Hinata walked through the family compound trying to control her emotions. She strove for the perfect serenity that was expected of any Hyuuga, particularly the heiress. But her thoughts wouldn't stop swirling.
Naruto wants me to leave Konoha with him. No that's not right. He had been thinking about being a medical ninja just the other day. He's offering to leave with me so that I won't have to be sealed. Or beaten. Or looked down on. Okay, in hindsight it really wasn't a surprise I shouted 'Yes!' When he asked me to run away with him. But can we? I mean, sure, Naruto isn't a ninja. And if he fails he won't be a ninja. So technically he can leave the village if he wants. But for me, I'd end up being a Missing-Nin, and as a Hyuuga...well there's no chance the village would risk my eyes falling into enemy hands. I'd be hunted down and killed for sure.
"Lady Hinata," Neji said, standing in front of Hinata.
"Ah, Neji, I didn't see you there," Hinata said, startled out of her thoughts.
"Is your Byakugan so weak that you cannot even see what is in front of your face?" Neji asked, sneering. Hinata didn't bother to respond, just stepping around Neji, and beginning to walk away. He grabbed her arm.
"I'm not done talking to you," Neji said, coldly.
"Then what do you have to say?" Hinata asked, stiffly.
"You've been so happy lately. And yet, now I see you frowning with concern. Has the arranged duel with Hanabi finally made you accept the fact that you are fated to be a failure?" Neji asked.
"I know who I am, and I know what I must do," Hinata said, quietly. "But that doesn't make it any less scary."
"Oh? I'm curious, what exactly are you planning? Do you really think you can win?" Neji asked.
"Even if I win, I lose," Hinata said, shaking her head. "You'll see what I have planned," Hinata added, starting to walk away. She paused, "thank you, Neji."
"For what?" Neji asked. Hinata turned and bowed quickly to Neji.
"For reminding me that I have nothing to lose," Hinata explained. "I was really was scared of what I must do. But there's no point being afraid of the inevitable."
/*/
It was the day of the fight. Hiashi stood in the training yard, with Hanabi by his side. Hanabi fidgeted in place, but was clearly trying to hide her nervousness. Hiashi placed a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to look up at his face.
"Relax, Hanabi," Hiashi commanded, warmly. "Your talent and my training more then make up for the difference in experience between you and Hinata."
"I'm not worried about the fight Father," Hanabi replied.
"Then what is bothering you Daughter?" Hiashi asked.
"I'm worried I might hurt Hinata," Hanabi said, her face full of concern. "What if I hit a bad chakra point? I could cripple her or worse. She's not as skilled as you or one of the Elders. If I strike too hard, she won't be able to catch it like you do, and I don't know how to properly hold back yet." Hiashi smiled, and ruffled Hanabi's hair.
"Do not worry. I am here, and watching the fight. If I see you about to go too far, I'll intervene," Hiashi reassured Hanabi. "Just focus on your training, and on winning this fight. It will be incredibly important to your future."
"It will determine which of us should be your heir, right Father?" Hanabi asked, nodding.
"Indeed. I'm fully confident that you, Hanabi, are destined to one day lead the Hyuuga. But now you must prove it," Hiashi said.
"I don't understand Father. If I am destined to lead, then isn't this fight pointless? Are we not just wasting our time when we already know the answer?" Hanabi asked.
"As I've mentioned before, destiny is but the path. You still need to walk it," Hiashi said, the tiniest bit of sternness entering his voice. Hanabi bowed in compliance and the pair waited. After a short while, the one of the Elders and several of the branch family showed up to witness the duel. Hinata appeared a few moments later. Unlike Hanabi in her training suit, Hinata was dressed in formal clothing. Hiashi stepped forward.
"What is the meaning of this?" he asked, anger filling his voice. "Are you intending to make a mockery of this fight."
"N-n-no," Hinata said, shaking her head, but keeping her gaze firmly on the ground, "I-I w-"
"Then why are you not dressed to fight? Are you so weak that you would forfeit the fight before it even began?" the Elder interrupted, his own voice furious. Hinata looked up at that, a rare glint of anger in her eyes.
"No!" she said. "It's not a matter of strength or weakness," she said, taking a step forward. "I refuse to hurt Hanabi!"
"What?" the gathered Hyuuga gasped.
"Even if I did beat Hanabi, what would that prove? That's I can beat up a girl many years younger than me? That I'm the sort of person who would trample on her sister's dreams, just to protect myself? Well I refuse! Hanabi is my beloved little sister and I'd rather die than see her hurt!" Hinata declared, looking directly towards Hiashi. Hiashi kept his face stern, but inside his emotions were boiling.
I've never seen Hinata so bold. Perhaps I've misjudged her. Perhaps her weakness was not one of body or talent, but of motivation. I'm so proud of her, Hiashi thought, warmly.
"Do you think you know better than your elders, child?" the Elder snarled.
"Yes," Hinata said, firmly. "None of you have faith in me. None of you think I could actually beat Hanabi in a fight. And yet, here we stand." Hinata swept her gaze across the audience. "Why? So you can confirm you suspicions? Or maybe it's in case I surprise you? Well surprise! And I'd rather fight all of you than lay a finger on my beloved Hanabi!" The Elder took a step forward, but Hiashi forestalled him by raising a hand.
"Do you truly think you could win?" he asked, simply.
"No. I would lose. But I would lose doing the right thing, and that's what matters to me," Hinata said. Hiashi couldn't help himself. A tiny smile escaped his control, and he nodded once.
"In that case, we have seen all we need to see. You are all dismissed. The Elders and I will convene and make our decision," Hiashi ordered. Hinata's jaw dropped in surprise, before she rapidly bowed. The other members of the clan joined her in bowing, before they left the arena. Hanabi was the last to leave, a confused expression on her face. She looked back at Hiashi, but he made a slight gesture, signaling for her to leave. The Elder with Hiashi left to gather the others, and within minutes they were all gathered in the training yard.
"It seems clear to me what we must do. Such a cowardly and disobedient child has no right to be the future leader of the Hyuuga. We must strip Hinata of her position at once!" an Eldar said, once they had been told what occurred earlier instead of the fight.
"Really? I disagree," Hiashi said.
"You must be joking," a different Eldar said. "Hinata's behavior was unacceptable. She openly defied us, and refused to fight."
"Do you know what kind of leader just follows someone else's orders? A puppet," Hiashi said. "A puppet leader would be nothing but a servant of the Hokage, and would lead the Hyuuga to disaster. While one willing to stand up for their beliefs would ensure that the village does not ask too much from our clan."
"I see. And I suppose her defiance did take an impressive amount of courage," the Elder who witnessed Hinata's speech said.
"However she is still vitally lacking in her mastery of the Gentle Fist," the first Elder said. "And despite our punishments, she persists in her friendship with the Jinchuriki."
"That is troubling," Hiashi admitted.
"Her fierce loyalty to the Hanabi would also serve her well in the Branch House," the same Eldar added.
"True. And if Hinata refuses to abandon her loyalty to the Jinchuriki, it will be less of a scandal if she's in the branch house. Indeed, we may even benefit from it. Being able to manipulate the Jinchuriki could prove useful in the future," another Elder suggested.
"All good points," Hiashi said, raising a hand. "I can see benefits no matter which way we decide. Thankfully, there is no reason to make a choice right at this moment. We will give Hinata a chance, we will see if she can improve her Gentle Fist training, and if she is willing to abandon the Jinchuriki. In the meantime, we'll keep grooming Hanabi for the position if Hinata fails."
/*/
Neji was furious, though he didn't show it beyond walking a little faster than normal. He searched the halls for Hinata, after waiting for everyone else to disperse. He wanted to talk to her alone. Finally, he found her, sitting in one of the gardens.
"What was that?" he hissed, stalking forward.
"Hello, Neji," Hinata said. "What was what?"
"Don't play dumb. What do you think you're playing at, refusing to fight Hanabi?" Neji demanded.
"I wasn't playing at anything," Hinata said, regarding Neji seriously. "I've simply made a decision. I'm not going to let my fears stop me from standing by those I care about. And I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that I can stand by those I care about."
"What? You'll stand by those you care about?" Neji asked. He laughed, "and what do you think that will change? You are still destined to be a failure of a ninja."
"Yes, I am," Hinata said, calmly, her peaceful expression driving Neji crazy. "I am a failure of a ninja, and that's not really going to change. Oh, I can train and practice, and I'll get better. But I'll never be as good as you. Hanabi herself will quickly surpass me, and I'll never catch up to her." Hinata shrugged. "But that doesn't matter. The people I care about are strong. They don't need me to protect them. Not as a ninja anyways."
"How pathetic. You can't make it as a ninja so you'll cheer the real ninja on. You truly are a waste of disappointment," Neji said.
"Am I? I suppose I must be. Everyone tells me so. And yet I've got people who love me dearly. And they don't care how well I can throw a punch, how far I can run, or how many ninjutsu I know. They just want me to be happy," Hinata said.
"You're talking about the Uzumaki brat," Neji said. "It figures that a worthless ninja would attract another worthless ninja."
"He's a demon, not a ninja, thank you very much," Hinata said, primly. "And he taught me the true meaning about destiny."
"Which is?" Neji asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Destiny is what happens that is beyond our control. But it doesn't define you. And you still have to take responsibility for your own choices," Hinata said, standing up. "I may be an incompetent ninja, but that doesn't mean I'm allowed to slack off during training. And no matter how much or how little progress I make, it's not the whole extent of who I am. I may be a bad ninja, but that's not all who I am."
"Pretty words to excuse your failure," Neji sneered. "But you remain one nonetheless. Your destiny will rule your life and there is no escaping that."
"There is more to life than being a ninja," Hinata replied. "And until you understand that, you'll never escape the despair you feel," she said, walking away. Neji watched her go, focusing on his anger to try and ignore his faint sense of unease.
/*/
Several days later Hanabi stood outside Hinata's room. Her last few days had been odd. Some of her trainers and other branch members had come up to her and assured her that they wouldn't let Hinata steal the leadership of the clan from her. Others, usually the younger and weaker members, would tell her that Hinata would make a better leader than her. Though they were never cruel about it, and often seemed quite envious that Hinata was her sister. The oddest part of her own father. He had changed, no, not changed. He was just the same person. But how he treated Hinata had changed. He no longer shunned her but instead looked at her with the same look he showed Hanabi.
But what does it mean for me? I didn't want to fight my older sister, but now I feel...incomplete? I'm not sure. Like something is missing, or that there is something I need to do. But I can't figure out what, Hanabi thought. She opened the door to her sister's room, where Hinata was sitting on the floor putting a balm on her bruises.
"Hello, older sister," Hanabi said. "I was hoping you had a moment of time to spare,"
"Hanabi, hello," Hinata said. "Of course, come on in." Hinata put the jar containing the cream down, and turned to face Hanabi who sat on a cushion in front of her. "What can I help you with?"
"Can we talk?" Hanabi asked.
"Sure," Hinata said smiling. Hanabi paused for a second, trying to arrange her thoughts.
"Why didn't you fight me?" she finally asked.
"Did you want to?" Hinata asked, her eyes widening even as she frowned.
"No, but...weren't we supposed to? And we didn't, and you said those things and now everything is so confusing," Hanabi said, shaking her head. "Did you know that all this would happen when you refused to fight?"
"Not at all," Hinata said, smiling once again. "I actually thought they'd make you the clan leader then and there."
"And...that doesn't bother you?" Hanabi asked.
"I've made peace with it," Hinata said, putting a hand on Hanabi's shoulder. "Look, Hanabi, you're better than me. I know I impressed Father when I stood up to him, but I wasn't really being brave, I just felt like it didn't matter what I chose. Win, lose, or not fighting, I figured they'd all result in me being sent to the branch house. So I decided to stand by you. Soon enough they'll realize that, and eventually they'll make you the heir to the clan."
"But I won't have earned it," Hanabi protested, "ah, that's it! That's what's bothering me. I feel like I'm taking the position of heir away from you without earning it," she added, pleased to have finally identified what was bothering her. Hinata smiled, and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"You have earned it. You're only seven and you're already surpassing me at the Gentle Fist. I've got no doubt you'll soon catch up to Neji as well. Because every day you train as hard as you can, you have the best trainers helping you, and you're determined to succeed," Hinata said.
"You train hard too, though," Hanabi protested. She looked closely at Hinata, noticing how badly bruised Hinata was for the first time. "I mean look how hurt you are. You must be working really hard if you're in this condition afterwards." Hinata's smile turned bitter.
"Not really. But enough about training. I went into town the other day, and I got a gift for you," Hinata said, turning around and rummaging through her desk. She returned with a small box in her hand. "Here." she said, handing the box to Hanabi. Curious, she opened it. Inside was a beautiful and slender ring, made of silver vines forming a ring with a gemstone fairy on top.
"It's amazing," Hanabi gasped, her eyes wide. "But why?"
"They're called promise rings. See? I've got a matching ring," Hinata said, showing off her own identical ring. "We keep them on, and it'll remind us of a promise that we'll make."
"What promise?" Hanabi asked, eagerly.
"Hmm, how about you promise to be the greatest leader the Hyuuga have ever seen?" Hinata suggested.
"Okay, I promise!" Hanabi said, beaming as she put on the ring.
"And what should I promise?" Hinata asked.
"I'm not sure," Hanabi said, biting her lip. "How about...how about you promise to always be my loving older sister?"
"That should be easy. You're my wonderful little sister after all," Hinata laughed, hugging Hanabi. "Okay then, it's a promise."
Author's Notes: Ugh, this chapter. Well really it's mostly Neji. I don't like writing him.
Anyways, a quick break down on each character here. Neji hates the main family, and takes it out on Hinata, mostly because she's the only one who won't punish him for that. As awful as that is, he isn't up to openly defying the main family and the Elders, not when it means they'd use the seal on him.
Hiashi loves his daughters, but had written off Hinata. He felt that he had to be cold towards her, since she'd inevitably lose her position as heir and be sent on dangerous missions. It was also to hide his disappointment in her sub-par abilities. But beneath all of that, he does love her, and now is proud of her.
Hanabi is simple, she just loves her older sister and doesn't really understand what's going on.
Oh, and does anyone know if it's Hyuga or Hyuuga? I found both so I went with Hyuuga.