Son of the Sannin: Hanabi Gaiden

by Shinobi420

After the Uchiha Insurrection, Hanabi Hyuga made a promise to herself that she would do whatever it takes to get stronger to protect the ones she hold dear. Whether it be through hard work of training or simply obtaining an ancient Otsutsuki elder's Six Paths Chakra, it doesn't really matter to her. But who would have thought that a certain Sarutobi Heir could change all of that?

2. Act II: A Broken Mirror

Some time after the tournament...

"Damn it! It's because of me that my entire team lost the first fight in the finals!" Konohamaru yelled out loud, throwing a skipping pebble across a pond. "I've could've been a better leader. Instead, I led Moegi and Udon straight to failure which is why we're still Genin right now!"

"Hey, kid, are you alright?"

He heard a feminine voice calling out to him. He turned to look and saw a young woman with brown bun-styled hair.

"No, I'm not, Tenten-san" he answered immediately. He was too depressed and preoccupied with himself to even bother hiding his real emotions. That being said, he picked up another pebble from nearby the pond, and threw it towards the water. "You see...the thing is...my team lost the first fight."

"I get it," she replied tactfully, "And I know how you feel. Believe me, I do. I know what it's like to give it your all, but the fruits of your labor just wasn't enough to be among the strongest Genin in the competition." She silently recalled her match against Gaara in the Chunin Exams years ago. "Despite that, you shouldn't downplay yourself so hard and compare yourself with others; we can only do so much to be the best ninja we can at our own pace."

"That's where you're wrong, Tenten-san." Konohamaru said curtly.

"Huh?" That response puzzled her.

"I'm not frustrated over being weak like what you're saying. I can remain a Genin for another year or two for all I care. I'm mad at myself right now because I'm the main reason why my team-mates got dragged down with me. Sure, Team Tenzo is strong in terms of raw power, but what they don't know is that I had a plan that would trample them for good during the match."

'Just how arrogant is this kid?!' Tenten was completely dumbfounded. 'And here I thought I can try to relate to him like any decent person would do, and now he's—'

"I threw it all away." Konohamaru finished, cutting the kunoichi's train of thoughts. The umpteenth pebble that he projected, slid across the pond, but was then instantly drowned underwater. This time, it went out faster than the rest of his other previous attempts.

"You...what?"

"To tell you the truth, my ego got the best of me. During the first round, I came up with a good strategy. Moegi and Udon listened to me, and trusted my judgment; but they were wrong to do so. We were doing fine for a while...up until I break formation and rushed towards Hanabi on impulse without thinking clearly about the consequences of my actions; all because of my stupid pride." His hand began to cover his left eye as soon as he disclosed that fact. "I thought things were going to be different between us after we graduated from the Academy, and that I can prove my worth as the future Hokage in front of the audience, but I was so wrong."

"Konohamaru..." Tenten said softly, not knowing quite what to say to him.

"Maybe, what he told me was actually true from the start," Konohamaru continued. "About me being a little brat that nobody wants to acknowledge...what kind of future Hokage would cast aside their followers in a heart-beat for some petty triviality?'" He grabbed another pebble, but before throwing it, he felt something stopping his arm. "Tenten-san?"

"Let me borrow that for a moment."

"Umm, okay."

Tenten folded her fingertips around the pebble, then it became covered with her chakra. Once she threw it across the pond, said pebble severed through the body of water like a knife, and created a passageway. It made it to the other side, hitting flat land. The process had both confused and amazed Konohamaru; he wondered what was that about.

"You see what I did just now, kid," she pointed out, "Your effort to make the pebble reach to the end of the pond didn't work, and it was really annoying for me to watch, so I found a solution; and to do something like that, you have to first think outside the box."

"Think outside the box?" Konohamaru reiterated.

"Yes," Tenten nodded, "For example, your opponent Hanabi's greatest strengths revolves around her close-combat skills, such as the Gentle Fists and ninjutsu-enhanced taijutsu. You, however, aren't on par with her level of close-combat skills, so fighting her directly hand-to-hand is pointless. Due to that fact, you have to try something different like using long-range attacks because if you charge her head-on, then her Gentle Fists would block all of your chakra points, leaving you vulnerable. But even if you used long-range attacks, there's also another problem...her Tenseigan."

"Yeah..." He said quietly, shivering inside. He remembered staring at those cold blue eyes.

"From what I heard from Neji after he watched Hanabi and Hinata trained under Takuya, the figurehead of the Order of the Moon Acolytes, he told me that one of the abilities of the Tenseigan is the user being able to produce black orbs called Truth-Seeking Balls that can be used in long distances, and can pretty much nullify any ninjutsu, including fuinjutsu. Hanabi uses this as her primary long-range attack."

"It can nullify ninjutsu and fuinjutsu?! Just how overpowered is she?!"

"Correct; also, I had the same reaction you just made when my team-mate told me that." Tenten giggled at the revelation. "But despite how powerful her abilities are, every jutsu has a weakness, which is why those who lack immense raw power by default, such as you and me, must rely on our cunning and creativity. In other words, 'trying to think outside the box' like I said earlier, and I suggest you take that into consideration if you plan on having a rematch with Hanabi."

"I think I'm getting it now, Tenten-san, thanks for the advice." Hearing that had brighten him a bit. But then—

"Aaaarrrgghhh" Konohamaru covered his head with both of his hands, feeling a rush of intensity coursing through his brain.

"Hey are you okay? What's wrong?" Tenten asked worriedly.

"Save her...Save her...Save Hanabi!" A foreign voice echoing inside of him. "You must!" Konohamaru fell, kneeling down. The voice then abruptly faded.

"I'm alright, don't worry, I just remembered something important." His face was grim, now adopting a hardened look. He slowly rose up from the ground, regaining his composure. "Back when I was fighting Team Tenzo in the tournament, I noticed that Hanabi's demeanor had completely changed. When I looked into her eyes, what I saw was not the person I used to know, but instead someone who have abandoned all hope for something, and felt the need to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders."

Tenten was quiet for a few minutes, trying to gather her thoughts in order, and then she began. "Do you recall the incident that happened in the Hyuga Clan a few weeks ago?"

Konohamaru nodded, "Yeah, I heard that some Main House member was attacked by one of their own after discovering their secret plan to murder their Clan Head and her family, and said member killed them...in...self-defense..." He was slowly putting the pieces together. "Wait, hold on, it was Hanabi that did all of that?!"

"Yes," Tenten confirmed, "According to what Neji told me, after that horrific night, Hinata and the Hokage wanted the village to know that it was an anonymous Main House member of little importance in their narrative. Furthermore, Hinata made an official decree to her clan with the harshest punishment possible to keep everyone silent about the real truth of the event, except for the selected few, so that her little sister can be protected from any public backlash, especially during the Chunin Exams when important elites are showing up. The circumstances were much more complicated than what you would think. Hanabi not only killed the three ringleaders of the Otsutsuki Faction that night, but also a Branch member who she'd known as an older brother figure and a long-time friend that sided with those who had attacked her. As a result, Hanabi has been trying to recover from the trauma that she had experienced, and doing so is proven to be very difficult for her. Every time she talks with her family and those around her, it's like she uses her usual cheerfulness as a mask to hide her emotional pain."

"That's so messed up! No one around my age should have to go through with that kind of ordeal!" A memory of his faux bond with Naruto suddenly flashed in his mind.

"I feel the same way you do, Konohamaru, but there are some things that we have no control over." Tenten tried to clear his doubts. "Luckily for Hinata and her family, with those three traitorous elders gone, and their boss Kariya being incarcerated, the clansmen that joined the Otsutsuki Faction had no choice but to stay back in the Hyuga Clan permanently for good due to their cause's absence of effective leadership and Kariya's finances being suspended. Strangely, much to everyone's surprise, Kariya surrendered peacefully without putting much of a fight to the Hokage's ANBU team when they caught him. I have to say, the man has some dignity at least, but that still doesn't excused him for his actions."

"I'm not sure why, but for some reason, my gut feeling is telling me that I have to do something about Hanabi before it's too late," he spoke in finality, "Simply talking through with her wouldn't be a great idea since she would probably won't even bother listening to me, so I have to beat some sense into her so that she can wake up from her delusions. To do that, I need someone like you, Tenten-san, so please—make me your student!" Konohamaru pleaded, bowing down.

"You want me...to become your teacher? Why do you asked me out of all my other peers?" Tenten questioned skeptically. "I'm not really all that super-powerful and special compared to some of my colleagues."

"Exactly," Konohamaru pointed out, earning a twitch from Tenten. "Which is why you're fit for the job because isn't it obvious? It's just like you said, we're the type of ninja who are just plain average, but in an effort to compensate our missing raw inner-strength, we focus on honing our cunning and creativity."

"Wow, kid, I didn't expect you to use my own words to try to convince me. I'm impressed."

Konohamaru continued, "What I'm saying is that those who are special, whether they were born as geniuses or inherit powerful abilities tend to make themselves believe that they owe some kind of responsibility to the world and others around them. Sometimes, too much for their own good, and that's where us regular folks like you and me come in: to use our 'ordinariness' we exhibit to remind those who are gifted in any form of power that they're just normal human beings at the end of the day, so that they won't be blinded by the qualities they possess, and that they don't have to be alone in their endeavor."

---

Years ago...

"Tenten, this is the third test you failed in a row," Tsunade began.

"I know! But don't worry, I'll work harder to make sure I pass the next one!" Tenten answered immediately.

Tsunade sighed, knowing what she had say next. "It's not just the matter of failing; I mean, on this test, you only got eight questions out of fifty right. That's not even twenty percent." When Tenten was about to protest, Tsunade held up her hand to silence the former. "Tenten, don't you think that maybe medicine isn't for you?"

"But..but...I always wanted to be like you, Tsunade-sama! You were—are my inspiration for becoming a kunoichi!" She begged.

"And I'm glad that you see me in such light, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't follow the same path I did. You can be an awesome kunoichi. I saw your grades at the academy, and they're promising. You only need to find your right calling. Right now, you're only wasting both our times. Do you understand?"

"Alright, Tsunade-sama," Tenten replied, holding back her tears. "I'll pick another specialty then."

---

"You know what, Konohamaru, you're absolutely right! It's up to people like us to do just that. Maybe, I can learn more from you, and vice versa, if we train together for a while." Tenten chimed in.

"Really? You mean it? Thank you, Tenten-sensei!" He jumped up, squealing in excitement as he raised his arm in the air.

That was the first time anyone had ever called her "sensei," and hearing it was music to her ears.

...

Hyuga Estate, meanwhile...

"Indra Otsutsuki, known by his title as The Sharingan Prince," Nori explained, "He was the eldest son of Hagoromo Otsutsuki the Sage of the Six Paths, and he was the progenitor of the Uchiha Clan. According to legends, he betrayed the Otsutsuki Clan including his father and younger brother Asura in a pursuit to usurp their clan's leadership, believing that their beliefs towards Ninshū was ineffective and that the strength of one's power should bring about peace for all. But unfortunately for Indra, his goals was never accomplished since he was defeated by Asura with the help of his father and many other people that were on their side."

"I see," Hanabi replied neutrally, "Thank you for telling me this, Nori-san."

'If maintaining order efficiently for the clan requires me to become an even bigger tyrant than nee-chan, then so be it. In the end, like Hamura-sama warned me about, it will make me eventually become corrupted with the power I possess, but if doing so will prevent more potential deaths and pointless betrayals, then I'm fine with becoming a monster. I'm done with making personal oaths. I will now simply follow my instincts and do what I think is right.'

...

Training Ground Three, two months later

"So, Konohamaru, you wanted to have a sparring match with me, correct?" Hanabi asked impassively, not interested in what her challenger had planned out in a slightest.

"Yeah." He said, as he stood a couple of meters away from her in the middle of the clearing.

She sighed, "If it's about what happened during the Chunin Exams—"

"No," he interrupted, "This match of ours isn't related to my failure at the tournament, nor is it about restoring my pride in case you're wondering." Konohamaru responded in a serious tone, which Hanabi found out-of-character for someone she had known since childhood.

His declaration also got her genuinely surprised, "Then...why are we here?"

Konohamaru was quiet for a few moments, until an answer came into mind. "Let's just say that I'm a sucker for nostalgia," he told her cryptically, "And I wanted things to be like it used to, instead of what they are right now. You'll understand soon enough as our fight goes on."

As per tradition, he made the Seal of Confrontation to initiate their match.

"So be it then." Hanabi got into her usual battle stance, performing the same sign Konohamaru did. 'If I can beat Neji, who is a Jonin, then winning against this mere Genin standing right in front of me should be child's play.'

'My actions will speak louder than my words; I vow to erase your twisted vision before it gets the chance to make you lose yourself!' Konohamaru hastily grabbed something out of his weapon pouch, threw it in the air, and made several hand seals. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Heavenly Spin!" She surrounded herself with a cerulean sphere of spiraling chakra, deflecting the shurikens and shadow-clone shurikens alike.

However, he didn't stopped there. He took out two scrolls from his pocket, unfolding each of them, and placed his hands on the black arrays. This caused a wave of several kunai raining towards Hanabi, but she blocked his attempt again with her spin. This consecutive process went on for roughly ten minutes. Now hundreds of kunais scattered all across the entire area.

"Seriously, Konohamaru, is this the best you can come up with?" She snidely remarked, her tone indicating her near exhaustion. Luckily for Konohamaru, Might Gai's grueling training exercises that Tenten taught him paid off, making him have more lasting stamina.

He ignored her taunt, making another hand seal. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" thirty clones appeared out of smoke clouds. Instead of charging at Hanabi like she had anticipated, they split into two groups, and ran towards the forest area of the training ground.

'What is he planning? Are his clones waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak up on me and attack when I'm distracted? He used this same tactic for as long as I've known him. It won't work on me, and it never will. He doesn't learn from his mistakes, does he?—Huh?'

Hanabi saw Konohamaru taking out two objects from his pouch, but it wasn't another set of shurikens or scrolls that she had expected. Instead, she noticed that they seem to be modified cigarette lighters the size of katana hilts: one is silver and the other is bronze labeled with odd kanjis. On each hand, he pressed a switch, igniting both torches and collided them together to merge the two fires. Then, he extended each of them like a measuring tape, creating a flame rod. In doing so, he aimed it at firing position at Hanabi's line of sight as if he was holding a bow and arrow.

---

A month ago...

Inside of a ninja supply shop, at the store's counter, stood a master and an apprentice. The latter curious when staring at a metal box, while the former looked excited.

"What is that, Tenten-sensei?"

"Come on, kid, isn't it plain as day? It's a reward I made for you from all that excruciating training I pushed you into." She opened it, revealing the two lighters. "It might not look like it, but these are bow made for shooting an arrow; a fire arrow to be exact, produced by transferring your fire chakra nature into the lighters, and then making the torches touch one another and stretching it out."

"Wow," Konohamaru said softly, mesmerized by the weapon's delicate craftsmanship.

"I'm not finished yet," A proud smirk curving Tenten's mouth. "The arrow that you produced is remotely controlled by this Tenka Lighter via arm movement." She pointed her finger at the silver piece. "The aforementioned arrow is released when you let go of the Tenka Lighter's switch button; also this one here..." her finger moved to the bronze version. "The Bakuhatsu Lighter makes the arrow explode in mid-air upon releasing its switch. Even without detonating the arrow, it would've exploded when it penetrates into something, but you should still use the Bakuhatsu if the need arises."

---

"You don't have to worry about my arrow piercing you, instead, it would only encase you once it comes into contact with your body since its chakra pressure is leveled to stun mode for our match," he explained before launching the arrow. His gripped hand spun ferociously in a circular motion, and said arrow then began to levitate above his head, swirling like a whip as he prepare to throw it at his opponent.

"Truth-Seeking Balls!" She clapped her hands together after she finished making the required seals.

"That's what I was counting on!" Konohamaru roared as he coordinated the flame rod to move forward.

Click.

Before the two approaching Truth-Seeking Balls got the chance to cancel out the arrow, the latter blew up, causing the affected radius on the ground to do the same, but Hanabi swiftly dodged it; only barely. 'That was a close one.' She was panting hard, breathing heavily. Her sleeves were burnt away into ashes.

"It might be your way, but it's not mine! I'll change the way of the Hyuga Clan!" Konohamaru shouted while reloading his arrow.

"What are you blabbering on about? Have you gone crazy?" Hanabi asked in total disbelief as she dusted away the remnants of her cloth on her arms.

'Why did I blurt that out loud?' He internally questioned himself, much to his own confusion, 'I could've sworn I heard Naruto said something similar along those lines at one point, and why was I even emulating his phrase?'

Konohamaru shook his head, trying to focus back on the battle. "Anyhow, don't bother wasting your time nullifying those kunais since they're only laced with good old-fashioned explosive powder instead of being attached with fuinjutsu tags."

'I see now, since he's aware of the fact that he couldn't land a single hit on me like back during the Academy and the Chunin Exams, he decided to use the environment to his advantage, by using the explosives to indirectly attack me. Based on my observation of his remote-controlled arrow, it doesn't matter whether he decided to aim his shot at me or at the hundreds of kunais surrounding us because either way I'm going to get hit from the blast. That crafty son of a— '

"So you figured it out," Konohamaru interjected her thoughts, "By the way, in case you haven't noticed, Hanabi, the shuriken jutsu that I made earlier was just a ruse for you to lower your guard, so that it can be possible for me gain the upper-hand later on, and I have to thank you for that. It was a gamble on my part, knowing that if I made one wrong move, you could've decided to end our fight from the very beginning by coming to me directly if you really wanted to." His face transformed into a solemn expression. "And as I predicted, you didn't. You have been so blinded by your immense power to become complacent enough that you forgot about the most important aspect of what it means to be a ninja: the art of deception, which I demonstrated to you with my shurikens a while ago."

"That's it, you asked for this!" Hanabi was tired of hearing his lecture, "Tenseigan Chakra Cloak!" Her enflamed magenta coat erupted throughout her body, and she soared up into the air. 'I can't afford to be defeated by the likes of a Genin.' That thought made her feel revolted. 'How will my clan take me seriously as their enforcer if that happens?'

"Fire Release: Mini-Fire Bullets!" The shadow clones shouted from the forest area. While hiding within the bushes and trees, they had secretly formed a ring formation surrounding the training ground's edge between the clearing and woodland regions, spitting out the bullets in an estimated fourty-five degree angle to their destined target, which is the pinnacle. If an onlooker saw this, what they would see is a misshapen cone-shaped tent made out of the conjured jutsu.

'That's what his clones are for!' Hanabi motioned her two Truthseeker Orbs to combine into a dome shield in front of her to protect herself from a volley of small fire bullets; however. "—YEOUCH! Hot! Hot! Hot!" She momentarily took a peek at her clothes from the side of her back, and they were scorched with tiny dots of singed marks.

"Your Truth-Seeking Ball might be able nullify ninjutsu, but if said ninjutsu is small enough like my bullets to be able slip by those pesky orbs while being fired at a rapid speed everywhere in your direction, you'd eventually can't keep up with offsetting all of them, and will ultimately get hit!" The original Konohamaru loudly clarified.

"Heavenly Spin!" She deflected more incoming projectiles. 'I hate to admit it, but he's right, my orbs can't completely block all of them at once even with my makeshift shield.' She bit her lip in frustration. 'He's purposely trying to make me exhaust my chakra supply. If this keeps up, then it will soon become a war of attrition, which I probably won't last that long. My Heavenly Spin technique can block all of his bullets when I'm floating, but it comes with a taxing cost in addition to my Tenseigan's abilities draining my reserves. What's worse, the kunais that he constantly threw at me earlier in our spar made me waste my initial chakra when I used my many spins on them. It doesn't matter whether I stay up high or down on the ground because either way, I'm both at a disadvantage no matter what! Did he knew that I would resort to going airborne to avoid all of his explosives? Damn it, I'm trapped!'

Her opponent shot a flame rod aiming and flying towards her. She narrowed her Bloodline Limit, preparing her shield. But then, her ears picked up a reverberating noise coming from behind her: it was another same arrow.

'What?! One of his shadow clones have a spare lighter?! Shit! I have to do something quickly!'

From down on the surface, the last thing that Konohamaru witnessed were rays of teal-colored light dropping down from the sky.

---

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Once he opened his eyes, he recognized that it was night-time.

"Huh, I'm experiencing that same dream again, which means...I lost to Hanabi—HAHAHAHAHaHaHaHaHa!" Konohamaru laughed dementedly and bitterly to himself. "And after all that hard work mastering my own specialized Flame-Archery ninjutsu under Tenten's tutelage...I just wasn't able to overcome her and save her like I'm supposed to."

He peered through what he presumed to be his younger-self's eyes. He was running with Naruto in an alley with paint cans and brushes. They stopped promptly to take a break.

"Let's see what he and Naruto's next adventure is...probably the same thing again...Every damn time whenever I felt like a sore loser."

"You're actually a genius, Konohamaru." Naruto complimented, "Why didn't I think about smearing paint over people's houses during the middle of the night when everyone's asleep. At this rate, I might just cover the entire village with this!" He waved the can of paint back and forth, embellishing his comment.

"You idiot, I'm no genius, it's simply called common sense...and also, don't you get tired of getting pushed around and beat up by the grown-ups. I don't understand why you would always risk your safety for some stupid prank. Don't you think enough is enough already?" It was his younger-self arguing.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto shrugged him off, "Did you honestly think that Konoha's Infamous Prankster is gonna stop because of something so insignificant like what you just said? Well, of course not, I gotta live up to my title, ya know. It's just as important as striving to become the Hokage."

"Come on, Naruto, how long have I known you?" the younger Konohamaru reminded, "You're basically like an open-book to me. I can discern that you aren't yourself lately, now out with it."

"Fine, you win," he gave up. "Just keep this between us, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will."

"Okay, but you won't like what you're about to hear. Do you remember the incident with Mizuki stealing the Forbidden Scroll of Seals?" Naruto inquired.

"Yeah, I recalled that our former Academy teacher was the one who stole it to gain power or something, right?"

"Not quite...It...It was me. I did that." Naruto confirmed, making Konohamaru's jaw dropped wide open at the revelation. "Mizuki asked me to do it for him, and I agreed. The higher-ups, like your grandpa, decided to cover it up for me to prevent my circumstances from becoming worse."

"Why the heck did you decided to do something like that?!" The younger kid couldn't grasp the prospect of his idol performing that stunt.

Naruto was quiet for a few moments, trying to find the best way to explain his situation to his disgruntled friend. "At the time, I wanted to graduate from the Academy because I wasn't able to perfectly cast the shadow clone jutsu, and when Mizuki presented me an opportunity to pass my class, I cluelessly went with it. But, man, was I wrong. You see, I'm a hypocrite, Konohamaru. I once told you that there are no shortcuts to becoming the Hokage but even I, your role model, can't stick to the lessons that I have taught you."

"Naruto..." This was too much for Konohamaru to take in.

"And I haven't gotten to the worst part yet," he continued, "From what Mizuki had told me, I discovered the real reason why everyone in the village keep avoiding me and treating me like an outcast—I am the vessel for the Nine Tails!"

"No way—this has to be a lie!"

"It's true," Naruto nodded in confirmation, "Now you know the truth about me. If you don't want to talk to me anymore, then...I understand, and I can't blame you."

"It doesn't matter to me if you're the Nine Tails jinchuriki!" Konohamaru insisted, "When I'm around you, I see you as the same idiot who doesn't know when to quit, and I'll always be by your side as your friend, rival, protégé, you name it!"

"Thanks, Konohamaru." Naruto chuckled, "Because of you, I get to know what it's like for the first time to have a younger brother that I never had before, ya know."

"That's impossible! The Naruto that I know has an adopted family! What's going on here?!"

...

...

...

Before the spectator got the chance to thoroughly comprehend the information that was thrown at him, the scenery had changed to something that he wasn't prepared for:

"It can't be. The Moon—it's shattered?!" He exclaimed to himself, horrified at the sight that was in front of him above the burning night sky. "I get it now, these aren't dreams, they're memories! They're mine but at the same time they're not."

Through his other-self's field of vision, he saw himself running through a landscape full of chaotic wreckage, which he assumed to be downtown Konoha—or what's left of it.

"Heeey! Is anyone here?! I'm here to help!" But then, his mouth and feet stopped moving once he saw a boulder on top of a pool of blood. "Oh no. N-no no no no no. Shit! This wasn't supposed to happen! I'm too late!"

What he saw was the remains of a small, macerated, disfigured form that was laying underneath it.

"And you're only a child. I-I-I couldn't rescue you in time." He spoke to the corpse, crying. "You must have hopes and ambitions such as myself, but they were all gone with you in an instant because I couldn't reach you the moment you needed it the most. A weak and pathetic person like me shouldn't have the right to apologize to you...Naruto...what would you do if you're in my position? I'm not strong like you!"

...

...

...

The observing Konohamaru was no longer seeing through his other-self's point-of-view, but instead his own "reflection" shown on a floating square screen, which was displaying a third-person perspective, in a middle of a black space.

The dull dimension that he was standing on was devoid of all signs of life. He was standing there still as a statue, watching "himself" grieving and kneeling on the floor, and behind his "reflection" was an arriving meteor that was moving steadily closer.

He noticed that his "reflection" looked a couple of years older than him, donning sideburns like his uncle Asuma, and wore a light green zip-up jacket with a black triangular design, lacking a scarf.

And what made him infuriated tremendously was that he recognized the familiar coping mechanism his "reflection" was putting on.

...

...

...

"That's enough...I won't accept this...I REFUSE TO LET HIM AND MYSELF GIVE UP THAT EASILY!"

...

...

...

The screen was met with Konohamaru's charging fist, which caused it to break into countless glass-like fragments, with him passing through the other side of what lies beyond there. The fist that he was launching, landed on his other-self, making the latter fell down and rolling. "HEEEY YOU!"

"OOOUUCH! That hurts!" He screeched, rubbing his cheeks in pain, but soon paused in horror when he saw the being that was standing before him. "Are—are you my g-ghost?"

"Your ghost? What are you talking about? I'm you and you're me—just what is this place?" He turned around to examine his surroundings. In doing so, he spotted the Hokage Monuments. The different faces that were carved on it have answered his own question, and he went back to look at his counterpart.

This time, however, his facial appearance was like a feral beast's. In a fit of rage, exasperation, and disappointment, he knelt down and firmly grabbed said counterpart's jacket collar with his two hands. "Don't you get it?! In a world where you have someone who understands you like your own family-member that transcends even blood relations, you're just gonna sit here moping and pretend like none of that even matters while hell on Earth is taking place around us?"

He ignored his alternate version's bewilderment, and resumed his pep talk. "Did you forget...why Naruto made you his student? Have you learned a single damn thing from him at all? And did you forget what he told you that day...all those years ago? He said: who would acknowledge a brat like you, and that the Hokage title isn't something a little brat could ever take because it isn't kid's play, moron! If you want the title that badly, then you'll just have to beat HIM first! And in order for you to do that, you have to quickly take care of that thing that's coming down above us, unless you want to get crushed along with your goals."

Momentarily, he took a glimpse at his own arms, legs, and the rest of his body. Much to his utter shock, they were all colored white, and were entirely corporeal and transparent. For a brief second, he saw that they were glitching away. 'I'm running out of time, someone like me shouldn't exist here. I have to make the most of it while I still can.'

Calming himself down, he let go of the collar, stood up, and then reached out a hand to help his counterpart get up from the ground in a similar manner that Hanabi used to do for him."Come on, other-me, you're better than this...WE'RE better than this..."

"Yeah. Thanks, whoever you are, I really needed to hear that." The other Konohamaru said as he accepted the invitation. Then, he looked up at the slowly-moving incoming object on the sky. "That giant meteor is gonna destroy a large sum of the village if we don't do anything about it."

"For some strange reason, I just came up with a perfect plan that we can both agree on for dealing with that hunk of rock."

"You know something, it's kinda funny...you see, I had the exact same thought."

"Heh heh, that's no surprise. After all, we are Naruto's Number-One Star Pupil."

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

---

"RASENGAN!"

"Owwww!"

"Huh? I'm back?"

"Why did you do that to my forehead, you idiot?!" Hanabi whined, "And why were you yelling Naruto's signature jutsu?"

"Hanabi? Where am I and..." His hand touched the other side of his face, and felt what seem to be bandage wrapped around it. "My left eye," Konohamaru said quietly. 'The shockwave must've sent one of the kunais straight into my face...How ironic,' he mused, 'After covering that specific eye for so long, it's finally closed forever. Perhaps, that means that my childish insecurities are gone? If so, then it's better that way.'

"We're at the infirmary." Hanabi responded carefully, "You stayed unconscious for a week, and as for your eye...it was my doing."

When Konohamaru stared at her, what he found was that there doesn't appeared to be any hint of malice or ruthlessness in her gaze like the last time he had seen her. But instead, her gaze gave an ambience of serenity and innocence that he yearned to look at. 'So, in the end, I saved her, despite not being able to extend the fight longer like I intended to get my message across her.' Regardless of Hanabi having the Tenseigan, he can still clearly tell that they were the same eyes she had once evinced during their Academy days. To him, they'll always be the same gentle and kindhearted pale violet eyes.

Hanabi took a deep breath, and she began, "In a desperate attempt to defend myself against you...I used one of my ultimate jutsus in my arsenal that I shouldn't be using in normal spar. I didn't know what I was thinking at the time, Konohamaru!" She started sobbing uncontrollably, instantly dropping her collected composure. "I panicked, okay! I acted on pure impulse, and it was completely my fault, and I'm so sorry for what I've done to you as well as damaging your left eye. If it weren't for Tenzo-sensei intervening us with his Wood Release at the last second then you could've died...Honestly, I believe that you truly won that match, given that I went out of conduct and—"

Konohamaru immediately seized her middle and index fingers, locking them with his own to perform the Seal of Reconciliation. "There; our match officially ended; so no more crying about it, alright? What's done is done, and who the hell cares if either of us win or lose because that wasn't a real match to begin with, dummy." He interrupted her apology. "That was just me trying to get you snap back to reality, and make you come back to your senses! I'm telling you this now, our next match will be a legitimate one!"

"How...can you say something like that after what I did to you? Shouldn't you be mad at me?" Hanabi whispered, slowly pulling away her fingers, and wiping her tears. "I...I made you comatose and Tsunade-sama informed me that there was a possibility of you not waking up from it, which could've ruined your career as a ninja—and your eye, Konohamaru."

"It's fine, really." He answered dismissively, not fazed with her notion in a slightest. "Also, if losing one of my eyes meant you regaining your old-self again so that you, me, Moegi, Udon, and Shino can go back to being shit-faced drunk at the same bar like we always do, instead of having you focus on making your own clan miserable, then it was totally worth it."

"Oh no," Hanabi covered her mouth. "Kami help us, the situation is even worse than what I had originally perceived. I turned you mentally ill after our battle!"

As soon as Konohamaru stopped and thought about what he had just relayed to her, realization hit him like Hanabi's Turquoise-Wheel-Reincarnation Explosion during their "spar."

'It was him all along! The other-me who eventually became an adult, and somehow told me to save her from the dark path she yet to embark. Was he there watching me talking to Tenten at that pond, and returning the same favor like I did to him? But that was before I met with my doppelgänger for the first time. How is that even possible?...This doesn't add up at all.' But then, something more important came up:

"Hey, Hanabi." Konohamaru glanced inquisitively at the chair that she was sitting on next to his bed.

"Yes?"

"How long were you resting on my stomach before I woke up?"

"Uhhhhhhh...I don't know what you're talking about."

"She's been doing it everyday for a week ever since Tenzo-sensei got you into the infirmary because she's absolutely head over heels for you." A girly mischievous voice entered the room.

"Kaida! What the hell?!" Hanabi heatedly shot back.

"Come on, you can't deny it, Hanabi-chan, every time our squad's training sessions end, you always rush here when the opportunity arises. It's always Konohamaru this and that with you." Her gossiping smirk appeared.

"Please ignore her! She was just joking! I'm not into you or anything! I visit you mostly out of guilt!"

"Well, that's a relief," the one-eyed Sarutobi said, leaving the two girls in the room utterly flabbergasted, making them gasped in unison

"W-WHAT?!" Hanabi couldn't believed what she had just heard.

"Since you're a yandere ticking-time bomb, I find it hard to imagine that anyone in their right mind would ever go out with you," Konohamaru stated dryly. "And even if I did go out with you, which is not gonna happen, potentially winning a sparring match against you during our hypothetical relationship would've been a hollow victory for me since you would care sooo much about your sweet boyfriend that you wouldn't bother trying to hurt me and go all-out like our previous fight. Besides, I always view you as a friend, although a very terrifying one, but a friend nonetheless."

"Do you want to go back to sleep again?" Hanabi replied with an evil smile. "I can help you with that, you know?"

"Pfffffttt—BAHAHAHAHAHA, I never thought that I get to see your first love rejection in person, Hanabi-chan!" Kaida barely repressed her laugh while her team-mate returned a glare.

"That wasn't funny, Kaida!" Hanabi's brain took a few seconds to process those words. And then, a pink hue began to develop on her face which eventually became fully scarlet. She puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms in an indignant manner, and turned her direction to Konohamaru appearing beyond angry.

But after a moment, she sighed and shook her head, silently conceding to his point, remembering her past actions.

Kaida's laughter diminished, rubbing away the waterworks on her face, and looked back at Konohamaru. "So...what do you plan on doing after you finish healing?" Her curiosity got the best of her, and she can't help but asked.

"Hmm, good question." Konohamaru murmured as he pondered what his next course of action should be, and then his remaining eye widen after an idea dawned on him. "Once I finally recover and get out of this hospital," he announced to everyone in the room, sounding determined, and raised his trademark arm up high, "I think I'm going to invite 'big brother Naruto' over at Ichiraku's for some ramen! It's been ages since we last spoke." An overconfident grin began to form around his face much like the other Naruto from the memories. 'And when we're there, I'm going to say to his face who's beating who first for the title of Hokage!'

...

After the Roshi-Retrieval Mission...

Between one failed mission, her comatose Senju teammate hospitalized, and her volatile-event with Kariya's faction, Hanabi found herself one day looking for some distance from the Hygua Clan. After training with the Moon Acolytes that morning, she found her own progress slow at the very best, following the volatile consequences from her second time exercising powers they could teach her.

Still, the girl had loads of time on her hands and decided to spare some to pay a visit to her comatose teammate. 'First Hagane doesn't make up, then I literally blow-up some of my own clan. I feel so wrong, but I can't turn away from how I have decided to live as the Hand of the Byakugan Princess. I wish he would wake up, Hagane always somehow sees the reasonable solution to anything. Even his hospital room isn't anything like I feel now. So clean and sterile…'

Looking further up the street, her thoughts about how, empty a certain place could look clicked a fresh idea in her mind. 'The flower-show. Maybe a vase would lend some life to it, and he won't have to wake up in such a bland place once he does recover.'

Walking inside, Hanabi started browsing through different collections and chose several that complemented each other, forming a vibrant set.

"Thank you, be sure to come again," the clerk, a middle aged woman with brown hair, told Hanabi. "And I sincerely hope your teammate wakes up soon."

"We all do so, Yamanaka-san," Hanabi said as she exited the door. "We all do." Looking ahead, thinking or caring rather than combat, the second Hanabi set a foot on the street a dart hit her in the neck.

'Huh!' Dropping the flowers, she immediately plucked it out from her neck, and after her battle instincts kicked in, activated her Tenseigan for potential enemies. 'Who's there?!' Finding two figures waiting to pounce, that was all that Hanabi could do as the poison revealed it's nature. Fast-acting, she suddenly fell to the ground, and lost any sense of consciousness.

...

One week after Danzo's Revolt

Hanabi strolled through the training grounds, not certain which one she was in now and always scanning her surroundings once every few moments. 'I failed again. First, my team and even Naruto-kun cannot rely on me for a mission shared between us. Next, I go too far and instead of protecting my clan I hurt them. And right out from nowhere, somebody else abducted me to try to steal my eyes just as Kariya desired to do. Could he have been in league with Danzo somehow? Worse, nee-chan had to save me instead of me being able to save myself. Father….'

Slowly, shame flared through Hanabi from her core, rippling to her eyes as tears of self-disgust slid down her cheeks. '…I was too slow again, I failed to protect anybody, and I've insulted Mother, nee-chan and father like this.'

"Hiya!" Somewhere out in the trees, one shout snapped Hanabi out of her musings and into a fighting-stance. But half a moment later she relaxed, recognizing two people nearby, who both appeared to be training.

'Konohamaru-san? Tenten-san? When did they begin training together?' Carefully, stealthily, she approached them to ask but not in a way to disrupt them. Within the clearing, Konohamaru held his two lighters, drawing it's still yet lacking a nocked arrow. Further out, seven different targets were all on fire, with three still standing unburnt. Beside him a familiar kunoichi with twin hair-buns and a large scroll across her back was watching and held her own hands ready.

Within the bow, a single arrow materialized out from nowhere. Evolving into one made of flame, the archer paused or some moments then let it loose. Yet mid-flight, a water jutsu sprang out and doused the flaming projectile too far from the target.

"Hey, how'd you know that wouldn't hit?"

"You're really asking after training with me this long?" At Tenten's spunky question, the Sarutobi slid into a different posture.

"You're right, that was stupid to ask. A perfect shot or nothing, at least I'm glad you get to practice too during this time, Tenten-sensei."

"Heh, still trying to flatter me, kid? Huh?" Spinning away with one hand on her scroll, Hanabi decided not to hide as Tenten was scanning through the tree-line.

"Hello there."

"Oh, Hanabi-sama. What brought you here?" Tenten was far from unfamiliar with the girl through Neji, and vice versa.

Konohamaru shared his surprise before grinning lightly towards her, dressed for business with his own Chunin flak-jacket. He was wearing an eye-patch, which was overlapped with his hanging hair.

"Hi there, Hanabi. How have you been, after everything going on. Did you come here to train as well?"

"Ah, well. Not so much. I actually wanted a different pace for today," she confessed, walking out closer to the pair. "Tenten-san, when did you become a sensei? I haven't heard of Neji-nii-san looking for students lately and forgive me, you are still a Chunin as well?"

Both the Weapon Mistress and the Sarutobi Heir looked at each other, grinning a bit over a silent joke. "It's strange that you should ask that, out of everybody, Hanabi. Especially since you're the reason that started my new sensei tenure-ship."

Unbeknownst to everybody, Konohamaru silently recalled that he followed his plan but still failed, he was questioning his confidence and if they could earn promotion and aid the village, relating to Tenten's training simulation plan against someone like Gaara, and how to handle against an opponent with overwhelming power.

"I see, he's practicing with the bow, and you're role with the exercise is to work on deflecting the arrows? I wasn't aware that you could use Water Release jutsu, Tenten-san," Hanabi replied.

"Well my boyfriend is an Ice Ninja, and even though my affinity is Lightning Release he did teach me a couple C-rank Water Release jutsu just in case actually." Rubbing the back of her head, Tenten's crimson cheek sparked even stronger interest from the younger ninjas. "I kinda asked him to douse me with one if I ever shouted out 'Flames of Youth,' at all. After he did, I kissed him to say thanks, he offered to teach me to use it on my sensei and teammates."

"This one time after your cousin reached the Third Inner Gate, Hanabi," Tenten continued, now clearly trying not to laugh, "He said the same thing and I kind of soaked him."

"You doused my cousin with a water jutsu?!" Hanabi was far from hostile, but extremely surprised anyone could hit her cousin with a surprise attack.

"Yeah, he almost joined Gai-sensei and Lee for this weird sunset-routine, and got so swept-up with power I hit him clean. And he immediately thank me two seconds later. Huh?"

Hanabi was no longer standing. Instead, she was curled up on the grass hugging both knees to her chest.

'So it happened to Neji-nii-san as well. He could become swept-up with power and act with uncontrolled impulse or be caught unexpected.'

"Um, Hanabi-san? What's bothering you?" Looking up at the voice, Konohamaru was standing over her with a ponderous look. "Are you alright? I mean, a lot has been going on around here, and you, your team, your sister and Naruto-san have all been right in the middle of it. Does getting kidnapped by Danzo's agent's bother you a lot? Maybe training more will help? You could join us if you want."

Shaking her head, Hanabi pulled herself up ready to do anything but train at that moment. Walking off without a word, another surprise came from somebody blocking her way out.

"Alright, say something, Hanabi-san. You're feeling torn-up inside, maybe over something you did or something you didn't do at one time? And maybe you don't trust yourself or glad somebody else dealt with it?"

"Shut your shitty mouth, Konoha—" catching her words milliseconds after they left her mouth, one hand clamped over her lips at such unbecoming language.

"Konohamaru-san, you're beginning to be pretty aggressive, especially to give a wild claim out of the blue like that." Two hands pressed space between the pre-teens while Tenten interposed herself between them both.

"My Grandpa."

"Sorry?" "Huh?" The two kunoichi were caught surprised by Konohamaru's next words, the Sarutobi began explaining: "Over the course of last week, Grandpa had a face a lot like Hanabi-san's. He kept talking about how terrible he was to not have stopped Danzo earlier, about how he was the Third Hokage, yet he gave Danzo the benefit of the doubt so many times he never imagined how that terror would betray the village as far as Jiraiya-sama discovered. And he kept thinking about other times like with Orochimaru where he could or should have acted sooner but didn't."

He continued on, "Grandpa has been feeling terrible, blaming himself and talking about how much he failed to be a Hokage. Until Uncle Asuma sat down with him and said a few words that started a fight. After he blew-up a bit, Grandpa stopped looking a lot like Hanabi-san does right now, and he spoke more with some other people in our clan and his old teammates. That's why I guessed Hanabi-san is feeling the same way, but she doesn't want to say why."

Hanabi felt the weight of Konohamaru's words hard on her chest. Pressing one hand to her mouth still, the pressure from all her negative thoughts was shifting from an anchor stuck in-place to a cannon waiting to blow.

"There's more, it's not about Danzo but about how I'm letting my sister down and how I hurt some of our own clan members and don't see a different way about doing it again."

Stopping for a moment, Hanabi followed her own mantra and decided to act instead of react. Sitting down, Konohamaru did the same and Tenten had barely any choice but to follow-suit or leave. Talking, talking, and then adding some more, Hanabi shared what happened with Kariya, her own questions over if she should even have the Tenseigan at all, and everything she'd done or hadn't done that failed to protect the people she cared so deeply for. "I keep falling short of my own goals. Nobody in our clan have blamed me after learning of what Kariya intended, but that doesn't' change how I see myself at all."

"I have one idea." Again, it was Konohamaru who had spoken up, with a plain face unable to hide anything. "Right after Danzo got kicked out, Grandpa went to talk with somebody about apologizing to them, and he's someone who lost more than anybody that night the Uchiha Rebelled."

"Who?/Huh?" Hanabi and Tenten spoke at the same time; the former surprised out of wherever she might find an answer it would come from a rival.

...

Hanabi stared directly towards a simple, shut, apartment doorway. And right next to the other side of said doorway, what she saw was a decorative box-bed being inhabited by a snoring, tiny pig looking sound asleep during mid-day without a care in a world.

The Hyuga was lost in indecision. A laundry-list of options and nearly seven dozen consequential ones were running through her head, shaded with guilt from one decision after another, and how to actually say anything about the day all of it started: the morning after the Uchiha Insurrection where a mass funeral was held in Konoha.

'But that was not the end,' the Chunin, more aware and mature than she had ever felt before, reminded herself. 'Hokage-sama allowed a small, private funeral for two more people. But only three were present for it. And after one of them….' Swallowing back a familiar lump in her throat, Hanabi took a single, long breath, filling her lungs to the brim, then expelling slowly.

After knocking, she heard several ruffles on the other side, but nobody answered. Hanabi tried again, and nearly made it three times when the door flew open. "H-Hanabi-san?" Sakura Haruno was in the doorway, with messy hair and one hand fixing her top.

"Ah, Sakura-san. I apologize." The girl bowed first then looked beyond, only to find Sasuke sitting on the couch.

"Can we help you with something? Has the Hokage sent for our team, or Itachi again?" Sasuke asked in a somewhat, irritated tone.

"Ahh…no Sasuke-san. I was hoping Itachi-san would be here, or if you know where he is, I won't bother you all anymore."

"You chose a fortunate time." Behind Sasuke came one voice, deep and heavy with age but sharp as any shuriken.

"ITACHI!? You-ah-when-why-ghhhhh-!" Sasuke exclaimed and everyone looked over towards Sakura, standing beside the doorway while Sasuke leapt from the couch, scrambling over beside her. "Nii-san…when did you return here…ah, and how long—?"

"Long before you opened our door," Itachi answered matter-of-factly. "I had told you that I was training, Sasuke, but that did not mean I was outside our home. I was meditating while you and Sakura both stumbled onto the couch and muttered something about having 'protection.'"

Hanabi almost fell-over at this news, although Sasuke and Sakura were far, far, faaaar worse. In a defiance of nature, Sasuke was blushing and lost his voice completely. Beside him, Sakura became white as a sheet and frozen, save for the spot of blood-red color building on her nose. And Itachi was not finished: "I ended my meditation the same moment our guest announced herself at the door. I am also fond of our couch, and would despise having to burn it. So please, next time, don't do it there, or Shisui and Shizune will learn about everything. That includes that one time when I saw two others..."

"Blu-phhht-uh—ghha—dh-we—daah-!" Sakura began to splutter nervously before Sasuke looped one arm around her middle. Hanabi watched them vanish in a body-flicker, followed immediately by one strange, light sound coming from Itachi.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!" Holding one hand to his face, Itachi walked right to an arm-chair opposite to the couch. "Please, forgive me, Hanabi-san. I rarely laugh on any day, and you may request anything for giving me this opportunity to embarrass my younger brother. Shisui has been watching them so closely for this precise moment, and he will be pouting that I caught them first."

Hanabi felt that she needed several more minutes to shake everything out of her head before moving over to the kitchen table to pull a chair over. "Itachi-taicho, I was looking to speak with you over...umm..."

"You no longer need to call me by any rank, Hanabi-san, unless we begin another mission. So please, just call me Itachi." crossing his legs and sharing a smile with her, the elder dojutsu-user waited while the preteen could feel a blush on her own face.

"Itachi-san, I want to…to ask you, about something. I met with Konohamaru-san today and he….he told me that Hiruzen-sama spoke with you a short time ago about Danzo's betrayal and what happened…." Struggling, uncertain of which words to use, Hanabi kept her eyes down in her lap, confused and absolutely awkward.

"I did." Itachi finally spoke up, and when Hanabi raised her head towards him, the Uchiha's face appeared to have changed into a serious one. "We are alone, Hanabi-san, that I am certain about. Hokage-sama requested for me to keep a close watch over Kariya and his Otsutsuki Faction. With the Akatsuki threat growing outside, internal division would give them many dangerous opportunities. My injuries from our mission to the Land of Earth allowed me to remain inside the village and keep a close watch. However, clearly not close enough."

Jolting her head upwards, Hanabi nearly had whiplash from such news. "I…I see. Then…then you know how I..killed…them." Her company nodded, yet Hanabi could feel how different this was against others she had spoken to about it. "How did you feel about the uprising committed by the Uchiha Clan? I can barely imagine myself even having anything to do with the Hyuga now, or if I can keep my promises anymore after what I've done. My...my own clan members...I killed them. Itachi-san, you have become an incredible ninja, I know that first-hand from the mission we shared together. Even after you had to…..umm…."

"Kill half of my own family when they rose against Konoha from the inside?" Finishing her sentence for her, Itachi stood up from his seat and walked directly into the kitchen.

"I…..understand what you may be suffering under." Reaching for the kettle while Hanabi still remained in her seat, Itachi assembled two cups and one teapot together. "If you will, take a seat at the table."

Following his request, Hanabi watched Itachi prepare tea, and soon each had one cup before them. He encouraged her to drink, and each finished a single cup without sharing words.

"I hoped none would ever come to know the pain, of having the blood of their own kin stained over their hands. But it appears I have to listen to my own words to Hiruzen-sama. Now, Hanabi-san, to understand the present, the first stage is to trace it through the past. If you may bear to hear it. I will tell you of my thoughts for the Uchiha Uprising, both what I felt in the midst of it, and now when I look back to it from the present. Yet, only if you consent to speak open and with honesty of yourself. For nobody's sake but your own, and to remain honest to yourself."

Hanabi nodded, forcing her hands to squeeze shut around the hot teacup, ignoring the burning tinge on her fingers.

Across the next few hours, Itachi spoke of those times. Working backwards from the present, relaying how the Uchiha's name was held today and what himself, Shisui, Sasuke and others had done to salvage it from the filth their village buried it under after the Uprising. Next, his own role came, not only siding with Konoha, but as the singular person who had actively killed more Uchihas than anybody on that night. Even his own father.

"I was unaware that my clan's pride and vengeance had grown to such extreme length. At the time I was not living with them across one year prior to the Uprising. Father and Mother had pressured me to enter the ANBU and even spy on Lord Third for them. I refused to, the conflict between them, myself and others within the clan escalated rapidly, until they expelled me and demanded I leave."

Hanabi's hands flew to her mouth from this news, unable to comprehend her mother, her father or uncle doing the same to herself, her sister or Neji. Itachi still continued. "My brother Sasuke was one of the few saddened when I left. He was, so innocent then and I often find it difficult not to step-in whenever he grows upset or threatened. I have always..."

Hanabi somehow felt gravity pulled hard across her form, feeling the weight of her company's words, and recalling the tears Hinata and her mother both shed upon her father's funeral. "Wait, so you were unaware that the other Uchiha wanted to reb—" mid-sentence Hanabi squeezed her mouth shut.

"Yes. I learned of it only through Shisui a matter of days beforehand."

More details continued, spanning to the Kyubi's attack and how the village would blame the Uchiha. And finally one day when Itachi grew to detest war and bloodshed.

"While I was four-years-old, the Third Great Ninja War was going on. Battles would rage anywhere in that conflict, yet none of them did reach the village. Sometimes, my father would take me to the battlefield, so I could see firsthand what it means to be a ninja."

Hanabi felt a fresh wave of horror from this news. "A battlefield? Wait, even before any bodies could be moved away?"

"Indeed. Weapons, blood, and both the dead and dying lay everywhere." Itachi's voice grew softer, distant, and slower now. "I found one man asking for water, an Iwa-nin. Once he recognized I was a ninja, the man tried to attack me, though on reflex, I ended his life first. My father, he spoke of wanting to ensure I would understand what following the life of a ninja truly would entail. In a way, he did succeed far better than his designs meant to, yet they came to a separate destination."

"Hanabi-san, I learned there how terrible war may be, and I wanted to prevent it any way which I could. Gradually my life continued from there, and avoiding war became a guiding rule in my life, motivating any decision I made. The night of the Uchiha Uprising, I sided with Konoha over my clan despite my father leading the coup, and I killed half the Uchiha ninjas myself. I believed that by killing them I would prevent our conflict from encouraging those outside the village from making their own bid to acquire power while Konoha was weakened. Even if an Uchiha-ruled Konoha was doomed to fail, my clansmen failed to realize their dominance would never be accepted by others. Even the regular civilian would oppose them, and begun a civil war, weakening Konoha from the inside, and give other villages an opening to start a fresh, Fourth Great Ninja War."

"In order to live up to my own beliefs, I had two separate choices to follow. For me, it was decided by consequences and which would end with greater bloodshed. Even though some might speak of it as a good decision, I would sincerely disagree. I still carry that burden, and for a long period of time believed I deserved to suffer beneath it, even with my life."

Hanabi felt her throat grow sandy, dry as a desert. The teacup in her hands rattled inside a moment, until she caught the rest of Itachi's words. "Wait, you believed that? And you…you no longer do?"

Itachi nodded towards her, then took a sip of his tea. "I have shared my own past with you, Hanabi-san. Now if you would do the same, I will lend you what help I might. Yet, the choice to benefit or dejection are only yours to make."

Swallowing to clear her throat, Hanabi took a different approach, talking about her past and her own choices so far back as she could recall. Of the day of her father's funeral, and a promise to protect her own family. Of watching her friends abducted and her own inaction, leading to one pledge to always act, in some way or another. Next, her own desire to stand by her sister's side and the her friendship with Shinko. And next, Kariya Hyuga and his Otsutsuki Faction and her own response to it.

"I was pinned down, they spoke about killing my family and even inflicted one seal to cripple me entirely. When nee-chan and I gained our Tenseigan, one ancestor, Hamura-sama warned me about abusing such power, and that is exactly what I have done. I…I can't give up this power, and I still have a duty towards our village, my clan, and my sister, but why should she trust me if I don't' trust myself right now? And…"

More followed. More and more, the girl poured all of her repressed guilt and harsh truths at once to somebody: a person like Itachi Uchiha who had shared his own past, and built a guide to follow and expel a large amount of pressure building inside the twelve-year-old powerhouse, until said pressure eventually diminished.

"Hamura-sama warned me about power and the dangers of misusing it, and that is exactly what I have done. I always tell myself to act, and not freeze-up in decision. But that's what I'm doing now. I should pay for what I have done for abusing my own power, but nobody in the clan will blame me, I cannot leave or punish myself without failing another promise, and I'm stuck!" Hanabi paused to actually breathe, nearly out of it from how much she had spoke.

Itachi appeared eerily passive, save for a slight tilt of his head. "You spoke of meeting Hamura Otsutsuki, Hanabi-san?"

With a jolt, the girl realized which secret she had shared. Yet, her talker placed one hand flat on the table, stopping her words short.

"I am aware of your talk with him. Naruto-san told us of those connections between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans with the Sage of the Six Paths and his own brother," Itachi explained. "It seems though you are haunted by yourself, more than anyone or any thing. But that alone is not a terrible concept within itself, Hanabi-san. I understand, truly I do, how heavy this kind of guilt can be, worse still when you blame yourself all the more and few appear to disagree over how you were wrong in any form."

"After I killed so many in the Uchiha Uprising, many other were saved by those same acts, and those within our village held me in high esteem, for their lives and for how I did not side with those who betrayed them. However, that did not excuse nor displace the guilt I felt for those actions, and how I could have acted differently to stop the clan before so many followed one person's vision and rebel. At times….."

Itachi himself swallowed and his eyes took on a fresh light while staring at Hanabi. "I am grateful that you came here, Hanabi-san. You see, for ages, I wondered if I should have struck early, and killed some of my clan so others would not have launched a coup and saved more lives instead. But now, I have an answer, thanks in part to you."

Hanabi felt a sudden pulse inside of her. Her head was shuddering from the news, and then, without knowing—her chakra cloak quickly flared to life. The Tenseigan burning a white fire from her eyes, but the girl caught herself, looking down at both hands and shaking. In her mind, she saw it all: a circle of people were surrounding her, Yurogiri's sneering face, and the Saibankan Tag stuck over her back, causing immense pain throughout her body. Next, came Shinko's warm corpse, lifeless at her hands. The same hands were shaking now as she would swear that they were soaked with blood.

"No…no, no, no, I won't do this again, not like that!" Forcing her powers to cease, Hanabi sat backwards, yet fell back on the floor instead. 'Huh? What happened to…my….' A pile of dark ash was now under her hands, and charred pieces of wood scattered around her.

"I-I apologize, Itachi-san, I—" Scrambling, the girl got to her knees first, then her feet and tried running for the door. Instead, she found it locked, refusing to open.

"Please stay." Itachi gently called towards her. "I apologize for this misunderstanding. I do not believe either of us were right, and now I understand how no matter which decision I had made, guilt would have come no different from which decision I made. Yet, those from your clan and mine made their own decisions, and we in-turn made ours."

Hanabi finally stopped but stayed standing where she was, listening as Itachi continued.

"Further, those we have killed displayed no shame for the horrors they would inflict or already had done upon others. You carry guilt over the deeds you have made, as I do, and that is what separates us from them. Might does not decide whom is right nor wrong, neither can how much one has suffered justify their perceptions towards the world, and any choice that has been made carry certain consequences. Those outcomes are what we will carry in our lives, or decide they held no value or purpose, and throw them aside. Have you done that, or do you want to forget every choice and decision you made?"

Hanabi shook her head, showing absolute rejection towards what Itachi had described.

"And," Itachi continued, "Have you honestly failed, entirely? Was violence your first response, or the final option you had?"

"They called Hinata-nee-chan a heretic, and desired to poison her, mother, along with me, and possibly more others." Hanabi explained, her discomfort building inside. "What they wanted, and what they would use to get it, it was sick and cruel. One even declared how they found a Branch member disobeying them to be vile notion, and would even torture somebody from the Main Family who disagreed with them. They spoke about betrayals while they committed that very act! I thought that…that if I just reminded them of my Tenseigan powers...that it would be enough. If I used its full power, it would kill them, but they did not seem to care. Shinko…he was always kind to me, and I still….."

Suddenly, Hanabi found a series of liquid drops on the floor beneath her face. With a blink, more came swelling in her eyes, mixing guilt, despair, terror and disgust in one cruel concoction:

'"Your Tenseigan will not be wasted….Once we arrived to our destination, you will help us restart our glorious clan anew by bearing Kariya's children for years to come….help our clan reach our desired future."'

"They really are so much like the Uchiha Clan," Hanabi said quietly, wiping her tears away. "If some members from my own clan can become like them, then maybe it will happen again in the future, or even happen to me and—"

"Hanabi-san." A command in her ears compelled discipline to assert itself. Hanabi pulled herself together, waiting and ready for orders, and Itachi was frowning. "Shinko made his own decisions, as did Kariya and those who followed him. Each held their own options, and those they chose to follow were violent, oppressive, and uncompromising. Not as yours were. Hiruzen-sama did come here some days ago, while Shisui, Shizune, Sasuke and I were here. The Uchiha Uprising happened for many reasons, yet one element grew from Danzo's own suspicions about my clan and even when Hiruzen-sama had one plan to prevent it, Danzo foiled those efforts and hide away while the Clan rebelled against the Village. However, Danzo made his own decisions and they were his consequences alone. The Third Hokage further expressed his own remorse, but in the end of everything, people will always act as they choose and nobody can take the complete responsibility of another on their own shoulders. Even, or perhaps particularly for what another has done."

"So," Hanabi swallowed a bit, still one step away but no longer moving on the path before her. "Are you saying I shouldn't blame myself? Because I did more and they did not, I should forgive and stop thinking about them?"

Itachi's frown formed deeper on his face. Next, he was biting his lip, and came to a decision. "No. What I spoke may be taken in that way, but it isn't the answer. Hanabi Hyuga…I would be reminded of my own actions every time I used my Mangekyō Sharingan. However, I gradually decided to forgive myself with time, and the decision to do so. But, forgiveness can never be given or treasured if the reasons for it becomes erased. Between people, forgiveness often has to be asked for, sincerely, before it can be given. If you or I attempted to forget or excuse what we have done, that forgiveness would be hollow and without meaning. Do you understand?"

Hanabi fell silent. This time though, it was far longer than before. Instead of regret, or division, she started looking at all her actions, all her choices and her life together. It wasn't a clear answer, but it was a comfy start.

"Learn to forgive yourself," Itachi reminded her softly. "Those who can do that, and are able to accept their true nature are the strong ones."

After hearing that, Hanabi smiled brightly, feeling her confidence back. "Thank you, Itachi-san, our conversation have made me feel a lot better now." She bowed towards him, and then she walked back to the doorway, but hesitated. "Umm, would you please unlock the door?"

Itachi didn't respond, even when Hanabi asked again until she took a real look with her eyes.

"I never did lock it to begin with," Itachi finally answered. "It was my Genjutsu. I believe that running away from one problem would never end well. Hmm, now that I think about it, imprisoning the 'Hand of the Byakugan Princess' anyway would hardly sit well with Clan Head Hinata. More importantly, I heard that Naruto Uzumaki is looking for you and your sister. Something about learning new powers, and in a way that demanded absolute control. Shisui and Shizune have both decided to join him already, and if you have any further concerns, you may seek me out at any time."

---

Epilogue

Within her bedroom, Hanabi Hyuga finished setting the straps and pockets of her flak-jacket together. Fixing strands of hair around her forehead, she turned and faced the mirror. Gazing over herself form head-to-toe, mentally reviewing all they had and might need, the twelve-year-old kunoichi drew a breath and required effort to release it smoothly.

'Finally, all of us are facing a full-scale war with the Akatsuki, and I am now a Chunin in the Allied Shinobi forces.' Looking over to her dresser, a familiar forehead-protector with the Konohagakure emblem rested on it, different from the one she wore now; the symbol of 'shinobi' clear to see in the mirror. Thoughts of fighting with other villages, of standing next with many from Kumo, from Iwa and so many more ran through Hanabi's consciousness.

'I don't feel uncomfortable or reluctant. We have been fighting with Kiri-nin and Suna-nin for a matter of years now. And I would be highly hypocritical to question holding old grievances above such progress after aiding nee-chan in drawing our clan closer together and removing the Cage-Bird Seal at last.'

Looking out her window, the courtyard was filled with several Hyuga: chatting, sparring, some knelt in meditation, and others keeping their faces devoid of any feeling, they all awaited their Clan Head's sister and mother before departing as one to join their units.

Turning away and raising one hand, Hanabi walked herself through all the memories she held in the center of herself.

Of standing with her family before the graves of all their fallen brethren. 'I was a child then, and had others protected me, but is now my role to do the same for our clan.'

Of becoming plagued with indecision as her future team-mates were kidnapped. 'I am decisive and will act.'

Of her sister entrusting a power into her and Hamura's warning, '"However, regardless of intention, with great power comes with it the utmost responsibility to wield such a gift. I have been watching my descendants and many have failed that responsibility before, dropping ripples of corruption through their kin as poison to a living creature. Heed my warning, Hanabi Hyuga, be cautious of wandering through a similar path that another once took and became lost on the way."'

"You are correct, but power and responsibility grow in equal measure. I know where that line is and will stop myself or trust in others to stop me at a point close enough. Just as nee-chan entrusted me to do the same for her," Hanabi pledged aloud.

Finally the most recent addition, of Itachi speaking about his own actions and perspectives shared with her. Smiling, Hanabi chose to keep certain thoughts silent, just in case. 'You and Natsu-san have my blessing, against any in our clan who will question you both. Now, I know my purpose and I have more wisdom thanks to you, Itachi-san. A wisdom nobody wants to hear and now I will act to control the outcome of my actions, and hold responsibility if they do not materialize as I want.'

Reaffirmed, powerful, and able to feel the strength from certain burdens of life held on her shoulders, Hanabi stood tall as she strode out from her room. Hikari met her, both looking towards Hinata's bedroom door wistfully. "We have trusted her before, with not only her own life but our own and others. She will succeed."

"And we will both be here when she does," Hanabi answered her mother, with a measure of conviction that left Hikari surprised. Nodding to her daughter, both feeling a sense of purpose and drive building against the realities, neither would deny anything that counters them both, and the pair strode out and met their clan.

Gazing out, Hanabi declined to grin, letting discipline and determination show before all of her kin proceeding to fight with her in this war. No words were spoke but neither was there a need for them. All around the Hyuga bade those who would stay behind their final wishes and made their own departure.

'I will fight. I will protect my clan, from threats both within and from without. That is what I have trained and grown to do. Father, I hope you are proud wherever you are and know the Hyuga stand stronger and greater than any have ever dreamed.'

---

End.

Authors' Notes: yeah, I pretty much wrote this one-shot because I realized that after rereading some earlier chapters, I've noticed that Hanabi did come off as less humble and a bit cocky after getting the Tenseigan. Especially during her spar with Neji in chapter 72 prior to the "Search for Roshi" arc. I didn't like that too much, so I decided that for her to develop as a character to some degree, I figured that hurting Konohamaru in a spar with that very power (that she vowed to protect those around her) would cause a significant change to her as a person.

Also, I think I did an adequate job of adding more depth to Hanabi and Konohamaru's characterization. For example, despite Hanabi appearing as the cheerful, happy-go-lucky, bubbly airhead that she is, she has a superiority complex deep down in her like some of the conservative Main House members of her clan, but she suppressed that trait due to Hikari or Hinata's influence (I think). Hanabi getting the Tenseigan only reignited those negative traits of hers. It made her more soon-to-be corrupted with power and closely leaning towards Indra's beliefs; whereas I wrote Konohamaru to be a deep, intellectual character underneath his loud, headstrong, reckless personality.

I believe that the advising elders of the Main House shouldn't be able to easily accept Hinata's ascension to Clan Head like in the original story without putting up a fight, so I explored further internal conflict within the Hyuga Clan, as well as showing how ruthless Hanabi can be if her family's lives are endangered (be it external enemies or from her own clan), and how her newfound power is gradually corrupting her (opposite of Hinata's case). I also put that scene as a test for Hanabi to question her morals and resolve after she decided to kill her own clansmen, thus adding more layers to her character.

And before you ask, the Hyuga traitors are OCs I created (Shinko = Faith, I googled the other names; Saibankan = Judgement)

Keep in mind that Hanabi unlocked her chakra mode before Hinata did. An idea I found very amusing. Her cloak's color was never mentioned once in SotS, so I gave her one and it was approved by Ander Arias. I think magenta suits her character since lavender (Hinata's color) symbolizes calmness and tranquility; whereas dark pink symbolizes liveliness, passion, and inner aggression. (Edit: the cloak's magenta color is finally mentioned in chapter 122 of the main story).

Regarding the Truth-Seeking Ball concealing the user's chakra presence, I was like "what if said user partially inserts the orb inside their body?" And since the orbs come out of the body in the first place, then it can be done in reverse. I did some research, and there's no canonical explanation and any information about the orb being used this way, so why not put this into the story? Also, in Chapter 109, Hanabi is shown to do the impossible when she linked her Six Paths Chakra with Hinata to converse with the latter.

Yeah, in canon, Hanabi got her eyes plucked out, and in here, she got tortured, and was forced to pull an "Itachi" move. So I guess you could say that both timelines are pretty twisted, right? (yes, I know it's a bad joke, but I still want to say it anyway).

The name of Konohamaru's team "Strike Squad" was actually my own idea since they didn't appear in SotS because they weren't made to be relevant in the original story until the events of this one-shot.

Konohamaru doesn't learn the Rasengan in SotS, so I had to come up with a new signature jutsu for him to replace said Rasengan. His Flame-Archery ninjutsu was inspired by a combination of Yondu's arrow from "Guardians of the Galaxy" and Roy Mustang's lighter from "FMA/FMAB." The Flame rod/arrow functions just like Yondu's arrow, but it's remotely controlled through arm movement like a Nintendo Wii controller (Tenka = ignition; Bakuhatsu = detonation).

Moreover, he wants to surpass Hanabi someday, so the former dating the latter is a no-go to him; and I don't think any character in SotS rejected anyone yet in terms of romance, so I wrote the rejection scene to change the romantic dynamic/pattern in SotS.

There's no relationship between Naruto and Konohamaru in SotS, and a world without their cherished friendship is just kinda sad, so that got me thinking: what if their bond was nothing more but mere imitation fabricated through "dreams?" Would the latter person still accept it wholeheartedly? (And he did). Hence, the canon-memories which was inspired by that one scene in the anime "Attack on Titan" when Eren Kruger spoke to Grisha Yeager.

The fact that I made Konohamaru as a "fourth-wall-breaking incarnate" was a bonus. To the readers, he's spitting out actual facts, but to the characters in SotS, they would probably think he's crazy. Hopefully, when he's added to the SotS's main story (which I personally think is equivalent to Waluigi getting added to Super Smash Bros) his references to canon wouldn't be a gag at that point because doing so would REALLY break the story, and makes things convoluted.