Chapter 11. Whoo! Alright let's get this on!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto... but I own the ramen I bought yesterday! Hooray for mass supplies of instant ramen! What would we do without it?(BM: buy non-instant ramen lol)
Hinata arranged her kunai and other weapons neatly on the table. Kurenai's place was pleasant enough and Hinata had time alone most of the day while her sensei was out on errands.
She moved another kunai. There was a light metallic "clink" as she set it down. Her ears caught something else. A footstep. Suddenly she tensed, grabbing the kunai and clutching it in her hand. A chakra signature, barely settled in the silence of the room, was close behind her.
"Sensei?" she whispered nervously. Suddenly the chakra signature flared. The person was no longer hiding their presence. A tinge of fear came over Hinata only for a second, before her ninja instincts kicked in. In a swift movement she stood and turned kunai in hand, and slid into her stance.
She peered at the intruder with her byakugan, and watched. In a flash the form disappeared. Hinata soon realized that even in her nearly three sixty vision the person was nowhere within her sight. Her nervousness escalated to a peak as realization set in.
"The blind spot!" she nearly screamed, turning unsteadily on her heels. A pain shot through her back as she turned. A kunai pierced into her back and she staggered. She whimpered softly, turning to search for her attacker. Hinata's eyes widened in dismay and shock as she registered the identity of the person. The attacker glared at her through eyes so familiar to her.
"GUH!" her voice came out in a whisper as the attacker's chakra flaring hand landed a solid blow to her stomach.
Hinata cried out in pain as another kunai was plunged into her leg. This person hit no vital points. They were torturing her. There was a sharp bang as the door to the apartment flew open and a flurry of kunai sped straight for the intruder. They flipped backwards and ducked after landing to avoid the missiles.
Kurenai skidded into the room, glaring murderously at the attacker that stood before her. 'Hyuga! They are using the byakugan.' she thought. The attacker fled, jumping clear through an open window.
Kurenai moved to steady Hinata, who appeared shocked and disoriented. Hinata stared, eyes wide in horror at the wall, her posture slumping.
"Hinata…" Kurenai said softly. "Hinata don't move." She commanded.
The pale eyed girl nodded limply. Her lips parted and she turned to face Kurenai. "H…H-Hyuga… E-Elder." She whispered.
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Neji paced annoyed. His frustration was soon to over flow the poor branch member. His mind could no longer comprehend his clan. His family. They were all corrupt. Hinata, she is so pure and could only want good. For so long he had thought she was a loser and nothing more. She had been… she had been unimportant to him. Now though things were very different. He cared for her. Hinata had always called him "brother," and truly felt no remorse or anger toward him even after he had the clear intent to kill her at the chunnin exams. Neji had crippled her esteem, tore at her feelings… and yet… she had continued to work harder than even he. His feelings started as simply admiring her ethic, and built into true protection. For all the times that she had thought of him as family, finally Neji felt like her brother. As the responsibility for family to do, he would help her at all costs.
'Shikamaru… yes that lazy ninja. She mentioned him and a plan.' He thought.
Before another stressful moment passed Neji was headed straight for the Nara home.
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"Oi, lazy boy!" Naruto shouted. Shikamaru's eyebrow involuntarily twitched. He turned from his position near a barbecue restaurant with Choji next to him.
"Naruto… what is it?" he asked. Choji tugged on Shikamaru's sleeve.
"Come on! I'm starving out here. Let's go in already!" he said impatiently.
"Shikmaru, it's Hinata. She was attacked." Naruto announced, his face contorting into a mixture of anger and sadness. Shikamaru's eyebrows shot up for a moment and then slowly descended as he contemplated bits of information at once. Everything had gone as predicted until now. Hinata left her clan. The Hyuga elders threatened Hinata with the caged bird seal. Her father suggested law five-eighty in which Hinata and an opposing elder fight to the death. Then… Hinata was supposed to fight tomorrow.
'She's been attacked… motives… hmm… that's it! How could I miss that?!" he thought.
"A Hyuga elder attacked her." Shikamaru said aloud.
"Right!" Naruto shouted. "So… what do we do now? Hinata is in the hospital recovering. She might now be able to fight. She would need all of her strength to defeat an elder." He said.
Shikamaru's expression turned serious. "Law five-eighty. I've read over it before. You must replace Hinata in the duel, Naruto. If you don't it's all over. The clan will place the seal on her and marry her off." He explained.
Choji crossed his arms, his expression confused. "What?!" he exclaimed.
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Neji stopped breathless at the Nara household. He sighed. "Shikamaru is not here." he said aloud. He deactivated his byakugan and turned away. At that moment he spotted a figure as they appeared before him.
"Sakura?" he asked alarm almost appearing on his face.
"Neji! Hinata, she has been attacked. I was working my shift at the hospital when I saw them bring her in. I thought you might like to know." she explained quickly. This time a full blast of alarm came over Neji's normally expressionless features. The two disappeared from the area in a flash.
Oooh. So the plan is now messed up. Naruto is to replace Hinata in the duel?! How will the battle play out? Thanks for reading, and please please review!