Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. This chapter contains scenes of graphic violence.

CHAPTER 23

Konoha Crush: Part 2

"Alright, everyone ready?" Naruto's distorted voice reverberated through the trees and what wildlife had remained immediately fled the vicinity.

"Hai!" Hinata yelled, Byakugan activated and chakra already flowing through her hands.

Sasuke swallowed hard, forcing down the memory of the last time his teammate was cloaked in the frothing red chakra and looked into the crimson eyed version of Naruto that stood before him now. I have to trust him. "Hai."

Naruto nodded at his teammates, feeling the weight of their faith upon his shoulders. He would not let them down. It's time Kyuubi. Gimme one tail!

Hinata and Sasuke gasped as the demonic chakra amplified, triggering an instinctual feeling of panic that they fought to overcome. Naruto's screams only magnified their fear as they watched his teeth lengthen into fangs and his fingers grow long black claws. His eyes flashed with a feral bloodlust before he shook his head to dispel the unholy emotions, spiking his already frazzled hair before he turned to face them. "Now Hime," he panted.

She barely registered the tremor of her hands as she placed her palms upon his chest and pushed her chakra into his pulsing coils. Instantly he gasped like a diver coming up for air as the bubbling chakra smoothed over his body into a sleek crimson cloak of near blinding power. Their chakras oscillated together as Hinata worked with Naruto in seeking the point of balance where the beast and the boy were in perfect equilibrium. Naruto chuckled lowly and tipped his forehead down to tap it against her own until her vision was filled by his sharp incisors. "He likes you," Naruto shared with her in the manner of a child whispering a secret, despite knowing that the Kyuubi was able to hear every single syllable. "He won't admit it, but your chakra is his favorite too."

Not pausing to notice the adorable blush that was rapidly taking over her face, Naruto clenched his fists and braced himself for the next part. He had never been able to get this far in his training with Ero-sennin. But now he had Hime by his side, and similar to the way Ma and Pa could assist Jiraiya with his Sage Mode, it seemed her chakra could give Naruto the anchor he needed to weather the storm of the bijuu's potent hatred. "Okay, one more time," he breathed. Hit me again, Kyuubi!

Sasuke gaped as the heavy chakra surged once more, blowing Hinata's hair back and making him squint in the heat of the small blast. "Have you done this before?!" the Uchiha shouted over the swirling wind that was rapidly picking up speed and debris.

"Not...exactly..." Naruto yelled, his voice warbling into a register lower than any human's could reach. Suddenly his eyes became a fathomless white and he screamed once more, hunching over as a second tail of chakra emerged from the end of his arched spine. Pieces of skin started to peel away, revealing simmering raw flesh, and even Hinata began to whimper as the deadly transformation scalded her hands.

"Naruto! Get a hold of yourself!" Sasuke ignited his chidori, ready to defend himself and Hinata should the jinchuriki's thready control snap completely. "You're hurting Hinata! You have to reel it in! NOW!"

As though the words were magic, the burning jinchuriki grunted and groaned as he struggled against the overwhelming hatred that raged through his mind. "I...will never...hurt my precious...people!"

Hinata felt Naruto's soul fighting its way back to her, and flashing images of nine orange tails whipping across massive bronze bars flickered through her mind. I see you, Kyuubi, she cried out from her heart. See me! I'm not going to hurt you!

In her mind she imagined her chakra reaching out to the Demon, slender tendrils sliding through his orange fur like fingers down the back of a scared animal. Her heart channeled every memory of calm and comfort she could summon, infused them with her will to heal the hurt around her, to unify that which was broken, balance the inequity of fate, and with a mighty push she propelled her emotions into the quagmire of hatred.

Sasuke heaved a sigh of deep relief, glad that his teammates were too occupied to see his chidori disappear as the cloak once again evened out into a brilliant mantle of polished crimson, and Naruto opened his flaming eyes to blink at Hinata in awe. "Hime..."

The screech of the Ichibi as he speared the final clone interrupted the group and Sasuke twisted around to see the demon blast away a grove of trees with the shock waves of his roar. "Save it for later you two, we're out of time!"

"R-right," Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand, seeking her guidance like the glow of a lighthouse through a thick malignant fog. She smiled up at him in reassurance, and his fanged grin was bright in response. Thanks Kyuubi. I think you're gonna like this next part even more.

"Henge no jutsu!"

From a treetop a safe distance from the clearing Gamakichi whooped as Naruto transformed into a life sized Nine Tailed Demon and let out a roar that made the Ichibi shudder for its might. Upon the massive orange head, clinging to his ears stood Hinata and Sasuke, their dōjutsu pulsing red and lavender. "Kick his sandy ass!" the toad hollered from his perch, now quite grateful that he didn't have to fight in the Village and could witness this Battle Royale between the two jinchuriki.

"Naruto, get me close enough to catch his eye," Sasuke shouted into the ear he grasped, and the beast beneath his feet leapt forward with the speed of a hurricane force wind.

Claws and teeth slashed and gnashed as the two powerful entities fought to subdue one another. Naruto snarled and the Ichibi howled as they battled like titans over the green landscape. The earth rumbled beneath them, and way back in the village every head turned toward the forest where the overpowering apocalypse of dueling demons lit up the sky with flashes of chakra that were bright as lightening and roars of fury as loud as thunder.

"You have to hold him still!" Sasuke barked from atop the thrashing skull.

"I'm fucking trying!" the transformed fox growled beneath him.

"You have eight more goddamned tails than he does! Use them!"

Naruto grunted as he blocked another sweep of the Ichibi's arm and sunk a fist into the creature's gut with enough force to throw him onto his back. "I didn't think of that, I'm not used to fighting with all the extra limbs."

If Sasuke had a free hand he would face palm. "Honestly Dobe, sometimes I wonder about you," he muttered.

"I heard that Teme!" Naruto snapped as he prepared for the new move. "You're literally in my fucking ear!"

"Language!" Hinata hissed. "Less cussing more winning! Go before he gets back up!"

Nine tails struck out at the downed Ichibi and pinned him to the earth, one long orange tail wrapping around his neck to hold his head steady as the rest of his body thrashed in savage indignation within the tight hold. The Uchiha wasted no time and sprinted down to land upon the bijuu's face and immediately locked his Sharingan onto the black and gold eye. "Genjutsu: Sharingan!"

The body of the beast went rigid as the catatonia of the jutsu took hold. "I can't hold him forever! Hurry up!" Sasuke fought the urge to blink away the blood that trickled from his eyes as he focused all his chakra into his Sharingan.

Hinata dropped to a knee and placed her hands upon the center of Naruto's furred forehead, praying that the chakra she had left would be enough as she sought that connection with Naruto's mind she had tapped into moments ago, which seemed so natural and yet so elusive. Naruto-kun, I'm here, just feel me, and follow my lead.

The jinchuriki closed his eyes and felt his soul settle into the solidity of her presence that attracted his mind with a magnetic force. I see you Hime...

They opened their eyes in unison, and together drilled their victim with a penetrating stare as they chanted, "Locked on."

Two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, one hundred twenty-eight strikes smashed every one of the Ichibi's tenketsu shut, and soon the entire body of the bijuu melted beneath Naruto's tails, leaving nothing but a red headed genin lying limply upon a pile of loose sand.

The henge evaporated in a puff of smoke and Hinata and Sasuke collapsed upon the earth panting in exhaustion. Naruto staggered over to the unconscious Gaara, his own orange clothes shredded and waving in the strong breeze that swept across the sand as if the earth herself was catching her breath after the fantastic conflict. He pulled back his fist, aiming at the kanji for "love" on the pale forehead below him.

"Time to wake up and have a chat Gaara."


Kakashi watched Pakkun disappear from sight towards the forest where the sounds of battle had suddenly gone silent. "I'll report back as soon as I find the Pup!" the ninken shouted as he jumped away.

The Copy Nin looked around him, the fighting within the stadium was over, the civilians were evacuated, the Hyuga's had mysteriously disappeared, and the remaining Leaf shinobi had moved on to other hot spots around the village. His ANBU training kicked in as he prioritized his next move, protect the Hokage.

Landing on the roof next to the other ANBU who were anxiously watching the battle between Sensei and Student, Kakashi took in the sight of the Shishienjin barrier that encased the opponents and the four freakish looking ninja that were maintaining the jutsu.

"Report," the former ANBU demanded, and the masked shinobi didn't hesitate to answer the infamous Sharingan no Kakashi.

"The purple flame walls engulf everything—and everyone—that comes in contact with them. The Sound Four have placed themselves inside the barrier and we cannot get anything in or out to aid the Hokage."

"Have you tried coming up from underneath? Disturbing their footing might distract them enough to weaken the jutsu," he lifted his hitae-ate, grimacing at the pain that pierced his head from having used his Sharingan so much in a single day. Silence answered him and he glanced sideways at the blank looks of the painted masks beside him, seeing the wide eyes through the cut outs of the disguises. "For fuck's sake," he grumbled. "I guy retires for a few years and the whole place goes to hell."

The roof rumbled and his gifted bloodline caught the words that passed Orochimaru's sneering lips, "Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!"

"Shit! No time to be delicate people! We have to cave this roof in before those coffins open, that's the forbidden jutsu of The Nidaime and I don't want to see what kind of twisted fuckery that Snake added to it. Everyone to a corner, and on my mark hit it with all you've got, now scatter!"

Kakashi noted with satisfaction that no one challenged his authority as they instantly leapt away.

"Three!" The ANBU, past and present, posted up on the four corners of the already unstable rooftop.

"Two!" Chakra swirled in Kakashi's open palm as he poured the last of his reserves into the powerful jutsu his Sensei had taught him when he first became a member of the Leaf's Black Ops.

"ONE! Rasengan!" The tiles of the rooftop shattered upon impact and the beams of the building creaked and groaned before giving way in an enormous cloud of dust, bringing Kakashi down with all the rest as the purple flames of the Shishienjin flickered and dispersed. As the corners of his vision started to blacken from exhaustion, he heard the ANBU calling out familiar tactical formations as they joined their leader to fight the rogue Sanin as a group. I hope…this time…I wasn't too late…


Naruto and his clone landed outside the hospital's triage area, each carrying a teammate, and he looked around for a place to set his burden down. He spotted a familiar head of pink hair and called out, "Sakura! A little help!"

The girl popped up from the side of the shinobi she was assisting with a drink and her green eyes widened at the sight of the unconscious Uchiha the clone was bringing her way. "Sasuke-kun! What happened?"

"He'll live," the clone grunted as he plopped the passed out teenager onto the ground at her feet. "He's just overdone it a bit. We had a hell of a time with that stupid raccoon."

Naruto reached out and smacked the clone upside the back of its head hard enough to dispel the jutsu. "Ehehe, don't mind him," he laughed awkwardly, adjusting Hinata's weight on his back, "the clones get a little sassy when they're tired."

Sakura had pulled Sasuke's head into her lap and was assiduously wiping the blood from his face, but glanced up at the tattered blond and his red faced teammate whose eyes swirled in a dazed trance. "Is she going to be okay? Do you want me to find someone to help her too?"

"No, I got her," Naruto quickly replied, craning his neck to check on his best friend. "She was fine until we cut through that last clump of branches. I'm not exactly sure what happened to her, but the thorns were pretty thick, they even ripped off the last of my shirt. Next thing I knew she was falling through the canopy, but I grabbed her before she got hurt." He frowned with genuine concern and shifted her around so as to get a better look at her flushed face. "You don't think there was something in those plants that made her sick or something do ya?"

Sakura snickered to herself as she saw the dreamy tilt of the soft smile on Hinata's lips. "I think she'll be fine as soon as you put a shirt back on, and probably some proper pants as well." Naruto looked down at his bare chest and firm abs, and the green frog underwear that peeked through his ripped orange pants, then blinked in confusion. "What would that have to do with anything?"

"Just take her home," Sakura sighed at the amazingly dense boy. "The fighting has finally died down and the Sound and Sand Shinobi are in full retreat. I need to help tend to the wounded, they are the main priority now."

Naruto observed the rows of injured people, ninja and civilian alike, and then noticed the blood stains on Sakura's clothes, and the chakra burns on her hands. Her voice was tired but confident, and for once the tone of her chakra felt more soothing and less…bansheeish. She's been working really hard.

He grinned down at his former classmate. "Strong work Sakura! You've really been helpful to everyone haven't you? You should be proud of yourself. It's not easy to fix what's broken sometimes."

As Naruto turned to bound off in the direction of the Hyuga Compound, the long tail of his red scarf that somehow survived the day waving behind him, Sakura smiled at his retreating figure, her heart filling with pride. Maybe not so dense after all.

A hand tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned to see a young medic with round glasses gesture at the comatose Sasuke in her lap. "Shall I look him over, Haruno-san?"

Sakura moved aside to allow the gray haired medic better access to her patient, thinking that she hadn't seen him before, but quickly pushing the thought aside as his hands steadily glowed with healing chakra. "He seems to be fine, some serious chakra exhaustion, but nothing that some rest won't fix," the man said calmly. "Could you hand me my stethoscope? It's in the side pocket of my kit over there."

When she turned her back to rummage through the bag beside her, the medic snapped his hands up to the curse mark on Sasuke's exposed neck, his chakra changing as he rapidly recited the words to the fuuinjutsu that would reverse the containment seal around his Master's mark.

"Here you go!" Sakura chirped as she thrust the tool into the startled medic's hands. "It wasn't in the side pocket though, I hope you don't mind that I dug around in your bag a bit to find it." Reverently she placed the Uchiha's head back onto her lap, and nodded her thanks at the frustrated man. "I can handle it from here, there are others that need your expertise more."

Kabuto frowned as he grabbed his bag and slipped away through the crowds to join Orochimaru-sama at the hideout where he had retreated to after failing to complete the invasion of Konoha. Stupid girl, at least I was able to weaken the containment seal significantly.


Satoshi was gasping as he stumbled into the room where Ane was enduring her forced bedrest upon orders from the midwife. I have to get her away, she isn't safe here anymore…

The heavy stench of blood filled the air of the room and his nervous stomach lurched as he saw the midwife bent over his daughter, who was nearly as pale as the sheets that were stained with her sweat. Another Branch maid was in the corner, holding an impossibly small bundle that was wrapped tightly, silent and still. Again? Kami has surely cursed us for our sins.

"Where is my husband?" croaked the hoarse voice of his daughter, and Satoshi was instantly at her side. "I heard the sounds of battle, is he dead? He cannot be dead! He has to come back to me! I have to show him our son!"

Her eyes were glazed and dull, skittering around the room, never settling upon his face. Satoshi's heart broke as looked up and saw the solemn expression of the midwife, who was aggressively kneading Ane's abdomen. "She won't stop bleeding," the woman grunted. "I don't know how much longer she'll last. I'm sorry Satoshi-san."

The father's lips trembled as he bent over his only child, his world, the most precious treasure of all his wealth. "Ane," he whispered into her damp hair, "Your husband is fine, he is coming as fast as he can. He will be so proud to see the boy."

The tragically young woman grasped his hand with clammy fingers that were cool to the touch. "I did it, Otousan. He is such a beautiful child isn't he? He looks just like his sister…"

"He's perfect. Just like you, Love." The bed stopped rocking as the midwife stood, shoulders hunched in defeat. Satoshi didn't need to look at her to know.

"I'm tired Otousan, so, so tired," her grip was loosening and her voice was just a whisper now.

"Rest child. I will see to the children. They will want for nothing, I promise." Ane smiled softly as her gaze drifted over to the corner where her son waited for her to join him. A final bone deep sigh of pure contentment left her body, and her father sobbed without shame.

In the chaos of the battle's aftermath, as civilians poured out of their shelters and roamed over the city like ants, assessing the degree of their home's destruction, no one noticed the single horse and wagon that exited the destroyed gates. Just one older man and his granddaughter, with their few belongings hastily thrown into the simple conveyance slipped away into the creeping dusk, headed north along the abandoned roadway.

"Jiji," the child asked, looking over her shoulder at the only home she had ever known shrinking in the distance behind her, "where is mama?"

"She is gone, Nabi-chan. And we must leave as well."

"Are we ever going back?" She turned her opal gaze up to her grandfather's tired face, and he mused that he would have to do something about her eyes. I might be able to find some glasses at the next town, until she is old enough for contacts.

"No, sweetheart. There is nothing left for us there." Satoshi was a man of many resources, and he would ensure that no one from the Leaf crossed paths with them ever again.


The white shirt slipped over his head, settling loosely around his hips and Naruto couldn't hold back a chuckle at his appearance in the traditional attire of a Hyuga guard. "I could have a lot of fun giving the council members heart attacks with this outfit, eh Hiro-san?"

The Branch maid swatted at him in mock scolding, but smiled at the tall man that was rapidly replacing the skinny boy she had first met that day amongst the laundry. Her children had now been grown and on their own for a while, and she had moved into Hizashi's residence upon Hinata's insistence when the girl had discovered that she was living all alone. Hiro couldn't argue, the comings and goings of the three Hyuga's kept things more than interesting, and the frequent presence of the young Uzumaki with his sunny personality was an added bonus.

"Just don't destroy them before you give them back, I have enough mending to do as it is," she said without malice and turned to see Hinata reappearing from her room where she had gone, also in search of a fresh change of clothes.

"Hey Hime, you feeling better now? I thought you'd never wake up!" Naruto threw an arm around her shoulders, inadvertently smacking her in the face with the draping sleeve.

Hinata cleared her throat harshly to drown out the noise of Hiro-san's chortling and valiantly tried to change the subject. "Naruto-kun, have you seen Neji-niisan, or Otousan?"

Scrunching up his face for a moment Naruto was quickly able to pinpoint the nearby presence of the two familiar chakras. "They're both over in the Main House with a bunch of other Hyuga. I think your grandfather and Hiashi are there too. Must have something to do with all the craziness that went down today."

The occurrence of a late night meeting made her heart uneasy and Hinata frowned in concern. A lot had happened today, the Invasion had made her little 'revelation' and oath after her victory seem like nothing more than child's play. Even so, guilt tugged at her conscience as she worried that her father and brother were possibly being punished for her words while she had been absent.

"Feel like practicing your recon skills?" she asked her teammate, who smirked and squeezed her shoulders, instantly performing a henge to complete the appearance of being a Hyuga.

"Does Ero-sennin like porn? Let's do it!"

They had little trouble slipping unnoticed into the crowded council chambers, where Hyugas were talking over one another in a display of uncharacteristic chaos. The two interlopers quickly located Neji who had found a place along the wall with a clear view of the head of the table where his father and grandfather were vainly trying to bring order to the meeting despite the raging accusations that were spewing from the Clan Head standing between them. Neji glanced at Hinata and then narrowed his eyes upon the unfamiliar boy following close behind her. Naruto grinned broadly back at him in a manner completely foreign to any Hyuga ever, and Neji simply rolled his eyes as recognition dawned. But instead of chastising the perpetual prankster, he simply gestured for them to remain silent, and refocused on the discussion at hand.

"She's lying! Bring her to me, I will ask her myself!" Hiashi seethed, his robes were still stained from the battle at the stadium, but he refused to allow the day to end without someone answering his question.

"I was not lying! Satoshi-san is gone, Hiashi-sama," the gravelly voice of the midwife split the room, as she stalked brazenly toward the Clan Head. "I stayed to tend to Ane-sama's body, as well as the child's, as is my duty. That was the last I saw of him." She jabbed a gnarled finger at his scowling face, "you should be mourning your wife and son, comforting your daughter, and reassuring your Clan. Not head hunting for the sake of your wounded pride!"

"Insolence!" Hiashi cried, as shocked murmurs rippled through the chamber at her shameless disrespect. "That whore will not be acknowledged as my wife, her bastards were never my children, and you shall learn your place as well!" Bringing up his hand to form the sign that would activate her curse seal, Hiashi's arm was yanked down by his father.

"Enough Hiashi! Have you no self control? Leave her alone, we have bigger problems to address." But the Leader of the Hyuga refused to be placated.

"I shall say my piece! I am the Head of the Hyuga Clan. I am the harbinger of our success, and I will not be usurped by weaker fools who think they can betray me. You want me to settle my ire upon a more deserving criminal? So be it." His steely silver eyes glared at his brother, who merely returned the black look.

"If it is a fight you want, brother, you have only to ask," Hizashi growled. But Hiashi sneered, a better idea coming to mind. "Bring me his children," he demanded.

Naruto immediately stepped in front of Hinata, completely blocking her from view with his broad shoulders, and simultaneously Neji began threading his way through the men in front of him, who had instantly turned to expose his position.

"No! Neji—"

"Shhh, Hime," Naruto hissed as she tried to get around him, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into his chest, thankful that the Hyuga had been watching Neji and not seen her. "We will be more help if we are free to move around. C'mon there's a better view from the other side." Hinata swallowed the fear bubbling up within her chest as she followed Naruto with her feet and her Niisan with her eyes.

"You have no business with the boy, Hiashi!" Hiroto bellowed as he stamped his cane onto the wooden floorboards. "I did not raise you to be this kind of leader. Your anger will only bring you shame and soil the Hyuga name in the eyes of the village!"

"And what of the people within the walls of this compound?" Hiashi snapped, walking closer to his twin whose face was a mirror of his mounting fury. "Do I not deserve respect from them even more than from those who are outside? I AM THE HEAD OF THIS CLAN," his pale eyes flashed as he addressed Hizashi. "AND YOU WILL NOT FORGET THAT AGAIN."

Neji was almost at his father's side when he collapsed screaming to the floor of the chamber, the council members that were nearby quickly stepped away to avoid the writhing of his limbs. "Stop this Hiashi!" Hizashi fell to his knees and gripped his son's wrists, trying to keep the strong boy from gouging out his own eyes from the pain. "If it is my life you want, you can have it! Just spare my son! Leave my daughter alone! I will pay for my sins a thousand times over, but leave my children be!"

Naruto was nearly smothering Hinata with his hand to keep her screams from attracting the attention of the elders in front of them who were staring in morbid fascination at the senseless torture before them. I have to get her out of here, if this is the future that awaits her I cannot leave her to this fucked up fate. I need to make a distraction, something that will stop that Asshole from frying Neji's brain, something like—"

The Gentle Fist palm strike that blasted into Hiashi's chest caught everyone off guard, even the unpredictable Naruto was blinking in shock. That'll do.

Hiroto straightened up, the disappointment and outrage that fluctuated in his eyes like quicksilver causing all those who were gathered to fall silent as the Elder Head loomed over his wheezing son.

"I have seen enough. My mind is made up. You have been weighed on the scales of fate and been found wanting, Hiashi. And with Kami as my witness, I will right the wrongs that I have perpetuated." Hiroto turned to face the stunned council, his eyes resting on the small figure of the midwife, whose watery gaze did not flinch from his stern command, "Come Obaasan, it is time I confessed my transgressions."

Hiroto stood tall as he invoked the Act of Verity, wherein every elder of the council activated their Byakugan to hear the testimony of a Clan member who sought to prove his truth by testifying before them with his chakra on full display. It was an age old tradition dating back to the origins of the Hyuga, and carried a weight of reverence and honor that overruled the highest court of the land in the minds of the Clan.

Hiroto licked his lips, settling his cane squarely before him as he placed his hands atop its smooth knob. His hands clenched until the knuckles were blanching white as he began his attestation.

"On the night of their birth I was called to the birthing chambers by Obaasan. The first babe was stuck, my wife was running out of energy and Obaasan asked me to make a choice: save my wife or save my child." Hiroto looked down at Hizashi, where he still sat upon the floor with Neji blearily leaning on his shoulder. "Before I could gather my wits to answer her, my wife begged me to choose the babe, but I could not bear to follow her wishes. We could have more children, but no one could replace her in my eyes."

Hinata was barely breathing, and closed her eyes as tears ran down her face. Naruto was spellbound by the words as well, but wrapped an arm around her waist and held her tightly to him in an attempt to bolster her through the emotional declaration.

"The birth was…difficult," Hiroto's voice faltered as the memory of his wife's screams and the blood flashed through his mind. "When the boy finally was delivered, it was with his cord wrapped tightly around his neck and his twin brother clinging to his heel. Obaasan worked quickly, but while the younger babe cried heartily, the firstborn was limp and pale, and despite her vigorous efforts he refused to draw breath."

The midwife was now standing front and center, nodding her head in agreement and encouragement as she stood witness to Hiroto's story. "I had given up on the child, and turned to tend to my other son and wife, when I finally heard his cry." The Elder Clan Head paused, struggling to keep his expression from crumbling and he swallowed thickly. "It was weak, and he was still white as a ghost, but he was alive. I should have been grateful, should have counted myself blessed that Kami would see fit to give me two sons and allow me to keep my wife as well. But my fear of weakness tainted my thankfulness, and I made the greatest mistake of my life."

The man looked ages older than his years as he squared his shoulders. The eyes of every person widening as they anticipated his next words. "I, Hyuga Hiroto, forced the midwife to switch the birth order of the boys, under threat of activation of her seal should the secret ever be leaked. I feared that the trauma of his birth would render Hizashi deficient of mind and unable to properly perform the duties that were necessary to lead the Clan. I took his destiny away from him, and now I am forever in Kami's debt."

Hiroto's cold eyes locked onto the gaping visage of Hiashi, who was not believing his ears. "By birthright, by justice, and most importantly, by the worth of his character, Hizashi is the true Head of the Hyuga Clan, and Neji is his heir."

Shouts started to crescendo in the chamber when the midwife heartily declared her agreement with Hiroto's testimony and council members began calling out their demands.

"Brand Hiashi! This instant!"

"Hiroto is the one who should be punished!"

"Hizashi is not fit to be Head, he is branded with the cursed seal!"

"There is a way to remove the seal, but a current or former Clan Head must perform it himself."

"Such a thing has never been done! The Scroll with the seal is surely just a rumor."

"It is not!" Hiroto bellowed over the din of the council's cries. "The Reversal Seal for the Caged Bird Curse Mark is real. It is kept locked in the vault that is only accessible to the current and former unsealed Clan Heads." Naruto perked up at the mention of secret clan fuuinjutsu, and didn't notice the spilled cup of tea that had captured Hinata's attention.

"The only way to completely remove the Branch Mark is to activate and release a storage seal that contains a unique chakra said to belong to the one who originally created the array. The scroll containing this chakra seal is accessible only by the Head of the Clan, in order to ensure that the only Hyuga released from the Caged Bird Seal were those who had been specifically deemed worthy to guard their own lives and bloodline without the added protection the seal offered. The seal was meant to keep the Hyuga safe by deterring our enemies from trying to steal our eyes, our women, and our children. Over the years the purpose of the seal has morphed from being protective, to being a status symbol, to a means of punishment, and now under the mistreatment of leaders such as Hiashi, a form of slavery."

More murmurs filtered through the group as Hiroto continued, and Naruto didn't notice Hinata slip her arm out of his hold as he hung on to the man's every word. "There is only a finite amount of the unique chakra stored within the ancient scroll, but with the guidance of a benevolent mind such as Hizashi's, I believe we can move on as a Clan despite the separation of the two Houses."

Hysterical laughter bubbled up from the midst of the gathering, and all eyes locked onto the crazed face of Hiashi as he stumbled to his feet. "You fools," he cackled. "I destroyed that scroll as soon as I became Head. I knew Hizashi would try to take my position away from me one way or another, so I ensured that he, and all of his spawn, would never be able to claim it." He spun to face his father, who stared in horror at the shameless act of hubris and malevolence Hiashi had casually admitted to committing. "I never would have thought it would be you who would steal my rank from beneath my feet, Otousama," he scoffed. "I guess this just leaves me with one option…"

With a clap of his hands Hiashi caught the whole of the stunned group off guard as he surged his chakra with a powerful fury that seared the Caged Bird Seal upon Hiroto's wrinkled forehead with the intensity of hell's fire. The semicircle of space that the council had created in order to have a clear view of the two Clan Heads, now hindered the ability of anyone present from reaching Hiashi and intervening before the jutsu could be completed. In the milliseconds that it had taken Hizashi to scramble to his feet, his father was already falling to the floor.

A pulse of concentrated chakra shot through the atmosphere, and Hiashi's head jerked, his neck snapping backwards from the force of an unseen impact. His body slammed into the wall, his silver eyes wide with shock as he slid slowly to the ground, smearing crimson down the expensive wallpaper. A thick line of blood trickled from a single small wound on the center of his forehead, tracing a path down between his eyes as they dulled into the blank stare of the dead.

One by one heads turned, tracing the trajectory of the imperceptible projectile that had assassinated Hyuga Hiashi. Their gazes fixated on the far side of the room, where Hinata stood rigid, her arm extended, index finger aimed in perfect accuracy with a droplet hovering over the fingertip, Byakugan blazing on her calm face, and an innocuous pool of spilled tea lying at her feet.

"The tyrant is gone," she stated into the heavy silence of everyone's stupefaction. "We are all branded now. The need to be unsealed is irrelevant." She stared solemnly at her father and her brother who were just as speechless as everyone else. "Let this be the beginning of a new era for the Hyuga. And may Hizashi-sama guide us to redemption."


Naruto slipped down the dark hallway, leaving Neji passed out in a coma-like deep sleep on his futon after the harrowing events of the day. Hizashi had yet to come home, wanting to stand vigil by his father's side as the Elder Clan Head's condition rapidly deteriorated from the violent application of the Caged Bird Seal. They all were spent, emotionally and physically, from the immense effort of survival.

Moving with the grace of a breeze whispering through the trees, he found the door to Hime's room and pressed his ear to the wooden panel. Hiro-san had insisted Naruto stay the night, and when he had seen the turmoil in Hime's eyes, he had readily agreed to remain close to his best friend in the aftermath of this stunning twist of destiny. But the futon on the floor of Neji's room wasn't close enough for him.

The cool night air seeped out from under her door and chilled his feet, she must have her window open again, she always hated to feel closed in, caged. Naruto could hear her breaths, shallow and quick, and worry tightened his chest, so he opened his senses to feel for her chakra.

Her chakra felt like a thick fog. Dense, heavy, and unsettled as it swirled through the air, refusing to precipitate and obscuring the world around it in a confusing blindfold of moisture. One could get lost in her aura without a light to lead the way. And he wanted nothing more than to illuminate the shadows of her worries with his warmth and hope.

Not wanting to alert Hiro-san of his midnight roaming, he refrained from calling out Hime's name, and instead pulsed his own chakra as he slid open her door to silently announce his presence. She was kneeling on her bed, chin resting on her folded arms that were crossed upon the open windowsill as her gaze stared out into the twinkling night that matched the hue of her flowing hair. Naruto paused, inexplicably breathless as he stared at her in the faint moonlight, silhouetted except for the gleam of her pale eyes. Swallowing the baffling feeling of butterflies in his stomach, he crawled up next to her on the blankets and leaned his back against the wall by her side, letting his head fall back against the ledge as he studied the way her bangs swished in the soft breeze, allowing the seal on her bare forehead to peek out from under the soft fringe. He waited.

"I thought it would feel different," she whispered, never taking her eyes off the cloudless sky. "Ever since I was a child, I always thought that everything would be so much easier if Hiashi would just…disappear. Things would hurt less. Decisions would be clearer. Obstacles would be smaller. Life would be, just, better. My soul could finally heal." Her pearly eyes closed and she sighed heavily. "I never thought I wanted revenge, I had convinced myself that I was too noble for that. I was seeking justice. But if I am perfectly honest with myself, there was always a small part of me that wanted him dead. Wanted him to suffer like he had made us all suffer. And now…"

Naruto reached over and pinched a lock of her hair between his fingers, twirling the fine silk around as he contemplated her words. "And now?"

"I feel…lost. The Hyuga are free, but not really. Hiashi had the last laugh, and now Otousan has inherited a Clan that is less of a family than ever before. The honor of the Main house lineage is forever tainted by Grandfather's lies, the Branch members are more bitter than ever, and the council will only bicker about ancient clan laws and how the Hyuga should proceed from now until the end of eternity." Hinata slumped down from the windowsill, twisting on the futon so that her back rested against the wall next to Naruto. The two sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

" 'The sins of the fathers are the sins of the sons,' " Naruto murmured. "I always hated that saying. I thought it was unfair for the burden of one generation's wrongs to be dumped on their children. But the fact is that some decisions are so far-reaching that they echo down through the ages, and will continue to do so unless someone stops the cycle." He lifted his arm and wrapped it around Hinata's shoulders, and she leaned heavily into his warm chest, her wet cheek pressing into his shoulder. "Today, you stopped the cycle. The Caged Bird Seal may still exist, but no one will use it the way Hiashi and Ane did ever again. The youngest generation of Hyuga will never know what it's like to be threatened with the punishment of having their minds destroyed. Councils will always bicker just like the sun will always rise. The Clan cannot become a family overnight, believe me, bonds are not always easily forged. But time can heal a lot of wounds, and you never give up, right?"

Hinata sniffled in response and Naruto pulled her closer to him, resting his chin on top of her dark head. She needed to cry, he would not rebuke her for mourning the imperfect fulfillment of her dreams. But that did not mean her hopes for the future had to die. There would always be trials on the road to revolution, and whatever obstacles she faced, he would proudly stand by her side. The moonlight slowly traced a path across the folds of the blanket as they allowed their drained hearts to be filled with each other's comfort. Eventually Hinata felt her body relax, her mind slow, and her soul once again find peace in the perfect presence of her best friend.

Just as she started to drift off, she felt him mumble something, the sound a low rumble in her ear. Lifting her head sleepily she could only manage to quirk a brow in question. His blue eyes danced in the darkness of the room as he pulled her down and arranged the blanket over them, immediately beginning to swirl his chakra into her body, mimicking the soothing comfort of her own technique that she had used to calm the nightmares that sometimes haunted his sleep. Hinata sighed in sheer contentment, gratefully allowing him to guide her into a desperately needed solid night of sleep.