So... I lied. My bad.

Disclaimer: I am claiming no rights to Naruto or its affiliates.

"Forget about us," Kiba said, sitting up a bit on the stretcher. "You better worry about yourself, Hinata."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"Only six left, just you and Chouji, Neji, Lee, and then there are those two from Oto and Suna," Kiba explained. "Listen to me—be smart! If they put you in with that guy from Suna... you have to forfeit the match. Same with Neji. Be smart and just walk away. Trust me. He will be merciless. He would destroy you." Hinata frowned, watching as the medic-nin carried her teammate away on the stretcher. Be smart, his words echoed.

"All right, we'll now pick the names for the next match," Hayate announced.

Everyone stared at the screen that decided the matches. When the names stopped flashing, it said Hyuga Hinata VS Hyuga Neji. The kunoichi in question stared at the screen, wide-eyed and frantic. Relative against relative. Hinata swallowed, holding in violent shuddering. She made her way to the center of the arena, hoping her trembles were not seen. Neji, impassively, stared back at her. She could feel his eyes all over her skin. She drew in on herself, wanting to make herself as small as possible. However, it was for naught. The older Hyuga could see everything. He was the genius of the clan.

"I never thought… I would have to face you," Neji said.

"Neither did I... onii-san," Hinata said. The honorific did little in softening the stare down. Hinata gulped, eyes darting to the floor. Suddenly, a sharp pain formed right behind her eyes. Like a drill digging into the corners of her mind. Hinata twitched, attempting to ignore the onslaught of pain, but it merely wracked through her entire body, spreading like an uncontrollable fire. She gagged, falling to her hands and knees. Vaguely, she was aware of a voice calling out to her, but nothing could take away the feeling of simultaneously dying and reviving. Then water shot out of her mouth. She choked on the large amount of it. Coughing and sputtering, her lungs felt the strain. Fingers digging into the cracks of the tiled floor, the girl squeezed her eyes shut.

Eventually, her coughing turned into heavy gasps of air before her breathing became silent. The girl swallowed again, cracking open her eyes. For a long time, she merely stared down at her hands, expression unseen by those around her. "Are you okay?" a voice called out to her. Slowly, she shifted her attention to the man. A sickly-looking man, with dark bags under his eyes, stared at her. She stared back. Realization came at a snail's pace. When it did, her eyes widened, and then sharply turned to face the ninja in front of her. Her lips parted, forming a name, but no words. The Hyuga stood, clutching her head.

"AGAIN?!" she shouted, causing nearly everyone to flinch. Those who knew the girl had been startled by the outburst. Never had they heard such volume in her voice. "Okay… okay, I'm alright. This is fine." She stood up, forcing her expression to become impartial, despite the warring panic. The man at her left, Gekko Hayate, stared suspiciously, but the girl ignored it. He coughed harshly for a moment, but then calmly said the match could commence when ready. Ready…? Sure. For the friggin' Chuunin Exam.

Hyuga Neji stood opposite of her, mouth moving. However, she could not attempt letting the words get through to her. She, herself, was too busy experiencing rising alarm. She nearly sighed. Again. It had happened again. How long had it been since the last time? Two months, perhaps? Pale eyes darted up, gaze settling on the familiar faces. One in particular. Haruno Sakura. Her hair was pink and cut short. Like the rest, she appeared dirty and haggard from the exam. At one time, she had inhabited that body. However, she appeared the same as she had during this part of the show. Had nothing changed?

The girl looked down, recognizing the clothes of this new body. Ishikari Mayu had taken on the body of Hyuga Hinata, thrown right into the story before her crucial fight. She clenched her teeth, trying not to grimace. Last time this had happened, she had run headfirst into a car. This time… water had been involved. She had fallen from the bridge and into the river below. Her mother was going to kill her. When she returned to her body, if she hadn't already drowned, her sweet mother would most definitely finish the job herself. Or worse, she would make her go get her own switch. She groaned aloud in dismay. Unfortunately, the sound halted Neji's words mid-rant.

"Were you listening?!" he accused as though he already knew the answer. Mayu remained silent, choosing to tilt her head down. Her bangs covered her eyes, but she kept her focus on the ninja in front of her. She was in the world of ninja again. She, herself, was a ninja again. A smile threatened to form. Not seeing it, Neji narrowed his eyes. "I was giving you advice!" Mayu refrained from rolling her eyes. "Hinata, listen to me! Withdraw now! You know you were never meant to be a ninja." The action of remaining quiet became increasingly frustrating the more Hyuga Neji spoke. It was no wonder why she had not listened to half of his rant already. "You're too kind and gentle. You seek harmony and light, choosing to avoid conflict," Neji continued, unaware of the irritation he induced.

"Wait, wait…!" Mayu lifted her hand, cutting off whatever Neji intended on saying. "Why are you saying that as though it's a bad thing, onii-san?" Her opponent blinked, having truly believed that he would not be interrupted. Mayu nearly scoffed at the arrogance. "If the choices are violence and peace as solutions, why would a reasonable person go with the violent option? Violence begets violence. Violence preludes wars and bloodshed. Action causes a reaction. Yes, I seek harmony and the light, onii-san, but it is only because my eyes can see the bigger picture. It seems your eyes are weaker in comparison if you cannot."

"What?!" Thrown for a loop, but angry as hell, the older Hyuga stepped forward, fingers curling. Ah. That aloof nature of his seemed to be slipping in the wake of his cousin's thinly veiled insult. Mayu almost smirked. Riling up an opponent made them sloppy. Unfortunately for Neji, she knew how to push his buttons. His character's personality made it so obvious. "What did you say?"

"You seem to know me pretty well despite being separated for quite some time," Mayu said. "You know of my experiences. You know of my reactions to those experiences. You know of my growth… or lack thereof, I'm sure, so you form these assumptions about me. I'm sure you think I've been… pampered throughout my life, simply because of who my father is. My blood. My bloodline. Is that all that matters? I've never thought so. But you can't see pass that, can you?" Mayu leisurely crossed her arms. "Shall I wager what you think of me?" Neji remained quiet, clearly at a loss. "I have no confidence. I feel inferior to those that surround us. It would have been simpler if I had just remained a genin, but my team needed a third member to sign up for this exam. I could not bear to let my teammates down. People don't change no matter how hard they try… Am I close?"

"Y-You…" Neji seemed startled as though she had plucked those thoughts from his mind. Truthfully, Mayu had seen these episodes so many times, that she had memorized most of the lines. Neji's little speech to Hinata had always grated on her nerves. How dare he speak to her favorite kunoichi—the future Hokage's wife—in such a manner? She supposed she could let it slide. This young Neji did not know anything. He was bitter and close-minded, blaming fate for the hand he had been dealt. It took a thorough ass-kicking from Uzumaki Naruto to set him straight. However, he had done well in pissing her off. She had seen the episode too many times, after all.

"Hit the mark, did I?" Mayu asked in a sardonically polite tone. "It seems that you are the one so easily unchanged. I am a ninja—a kunoichi who has seen the blood of the enemy. If you don't think that changes a person, you have no right to achieve the next rank. It is you, onii-san, who is inferior." Neji grinded his teeth, expression twisting into rage. That look… Hinata, herself, had caused that look before, but later on in their fight. Perhaps Mayu would do well in sticking to the script. After all, many of the rookies knew that this particular kunoichi would never say words so confidently at this point. Mayu refrained from scratching her cheek. Well, she had already messed up. Might as well go all the way, but… since this certain fight was so ingrained in her mind, she knew how important it had been. Her eyes glanced upward, settling on the blond member of Team 7. Uzumaki Naruto. She had missed him. She smiled lightly in his direction. He, seemingly noticing her gaze, blinked back at her, appearing surprised.

Mayu turned her attention back to Neji. "You think I am weak. You think I am a failure. You think people can't change," she said. "Well, let me show you how strong a proud failure can be—one that doesn't give up. I'll never go back on my word. Because that's my nindo—my ninja way. I'll change. I'll stand tall. I'll choose the light, so watch me shine."

"If you don't forfeit the match… you know what will happen," Neji told her, barely containing the snarl.

"I do," Mayu said. Finally, she could no longer hold back the grin. The thought of fighting a ninja again filled her body with elation. Her Martial Arts classes seemed simple compared to this. Using and feeling chakra. There were not many things better. "It's been a little bit, but let's see if I can remember the steps." Neji frowned, obviously not comprehending the meaning. Only she, herself, knew. Whether it be worse or better, she could not wait to find out how Hinata's body compared to Sakura's. Mayu shut her eyes and slowly breathed in. Concentration enhanced, she felt her chakra coursing through this borrowed body. Once again, she could not help feeling as though she greeted a friend. One much more familiar than last time. She slid her dominant foot back, and then rushed at her opponent.

Neji's eyes widened. The distance between them vanished within an instant. His palm shot for her, but Mayu swiftly turned her body, twirling around him. She ran circles around him, watching him closely. Neji moved his head side to side, tracking her movements. His feet, however, did not move in an attempt to keep up with her or stop her. Like this, Mayu could tell she was faster. The combination of Hinata and herself gave her the advantage. Neji kept moving his eyes because he could not see directly behind him. The blind spot. Perhaps it was cheating that she already knew about it, but she planned on using it against him. A few more circles around him, and then Mayu raised her arms. She formed a hand seal each time she entered her opponent's blind spot.

Done, Mayu propelled herself up. All the way up. She clung to the ceiling on all fours. Upside down, she focused on the arena floor to see that her clone—it was perfect—still running around Neji. Grinning, she nearly patted herself on the back for a job well done. Truthfully, once she had returned to her own body, she practiced all the seals. Every single day until her hand dexterity increased significantly. Ichiro had been so jealous and had whined constantly after he discovered her pastime. Mayu narrowed her eyes as her clone finally came to a stop. Her replica—or Hinata's replica, rather—halted for a moment.

"Done running…?" Neji taunted.

The cousins raced towards each at the same time. Bursts of chakra emitted from their hands each time an attack was launched. However, it seemed that neither were able to land a successful strike yet. Mayu's eyes narrowed, eyebrows furrowing. Something was… odd. The jutsu had been for the Clone Jutsu. So, it begged the question. How could her clone block Neji's attacks? Also, Neji did not seem able to see through the clone because he continued to fight it. Mayu shrugged. It was all the same to her, really. After all, the clone was a distraction. The clone lashed out, palm grazing Neji's side. The older Hyuga stepped backwards, arms still raised in the stance of his clan. The clone stepped forward in response. Veins bulging around their eyes, the two stared at one another so intensely. Mayu shifted in anticipation.

The clone sped towards Neji, hand reared back in preparation of a powerful blow. That was the moment Mayu made her own move. She pushed herself from the ceiling and hurtled down towards Neji. She reared her own arm back, drawing closer to her opponent. As if sensing her, Neji suddenly snapped his head back, eyes widening at the sight of her. Mayu gave him a grin as her first shot forward. Attention diverted in his effort to deflect the downward punch, he did not manage to halt an actual strike from the clone. Mayu felt her own eyes widen, attention shifting to the palm against Neji's stomach. She balanced on top of the hands that blocked her. Then her eyes met the eyes of the clone. Lavender eyes seemed just as surprised.

Neji gave no time to properly react, though. Grunting, he wrapped his fingers around Mayu's fist, and then flung her away from him. He followed up with a sharp kick to the clone's side. Both Mayu and the clone went in the same direction. Sliding to a stop on their feet, they kept their eyes on each other. Mayu blinked, and so did the clone. This clone was more than a clone—more than a shadow clone, too, she observed. The image of Hyuga Hinata opened her mouth. "Who…?" she questioned, voice barely audible. Mayu doubted that even the sharpest ear could hear.

"What the—Hinata?!" she could not help the gasp that nearly choked her. Hinata's lips parted again, eyebrows drawing together in clear confusion. However, before another word could be uttered, Mayu suddenly felt the weirdest sensation. Like wind had come from inside her, sweeping her away. Her ears popped as though she was on an airplane. Then she abruptly saw the world at a different angle as though she now stood where the clone had been. Where Hinata had been.

"Is this the extent of the Main house?" Neji called over, drawing the girl from her thoughts. "So ineffective that you cannot summon a proper clone?" Mayu almost retorted with language a Hyuga heiress would not dare use. Fortunately, the soft voice of the kunoichi in question halted her before she could give Neji a verbal smackdown.

My body… Wh-Why ha-have you taken over my bo-body?

"Hyuga Hinata, hello," Mayu greeted in though, though she was just as bemused.

Who are yo-you?

"My name is Ishikari Mayu… I'm not sure what's going on," she replied. "I don't know how I got here, but it was not my intention to take over your body. This must seem very strange to you." The Hyuga did not respond to that. Mayu reached up and scratched her left cheek. "Last time this happened, I ended up in Haruno Sakura's body right before teams were assigned at the Academy. Did you happen to realize how different she behaved that last day?"

I… Yes, I do. Sakura-san was friendly to Naruto-kun. It was rather strange…

"So, it actually happened, huh? No one really knew except Sasuke," Mayu mentioned, frowning. "I wonder if he remembers me."

I'm sure no one would forget such a strange occurrence, Mayu-san.

"That's true," Mayu almost grinned at the thought. Then her gaze lifted, eyes focusing on the kunoichi with pink hair. Thank goodness the girl had not die because of Mayu's actions on the bridge. It had been awhile, she supposed, but she could still remember… fading. "I think Sakura came back to her body perfectly fine after I left, so I don't think you are in any danger."

That is… good news…

The wariness was understandable. If Sakura had stuck around in her body, and they had shared, it might have been chaos. Fortunately, she landed in a mild-mannered kunoichi. The question of why filled her. Once, she thought of it as a dream. But it had happened again. This could not be just a coincidence. The fact that Hinata retained her mind, and they were sharing, was quite baffling. This was a wholly weird experience. Cool, but weird. "Don't worry, Hinata. I'll figure out how to leave you," Mayu assured the kunoichi. "Just think of me as your tenant for now. Maybe I can pay you back."

I'm not sure that is necessary, Mayu-san.

"THAT DOES IT!" Naruto's voice interrupted before Mayu could respond. She looked up at the balcony to find that her… former teammate appeared incensed. One hand clamped over the railing while the other pointed. Neji was his target, and the genius appeared annoyed by the interruption. How much more annoyed would he be if he realized that neither Hinata nor Mayu had been paying attention in the first place? "WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL HER WHAT SHE CAN AND CAN'T BE?! WHO CARES IF HER CLONE LOOKED DIFFERENT?! SHE'LL STILL KICK YOUR ASS! GO ON, HINATA! SHOW THIS GUY HE'S WRONG AND I'M RIGHT!"

N-Naruto-kun…!

Mayu refrained from grinning. Then she blinked in confusion. "Why did he mention the clone?" she thought. "You looked alright to me."

You do look like me, Mayu-san, but your hair, eyes, and skin were darker.

"Oooh!" Mayu shook her head. "That happened before, too. I'll have to refrain from using the jutsu then. For it's intended purpose, anyway. I'll let you get on with kicking Nejis ass now."

If we share my body, then how…?

"Hell, if I know," Mayu replied.

"I can move now," Hinata whispered.

Sweet! I just pictured myself in my own body—I guess that's how we switch!

"HINATA!" Naruto shouted. "You're just gonna stand there and take that?! Do something! You're driving me crazy!"

What do you think, Hinata?

"You're both right," she thought, bowing her head slightly. "Both of you... thank you!" Her gentle eyes suddenly looked determined. She almost glared at her cousin. "I won't run away!" Her hands came together, making various hand seals. "… Never again… No more hiding!" She halted, satisfied with the formation of chakra. "Byakugan!" she shouted. She resumed her fighting stance. "Defend yourself... onii-san!"

"We continue then," Neji said, narrowing his eyes.

Hinata ran at her cousin, and they met in a clash of palms and chakra. Back and forth, ducking, dodging, and blocking. The Gentle Fist style was indeed a formidable dance, but neither Hyuga managed to land another hit so far. "I'm faster…! I can keep up with him!" Hinata noted in thought. Mayu hummed, considering the reason for that. While she had possessed Sakura's body, her abilities had been a combination of both, she believed. It appeared that Hinata also gained that benefit. The kunoichi was so good at utilizing the moves, too. Jealous. Then Mayu suddenly had a thought. Tickled, she told her plan to her counterpart. Hinata nearly let out a chuckle herself. "Mayu-san…!"

Let me do it, Hinata! Your cousin's asking for it! Ehehehehe!

The kunoichi jumped backwards suddenly, putting more than enough distance between herself and her opponent. She shut her eyes and exhaled. When she opened her eyes, her stance changed. As Mayu was not a true user of the fighting style, it felt strange. Still, it did not matter. For what she was about to do would be well worth the scrutiny from the onlookers. The girl's mental laugh seemed just a bit evil. Then she charged at Neji, not bothering to hold back on the use of chakra. The shinobi's eyes grew wide again as he took a step backwards. He clearly had not been expecting the boost in speed. In his range now, Mayu shot upward just before Neji lashed out with his palm. His strike hit nothing. The girl landed behind him, unable to hold back the grin any longer.

"Never let your opponent get behind you~!" Mayu whispered. Her hands came together in a seal. "Hidden Leaf Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique!" Her erect fingers hit the mark. "A Thousand Years of Pain!" Screaming, probably in utter embarrassment, Neji shot into the air. Then he crashed to the ground, not attempting to balance himself. His face hit the floor because his hands were occupied rubbing his abused behind. Startled laughter broke the silence. Mayu did not try to keep quiet. She laughed loudly and obnoxiously at the fallen genius, going as far as to point her finger. Her other hand clutched her aching belly. "It's way funnier doing it to someone like Neji!" The girl tried to calm herself down. "I'm gonna do that to Sasuke as soon as I get the chance!"

Mayu-san…!

Despite the scolding tone, Mayu could tell Hinata was just as tickled to see someone like her cousin fall prey to such a prank. "Hinata!" Grimace on his face, Neji finally stood. His pale cheeks were flushed, but he glared regardless. "Who taught you such an uncouth thing?!" He was angry, too. Mission accomplished, as far as Mayu was concerned. She shook her head, managing to smile sweetly. "Why…? Why did you do that?!"

"Simple really," she told him, unabashed. "I was trained by the best, so bow down like the rest!" Mayu then turned her head let out an unruly and haughty laugh. Neji's expression hardened. His eyes screamed violence. He ran at her, obviously intending to cause much harm. "Oh no! Ru-Run away! Run away!" Giggling, Mayu took off, hands in the air. The two dashed back and forth across the makeshift arena, ignoring the examiner and the other spectators.

"Does… Hinata seem a little… off to you?" Sakura murmured, knitting her brow. Beside her, Naruto did not give a response. He was too busy watching the Hyuga duo's one-sided game of tag. Honestly, he had felt kinship with Hinata. The way Neji had spoken to her really got under his skin. But what the girl had said before about being trained by the best… That had been something he had heard quite often after the formation of Team 7. His blue eyes glanced at his teammate. The pink-haired girl had stopped saying those words, though. In fact, she had stopped her friendly behavior towards him, too. Naruto looked towards the Hyuga again. Hinata continuously evaded Neji's attempts at grabbing her.

"I can't put my finger on it…" he thought, frowning.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, he was not the only one to look at Hyuga Hinata in a different light. Hatake Kakashi watched the girl curiously, pondering why behavior he had seen in his subordinate had suddenly emerged in another. Even the Third Hokage, silent in his musings, regarded the girl differently. Both men frowned, watching the chase continue.

You're so fast, Mayu-san!

"Yeah, I'm using your speed combined with mine to get away from him." By this time, she had stopped giggling. However, she still was running away from Neji. He was still angry about it. Talk about holding a grudge. "He's so petty. Take a joke."

Yes, but when will I be able to fight him again?

"So, you're that anxious, huh?" Mayu thought. She smirked and headed for the wall. Using her chakra, she ran up the wall, and then pushed herself away, flipping over Hyuga Neji. She performed several back flips to put more distance in between them. Satisfied with the distance, she stood up straight, arms outstretched in a mock Hyuga stance. "Fine, I'll do what I wanted to do now." Mayu charged at Neji again. This time, she relied only on her own speed. "This is gonna hurt!" Smirking, Neji thrust his palm forward, striking her chest.

"He got her?" Naruto exclaimed.

"So this is the full extent... of the Main house's strength?" Neji questioned, mockingly. Repeating himself. It was an indication of... something. Perhaps he had been rattled by the last attack. Good. Pushing herself through the pain, Mayu coughed blood in her hands. That could not be healthy… She squeezed her eyes shut. But it was necessary. She looked up, forcing herself to grin. As expected, Neji's eyes widened in surprise. After all, she should not be able to show any sort of mirth in her current state. Mayu backed up a little and, with a swipe of her arm, threw her blood into his eyes. Neji grunted in pain as he tried wiping the blood from his eyes. Mayu took this time to gather chakra at her feet. Like a bullet, she shot into the air.

Upon her descent, the girl performed the hand seals for the Clone Jutsu. Bursting from a cloud, a clone appeared beside the kunoichi. A copy in every way except the color of the dark hair, blue eyes, and brown skin—just as Hinata had mentioned. Mayu did not bother checking for any other differences. She had a blind shinobi to worry about. The blindness was only temporary. "Hinata, grab my hands!" Mayu told her. The Hyuga nodded, doing as told. The two began spinning like a wheel as they fell. Closer and closer to the ground, their momentum increased. "Hinata's Secret Technique!" She swung her counterpart one last time, causing the heel of Hinata's foot to strike the top of Neji's head. The genius slammed against the floor.

Or he would have if he had not caught himself. Neji hand shot out, palm against the floor. He balanced himself on his extended arm and lifted his foot to kick at the kunoichi. Seeing it, Mayu twisted, sharply yanking Hinata away from the attack. The two girls landed, and then immediately followed up with a continuation. Gentle Fist and mock Gentle Fist came at Neji hard and fast. He managed to dodge most of the strikes, but not all. A sharp slap to the face threw him off, and then a palm to his gut disoriented him completely. He stumbled back, grimace on his face. It gave the two enough time to finish the onslaught. Hinata clenched her teeth, bringing back her right hand. Mayu mirrored the stance, rearing her left back. In unison, their palms launched forward, striking the shinobi at his chest. Neji was thrown back by the force of the chakra and the physical attack. He crashed into the wall behind him.

"Double Trouble Combo!" The shout was spoke in sync, Mayu's louder than her counterpart. Hinata gasped, and then covered her mouth with four fingers.

"Yeah! Hinata, you're so cool~!" Naruto cheered, causing the kunoichi to cheeks to become stained in red. Beside her, Mayu grinned.

"So cool!" she echoed. Hinata bashfully ducked her head and began poking her index fingers together. "And cute!" Mayu had to refrain from hugging the kunoichi. Before she could, because she was definitely going to, movement from the other side of the caught her attention. Neji struggled to stand, using the wall behind him for support. He glared fiercely, obviously shaken by the feats of his mild-mannered cousin. How easy it was to use his preconceptions against him. In the face of contrast, the so-called genius could not prevail, and as a result, turned into a fool. Even now, Neji was probably amid convincing himself this was all a fluke. "Make sure he bleeds, Hinata-chan," Mayu told her counterpart. Pale Hyuga eyes widened. Darker Hyuga eyes narrowed. "I mean it. Show him that was not a misstep. Counting on you." Mayu winked, gave a victory sign, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"… Thank you, Mayu-san," Hinata thought. Inside, Mayu tittered softly. Neji finally returned to his fighting stance, drawing Hinata's complete focus. "I will tell you once more… Defend yourself!" she spoke aloud, determined. Taking the challenge, Neji dashed forward while Hinata held her ground. The cousins collided in a flurry of palm strikes. Minutes passed, and yet neither looked read to stop. "I can do this!" Hinata's gaze darted all over her opponent's body, attempting to find an opening. Even the slightest could turn this battle around. However, Neji did the same. Fighting while strategizing. Reacting while striking. Timing was crucial. So far, Neji effectively hid any openings as soon as Hinata found them. It would not last. Finally, an opening appeared. Subtle though it was, Hinata went for it. "There…!"

Unfortunately, her switch from defensive to offensive caused an opening in her own guard. Neji switched as well and initiated his attack. Palms found their target, and for more than a few seconds, all was silent. They stood frozen, staring each other down. Then, a reaction occurred. Simultaneously, the two Hyuga gagged and blood spilled from their mouths. "They both got each other at the same time!" Naruto exclaimed. Neji glared as the blood dripped from his chin. Hinata panted heavily as she stared back. Not yet, she thought. Not while Naruto watched so closely. The kunoichi shoved her cousin's arm away, and then went on the offensive again. However, Neji caught her hand and poked the arm, and Hinata flinched. She had felt the precision as the chakra had entered her body. She knew immediately what had transpired and froze in shock.

Just like that, Hyuga Neji had turned the fight in his favor.

In contrast to Hinata's panicked expression, her cousin's expression shifted back to neutral. He knew of his advantage. Both knew. Neji pushed the sleeve of Hinata's jacket up, revealing the circular red marks on his skin. "Y-You mean… this who-whole time?" she stuttered.

"That's right… I can detect the Tenketsu," Neji confirmed, arrogance returning to his voice. He had been called a genius for most of his life, but to even see and attack such small targets, Hinata—not for the first time—realized the distance between herself and her cousin. He would always be on another level. The staggering truth overwhelming the kunoichi cost her. Neji abruptly pushed Hinata backwards, and she slid away from him by meters. "Hinata… I must say you put up a fight. However, this is the unalterable difference in strength," he continued. "This distinction that separates the elite from the failure." He narrowed his eyes, scorn crawling across his face. "Withdraw!"

"I-I… nev-never go back… on my word," Hinata began, holding her arm. Even now, she could not sense the flow of her chakra. Neji had rendered her fighting style utterly useless. Even so… She would not withdraw. "B-Because… I-I told you... that's my nindo—my ninja way!"

Hinata-chan, can you go on?

"Yes. I will not give in," she replied in thought.

No, of course you won't.

"Hang in there, Hinata!" Naruto shouted, also encouraging her.

"Naruto...!" Hinata thought. She could not help the smile that fell into kunoichi was suddenly struck, causing her head to spring back. She fell, but she just got back up again. She spit out blood, but she refused to give up. She went at her cousin again, battle cry spilling just as easily as the blood. "Yes..." Hinata continuously attacked her cousin trying to get through his defenses. Even as he speed slowed, she did not let up. "Naruto-kun... I've been watching you for such a long time… But now, at last, you're watching me!" She could not give in. Unconcerned with her determination, Neji lashed out, hitting her chest. Chakra seemed to slice right through her. Even Mayu gasped at the pain. Hinata froze, and then fell forward, arm still poised to attack. She hit the ground hard, unable to brace herself.

"Don't you know when to quit?" Neji asked, though it seemed rhetorical. "You are a failure and will remain that way." Without remorse, he walked away from her, clearly thinking the battle had been won. Normally, maybe he would have. The strike was meant to disable her. Anyone else, it was meant to kill. Hinata felt paralyzed, the adrenaline finally fading. Soon, she would certainly black out. She could barely hear anything anymore.

"No! Don't stop it!" Naruto shout cut right through. "Don't underestimate her!"

"I-I won-won't…" Hinata found the strength to push herself from the floor. On trembling legs, she stood once again. Neji stared at her, surprise trickling into his eyes. "I-I-I won't sto-stop."

"Why are you getting up?" Eyebrow twitching, Neji glowered. "If you push too hard, you really will die."

"The person I've admired for so long… is watching me," Hinata thought, shutting her eyes for a moment. "I won't look uncool in front of him!" Breathing had become painful, but she remained standing. "Thi-This isn't over yet!" the kunoichi said aloud.

"You're not fooling anyone," Neji told her, sneer forming. "I can see that it's taking all of your strength just to stand." Hinata swallowed, knowing the accuracy of his statement. "You were burdened from birth with the destiny of the Hyuga clan's Main house… You've hated and punished yourself for your own weaknesses. But you can't fight your nature… or change our fate. You need not suffer anymore. Be at peace!"

"You're wrong, onii-san," Hinata replied, shaking her head. Stilling panting, she pushed herself to continue speaking. "I can see it now. It's you who is torn and suffering—caught between the destinies of the Main branch and the side branch of our clan!" Neji's expression hardened, malice screaming because of her own accurate statement. He abruptly broke out into a mad dash towards his cousin.

"Neji…!" The proctor extended his hand in an effort to gain the older Hyuga's attention. "The match is already over!" His efforts were ignored by the clearly outraged genius.

"The hell it is!" Hinata nearly growled as she charged towards Neji. Not expecting it, Neji halted. Too late, he brought his arms up to defend. "Shazaam!" Her fist bypassed the hands that tried to block and collided with her opponent's nose. Neji slide backwards, blood flowing down his nostrils. Groaning in shock and pain, the Hyuga clutched his face, staring incredulously.

Mayu-san! You-!

"I tried to hold back, and let you do all the fighting. I wanted to have this play out like it should, but being up close and personal like this—I just can't take it anymore!" Mayu argued. "Lend me your strength, Hinata. Neji might win, but I'll make sure he struggles until it's really over."

You… You don't have to…

"I wanna!" With her fingers curled and her hands at her side, Mayu gave Neji a heated stare. "On your feet, onii-san," she ordered, voice trembling to hold in her ire. "Round two means you pay for your insolence." Clearly, the Hyuga had been thrown by her behavior again. Startled to realize that she was no longer feebly standing upright. Truthfully, Hinata's fatigue vanished now that she was actively not holding back. Mayu unzipped the jacket, pulling it from her body. She tossed it to the side. The thing was quite bulky. She did not want it hindering her movements too long. Best thing to do was get rid of it for now.

"Hi-Hinata, stop putting on this act!" Neji snarled. "You and I both know your injuries are serious."

"Fortunately," Mayu began. "I've already evened the playing field. Tell me, is that broken nose not serious?" Neji glared, choosing not to respond. "I don't need the Tenketsu to fight. I'll keep going until you're begging!"

"I think it would be best if you stop-"

"And I think you should imprison your tongue for a bit," Mayu retorted. "Focus solely on surviving this match, Neji. Because if you don't…" She shifted her foot back, sinking into her own stance. "Chances are… you're going to regret it."

0-0

So yeah... I lied. Chapters have been deleted, and I will work on them one by one. However, not a lot of editing needs to be done. I did lie about that, so updates will be frequent, and maybe even on schedule. Rejoice...? Okay, I'll just leave this here and go.