Well, the last chapter sucked badly, but it was really, really blocking me so I decided I was just going to post the damn thing, get it over with and move on with my life in hopes of writing just a lil better, ne?
Seems to have worked, at least to some extent. It so happens that I feel miserably ill right now and may have to finish this chapter because of lack of things to do if I stay home ((grins)) you may all be in for a better chapter. Hurrah.
Anyway. Read, and Review, and please leave a note concerning your feelings on the sequel.
Dark days often followed dark nights, she had grown to learn this over time… mainly that year, listening to the whisper of the wind while mentally licking her open wounds and struggling to lay down, every muscle in her body making her almost sob as she settled onto the bed, flinching with the movement.
Yes, she knew about dark nights.
This one was no different from the 200 or so last nights she had spent without her sister. The first had been bad, she had thought that perhaps she would die if it continued. Pain from the physical and mental strain pushed on her the moment Hinata left the compound had left her so worn she had dropped off to bed without bothering to change, sobbing quietly even in her sleep.
It was like loosing mother all over again… not that she remembered mother, she always wished she did… mainly when she watched Hinata's face soften as she spoke of her, while watching the cherry blossoms fall in their courtyard.
She wished then that she knew what made her sister's often anxious face glow so much. What kind of woman she must have been, to bring so much joy to a person.
It wasn't everyday that she blamed herself for the death of such a woman. There were days when her logic kicked and she knew, through and though that there was nothing she could have done, a babe had to be born… even at the price of it's mother's life.
But other days… days and nights like the current one, they were different. They were the days she allowed herself to cry, if only a little, while curled in bed, sobbing from both the continuation of pain from her bruised body and battle worn hands, as well as the hollow empty hole that her sister had filled for so long, and had been emptied at her disappearance.
It hurt to know that Hinata had not demanded to see her. Not even once. But then she would remember that Hinata never demanded anything… Hinata wasn't like that.
Crying softly into her pillow Hanabi twisted in her bed, flinching as the lightening bolts of agony rolled down her spine where bruises from the pellet sized orbs of rubber thrown at her by her trainer had connected.
His speed was legendary in the sand, his accuracy enough to rival Tenten, and he had demanded that she dodge. It had taken all evening to manage to dodge even one of the rubber spheres and her body had paid the price in full.
There wasn't anywhere she could rest on that wouldn't press on the bruises. Whimpering she turned again, sighing softly as some of the bruises were released as she lifted her weight, holding it steady despite the feel of her arms wanting to give way.
Chin ups and push ups had built enough muscle there over the months, but they still ached… it always ached.
The thoughts of melancholy were interrupted suddenly by the whisper of a shadow crossing over the window, flashing by, disturbing the steady light that the moon provided, forcing on the training that had become instinct over the last few months to activate.
Her byakugan tightened around her eyes, veins pushing around the slightly wary features. Breathing in and out slowly she lifted herself out of the bed and crouched down beside the flowing sheets, back pressed against the wall where the window was, watching the shadows on the floor.
A voice inside mocked her, whispering of the paranoia that had come over her the last few days. The instructors had been speaking consistently of how others would want to get rid of her, of how "others" did not want a powerful female head to lead the Hyuuga.
Even as a child as old as herself she felt the tension of those words, despite knowing they were using a form of traditional manipulation to get her to use her training consistently.
It didn't matter, however… her paranoia always won out in cases like this. In the night when she thought she saw something moving through the shadows.
Better safe than sorry, that was what it always said. Why? Because there was no one there anymore for her to call to for aid.
Hinata's room was empty beside her own, and Neji… Neji wasn't allowed-
A shadow filled the square of light that was her window, they weren't being very careful. It was like they were under the assumption she was sleeping. Frowning slightly at the insult of being sent someone so useless as an assassin Hanabi slipped her hand under her pillow, pulling out a kunai there, cold against her skin, the smell of metal meeting her nose.
Slowly the window was opened, the sound sliding softly, letting the wind of the night fill the room, making her shiver slightly, breathing in the smell of blossoms from the garden outside.
Jaw clenching she repositioned herself, crouching there, muscles tense and ready to spring.
The figure didn't move, crouched on the window sill in silence, looking into the room curiously, making the tension triple. For a moment panic overtook the small Hyuuga and she was ready to scream. What if they knew where she was already?
"You've gotten a lot better, haven't you, Hanabi-chan…"
Hanabi felt the air escape her, a gasp as her hands dropped the kunai and she scrambled to her feet, almost tripping over herself as she faced the dark figure crouching on her window sill, a mask pulled over half her face couldn't disguise the soft voice, nor the mane of dark blue black hair that spilled down her back, moving with the breeze of the night.
They stared at each other for a moment, lavender on lavender, silent and unsure of what to do, thoughts racing so fast it hurt to try to keep up. The younger of the Hyuugas felt her lips tremble, tears flooding her vision, making it blurry despite her best intentions.
"Onee-chan…"
Hinata stared at her, feeling her breath caught in her throat at the thin little thing that was her sister stared at her, looking smaller than she remembered, thin, each muscle outlined in the darkness, her hair plastered to her head as if someone had dumped a bucket of water on her. The dark circles under her eyes were huge, looking worse than if someone had punched her.
And the bruises… on the skin that was visible were obvious.
"Oh God, what have they done to you-"
"Onee-chan!" suddenly Hanabi grabbed at her, cutting off her words sharply. Hinata flinched, grabbing onto the sides of the window to remain balanced, lowering herself quickly to the ground, holding the trembling little girl in her arms, trying not to cry herself.
Hanabi was sobbing, the tears pouring out of her in a way Hinata had never seen her do. Always the stronger of the two she would shed her tears in silence, and cry less often than Hinata ever did, with quite dignity, the way her father wanted.
This frail little being that she had uncovered wasn't her sister… they had broken her.
"Oh Hanabi… forgive me for not coming sooner…" Hinata whimpered, feeling her own tears sliding down her cheeks as she clung to the sobbing bundle in her arms. "I'm so sorry… Gomen…gomen…"
"I m-m-missed you so m-much…t-they w-won't let me t-talk to anyone a-a-anymore-" Hanabi whimpered, breathing in the familiar smell of lavender and good food that clung to her sister always, the familiarity making her whole body ache as it relaxed into her hold.
"Neji told me." Hinata whispered, pulling her up, like a child in her arms. She weight close to nothing, despite all the muscle. "I came the moment I realized what must have been happening… for some reason I didn't think they would treat you this way, I'm such a fool, Hanabi, forgive me." She lowered the girl onto the bed, looking at her through the sticky strands of tear stained hair, pushing each dark lock away with gentle fingers.
Hanabi stared at her, her expression unreadable in the darkness.
"Y-you sound, a l-little different…" she began, studying her older sister carefully, drawing back a little to get a good look at her.
Hinata blinked at her for a moment, smiling, rubbing her tears away. "Eh, it's been a long time since you last saw me…"
"Hai…" Hanabi nodded, looking about ready to burst into tears again. "I miss you. I do, a lot."
Hinata stared at her a moment, feeling her eyes fill with tears again. "I'm going to be coming more often, all right? I will, I promise you."
Hanabi's hands reached out to her, clenching her tightly. "You will? Please, please do. I can't stand being on my own anymore."
"I'll come as often as I can." Hinata nodded, heartbroken by the look of desperation on her sister's small face. "here." She added, using the excuse to look away, pulling at the container of food strapped to her back. "I brought you something." She whispered.
The smell of food nearly overpowered the small girl as she took the container, opening it to find the stir fry of shrimp and clams and well made rice balls. Her stomach gave a growl. They had been feeding her nothing other than the sickening health drinks and concoctions made by the nutritionist her father had hired months ago.
"Arigato!" she gasped, looking up at her sister, smiling weakly at her. Same old Hinata… sort of.
"…here." Hinata added, handing her the fork she had along with her, settling down on the side of the bed, watching the small girl devour the food like she hadn't eaten in over a month. Which was exactly how she felt most of the time.
"Ne…" Hanabi muttered between mouthfuls, looking up at her elder sister with new found respect. The outfit, and her eyes stated she had changed, and the fact that she managed to sneak into the house unnoticed.
"Why are you here?"
Hinata flinched, feeling the unintended insult of the question. Sighing slightly she turned away, rubbing her neck. "It's only a few months before we fight, Hanabi-chan." She whispered, glancing at the calendar on the wall opposite her sister's bed.
The youngster followed her gaze and stared up at the calendar as well. It was mid September…they were fighting in almost exactly two months. Suddenly her appetite seemed to vanish and she sighed, putting the fork down.
"…I…d-don't want to-" she began, reaching up to try and stop the steady flow of tears beginning at the corners of her eyes.
Slowly her elder sister pulled her into another hug, drawing her into her lap. "Shss.." she whispered, the way she had before, when they had been so young that nothing but academic grade reports had been their worry. "It's okay." She sighed, feeling her curling up against her, burying her face in her clothes.
"I'll forfeit… if you want the title." Hanabi stated suddenly, pulling away to look at her, staring at her. "Or I'll fight, if you don't want it. I'll do either one, Hinata- I'll do it."
Hinata stared at her, studying her wide eyes. Slowly she shook her head. "We're going to fight for it, Hanabi." She whispered. "And if you wish you can forfeit. The title is mine to bear. I do not want you burdened in such a manner… And." She added, looking away, frowning. "I am no longer the small child they can control. If I take over, there will be changes." She turned to look at her again, eyes narrowed with determination Hanabi had never seen. "I promise."
Slowly the younger girl nodded, surprised. "You've changed so much, Onee-chan." She whispered, watching that slight smile that was tingeing her eyes at all times.
"Have you been training?"
Hinata smirked, an expression never before seen on her face by the younger Hyuuga. "All day, everyday, even when I wasn't supposed to." She smiled, shaking her head. "Sasuke and everyone else were so mad at me."
Hanabi blinked, staring at her. "Sasuke? Uchiha? He's training you?"
Blushing furiously the elder sister looked about the room. "Ano…" she began, sounding more like her old self. "I- well he…"
With a graceful whisper the afore mentioned Uchiha suddenly landed in the middle of the room, crouching there looking at the pair of Hyuugas with calm eyes dark as the night he came from. "Hanabi-san." He nodded, respectfully noting the girl's huge gaze, staring at him in something like shock (and soon to transform into slight adoration).
"Hinata." He added, turning to the blushing Hyuuga. "Ino is loosing control over the guard, we had better go."
"Hai. I'll be right there." She nodded, watching him slip out again into the hall to watch for any other guards to come.
Hanabi grabbed her sister's arm as she stood. "Hinata? Without a suffix?" She whispered urgently, staring at her.
The girl blushed harder. "Eh… it's a long story-"
"You have a boyfriend?! And I didn't even know?!" Hanabi gasped quietly, looking both shocked and ecstatic. "This is amazing!"
"Hey!" Hinata shushed. "Tsk. It isn't that amazing." She grumbled good naturedly. "I'll come back when I can, all right?"
Hanabi only nodded repeatedly, letting Hinata kiss her gently on the forehead. "Sleep. I'll bring more food with me next time." Her Onee-chan whispered before turning around and following Sasuke out the window smoothly, closing it quietly behind herself.
Hanabi stared at the window, as if everything that had happened were in danger of evaporating into the very make up of her dreams. But the bowl of food was still in her lap and the smell of lavender still lingered in the air.
It had been no dream, there was no doubt about it.
Smiling slightly the younger Hyuuga grabbed her fork again, determined to finish her food before it got too cold.
Somehow, the pain of the bruises didn't feel so bad anymore.
"Take your bloody time, honestly." Ino's voice grumbled. "Do you realize what I had to do to get that damned guard not to yap about you sneaking into the house to talk to your sister? I had to agree to go out on a date with him!"
Hinata smirked, glancing over at Sasuke. Together they rolled their eyes to the heavens in frustration, slipping over the wall easily and landing at a crouch on the other side.
Naruto, Sakura and Ino were on the other street under one of the neighbors trees. Ino continued to rant as they approached.
"Do you hear me? This may make Shikamaru really angry! And I did all for you!"
"Give it a rest." Hinata replied, feeling more outspoken than usual at seeing her little sister, although not happy, at least safe…for the most part.
"You'd have gone out with him even if he 'hadn't' asked." Sakura grunted, rolling her eyes.
Ino smirked back at them, removing her headpiece in an all too smug manner. "Well, I did get you a willing spy for your missions in that house though, if you ever want to sneak in again. A loyal follower of the rightful heir, I hear." She smirked, winking at Hinata, who blinked back at her in surprise.
"Nani?"
"We got to talking while I was in his head." Ino continued, ignoring Naruto's scoff. "Yeah, cuz he couldn't escape you."
"He said that there were quite a few of the members of the household who disagreed with your father's way of dealing with you- as well as the elders. I must agree, they sound like a bunch of old hags."
"Which is what they are." Sakura pointed out.
"That's interesting to know…" Hinata blinked, playing with her hair thoughtfully. "If that is true, perhaps going back won't be as hard as I thought."
"Going back?" Naruto enquired, watching as she stuffed their equipment back in her bag. "Hai." She muttered, sounding quieter instantly.
The other three exchanged quick looks of confusion as Sasuke studied her slightly trembling fingers.
"How was your sister, Hinata?" he muttered after a moment, watching her sigh through the shadows.
"…I…" she began slowly, stopping her continual movement for a second to stare at the ground, images of Hanabi's tears and thin body making her want to cry again.
"…n-not good…" she admitted, reaching up to rub the tears threatening to spill away. "I should have gone so much sooner… I should have never left her there alone."
The others stood silently, looking worriedly at each other, the wavering tone with which she spoke saying a lot.
"If you need to go back any time, let us know." Ino mumbled, looking put out. "We'll help you get in."
Hinata smiled slightly, glancing up at them from her position lower down, stuffing their things back into her back pack.
"Arigato."
Back at home, in Sasuke's room they stared up at the moon they hadn't been fully capable of admiring before while running around on the Hyuuga's compound, too busy trying not to get caught to stare at the large orb.
"She looked… very thin." Sasuke admitted slowly, playing softly with her hair, running his hands through it repeatedly, adoring the feel of it's silky strands slipping through his fingers like water.
Hinata closed her eyes, bringing forth the image of her sister, sighing softly at his true analysis. "You're right." She whispered. "She…was so much stronger before."
"They're working her too hard. By the time you two face each other, she won't stand a chance at all…"
"I can't have her humiliated that way." Hinata whispered, opening her eyes to look at him. "They're not even feeding her properly, Sasuke… you should have seen the way she ate while I was there. It was like… she hadn't eaten in so long." Her eyes searched his, the worry there making him anxious. There was so little they could do for the prisoner within the estate, and yet the urgent need to do 'something' was still there, on her face.
"We'll go in again this week sometime." He nodded. "We'll sneak in things she might need, maybe she will improve before the match."
Hinata smiled, glad that he was willing to agree to help. Sighing softly she buried her face in his clothes, breathing in the obviously masculine smell of him, sending tingling sensations down her spine.
"…Hinata…" he breathed suddenly, making her look up at him, light eyes enquiring silently.
"…what will happen… when you regain your status?" he muttered, looking up at the ceiling instead of her in hopes of keeping her from seeing the slight worry there.
The question rendered her utterly speechless, leaving her to stare at him, lips parted to let something out, though what exactly she didn't know.
For as long as she had been working on regaining her status as the heir of the clan she hadn't known what the result would be…
Most likely, it would involve living on the compound again.
"I don't know." She lied softly. He knew the lie was there, and closed his eyes, refusing to look at her and acknowledge the obvious refusal to answer. He couldn't fathom what he would do if they faced the reality that she might be leaving, more or less, in a few months.
It wasn't like she was leaving him, per say… but living alone again… it would just make him ill.
Biting her lip slightly she lay down beside him again, listening to his steady heart beat under her, closing her eyes, letting the rhythm continue steadily, drawing her to sleep.
"I'll find a way to stay. I won't leave." She stated sleepily, making him start, eyes opening to stare at the moon again, surprised.
"I'll stay… I promise." She sighed, curling into him a bit more, already slipping into her dreams.
Sasuke didn't move, didn't respond or even pretend he had heard, but continued to listen to her soft breathing, her words echoing in his mind, frightening and yet so relieving at once.
I'll stay… I promise.
A large part of him was aching to believe it.
Summer was gone.
The sun had begun to pay fewer visits, and with its absence the cold had flowed in, drawing the white powder of snow along with it, knocking fall right out of the way, the leafs that had dropped during the last few months hidden under the giant piles of white.
Hinata stared out the window, pulling a sweater on silently as she did so, smirking at the sight of solidified droplets encasing the branches of the tree outside. It was all so bright, and so familiar.
Oka-san had told her once, a long time ago that she was a child of winter, of everything bright, and pure and cool, the way that cool water over a burn felt. She was the coolness that would soothe, and warmth like the fires in grates all over the houses when they were needed.
She was both, a perfect mixture of the two.
Childishly she walked over to the window, blowing softly against the glass to write her name in the fog that rose up, scribbling it haphazardly along.
"Meow?" Sasu looked up at her from the ground, still tiny. He hadn't grown at all during the last few months, and after enquiring at the pet shop as to why she had been told that that was normal. He wouldn't get much bigger than he was.
Somehow Sasuke had looked slightly disappointed. "I had hoped he would stop being so damn cute and you'd forget about him." He sighed, teasing. Hinata had just rolled her eyes. The continual argument about the cat had never ended. She had a sneaking suspicious that it was because to prove him wrong she often used physical methods. Sasuke was not dumb, not at all.
"Come, Sasu-kun." she murmured, bending down to pick up the little black fluffball. "Let's go have some breakfast, ne?"
Quietly she peeked into Sasuke's room to catch him still curled under the blankets, a pile of warmth and dark hair. Smiling she propped Sasu up on her shoulder where he sat comfortably and walked over, sneaking as quietly as she could, determined to make the stoic Uchiha avenger jump.
With a squeak of surprise she was suddenly snatched into the covers that flew over her and his arms were suddenly there, dragging her in. Somewhere along the way Sasu had ended up on the ground, grumbling in his kitty way about abuse.
"Drat!" Hinata giggled, feeling his kisses running down her neck in the dark. "I almost had you!"
"No you didn't." Sasuke scoffed. "I heard you ages ago."
"Drat! Drat!" she sighed. "I'll get you one day!"
"Sure you will." He allowed, kissing her hungrily, quite content not to have breakfast if he could continue with his current occupation. "When I let you." he added, cutting her off before she could protest.
Breathless and a little red in the face the disowned Hyuuga laughed, kissing his nose and then, in a very proper manner stated. "I'm sorry, Sasu is waiting for me to give him breakfast."
Sasuke mocked an aching heart. "Oh… ouch. That was low." He crooned. "I knew that cat was trouble."
"Well, he does have a striking resemblance to you, you know."
"Touché." The last comment managed to get him to chuckle slightly, pushing the blankets off of them both and allowing her to escape. "All right, go feed your precious cat."
"And what would you like for breakfast then?" she added, straightening out her blouse and fixing her hair with her fingers, sticking her tongue out at him quickly as he stretched out on the bed, so comfortable in her presence that he didn't give a damn if she thought he was silly. "Ne… whatever is fine."
"All right." Hinata nodded, scooping up the irritated Sasu, apologizing loudly enough for Sasuke to hear.
"Gomen no sai, he can be very childish sometimes." She nodded at the cat, who flicked his tail decidedly.
"Tch!" Sasuke grunted, rolling out of bed, smirking as she vanished down the stairs, still taking about him to the cat of all people.
Grabbing a shirt off the pile of folded laundry by his bed he followed after her, listening to her looking through the cupboards quietly, humming under her breath some tune or other that he had heard her hum before.
"What are we up to today anyway?" he enquired, grabbing the cup of coffee sitting on the table as usual, along with her tea. He watched her work quietly, all too glad for the coffee in the cold kitchen, which he knew would soon grow warm as she began to get the stove going.
"Preparing to sneak into Hanabi's room again." Hinata reminded him, glancing over her shoulder. "It's only ten days before the battle." She muttered, frowning slightly, letting out a sigh as she grabbed some eggs from the fridge. "I need to make sure that cut on her arm didn't infect in the last week. And I need to supply her with some more food. She's just gained about enough weight to be back to normal, I think."
"And your father hasn't noted anything?" Sasuke frowned, slipping into the chair, ignoring Sasu, who jumped off of Hinata's shoulder and walked over to him on the table.
"No. I asked about that last time we went." Hinata sighed. "Hanabi says she hasn't seen him in the last few months. Probably he never realized just how sick that old witch he got to make her food was making his prize daughter." She grumbled, smashing an egg irritably.
"…the impudence of the man…"
Sasuke blinked at her over the rim of his coffee, a little startled by her words. "Bravo. That's possibly the second most rightfully angry speech I've heard you let out." He smirked, watching her glance back at him, blushing. "Well, it makes me a little angry."
"I'm not blaming you at all." He frowned. "Hanabi looked ill last time I saw her."
"She's getting better. I should be worried." She laughed, rubbing the back of her neck slightly. "Hanabi has always been the stronger fighter."
"No." he cut in, shaking his head. "She's been the more reckless one. Your problem is going to be your hesitance to hurt her." He pondered that, knowing full well Hinata's blows wouldn't even be half of their usual power while facing her sister. "Perhaps you should consider just putting on a show for the elders, let them think you're fighting and then have Hanabi withdraw." He shook his head. "They wouldn't expect you to be in full control of the situation."
Hinata smirked, stirring the egg in the pan, glancing out the window at the freshly fallen snow.
"I'll ask her what she wants to do about it today. Maybe we really will spar, just to see what happens."
"I've no doubt you're superior." Sasuke frowned slightly, looking at her with a serious expression. "You've had more years to improve."
"Well, that's good." Hinata nodded, letting out a laugh. "I'm supposed to win, after all."
"Neji?" Tenten frowned, watching him staring out the window, his face completely blank of all emotion.
His bedroom was cozy, extremely so, almost to the point of being too hot, but not quite. And, at that particular moment she didn't feel at all uncomfortable, curled up in 'his' blankets with a book in her hands.
Most of the day had dwindled away on half paying attention to the story she was reading and trying not to stare at him as he worked on something or other… earlier that morning it had been cleaning his weapons, each delicate knife had been carefully cleaned, sharpened and glazed by his patient smooth hands.
But somewhere along the way while she tried to focus on her reading he had stopped working and was staring out instead, bland eyes showing their lavender hue more in contrast to the white snowfall outside.
She could hardly believe it was December already.
"Hm?" he responded lazily, hands tucked into the folds of his white sweater. It looked good on him. Tenten bit her lip slightly, forcing herself not to sigh as she stared. Sometimes it was torture to look at him…
"Ano… are you okay?" she reached up, fiddling with her hair pins, irritated by the tightness spreading across her scalp. Maybe it was that she was half sleepy that her hair was being annoying.
Resisting the urge to let it down she propped her chin up with one hand, watching him glance back at her slightly, puzzled. "Hai… Why do you ask?"
"You seem very thoughtful." Tenten replied, shrugging, reaching up again to fiddle with the clips in hopes of lessening the strain. "What are you thinking about?'
The usually cold Hyuuga watched her fingers playing around with the dark strands of hair that were at that moment being deceptively normal, but he knew better than to believe that. He had seen her hair down before, if only once. It was a lying cheat with a secret weapon of beauty hiding within it.
He swallowed, hoping she wouldn't let it down…and wishing all at once that she would.
"Nothing much, demo perhaps I should be thinking about Hanabi and Hinata's match later this month." He frowned, turning away to stare out at the snow again. "Last time I saw Hanabi she had gained some of her old weight back. Hinata's help has greatly improved her, though the nutritionist claims it is her doing."
"I hate that old hag.' Tenten grumbled, sitting up properly suddenly, determined to take her hair out of the damn buns so that it wouldn't hurt so much anymore. "She told me I needed to loose weight. Honestly…" she sighed, glancing down at herself, consciously aware of every little defect.
Neji turned to look at her quickly, just at the wrong moment, the moment where her hair freed itself from the ribbons and flowed down around her neck and back in glistening brown waves tinged in red and black.
He had intended to say something that would be logical, perhaps even a little kind but nothing like what came out.
"You're perfect the way you are, don't listen to her." He breathed, blinking rapidly to try and regain some sanity.
Tenten stopped running her hands through her hair, startled into stillness by his words, heat beginning to rush up to tickle her cheeks.
She blushed, hard. "A-ano….arigato…Neji-kun." She mumbled, hiding behind the curtain of hair for a moment, eyes flickering over the rolling folds of 'his' blankets holding her down in a vice grip.
…Oh my god, did he just… he just- I should maybe leave-
For a moment the awkward stillness seemed to threaten to devour them but Neji was an expert at pretending to not give a damn and so he turned back to the window, blushing furiously himself and mentally beating the living daylights out of his stupid tongue while clearing his throat slightly. "If Hinata wins the fight that old hag of which you speak will have a lot to deal with. Hinata knows a lot about the human anatomy."
Letting out a sigh, whether of disappointment or relief Tenten didn't know, but she nodded, forcing on a smile that he couldn't see anyway. "I'm sure she will. Though Hanabi is impressive for her age, she is not up to our standards yet, and Hinata has improved greatly." She nodded, recalling the scene of the two cousins sparring against one another just a few weeks ago in the middle of the rain of autumn leafs.
"Hai." Neji nodded, smiling, the same memory flickering through his head. "She has improved much… I expect Hiashi-sama will be pleased."
"Not that I care about that." Tenten grunted, shoving herself to her feet smoothly, stretching out in an effort to rid herself of the sleepiness.
"that is a good point." Neji admitted, frowning at the window, ignoring her reflection on the slightly tinted glass. "I wonder what he will do when he realizes he can control neither of them if Hinata wins."
"Hopefully, he'll run for the hills." Tenten managed to laugh, making him turn, smirking slightly. "I just don't want him to hurt them anymore." He admitted, frowning slightly. "I cannot protect them from it."
Smiling, once more in the comfort of her friend Tenten sat down beside him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, looking out the window, unaware of his eyes traveling over her, breath catching in his throat.
"I'm glad you care for them the way you do." She nodded, sounding decisive. "Someone has to, and you do it because you want to." She turned to him and smiled. "I'm sure they're both proud to call you their cousin."
She stood then and surprising them both kissed his cheek. Stunned she pulled back, wide eyed. "Ne… I-" she began, unsure of what to do and what had made her do it. "G-gomen, I d-don't know what…"
Neji stared at her for a moment, hearing none of her words, the feel of her lips on his skin dominating his mind for a moment. Slowly he reached up to touch his cheek where their skin had made contact, straining to remain in control of his actions.
"…ne, Tenten." He muttered, surprising her by the sudden grip he had on her wrist. Startled she stared down at his smooth fingers wrapped around her flesh, feeling the heat engulf her face. Wide eyed she turned to look at him again, feeling him pulling her down rapidly, inches from his face.
Nervously he licked his lips, dazed Hyuuga eyes searching hers intently. "I… think I want to kiss you…" he admitted, watching her eyes widen slightly, staring at him, soft lips forming words that struggled to escape her grip.
"W-why?"
He shook his head. "…I think…" he began, hesitating, finding the answer as he said it. "…I think I might be in love with you…"
Her breath caught in her throat, the little gasp cut off by his lips crashing with hers, letting the fireworks explode within her, electrifying shocks running down her spine as his body moved to fit around her, holding her on his lap, tentative lips asking, begging for entry into her mouth, drowning her…
It was odd, she had always feared drowning, but this kind didn't feel that bad at all.
His fingers slid into her hair, playing with it, touching it, it felt good to have her there, to be able to touch every curve of her body, taste every part of her if he so wished. He hadn't even allowed himself to admit that he was craving her that badly, but truth didn't go away if you didn't admit it.
Heart racing he slid down her neck, kissing his way into the folds of her silky hair, breathing in the scent of her, feminine and powerful all at once.
"…I guess…" Tenten began, a little breathless as she whispered into his ear. "…Hinata was right, when she asked….about us…"
He smirked against her skin, she felt it, allowing herself to smile at the feeling, moving to whisper other things into his ear that had nothing to do with anyone but each other.
"Ne…" Ino mumbled, eyeing Tenten and Neji thoughtfully as they crouched on the other side of the Hyuuga compound's walls, keeping a sharp eye on the bigger group of guards patrolling the area.
"Those two seem…different." She admitted, cocking her head, watching them move around each other with a lot more ease.
Hinata looked up from her place under the tree opposite the compound, packing up the bag she would be giving Hanabi later on when the guards switched and Ino's current fanboy gave her passage into the Hyuuga Main House.
"They do… a little." She admitted, blinking slightly. She glanced over at Sasuke, slouching against the tree trunk, eyeing the two as well, out of curiosity.
With a simple glance she asked the question and he looked back at Neji and Tenten, eyeing them with more intensity.
As expected, unknowingly being watched Tenten stood to move along the wall, sliding her fingers over Neji's back as she passed by.
He smirked, glancing over at Hinata knowingly, watching her expression change to realization.
Oh!
Ino, completely unaware of the silent conversation passing right under her nose sighed and shook her head. "…I wish I could put my finger on it."
"I'm sure, one day, you will." Hinata nodded, smiling a little too happily at her, making the blonde twitch. "You know, when you smile like that… I get kinda nervous…"
"Hinata, there's a problem." Sakura's voice stated suddenly over the earpiece, making everyone stop, Neji and Tenten too glanced back at them from the wall, question covering their faces.
Sakura was stationed down the road with Naruto, making sure that no unexpected relative arrived and got the guards moving in a pattern that the team didn't recognize.
"What is it?" Hinata enquired, reaching up to press the earpiece against her skin.
Sakura, on the other side of the street watched as a handful of people headed in the direction of the compound, walking at a slow pace for there were many elderly Hyuugas with them. Amongst the bunch was Hiashi himself, speaking in low tones to one of the men.
"It's your father." Naruto grunted through the mic, making even Sasuke stand up straight, listening intently.
"He's got the Hyuuga elders with him." Sakura added, quickly running a count over all the heads. "Fourteen of them, with your father it's fifteen, plus assistants."
Sasuke frowned, glancing at Neji, reaching up to press the channel change on his headpiece to talk to him.
"Didn't you know about this, Hyuuga?" he grunted coldly, watching Neji and Tenten slide closer to the wall in an effort to hide themselves while the guards shifted about, getting ready to receive their guests.
"This wasn't planned. They were to arrive in two days." Neji retorted thinly, Byakugan searching through the Hyuuga compound, the green blurs ignored until he found Hanabi, walking down a corridor with an instructor in tow.
"They're moving Hanabi to the foyer to greet them." He added, exchanging quick confused glances with Tenten.
"Neji-nii-san." Hinata stated, standing up, looking down the street nervously. "Wouldn't you be needed for something like this? What if your presence is missed…"
"She's right." Tenten whispered beside him, shaking her head. "You should be in there."
"Let Hanabi know somehow, if you can, that I was going to see her today." Hinata sighed softly, rubbing between her brows in irritation. "Try to find out what's going on? Please?"
Sighing slightly Neji nodded to Tenten, reaching up to press his mic before starting to remove it. "All right. I'll see what I can find out. I'll talk to you tomorrow about it sometime, if not I'll send Tenten."
"Goodnight, nii-san." Hinata sighed, watching him hand the mic over to Tenten and jump down into the garden, vanishing from view.
"So what are we going to do? Wait and see?" Sakura enquired, watching as the group of elders and assistants began to flood into the Hyuuga compound. Dozen of Byakugan eyes with capabilities far beyond her understanding under one roof was not a good thing.
"No, we had better leave. With so many important family members under one roof… the guards will be activating their Byakugan repeatedly." Hinata muttered, sounding put out as she nodded at Ino who started to gather their things.
"If we're caught there would be a lot of trouble."
"Okay." Sakura grunted, looking around to make sure there was no one watching before jumping down off the tree she was sitting on to land at a crouch beside Naruto, who gave her a look.
"You're not supposed to be jumping around like that yet, your legs aren't fully healed."
"They'll be fine." She muttered, kicking around the slush that was all over the place. "The snow is like a cushion."
"Stubborn nin." He grumbled, grabbing her hand as they started to walk back towards the others.
They met halfway down the street and continued on in the general direction of town, talking very little.
Hinata didn't say a word, frowning slightly with worry.
"It'll be okay, Hinata… maybe, they just got there earlier without even informing your father." Sakura muttered, looking at her curiously. "Weren't they supposed to be there for the fight anyway?"
Hinata shook her head. "No… they weren't. They were supposed to be around for the ceremony afterwards to accept the new heir. If they're here for the ceremony, however." She flinched, the image of dozens of Byakugan eyes watching her every move, analyzing to see if she was strong enough to fight against her younger sister…
Strong enough to lead them all.
Her words drew silence from the others. Sasuke studied her as she walked silently, head bowed, looking away, anywhere but them.
Quietly he grabbed her hand, a rare show of public affection on his part.
Smiling weakly she glanced up at him and nodded, another silent conversation shared.
The bright lights of the foyer burned the moment she stepped into them. For some reason the rest of the house was always kept in near constant shadow, making it hard for anyone without Hyuuga eyes to see very well in it's intricate passage ways. She figured it was another self defense mechanism that her family had.
It would certainly explain the reason why so many of the children were frighteningly pale during their earlier years, only gaining color when they started to attend the academy and had strict training sessions out in the sun to learn to endure the weather.
Hinata was one of the few that didn't have enough training sessions to bring color to her face. Hanabi on the other hand had almost turned brown from so much sun, so much standing there in the silence of the heat, enduring it for the sake of keeping her father happy… and the instructors from scoffing at what they had been told would be a prodigy.
That was what she hated about them the most, the fact that they never thought she was as good as her father had told them.
"They told me you were a prodigy, that you were to be the next female Hokage. I see no such power within you."
She had fought and trained harder just because of that, falling into their game of manipulation despite her best attempts not to.
What could she do? She was young still…
The current instructor behind her scoffed as she lifted her hand up to block the bright lights, flinching.
"Show a little decency." He grunted, shoving her hand down. "You're the Hyuuga heiress, act like one."
"I'm not." Hanabi retorted. "I'm a default." She muttered thinly, glaring at him in defiance she had only been able to show lately, knowing that when her sister came to power the torture would end.
"Either way, they came all the way from their retirement to see you." he stated, nodding towards the front door. It was made of glass and she could see to the outer foyer where a crowd of old well dressed people stood, talking amongst each other quietly. Her father was among them.
She flinched. "The elders? What are they doing here?"
The instructor smirked, satisfied that he had shut up the arrogant little princess that was his apprentice for the time being.
"They've come to evaluate their 'default' heiress, of course."
The sound of the door opening behind them made the two turn to look sharply, watching Neji slip out from the hall into the foyer, closing the door quietly behind him. "Hanabi." He stated, eyes widening the moment he saw her. It had been months since he had been able to see his little cousin. She had grown much, and if Hinata's telling was true she had gained enough weight again to look normal, though still a little thin.
"Neji-nii-san!" she gasped, launching herself at him forcefully, arms wrapping around him in a hug that surprised both him and the instructor.
"Manners, get back here!" the instructor snapped, reaching to grab the girl. Neji's eyes lifted, glaring at him as if to dare him to reach further.
Swallowing his other sharp comments the supposed sensei bit his own tongue and stepped back, nodding his respects.
"Hanabi-chan." He muttered, turning his attention back to the young girl with her arms wrapped around his waist.
"I haven't seen you in such a long time!" Hanabi gasped, pulling back to look at him, eyes searching his face. "I miss you and Tenten-chan and Lee-kun-"
"Shss…" He nodded, smiling despite himself. "We all miss you as well, Hanabi. In a few days things will change." He stared at her intently. "Your sister told me that tonight."
Hanabi looked at him silently for a moment, understanding immediately what he was saying. "Hai…okay."
"What is going?" Neji added, turning to look at the instructor with a sheer amount of coldness dripping from his voice.
The shinobi looked at him with an equally impassive expression. "The Hyuuga elders have arrived to evaluate Hanabi-hime." He replied calmly, nodding towards the child who's grip had yet to release him. "They wish to know what the chances are of the disowned outcast Hinata taking over the family."
Neji frowned. "Nani? Why-"
"I know nothing more, Neji-sama."
The young man frowned at him, irritated by the interruption. However he was not able to retort thinly to the man for the door opened suddenly and the elders flooded in, in pairs they walked towards Hanabi, studying her as she slowly loosened her grip on Neji and withdrew to stand on her own two feet, hands clenched by her sides, meeting their eyes uneasily.
"She is very young still." One of the women grunted, her eyes half closed, age spots covering her whole face, but she still had the stern expression of a higher ranked shinobi and Hyuuga.
Hiashi stood to the side, looking impassively at the proceedings until every elder had entered. Quietly he walked towards his daughter, looking at her for the first time in months, studying the strength built around her body. She looked thinner, certainly.
"Hyuuga Hanabi of the main House, heir to the family head." He explained, putting a hand on her shoulder without even looking at her.
Hanabi flinched, resisting the urge to shrug off his touch, disgusted by the cold tone with which he spoke.
"She's a mousy looking thing." One of the elders muttered, studying her through spectacles. "Will she be strong enough to fight off the claim her elder sister has on the title?"
"Hanabi is a prodigy of epic proportions." Hiashi replied softly, his hand tightening on Hanabi's shoulder, making her flinch slightly again.
"Her elder sister was a disappointment, in all ways including the marring of her own family name by her rebellious actions with Uchiha Sasuke."
"The last Uchiha?" another of the elders grunted, looking back into memory for the information on the child. "She eloped with him?"
"I wouldn't know." Hiashi replied solidly, as if talking about the child he once bore left a bad taste in his mouth. "She is no longer a Hyuuga."
"A child born of Hyuuga and Uchiha blood would hold interesting possibilities." The first woman muttered. "It is too bad that he did not properly ask for her hand."
Neji and Hanabi stood frozen, listening to the confusing conversation. There was no way for either of them to know on who's side the elders were on. Each one had confusing comments and questions and Hiashi didn't seem to be defending or attacking them.
"I do not think she will actually try to claim her title as heir, therefore that possibility is out of the question. Even if there ever was a child, this house cannot recognize it as one of it's own." He muttered, looking on calmly at the elders. "Without anyone to strictly train her Hinata is even more useless."
"You have neglected paying close attention to competition." One of the elders behind him grunted. "Story tells that she faced Akatsuki's legendary Itachi and Kisame."
"She nearly died." Hiashi replied, smiling thinly, the way a shark smiles before biting you. "There is nothing impressive about surviving by sheer luck."
Silence consumed the room for a moment, and the eyes of the elders once more returned to Hanabi, standing there looking terrified.
"We suggest that the fight be tomorrow." The woman stated again, looking up to meet Hiashi's eyes. "As the elders of the Hyuuga Family, we wish to see the potential of the two possible heirs." She stared at him. "Even if you do not think Hinata a possible candidate."
"She has not contacted me to state she wishes to challenge Hanabi for the title." Hiashi replied shortly, frowning at them. "I have no evidence to state she even wants a fight."
"Hokage Tsunade contacted me earlier this week." The second elder stated gruffly, lifting a scroll with the Hokage's name scribbled across it in kanji.
"Informing us that 'her' apprentice was ready to challenge the current heir for the title." He studied Hiashi. "It was scheduled to happen on the 22nd of December, correct?" he blinked slowly. "Five days before the eldest's coming of age birthday."
"I wasn't aware Tsunade-sama was training the exile." Hiashi replied slowly, eyeing the scroll with distaste.
"She isn't, or so she says, though she will not admit to who is."
Uchiha. Hiashi thought, frowning slightly. He had not been aware that the Hokage herself had the Uchiha working for her.
"If the two candidates accept the challenge for tomorrow then I see no reason to delay." Hiashi finally complied, unable to find a way to stall the situation.
It was no longer about saving the pride of the family, of having a safety net to keep it from dropping into ruin. He was well aware of the rumors of power that had spread about his disowned daughter, power and character that he had never seen before. In order to control the family he required someone strong in appearance but easy to manipulate. If the rumors were true, Hinata was the wrong heir still.
Hanabi had become the best one again.
"Excellent." The elder smiled. "Tomorrow at dawn we shall see the two elite of the clan fight for power." He peered at Hanabi, condescending in the sense that he believed she wasn't capable of being an elite.
Frowning openly, Hanabi stared at him, forcing herself not to look down, thoroughly confused by their words. She did not know what it was that they wanted. Did they want her or Hinata?
It seemed, they had truly come to do as the instructor said. They had come to evaluate and pick the best one of the two.
Like dolls in a store shelf, they were being examined… and the one they did not want, would be discarded.
Well… this one wasn't half as bad as the other one but STILL a bit sucky, I am so sorry about that.
I am working like crazy to get this story going, cuz I have a million and one ideas for the sequel, I really need to wrap this one up.
So, the fight will happen next chapter… and then, I think I might add one more chapter to wrap it all up and then one after that.
And then that's it.
Can you guys believe it!? Whoa. Lol, I'm almost done! ((does a happy dance))
Anyway. Read. Review!
-inky