Chapter 13

Maki sighed as she entered the Hyuuga compound, kicking off her sandals as she walked inside the large house that belonged to Hinata and her dad. Hearing someone step up to her she turned around, lifting an eyebrow at a young Hyuuga girl staring at her.

"Can I help you?"

The girl blinked. "Oh my god, she wasn't kidding, we actually adopted an outsider."

Maki frowned at the girl, rising up, about to tell her what she felt about the girl's tone as Hinata turned a corner.

"Oh thank kami you are home."

Maki blinked, looking at Hinata who looked really stressed.

"Yeah, me and my friends went out for food after class and we ran a little late, I'm sorry if you were worried."

"No no, its fine it's just… oh I don't have the time for this… Maki, this is Hanabi my… well, our younger sister."

Maki blinked, looking over at the girl who smiled up at her, all the sass from earlier gone as she looked worried at Hinata.

"Nee chan… you can do this right? I have faith in you."

"Yes, yes of course I… I give you my word."

Hanabi smiled. "Good… now you go and head off, I will explain everything to the new girl."

Hinata nodded and walked off again, Hanabi sighing, turning to Maki. "Sorry about that… listen, we need to talk. Normally Nee chan would but… she is kind of occupied."

Maki nodded. "I noticed… what's happening?"

"It's a long story… follow me." Hanabi started walking, beckoning for Maki to follow. "I need to explain something about this clan… something you need to know. Our clan has always been divided into two, the main house and the branch house."

Hanabi stopped and sat down near the open garden in the middle of all the Hyuuga houses, sighing a little. "The main house consists of all the former clan leaders and their partners, as well as their firstborn child… everyone else is considered branch members… and more or less the servants and slaves for the main house."

Maki looked shocked over at Hanabi who was looking at a member of the clan who was watering the flowers, Maki noticing that the member had that strange green symbol on their forehead.

"When a member of the branch family is born it is customary to brand them with the caged bird seal" Hanabi said, her voice trying to hide a small shiver. "Essentially it's a way for the main family to control the branch family. Back in the days where fighting were the ninja ways this was a set up that was meant to protect the family, to prevent side branch members from going after clan heirs for their own gain or to desert to the enemy with clan information… if a branch member is suspected of that it takes the main family nothing less than a few hand signs and the brand activates and can at least give you intense pain… at worse brain death."

Maki was shocked. "That's horrible."

"Indeed" Hanabi said nodding sadly. "But it has been like this for ages… but things are changing… when I was born… mother died bringing me into the world. I don't know what exactly happened other than rumors I have heard, but mom had apparently been alive just long enough to give me my name, and to make father promise that he'd look after both me and nee chan, no matter what it took… then she died. Another clan member had entered and supposedly asked father when they could give me the brand and start training Hinata nee for the heir role… again, I don't know the details but father apparently kicked his butt and told everyone that the next one who would try to brand me had to go through him."

Hanabi smiled weakly looking over at Maki who seemed worried. "You are safe; Tsunade Sama made that quite clear to Hinata when she accepted taking someone in, so the council can't touch you."

"Council?"

Maki was confused. Hanabi nodded, looking up at the sky.

"Old members of the clan who sit together with the clan head and takes care of clan business without the intrusion of others… usually they don't do much, decides how much money the clan can use on things, sending someone to deal with overgrown parts of the compound, that sort of thing… but in all it's the clan head that decides things, even if the council heavily influences them."

Hanabi sighed. "Sorry, we are getting off track… the Hyuuga clan hasn't changed much since we joined the Shodaime Hokage many years ago, but the ways of the clan and the ways of a ninja is starting to become problematic… in the old times it was a case of the heir to the clan having to be the strongest and anyone that was seen as a treat was taken out… when we grew up I always beat Hinata at everything. Every spar, every exercise, even if she was the older and the true heir to the clan… so the clan members started to plot to put me as the heir instead, but to do that Hinata needed to be proven as weak by clan standards… and then she became a ninja."

Hanabi licked her lips, Maki trying to piece together the puzzle Hanabi was trying to explain to her. "It appeared that Hinata had held back fighting me because she didn't want the clan to brand me… she was and is strong by clan standard, so she wasn't branded… later the same year as she became a ninja she lost a proper ninja battle… this to our cousin Neji. This caused quite the uproar in the council, that Neji nii, who was a branch member was the closest thing to a prodigy the clan had seen in ages, his form almost on par with father. And in the war…"

Hanabi looked over at Maki. "Nee chan says you have medic training back in your old world, is that true?"

Maki nodded, not really sure why Hanabi wanted to know.

"Out in the field… Neji blocked an attack meant for Hinata nee… he started bleeding and died in Hinata's arms… his caged bird seal disappeared as he did, a surefire sign that he had died… 6 hours later out of nowhere he suddenly drew breath again, no one can explain why."

Maki gaped. That someone could come back after being declared dead for 6 hours, she couldn't even imagine.

Hanabi nodded. "I know right? Anyhow, he is still resting, it's been months but he's still a bit weak… but yeah, since he died, his mark disappeared too… Neji nii san has been a prodigy and one of the strongest fighters in the war, even saving the life of the heir of the clan… and the council was divided on where they stood, some wanting to let Neji nii live without the brand, the other half not wanting to break tradition… and… and there is more."

Maki groaned. "More?"

"Don't worry, almost done… when we came back, father asked me and Hinata nee to help him find out if there was something in the old clan laws that could help Neji nii san… I found an old law, stating that a Hyuuga child cannot be branded after the age of 13 and anyone who tried would be exiled from the clan. It was a law that was passed because of medical reasons I think, the seal is complex enough on a baby brain, I don't want to know how they plan on doing it with a teenager. So, father held out the law in everyone's faces, then groaned in pain and declared that until he was fit to stand again Hinata would be clan head while he was recovering."

Hanabi sighed, looking at Maki. "There will be a council meeting later, the council, Hinata, you and I need to be there… you do because Hinata wants you to see the backsides with this clan up close, so you know what you are heading into as you are considered family."

Maki nodded, understanding. "Ok… but what is Hinata freaking out about?"

Hanabi frowned, looking to her feet. "Well… as I said I was the one who found the law… seems like the council is trying to use it against me."

Hanabi turned to Maki. "I became a genin this year… and while I am still kicking ass and taking names, I didn't fight in the war, I am nowhere near Hinata nee's strength and cannot win against her if I tried challenging her. The council never tried touching me over the years because who father is. Father has always been a good clan head, and next to never broken clan laws for anything… but now Hinata is in charge… and I turn 13 in 3 weeks."

Maki closed her eyes, swearing silently in her head as the final pieces of the puzzle were placed down. Hanabi had always been strong, but now her sister had become the heir, by their own father's word, this in turn meant that Hanabi would be marked as a branch member and the council was rushing to get it done before the old law was set in action. While no one would have tried if Hiashi was still in charge, Hinata was now in charge, and even if Maki hadn't been in the clan for more than a day she knew Hinata was a shy and gentle girl.

"All right… what can I do?"

Hanabi sighed. "Not much I'm afraid… our best card right now is the fact that the council can't legally brand me without the clan head's permission… that was another law we found, apparently someone in the council had a child on the way and wanted to thin out the competition so they could get their child to the head or whatever and started playing around with some members of the main branch… it didn't end well… but yeah, Hinata needs to give permission and she won't give it, but if she isn't careful the council can bait her into saying something she doesn't mean… at any rate, if nee chan has a plan she is keeping it close to her chest."

Hanabi looked over at Maki, getting to her feet. "I am sorry this is the way you are introduced into our clan, but the council won't let you adapt before finding ways to tear you down."

"It's ok" Maki said, getting up too. "I just wish I could be of some help."

"You might be" Hanabi said smiling a little. "Pay attention in the council… if you see me or Hinata try to get your attention or anything, just go with the flow… we have your back."

…

Sitting down at the end of the head family seats Maki tried getting comfortable on her knees, as Hinata sat down at her own spot, Hanabi in between her and Maki.

Hinata looked up at all the men and women who sat scowling in their direction, not flinching for a second. "All right everyone, welcome to this monthly council meeting, we will start on the top wi…"

"Forgive me for interrupting Hinata sama, but we all know why we are here, we only have this meeting once a month and this meeting is the last chance we have of discussing your sisters fate, one that should have been addressed several years ago so why delay it any further?"

Hinata looked straight into the eyes of the old man who had spoken up, scowling at him. "Council member Hidashi… tradition dictates that we start at the top… and I am the one in charge, not you… so shut up… now, from the top, what are we dealing with?"

…

Maki tried sitting still, her patience running thin. The council meeting was dragging on longer and longer, a small part of her wondering if Hinata's plan was to drag it out until they had no choice but to end it before Hanabi's case was brought forth. At least that was the only reason she could think of as to why it had taken them nearly 45 minutes discussing buying new koi fish for the koi pond.

Apparently the council was getting tired too.

"NO MORE." Everyone turned to where a woman spoke up, getting to her feet. "We have dragged this out long enough Hinata sama… we need to discuss your sister."

Hinata sighed, looking over at Hanabi who nodded. "All right… then let's make this the final post of the day… I will keep it short, you need my permission to brand Hanabi with the caged bird seal, and you don't have it."

"It is an outrage." A man stroked his beard, scowling at Hinata. "This is Hyuuga clan tradition Hinata sama, you cannot just ignore it."

Hinata turned to the man, never once rising her voice. "Actually I can… as clan head, even if it is temporary until my father is back on his feet, I have the right to decide which way the Hyuuga clan should go… and I am as of now invoking a cease exists on the caged bird seal."

People gasped, some starting to shout, a few mumbling together. Maki turned to Hanabi who tried to act like this did not shock her immensely.

"What did Hinata just do?"

Hanabi turned to her, whispering back. "She is trying to argue the case that the law no longer applies to the clan or the time we live in… last time a cease exist was declared it was for the law that said clan members with plague was to be stationed in housing and away from the main branch with at least a mile at all times… that was a while ago… the council has two choices now… for them to start discussing the law, wich means that they no longer have the time to discuss me, wich means I am off the hook.

If we do discuss the law and Hinata loses the case of relevance in this time she could be seen as unfit to lead and someone in the council would take over until father gets better… wich again means I would be in trouble without anyone being able to stop it. If Hinata win I as well as all the future children of the Hyuuga clan are saved from the brand, all the branch members will have their seals undone and the Hyuuga clan will become reborn anew… or they could refuse to talk about it and focus wholly on me, and nothing changes, except for my outcome."

Maki frowned. "What do you mean they could choose?"

"Well for a motion to pass into talking about it you first need someone to second an agreement, and a third person to third before it becomes an actual discussion… so even if I second Hinata sama's agreement we need one person on the council to agree to talk about it."

Maki looked out at the old men and women, most scowling at Hinata. "Maybe we don't… Hanabi, this is up to you, do you want us to start this discussion?"

Hanabi frowned, looking at Maki. "Sure, I mean, it's a great thing, and I know from experience that you don't have to be a member of the main branch to be a good ninja… why?"

"Would I be able to third the vote? Am I viable as a part of the family?"

Hanabi's eyes widened, quickly looking over to where people was starting to calm down. "Probably but… yeah… wait… ok… yeah that can work."

She looked up at Maki. "You third it, if someone challenges you to a fight, just accept it and trust me, ok?"

Maki managed a small nod as Hinata cleared her throat. "All right… now that we have all calmed down… I have carried the notion of a Cease to exists on the clan law of branding anyone outside of the main branch family… do I have a second?"

Hanabi lifted her arm. "Seconded."

A few murmurs were heard, as well as a few chuckles, the council seemingly thinking Hanabi was grasping at any chance to get free.

Hinata nodded, her voice shaking a little as she spoke again. "Do we have a third?"

Maki raised her arm, scowling at all the old men and women in front of her.

"I third the notion."

Hinata blinked then smiled. "Notion passed, lets st…"

"HOLD ON A SECOND."

Maki recognized the man as Hidashi, the man who had started the council meeting impatiently. Now he was scowling at her.

"Her vote does not count."

Hinata lifted an eyebrow. "And how do you see that councilman Hidashi?"

"She isn't even a Hyuuga."

"Actually she is… by Tsunade sama's word as well as mine and my father, Maki, formerly Nishikino was adopted into the Hyuuga clan yesterday, she lives as a member of the main branch family and is clearly wearing our symbols and markings."

Hidashi scowled. "Until she gets her eyes and starts learning the clan jutsus she is not a proper Hyuuga."

Maki lifted her eyebrow, not getting what the man meant by getting her eyes, but deciding to not worry about it, wanting to help things speed up.

"I am just as much of a Hyuuga as you oji san, stop being a sore loser."

Hidashi turned to her, his angry face turning smug. "Oh you are are you? Fine… I challenge you to a Jyuuken duel… you win I will accept your voice in this council, you lose you don't count."

Maki remembered Hanabi's words, trusting her new sister, getting to her feet.

"I accept."

She walked out on the field shaking as her legs got proper blood flow for the first time in hours, her heart racing as the man went down in a stance.

"WAIT."

Everyone turned as Hanabi got to her feet grinning. "Maki chan is my sister, and still new to the clan… I ask her for permission to fight as her champion and to win in her honor."

Maki grinned. So that had been Hanabi's plan. "I accept" she said before anyone could voice their objections, giving Hanabi a small high five as she went down to her pillow, sitting down once more.

She hadn't actually seen any of the clan's fighting style, but given how Hidashi suddenly looked green she had a feeling that Hanabi would put on a show. Hanabi grinned and went down in a strange stance, Maki blinking as she saw veins grow at her eyes, just staring.

Hinata grinned. "Challengers… start."

Hanabi smiled and spoke up, Maki feeling the atmosphere go cold. "Jyuukenhou, Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou."

Maki could only watch in a strange mix of amazement and horror as Hanabi rushed forward, Hidashi never having a chance, Hanabi suddenly standing over his passed out body, bowing to Hinata.

Hinata smiled. "Winner, Hyuuga Maki's champion Hyuuga Hanabi, motion of Maki's vote resolved… due to time issues we will have to stop here, next meeting will reconvene in 4 weeks."

And with that said Hinata rose before anyone could object, most of the council still shocked over Hidashi's body on the floor.

As Maki walked inside and away from the council grounds she was hugged from two sides, one hug coming from Hanabi, the other from Hinata.

"I can't believe we did that, thank you Maki chan, thanks to you I won't get branded, even if Hinata nee loses her case."

Hinata, who was crying relieved tears into Maki's other shoulder reached out to smack Hanabi's head.

"Don't ever scare me like that you two, holy mother I can't believe that worked… I need to tell father… oh dear I need to tell father, this won't be pretty."

Maki grinned and laughed, hugging Hinata and Hanabi back, not caring about anything right then, other than the fact that she had two amazing sisters, and together they would change this clan, one person at a time.