Chapter 26 – Family Feud
Nara Shikamaru vs. Kin Tsuchi soon appeared on the board, silently announcing the next two competitors. Miyuki had no idea who Kin Tsuchi was, though she could only assume it was one of those sound ninja, so she knew nothing of what they were capable of. However, Shikamaru was a different story. Miyuki knew Shikamaru fairly well for they were friends back in the academy and Miyuki still considered him a good friend even now despite not having seen him much after their graduation. Though Shikamaru was lazy, he was highly intelligent and his clan's techniques were nothing to laugh at.
When the proctor stated for the battle to begin, Shikamaru immediately formed his shadow possession jutsu. It was a rather useful jutsu and once caught in it, it was extremely difficult to escape from. The sound kunoichi, Kin, dodged Shikamaru's shadow as she threw a couple of senbon at him. Shikamaru ducked out of the way before either needle could hit him. Looking back at the needles stuck in the wall, Shikamaru noticed that little bells were attached to them. After a few words were exchanged between the two ninja, the bells hanging from the needles began to jingle. Shikamura took notice of a wire that came from the bells. Aw…Crud…he thought just before Kin threw several more senbon needles at him, many of which hit their target.
Kin smirked at Shikamaru's form lying on the ground. "Once I mastered how to avoid your shadow, you never stood a chance!" she gloated. Miyuki rolled her eyes at the sound ninja's cockiness. She is seriously underestimating Shikamaru-kun. When Kin went to move to finish Shikamaru off, she found herself incapable of moving. Unable to believe that Shikamaru had managed to catch her, she questioned him how.
Shikamaru smirked slightly at the girl's stupidity. "You still don't get it, do you?"
Kin's eyes widened. "No way…"
"Yes, you idiot. Such delicate little threads, so high up…There's no way they could cast shadows! Whereas, I can make my own shadow as big as I wish, or as small, within limits." The shadow leading from Shikamaru to Kin grew larger as if to emphasis his statement. Shikamaru pointed towards Kin, causing her to also point towards Shikamaru. "Those delicate filaments of darkness are mine, all mine… Tailored to fit and attached to you!" With those words, Shikamaru reached into his leg pouch and pulled out a shuriken with Kin mirroring his actions exactly. Before anyone knew it, both shuriken were tossed towards the other opponent's head. When the shuriken headed at Shikamaru got close enough, he bent over backwards, allowing the shuriken to fly over him. Kin – who was still attached to Shikamaru's shadow – also did a backbend, right into the wall behind her, and knocking herself unconscious. With that, Hayate proclaimed Shikamaru the obvious winner.
Once the sound kunoichi was taken away to be treated, the screen began to select the next two competitors. A few seconds passed until the names Uzumaki Naruto and Inuzuka Kiba. "Well, it's about time!" Naruto exclaimed with a large grin. "Thanks for being patient, everyone! I'm gonna make this worth your wait!"
From a little ways down from Miyuki's group, she heard Kiba saying, "Oh yesss! Thank you! Thank you! We can take this guy, Akamaru!" Akamaru barked in agreement.
Rolling her eyes at Kiba's comment, Miyuki turned to Naruto with a smile. "Good luck, Naruto-kun!"
Naruto grinned in reply, "Thanks, Miyuki-chan!" The blonde then bounded passed his team and down the stairs, into the arena with Kiba following not far behind.
Miyuki glanced at the others around her for a second before her smile became wider. "Anyone want to bet who's going to win?"
Those around her turned their heads with raised eyebrows. "Now, Miyuki-chan, you shouldn't go betting on your teammates matches…" Kakashi reprimanded the teenager.
Miyuki shrugged her shoulders. "What I was only going to bet a 1,000 ryo. Nothing much. So anyone want to take up the offer?"
Shinya chuckled from beside Kakashi. "Sure. Why not?" Miyuki turned to him a grin. She held out her hand, wiggling her fingers playfully at her temporary sensei. Shinya grinned back at her as he shook her hand.
"It's a bet. Obviously, I'll be betting on Naruto."
Shinya nodded, "Right. Then I'll put my money on the Inuzuka kid."
Sakura shook her head in disbelief at what Miyuki was doing. "Miyuki-chan, Kakashi-sensei is right. You shouldn't be betting!"
"Oh, don't worry Sakura-chan," Miyuki waved off her teammate's comment. "I have complete and utter faith that Naruto-kun will win me an extra 1,000 ryo!" Suddenly, her face turned serious. "Now, hush. They're about to start the match."
To say the least, Miyuki was quite pleased with the outcome of Naruto's battle. Though he had won through a rather unconventional way – Miyuki honestly felt bad for Kiba having to experience Naruto's "gas attack" so up close, for even though she was a descent distance away, she too could smell the stench – Naruto was indeed moving on to the third exam.
Not bothering to turn around, Miyuki said, "I expect full payment when we finally get out of here, Shinya-sensei."
From behind the snow-haired teen, sobbing could be heard. "I lost… I lost. I lost!" The man kept repeating the words over and over in disbelief.
Rolling her sapphire eyes, Miyuki glanced over her shoulder at the man. "Oh, stop that. It's only a 1,000 ryo. It should barely put a dent in your wallet."
"That's not the point!"
"Perhaps it will comfort you to know that the money is not for me," Miyuki sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.
Shinya and anyone else standing around seemed to perk up at her answer. "Oh? And who is it for?" Shinya questioned, asking what everyone else was also thinking.
Miyuki gave a soft smile, yet it was strangely sad. "Just a little family that's been having a difficult time lately. That's all…." No one said anything for a moment as they contemplated what Miyuki had just told them. Suddenly, Kakashi placed a hand on Miyuki's shoulder. Miyuki glanced up at him curiously. All he did was give his traditional, closed-eyed smile in which Miyuki returned with one of her own.
"That's really nice of you, Miyuki-chan," Sakura murmured. "Just make sure that you're not being taken advantage of…Alright?"
"Nice? I don't know…Maybe..." Miyuki shrugged her shoulders. "But don't worry about them taking advantage of me. I've known this family for some time." Not wanting to speak anymore on the matter, Miyuki turned to congratulate Naruto who had just returned from his match. "Congratulations on winning your match, Naruto-kun. I'm proud of you."
Naruto blushed as a large grin spread across his face. "Thanks, Miyuki-chan! I can't wait to see your fight!" Well, I'm glad someone is, Miyuki thought to herself as she smiled in reply to Naruto's comment. As Naruto went about putting on some medicine that Hinata had gifted to him, Miyuki decided to scan the room to see who else was left. From what she could tell there was herself, Hinata, Lee, Choji, Gaara, Hinata's cousin Neji, Miyuki's cousin Fuuka, and a Sound ninja. Looking up at the screen to see if the next names had been shown, Miyuki felt her heart go out to Hinata when she saw that her friend would be facing the other Hyuga member in the exam.
"Damn," Miyuki muttered under her breathe as she watched Hinata and Neji meet in the arena with the preliminary proctor. She had a bad feeling in the pit of stomach as she waited for the match to begin. It wasn't that Miyuki didn't think Hinata was capable of fighting – she knew that the shy girl had lots of hidden potential – but she knew Neji had a large distaste for the main branch family of the Hyuga clan that Hinata belonged to. Miyuki feared that Neji might end up going too far and hurt Hinata in a way that can't be fixed by medical ninjutsu.
Kaminari, sensing her mistress's worry, gave a comforting nudge to her leg. Looking down at the black pup, Miyuki gave a small grateful smile before focusing once again on the two that were now in the arena.
From in the arena, Miyuki heard Neji speak, "I never dreamed we'd find ourselves fighting each other, Lady Hinata." Then, she heard Hinata utter Neji's name and calling him, big brother. Miyuki had to resist rolling her eyes. Neji was anything but a big brother to Hinata, but the younger Hyuga always chose to refer to him as such.
Beside her, Naruto griped the railing in surprise. "Huh?! She's his sister?!"
Before Miyuki could open her mouth, Kakashi answered the blonde's question. "Both are members of one of Konoha's oldest and most illustrious families, through whose veins flows the most elite and accomplished blood…The Hyuga clan. But they're not brother and sister…"
"Then…How are they related?" Sakura inquired further.
"They're first cousins. Their fathers' were twin brothers," Miyuki enlightened her teammates. "However, Hinata-chan is from the main branch of the Hyuga clan, while Neji is from the cadet branch of their clan."
Lee, hearing their conversation, jumped in as well. "She's right!"
"…So, it's family fighting family? That'll be hard on both of them."
"Maybe for one of them…" Miyuki sighed.
"What?" Sakura furrowed her eyebrows in confusion while she, Naruto, Kakashi, and Shinya looked at her for an explanation.
Lee, already knowing what the snow haired girl was referring to, took over the explaining. "There's been strain between the central and cadet branches of the Hyuga clan for some time…Relations aren't exactly friendly."
Narrowing his blue eyes at Lee, Naruto wondered, "Why's that?"
Lee simply shrugged in reply while saying, "I don't know all the details, but…it sounds like a pretty common tale among older families. The first generation of the Hyuga clan made all sorts of rules and decrees that favored the main branch of the family in order to preserve the family line and retain the purity of their blood. It's said that members of the cadet branch still burn with anger and humiliation."
"Well, that's one way of putting, but there's actually more to it than that…" Miyuki admitted as she kept her eyes focused on Hinata and Neji.
"Oh? What is it?" Sakura inquired.
Glancing over at her fellow female teammate and the to the males that surrounded them, Miyuki smiled secretively at them. "That's a story for another time."
"Oh, come on! Miyuki-chan! Tell us?!" Naruto demanded from the Tukiko girl, but she just shook her head no before pointing down to the arena where Hayate announced the beginning of the Hyuga showdown.
Though they had been given the go ahead to begin fighting neither Hyuga made a move to attack the other. Instead, the two conversed with Neji discouraging Hinata and Hinata trying to defend herself, though admittedly not very well. Hinata tried to explain her reason for being in the exam was so that she could change, but her cousin shot her down by claiming that "a leopard doesn't change its spots." Eventually, as their conversation continued, Naruto began to grow steadily angrier as Neji kept telling Hinata that she could not change, no matter how much she may want to. Miyuki, too, also felt angry at Neji's firm belief that people can't change. She knew for a fact that people could change. She'd seen it in many people before and even in herself. If Hinata really wanted too - and Miyuki knew she did – she can become the strong kunoichi she aimed to be.
Due to not being able to hold in his anger any longer, Naruto started shouting down at Hinata and Neji. He encouraged the young Hyuga girl to take a stand against her cousin and fight. Naruto's words seemed to have helped her because before anyone knew it, Hinata activated her kekkei genkai, the Byakugan, and shifted into the stance the Hyuga family was known to have. Soon, the two Hyuga members were going at each other in such a way that if someone didn't know how the Hyuga clan's fighting style worked then it would appear they were only roughly pushing each other with their palms and fingertips. However, Miyuki knew that they were attacking each other's keirakukei*, or chakra system.
As the fight grew intense, Neji managed to land a hit at either Hinata's heart or lungs causing the girl to cough up blood. Despite having been hit in a major organ, Hinata continued to fight her cousin with all her strength. Even after Neji showed that he had hit several of her tenketsu**, the Hyuga girl pushed on. And she kept pushing on even after being knocked down and even after she dealt another hit to a vital organ. When Hinata stood up for the last time, Neji seemed to lose his somewhat calm demeanor and charged at Hinata even though it was obvious that the match was over. Thankfully, several of the jonin stepped in before Neji could land another possibly fatal hit and actually kill Hinata.
When Hinata collapsed, Miyuki's eyes widened before she jumped over the railing and ran to her friend with Lee, Kaminari, Naruto, and Sakura following close behind. "Hinata-chan!" Miyuki slid to a stop and knelt down by the younger girl. Kaminari stood next to her, letting out a small whimper. "Hinata-chan, everything will be okay. The medics are on their way."
From a little ways away, Neji called out to Naruto. "Hey…Hey, you! Mr. Failure!" Naruto, hearing what Neji called him, looked over. "A couple of words of advice. A true shinobi warrior would have too much class to make a spectacle of himself by cheering during a serious match." Naruto's face turned from worried to annoyance. "And one more thing…you may as well accept who you are. Once a failure, always a failure!"
Miyuki, feeling her protectiveness over her teammate bubble up, curled her lip up in obvious anger though she bit back the growl that so badly wished to escape. It was bad enough that the medical ninja were taking too long to retrieve Hinata, but now another friend of hers was being insulted. Kaminari, though, did let out a few low growls that translated into some not so pretty words.
Naruto, however, unlike Miyuki, did not try to swallow his anger. Instead, Naruto started to run at the Hyuga boy until Lee leapt in front of him to stop a possible fight. "I understand almost painfully well what you're feeling, Naruto! But…we have to limit our battles to confines of the scheduled fights. The prospect of seeing a failure defeat a genius through sheer force of will…It really makes you look forward to the final rounds, eh? Even though his opponent could very well be me!" Looking over his shoulder at Naruto, Lee continued with his little speech. "But even if it's you in the finals, Naruto…I'll have no regrets!"
Naruto scrunched his face up in annoyance, but calmed down none-the-less. "Yeah. I get it, okay?"
Miyuki was forced to draw her attention away from Naruto and the others when Hinata started to hack up more blood. Her initial panic for her friend began to set in once again. Looking over at Hinata's sensei, Kurenai, Miyuki asked, "What's happening?! What's wrong?!"
Kurenai glanced up briefly at the Tukiko girl kneeling beside her student. From the look on her face, Kurenai felt it was best to tell the young teenager the truth. "She's going into ventricular fibrillation…"
Miyuki frowned as she looked to see where the medics were. "Where are those damn medics?!" Finally seeing a group of three Konoha medical ninja rushing towards them, she shouted, "Hurry up!" As they quickened their pace, Miyuki swiftly moved out of the way so that the medics could get to her better.
"At this rate, she won't last 10 minutes! We've got to get her to the emergency room right now!" Without hesitation, the medics lifted Hinata onto a cot and rushed out of the arena.
After seeing Hinata in such rough condition, Naruto swipted his hand in some of her blood before clenching his hand and holding it out towards Neji. "I vow…to win!" Naruto declared, determination clear as a cloudless sky in his voice.
Walking up behind Naruto, Miyuki patted his shoulder while she set her hard sapphire orbs on Neji. "Let's go, Naruto." Naruto glanced over his shoulder at Miyuki to see her staring Neji down. The look in her eyes sent a small shiver down his spine. Sure, he had seen Miyuki mad before, but this seemed to be a whole other level of angry and he had a distinct feeling that her levels of anger could go a lot higher too. Not wanting to piss her off further, Naruto nodded his agreement to go back to the balcony.
As the two trailed behind Sakura up the steps, the sand village genin, Kankuro, stopped Naruto to speak with him. Miyuki ignored Naruto and Kankuro's short exchange while she trained her eyes on the screen. When the next two names appeared, Miyuki felt like her heart stopped and her stomach drop for what seems like the millionth time that day.
Tukiko Fuuka vs Tukiko Miyuki. These people just love pitting family against family. Especially ones with issues.
*Keirakukei – (As explained by Lee to Naruto in the manga) "The keirakukei is a kind of network of energy lines that spread throughout our bodies in much the same way as the human circulatory system. It's like a system of vessels that carry chakra throughout our bodies….And it's delicately intertwined with the organs that manipulate chakra. Attack the keirakukei…and the organs will suffer as well!" Volume 9 pg. 132
**Tenketsu – (As explained by Kakashi to Naruto in the manga) "Along the keirakukei that we spoke of earlier, there are 361 chakra points…No larger than the prick of a pin. These nodes are called tenketsu…and, in theory, if you can accurately hit them…you can halt the flow of an enemy's chakra, or enhance it, controlling it in any way you wish." Volume 9 pg. 139
A/N: I apologize for taking way too long to post another chapter and it ain't even that much of an interesting chapter. I had initially planned on putting Miyuki's fight in this chapter but decided to leave that for the next chapter that will hopefully be up much sooner than this one. Thank you all for your comments and encouragement to continue updating this story. I hope I don't disappoint on the next chapter. Until then, happy reading~!
P.S. To my Wattpad readers, or those who have a Wattpad account that is reading my story. This story is entered in the Naruto Wattys under the category General Naruto. My one-shot "A Letter to My Beloved" is also entered under the one-shot category if anyone is interested in voting, though you don't have to vote for my story. The link is 49805649-vote-here-naruto-watty-awards-2014.