SUMMARY: The matches come to an end. People are confused.
I won't be able to update for the next few days (probably until Wednesday) so I'm posting four chapters (Part 13 to 16) now.
Sumire frowns.
It's the last thing Re wants to do but she has to control herself.
Laughter is a pretty good coping mechanism.
She can't laugh.
"Who is Hinata-sama?" she asks.
She is fairly sure she has heard that name before - oh, she is the other Hyuuga that meant missing!
Kidnapped by Kumo.
The assailants were found knocked out but no trace of the girl was found.
She had briefly entertained the notion that the girl might be her but she was nowhere near important enough.
Besides, if she was, someone would have figured it out by now.
Girls with purple hair and white, pupiless eyes aren't exactly common.
More than that, Sumire didn't want to be Hinata.
She wasn't completely sure she was, anyway.
She didn't want to pretend.
Even if she had been Hinata, she wasn't anymore.
But she hadn't been Hinata.
Neji looks at her scrutinisingly.
"We can talk about it later.", she offers because they are in a battle and sooner or later, someone else is going to come close enough to hear. "Knock me out."
It is a demand.
Because, right now, it doesn't matter if he is right, it is about what he believes.
He is going to be reluctant to do it.
But Re watches.
She feels.
There will be punishment if he fails to win against a clanless girl.
He knows that too.
He nods once slightly, almost imperceptibly.
And then she loses consciousness.
Because in the end, underneath it all, Re is kind.
It is both a blessing and a curse.
Neji was young when his cousin went missing.
Not that young - six.
Uchiha Itachi was six when he graduated from the academy.
They never found her.
He still remembers the looks on his father's face after every attempt.
Despite everything, his father loved his brother.
And his niece.
They couldn't find her.
Neji realised it was Fated.
Hinata-sama had been kind.
Too kind.
Not strong enough.
Fate decided to spare her the pain.
Neji never said it.
But he knew the truth - Hinata-sama was dead.
The little girl who used to trail after him and call him Neji-niisan was dead.
Neji hadn't wanted to her brother.
His father was her father's brother and had been sealed for it.
But maybe it wasn't just the branch family who suffered.
Hinata's disappearance - why couldn't he say death? - had caused her father to snap.
By that time Neji had been sealed.
It was too late for him.
But Hiashi-sama -
Hiashi-ojisan had decided it was enough.
Neji hadn't been there for the argument but after it, his uncle had come out exhausted but triumphant.
That day, there was a huge bonfire at the compound.
Neji hadn't been able to hate his uncle the same way after that.
He still felt resentment towards him but he respected the man.
It was Fate that was finally serving the Branch Family.
Neji tried to think of Hinata as a sacrifice that had to be made.
It didn't work very well.
But Fate had decreed so and Fate was always right.
Until it wasn't.
He had made it to the Third Task of the Chunin Exams - as it was Fated.
But then he met her.
The girl was called Sumire.
She had purple hair.
And she looked a little like Hiashi-ojisan.
Like Hinata.
But her eyes were normal.
It was Fated.
Hinata was gone.
Then he had cut her.
Her eyes flickered - just for a second but he caught it.
She had the Byakugan!
Neji would later identify that as the point where he lost faith in Fate.
Then, he couldn't stop himself uttering her name.
Fate was wrong.
They were all wrong.
Hinata wasn't gone.
How had no one seen it?
She was the right age too.
And she wouldn't have remembered much.
What was he meant to do?
Fate was wrong and Hinata was here.
So when she ordered him to knock her out, he complied.
Hiashi-ojisan might be in charge but the Elders had no problems going behind his back.
They were subtle about it - enough that they would sound like fools if they informed him.
It hurt.
Neji didn't like it.
He watched the crumpled form of his cousin hit the ground and with it, went his belief in Fate.
He didn't need Fate.
He had his family back.
Ra groans as she watches the little exchange.
She is going to have to amend her plans again!
Why do Re and Ru wreck all her plans?
It is totally unfair that they still manage to pull it off.
She can't stay angry at them when they win.
(She can't say angry with them anyway.)
On the positive side, more allies (friends) are always good.
Neji seems like he'll make a useful ally.
And maybe he can help Re with her Byakugan.
She doesn't know any complicated techniques, after all.
It was a little difficult to practise, after all.
Re didn't particularly want the seal most Hyuugas hid under their headbands.
And she didn't know if she could counter it.
Ra would never ask that of Re.
Ever.
Gaara sighs as he faces Lee.
He respects the other boy's dedication and will but he is so loud!
More than several times, he has found himself trying to block him out with a little bit of sand.
It doesn't usually work.
Still, Lee will hopefully tone it down a little in their match.
Lee is ready to lose - it is part of the plan.
There is no shame in losing to keep your precious ones safe.
Gaara is one of Lee's precious people.
And he is going to win.
But Lee still wants an opportunity to prove his determination to his arrogant teammate.
He isn't going to fight him but this is an excellent opportunity to show some of his skills.
He won't begin to open the gates but he can at least put on a good show.
Gaara fights Lee without holding back too much.
Lee cannot help but feel slightly flattered.
Clearly, he is youthful and talented if the redhead is taking him seriously.
Lee smiles blindingly.
Quickly, Gaara strikes him on the head.
That smile is a little too disturbing.
He has a high tolerance but that is too much.
(Everyone else slumps in relief.)
"Akimichi Chouji VS Kinuta Dosu."
The match finishes relatively quickly - the Oto Nin quickly takes down the food lover.
It seems they have reached the end of the preliminaries.
Yet Neji and Ino walk away with more questions than answers.