almost as if part of his soul was taken…it was also the same with the clone

So to plainly say it, Hinata was amazed.

"To execute this jutsu, you must focus on making the clone exactly the same way you are. All your desires and dislikes, dreams and ambitions, and all that and by embedding it to the chakra that you will be injecting to the blood being used as the clone," Ryuuchi explained.

"The hand seals are just the same, but you must sacrifice a continuous amount of blood," he continued.

"Oh, and by doing this, you are making an exact copy of you, a doppelganger to be more precise. You will have the same amount of chakra, the same amount of strength and power," he said, but then he stabbed his clone on the abdomen and his clone doubled over in pain but did not get dispelled.

"The blood clone can be your twin because it can only be dispelled if the original does it. Even if it dies, it will not be dispelled, only until the original dispels it personally," Ryuuchi stopped as he was stabbed in the back straight at the heart by the clone and then he dropped dead on the floor.

The trio's eyes widened, except for Hinata whose eyes were covered.

"Of course, the same goes with the original," the clone said, his abdomen healing slowly.

"When the jutsu is executed, a part of your soul is taken and given to the other. So it means that when the other dies, your soul will immediately return to you regardless if you are the original or not. And if the original dies, just like the clone and all other kinds of clones, all information are transferred back to the remaining clone/s," the clone or the now-original Ryuuchi said.

"So in general, when you perform this technique, a part of your soul will be given to the doppelganger and it means that even if the original or the clone dies, one will still be alive to retrieve the soul. Or to be even more precise, neither souls will die when the other still lives," he ended.

Katsurou had on a confused face of misunderstanding as he watched Ryuuchi's body merging with the other Ryuuchi, healing the abdomen immediately.

Naomi on the other hand, understood what he said but just can't seem to trust herself to do it properly.

But Hinata…she understood the jutsu the most since she was able to see how chakra was processed in his body.

"Now, I want you to perform the jutsu. If you still can't understand, tell me," he said then vanished into a swirl of leaves.

'This'll take a long time to master…' Hinata thought.

o0o0o0 Days Later 0o0o0o

Hinata collapsed on a kneeling position on the floor, her hand was bleeding and was somewhat forming a puddle around her.

Her teammates gave up their chances for the day. They lost a lot of blood and they weren't even able to make a blood clone.

But she…she didn't want to stop. She will make a blood clone. She will improve, and she will do it right now!

But…it's just that…she feels that something was missing from her concentration. Ryuuchi said that we should think hard on our likes, dislikes, ambitions and…dreams

'That's it!' Hinata thought to herself as she jumped back to her feet, ate a soldier pill and put a determined attitude.

She looked towards her teammates who were knocked out from blood loss and exhaustion and sighed.

She then reopened her wound on her left palm, and performed the hand seals. All the while, she thought hard on who she really was.

"Forbidden Ninja Art: Blood Clone Jutsu!" Hinata yelled and thrust her bleeding onto the ground.

A circle of seal was forming from her own blood, and then they were being enveloped in chakra.

She was a Byakugan wielder, the first born of the Head of the Hyuuga clan. She was a shy, easily intimidated child who is still studying at the Academy.

The chakra coated blood started moving fluidly from Hinata's palm, almost dancing around the seal.

She is kind and gentle, too meek to be a Hyuuga. She stammers a lot when she is nervous.

It was forming a small glowing puddle of blood in front of her.

She loves her mother very much and respects her intimidating father. She wants to make her father proud of her.

The chakra infused puddle of blood started rising and shaping itself.

She wants to become stronger. She is going to be a big sister.

The bloody form was absorbing the fading chakra, molding the bloody form into the shape of Hinata. The form was solidifying, from the feet which were gaining color and upward but was fluctuating below her neck.

She is…Hinata.

The doppelganger was completed, with her own Byakugan activated.

Hinata allowed a very weak yet proud smile grace her lips as her Byakugan was deactivated and she was succumbed to unconsciousness, but not without feeling arms catching her as she fell.


CLIFFHANGER!!

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Almost there~!

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Ah who am I kidding? I'm not THAT EVIL!!

Here is the continuation!!


Hinata woke up to the feeling of cool liquid gliding down her throat. She activated her Byakugan to see that a kid with a cloth over its head was bringing a cup of water to her lips.

She then jolted from her sitting position against the wall and distanced herself from the person.

"Relax, Kasumi. It's only your blood clone," Ryuuchi said.

Hinata feet were rooted on the spot, her body stiff and her left hand bandaged up.

"My…b-b-blood c-clone…?" Hinata asked, forgetting what happened earlier.

"Yes, you created your doppelganger around five hours ago and then you collapsed," Ryuuchi stated.

And then it dawned unto her. The memory of what happened earlier came flooding back to her.

She made her very own blood clone…out of her own sweat and blood.

Her blood clone was smiling in a shy way, directing the smile to Hinata.

She smiled back weakly, her left hand twitching involuntarily.

"Congratulations, Kasumi. You have made your own blood clone that is identical to you in flesh, blood, chakra, thoughts, and even in your souls," Ryuuchi stated as he turned his gaze from her towards the other two.

"I *pant* will not *pant* lose to a *pant* blind girl!" Katsurou yelled as he failed another attempt in making a blood clone and collapsing down on his knees.

"I want to *pant-gasp-wheeze* be like K-K-Kasumi-chan!" Naomi said quietly but it was heard throughout the training room.

After hearing what they have said, Hinata's knees weakened and buckled. She was too weak yet she didn't notice it at all.

'They…they really think I'm…strong?' Hinata thought, her heart swelling with joy.

She was about to collapse once again on the floor when the other Hinata helped her stand up.

"A forbidden A-rank jutsu like this is very chakra consuming. You must have large chakra reserves for a child, and you must have excellent chakra control," Ryuuchi said.

'That's because I'm a Hyuuga…' Hinata thought to herself.

Hinata smiled and felt very tired and sleepy, unlike her doppelganger who didn't seem like she was tired at all.

"Of, course…I know that you will have to go to school, but that is what doppelgangers are for. One of you will live the life you normally will have, while the other will be in ANBU Root," Ryuuchi told Hinata and her clone.

"So which one will it be?" Ryuuchi asked.

Hinata looked at her doppelganger and her clone looked back at her

"You may return to your quarters to think about it, but tomorrow, your training resumes," Ryuuchi said and turned his direction back towards her other teammates.

o0o0o0 In Hinata's Quarters 0o0o0o

"So, w-which one is it?" Hinata's doppelganger asked while Hinata looked at her questioningly.

"Which one will you choose? To live back at home or here?" clone Hinata asked.

"I…I don't know…" Hinata admitted.

"To live a life surrounded by Hyuuga members all the while to be a big sister soon," said the doppelganger.

"Or to train in ANBU Root," Hinata continued.

"I-I don't really know… I've always wanted to impress father by training hard…but I can't impress him if I don't train in ANBU Root…" Hinata said.

"Either way…you're about to become a big sister to an unborn baby…but...we both still remember what Tousan said…" the doppelganger continued.

Hinata remembered. Her father said that if it was a boy child, she would be branded with the Juin Jutsu seal and then moved to the branch family. If it was a girl…and she was the stronger one… her younger sibling will be the one branded and moved to the branch house.

Somehow, a selfish person would have just let their sibling to suffer as long as they will not suffer but Hinata was not selfish.

Hinata would risk her life to protect something and someone important to her…whether or not it will hurt her.

'To live my life as Hyuuga Hinata or as…Kasumi…'

'I'm sorry…'

"I'm going to stay in ANBU Root,' Hinata said, her voice not faltering like it usually does.

"I see," the doppelganger said as she turned towards the wall which was the stone doorway.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," the clone said.

"H…Hai…Sayonara…Hinata," the original Hinata said with a sad tone.

"Sayonara…Kasumi," clone Hinata said with a sad smile

Hinata just remained seated on her bunk as her clone was out of her Byakugan's range of vision.

She pondered over what she just did and what will be the outcomes of her decision.

She can no longer go back to the Academy. She will only be training her in ANBU Root.

Hinata stood up from her sitting position and walked over to the bathroom.

She won't be able to see her friends from the Academy. Naomi was her only friend at the Academy.

She removed the cloth covering her eyes and deactivated her Byakugan. She took a look into the mirror and saw the reflection of a fragile looking child.

She can no longer go back to the Hyuuga compound. She can no longer be the big sister to her unborn sibling.

She splashed water on her face and her eyebrows furrowed as a sad expression was beginning to show on her face.

She can no longer see her family. She will no longer see her father's strict look.

She looked once again at the mirror and saw her face turn into an emotionless mask.

She is no longer Hinata of the Hyuuga clan. She is now Kasumi of the ANBU Root.



That's the end of the third chapter!! I hope it has met your expectations!! And again…

REVIEW!!