A/N: This is a very rare opportunity, so read carefully:

If you want to flame me, GO AHEAD!

If you've been dying to flame me ever since this suck-fest of a story started, feel free to do it! At least that'll be a piece criticism, rejection or whatever, that I'll know will happen. At least I'll EXPECT it.

Because I'm tired of people talking stuff about me behind my back. I mean, if they don't like me, why can't they say it to my face! Why do they have to hide?

If I suck that much, at least have the courage to tell it to my face!

And yes, this goes to my schoolmates who are reading this. You have NEVER heard me shout in class, I go soft on you guys, I easily get surprised, and you have dubbed me "Hinata", because of it. I can forgive that. You call me "weak" and "worthless" almost everyday, and I guess I can forgive that, too.

But to insult the one thing I'm proud of about myself is…just…

You never heard me raise my voice yet, right?

On Monday, you're going to see a side of me you haven't seen yet.

And I'm. NOT. JOKING.

Chapter 8: In Your Eyes

A/N: Another song chapter. Title: "Prodigy" or "In Your Eyes"…I'm not sure. Thanks to death-angel-hikari for the lyrics.

Hinata stared numbly at Naruto, and then at Neji. He was serious.

"N-neji-nii-san," she whimpered, "why?"

I'm searching for answers

'Coz something's not right.

"I already told you why," Neji said coldly, his gaze empty. Devoid of feeling. "Now, stand up already. I'm getting impatient."

I'll hold the signs up

Close to the light.

Something inside her snapped and she lost herself to her own darkened maelstrom. She no longer remembered the fact that he was her cousin. Related to her. All she knew that he killed two of her best friends already.

If that didn't call for punishment, then she didn't know what did.

From the sidelines, Shikamaru gripped the ledge tightly.

"We have to stop this!" Sakura said desperately from beside him. "Hinata could get seriously hurt, like before!"

"It's not Hinata I'm worried about," Shikamaru said ominously, turning his coal-black eyes to her, "It's Neji."

"What? Why?"

"I've trained with Hinata, and I've seen a mere sample of what she can do," he stated grimly, "not to mention that, for some reason, seeing Naruto hurt just adds to her will and strength."

"How good is she?"

"She blocked all my attacks, blindfolded. The elders have been praising her because she's been beating Neji at training matches. He shouldn't fight her. It's too dangerous."

I know that soon you'll reveal…

"She's too dangerous."

Your danger in time…

She stood up and glared at Neji, hate radiating from every fiber in her body. And in her eyes…

…an intent to kill.

It's in your eyes!

What's on your mind?

"Gong to fight now?" Neji asked, raising an eyebrow. Hinata simply closed her eyes. They snapped open, her pupils a stark white. Veins bulged at the side of her head.

She slid into her fighting stance, chakra already glowing up and down her arm.

Neji's smirk disappeared. He dashed forward, and in an instant was attacking her with amazing speed.

Right, left, curved up, down…it didn't matter. Hinata blocked each and every one of his attacks.

Neji ducked down and hit her ankles, causing her to fall to the floor. Neji lunged, preparing to attack. Hinata rolled out of the way and slammed the knife-edge of her hand onto the back of his neck.

He let loose a groan of pain, then whipped around, slamming his hand into her gut. She disappeared into a puff of smoke. Neji jumped up, the kunai she had flung at him missing him by inches. He did a forward flip in the air, then landed on the other side of the room.

"You've gotten better," He said softly. "Why is that?"

"Blame it on the man you stabbed a moment ago," she snapped bitterly, "He showed me that I really am strong. I just needed to bring it out. He…he was my strength," she flared up, "and you destroyed it!" she yelled, dashing forward. It was like the Chuunin exams, so many months ago.

Except it was different.

Both Hyuuga's were attacking each other at top speed and blocking each with what seemed like ease.

In one attempt, Neji managed to grasp both her wrists. "He's your strength, right?" he asked softly.

"That's right," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. She twisted around to free her hands, then she grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall.

How many times were they going to hurt him, because of her? How many times were they going to take away her strength? How many times was she going to fail to protect him?

She walked toward him, performing seals along the way. She stopped and held up her hand. It seemed to be on fire with chakra. She gazed down at him, and Neji had to admit that she looked quite intimidating.

"One last chance, Neji," she said, her tone deadly, "let's stop this."

"I told you," he said, "this is to the death. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not quite dead yet."

Her eyes blazed, and she swooped, preparing to plunge her hand into his heart.

"Why?"

Hinata stopped, her hand inches from his chest.

"If he's your 'strength', than why do you become stronger when he's gone?" Neji asked, his gaze penetrating hers. And he saw it. The tiniest flicker of doubt in her eyes.

See the truth that you've buried inside.

"Maybe he's not your strength after all," Neji said softly, "Maybe there never was anyone who was your 'strength'. Maybe you've believed in a lie for so long."

It's in your eyes!

What's on your mind…

Neji nearly smirked. So gullible. Easy to manipulate. Confusion could stop the seemingly unstoppable. Doubt could break the seemingly unbreakable.

Swift as lightning, he had managed to grab Hinata by the neck. He threw her over his head, slamming her headfirst into the wall. He watched as she slid down in a crumpled heap. She made no move to get up, so he kicked her, causing her to gasp out in pain.

"You disgust me," Neji hissed, "you haven't changed at all!" he slapped her. The skin broke, and blood seeped out. "You're still dependent on other people. The moment they leave, you hide behind a lie." He picked her up by her hair. She groaned.

"You're a coward. Once a coward, forever a coward. I said it before, I'll say it again." He flung her to the floor.

There's no mercy inside of your heart…

"You can never change."

Shikamaru gripped the ledge tightly. This was her battle, and he shouldn't interfere. But Neji had plundered her weakness, and now she was unsure. He had to help.

"Hinata-chan!" he yelled, reminding him greatly of Naruto. "He's wrong. You're wrong! No one's your strength! No one!"

Neji turned to look at him. Who's side was he on?

"Strength doesn't come in the form of a human being! I'm gonna sound really crappy right now and say that strength is comes from you, yourself!" he nearly cringed. Egad, he did sound crappy!

Hinata looked at him weakly. She didn't want to defeat him. If this were to the death, she'd rather die than commit murder…

But, she thought that's not what Naruto-kun would have wanted. He would have wanted me to give my best. He would have wanted me to fight with all I could…

Slowly, unsteadily, she got to her feet, all the while glaring at Neji. Her pale eyes burned with silent fire.

Neji shook his head. "Always fighting a losing battle, aren't you," he smirked, "Hinata-sama?"

"Looks like we have something in common." She shot back.

Immediately, he flared up. Dashing forward, a yell ripped from his throat. This was it, and he was going to give it his all. Hinata was ready for him. Her arms were outstretched, chakra flickering up and down.

Strike after strike, each Hyuuga managed to block it. It was obvious that they were well matched. The hate that they now felt for each other was intense, their strikes becoming faster and faster, chakra practically bursting from their bodies.

Suddenly, Hinata's hand found his arm. Neji stopped short. At first, searing pain. Then, nothing.

He jumped back, holding his limp arm.

"We can stop this," Hinata hissed, "before it becomes completely out of control."

"I told you, didn't I?" Neji shot back. He leapt forward and drove his foot into her neck. She groaned as her back hit the floor. "I'm not fighting only for myself. I'm fighting for the whole branch family. We've been shunned for too long now."

Hinata sprung to her feet. She wasn't down yet.

Shikamaru watched with mixed feelings of pride and worry. She was actually giving it her all. For the first time, she looked ready to kill.

And he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"I know you want to fight destiny, Neji," she said, blocking and dodging at the same time. She grasped his wrists, then turned him around so that his arms were trapped painfully behind him.

"I want to fight it too," she said softly, "we can fight it together."

"You will never be a good ninja if you keep thinking like that." He said. Hinata felt her arms starting to burn. She quickly let go before Neji's chakra could affect her.

Neji took out his kunai and flung them at her. She dodged them, but he kept them coming. She was so caught up in dodging that she didn't realize he was coming closer. She batted away the last kunai, then spun to face him, only to realize that he was mere inches away from her.

He raised his hand, then brought it swinging down, much like he was using a sword. Hinata jumped back, but it was too late. The chakra split her jacket apart. She felt the whole front of her body burn, and for a moment, she was paralyzed.

Neji took advantage of that, and quickly hit her straight in the heart.

Again.

She let out a shriek, before collapsing on the floor.

"You're to kind. Too dependent. Too emotional. Give up, Hinata. You're going to loose again, and you know it."

"Kurenai! Gai!" up in the stands, Asuma looked at the two, panic rising. "They are under your care. Your responsibility. Can't you stop this?"

"Of course I can restrain Hinata," Kurenai said softly.

"But Neji will prove the difficult one," Gai finished for her, "you saw what he did to the medic nins. And to Naruto."

"So, you're saying that a Chuunin will be too difficult for a Jounin to restrain?" Asuma said incredulously.

"He's not your ordinary Chuunin," Gai said, "you forget that he has a powerful defense technique, amazing sight, and almost unmatchable speed."

"Not to mention," Kurenai cut in, "his hate for Hinata will push him further than it ever has before."

She looked down at Hinata, struggling to her feet.

"This is to the death," she said, closing her eyes, "It won't stop unless one of them lies dead."

Hinata struggled to her feet. Neji shook his head. "I'm ending this. Now."

He dashed forward, his arms ablaze. The hate radiating from him was intense.

He was so close. He felt sure this was the deciding blow. She looked ready to faint, and she was so weak. He had closed a lot of her chakra pores, and she probably didn't have much left.

This was it.

"Shugguhake Rokujyuu Yonshou!"

Neji didn't realize what exactly was happening. Her arms had suddenly moved at incredible speed, the chakra emanating from them forming a dazzling orb around her.

He felt his entire body searing, breaking, and burning in a dozen places. All he could see was white light.

Everything died down. She stopped her hands, and he fell to the ground.

I'm sorry, she thought, tears coming to her eyes, I'm so sorry.

"You…honestly think…that's enough to…stop me?"

Hinata's eyes snapped open. Neji was right in front of her. His whole body bleeding, he glared at her.

"46 strikes!"

She felt the numbing pressure on her whole body, then nothing. She fell to the ground, and tried not to scream as her whole body suddenly felt like it was on fire.

I'm not going down, she thought, pushing herself to get up, not this easy.

No matter what, Neji thought, preparing himself for her attacks, I'm not going to disappoint the branch family. Not ever again.

They resumed fighting, although it was obvious that they were tired. Defeated. Weary.

"Their still even," Sakura said, watching them, "this match may end with neither alive."

"You…" Shikamaru's voice caught in his throat, then he tried again, "you may be right."

Hinata jumped away and pressed her hands together. Three clones appeared behind her.

"That won't work on me." Neji said, glaring. Hinata simply shrugged. True, she thought, but they can work as a distraction.

The three clones moved in for the kill. Neji merely glanced at them, then jumped in the air and started to turn.

Immediately, he became a swirling mass of chakra. The clones disappeared the moment they disappeared.

Hinata crept closer, feelings of panic and despair and pain welling up in her. She felt sickened, unable to believe that she was going to do this.

But she had no choice.

Neji slowed down, the chakra dying away. He dragged his foot against the floor to stop himself completely…

…and came face to face with Hinata.

It was inevitable. Both knew, in a split second, what the other was going to do. Hands raised, they had only one aim.

The heart.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he saw the explosion of chakra from them. It was over. Whoever got hit wouldn't be able to stand it.

They were both too weak to have much stamina left.

The deciding blow.

But to whom? He thought, watching the smoke clear.

The crowd couldn't believe it.

Neji's hand had been stopped by Hinata's left hand. Face down, as though she didn't want to look, her other hand was against his chest, still burning with chakra.

Hinata lifted her head, her pale lavender eyes staring weakly into his, as he stared weakly into hers.

Don't cry, she told herself. The look in Neji's eyes frightened her. She had never seen him this…weak. He looked defeated, ready to give up, and it wasn't like him.

She could feel them welling up, and she willed them to stop. Nothing came out.

"I'm…sorry," she whispered, "so sorry. I never…wanted this…"

Neji said nothing. Then, a small smile crept on his face. It was over. He failed again, but it wasn't so bad.

"It's…alright," he said, his voice barely audible, "th-thank you, Hinata-sama."

Confusion showed in her eyes. "Why are you thanking me?"

"I…can see…Otosama…again."

His eyes slowly closed, the smile never leaving his face. He felt the sensation of falling backwards, then nothing.

Nothing at all.

A/N: Sorry for the outburst at the opening authors note. I'm not mad at any of my reviewers, just mad at my classmates. If you thought I was angry, I'm sorry.

It's just that…I really got tired of the people spreading stuff about me behind my back. It can really get annoying. And…I don't think I'm going to yell at them anymore. The past few days cooled me off a bit.

I'm really sorry to all Neji fans, go ahead and flame me. It's alright.

Thanks for reading. To my nee-san, once again, sorry for crying. I shouldn't have let Dad's comment get to me...