The Next Day- Kiba's POV
"Hinata, did you see Yuri this morning?" Kurenai-sensei asked.
"N, No I didn't see her."
"Kiba, do you know anything?"
I told them about what had happened last night.
"I'll go check the complex." Kurenai-sensei said, looking worried.
"I'm right here. Sorry I'm late, something came up at home."
Yuri walked in. Her face, instead of being healed, was, if at all possible, more battered. I now noticed that her hands were also in the same condition.
"W, what happened Yuri-kun?"
"I thought you were supposed to be healed." I said moving toward her.
"The Griffin works best if I'm asleep."
"Why wouldn't you get any sleep?"
She moved over and sat down against a tree with a grateful sigh. Then she looked at me sadly.
"Uncle found out that I slipped out last night. He got mad and wouldn't let sleep. But the good news is he never found out where I went or who I went with."
"That's it; I'm going to the Hokage. You won't stop me this time."
"No need, I'm already here."
And so she was. Yuri's jaw clenched.
"The four of you will stay at other houses for a while.'
"Which four?" asked Shino.
"Hinata, Hanabi, Neji, and Yuri.
"Yuri can stay at my place. Mom won't mind."
"Neji-kun will want to stay with Ten-Ten-kun." Hinata giggled
"Hinata and her sister may stay with my family. We have room." Shino offered.
"As long as you don't mind staying with the opposite gender, then I don't mind. I'll talk to Neji, Ten-Ten, the Inuzukas, the Abumares, and Hiashi.
"And you," She said pointing at Yuri. "are coming with me. You're going to the hospital for a bit."
"No! I'm fine, plus I don't have the money. Uncle decided to only let me keep half the money I make on missions, I can barely feed Akari!"
She frowned.
"When was the last time you ate?"
"Last night at Kiba's."
"What about breakfast?"
"Of course not. I didn't have time, neither did Akari. I haven't been able to afford breakfast for me in quiet a while."
"You're coming with me. You're going to the Hospital for a while and then you and Akari are going to eat. Your uncle will pay.
"He won't waste money on me. I'm worthless."
"I'm the Hokage, he'll pay. Now let's go.
She sighed.
"Fine, if it makes you happy I'll go. Don't know why you bother though."
"I'm Hokage, it's my job. And your human, it's time you were treated like one."
She laughed bitterly.
"I wonder what it's like to be human, to be normal. To be treated like your worth something. Being with Team 8 makes me feel like I have worth, that I'm semi-human. The only time people don't look at me with hate in their eyes. Teams 7-10, they are the people I wish to call friends if they will let me.
"Then at the academy, is that why you were almost always alone?"
"Yeah, the other students hated me. Some of them tried to be nice, they really did. To this day I don't know if their kindness was sincere or forced."
And with that she wandered away. Tsunade followed looking troubled.
"I believe that is the only time she has ever let her mask slip." Shino said. "She must really trust us."
That Evening- Yuri's POV
Kiba smiled at me when he came in and saw me lying on the couch with a book.
"I see you're taking it easy and recovering."
"Kiba, I told them I was fine, but they won't let me help. I want to do something." I complained. _
"All this rest and relaxation is for your own good." Tsume said sticking her head out of the kitchen. "Kiba, get ready for dinner."
"That's what my uncle said when he sent me to the academy."
"What? Get ready for dinner?"
"No, it's for your own good." He told me it would help me to become a great shinobi, but I could tell he was lying through his teeth. He just wanted me to become one of the genin killed in their first year."
"Lovely man your uncle." Tsume said dryly setting plates on the table.
"It was the only time I saw him smile. I think he thought he had seen the last of me."
About half-way through dinner I dared to ask:
"Kiba what happened to your father?"
He stared at his plate.
"He left."
"Oh…, I see, sorry."
"Yuri, what about your parents?" Tsume asked.
"I never knew my father, I learned about my true heritage to late to try and find him. My mother died when I was born. My step-father hated and despised me. I only knew him well enough to know that. His sole wish for me was that I go die in a ditch. That's what he told me anyway. He died about nine years ago. And my uncle hates me for various reasons as well."
"I see." Tsume said.
Then the doorbell rang and Hana went to answer it.
"Oh! Good evening Mr. Hyuuga, what a pleasant surprise."
I went cold. Hana led my uncle into the room.
"I'm sorry to bother you." He said nodding to Tsume.
"I was wondering if I might speak to my niece, alone."
Kiba opened his mouth to protest, but Hana nudged him. Tsume pointed to a door on the right.
"Come on girl."
He grabbed me by my arm tightly, yanked me to my feet, dragged me to the door, opened it, shoved me inside, followed me in, and closed the door. He slapped me hard across both cheeks, grabbed me by my throat, and slammed me into the wall.
"You told the Hokage didn't you, you stinking coward?!" He shouted.
"No, I didn't Uncle! She already knew!"
I didn't even try to break the strangle hold he had on me in. I'm no weakling, but he's way to strong.
"Don't lie to me! And I had to pay your hospital and food bill again!"
He slammed me into the wall again.
"And because of Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji are gone too!"
He threw me across the room. I slammed into the wall and slid down. He came over and punctuated every word with a kick.
"If I didn't want you out of the house and to never see you again, I would have broken your engagement with that stupid boy long ago! Curse Seal Activation Jutsu!"
I screamed as my head exploded with pain. I sank to the floor.
"Uncle stop! Please!"
I kept screaming, by now I was also sobbing. My headband slipped off and clattered to the ground.
"Know your place."
He released the jutsu, then picked me up and threw me at the door. I slid to the floor. He walked over to me.
"Out of the way, filth."
His kick sent me skidding across the room.
"And I never want to see that mutt again!"
And with that he opened the door and walked out. I heard a yelp and a thud, which I assumed to be Akari. Then I heard the outside door slam.