As the three genin teams attempted to complete the tasks put forth by their jonin instructors, the day grew long and before anyone was the wiser, it was nightfall.

Asuma wiped the last tears of laughter from his eyes as Choji and Shino were released from their dance-binds and Sakura from hers. He bid Konohamaru goodbye and scooped up his weary genin and jovially delivered them to their worried (and slightly creeped out) parents before returning to his own home. He scribbled out some legitimate lesson plan ideas and fell asleep with a grin on his face.

The all-boys team was completely beat too. Shikamaru's head hurt like someone had pelted his forehead with boulders, Sasuke's mouth was burnt worse than it did when he was first trying to learn the Grand Fireball Technique and Naruto felt feint from summoning over five thousand six hundred and twenty-four shadow clones. Kakashi told them that he was impressed with their teamwork, gave them a location to meet at the next day and vanished without a trace. The three boys mumbled their good-bye's and returned home, still not entirely sure if they had passed Kakashi's test.


Kurenai's team, however, was another story altogether.

The beautiful jonin instructor was sitting atop the Hokage monument waiting to see if the new genin would be able to meet their challenge. She leaned forward on her knees waiting for Akamaru to return from giving the Inuzuka, Hyuuga and Yamanaka notes explaining the absences of their respective children.

Like previously mentioned, Ino, Kiba and Hinata were trapped in Kurenai's genjutsu. Initially, they were in what seemed to be an 'empty' Konoha but as they made their way through the unpaved roads to get to the chakra-emitting scroll across the town, suddenly it was not.

Out of what seemed to be thin air, appeared four people; each one a Hyuuga. To the far right stood a young girl around seven years of age with frustrated eyes and crossed arms. She was tapping her foot impatiently on the ground as she glared at each of the genin. To her left stood a curvaceous woman who greatly resembled Hinata but with long blue-black hair. She had an overall gentle, content look about her, although the trembling around her lips spoke of insecurities and troubles. She had her left arm on the shoulder of a man who was easily the scariest looking individual all three of them had ever seen. He looked a lot like the young girl but his eyes were more angry than frustrated and he looked more irritated then impatient. Finally to the far left, stood a boy who looked about the same age as them, if not a little older who's smile was both amused and sadistic. He wore a black headband, the back of which he was fiddling with. With narrowed eyes, he pulled off the headband to reveal a jade seal and glared straight at Hinata who seemed to shrink into the ground.

Ino raised an eyebrow contemplatively as she wondered what to do and Kiba tried to inconspicuously draw a kunai.

"Hinata-chan, these are you relatives, right?" asked Ino, trying to figure out what exactly Kurenai was playing at.

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-

"Hmph. Just look at her, she's pathetic. She can't even finish her sentence," hissed the boy, stepping forward agressively. "And they think she deserves to be heir to the Hyuuga clan? My poor father is rolling in his grave."

"Who are you?" wondered Ino aloud. She recongized the man and the girl from various Konoha festivals over the years and remembered attending the funeral of the woman, but this boy was new.

"Although, it doesn't matter to you," he said, spitting out the 'you' as if refering to some low life scum. "I am Neji Hyuuga and one day I'm going to be a humble servant to the outstanding example in front of a shinobi cowering behind you." His voice dripped with sarcasm as continued to stalk forward.

"Sweetie, sweetie, Hinata-chan," called the woman suddenly. "Maybe, this lifestyle isn't for you. Maybe, it's time that you gave up. Take the jewels that I left in your name and go start a quiet life out of the country where you can be happy and without stress neh, Hinata-chan...?" The pretty woman stepped forward with open arms as if she could physically convince her eldest daughter to listen to her.

"Hm, I think at this point I've realized you aren't even worth my words. Disgrace. Come Hanabi," said the other man in a monotonous tone that was somehow even more chilling than the venomous one Neji had used.

"You know," said the other girl, throwing the words over her shoulder as she followed her father, "I used to look up to you. You were supposed to be there for me to talk to, to confide in, to learn from but I can't. I'm only seven and I've already surpassed you, nee-chan."

"No. Wait I can chan-" Hinata started but she stopped when all of a sudden, a killer intent flooded her senses as Neji took one final step forward.

"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms," he whispered, simultaneously activating his Byakugan.

Frustrated and not willing to be taken down so easily, Hinata activated hers a millisecond after and before even a single breath could be inhaled, the two of them were fighting.

Ino was stunned.

Open palmed hands flying, connecting, deflecting off of each other as a strong wind was created from the circular motion of their dance-like battle.

Hinata was using the tips Ino had told her to and was holding her ground adamantly but the sheer force behind Neji's attacks was getting to be too much.

Kiba reacted, he lunged forward with his kunai quickly followed by Ino, who threw several shuriken, but it was too little too late. Hinata had zoomed backwards from one extremely powerful strike, her petite body crashed through two walls before it finally stopped moving.

Everyone was silent until they heard the unmistakable sound of someone choking.

Regaining her senses, Ino shot the rest of the Hyuugas one last disgusted look before racing after Hinata. She skidded to a rough stop, two paces too far ahead. She crawled back through the debris and cradled the injured Hyuuga in her arms.

"I-I never realized... N-no wonder y-you're s-so..." Ino could barely say a word, her throat was choked with tears. Her family sucked!

She schooled herself and took a deep breath. This was so not the time for a girly, emotional break down. She laid the smaller girl upright against herself, trying to staunch the blood flowing freely from the back of her head by bunching up one of her arm-warmers and pressing it tightly against the wound. Although, Ino could clearly see it was not working. Soon, the white cloth was bright red and there was blood all of her hands. She ripped the other one off and used that too, tying it tight across her forehead.

Just then, Kiba came bounding into the room. "Hey, all the Hyuugas disappeared and it was like- HOLY CRAP!" he yelled at the bloodied mess surrounding his two teammates. He immediately threw off his jacket and began ripping out strips of the fabric, handing them over to Ino to bandage across her forehead.

The pressure was getting better, but there was nothing to keep Hinata awake. Kiba squeezed her hand and Ino tried to encourage her to stay with them.

"Please, Hinata-chan? You were so good back there! That guy was so scary and there you were all strongand brave. I-, we're really proud of you!"

The doe-eyed girl smiled and curled into the warmth of the pretty girl beside her.

"Thanks. That means a lot. I could have pr-probably done worse... At least I didn't immediately faint..."