Chapter Two
Hinata was in her bedroom, looking out at the full moon. She'd been woken by a dream, but in her heart she knew it was more than that. Shino appeared and talked with her. That alone was not odd; she had many dreams with Shino, though he was usually out of reach. She only got a glimpse of him, or called to him and he didn't hear her. This dream was different, it was as if he was really there.
They sat together on a bench at their preferred training grounds, having a lunch she prepared for them in companionable silence. He stopped eating and said "I know you gave up your title to your sister, but I always thought you would make a fine head of the Hyuga Clan. You are the rightful heir."
She had never shared that with Shino. In fact, she had never shared that with anyone. At the time, she thought she did the right thing. Her father was constant in his praise of Hanabi, and she knew many in the Clan believed Brother Neji to be most worthy. She thought if it was official, Hanabi the heir, won in a 'fair' fight, things would calm down, so even though she knew she could best her sister, she chose to throw the match. Hanabi was a hard worker, and she would now have time to prove herself.
But as they grew, she had regrets. Hanabi was a fighter more than a leader. She tended to rush in without forethought. Father lectured Hanabi many times, but to no avail.
With Brother Neji, she thought her shame would ease his suffering, that he was not the only one subject to the inanities of the Clan, but it was really only after his fight with Naruto during the Chuunin Exam, and her father's subsequent talk with him that he found peace.
She thought back to her younger self and realized she had done her a disservice, that she had told her: 'These others need this more than you do,' or even 'You are not worthy.' But, a trusted friend just said she was.
Lastly, she thought of Naruto. He had been so many things to her: role model, hero, not-so-secret love, an escape from her own world. He too, in his own way, told her she was worthy of more than she had at the Chuunin Exam and she knew he would endorse the seemingly crazy plan that was forming in her mind: to one day lead the Hyuuga.
"You're really going to do it, then?" asked Kiba. Hinata and he were sitting together in the shade of a tree, taking a break from training. They had resumed practice with each other, and they were seeing each other often after that morning at the memorial. Hinata devoted most of her time to training now- with the Gentle Fist style, her medical ninjutsu training, and reading about the history of the Clan, the Village, and the other Hidden Villages. She had not told anyone of her plan immediately, but she did know others were taking notice.
She asked Brother Neji to train with her a few times a week, and she was no longer holding back in practices with her sister, often leaving trainings with a stunned silence in her wake, after repeatedly knocking her sister to the floor.
After talking it over with Kiba and Kurenai-sensai, she asked her younger sister to speak in private. It was her opinion that mattered most.
"So Big Sis, what's been up with you? I mean, what have you been taking and where can I get some? You're a beast!'
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"What?! You really are taking something? That was just a joke, but did you find something in all your studying? I've noticed that too."
"No, I'm not taking anything, but the studying, the extra training, the reason I've been working so hard is… I want to be heir to the Clan. I want my title back."
"Huh." offered Hanabi, then went quiet. That was rare for her, usually she was chattering about this or that. Hinata had prepared herself for a number of scenarios, but this was not one of them.
"Hanabi, are you angry with me?"
"No, I don't think I am, which is weird, because I thought I would be, even just a little bit, but geez, it's hard to fool your family isn't it? You already know I'm not all that enthusiastic to be the leader, don't you?"
Hinata nodded, and Hanabi continued. "When we fought for the title, it was just so hard, seeing Father picking on you all the time. I thought if I was good enough, he would stop, but he didn't, he still kept picking on you, so I kept trying harder, and it just never stopped."
"What? You did it to protect me?" asked Hinata, stunned.
"Yeah, I mean, we don't always get along, and things are tough in the family, but… you're my big sister. I didn't want you to keep getting hurt. I knew you were trying your best, but Father just didn't see it. I figured maybe it was all the pressure on you, if I took the spotlight, you'd feel better, maybe not be so nervous.
"And yeah, it was kind of thrilling at the time, 'Yay, I won! I'm the heir!' but I was little, I didn't really get what that meant. I feel relieved, actually, that you want to do it, that maybe I don't have to do it." Hanabi laughed.
"Do you think Father will go for it?" asked Hinata.
"Only one way to find out. Are you scared?"
Hinata shook her head. And it was the truth. She felt inspired, by Hanabi's blessing, along with Kiba and Kurenai-sensai's. And after losing Shino, her father, even at his angriest, his most degrading, did not scare her. This path was easing her grief, after all, this was the last thing she and Shino talked about, and she wanted to have a good story when she saw him again.
"Well, time's a wasting, and I don't want the weight of the title anymore. Let's talk to him as soon as we can."
"You want to be there with me? It could get ugly."
"That's why I want to be there. You don't have to do everything on your own, you know."
Hinata smiled at her, gave her little sister a hug, and replied, "I will make the arrangements."
Later that day, Hinata and Hanabi stood outside their father's formal meeting chamber. Hanabi gave her hand a squeeze, after they heard him give permission for them to come inside. After they settled themselves, Hiashi spoke.
"This is unusual, Hinata. What is it you wish to speak about, that you requested such a formal setting?"
"Father, I am your first born, and I want my title back. I want to be the heir."
"I see. Hanabi, what are you thoughts on this?"
"I want you to give Big Sister her title. She is better suited than I am."
Their father gazed at them. Many found the Hyuuga's eyes unsettling. They had the innate knowing that nothing could truly be hidden from them. Even being Hyuuga herself, she had been on the receiving end of that all-seeing stare, but today, right now, she was not afraid. She had nothing to hide, and knew her father knew.
"You have improved dramatically as of late. I will consider this. You are dismissed."
She and Hanabi bowed, left the room, then walked until they were out of earshot.
"That went better than I thought!" cried Hanabi happily. "For sure, I thought he would make you go into some awful essay on why you should be the heir, and why I shouldn't be, or make us fight each other, or you'd have to fight him. But I guess your work speaks for itself."
Hinata nodded, and while her heart warmed at her sister's encouraging words, inside she was not so sure. She too expected to have to prove herself, to plead her case, but maybe Hanabi was right – some unspoken communication had taken place, and her father saw something in her that he never saw before.