First III
Hyūga Hiashi stands beside his father and young daughter as they observe the children's sparring session. Hoheto and Iroha face each other in a drawn-out match, facing each other evenly. Hoheto knocks Iroha down with one firm strike only to deftly dodge Tokuma's attempt at an attack.
"Again."
Hiashi murmurs to his brother, "Hizashi, go have Natsu and Kō begin a match."
The Hyūga Elder doesn't look away from Hoheto and Iroha's match as he murmurs to Hiash, "Hinako should begin her training soon."
Hiashi nods slowly, "Yes. I brought her today to observe."
The Elder frowns in disapproval but says nothing. Hinako tugs on her father's robes and, when he glances down at her, he notices that she looks entranced by the fighting. But, he can tell her focus isn't on one match. It's on all of them. Hoheto, Iroha, and Tokuma. Kō and Natsu.
"Otou-san…Iroha is hurt."
Hiashi's gaze flickers to Iroha, who he notices is favoring his right leg. The Hyūga leader leaves his daughter with his father to intervene the match. A few short words from Hiashi has Iroha sitting on the sideline to rest his leg. The Hyūga Elder looks at Hinako, whose eyes eagerly drink in the sight of the matches, the teaching, the sparring. The Gentle Fist is the Hyūga Clan's primary fighting style, designed and structured around the Byakūgan. Even the children learn the fundamentals of the Gentle Fist once they are old enough to begin their training. Kō gets knocked clear off his feet from a failed attempt at the 8 Trigrams 64 Palms technique and Hoheto turns his attention to Natsu.
Then, when Hiashi returns to his daughter and father, Hinako's tiny tiny hand latches onto her father's robes again. Hiashi can tell her grip is different. It's tighter and tenser than before, as if she's about to break off into a sprint. He glances at her to see her staring intently at him, her expression far too serious, too intense for a young child.
"Otou-san, I can do that too."
Hiashi stares at his young daughter's intense and eager expression before nodding. He begins striding towards his brother, who is leading the lesson. Hinako is right beside him, her tiny legs working much faster to go the same speed her father is.
Hizashi smiles when he sees his brother and beloved niece approach him. His sharp gaze also picks up on how Hinako's eyes are wide and alert and absorbing the movements of the bodies like cloth absorbs water.
"Hinako, would you like to spar against me?"
Her attention immediately snaps to her uncle and she grins, nodding eagerly. "Okay!"
The adult and child stand across from each other and Hizashi notes that her stance mirrors his perfectly. He moves with deliberate slowness and his strikes are gentle and soft as he barely grazes her tiny tiny body. Pride swells in Hiashi as he watches Hinako dodge Hizashi's strikes with ease, though he knows she's not to a level that she could avoid Hizashi if Hizashi were to try. But, surprise ripples from the adults supervising as Hinako bolts forward, ducking under Hizashi's extended arm and slamming her palm into his stomach with as much force as her child-body can muster.
Silence reigns over the courtyard as Hizashi looks down at her in shock and the other matches halt as they stare at the pair. Hinako doesn't relax her hand and she smiles brightly up at her uncle, chirping proudly and cheerfully,
"Got'cha!"
