Special thanks to Shadow Amaryllis for reviewing!
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They were the cause of his blindness. It was not a mission, not an enemy that stole Neji's sight, but his spiteful aunt. Hiashi's wife was jealous of Neji's talent. Her own daughter, the supposed heir, was a failure, a disgrace. Hinata brought her shame. She'd taken her rage and humiliation out on her talented, innocent nephew. She activated his curse seal, laughing as he cried, writhing in agony. She kept it up for a prolonged time, cackling as Neji's retinas, his eyes, were burned away as the Byakugan was destroyed by the connection to the curse seal.
The pain had been so intense, the damage so severe, that Neji was left in a coma. Hiashi found his nephew, rushed him to the hospital. But the damage had been done; Neji would never see again. Innocent victim or not, it didn't matter; either way, Neji was blind. As such, he could no longer be a shinobi. He was a weakness; it would be easy for an enemy to capture him and learn the secrets of the Byakugan. To protect the precious blood trait, Neji must die. The clan elders overrode Hiashi; Neji would die by poison; absinthe mixed with wolfsbane. He would die in silent agony; it was a slow, painful death. Namita had suggested it. It would be administered soon as Neji was released from the hospital.
A sobbing Hinata had told Ten-ten this, searching the older kunoichi out soon as the Hyuga heiress learned of her dear cousin's fate. Nothing could be done; Hinata had tried all she could. None of the senseis, Kurenai or Gai, could interfere; not even the hokage had the power to interfere in Hyuga affairs. Hinata had even set off Naruto's loud mouth, but no shinobi could act. Neji would die.
Ten-ten was with the younger Hyuga at the hot springs, Hinata wailing with grief and the brown haired teen wracked her brain, trying to think of any option. But there was nothing any of them could do to save Neji. Just then, she'd seen the Uchiha boy walk by. Sasuke, who wanted to kill his brother for the slaughter of his clan.
A switch flipped in her head, and her heart skipped a beat. She gasped, and Hinata, tears in her huge, pearly lilac eyes, looked at her. Ten-ten stared at the fan symbol on the dark haired boy's back. "What would you do to save Neji?"
Hinata gave her an odd look. They'd been doing all they could! "Anything! I'd take his place, but the elders won't take the switch! They wouldn't even accept my offer of handing over the title of heir to Hanabi."
Ten-ten's mind was racing, and she trembled slightly in her excitement. Hinata looked frightened; the weapon's mistress must have cracked! "They can't administer the poison until Neji's released from the hospital. He won't be released until he wakes up." Her smile was grim when she turned to look at Hinata fully. "You need to make sure he doesn't wake up."
Hinata's eyes went wide. "W-what?"
Ten-ten's smile grew, the gold in her dark eyes flashing. "I need more time. You can give me that time. Drug him, use pressure points, whatever it takes, keep him in a coma. We'll control when he wakes; that way, I'll be ready."
"Y-you can save N-Neji?" The heiress's voice trembled with hope.
Ten-ten nodded. "All I need is time to prepare. It is dangerous, though. No one can know, or we'll have the weight of the mighty Hyuga house crash down on us." Hinata flinched at those words, shuddering and hugging herself, but here eyes were determined.
Ten-ten extended her bare forearm, vulnerable inside exposed. "Make the pact in blood if you're serious." Hinata gasped, sputtered, and stared at the older girl as if she'd just sprouted another head. Ten-ten narrowed her eyes. "I'm serious; I need to know you are, too. I can't do this without you. Neji's life is in your hands. He needs you."
That steeled the dark haired girl. Hinata gulped, rolled up her sleeve, gritted her teeth, took her own kunai, and cut her inner forearm. Ten-ten did the same, then they pressed the wounds together. A pact signed in blood. They committed themselves to saving the pretty little bird who'd touched both their lives, their hearts. They were sisters in a conspiracy.
That night, something in Ten-ten changed. She never visited Neji in the hospital again; she was too busy training. Hinata visited a lot, though, and her beloved cousin never woke up from his coma.
TBC…..