… ok I really don't have any excuses to offer you guys if you've been keeping up with the previous version of this story, but still, for what it's worth I'm sorry. Personally, itahina is my favorite ship but I hope you guys have enjoyed this sasuhina month (my second favorite) so far, I'll try to contribute if I manage to find my motivation.
This fic will be in the format of mini chapters around 500 words give or take and I'll do my best to update every week (no day specifically but definitely some day between Monday and sunday) like with my last fic. Speaking of that one, I don't plan to abandon it, but I want to give it a conclusion some time soon though it will not correlate exactly with this one to avoid spoilers.
And one last thing, that I ask you to not skip over please. I wanted to recommend a Sokka x Azula fic called Apricot Jam by my friend and beta Mercy285. If any of you love ATLA and Azula (and her wacky ideas) like we do, I'm sure you'll love it.
The Hyuuga matriarch stood dutifully beside her husband in silence. Glancing up at the gloomy sky, she bit back a dry smile and digged her heels into the loose mud as Hiashi crouched down to his firstborn's height and held her by the shoulders.
"Hinata," he started sternly, "you are the successor of the Hyuuga clan. Show me that you are worthy of it."
The woman vaguely heard Hinata's affirmation and offered both of her daughters a small nod. It was cruel, what they had to do. The next few minutes would decide their fate. One would be nothing but a servant and the other will be set to inherit the Hyuuga clan one day. She would offer what little comfort she could.
Harsh ripples of chakra waved around the courtyard. She could have sneered at the surprised faces of those who once scorned her firstborn, but settled with digging blunt nails into her arm. Best to show them she was not going to influence the match. No matter how much she wanted to.
She knew it must be killing Hinata, the way she was forced to raise a hand against her younger sister, but it was for her own good. Hiashi was giving her one last chance to prove herself and the matriarch was thankful for that.
It wasn't as if Hiashi expected Hanabi to win. No matter how talented she was, in a serious fight, she would be no match for a girl with five years of training over her.
Hinata was set up to win.
Turning her attention back to the fight, she narrowed her eyes imperceptibly. Hinata was supposed to slam Hanabi to the ground with a well placed strike ages ago, but instead, she danced around the younger girl's barrage of assaults with infuriating grace. It was clear that she could've ended everything as soon the fight began. But she hadn't.
Hanabi launched to the air with a high kick. For a moment the matriarch's breath halted but Hinata evaded with a backward somersault. Regaining her footing the younger girl launched a semi-lethally charged palm that was promptly buffered with another. It didn't work, no matter how fast she aimed her palms, Hinata seemed to predict her every move.
Switching to offence, Hinata forces Hanabi back. Narrowly dodging the barrage of palms the brunette's eyes scanned for an opening. She slapped away Hinata's hand and abruptly thrust a palm just below her ribcage. Gracefully she sidestepped the attack and struck Hanabi's arm before raising her other palm as the girl lost her footing.
The matriarch could almost hear Hinata's heart shatter as Hanabi hit the ground.
And the match was over.