Author's note: I received ten reviews, so here is the next chapter! Time to confront the clan elders, so what is in store for our favorite couple? Who will lose their temper first, Naruto or Hinata? Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Yeah, I love getting those. On with the story. Just so you know, same rules apply. I must receive ten reviews before i can post the next chapter, so hit the little green button at the bottom and tell me what you think! Constructive criticism allowed, flames are not. Jia You!

Disclaimer: (Alerya is sitting on a bench. Sakura Finds her.)

Sakura: Are you the girl Tsunade-shisho is running the DNA Test on?

Alerya: Yes, for some odd reason, she thinks I'm related to Naruto and Hinata, because I act and look to much like them. Personally, I think she's been hitting the sake a little too much lately.

Sakura: I don't know, I can see a resemblance.

Alerya: Will you people stop thinking crazy things like that? Hey, can you help me give the disclaimer?

Sakura: Sure. Alerya doesn't own anything to do with Naruto! (Whispers) Will Sasuke and I get together in this fic?

Alerya: Not on your life! Sasuke is going to be a very lonely teme, who we won't see that much of, just because I don't like him!

Sakura: How could you be so cruel to poor Sasuke-kun?

Alerya: How could you bee so dumb and blind to his true nature?

I stood before the Hyuga clan elders, hand in hand with my husband, and my father standing in front of us, having just informed the elders of my elopement with the village pariah.

Norio Hyuga, the father of the jilted Takahiro, was furious, "Your daughter has eloped with the Kyuubi! How can you take it so calmly? She must be punished according to clan law, to be branded with the Caged Bird Seal and disowned from the clan!"

Hiashi met his gaze squarely, "My daughter eloped with the Jinchuriki holding the Kyuubi no Kitsune prisoner, who just happens to be a strong and loyal Konoha shinobi. I cannot allow the council to brand her with the seal. Since the day of her marriage to Naruto Uzumaki, she is no longer under our jurisdiction. She is an Uzumaki now, not a Hyuga."

"Do you still claim her as your heir, Hiashi?"

He gave me a cold glance, "She may choose her replacement now, but she is no longer the clan heiress. I am also reducing her inheritance by half, and her dowry as well. She will still receive those, because she is still my blood and loyal to Konoha, meaning, according to clan law, we cannot disown her."

Masato Hyuga, a great-uncle of mine and the oldest of the clan elders present, spoke up, "Hiashi speaks the truth. Since Hinata is still a loyal Konoha kunoichi, she cannot be disowned, but we will shun her, and refuse to further school her in our clan techniques. The other punishments Hiashi has decreed are also sufficient. Hinata has lost her role as the clan heiress, and will only receive half of her dowry and inheritance."

Norio was furious. "Those are not sufficient for a betrayal of this magnitude! Hiashi, how dare you condone your daughter's rebellious actions by giving her a slap on the wrists!" he thundered, "Hinata must receive the seal as a punishment for joining herself to that demon!"

I've had enough of the demon crap! "Naruto isn't a demon! He is a Jinchuriki, the one holding the Kyuubi prisoner, or did that fact not register into your brain? How dare you say that! It was done to him when he was a newborn, he didn't have any choice in the matter. He hasn't done anything to deserve your scorn and hatred! You should be giving him respect, because any other shinobi would have betrayed this village if they had to put up with what the villagers have put him through all of his life."

Norio scoffed, "He should have been killed to keep the village safe! It is only because of the Sandaime's whim that demon was allowed to live."

Naruto stayed at my side, keeping quiet despite the insults that my family members were throwing at him. He had told me that he was used to it, and it really didn't bother him as much anymore, but it was making me furious. "Oh, shut up!" I snapped at him.

"Amazing," Kaede Hyuga, a female elder, whispered, "she is finally acting like the clan heiress. Where has this side of Hinata been hiding all of these years?"

She was almost killed because of all of you, I thought, not bothering to answer her question.

Norio was preparing another attack. "If you don't leave the demon, and Hiashi won't let us brand you, we could always make sure that no children ever result from your union," he threatened, his gaze fixed on Naruto. We both knew what he was insinuating.

That did it. I completely lost it. "I told you to shut up!" I dropped into my Juuken stance, activated my Byakugan, focused my chakra, and hit Norio square in the face. He flew backward and dropped unconscious, with a severely broken nose, maxilla, and zygomae, and missing several teeth. Every elder and Hiashi were staring at me in shock. Naruto was grinning, and took me into his arms.

"Calm down, Hinata-hime," he whispered into my ear, "But it was worth all the insults to see you hit that baka."

"You're my husband, Naruto-kun," I replied, making sure my voice was loud enough everyone in the room could hear me, "If they insult, dishonor, or threaten to castrate you, they will have to deal with me." I paused, and blushed bright red, "That was really me who hit him? It felt like it was someone else, I was so furious." Naruto just held me tighter, helping me with the shock of realizing what I had just done.

A rare smile of amusement graced Hiashi's face. "Norio is the elder who sealed Neji. Good for you, Hinata," he whispered to me. He then addressed the council again, "Shall we do as I proposed, and promise not to use the seal on those our clan no longer has claim on, Hinata and her future children?" The council mutely nodded, some stealing glances at me. I was my usual quiet self again, but I knew they could now see the strength in me, which all of them had dismissed before. My strength was different than what their definition was, and now they were finally seeing it.

Masato declared, "I believe I speak for all of the clan elders when I say we agree with your decision, Hiashi. You are the clan head, and Hinata is your firstborn, so you should be the one with the final say on her punishment. Hinata, as your final act as the clan heiress, who shall be your successor?"

I paused for a moment and asked, "Just one question. Is there a known way to remove the seal from the Branch Family members without destroying their Byakugan?"

"Not that we know of," Tatsuya Hyuga, a Branch Family representative, spoke up. "Why?"

"Because I want to name my cousin Neji Hyuga as heir in my place, but as long as he wears the seal, I cannot." Regret and sadness tinged my voice. Neji was the only one I wanted to replace me, but with the Caged Bird seal on his head, the council had too much control over him.

Hiashi mused, "If there was such a removal designed, Neji could be the heir. I know an old friend of mine, who was quite the seal expert, was looking into designing a seal removal. Perhaps, Hinata, if you could look into his notes, you might figure out how to do it. If there is no removal designed before my death, Hanabi will take my place as head, but if you do design a workable removal before then, Neji will take my place. Do you agree?"

"That seems fair," I replied. Hiashi dismissed the council, and suddenly Neji and Hanabi joined us in the room.

"That was amazing, Neechan!" Hanabi said, "How you made Norio-sama fly backwards! You proved them all wrong about you."

Naruto smiled and gave me a quick kiss, "Yes, you did, Hinata. You showed them your strength, it was amazing."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," I replied, blushing from his praise.

Neji spoke up, "Did you mean that, Hinata-chan? You wish for me to take your place as the clan heir?"

"Yes, but first I need to design a removal for the Caged Bird," I replied, "What do I know about Fuuinjutsu? This will take a while."

He gave me a small smile, "If anyone can remove it safely, I know you can, Imotochan."

"And I'll help," Naruto said, "Ero-sennin was a seal master, and taught me a few things. It's not my strong point, but I'll help you all I can."

"Thank you, all of you," I replied, "Hanabi, I'm sorry about not naming you my replacement, but I truly think Neji is the best for the job."

"Its okay, Hinata-chan. I really don't want to be clan head anyway. Neji can deal with the stuffed shirts known as the elders better than me, considering he is one himself," she replied with a mischievous grin toward our cousin. Neji, predictably, protested that statement.

"Let's get going before they start a full-on Juuken battle," Naruto whispered into my ear. We quickly left the clan compound, and headed back to our little apartment, talking quietly about our encounter with the clan elders, and how, before the meeting, Hiashi complained that it made his job that much harder by us forbidding him to tell the elders Naruto's true name. It was Naruto's decision to inform everyone who he truly was, and that time wasn't now.

Sakura and Sai were sitting in front of the door, waiting for us to return. "Well, how did it go? How did Hiashi-sama react?" Sakura demanded.

"He was furious and tried to attack me, but Hinata was able to stop him. Then Tsunade-baachan punched him through a wall, and we were able to talk some sense into him. We just got back from meeting with the Hyuga clan elders, who have promised not to seal Hinata or any of our descendants," Naruto reported, trying not to grin. "Hinata was amazing, she stood up to all of them, and even hit one on the face when he insulted me too many times."

"Actually, it was because he threatened to castrate him," I quietly corrected.

"Good for you, Hinata, and good for you, Naruto, for letting her fight her own battles!" Sakura cheered.

"We have been waiting to inform you both that we will begin training for our Jonin trials next week. Tsunade-sama also wants to see Hinata tomorrow morning. She says that she has something which belongs to her," Sai reported, "Other than that, you two have the rest of the week off. Enjoy it, Kitsune and Princess." Sai had finally decided to give people decent nicknames a few months ago, much to our relief. Naruto had been getting really sick of his nickname, and admitted Kitsune was better.

"We plan to," I replied, blushing.

Sakura groaned, "I think I'm going to be sick! Don't say or suggest anything like that with me around. The thought of the two of you…" she trailed off.

I giggled at her embarrassment, "We are newlyweds, Sakura. What do you expect us to do with our private time?"

"Ahhh! Be quiet! I'm not listening!" she cried out as she left. Sai sighed, but followed her.

Naruto was staring at me with raised eyebrows, "Hinata, I think I have corrupted you."

I giggled again, "No, you didn't. She just jumped to conclusions. I didn't say anything obvious."

He laughed as he unlocked the door and went inside. "What if her conclusions were correct?"

"She won't know, but we will," I replied, taking his hand as he locked the door, heading straight for the bedroom.

The next morning, we were taking our time to get out of bed. "Why does Baachan want to see you?" Naruto asked, one hand lazily playing with my long hair.

"Sai said she had something that belongs to me," I replied, a little puzzled, my head resting on his shoulder. "I don't know what she meant. All my things are here."

"Maybe it's something she wants to give you," he murmured, "What time do you have to be there?"

"Ten-thirty, so in an hour," I replied, "We'd better start getting ready. Do you want to do some one-on-one training once I get done meeting with the Hokage?"

'We'll first need to see Iruka-sensei, and go to Ichiraku ramen. I need to introduce my wife to Teuchi and Ayame." I laughed at that and reluctantly left his embrace as I rolled out of bed.

Right at ten-thirty, we were at the Hokage's office, freshly showered and dressed, complete with our Hitai-ites and ninja gear.

"She's waiting for you, Hinata," Sakura said, "Naruto, you have to wait outside." He nodded and took a chair while I entered the office.

Tsunade was standing in front of her desk, holding a sheathed katana. The sheath was beautiful, a glossy black inlaid with silver and gold designs. The hilt matched the sheath. "This is yours, Hinata Hyuga-Namikaze," she said.

I stared at the elegant weapon, "I don't even know how to use a katana, Tsunade-sama. How can this be mine?"

She smiled, "It has chosen you as its wielder, and you have proven yourself worthy of the katana." I was lost and it showed on my face. "Have you ever heard of the katanas of Uzugakure?"

"The Whirlpool Katanas? I remember my mother telling me about them once, a long time ago. Don't the blades have the ability to conduct chakra?"

"Yes, that is one of their characteristics. These blades were forged in what became the Hidden Whirlpool Village almost three centuries ago. The katanas were the village's most precious resource. They were passed down from one generation to the next, but the katanas made the choice, not their wielders."

She gave me the sheathed katana. "How do they choose? How did they come here to Konoha, if they were Uzu's most precious resource?"

"I'm not sure how they choose, but I do know how they came here. It's an interesting story, so pull up a chair and I'll tell you."

EVIL CLIFFHANGER JUTSU! What is it about these weapons? And yes, for those of you who recognized the village's name, they are connected to Kushina. Remember, Ten reviews before you can find out! Thank you for reading, now review please!