Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. The only things that belong to me are the original characters that I use in the story. Don't sue me as I am broke and the only things you'll get are the dust bunnies that live under my bed. This is for entertainment purposes only and I am not doing this to turn a profit.

Chapter 1: Twelve Years Later

Hyuga Hiashi sat on the porch sipping his morning tea and enjoying the silence. It was times like these when he could sit back and enjoy watching the cherry blossom leaves float down to the ground. Of course all good things must come to an end.

"Husband dear." said his wife from behind him, "Where is Hinako." The Hyuga patriarch turned around to look at his concerned wife. He shrugged.

"She is probably still sleeping dear. She will wake up on her own accord." he answered. A few years ago he would not have put up with such laziness. But after Hinata's death, he didn't dare alienate one of the few things he had left that reminded him of his daughter. Of course, Hinako and her younger brother Hikaro were put through the same training all Hyuga's had to go through. There would be no slacking off there that was for sure.

His wife however was not so laid back about their granddaughters habits. "Oh for Kamis sake. Why can't that girl be more like her brother? Today is her genin exam and she's sleeping in. Can you wake her up dear?" Hiashi would have liked nothing better than to continue to sit on the porch and continue to watch the cherry blossoms but he recognized his wife's tone of voice. She wasn't asking him to do anything. She was telling him to do it. And the only way to get out of it was to argue with her. And Hiashi was in no mood to argue.

Reluctantly he got up, put down his tea, and said goodbye to the cherry tree. He walked down the hall at a leisurely pace. It was the mornings he enjoyed the most. It was when all the servants and other Hyuga members were still asleep leaving him to enjoy nature's beauty all in his lonesome. He reached Hinako's door and knocked once. No answer. He knocked a second time, still no answer. Finally, he knocked a third time. When he received no response he opened the door and entered his granddaughter's room.

His granddaughter's room was exceptionally clean though one might call it a bit bare. It had a book shelf filled with books, mangas (which he disapproved of) and jutsu scrolls. The walls were bare except for a poster of a gaijin boy band with a name he could not even pronounce (he had once heard their music, if you could even call it music, and declared that she would not listen to that music in his presence). And finally, there was the bed. The only notable thing that could be said about the bed was the drooling granddaughter that occupied it. For a moment, he was caught in morbid fascination watching the drool drip from her mouth and fall onto the pillow. He pulled himself together. He walked up to the bed and gently shook his granddaughter.

"Hinako. Wake up Hinako." Hinako stirred and mumbled something incoherent. He shook her harder. "Wake up!" said the Hyuga patriarch a little louder this time. He received the same response. Then an idea hit him. He leaned in real close and whispered, "Hinako, that boy band of yours is passing through Konoha right now." He watched in amusement as his Granddaughter shot up out of bed, and then quickly shooed him out him out of her room. A minute later, Hinako was out of her room all dressed and ready to go.

"So," she said excitedly, "where are they." Her grandfather burst out laughing. It was then that Hinako's logic center started to boot up. One, she had learned from a magazine that her favorite band was doing a concert in a foreign capital. And two, why would her Grandfather, who hated the band so much, inform her of their whereabouts. He would rather find some reason to ground her so she could not go see them. "You tricked me!" she exclaimed.

"That I did. But for a good reason. Besides, would you rather I do the same thing as Neji-san does." Hinako shivered at the memories and she let her grandfather continue, "Can you remember what day it is today, Hinako?" When his granddaughter shook her head, he sighed, "Today is your genin exams, and I doubt that Ryoga-sensei appreciates tardiness in his class."

"Hai, Ojiisan." said Hinako is resignation. Her grandfather smiled at her. Hinako reminded him so much of Hinata that it scared him sometimes. In looks at least. In personality, they were almost polar opposites.

"Good. Now, go have some breakfast. I'm sure that your grandmother has some ready by now. I want you to be early to school today. Okay?" Hinako's annoyance at being tricked had already disappeared and was replaced with excitement for the upcoming genin exam. She mumbled a brief hai and was running down the hall in anticipation for her grandmother's delicious meals. After all was said and done, Hiashi returned to his to the porch inside the courtyard. He then sat down, picked up his tea and started to once again watch the cherry blossoms while enjoying the silence.

Ryoga Kumon, the sensei of the graduating class this year, stared out from behind his desk at the throng of students chattering away. He wondered when the bell would ring and he could get this test under way. It always annoyed him that the test was decided upon just the ability to do a bunshin. It would be a lot better in his minds eye if it was a taijutsu test. He was after all, a taijutsu master, second only to Rock Lee. Of course, he wasn't just a taijutsu specialist; he had a fair share of ninjutsu as well. The ringing bell dragged him out of his thoughts. The class quieted down.

"All right class," he said standing up, "Its time to start the test. I'll call you up by name and remember; to pass this test you must create at least three bunshins. All right first up is…" And thus it went on. He watched every one of his students do three bunshins. Some of the more notable ones included Nara Kuonji, Kumon Ryo

(To his great pride and joy), Hyuga Hinako (who had surprised him by arriving early), and that Madeki Kohaku (the one all the girls always fawned over (their always seems to be one of those, go figure)). When the students showed the three bunshins, he gave them the forehead protectors. When everything was said and done, he dismissed class and reminded them to return the next day to find out what team they were on and who would be their sensei.

Today is a great day, thought Ryoga, my son becomes a genin and it's also me and wife's wedding anniversary (he believed to stay his wife's good side; he had to remember some of the more important anniversaries). Now all he had to do was to make some dinner reservations…

Hinako exited the academy looking around for one of her friends but what her Hyuga eyes saw was a boy around her height with a chunin vest waving at her. But what was most notable about him were his white eyes.

"Oneesan," cried out her younger brother (by three minutes), "I'm over here." A large smile lit her face and she ran over to greet her brother. "So, how did it go? Did you pass?" asked her brother, Hikaru. When she nodded, he became ecstatic, "That's great. Soon you'll be sporting this just like me." indicating his chunin vest.

She felt a pang of jealousy stab her heart when her brother indicated the vest. It was a sore spot for her. Even thought her brother didn't know it, ever since her genius of a brother had become a genin at age ten, she had become slightly jealous. And now, just a month ago, at Sunagakure, he had passed the chunin exams. But he was right, she was now on her way to becoming a chunin and then she and her brother would be on equal ground again.

"C'mon oneesan, lets go home. I'm sure obaasan will make us a big dinner when she finds out you've graduated. Like that will surprise though. We all knew you wouldn't fail." he said cheerfully. He started to walk in the direction of the Hyuga compound. Hinako, in a short burst of speed, caught up with her brother and quickly became absorbed in asking her brother about his day.

On the roof of a nearby building, the man with red eyes watched the Hyuga siblings walk off towards the Hyuga compound. He smiled. "They've turned out well," stated the woman with grey brown eyes, "Especially the boy." She walked up to stand at his side.

"The girl is exceptionally skilled as well." Said the man while continuing to watch the kids walk of into the distance, "You would do well not to underestimate her."

"You're just saying that because she looks like her mother." joked the woman. "Anyway, how long has it been? One year, two years..."

"Three." she nodded at his answer. "But you did not come to see me so we could just chat, now did you? You wish to know if it has manifested yet in one of them." When she nodded, he continued, "It has not. I have monitored both closely and I have seen no sign of it manifesting itself. And what of their father? What is he up to these days?" he shifted his gaze to the woman.

"He has eluded me for the last few months. I am not sure what he's up to. But I'm positive he still does not know that he has kids." She said embarrassed that she had lost track of the father. "So, are you going to make sure the girl has a powerful sensei?"

"Of course. I've talked to the Hokage and she has agreed. Everything is going to be fine. Her new sensei is one of the finest Junins of all of Konoha. She will be perfectly safe."

So what do you think of my story. I hope you like it. I still need those Japanese names. Do you think I should continue my story? I personally like it. And just for the people who don't know what some of the words mean, here they are:

Ojiisan grandfather

Sunagakure hidden sand village

Obaasan grandmother

Oneesan older sister

All reviews are loved and cherished by me so please review my story. Ja mata.