Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, I'd have a much better idea of what I'm doing.
Notes: This starts off as another take on what could have happened in the Forest of Death, had a different choice been made by a different team. And so there's no confusion, "White Dog Night" refers to two things: 1) this series, and 2) this chapter. So if you see the phrase "Companion to White Dog Night" in another story, it's referring generally to this series, not just to this chapter.
Summary: When tragedy strikes in the Forest of Death, Hinata finds herself bound to Akamaru. But to prevent the dog from following his master, Hinata must find her own strength, even if it means abandoning everything she knows.
Warning: As you might have guessed, there's character death.
White Dog Night
Part 2: White Dog Night
A Naruto Fanfic by
Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)
There was something warm and wet repeatedly flicking against her cheek, but Hyuuga Hinata did not wish to open her eyes and find out what it might be. She was intensely afraid that looking would only reveal some horrible creature about to bite her head off, and she didn't want the last thing she saw to be the inside of its mouth.
Of course, compared to the last thing she had seen, maybe she was better off taking her chances here and now.
She remembered that Akamaru had picked up a familiar scent: Naruto's. But that was expected, since Akamaru knew the scent of everyone that Kiba was on a first name basis with.
Kiba had been dead set against trying to take a scroll from Team 7, though, if only because he knew Hinata would be useless in a fight against Naruto. Sakura probably wouldn't have taken advantage of that, but Sasuke definitely would have, and Hinata's Byakugan made her too valuable to lose, especially since there was one other in the forest who also had it (and he would gladly attack Hinata).
Shino had pointed out that even if they chose not to engage Team 7 directly, tracking them might be for the best. Team 7 would run into the forest's many dangers first, leaving a relatively safe (or safer, at least) path for anyone behind them. Kiba agreed, and had gotten Hinata to do the same by pointing out she'd be close to her beloved Naruto.
Despite how unpopular Naruto had made himself during the early stages of the chunin exam, none of them had really expected anyone to be gunning for him as hard as someone apparently was. That would prove to be their greatest mistake.
The gigantic snakes had come seemingly from everywhere at once, and it was only Akamaru's warning bark that had saved them from the initial attack. But the snakes were much faster and stronger than they had any right to be, and that only made them more fearsome to Hinata, who was scrambling desperately and trying not to scream, since it would attract even more unwanted attention. The only thing going through her mind at the time was that if Naruto, her personal hero, hadn't survived this, what chance did she stand?
Kiba had warned her against thinking of Naruto during a mission, because it inevitably caused Hinata to stop, blush, and play with her hands nervously. She understood that now, since the thought of Naruto, lying on the forest floor, his life slowly ebbing away, was nearly paralyzing for her. It was also very distracting, because the next thing she knew, one of the snakes had appeared in front of her, its huge yellow eyes locked on Hinata's trembling form.
It had been one of the most terrifying experiences of Hinata's short life. She had actually seen herself, in her mind's eye, being eaten alive by the snake, screaming and struggling helplessly as she slid down its slippery, contracting throat. This image, along with the previous one of Naruto, only served to effectively lock her every muscle in place, leaving her easy prey for the snakes.
Just as the snake reared back and dove at her, there had been a panicked cry of "Hinata!" Then something that felt like a brick wall had knocked her out of the way, sending her tumbling ungracefully to the ground.
It had been Kiba, of course, using all his strength in a desperate attempt to keep the snake's mouth closed. His powerful arms had slammed the snake's jaws shut, and he was pressing down on them with all of his might.
Hinata had never been more happy to see him... that is, until she noticed the snake closing in behind him. "Kiba-kun, behind you!" she'd screamed.
Kiba had been so surprised to hear her speak so loudly, he nearly didn't hear what she said. He would pay the ultimate price for his hesitation, but even then, he had not gone down easily. He managed to jump up and twist around in mid-air, even as both snakes came at him, their fangs dripping with deadly intent. Their jaws snapped shut on each of his arms, but with a roar of pain and rage, Kiba had literally ripped his arms free, leaving large, blood-soaked dents in the roofs of the snakes' mouths. Yet the gashes in his arms, and the venom inside them, were clearly slowing Kiba down.
This was not the case for the snakes. Kiba only had time to turn around before a third one plowed into him with its head lowered.
The warm, wet sensation on her cheek persisted, followed by a brush of fur and an all too familiar whine. Hinata slowly opened her eyes to find Akamaru an inch from her face. Apparently satisfied that she was awake, the white dog collapsed to the ground, exhausted from his efforts to wake her.
"Akamaru," Hinata whispered, reaching out to carefully pet the dog's head. "Where's Kiba-kun? And Shino-kun?"
At the mention of his master's name, Akamaru whined softly and miserably covered his eyes with his paws.
There was movement at the edge of Hinata's field of vision, and she turned her head to see Shino slowly sitting up next to her. His black glasses were missing, and she almost didn't recognize him because of that. But then she noticed a rather large amount of insects marching up and down his arms, almost protectively.
"Shino-kun?" Hinata asked softly. "Are you hurt?"
He blinked a few times before shaking his head slightly.
As she could see dark patches of blood soaking through his pants, Hinata took this to mean he wasn't seriously hurt, but she was still concerned about him.
Especially if they were the only two left.
Hinata forced that thought from her mind and pushed herself up to her knees. She crawled over to Shino and began to apply some of her rapid healing herbal balm to all the wounds she could find. If Shino minded, he was too tired to say so.
Once she was done, Hinata found she could no longer keep her silence. "Shino-kun, did you see... is Kiba-kun...?"
Shino looked as if he didn't want to answer her, at first. Finally, he shook his head again. "You don't want to see him now, if he's still how I found him."
"I have to know," Hinata insisted, placing her hand over his. "Please, Shino-kun."
"He was stuck halfway in a snake's mouth, but the snake was already dead. Fangs locked shut."
"Was he...?"
He nodded slightly, his expression grim. "Alive, from what I could see. Not enjoying it, though."
"Which way?" Hinata asked simply.
Kiba had managed to free himself from the snake's mouth, but all it meant was that he hadn't died with the crushing weight of the snake's jaw clamped around him. He'd made it as far as a nearby tree, where he'd propped himself up, as if taking a nap. His eyes were closed, and he looked surprisingly peaceful, all things considered.
"Kiba-kun," Hinata murmured sadly, tears in her eyes. She carefully lifted his head and placed a tender kiss on his cheek. It was then that she noticed his headband was missing. A search of the area turned up nothing, and Hinata's heart sank even further. It was bad enough that Kiba had died in this awful place, but now she couldn't even lay him to rest with all the respect he deserved. It wouldn't be enough to replace his headband with her own; Akamaru would know the scents didn't match up.
Hinata was still trying to figure out what to do when Shino appeared, his eyes once again hidden behind his black glasses. Without a word, he carefully picked up Kiba's body, and waited for Hinata to begin following him.
"His headband, Shino-kun," Hinata reported. "I can't find it."
Shino closed his eyes briefly, even as several insects scattered from his body. After a moment, he shook his head. "It is gone. We'll worry about it later. The body is more important."
Suppressing a whimper at his choice of words, Hinata followed Shino back to where they'd left Akamaru. The dog hadn't moved at all in the few minutes they'd been gone, and looked more depressed than ever. Hinata picked up Akamaru, and without thinking, nearly placed him on her head. She paused, however, feeling Shino's gaze on her, and merely cradled the dog in her arms instead as they made their way out of the forest.
When they returned to Konoha, Shino insisted on being the one to take Kiba's body to his clan. When Hinata asked what she could do to help, he simply told her, "Go home." She knew Shino well enough to know he wasn't being cruel, but the words still felt harsh to her.
Hinata could feel practically everyone's eyes on her as she headed home. They were probably looking at Akamaru, too, but at the moment, Hinata couldn't really tell the difference. After all, more than likely Akamaru would be hers now. Shino already had his insects, and Akamaru had always preferred Hinata (she secretly figured it was because Shino might have fleas under his command).
Not surprisingly, the Hyuuga compound was nearly empty when Hinata got there. Her father and the elders were no doubt helping with the exam in the Forest of Death. There was a time when the Uchihas would have provided such security, but in the past few years the Hyuuga Clan had been taking on more responsibilities within Konoha. But she couldn't help fearing that Kiba's death wouldn't be seen as a matter for concern.
Hinata had just reached her room when she sensed familiar, powerful chakra: that of her younger sister, Hanabi. With a feeling of dread welling up in her throat, Hinata held Akamaru a little tighter and slowly slid the door open.
Hanabi was sitting on Hinata's bed, holding a small glass jar. The girl's pale eyes were trained on the jar so intently, Hinata would've sworn that she was using the Byakugan, if not for the absence of prominent veins around her eyes.
After a few moments had passed in silence, Hanabi's steady gaze finally moved up to acknowledge Hinata.
"Oneesan. I thought you might be dead," Hanabi said coolly.
Hinata flinched at the ease with which her sister spoke the words. Why was it that everyone in her family that she felt anything for hated her?
If Hanabi noticed her sister's discomfort, she didn't show it. "I came in here to see if there was anything worth inheriting, and... I found this."
Hanabi held up the jar, and Hinata could now see a black beetle inside it, not moving at all. She was only slightly comforted by the thought that if Hanabi had already killed it, she wouldn't have bothered keeping it in the jar.
The younger girl eyed her sister carefully. "Should I kill it?" she murmured, almost playfully.
Hinata swallowed hard. "Please don't, Hanabi," she whispered.
"Why not?" Hanabi asked at once. "It does not belong inside. It is an intruder."
"Then I'll take it outside," Hinata offered.
"We deal far more harshly with human intruders. Why should this creature be more deserving of what little mercy I have to offer?"
Hinata closed her eyes. "Because... it belongs to a friend."
Clearly surprised, Hanabi lowered the jar to her lap. "Then why is it here, with you?"
"For protection," Hinata admitted softly.
The younger girl smirked in disbelief. "Who would be foolish enough to think you capable of protecting anything?"
"I'm... not the one protecting," Hinata muttered, staring at the floor.
Hanabi had always been very clever, and the unspoken words beyond her sister's lips were easy to grasp.
"Tell me, oneesan," she said softly. "Who could protect you better than your family?"
"Can you tell me, Hanabi, who in this family would willingly?" Hinata asked sadly.
Hanabi said nothing to this. She didn't need to.
Hinata could see her sister was working out the answer in her mind. It wasn't a hard question, after all.
There was no answer. Not anymore. There was a time when Neji would've been expected to lay down his life for Hinata, but no more. Not when Hinata had turned out to be the disappointment, and Neji had displayed the prowess befitting a true Hyuuga heir. Not when Hanabi was currently showing more skill than her sister ever had. Not so long as there was another, better choice for an heir around.
"Do you understand now, why I don't feel safe here, as you do?" Hinata asked.
"You could feel safe... if you were strong," Hanabi replied. "Instead, you depend on others to be strong for you, while you remain weak. Even now, look how tightly you clutch onto that mutt, as if he could save you."
Hanabi's attitude toward her had always been cold and even cruel at times, but Hinata had gotten used to it. Today, though, something in Hanabi's tone made her blood boil, and she could feel her lips curling into something of a snarl. "I will save him," she growled. "And you will not interfere."
Perhaps Hanabi was so surprised by Hinata's reaction that she couldn't respond, at first. Or maybe she was laughing on the inside. Either way, she calmly put the jar down and stood up. Hanabi stared at Hinata for a few more seconds before moving to the door.
Hinata's shoulders slumped, and she suddenly felt drained from dealing with her sister. She was also curious as to where that sudden outburst had come from. She'd never spoken to Hanabi that way. She'd never spoken to anyone that way.
"Neji-oniisan was here."
Hinata froze upon hearing her sister's words.
"He was looking for you," Hanabi continued, knowing she had Hinata's full attention. "I told him you hadn't come home yet. I assume he'll be back later."
"Oh," was all Hinata could think to say.
"He didn't seem angry," Hanabi noted. "Which was odd."
"Does... he hate you, too?" Hinata whispered.
"If he does, he's not as obvious about it as he is with you. But then, you are weak, as well as being the heir. Of course he hates you. Not only is he expected to protect you, but you actually need him to."
"Do you think he would hate you if you were the heir?"
"Perhaps. But I would still make him respect me. Unlike you, I would not hesitate to activate his Cursed Seal. It's there for a reason."
"You... you didn't, did you?" Hinata asked fearfully as she turned to face her sister.
Hanabi shook her head. "There was no reason to at the time. He was only looking for you, and once he found out you weren't here, he left." She stared at Hinata curiously. "What do you think he wants?"
"Probably to blame me for what happened today, but he doesn't need to, really," Hinata sighed, closing her eyes. "I already blame myself..." She half-expected Hanabi to agree with her, but when there was no response, she opened her eyes to find her sister had already left the room.
It quickly became apparent that Hinata was not going to get any sleep that night. Aside from the fact that she was seeing Kiba's body nearly every time she closed her eyes, Akamaru had not responded to any offers of food or comfort. He would lie on the floor unless she picked him up, and even when she petted him, he didn't move.
Hinata had no idea what she was supposed to do. The Forest of Death was kept locked up when not in use, and even if she wanted to go back for Kiba's headband when the exam was over, what chance would she stand, assuming she could even convince Shino to go with her?
"I'm sorry I'm so useless, Akamaru," she muttered. "If I could have just done something, he'd still be here..."
Again, there was no reply, and Hinata took that to mean the dog agreed with her. She brushed the start of tears from her eyes, and happened to spot the jar Hanabi had left on her bed. She reached over and twisted the top off, tilting the jar so that the big, black beetle inside could march onto her waiting hand.
"Shino-kun," she whispered, sending chakra into her palm. "Are you awake?"
It had been a long time since she'd last used the insect relay system (Kiba had thought of it, she recalled with a pang of guilt), but Shino would've said something if it were no longer operational.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, the beetle flapped its wings rapidly, producing an odd, buzzing parody of Shino's voice.
"Yes."
"How did it go with Kiba-kun's family?" she asked softly.
"As well as could be expected. I told them Akamaru was with you, and they agreed that it was probably for the best. I doubt he ever told you this, but I believe you may have been Kiba's closest friend."
Hinata shut her eyes tightly. "Please... don't say that."
"As you wish," he replied after a short pause. "Has there been any change in the dog?"
"He's not eating or moving at all. He'll die at this rate, Shino-kun. I don't know how to help him. What should I do?"
"I believe you will have to find the missing headband. By all rights, it should go to Akamaru, and it will most likely improve his mood, to have something of Kiba's. Unfortunately, I suspect it is no longer in the forest."
Hinata nearly dropped the beetle. "What? But... where is it, then?"
"Someone has taken it. Who or why, I cannot say. But we will know soon enough, as the person is probably one of our fellow genin."
"I don't understand, Shino-kun. Who here would take it, and not turn it in? Who would want to dishonor Kiba-kun?"
When Shino answered, he sounded tired. "I am not certain it is him they meant to dishonor, as they did not disturb his body. I will consider the matter further. Keep your eyes open, Hinata. What you seek may be closer than you realize."
With that, the beetle stopped flapping its wings, and the connection faded.
Sighing softly, Hinata held the beetle over her nightstand and gently coaxed it off with a finger. Shino had taught her that most bugs detested confinement, and he had loaned her this beetle with the understanding that she would allow it to roam freely around her room. Apparently this particular beetle was very intelligent; Hinata could never find it unless she needed it, and so far Hanabi was the only other person who even knew about it. More than likely, Hanabi wouldn't tell anyone about the beetle, but Akamaru was another story entirely.
"I don't care what anyone says, Akamaru," Hinata whispered, stroking the white dog's head. "I won't lose you, too. From now on, it's going to be you and me. I'll take care of you, I promise."
Again, there was no response, but Hinata refused to lose hope. She understood that Akamaru was distraught over the loss of Kiba, as she was, but in the end, they would each have the other. Eventually, Akamaru would remember their friendship, and once he did, she would never fail him again.
Hinata finally fell asleep with that promise in mind, cradling the silent white dog in her arms.
Stillness reigned in the Forest of Death this night, but for some reason, she was not afraid.
Even when she recognized that the path was leading her to where she'd found Kiba's body, she was not afraid.
Somehow, she knew what she would find even before she got there.
Akamaru whined softly in her arms to be put down, and the instant she did so, he ran like the wind, barking excitedly.
She stepped around a tree just in time to see Akamaru leaping onto Kiba's chest and licking his face eagerly.
Kiba was dead. Hinata knew this, and yet...
And yet tears of joy still fell from her eyes when Kiba's head lifted, and his hand came up pet Akamaru's back. "Kiba-kun," she breathed as he slowly got up, that familiar smile on his face as he lifted Akamaru to sit on his shoulder.
Then his dark eyes turned to her, and his smile widened. Hinata's heart was pounding as he came closer, knowing this couldn't be real, but perfectly willing to go along with it for as long as it lasted. If this was the only way she could be with Kiba now, it would have to be enough.
She didn't resist at all when one of his strong arms slid around her waist, her eyes drifting shut as she felt one of his large hands on the back of her head. He drew her close enough where she could smell the mixed scent of sweat and forest surrounding him. His lips brushed her ear, perhaps accidentally, and the resulting shivers that raced down her spine made Hinata wonder if this really was a dream, because it felt so very real.
"I'm sorry to torture you like this, Hinata," Kiba said in a soft tone that was unusual for him, "but I have a favor to ask of you."
"You want me to look after Akamaru?" she guessed, her words muffled against his jacket.
"No, I knew you'd do that, anyway," he confessed with a grin. "What I need you to do is going to be a lot harder than that. But I want you to promise that you'll do it, even before I tell you what it is. Will you?"
Hinata didn't even pause to think about it, something that normally might have bothered her. "I'd do anything for you, Kiba-kun."
"Wish I'd known that sooner," Kiba chuckled. "Well, here it is. I can be with you, for as long as you need me, but there's something I'll need first. You know what I mean, right?"
Thinking back to her conversation with Shino, she nodded slightly.
"I thought you would. And here's the hard part: someone you know has it. You have to get it back for me."
"Who?" Hinata asked.
"Don't know. I know it's someone who shouldn't have it, and that they're not going to just hand it back. You'll need Akamaru's help to find them, and after that, it's up to you. I know you can do it."
"Kiba-kun... there's something I have to know," Hinata pleaded. "Why did you save me? Why weren't you fighting with Akamaru like you always do?"
His embrace tightened around her. "Isn't it obvious? I had to protect what was precious to me. If anything ever happened to one or both of you, I'd never forgive myself. It was my choice, Hinata. I knew... I knew all of us wouldn't make it. I could see that right away. And I couldn't let you be the one."
"I... I'm precious? To you?" Hinata whispered, her cheeks flushing.
"What, don't believe me?" Kiba asked teasingly, smiling as he held her at arm's length. "I picked you to appear to, didn't I? Even entrusted my best buddy to you. Hell, gave my life for you, and you still need more?"
"I'm sorry!" Hinata apologized at once. "I didn't mean to sound-"
Kiba pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't be sorry, Hinata. And don't ever blame yourself for what happened. I would've done what I did even if you were stronger than me. I needed to protect you. I still do, and I always will."
Hinata reached up and gently grasped his hand, staring into his black eyes. "Kiba-kun... I lo-"
"Don't," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. "Don't say that because you think I need to hear it. Only say it when you have no doubt in your mind and heart that it's true. If you're ever ready to tell me, I'll hear you. But for now... just believe me when I say that I'll be there, whenever you need me."
"I do. But Akamaru needs you now, and-"
"Just give him a little more time, Hinata. He knows what I expect from him, and he'll bounce back when he needs to. You'll see, it'll be like I never left."
Hinata shut her eyes tightly, not wanting him to see the disbelief she felt in that moment. Kiba was dead... and she would never feel like she had when he was alive, no matter how happy she might be in the future. What did happiness matter, anyway, in a world without him? Not wanting to lose him again, she clung to his jacket desperately, and was thankful when his only response was to hold her tighter.
The familiar scent of Kiba roused Hinata the next day, and for an instant, she thought she was still dreaming, wrapped in his comforting embrace. Then she looked down, and saw that Kiba's gray jacket was draped over her body. There were no rips or stains, as there had been when she'd last seen it, so someone must have gone to great lengths to repair it so quickly.
Hinata carefully folded the jacket and put it to the side. She had just gotten out of bed when she noticed that Akamaru was gone. Before she had the chance to panic, however, the white dog slipped in through her slightly open door, a thin strip of meat dangling from his mouth.
"Good morning, Akamaru," she greeted, trying her best to sound casual.
Akamaru stared at her as he finished his meal quietly. Once done, he padded over to her, brushing briefly against her ankle before settling down on the floor. He clearly wasn't in the mood to do more than that, but at least he was eating and moving again, and that was enough for Hinata. She would worry about whose breakfast he had stolen later. Right now, she needed to visit Kiba's family. Facing them didn't seem as intimidating an idea anymore, and that was probably due entirely to the dream she'd had last night.
Hinata was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't notice she had a visitor until the person spoke.
"Hinata-sama."
She looked up at once, more out of surprise than anything else. "Oh... Neji-niisan. What are you doing here?" It was a valid question, as Neji had never entered her room before. In retrospect, there was also a fairly good chance that he wasn't allowed there, or at least had no desire to go there until now.
His eyebrows raised, as if he weren't expecting her to sound so calm with him in the same room. "I heard about Inuzuka," he answered a few seconds later, staring intently at her face. "I thought I would come by to... say a few words."
"That was very responsible of you." The sound of Hinata's own voice made her hesitate. She hadn't meant for that to come out so unfeeling, because now it seemed like she didn't appreciate Neji's visit. "Did you know him?"
If her tone bothered Neji, he didn't show it. "I had heard of him. Is it true that he saved your life?"
"It is," Hinata replied simply.
Neji began to say something else, but his gaze moved past her. "Isn't that his dog?"
Hinata turned to look at Akamaru, who was, surprisingly, on his feet once again, his stance tense and his teeth exposed as he began to growl loudly.
"Akamaru? What is it?" Hinata asked with concern. She couldn't think of anything that had changed since she'd spoken to the dog a few minutes ago...
Except Neji was here now.
Alarms went off in Hinata's head as she turned back to her cousin. He hadn't moved, and didn't seem too bothered by Akamaru's hostility... but he definitely wasn't taking his eyes off of the white dog, either.
"Neji-niisan... did you ever meet Kiba?" she asked softly. "Did you ever speak to him, I mean?"
He blinked and finally shifted his gaze back to her. "Once. I don't think he heard me, though."
"What did you say?"
Neji's lips flattened into a thin line. "If you must know, I told him that he had made a mistake."
Hinata took a deep breath before extending her hand. "Tell me... was that before or after you took his headband?"
He smirked. "Before, Hinata-sama. I made sure he had my opinion before I took it."
"Give it back," Hinata demanded.
"I'm afraid I can't," Neji replied coolly. "I believe he made the wrong choice, and that it ultimately resulted in his death. You might say I have a theory on the matter."
"And that is?"
"He wasn't the one that should've died. By all rights, the weakest team member would've been the only one to die. Had you ever defeated either of your teammates in combat?"
The answer was no, but that wasn't entirely Hinata's fault. Kiba and Shino had only ever seemed interested in sparring with each other. The few times Kurenai had made them pair off with Hinata, they'd handed her quick and largely painless defeats. Kiba had eventually admitted that he didn't like the idea of hitting a girl, or at least not one that looked like Hinata. She had never really been sure what he'd meant by that.
"I assumed as much," Neji commented, taking her silence for an answer. "The reasonable conclusion is that you should be dead, and Inuzuka should be alive. Instead he made a huge, but completely worthless sacrifice. He might as well be buried in an unmarked brave to save him the final shame of having given his life for yours."
"You're wrong," Hinata whispered, clenching her fists. "Kiba-kun always intended to save me. It's just the way he was. And I was worth it. He told me so!"
"Then prove it," Neji challenged. "If you would have Inuzuka's honor restored, then you may try to take back his headband. If you succeed, so be it. But if you fail, my theory will be proven correct, and you will have to live with the fact that he threw his life away for nothing."
Hinata wasn't sure what to think. Part of her wanted to hate Neji for what he had done. But every time she'd tried to hate him in the past, she had failed, because she understood that his suffering had occurred at the hands of the Hyuuga main house, which she was currently a member of, and would ultimately be responsible for. This was no different, because while taking Kiba's headband was disrespectful, Neji seemed to have done it with testing Hinata as his main priority. She could still recall Shino's comment that whoever had taken the headband hadn't been interested in damaging Kiba's dignity, and perhaps this was Neji's way of seeing that Kiba's sacrifice was indeed seen as honorable.
But this was not just about Kiba's honor, or even Hinata's own. Hinata knew that she couldn't refuse this challenge, not just because she was heir to the Hyuuga Clan, but because she was Kiba's friend. If she failed now, Akamaru was better off going back to Kiba's family, and that was simply out of the question. Hinata had promised both Kiba and Akamaru that she would care for the dog, and she had every intention of doing so.
If Neji thought he was going to stand in the way of that promise, then she would just have to go straight through him.
Neji had gone over the conversation beforehand several times in his mind, and somehow, the part about Hinata growling at him simply hadn't occurred. He hadn't even known that Hinata could growl, much less that she would sound so much like Akamaru that it was hard to tell who was doing it louder.
But it wasn't even the growling that had caught him off guard. It was the look in her eyes, and more specifically, her eyes themselves. As a Hyuuga, her eyes had always been a milky shade of lavender, with the pupils only visible under close inspection. Now, for some strange reason, he could clearly make out her pupils, because they were black, beady, and quivering in what could only be either rage or madness.
He never would manage to work out which one it was, in the end.
Hinata literally flung herself forward with little warning, her fingers hooked as she made two wild swipes at him, missing both times as he slipped out of her range, but only just.
Neji didn't bother with a counterattack. There was only so much space to work with, and though he hated to admit it, he would need more to consistently avoid Hinata's blows if she was going to fight like this. With that in mind, he turned and sprinted out of the room, heading towards the gardens. He could hear Hinata's surprisingly quick footfalls just behind him, and wondered if had underestimated her somewhat.
By the time Neji actually set foot on grass, he could practically feel Hinata's breath on the back of his neck. He spun around as he lowered himself into a crouch, and sure enough, Hinata went sailing over his head in a rather desperate lunge. Despite that, she curled up her body and hit the ground rolling, easily springing back to her feet an instant later.
No matter how many of his expectations she had already shattered, Neji knew what would happen next. Hinata would activate the Byakugan, as would he. Then she would depend on Gentle Fist taijutsu for her attacks, even though he knew it's inner workings better than she could ever hope to. It was the only fighting style she knew, after all.
Amazingly, Hinata did neither of these things. Instead, with another feral growl, she rushed him again, swinging her arms like a thing possessed. Neji was so surprised that he only had time to block the heavier blows with his forearms, and those were landing with nearly bone-jarring impact, which shouldn't have been possible for Hinata without the aid of the Byakugan.
The fight wasn't going at all as Neji had predicted, and there seemed to be only way to regain control at this point. He blocked one more of Hinata's hits, then struck her midsection with the Eight Trigrams Empty Palm technique. Hinata's eyes widened in pain as her body was sent flying straight into a nearby tree, which cracked under the impact. But it was Hinata who fell heavily to the ground, panting loudly as she slowly forced herself to attempt to rise again.
Neji used the break in the fight to activate his Byakugan, and was horrified by what he saw. In that first instant, he would've sworn that he was watching Inuzuka Kiba struggling to get up, so similar was the stance and chakra. But closer inspection revealed that it was indeed Hinata, though she had undergone some very drastic changes since he'd last looked at her this way. No, 'drastic changes' didn't even begin to describe what Neji was seeing. Hinata had been transformed.
Something clicked in Neji's brain. "The Four Legs Technique," he muttered softly. "But that's Inuzuka's... so how does she know it? And when did she use it?"
There was little time to consider the matter further. Hinata was back on her feet, so to speak. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground, as were her hands, eyes flashing with malice as she hissed at Neji like some sort of strange jungle cat. He was still trying to make sense of the odd parody when she sprang high into the air, displaying a speed that was unheard of for her so far. It was so captivating a sight that Neji nearly forgot she was aiming at him.
Hinata landed just in front of him, using her downward momentum to deliver two powerful, vicious swipes. The first sliced open Neji's left cheek, while the second left a gaping, diagonal rip in his shirt, spinning him around several times in the process. During one of those revolutions, he felt his pockets being torn away as well.
Though very much disoriented, Neji had enough wits left to try and reverse his predicament with an Eight Trigram Palms Great Heavenly Spin. Before he could, however, he realized that Hinata was no longer attacking, and that her chakra usage had suddenly decreased dramatically. When his head cleared, he finally spotted her several feet away, sprawled out on the grass as if she'd fainted. Clutched tightly in her right hand was Inuzuka's headband.
With a dissatisfied grunt, Neji began to turn away. That is, until he heard a particularly annoying sound. It was Inuzuka's dog, of course, barking excitedly as he bounded into the gardens and stopped in front of Hinata, where he proceeded to bark even louder, as if he were trying to wake her up.
After a moment of this, Hinata slowly raised her head and smiled weakly. "I have something for you," she whispered, carefully draping the headband around Akamaru's neck. "There. It's yours now."
Akamaru let out another joyful bark as he began eagerly licking her tired face, his tail wagging like mad.
Shaking his head, Neji winced slightly at the thought that was currently running through his mind. It persisted, though, and he slowly walked towards his fallen cousin, mindful that the rip in his shirt was bloody around the edges.
"It would seem that you have disproved my theory, Hinata-sama," he said quietly. With that, he offered her his hand.
Hinata hesitantly reached for his hand, and gasped when he hauled her up none too gently, to the point where she stumbled into his chest, drawing a slight hiss of pain from him. Her eyes widened with worry as she looked up into his face. "Neji-niisan... I didn't mean to-"
"I certainly hope you did, or this entire exercise would've been pointless," he interrupted firmly.
"Oh," was her soft reply as she looked down.
Neji sighed and turned his back on her. "Perhaps Inuzuka knew what he was doing after all, when he gave his life for yours. But he should've taught you how to use his technique more effectively."
"Um... what technique?" Hinata asked slowly.
"Forget I said anything," Neji murmured, walking away before he changed his mind. He hadn't gotten far before Hinata called out to him one last time.
"Thank you, Neji-niisan! For everything!"
"Foolish girl," he whispered to himself, fingering the deep cuts in his cheek. "I always thought your ignorance would be the death of you. But it just might save you yet."
End of Part 2
Endnotes:
I know, I know. You're going to tell me that there's no way Hinata should be able to instinctively use Kiba's Four Legs Technique. Well, I look at it this way: most of Kiba's attacks are nowhere near as effective without Akamaru, so actually having a dog must be a big part of his ability to perform them. Hinata now owns the very same dog, with Kiba's blessing (take that how you will).
The main reason I'm using English attack names is that I, personally, don't like to stop reading every few sentences in order to look up an attack in Japanese. On the other hand, I'm trying to avoid using some of the very odd names that Viz came up whenever possible. So you won't be hearing "Evil Eye" from me (sounds way too biased). Although, some Japanese terms pop up so often in Naruto that it's hard NOT to pick them up, (Byakugan, for example) so those I would use, with the understanding that they're terribly easy to figure out/find.
Keep in mind that Neji's goal here wasn't to beat Hinata into submission, which is why he didn't do so. He merely wanted her to prove that she was worthy of Kiba's sacrifice by getting the headband back, which she did. Basically it was a ninja game of Keep Away... not unlike Kakashi's survival test, now that I think about it. Just replace the bells with Kiba's headband.
Working within the chuunin exam is tricky. You can assume that Team 8 never completed the second stage, so Neji would've defeated some other opponent in the first battle round. As for the second round, that hasn't occurred yet.
Yes, those were Orochimaru's snakes. He didn't want to be interrupted while he dealt with Team 7.