Tarot

Since a young age Hyuga Hinata had always been afraid. She was afraid of fighting, she was afraid of the cold hard stares of her family, she was afraid of being weak, she was afraid of large dogs and just like everyone else Hinata was afraid of the unknown.

One day at the age of six Hinata was walking through the market place, looking for a gift for her sister's upcoming birthday. As she was walking a strange, creepy old lady grabbed Hinata by her arm.

"Ah what a lovely little deary you are," the old woman cackled slightly, scaring the little girl. "Tell me deary would you like to have your cards read?"

Hinata was frightened, who was this strange lady Why was she talking to her? What did she mean? What did she want? Where were her guards? What cards? Hinata was terrified and in her fear she froze, unmoving and unacting.

The old crone just laughed at Hinata before deciding to just ignore the girl's fear. Out of nowehere a card appeared in the crones hand. "Ah yes the five of swords, you will soon face a great adversity of a physical kind. An attack maybe?" the crone asked before another card appeared in her hand. "Then we have Courage, you will find an inner strength that not even you yourself know you possess," the crone told the still frightened Hinata. A third card appeared in her hand, "then finally we have the Eight of Swords Reversed, you will find release from your troubles and worries, very little will bother you any more."

"Have a good day deary," the old crone laughed before letting go of Hinata and allowing the little girl to run off in fright.

…

It was an hour later, Hinata had almost completely forgotten the old crone and had found the perfect gift for her baby sister, a stuffed dragon that she named Puff, when it happened.

A rude boy came out of nowhere, he was big and scary with these weird markings on his face. He was also very old, a big kid, he was probably nine and he was glaring down at Hinata.

"A stuck up lil princess, you look lost," the boy sneered.

Shaking in fear, Hinata slowly backed up, away from the boy.

"Not gonna say anything princess?" the boy asked with a slight growl, "am I not good enough to talk to for the likes of you stuck up Hyuuga?"

Hinata didn't say anything, still way too scared to talk and so she just backed up and backed up until she hit a wall.

"Look's like the little princess has nowhere to go," the big kid mocked. "Now how about I teach you some manners?" he asked before walking up and slapping her.

Still Hinata made no sound, her fear keeping her mute even despite the pain.

"Still too good to talk to me now?" he asked before punching her in the stomach, causing Hinata to drop Puff and fall to the ground in pain. Still she didn't make a sound.

"What's this?" the boy asked evily and he bent down and picked up Puff. "A stupid little toy, for a stupid little girl!" the boy then dropped it on the ground and stepped on it.

Despite her pain, despite her fear Hinata slowly pulled herself to her feet. She couldn't be afraid, not now. Puff was in danger and Hinata had to save him for Hanabi.

"Leave him alone!" she shrieked before moving forward and poking the boy several times.

If Hinata was a normal girl and that was a normal poke then it would have done nothing to the boy but she wasn't a normal girl. Hinata was a Hyuga and not only that she was the Hyuga heiress and as such while only six she still knew enough to seal of chakra to someone's limbs, sure she was slow, clumsy and it wouldn't last long but Hinata was only against a kid who wasn't even trying to defend himself.

She walked away with a smile after saving Puff from the bully.

Later that night when Hinata went to bed she found three cards laying innocently on her pillow, they were the cards that the old crone held. Remembering the incident and remembering the meaning of the cards Hinata couldn't help but smile. Two of the cards had come true after all and if Hinata could learn their secret then maybe she wouldn't be afraid anymore and then the third card would come true as well.

…

Ever since that day years ago Hinata had changed no longer was she afraid, she knew when she was going to suceed and when she was going to fail, when she would be hurt and when she would be saved. It was the not knowing, the uncertainty that held her back but now that she knew she was fine.

Calmly Hinata shuffled the deck of cards in her hands, allowing her chakra to flow through them, fill them and help. Once she was ready she pulled a card out and regarded it. "It appears that I shall pass this test," she muttered as she looked at Kurenai opposite her.

"I look forward to learning from you in the future Kurenai-sensei," Hinata said sincerely as she put away her cards and charged her sensei-to-be.

…

Hinta regarded the room of hopeful chunin and subtly drew her cards, using them to tell her just what she needed to know. For instance for Kabuto she drew the Seven of Swords, he was a traitor and Hinata would stay away from him. A genin from Kusa was more dangerous than she appeared and any confrontation against her would result in Hinata's death. None of the Konoha genin would end up promoted except for Shikamaru and the boy in Green would be severely injured. Sasuke's fate would be forever changed by what was going to happen but it wasn't exactly clear on how his fate would change, would it be for the better or for the worse? Hinata wasn't sure. The red haired genin from Suna...no matter how many times Hinata drew for him all that she got was death, the kid would experience a great change and while the death card did not necessarily mean anyone was going to die such a great change did not usually happen without a massacre.

The cards hadn't been wrong to Hinata before and as such she made note of those who to avoid. They may not get promoted and they may not die in the Chunin Exams but it was best never to tempt fate just in case.

…

Hinata stood opposite her cousin in the arena and regarded him calmly even as he stared at her with eyes filled with hate. "You let the past cloud your eyes cousin, when will you choose to learn from it and move on?"

Neji sneered, "I have learnt from it," he announced. "I have learnt that our fates are unchangeable and that nothing we do can ever change it."

Hinata shook her head, "you are a fool cousin, not even fate in all of it's glory is set in stone it can be changed, and even if it couldn't one such as you could never see fate's true design."

"I see that it is your fate to lose against me in this fight," Neji mocked.

Hinata pulled a card out of her sleeve and regarded it, "it is true that if we were to fight here then I would lose," she informed her cousin. "But I would only lose if we fight. The match has not started cousin nor will it start. I refuse to participate in this match, thus the match does not start and I will not lose against you. The fate you saw was wrong!" with a cool smirk Hinata turned on her heel and walked away from her cousin and out of the arena.

The proctor stared after her, unsure of just what had happened.

…

It was the day before the Chunin Exam finals and Hinata found herself in the Hokage's office, tears in her eyes.

"What brings you here today my dear?" the Hokage asked her softly, kindly.

"I-I just w-wanted to t-tell you that while y-you would b-be missed Konhoa will still g-go on wi-without you," Hinata sniffled before she turned and ran out of the office, crying as she did so.

…

It was the day after the Hokage's funeral that Hinata found an ANBU waiting outside of her house for her.

"Hyuga Hinata. This is for you," the ANBU said, giving Hinata a parcel before disappearing.

Attached to the parcel was a note.

To Hinata-chan

I just wanted to thank you for your kind words. While it pains me for a child such as yourself to have seen what I must surely assume is to be my death it means a lot to me that you said what you did.

Do not worry child I am confident that no matter how I die, it will be with a smile on my face and the knowledge that Konoha will go on as strong as ever and I owe that all to you.

As a thank you I present to you this gift, may it help you branch out in your special skillset

Yours truly, Sarutobi Hiruzen, God of Shinobi, The Sandaime Hokage.

Inside the parcel Hinata found a crystal ball.