Yin and Yang

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

A/N: I'm very grateful to everyone who's reviewed so far. Many of you have left very thoughtful feedback, and I thank you for it. Maybe the numbers aren't there, but the quality is. As a token of my appreciation, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 4 – Treading Carefully

As I'd expected, someone was waiting for me as I approached the gates of the Hyuuga clan compound. I recognized the man as a member of the branch family. If I recalled correctly, his name was Kou. He was a distinguished member of my father's retinue, and very loyal to the main house.

"Hinata-sama," he bowed low to me as I stopped in front of him. "Forgive the short notice, but your Lord Father bids that you meet him in his chambers immediately."

I nodded. "Thank you, Kou. I will see him at once."

"It is my honor to escort you, Hinata-sama," Kou bowed once more.

I followed him through the gates and we entered the sterile, lifeless halls of the main family's house-- my house. Shadows clawed at us from every corner of the dimly lit abode. My counterpart had always felt no small amount of trepidation within these walls. It was a feeling I could understand, even if I did not share it. Our home was not a happy place.

Kou paused when we'd reached the door to Father's private quarters.

"Hinata-sama," he spoke barely above a whisper. "Hiashi-sama is in a very… delicate mood. Forgive my impudence, but I urge you, please, do not say anything that may provoke him. I fear he is not himself and I do not wish to see you to endure any undue punishment."

I nodded gravely. I could see Kou was a good man. I did not share my father's disdain for the branch family. When I became clan head, I would see that the many injustices they suffered at the hands of the main house would be put to an end. It was a goal both my other self and I saw eye to eye on.

"I thank you for your advice, Kou-san," I said to him just as quietly. "I swear to you that I will conduct myself with all due grace and discretion. You needn't worry, I promise you. I will heed your warning."

Kou bowed low once more. "You do me too much honor, Hinata-sama." And then he pushed open the door.

Father had his back turned to me when I entered. "So you return at last, my daughter," he said without facing me. "Where have you been all this time, I wonder? Not off consorting with street urchins or other riffraff, I should hope."

"Perish the thought, Father," I replied in a carefully measured tone with a feigned sincerity I did not feel. "As heir to our illustrious clan, I know better than to associate myself with such filth."

He turned and I saw cold fury in his eyes. "Do not mock me, Hinata," he said frostily. "I am not unsympathetic to the sometimes foolish indiscretions of youth, but I am your father and the head of your clan. You will not dishonor me with pithy, transparent lies."

I bowed to him. He had a point. I'd overstepped my bounds. "Forgive me, Father. I forget myself."

Father nodded curtly. "Then tell me, why did you spend the entire afternoon in the company of the boy, Naruto Uzumaki?" He walked towards me slowly and then stopped not a half-meter away. The difference in our heights made his visage even more imposing than before. "You are a Hyuuga, Hinata. Hyuuga do not sully themselves by publicly cavorting with low-born trash."

"I agree," I said, and thought I saw Father's eyebrows rise just a fraction of a millimeter. "However, I have come to believe that Uzumaki is more than he appears." It was a revelation I'd experienced in the short span of a few hours, no less. "I, too, had believed him to be no more than a lazy, stupid buffoon but have since discerned that his poor performance at the academy may have contributing factors that were beyond his scope of influence."

Father did not look convinced. "And you believe yourself to be a better judge than his instructors?" he asked. "You, who are yourself a disappointment and have failed to distinguish your superiority among your peers? A failure is no proper judge of another failure, Hinata. You will terminate whatever relationship you have with the boy. Is that understood?"

Such callous words baldly spoken to the face of his own daughter reminded me of why I held no love for the man. The other Hinata would have cringed and acquiesced contritely, so fearful was she of his disapproval. I had no such qualms. I respected Father's power and his office. Nothing more.

"A failure, am I?" I said, my face a mask even as fury boiled just beneath the surface. "Would my words hold greater weight with you if I were not a 'failure', Father?"

Father gave me a longsuffering stare. "Perhaps," he said after a time.

"Then how might I prove to you that I am not the failure you believe me to be?" I asked.

Father narrowed his eyes. "By demonstrating that you are fit to succeed me as clan head. By proving that you have the wisdom to lead, the power to enforce obedience, and the will to defy those who would oppose you."

I nodded. "And what if I told you that I believe that I possess those traits, Father?"

He looked at me appraisingly. "I would say that you overestimate yourself," he replied.

"Might I ask for the opportunity to prove otherwise?" I inquired.

Father blinked once. I felt a grim sense of satisfaction knowing that I had put him off balance by that one simple question.

"That would be an exercise in futility," he said after recovering from the lapse. "I fail to comprehend how you can believe that you have become a worthy heir overnight, when only yesterday you suffered defeat at the hands of the scion of the Yamanaka clan. You shame me with your weakness. Do not be so eager to demonstrate it to me again."

"I beg that you reconsider, Father," I said, fighting the urge to choke as I said the words. "I only ask that I be given a single chance to prove to you that I am worthy of succeeding your place. Should I disappoint you, then I will defer to your judgment and cut my ties to Uzumaki, as well as suffer any punishment as you see fitting for my failure. However, if I should succeed, then I beg your leave to act as I see fit in the matter of my personal relationships. My interest in Uzumaki is not a romantic one, of this I assure you. And should he prove himself to be unworthy of my distraction, I will end my association with him voluntarily."

And I would. Regardless of my counterpart's wishes, if Naruto failed the graduation exam, then he will have proved my original estimation of him as weakling and a fool to be the correct one. My conscience would be clean for having at least tried to assist him and if he really was a lost cause, then I would not hesitate to wash my hands of him. The other Hinata had asked me to "help him", after all. If he was beyond such help then that was not my failing, only his.

Given my brief time with him earlier that day, I did not believe this would come to pass, but I will not pretend to be omnipotent. Life was a journey full of unexpected twists, as I was coming to learn, both for good and for ill.

"I admit that your newfound sense of confidence pleases me," my Father said. "Perhaps you are not completely beyond hope of growing into an adequate clan head. Very well, we shall put your resolve to the test. I will summon your elder cousin and you will do battle in the clan training room. Should you somehow best him, and I care not how, then I shall grant your request."

I bowed deeply. "Thank you, Father."

My Father looked at me unsmilingly. "I would not be so quick to offer my gratitude were I you. Your cousin's mastery of the Byakugan far outstrips your own. I do not expect you to win."

I chose to say nothing to this, instead intending to let my actions speak for themselves.

Soon after, my cousin Neji and I stood facing each other in the same room where my counterpart had unfailingly suffered defeat at his hands. I knew he was strong, and respected him for it. I would expect no less of him, considering we were almost siblings. Our fathers had been identical twins and so we were more like half-brother and sister than cousins.

This fact would not, however, dissuade me from trouncing him thoroughly. I would prove that I was better, not because I had been born to the main house, but because I was stronger. My father had said he did not care how I won. That was his unsubtle way of letting me know that if I chose to activate the Caged Bird Seal, he would accept that as a legitimate victory.

He'd also said he did not believe I would do so. Well, he was correct, but it wasn't because I didn't have the resolve necessary to do it. I am the heir to the Hyuuga clan. I would earn the right to the title by virtue of my strength, not by exploiting an artificial weakness in those who did not have the good fortune to be born into the main house.

"Cousin," I said, bowing to Neji. "It is an honor to fight you."

"Likewise, Hinata-sama," Neji replied, but I saw the contempt in his eyes. I might have felt the same, were I in his position.

"Take your places," my Father said to us both. He was the proctor of our match. "I know I needn't remind either of you, but I will do so regardless: this is not a battle to the death. You are both of the Hyuuga clan and Hyuuga do not slaughter each other without cause."

I saw Neji's jaw tighten at my Father's words. I knew why. Just like him, I was aware that my father had sent his brother Hizashi, my uncle and Neji's father, as a sacrificial lamb to Kumo when they demanded blood for the death of their peace envoy.

It was an unforgivable act that both infuriated and sickened me. My father was a coward and a monster. I hated the fact that he and I shared the same blood. I could only imagine how Neji felt about him.

"The match will continue until there is a victor," Father said. "You are both permitted to use any methods to achieve victory short of killing your opponent." It was another reminder for me. You waste your breath, Father. I am not you, and would sooner return to my confinement than resort to your methods.

"I trust you are both ready?"

Both Neji and I nodded our assent.

"Then begin!"

My cousin and I both immediately activated our Byakugan and adopted the traditional jyuken stance. Neji's form was flawless. Truly, he was a shining example of the Hyuuga clan's prowess and superiority.

But so was I.

I waited for him to make his move, so I could prove it. He mistook my patience for hesitance, sneering disdainfully as he closed on my position, most likely planning to put me down in a single, overwhelming onslaught.

I weathered his attacks, but he was even more skilled than I'd thought. It took every ounce of concentration on my part to deflect his blows away from my tenketsu. I saw his eyes widen in shock. In that single instant of vulnerability, I aimed a precision strike to his midsection, only he twirled away at the last second and I merely grazed his side.

But I'd proven my point. He touched the area where I'd landed my strike and I could see from the way his eye twitched that the wound was more than just a scratch.

"You have… improved since we last fought, Hinata-sama," Neji admitted grudgingly.

"And you are as prodigious as ever, cousin," I replied.

I genuinely meant those words, but Neji must have thought I was patronizing him. He scowled and resumed his stance. Were it not for my father's presence, I believe he would have had some cutting words for me.

I could see from the way he held himself that he was now wary of me. If I'd been the one to go for the first strike, I may have been able to catch him off guard and quickly dispatch him, but there was no chance of that now. No matter. I'd never have been satisfied with such a victory.

It was my turn to make a move, and I flew at Neji quick as a kunai. Bending low, I swept my right leg from under him but he flipped through the air, landing at my back. Through my Byakugan, I saw him prepare to strike me from behind, so I somersaulted forward, grabbing his outstretched arm with my legs as it was thrust into empty air, and I threw him across the room and into a wall.

He quickly regained his balanced, but he coughed slightly as he rose to his feet.

"You have been holding back on me," he said.

"Never," I told him. "I would not insult you with such a slight. I am simply more than I was before." Yes, I was now more than a powerless shade encaged in a mental prison.

"I see," Neji said, narrowing his eyes. "Then I will show you that I, too, am more than I have represented."

There was a subtle change in his stance. I recognized it immediately.

But that was impossible. That technique was never taught to branch family members.

"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!" he roared.

He was on me in an instant and I knew I was in danger. Had I been nearly anyone else, that would have been the end for me. But I was Hinata Hyuuga, the next in line as head of the clan. This technique was known to me, and I was able to perform it myself. I could predict precisely where his strikes would land, because I knew which tenketsu were targeted.

One by one, I deflected his blows, though not without great mental and physical strain. His attacks came swiftly, each one flowing into the next, and I had to be flawless in my defense, without even a fraction of a second margin of error.

I swept the first two blows to the side but I doubt Neji even noticed, so fierce was his concentration. The next four glanced me, but I shut out the pain. It was nothing compared to what I'd already endured. The speed of the eight strikes after that slowed ever so slightly, so I was able to redirect them with the proper effort.

Everything that came afterwards was a blur. I couldn't afford to have any conscious thought if I wanted to survive his onslaught. My body moved on its own, driven by pure instinct. The next thing I knew, my brow was drenched in sweat and while I was more or less unharmed, my body ached from overexertion.

Neji gaped in disbelief. "Impossible!" he shouted. "My execution was flawless! How did you avoid my attacks? How can you still be standing?"

I laughed weakly, straining to keep my legs from trembling. "I'm afraid 'impossible' isn't a concept I understand, cousin," I said. If it had been, I would have been lost to despair long before now. "But as for your execution, you are correct. You were flawless. And that is precisely why I was able to avoid your attacks. That technique is known to me, you see. Shall I demonstrate for you?"

I don't think my words registered with him. He was still reeling from shock. So much the better for me. I adjusted my stance.

"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms," I whispered.

Had he been prepared, I am certain he would have been able to deflect my attacks as I'd just done with him. But I'd shaken him badly, and he wasn't in any condition to defend himself. He offered no resistance as I sealed off sixty-four of his tenketsu with the very same technique he'd just attempted.

He collapsed to the ground, eyes still frozen in horror.

I let out a long, shuddering sigh. I had won, but only just. He hadn't been expecting me to be as skilled as I was, and that was the only reason I'd been able to best him as "easily" as I had. Neji was not a pushover. If we fought again, I didn't know who would win.

I looked at my father. He blinked once. Twice. Three times. Four times. For him, that was almost the equivalent to fainting. I bowed to him.

"I trust you will honor our agreement, Father?"

Following a lengthy interrogation, I was allowed to retire to my room. I collapsed onto my bed, still dirty and drenched in sweat. Sleep claimed me for a time.

In my dreams, I saw my other self. She was smiling at me, but there was a deep sadness in her eyes. She turned away, and then disappeared into the shadows.

I awoke to a knock at my door.

"Enter," I said, wiping the sleep from my eyes.

It was my father. I mentally sighed. What more could he want? I'd already suffered enough questions from him for one night.

"Hinata," he addressed me formally, closing the door behind him. "How are you?"

I kept my face neutral, but I was taken aback. I don't believe he'd ever asked me that before.

"Tired," I said.

"Of that, I have no doubt," replied my father. "Your elder cousin is a fierce opponent. I am surprised, still surprised, that you were able to defeat him in fair combat."

Oh, so he'd just come to tell me how shocked he was that the "failure" had been victorious. How wonderful for me. I did so enjoy his company, after all. Especially when he was disparaging me to my face.

But then his next words took me completely by surprise.

"I apologize if I've been particularly hard on you of late, Hinata," he sighed. "It is not an easy thing, being the head of the Hyuuga clan. You will make many enemies, a great number of them very powerful. It was only ever my worry that you would be unable to withstand the pressures of my office. You have always been too soft-hearted for your own good."

Then he smiled, and it was the first time I'd ever seen it.

"But tonight you have acquitted yourself of my doubts. That isn't to say that you won't have many difficult challenges ahead of you, but I am now confident that you will be able to overcome whatever obstacles may hinder you in the future. I have seen the will of fire in you, my daughter, and I am proud of you."

The other Hinata. She'd wanted so badly to hear those words. I felt that there was no justice in this world, now that I'd been the one to receive them. The other me wasn't weak. If anything, the will of fire burned even more brightly within her, but our ignorant, blind father just couldn't see it.

I'm proud of you. The other Hinata would have been overjoyed receiving that praise. She would have openly wept and embraced Father and never wanted to let him go.

Me? I didn't care. It didn't matter what he said to me. I would never forgive him for what he'd done to Uncle Hizashi. He'd sacrificed his brother, his own flesh and blood. What evidence did I have that he wouldn't do the same to me, given the chance?

"I will trust your judgment," he continued. "If you believe the Uzumaki boy to be worth your time, then you may befriend him with my blessing. However, my permission is contingent on his remaining a friend, and only a friend. Is that clear?"

I nodded sharply. That had been my intent in the first place. "Yes, Father."

"Then I shall take my leave," he said, turning back to the door. "Rest well, my daughter. You have earned it."

"Good night, Father," I said.

And then he left. I laid back on my bed, staring at the ceiling for a time, but I felt restless. The incident with Father agitated me, and my thoughts kept floating back to the fight from earlier.

Because of my father's actions, Neji no longer had anyone to say 'I'm proud of you' to him. I saw how much he hated me, both in his eyes and in his blows. But I knew it wasn't truly me he hated, it was my father, and by extension the main house. He had become twisted and bitter in his hate, and I wasn't certain I was any better.

I wanted to see him. I'd wounded his pride tonight, and just like me, pride was just about the only thing he really had.

I left my room and saw that Kou was standing sentry outside.

"Good evening, Hinata-sama," he bowed to me. "I hear that congratulations are in order. You have brought honor to our clan through your glorious victory in battle."

"It doesn't feel glorious," I said bitterly to him. "Neji is my cousin. I took no pleasure in laying him low."

Kou nodded to me. "Forgive me if I overstep my bounds by saying so, but Neji has needed to be reminded of his station for quite some time now. I believe a healthy dose of humility may do him some good."

I think I was becoming fond of Kou, but I didn't agree with him. "But for a small trick of fate, our positions might be reversed," I said.

"That may be," Kou admitted. "But only fools dwell on what might have been. Each of us must accept the lot we have drawn, or forever be damned chasing after what can never be."

"Who decides what can or cannot be?" I asked. "I don't believe in destiny. If we don't have the power to change our own fates, then what's the point in living?"

"Hinata-sama," Kou said, "I am but a simple man and no philosopher. But I believe the universe plays by its own rules. Perhaps there is such a thing as destiny, or there isn't, I cannot say. I only know that I am content with who I am and what I have, and consider myself fortunate for it."

"But what if you weren't?" I said. "Is it so wrong to desire more?"

Kou smiled. "Desire is beautiful and terrible thing. It can bring out the best in men or it can corrupt them until there is no humanity left in them. Neji's desire to destroy the main house is impure. It is not truly what he wants. But the one thing he does want, his father, is beyond the power of any man to grant. His hatred for the main house is a proxy and even if he fulfills his impure desire, he will not find happiness. This is true of anyone with impurity in their hearts."

I thought on Kou's words. What of my desire? It had been fulfilled, hadn't it? I was free now. It had been my one desperate desire for so long. But now, thinking on it, I realized that I was still not happy even after obtaining it. Had my desire been impure, as well?

"Then how does one find happiness?" I asked.

Kou laughed at that. "Hinata-sama, I'm afraid that is something each man must find for himself."

I frowned, realizing I'd been a fool not to realize that before I'd asked the question.

"You are a very wise man, Kou," I said.

Kou laughed again. "I am flattered that you think so, Hinata-sama, but I assure you it is not true. I am merely old and world weary, and have too much time to think on such things."

"I disagree," I said, bowing to him. "You have given me much to think about. I thank you for your council."

"You do me too much honor, Hinata-sama," he said, returning my bow. "But you are welcome, all the same."

I nodded, remembering why I had left my room. "I think I would like to see Neji before I retire for the night."

"Your Lord Father bid that you rest and recuperate," Kou shook his head. "I was not to allow you to exert yourself."

"I will just be a moment," I promised. "Please, I feel I won't be able to sleep until I do."

Kou frowned, but said, "…I suppose it is an innocent enough request. I fear Neji may not be happy to see you, but I doubt he is foolish enough to do you any harm within the compound, even if he were not convalescing from the sound thrashing you gave him." He winked at me. "Go then, but do not tarry. If you have not returned within fifteen minutes, I shall go fetch you myself."

I bowed low to the man and then left, walking at a brisk pace. Neji's dwelling in the compound was just beside my own, and it didn't take long before I found myself outside his door. I rapped my knuckles on it lightly.

"Enter," came a voice from within.

I slid the door open and stepped inside. Neji was laying in his bed and frowned when he saw me.

"Hinata-sama," he greeted me, inclining his head slightly. "Forgive me for not standing, but I am still having trouble moving my own body." He kept the bitterness out of his voice, but I could see it in his clenched fists. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Neji, I would like to speak with you, if I may," I said.

"Of course," he replied, bowing his head. "I am a member of the branch family, after all, and ever at your service. You needn't ask for my permission." As always, his language suggested a contriteness that the rest of his body didn't share. I could even detect a bit of sarcasm leaking into his tone.

"I would like to speak with you, not as the heir to the main house, Neji, but as your cousin," I told him. "I ask for your permission to speak candidly, and give you mine to do the same."

He narrowed his eyes at me, but then nodded stiffly. "Very well, Hinata," he said, and I noted the lack of an honorific. It gave me hope.

"Neji, I don't like this bad blood between us," I said, sighing. "We were close once, you and I. What happened to us?"

"You know very well what happened," he snapped. "I will never forgive the main house for what happened to Father."

"I loved Uncle Hizashi, too, Neji," I said. "And I do not forgive my father for what he did, either. But I am not my father. When I lead the clan someday, there will be changes. I do not like this distance between the main and branch families. We are of the same blood, all of us."

"Yet some of us were not lucky to be born so high," Neji spat. "Spare me your pity, Hinata. It ill becomes a member of the main house."

"I do not pity you, cousin," I insisted. "I respect you and care for you, and that is why I've come. Help me change our clan, Neji. I cannot do it alone."

Neji gave a barking laugh. "Nothing will ever change. I know that it will always be my destiny as a member of the branch family to serve the main house. This is immutable, as certain as the rising and setting of the sun. Your victory today only proves it more so."

"It wasn't destiny that I won today, Neji," I denied. "It was chance. You are a fearsome shinobi and will one day rise to great influence within our clan. Why not use that influence to make a difference, so that we can abolish the Caged Bird Seal and prevent another sacrifice like Uncle Hizashi's from ever happening again?"

There was a thoughtfulness in his eyes, and I could tell at least some of what I was saying was reaching him.

He was silent for a minute, but then finally said, "Had you approached me yesterday, I would have dismissed you out of hand. I thought you a weakling, unfit to become a ninja of the Leaf, much less leader of the Hyuuga. But you defeated me tonight in a fair fight, which I would not have believed possible. Perhaps you do have the power and the will to usher our clan into a new age."

His eyes darkened. "But make no mistake, I will never forgive Hiashi-sama, no matter what happens."

I nodded gravely. "If it's revenge that you seek, I will not stop you. I bear no more love for my father than you."

He stared at me suspiciously, and I could tell he was trying to weigh the sincerity of my words. He must have been satisfied because then he said, "Then I pledge myself to you, Hinata-sama."

"Thank you, Neji. I will not disappoint you," I promised. "Maybe some things are immutable, but the fate of the Hyuuga is not one of them. Our history of sacrifice will be rewritten, even if it must be in fire and blood."

A/N: There's a lot happening in this chapter, and quite a bit of subtext, too. If you read between the lines, you'll find a number of plot threads that are starting to pop up which you can begin to follow.

One reviewer asked me if Yin Hinata (or Heiress Hinata) knows everything that Yang Hinata does. My answer is: No, she knows more. How is that possible? Well, you'll either have to puzzle it out for yourself or keep reading to find out.

By the way, Kou isn't a pure OC. I took the liberty of fleshing out his personality, but he appears in the manga as Hinata's bodyguard in the Invasion of Pain arc.

Just a couple other notes. I am well aware of the fact that Hizashi volunteered to be the sacrifice and that his brother did not force him into it. Hinata and Neji do not have this knowledge. I am writing from Hinata's point of view, not my own. Please remember this.

And for those skeptical that Hinata could win against Neji: Yang Hinata was not weak, not in body. She merely lacked confidence in herself. There is no such thing as "muscle memory". All memories, even motor functions, are housed in the brain. In the mindscape, where reality was merely a reflection of Yin Hinata's will, she would be able to create shadow opponents, perhaps based on the fights she'd witnessed Yang Hinata participate in. Therefore, Yin Hinata has access to advanced techniques and is able to bring Yang Hinata's dormant strength to it's full potential. Also, as I said in the story, Neji was caught off guard by Yin Hinata's unexpected skill. The element of surprise is not something anyone should underestimate. It is a very powerful advantage.

Update: I feel the need to add this, because it doesn't seem to be coming off as clearly as I'd hoped, but Yin Hinata is not meant to be the pinnacle of everything the Hyuuga clan heir should be. Her comments and observations in Chapter 4 reflect those of a very bitter person. They aren't meant to show that she is righteous, but that she isn't. Not yet, anyway. I even explicitly mentioned this back in Chapter 2 when in her dialogue she said, "But I would do well to remember she had virtues that I lacked."

The Hyuuga family is royally messed up and that's one reason Yin Hinata fits in so well, because she is, too. This will be a major focal point later on in the story. And don't think Neji learned his lesson by a long shot. He's still as messed up as he was in canon and maybe even a little more so, now.