Wow.
It was a short interaction but it wasn't like how she'd expected it to go.
It was awkward, yes. But there hadn't been any undertone of violence, not one they let slip for a higher-than-average-comprehension four year old to notice, at least.
With such an attitude from her father, she let herself relax and settle beside him as they watch Hiashi and Hinata face off.
Since she'll be her sparring partner, her purpose will be to make Hinata better, so she needs to watch where the younger girl falls short and help her there.
She's been using her Byakugan so much that she no longer even need to finish the handseals for it anymore.
After a pause, long enough that it can be called hesitation on Hinata's part, she strikes at her father. Hiashi blocks.
Almost immediately, she can already see the point to fix.
Hinata is too careful.
Her feet never leave the ground. With such a large height difference, she'll find it difficult to break through Hiashi's guard -not that she will, even if she pushed hard. Hiashi is the head of the clan, most likely jounin level. But still, Nagi knows that it's the thought and effort that counts.
Or maybe it's Nagi that was being too careless this whole time.
She's pretty sure she's always minding her defence but even she has to admit that in retrospect, she really do enjoy sparring a bit too much especially for a four year old.
Hinata is the only clansman closest to her age, so she only has her past life's memories to go with in comparison, and while she does take into account that this is a world where her only expected career will be as a super child soldier, somehow, her self assessment isn't quite where she wants it to be.
Is Nagi Hyuuga actually a very weird kid?
"Chichiue..." She turns to her father unsurely.
Hizashi blinks at her, deciphering her silent question.
"... no, you're alright. You do fine." He says, referring to his previous post-spar evaluations of her.
Right. Her father isn't the type to sugar coat things. He would've said some thing if she was sabotaging herself.
Hinata is still striking and Hiashi meets everything without blinking.
... Maybe because of Hiashi, an image of her and Hizashi superimpose over them.
Even this early on, her and Hinata already have their own ways they utilize jyuuken, the timing and tactics completely different.
But Hiashi...
If she isn't her father's daughter, she can easily mistake them for each other.
Hinata isn't used to channelling chakra out of her tenketsu yet. She is one year younger than Nagi after all.
Hiashi launch his own daughter away exactly how Hizashi does to her.
Hinata rolls and lands on her knees.
"Enough. Rest for now. You will face Nagi after."
"Yes, Otou-sama." She says with a bow and they walk towards Nagi to take their seats beside them, across the chabudai with cups and a pitcher of water.
Hinata turns to her and startles.
"Nagi-neesama, you already have your Byakugan?" She must've truly been surprised, by the way her expression cracks from the diffidence it held.
Nagi returns her look with one of her own, perplexed.
"A-ah. Yes. I activated it after the Lights Out. What about Hinata-sama?"
She hadn't used hers earlier, but she'd just assumed...
"O-oh. I haven't yet. I wasn't able to on the first Light Out. B-but I'll try next time."
"You can do it."
Of course she would. Maybe not now or the next time, but eventually she will.
Nagi watch her drain her water.
So Hinata is still a Child Of Light, then.
Come to think of it, objectively speaking, it wasn't actually all that long since Nagi graduated from that. But it almost seems like forever ago.
"What is your range, Nagi?"
Nagi almost jumps at being addressed directly by Hiashi.
"I can see until the Hokage tower from my room."
"That's already one kilometre. That's really impressive Nagi. You use it often don't you?"
"Always, Hiashi-sama."
"That's very patient of you."
That is how it seems to others doesn't it. Stretching the Byakugan range is work of inch by inch. Even if you have it on for 24/7 without rest, it'll only be seven inches or so for the entire week. On average, a Hyuuga can squeeze out twelve meters per year apparently. Not to even mention refining the acuity of the details the Byakugan can perceive.
Just as Hizashi said, it's boring.
So with those facts, Hinata and Neji's abilities with the dojutsu in canon is even more imposing.
But with people watching as her main purpose for her Byakugan, the increased range is more of a convenient bonus which work well for a sort of effortless training.
Five minutes later, she's face to face with Hinata.
Obviously, she doesn't use the Byakugan. They start out slow on Hinata's terms.
She attacks, open palmed, chakra calm because they're not allowed to fight each other with it yet. An adult can at least stop them if they do something wrong and salvage the situation, but the same can't be said for them.
So it's just pure taijutsu.
Nagi deflects and allows her a few more hits, then hooking her wrist around Hinata's arm, she shoves it aside and steps inside her guard.
Hinata's eyes widen.
Nagi hits her with an open palm to the chest.
Hinata falls on her back. Nagi offers her hand and the younger girl accept.
They proceed, this time Nagi taking the initiative for attack, getting Hinata to defend.
Hinata falls. Nagi picks her up.
Again and again. And again. And again. And again, and again.
"That's enough."
Just time for lunch then.
They're both panting, Hinata more so than Nagi. Hinata has bruises on her pressure points, while Nagi is relatively untouched.
"You two did good."
Nagi and Hinata bow to each other.
Hiashi straightens and Hizashi follows after him.
"We have things to do, so in the meantime, Hinata, bring Nagi to play with you. Let's go Hizashi."
Does he want her and Hinata to spend time to get to know each other, or does he want to spend time with his brother? Nagi will take it as both as she watch the adults leave them behind.
"Hinata-sama, let's go sit on the engawa to cool off?"
Hinata jolts, her hands coming back down to her side where she was playing with them.
"... yes."
Nagi waits.
"Hinata-sama, I don't know where to go."
Lie. Sort of. She can easily find the way with her Byakugan but Hinata can't expect her to take the lead. She tries for a smile to take the edge out of her words.
Hinata stares at her. Then silently nods and walks out. Nagi slides the shoji shut behind them.
They stop at the engawa facing a clearing with a willow tree in the middle. Hinata goes to sit down.
This...
She won't go so far as to say she's dedicated to Hinata, but she's a kid, an adorable sad kid. Nagi wants to make her feel better.
"Hinata-sama, is something bothering you?"
"Nagi-neesama, I... I don't like practicing taijutsu."
That's sudden but okay.
"I wish I can switch with Nagi-neesama. You're very strong."
Oh.
That look she had earlier when Nagi was introduced as her cousin, genetically her half-sister.
Nagi thinks about what she will say, considers it, tries to rephrase it, realizes there's no nicer way to put it, recalls that she wanted to comfort the girl, contemplates if she should just hold her tongue, and then finally says.
"But that's not possible. Hinata-sama is the heiress and many are depending on you to ensure and protect the Hyuuga bloodline."
Hinata flinch.
"And also, it's unfair to want to take someone's place in exchange for your own, without taking into account what they want."
She's hunching in on herself, Nagi watching her back. She steps forward and leans against the post. She doesn't sit beside her.
"... What does Hinata-sama want to do then, if she isn't the heiress?"
Nagi isn't going to lie. She's curious, but she also half expected her to not be able to answer.
Hinata cranes back her neck, blinking wide silver eyes, and declares brightly, "I want to be a designer."
... Hmm?
Hinata has a cute smile.
Nagi tilts her head.
"... What kind of designer?"
"Eto..." Hinata scratch her cheek, "I- I don't really... know..."
She feels silly for asking. Of course a three year old won't think of such specifics
Nagi can't think of anything else to be but a ninja.
Hinata is kind of- no, definitely, amazing.
Nagi watch a bird fly overhead.
... With Hinata's circumstances, becoming a designer isn't exactly impossible. Improbable, but Nagi can think of some way to wiggle it eventually.
She'd smiled so brightly when she said it.
And she's already calling her 'nee-sama' anyways, everyone deserves their own destiny, Nagi can help.
The next day, and the day after that, and the days following those, Hizashi continues to bring her to the main family dojo. Sometimes they're alone, sometimes some clansmen are actually present.
After every spar, her and Hinata are left to their own devices.
The best part though, is that for some reason, Hizashi has even more free time and gets to spar with her more often.
XxXxXx
She's sitting in her room, back against the wall under the window when the Hokage visits (she hates him).
The world is trembling and her heart is thundering (it does that a lot, doesn't it? It has been stressful since that night and its almost over and she wish that it doesn't come).
(She hates that a part of her does think that it's better to get it over with already. Then she can properly grieve rather than this confusing state she's trying so hard to keep herself in to remain functional.)