A/N: If you're wondering why these scenes are horribly written, now you have your answer: it's cuz my heart's not in it. Also, because I'm bored I'm changing the order of matches. I legit channelled all my anger into Hanara after I watched the next match to jog my memory so... be prepared for an anger-filled chapter full of swearing that would make Hidan proud... okay not that much but... ?

Last time:

"It seems like this match is over. Winner: Shino Aburame."

Now:

Shino made his way in-between Kiba and Hinata, sending a nod of gratitude my way. It seems as though he and Kiba had sensed the tension between me and Hinata and decided to keep us as far apart as possible. I am forever grateful for that.

'Beep!' went the board, announcing the next battle: Hyuga Hinata vs Hyuga Neji

Hanara shut her eyes and tightened her grip on the bar in front of her, 'We're screwed. Completely and utterly screwed,' she thought, taking deep breaths, 'I've got to go talk to Neji.'

Hanara opened her eyes and found her team and Hinata sending worried looks her way while Hinata was getting the same look to her.

"Lady Hinata, are you going to participate?" Hanara asked, staring at her.

"Y-Yes," she squeaked.

"Then I advise you to proceed with caution. I have given Brother Neji some of the scrolls I received during our previous training lessons together," Hanara responded cooly, turning her back to Hinata and making her way to Neji.

What she didn't know, was that Hinata took her words of advice as a sign that Hanara actually cared.

Once there, she dragged him away from his teammates, "I assume your sensei has already told you this but do not let your emotions affect this match." she warned him.

Neji scoffed, "I am not as affected by my emotions as that blonde over there is."

"Whatever you do, don't give her any severe injuries," Hanara said, walking back to her team, "You know the proctors will stop the match and we'll get in trouble for it later."

"You okay?" Ino asked as Hinata and Neji made their way to the fighting area.

"Don't ask me that," Hanara responded, "Ask Hinata. If you think I hate her, you're in for a reality check. Neji takes the word hate to a new level. If he listens to me and doesn't put her in a life-endangering state, I'll lick the back of my sandal."

"Hey! She might not look like much but Hinata's strong too!" Kiba said angrily.

"I never said she wasn't, but even she doesn't stand a chance against last year's Rookie of the Year," Hanara said.

"I never thought that I would fight with you, Lady Hinata," Neji said.

"Nor I, you, Brother Neji," Hinata responded.

"Huh?!" Naruto yelled, "Hinata's brother is that prick?"

"They are related, yes, but they are not siblings. Most likely distant cousins," Kakashi explained to Naruto.

Hanara decided to walk over to Team 7, knowing that they were going to be the most confused by this entire ordeal.

"Direct cousins, actually," Hanara corrected, "Neji's father was Hinata's father's brother."

"Ah," Kakashi responded.

"What about you?" Sakura asked, "Are you related to them?"

Hanara flinched, "I am Neji's adopted sister."

"Start the battle," Hayate said.

"Withdraw," Neji commanded, "You are not suited to being a shinobi. You are soft and kindhearted, that attitude and strength of yours won't change. You would just be a disgrace to shinobi. Why do you even try? Once a failure, always a failure."

"How..." Hanara muttered under her breath, "He made being kindhearted sound like an insult."

Hinata's eyes widened and she started to visibly shake.

Hanara's eyes narrowed and her hands balled into fists, 'Neji... you better stop this whole holier-than-thou attitude soon.'

"Byakugan," Neji said, his hands slipping into the Tiger seal, "These eyes of mine can't be deceived. Your posture, your body language, it's all giving me signs that you are recalling your bitter past. And you're already seeing the result of this fight, the image of you losing. Laying a finger on your lip," Neji said as Hinata did just that, "that too is a familiar act of panic. Changing yourself is something you can't do! Once a failure, always a failure."

She wanted to yell at Neji so badly. To tell him to shut the fuck up. But she couldn't, just because she had to keep up her stupid act.

Hanara's hands closed around the cold, red, bars once more and squeezed them with so much force they started to bend. In a flash, Asuma-sensei appeared beside her.

"Calm down, Hanara," he whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder. The familiar gesture soothed her and her tense body visibly relaxed.

"Who gave you the right to tell her what she can and can't be?" Naruto yelled, outraged, "Go on, Hinata! Show this idiot he's wrong! And Hanara! How can you even stand watching your brother say these things?"

"You're in no position to judge me when you don't even know anything about me," Hanara responded in a monotonous voice.

Hinata however, lowered her eyes and whispered, "T-Thank you, Naruto."

When Hinata raised her eyes, there was a new strength in them. She immediately turned on her Byakugan and slipped into her stance. Neji took that as his cue and slid into his stance.

Both of them were Gentle Fist users, so this battle was going to be about who struck the fastest and found the most openings. Sadly, Hanara could already tell that Hinata was going to lose because Neji was only making it seem like Hinata was landing her attacks. He was playing a cruel game, letting Hinata think she had a chance when he was getting all the chakra points on her arms as he 'blocked'. It made her so mad. She could try and deny it to herself all she wanted but deep down, she knew that she still cared for Hinata, no matter how detached she tried to act.

'Deep breaths, Hanara,' she silently coached herself as the battle raged on, 'In. Out. In. Out. I- Oh who am I kidding,' she fumed, 'This is TORTURE! Neji is just... ugh! When it comes to anything with the main family involved it's just like he's an entirely new person!'

"Hinata!" Naruto screamed, shocking Hanara out of her thoughts.

Hinata coughed out blood.

Hanara. Was. DONE!

Anyone with eyes could see that was a potential killing blow and hadn't she specifically told Neji to not do anything that drastic? Her killing intent was coming off in waves for a few seconds before she reeled it in.

Neji opened his mouth to speak, 'I swear if that's anything less than an apology...'

"Is that all the main family has to offer?" he asked in a mocking tone.

Hanara clenched her fists so tightly she could feel the warm blood trickling off her hands and onto the floor.

Neji struck Hinata on her chest without chakra and sent her tumbling onto the ground.

"What we have here is an unchangeable difference in abilities. I am an elite, you are a failure. From the moment you said you would not run, you sealed your fate. You were destined to fail and now-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP, NEJI!" Hanara yelled, causing everyone's eyes to fall on her, shocked.

There was a limit to how much crap she could listen to and Neji had just crossed it.

"Calm down, Hanara," Asuma-sensei said.

"Calm down?" Hanara asked, her voice dangerously low, "You're asking me to calm down? How can I calm down when dearest cousin Neji, is giving my elder sister killing blow after killing blow?" she questioned, before shooting a glare at Neji and turning back to Hinata, "And Hinata? Don't listen to that bastard. If being one of the so-called elite means that you're an absolute dick, I'd choose to be a failure any day. You are way more impressive than he ever was, so keep believing in yourself."

"Yeah!" Naruto chimed.

"Elder sister?" Kiba asked Hanara once she was done.

"I was adopted. By my uncle."

"You should learn to keep your nose out of my business, Hanara," Neji snapped.

"D-Don't talk to Sister that way," Hinata said, gasping for breath as she struggled to get up, "She's t-taken care of you the way she would a real brother. Besides, y-your fight is with me, not her or Naruto. I won't run away, not again. Because, that is my nindo, my ninja way."

"Wow! I didn't know Hinata was that tough!" Naruto exclaimed.

"You know, she's a lot like you," Ino commented.

"Yes. She is correct," Lee said.

"Hana, are you okay?" Choji asked as everyone's attention was on Naruto.

"I will be the moment he decides to apologize," Hanara muttered, "I should probably do that soon..."

Her attention once again moved to Hinata when she sunk to her knees again, clutching her chest and coughing.

"HINATA!" Hanara screamed, sinking onto her knees as Naruto shouted encouraging words towards her sister, allowing her to find the courage to try and strike at Neji again.

Each of Hinata's strikes was becoming faster and harsher and soon Neji was struggling to get back on the offensive. Just when Hanara started to believe that Hinata could win, Neji grabbed hold of her forearm mid-strike and slammed his hand onto her jaw.

"Hinata!" Hanara and Naruto called out, worried.

The strike sent her staggering back but she didn't fall, even as she coughed. She charged in again but Neji's strike hit her first and she fell once more, coughing all the way.

"You don't get it. Your strikes were ineffective from the start. You're finished," Neji snarled.

"That bastard!" Kiba yelled as soon as it seemed like Hinata wouldn't get up.

"Neji's blow went straight for the heart..." Guy-sensei muttered, "I feel sorry for her but she won't be standing now."

"Since she is no longer-" the proctor attempted to stop the match.

"No! Don't! She's not done yet!" Naruto yelled.

"Naruto, you idiot, can't you see that's she's fainted?" Sakura asked.

"No, she's not done," Hanara smiled.

Gasps of shock escaped everyone as Hinata, who everyone thought was out cold, stood up shakily.

"I'm far from finished," the shy girl said firmly.

"Drop the tough-girl act," Neji sneered, "You're barely able to hold yourself up. You've been given a heavy burden, being born in the Main Branch of the Hyuga clan. You have cursed and blamed yourself for not being strong enough to be seen as its heir, and you know what, despite what you are trying to prove by fighting me, it will never change. You. Will. Always. Be. Weak. People can't change the way they are. It is what it is. Just accept what it is and move on."

"No," Hinata panted, still shaking slightly, "You're wrong brother, you've got it backwards. You see, I can tell that you and Hanara have a heavier burden than I could ever imagine carrying. You're suffering on the inside because of the fate between the Main and Side Branches of our clan. Because of what has happened between our fathers."

The last sentence sent Neji into a fit of rage and he charged.

'Like hell you'll harm her now!' Hanara thought, body-flickering.

There was a cloud of smoke that cleared to reveal Kakashi stopping Neji's stretched hand, Guy holding Neji in a choke-hold, Kurenai holding Neji's other hand's elbow while kneeling, Hayate tapping Neji's forehead-protector, and Hanara standing in front of Hinata protectively.

"Neji, get ahold of yourself," Guy-sensei said.

Hinata let out a choked sound and coughed before falling onto the floor again. Hanara hurriedly caught her and lay her on the ground.

"Hinata!" Kurenai-sensei, Naruto, and Sakura yelled, running towards her.

"Are you okay? Oi!" Naruto pestered.

"I-I..." she started coughing once more.

"Hey, you! Failure!"

Naruto turned.

"I have some advice for you," Neji smirked, "First, if you intend to be a shinobi, stop that ridiculous cheering of yours, it's irritating. Second, it would do you well to remember that once a failure, always a failure. You think that you can become Hokage? Out of everyone who has had that dream, the ones who have succeeded have always been destined for it. They were never a failure like you."

Naruto charged.

Lee intervened with pure speed while Hanara body-flickered, both of them blocking Neji from Naruto's view.

"The failure beats the gifted genius through sheer willpower, now wouldn't that be a sight to see. I had hoped that it would be me to go against him, but I wouldn't mind if it were you." Lee said.

"Don't fight now, Naruto, I know you're itching to beat him up, heck even I am, but you don't want to be disqualified," Hanara added.

Hinata let out a cough.

Kurenai-sensei glared at Neji.

"Instead of wasting your time glaring at me, I think you should get her a medic," Neji smirked.

Everyone ran off to Hinata but Hanara, leaving the two cousins to glare at each other.

"The rest of them were right," Neji snarled, "Given the choice, you would choose the Main Family over the Side. You never cared for my Father, you were different from when he joined the Side. He wouldn't choose the Main Branch."

Hanara glare intensified at those words, "Don't you dare say that I never cared. I defended Hinata because she proved she wasn't her Father. If she wanted, she could have used the curse seal on you, but she didn't. I was there when she learned the hand signs for it," Hanara spat, "Of course, I can't use it anymore, but she can. She proved that she wasn't the same as her Father and you took advantage of it. I have nothing to say to you until you apologize to her."

Hanara turned around and walked back up the stairs, hoping that her teammates would give her the silence she desperately needed.

A/N: Yay! Double update! And the chapter is extra long too!