Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, and I'm perfectly willing to wear a sign that says so, which is more than most people would do.
Notes: You will notice some parallels between the departures of both Hinata and Sasuke, but they are treated differently in that: 1) Hinata leaves first, 2) Hinata's leaving does not involve a known enemy of Konoha, and 3) the Hyuuga main house is involved.
Summary: While the final fate of Hinata is decided by the Konoha Council of Elders, Neji struggles with inner conflict as he faces off against Naruto in the final stage of the chuunin exam.
Keeping Counsel
Part 4 of White Dog Night
A Naruto Fanfic by
Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Hinata had run for nearly three days straight, only stopping when she absolutely had to. She had left little to no signs of a trail as far as she knew, though after a while there was only so much she could do about her scent.
Naruto would keep his word, but she imagined that someone would come looking for her before the week was done. Hinata had no illusions about her current situation: anyone that was sent after her, she would have little hope of defeating. Her best choice now was to enter enemy territory, and hope they didn't care too much about a lone girl and her little dog.
Beyond that, there was only one other precaution she could think to take. Hinata began to use her own Shadow Clone as a training dummy. It had been very awkward at first, but she eventually found the weaknesses in her own techniques, and was able to effectively exploit each one. Only when she was comfortable with the one had she dared to attempt creating two Shadow Clones, and then finally three. Naruto had warned her against making any more than that, at least until she got used to controlling that many. Fortunately, Hinata's Shadow Clones were relatively easy-going, and the few that weren't were easily rounded up by Akamaru.
Hinata did all of this with the dread of certainty in her heart. One day, someone would come for her, and they would be Hyuuga. No matter who it was, she needed to be prepared to defeat the taijutsu style she had grown up with. And in the end, even that wouldn't be enough. She would need more if she were going to survive out here.
And she had it. Hinata was carefully memorizing all the vegetation that was safe for eating or medicinal purposes from the books she'd brought along. She was also preparing herself for any other opponents she might come across. She'd practiced not only performing genjitsu, but interrupting them as well.
Akamaru was more of a challenge to train, but Hinata managed it. She started off with simple games of 'Hide and Seek' that quickly became unimaginably difficult. Hinata could recognize his chakra easily enough, but the same went for him, and with the added benefit of his nose, she never could manage to fool him for long. Even if she ran for miles, he would always track her down.
The little white dog turned out to be far more intelligent than she'd guessed. He'd merely sat by and watched while she worked with her Shadow Clones, but by the time she was done, he could isolate her scent from theirs no matter how many she made. When they slept, he was always either within arm's reach or physically touching her, breathing in and refreshing the memory of her scent every night.
But then, Hinata's scent now probably wasn't all that different from Kiba's, since she was almost always wearing his jacket. At night, she sometimes pulled the hood up over her head, completely immersing herself in the scent, hoping to bring herself more dreams of him. But often, she could only summon up memories of Kiba, which weren't quite the same as actually talking to him now, but just as comforting in their own way. If she noticed that the few times Kiba did speak to her, he had less and less to say, Hinata didn't dwell on it. She took it to mean exactly what it was supposed to: that Kiba wasn't talking as much because she didn't need his help as much as she once had.
Naturally, there would always be a part of Hinata that clung to Kiba, if not for protection, then companionship at the very least. As such, she would always need him in some form, even if it was just his comforting scent in a particularly lonely moment. And while it didn't communicate nearly as much as it once had, Kiba's spirit found other ways to let Hinata know that he would always be around when she needed him...
"Each of you has been summoned here today because you are suspected to have had the last known contacts with the accused. Bear in mind that any testimony you give, or withhold, speaks not only for the accused, but yourself as well. Now, please step forward, and state your name and relationship to the accused for the official records."
One by one, each of the witnesses came forward to present themselves to the Konoha Council of Elders.
"Yuhi Kurenai, sensei."
"Aburame Shino, teammate."
"Uzumaki Naruto, friend."
"Inuzuka Hana, veterinarian."
A slight pause, and then:
"Hyuuga Neji and Hyuuga Hanabi, cousin and sister, respectively."
There was great deal of muttering around the room, until the Sandaime Hokage motioned for silence.
"Can the girl not speak for herself?" the inquisitor asked.
"She has not spoken for the last few days," Neji replied, glancing down at Hanabi. "However, she has authorized me to speak on her behalf."
"If she cannot speak, there is no reason for her to be here."
"Did you not summon each of us because we were the last to see the accused? Surely you will not disregard her testimony just because she is unwilling to speak aloud? As the sister of the accused, she may very well have the best idea as to why we are all here."
Another round of muttering followed, and again the Sandaime Hokage gestured for silence.
"Very well. You will speak for her. But be aware that misrepresenting her, or yourself, will carry grave consequences for you."
"I am very much aware of my status within the Hyuuga Clan," Neji responded solemnly.
The inquisitor nodded slightly. "The trial will proceed as follows. Each witness will be interviewed separately. Based on the collective testimony, the Council will deliberate before making its final judgment."
"When did you last have contact with the accused?" the inquisitor asked.
Kurenai closed her eyes for a moment. "Shortly after the second stage of the chuunin exam."
"What did you observe her mental and emotional state to be at that time?"
"She was very obviously devastated, having just lost a teammate and friend in Inuzuka Kiba."
"Did you feel there was anything about the nature of the death that would have been particularly upsetting for her?"
Kurenai stared at the man with a mild sense of disbelief before shaking her head. "Other than the fact that he was dead? No. But that would've been more than enough to upset her greatly."
"And you therefore granted her a temporary leave of absence from active duty, to be suspended when you found her to be capable once again?"
She nodded. "I did."
"Yet you did not do the same for your remaining student?"
"No. Hinata requested the leave of absence, Shino didn't. But I thought they both needed the time off, so I didn't bother to volunteer them for any missions."
"How would you describe your relationship with the accused?"
"I thought of all my students as my children, but Hinata especially. She never gave me any indication that she had a problem with me, and even slept over at my place occasionally when it wasn't required. I'd like to think she was very comfortable with me."
"So is it reasonable to assume that if anyone would have previous knowledge of the actions of the accused, that person would be you?"
With a wry smile, Kurenai responded, "Yes, it would. But as I said, I hadn't spoken with her since the second stage of the chuunin exam, and at the time, she made no mention of doing anything other than looking after Kiba's dog."
The inquisitor frowned at her. "Then you are stating that you had no idea the accused might be considering leaving the village?"
"That's correct. I actually thought she was still in mourning until today."
"I find that very hard to believe. How is it that you managed to avoid hearing anything about the actions of the accused until today?"
"You might say I was guilty of caring too much. I was... handling Kiba's death in my own way. I hadn't been in contact with Hinata, and if I had heard anything about her, I probably would've disregarded it as mere gossip. There was plenty in this case, and I never believe everything I hear. I only realized how serious it was when I received the summon to appear before the Council of Elders."
"Does the alleged abandoning of one's village strike you as serious, then?" the inquisitor asked.
"It would... if I believed that was what had truly happened."
"You don't, then?"
"No, I do not."
"Would you mind explaining what you think did happen?"
"Certainly not." Kurenai leaned forward, her red eyes narrowing. "The only thing Hinata abandoned was her clan, and from where I stand, she had good reason to do so, since they'd practically done the same thing to her already. She could hardly do that and remain safely in Konoha, so she left the village entirely. What I can't understand is why the Hyuuga Clan, known for being intensely private, would pass on the possible punishment of one of their own to the Council of Elders, instead of handling the matter themselves."
"You are dismissed, Yuhi-san," the inquisitor said coldly.
"Had you noticed any changes in the accused as of late?" the inquisitor began.
"Yes," Shino replied simply.
"Such as?" the inquisitor nearly growled.
"She had a dog."
"Anything else?"
"She was more self-confident. Coming out of her shell, I guess."
"Have you any idea why she might have chosen to leave the village?"
"Don't think she had a choice."
"You're suggesting she was taken by force?"
"No. Just that she didn't have a choice."
"Explain."
"Disownment. Slavery. Death. Those aren't choices. They're things to be avoided at all costs for anyone. So she did. She wasn't stupid."
"But you do believe she left under her own power?"
"Depends on what you mean. She was in a hopeless situation. She might have gotten some advice."
"From who?" the inquisitor demanded.
Shino shrugged. "Anyone who would give it freely."
"Such as yourself?"
He shook his head. "Didn't really have anything to add just then."
"Really."
"If you don't believe me, then why waste time questioning me?"
"I didn't say that I didn't believe you."
"You didn't have to. I'm not stupid, either. Though I guess you are, if you can't figure out how messed up that clan is."
"I hardly think you, of all people, is in any position to question the Hyuuga Clan's way of life. Doesn't your own clan have certain... practices at birth that children have no say in?"
"Yes. But you don't see us branding each other like cattle and wishing death on each other, do you? You may think we're weird, but so what? Our way works, theirs doesn't. They're just too stuck up to admit it. And you're too deep in their pockets to ask any questions that might prove that."
"You are dismissed."
"You claim to be a friend of the accused. Could you expand on that?" the inquisitor asked.
"Oh, sure," Naruto replied, lacing his fingers behind his head. "Hinata really looked up to me. Said I was her personal hero and everything. She might have even had a little crush on me in the end."
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, she planted a wet one on me. I think that was a pretty big indicator. She wasn't the kind of girl that just went around randomly kissing people. Most people she could barely look in the eye at all."
"Do you believe this... alleged kiss... was a way of telling you her intention to leave?"
Naruto shook his head. "Nah, that can't be right. Who skips town after their first kiss? Only something really bad could make her leave, I know that much."
"Such as?"
"If I had to guess, I'd say problems at home. She never did talk about her family much. But if I'd known they were giving her this much trouble, I would've just let her move in with me."
"So you had no part in influencing her to leave the village?"
"Are you crazy? Why would I want her to leave? She's one of the few people in this whole village that actually likes me! I'd never tell her to go!"
"But you do have a reputation for breaking the rules," the inquisitor pointed out. "Perhaps she was merely following your example? Or perhaps you will leave next, so you two can be together?"
"Why do smart people always say the dumbest things? I told you, I'd never just let her leave! If I'd known she needed help, I would've helped her so she wouldn't have had to go. I don't see why she's the one on trial, you should be asking her family what they did to make her run away."
"You are dismissed."
"You spoke with the accused a week ago, is that correct?" the inquisitor asked.
"That's correct," Hana answered evenly.
"What did you discuss?"
"I expressed my concerns over how she was taking care of my late brother's dog, Akamaru. I gave her some guidelines to follow, and when I tried to schedule regular visits for him, she refused."
"Do you have any idea why?"
"She claimed that she was going on a mission soon, and didn't think she'd be back soon."
"Then you don't believe she was actually going on a mission?"
"Not entirely, no. She didn't say much about the mission itself, or who, if anyone, would be accompanying her. I only know that she planned to take Akamaru along."
"In light of what you witnessed that day, is it at all likely that the accused may have been planning to never return to Konoha?"
"Looking back, it was extremely likely."
The inquisitor smiled for the first time that day. "Thank you very much for your testimony, Inuzuka-san. You are dismissed."
"The Council has decided to interview you both together. However, we must ask that you specify when you are stating your own opinions, and those of your cousin, Hyuuga-san."
"I understand," Neji said slowly, doing his best to keep his temper in check.
"Which of you was the last to have contact with the accused?"
"That was Hanabi-sama."
"What was discussed?"
"The accused apologized for bringing shame upon the clan with her weakness, and vowed to become stronger, though she did not say how she would accomplish this."
"And do you believe that she left the village to grow stronger, Hyuuga-san?"
Neji hesitated. "However misguided she may have been, yes, I do believe that."
"If you were ordered to capture the accused and return her to the village, would you do so?"
"Yes, but only if ordered. She made her own mistakes, and she must suffer the consequences of them." He glanced down as Hanabi touched his arm. "Hanabi-sama agrees."
"Do either of you have any idea where the accused might be going?"
"We do not."
"You are both dismissed."
Neji took a deep, cleansing breath as he left the trial with Hanabi at his side. He knew things could've been much worse, especially if he'd decided to go in alone.
Though he had never seen the inquisitor before, Neji was certain that the man was connected to the Hyuuga main house in some way. That would definitely explain his attitude toward Neji, and why he was determined to paint a negative picture of Hinata for the Council of Elders. The trial hadn't gone well for her, not that Neji had expected anything different. As head of the Hyuuga Clan, Hinata's father would've been the one that decided to leave her fate up to the village, rather than addressing the issue within the clan. One way or another, she would soon be dead to Neji and Hanabi.
He glanced down at Hanabi, not surprised to see her face pale but composed. She had been like that ever since Hinata left, and he was starting to think she'd made herself sick by refusing to eat.
"Hey, Hyuuga!"
Neji drew his gaze from his younger cousin to find one Uzumaki Naruto standing in their path. "We have no time or patience for your antics today. Hanabi-sama is ill. I must see her home safely."
Naruto tilted his head slightly. "I know she's cute, but I think you're taking it a little too far."
It took a few seconds for Neji to realize that Naruto was commenting on the respect he had addressed Hanabi with. It was very odd, even refreshing, to run into someone who had no idea as to what the separation of the main and branch houses meant for each Hyuuga. Despite that, Neji was in no mood to explain it to an outsider.
"We'll be leaving now," Neji said, starting to guide Hanabi around Naruto.
"Hold it." Naruto knelt in front of Hanabi, peering closely at her face. "Yeah, you have to be Hinata's little sister."
Hanabi stiffened, and Neji instantly stepped between her and Naruto.
"That's funny," Naruto muttered, taking a few steps back. "From what Hinata told me, you hate her family."
"I have duties that I must perform," Neji answered. "Step aside, Uzumaki."
"Not until you tell me why Hinata left, and where she went. She told me you two would know."
Neji's eyes widened momentarily. "Did she? How odd."
"Just answer me!" Naruto demanded angrily.
"She left in search of strength," Hanabi said softly. "Neji-oniisan, I'm tired. I want to go home."
This time, Naruto stepped aside and allowed them to pass with no trouble.
"Are you sure that was a good idea, Hanabi-sama?" Neji asked once Naruto had left the path entirely.
She didn't even spare him a glance. "It won't matter. If he were going to do something about Hinata, he would've done it already."
"More than likely," Neji agreed. "What made you decide to speak after all this time?"
Hanabi sighed. "He was in the way, I am tired, and I do want to go home."
He smiled faintly. "I see."
Tenten was not distracted. She didn't get distracted. Her mind was clear, and so if she needed to fight, her aim would be true.
That was what she kept telling herself, at least.
The truth was, she wouldn't have to fight today, and even if she had, her perfect aim would've been of no use. She had lost to Temari, the kunoichi of those three oddly powerful Sand nin, in the preliminaries of the third stage of the chuunin exam. All of Tenten's weapons had proved ineffective against Temari's oversized fan.
Perhaps the only good thing was that she hadn't been alone in her defeat: Lee had lost to Gaara, Temari's younger brother. If that fight was any indication, Tenten had been lucky to drawn Temari out of the three Sand nin. Temari had been arrogant, but Gaara was completely ruthless. Tenten had known that Lee could take a great deal of punishment, but after that fight, she feared he would never be the same again. A beating like the one Lee had been handed (well, the one he'd had forced upon him) damaged both physically and mentally. She doubted he'd show up today, which meant Tenten would be going alone.
Normally, she would've walked with Neji, but he had become more withdrawn since Hinata had left the village. This only made things between them, which were already strained, even worse. Neji would barely say two words to her now, and Tenten could think of nothing that might return them to their former comfort level.
She would see him soon enough, though. He was the only member of their team to win in the preliminaries, so he would be competing today. Tenten had made up her mind: no matter what happened, she would talk to Neji today. She would force him to listen to her, if she had to.
Tenten's planning came to a halt as she finally spotted Neji, who she'd assumed would be alone. She took a deep breath, set her face into a determined scowl, and started to approach him.
That is, until she spotted the small girl walking alongside him. She could only be Hyuuga Hanabi, Neji's other cousin and Hinata's sister. Tenten felt cold all over as she watched them enter the arena. She had thought that Neji wasn't willing to be with anyone right now, but apparently, he just hadn't wanted to be around her. The sight of him with someone else almost convinced her to turn around and go home. But, remembering how strong the three Sand nin were, Tenten realized that Neji's life might be endangered if he were paired with any of them.
"I can't let things between us end like this," she whispered. Putting on a brave face, she pushed her hurt feelings aside and followed Neji and Hanabi into the arena.
"You're distracted," Hanabi said softly. "That's very unlike you, Neji-oniisan."
Neji blinked and glanced down at his cousin, shifting his weight anxiously as he avoided her eyes. "It's nothing."
"I wouldn't suggest that you risk it. I have heard strange things about some of today's competitors. Things that, if true, would demand your full attention in battle." She paused uncertainly. "If you wish to... talk about whatever is bothering you..."
He almost smiled at the offer. "No, Hanabi-sama. But... thank you." Neji soon frowned again as he scanned the growing crowd. "Your father... where is he?"
Hanabi shook her head. "I do not know. He has been very busy lately, or so it would seem. He is almost never at home during the day."
"Probably doing his best to influence the Council's decision," Neji murmured with a dark look.
"Probably," she agreed, looking more thoughtful than angry. "Still, it is odd that he would miss watching you in the chuunin exam."
"Speaking of which, I'd better go. It looks like they're about to start." Neji leaned down and spoke softly into Hanabi's ear. "Pay close attention. This is an excellent opportunity to see fighting styles uncommon to Konoha."
Hanabi simply nodded as she took her seat, watching Neji walk away. She was considering saving a seat for her father when someone actually filled the one next to her. She looked up to find a girl about Neji's age with a rather pained expression on her face.
"Who are you?" Hanabi asked blankly.
The girl glanced at her. "Tenten," she replied stiffly. "Neji's teammate, though I doubt he's mentioned me."
Neji had, actually, but Hanabi saw no reason to confirm or deny the girl's suspicions. "You came to watch him fight?"
"Among other things," Tenten sighed, drumming her fingers on her knees. "So, um... you and Neji are close, huh?"
"We are related."
Tenten frowned and stared at Hanabi. "Okay... You, um... spend a lot of time with him?"
"As much as we find necessary."
"Do you... like him?" Tenten asked.
"He has yet to incur my wrath," Hanabi replied.
"Has... he said anything about Hinata lately?"
Hanabi did not answer that question, and the look in her eyes told Tenten that it would not be wise to ask any others.
Hyuuga Hiashi closed his eyes as he drank deeply of the warm, bitter tea he'd been offered. It was perhaps the worst tasting thing he had ever willingly swallowed, but that didn't matter. He was a man of tradition, an upholder of the old ways, and so was his host.
The older man sighed contentedly as he lowered his own cup. "I must thank you again for meeting with me on such short notice, Hiashi," he said. "I know you would rather be watching the chuunin exam."
"What I would rather do is often overshadowed by what I must do," Hiashi replied. "I'm sure you can understand that."
"Indeed," the man agreed. "Have you news from the Council?"
"They will more than likely make their decision known at the conclusion of the chuunin exam. They will vote as I assumed they would."
"That is good news for you, my friend. Shall I prepare a squad?"
Hiashi frowned. "Forgive me for doubting your reach, but you have yet to explain how this matter would fall under your jurisdiction."
"You doubted that, and yet you still came to me," the older man chuckled. "You see, Hiashi... everything is not always in black and white. Suffice it to say that you have come to right person for this particular task."
"At the very least, the Council will declare her a missing-nin. That will make it a matter for the shinobi hunters."
The older man smiled and made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "You worry too much, Hiashi. I say again that I can do what you have requested."
"Are you implying that you still have some control over ANBU?" Hiashi asked slowly.
"I am merely assuring you that, one way or another, I will handle the job," he answered confidently. "That is, assuming you haven't changed your mind?"
"I have not. She was dead to me long before now. This latest defiance has only forced my hand, no matter what the Council would decide." Hiashi forced down another sip of tea.
"Then you will have your proof of the girl's death soon enough. Though... I must admit to having some concerns."
Hiashi stared at him curiously. "About what?"
"I know the abilities of my men. You have told me what little the girl is capable of. And yet, I have learned to be wary of cornered animals... especially if they are blessed with your bloodline limit."
"What are you saying, exactly?"
"I would prefer to fight fire with fire when possible. If this girl proves to be... difficult, I might have to call on you for further aid. I am doing you a favor, after all."
Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "You want Hanabi."
The older man smiled kindly. "You make it sound so horrible, Hiashi. To be selected by ANBU for service is a great honor. And who better to track down your wayward offspring? Surely the heir of the Hyuuga Clan would understand why this must be done."
"Hanabi will not appreciate being selected under false reasoning."
"Do not be so quick to judge me, my friend. I would have sent for your daughter whether you came to me or not. You have only made her acquisition more certain. I find the best soldiers are those recruited early."
"Like the lost Uchiha?" Hiashi sneered.
The older man's face hardened into a cold mask. "He may have chosen another side, but he is undeniably still a great soldier. I doubt you would last long against him, Hiashi."
"I have no interest in allowing Hanabi to betray our clan, or this village. I've had enough of that to last a lifetime."
"So many are quick to assume the fault lies with ANBU. But you would do well to remember the facts. Uchiha only massacred his clan. Your daughter only betrayed her clan. The fault lies with the family. If you want Hanabi's loyalty, then it is your responsibility, as her father, to claim it. I could only lay claim to the skills she used to kill, not the reasoning behind it." He paused, sighing softly. "It is, as I said, your choice. But it is the right choice, Hiashi, however you might feel about it. You need that girl dead. I am merely offering you a path that benefits us both."
Hiashi said nothing for several moments. Finally, he stood up and turned away from his host. "Hanabi will be prepared," he said quietly before stepping out of the room.
The old man smiled, drinking the last of his tea. "You should know better than to go against me by now, Hiashi. My will is the will of Konoha. And everything done in the name of Danzou is done for the good of Konoha."
Neji was thinking about balm as he waited for his match to be announced. More specifically, the small container of herbal balm he'd found just this morning, cleverly hidden in one of his spare kunai holsters. "I'm sorry I can only heal your physical pain," read the small note attached to the balm.
It was from Hinata, stashed where he would eventually find it, but not until she'd been gone for a while. Had he found it directly after she'd left, he might very well have smashed the container without a second thought. And it wasn't even because the thought of Neji being wounded to the point where he might need the balm was insulting.
It was because the smell would remind him unfailingly of Hinata, who had needed the balm so often that she almost constantly smelled of either it, or the flowers she pressed in her free time.
Neji had put the balm back where he'd found it, though he didn't think he'd ever use it. He didn't want to smell like Hinata, or be reminded of her unless it was absolutely necessary. She was no longer his concern. He no longer had to worry about being forced to protect her.
No, he only had to worry about being forced to protect Hanabi.
Though... he hadn't been forced into that, had he?
No one had asked him. No one had even ordered him. Was it because they thought Hanabi didn't require protection as Hinata had? Or had they just known he would willingly stand by Hanabi, because she brought honor to the title of heir, and was not a disgrace to the clan?
He wasn't sure, and no longer had any time to worry about such things. His match would be coming up anytime now, and-
"The first match will be between Hyuuga Neji... and Uzumaki Naruto!"
Neji was honestly surprised that Naruto had made it this far. Certainly he could guess how the village outcast had made it through the second stage, with Uchiha Sasuke as a teammate. But after that, he would've had to survive on his own abilities alone.
As he walked to the battle area, Neji spotted Hanabi and Tenten next to each other in the crowd. Hanabi was staring at Naruto as if he were a rather interesting bug, and Tenten, of course, was staring straight at Neji.
"Hey, Hyuuga! Are we gonna fight or what?"
Neji's head snapped to left, a scowl forming on his face as Naruto grinned wickedly at him. "I have never before met someone so eager to lose."
Naruto laughed good-naturedly, lacing his fingers behind his head. "You serious guys always crack me up!" His expression became solemn as he dropped his hands. "Listen, Hyuuga. Tell Hanabi-chan I'm sorry."
The sincerity in Naruto's voice caught Neji off guard. "For what?" he asked uncertainly.
Naruto took a deep breath... and grinned like a fool as he pointed at Neji. "For embarrassing her cousin in front of the whole village when I mop the floor with him! But don't feel too bad, because you can tell everyone you were defeated by Uzumaki Naruto, the secret love of Hyuuga Hinata, and the newest chuunin in Konoha!"
For several seconds, Neji's face was blank. Then a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes spread across his face as he cracked his knuckles ominously. "Uzumaki... I'm going to kill you now," he replied in a jovial tone. "First I'm going to break every bone in your body. Then I'll rupture any organs that haven't exploded already. And finally, I'll dump your lifeless body outside of the gates of Konoha, where it belongs."
"Bring it on, Bright Eyes!" Naruto shouted, clearly just as eager to get started as Neji was.
Neji smirked coolly. "You will not be making fun of my eyes when I am done with you. Actually, you won't be doing much of anything when I'm done with you, except perhaps bleeding profusely."
Tenten was very relieved that Neji was facing Naruto first. That meant Neji would at least have some time to rest before he had to fight again. After all, it wasn't as if Naruto was actually going to win. No one would be foolish enough to think that.
But as the fight began, Tenten noticed something very odd. Almost everyone was cheering for Neji.
It was the fact that everyone wasn't that caught Tenten's attention.
There was a small but substantially loud section of the crowd, directly across from her, that was clearly rooting for Naruto. And they weren't crazy, because Tenten actually knew these people.
There were of course Naruto's teammates, Sakura and Sasuke (Sakura was cheering, Sasuke was just glaring), and next to them, their sensei, Kakashi. Just behind them were Shino and his sensei, Kurenai. And behind them were Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, and their sensei, Asuma. Strangely enough, Ino was cheering loudest of all, not for Naruto to win, but for Neji to lose, as if he had somehow personally offended her.
"Don't they know he can't win?" Tenten muttered. "There's no way Naruto could ever beat Neji..."
"There is one way," Hanabi said softly. "And, unfortunately, I think he has found it."
Neji was in no real hurry to end Naruto's life. He was having far more fun simply dodging all of Naruto's attacks, making him look like the fool he was. But Neji did not intend to waste much more energy by simply toying with Naruto. He had come here to prove he was worthy of becoming a chuunin, and it was time to get down to the business of making an example out of Naruto.
Within seconds, Neji had found a major weakness in his opponent's attacks. Naruto became increasingly frustrated when he couldn't connect. The more frustrated he got, the more likely his hits would miss, which made him even angrier and even less accurate. He was fighting like a wild man, if you could even call it fighting without any hits.
Yet another weakness was that Naruto often overextended his punches, leaving himself unguarded in a huge number of areas. Each one was like a huge target to Neji, and the biggest ones would leave Naruto's arms all but useless for the remainder of the fight. But Neji wanted to humiliate Naruto first, and the best way to do that was to show him how weak he really was... by making him bleed.
It was a simple matter of waiting for another overextension, and then Neji's arm snapped up, backhanding Naruto across the face with with a crack so loud that it seemed to echo throughout the arena. Naruto stumbled back a few steps, and when their eyes met again, his were a little dazed. More importantly, there was a thick stream of blood running from his nose.
Neji didn't allow himself to enjoy the moment. Through the power of the Byakugan, he could see the chakra coils in Naruto's body, and they were practically calling out to him. "Now, the beginning of your end, Uzumaki," he muttered, closing the distance between them with blinding speed.
Oddly enough, Naruto's eyes cleared up just before Neji reached him, but that only meant he was able to jump just out of Neji's path. He had know way of knowing, of course, that Neji had been intending to circle him all along, and that the new positioning only made this easier.
The first two-finger strike caught Naruto in the ribs, and before he had even managed to wince in pain, the next blows were landing rapidly, far too fast for him to possibly block or avoid. Additionally, the pain would seem to be coming from everywhere at once, so he wouldn't even know where to turn to attempt a counterattack.
This would teach him not to take the Hyuuga Clan lightly, Neji thought to himself as he ended the attack with, instead of the usual, firm double-palmed thrust, a simple two-finger, but very forceful poke in the back that sent Naruto to his knees. For some reason, he was in the mood to draw this out. Probably it was that whole bit about looking past him to Sasuke even before the fight had started. There had also been some mention of both Hanabi and Hinata, neither of which Neji cared to discuss, though for entirely different reasons. And that Bright Eyes comment, which had just been childish and annoying.
Yes, Neji definitely wanted to savor this beating.
He was steadily approaching Naruto again, fully ready to give the fool a speech on how he could never change what he was, no matter how thickheaded he was about it, when something unexpected happened. Namely, a fist was driven into his jaw, forcefully cutting off the speech, and indeed, most of Neji's thoughts at the moment.
"I'll say one thing for you, Hyuuga," Naruto panted loudly as he stood, trying to catch his breath. "Your fingers hurt like hell. But maybe you should try fists next time. They're way more effective."
Neji's eyes widened in shock. Naruto should've still been on the ground, struggling to his feet even now. How had he recovered from the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms so quickly? Surely changing the final blow hadn't lessened the impact by that much. Something was very wrong here.
"You're cheating," Neji decided at last. "There's no way you could-"
"Oh, I have to be cheating because your undefeated finger move didn't put me down for the count, huh?" Naruto asked angrily. "Because there's no way a lowly outcast like me could stand up to a genius like you? Well, guess what: I just DID, and if you've got a problem with it, then you'd better do something about it, Bright Eyes! It's the last free shot you'll get in this fight."
Neji's mind was still reeling from the impossibility that stood before him. How had Uzumaki Naruto just shaken off one of the Hyuuga Clan's most advanced and powerful techniques? It just didn't make any sense. It was as if Naruto had some firsthand knowledge of the technique, and even then, there was no way he should've been able to avoid its ultimate effects. The Byakugan had ensured that all sixty-four of Neji's hits connected in the proper spots.
The realization hit Neji like a kunai to the head.
Hinata. She was responsible for this. She had to be. There was no other possible explanation. Naruto couldn't have gotten that lucky on his own. But that begged the question of how Hinata, of all people, had developed an effective defense against the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. There was no way she could've done it just from watching Neji perform it.
Of course, Neji hadn't been so foolish as to show her all of his jutsu. There was, in fact, one he had yet to show anyone, and now seemed like the perfect time to reveal it. Naruto could not be allowed to disrespect the Hyuuga Clan in this manner, no matter how much hatred Neji had for the main house. At the moment, he was far more angry that Hinata had dared to share the clan's secrets with an outcast like Naruto.
"You should be careful what you wish for, Uzumaki," Neji muttered as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "I'm going to honor you with a never-before-seen technique of my own invention. Something your precious Hinata couldn't possibly have warned you about in advance."
Naruto's blue eyes narrowed. "A jerk like you shouldn't even be allowed to say her name."
Neji shook his head. "I wonder how highly you'll think of her, once her little tricks fail you. You'll be on your knees begging for mercy soon enough."
"Gimme your best shot!" Naruto demanded, planting his feet firmly on the floor. "I'll bet you haven't got anything that I can't get up from!"
"A fool's overconfidence is always his downfall, Uzumaki. That will be your final lesson." Neji glared at Naruto's body, being sure to make mental notes of the chakra coil locations this time. He was still certain he hadn't missed them the first time, and that Naruto knew more about that than he was saying, but none of that matter now. There would be no mistakes this time.
At least, that was what Neji kept telling himself, up until his Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms proved to be just as ineffective against Naruto as the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms had been. The increased speed and doubled strikes hadn't made any difference, at least not in the way they were meant to. About the only impact Neji could see was that Naruto was bruised all over, clearly winded, and his flashy orange jacket was hanging off of him in pieces. But Naruto himself remained standing, and from all appearances, would still have the use of his chakra when he did attack again.
"Impossible," Neji whispered in total disbelief. "You should barely be able to move at all by now."
"Well, no one's saying it doesn't hurt to move," Naruto admitted with a grimace. "Guess I'm just making a career out of doing the impossible. And next on the list is beating you!" With that, he reached up and tore off the remains of his jacket, revealing a dark blue shirt underneath. But it was what was on the shirt that immediately drew Neji's attention.
It was Hinata's familiar flame symbol, enlarged to the point where it took up the entire front of Naruto's chest.
Neji was vaguely aware of Naruto saying something, but the words never reached his ears. There were several different emotions he associated with Hinata, but the one that came to the forefront now was rage, and Neji responded accordingly as he launched himself at Naruto. No longer was Neji thinking of the chuunin exam, the honor of his clan, or even personal vengeance. Naruto now represented everything infuriating and disgraceful in his life, and his arrogance could no longer be tolerated.
It didn't matter that there were suddenly five different Narutos, or that the Byakugan confirmed that they were all real enough. Neji attacked them all with equal fervor, and the one that didn't instantly vanish after he struck it became his target. Naruto was backing off, blocking whatever blows he was able to catch in time. But Neji was much faster, although he was no longer making the effort to aim for chakra coils. He only wanted to cause Naruto pain, no matter how he did it. But with the Byakugan still activated, Neji was eventually able to see through his blind rage, and discovered exactly why his previous attacks hadn't been effective.
Naruto's chakra coils were moving, and not just a little. They were actually spasming wildly, like wounded snakes, so fast that it was nearly impossible to pin them down. But it was something Naruto seemed to be doing consciously, and with little notice, since Neji hadn't seen them moving before each of his attacks. They were only moving now to prevent him from hitting any by chance, and indeed, even when he wasn't aiming for them, the coils were never where he struck.
But just as Naruto had found a way around his more damaging attacks, Neji's mind was looking for holes in Naruto's strange defense, and eventually found one. The coils could only avoid the attacks because they were limited to such small impact areas. There would be no way for them to avoid an attack that hit Naruto's entire body all at once.
As soon as he realized this, Neji broke off his attack. He was just wasting energy and causing relatively minor damage in the process.
"You done already?" Naruto asked mockingly. "No more secret techniques you want to show off? No more talk about how you're going to defeat me?"
"My actions will speak for me from now on," Neji replied confidently. "Your fate is to lose this fight, no matter what decisions we make now. No one can escape the path of destiny."
"So it was Hinata's destiny to leave Konoha?"
Neji blinked and frowned. "No. But then, only cowards can escape destiny by removing themselves from the path entirely. There is no honor in it, and that is not the way of a true ninja."
"You're the coward!" Naruto shouted. "Hinata didn't escape her destiny, she just changed it! You and everyone like you is just too stuck up to see it! It takes real guts to make your own path in life! The rest of you are just too chicken to take a chance like she did!" Naruto slapped the symbol on his chest forcefully. "I choose to be like Hinata! Your stupid path says I should be afraid of you, because you're older and stronger! But my path says that'll make for an even bigger victory to rub in your face after I beat you! So say whatever you want about me, but don't you dare talk bad about Hinata when she's not here to defend herself! Doing that only proves you're the real coward, not her!"
"You think you knew her, but you obviously didn't," Neji responded. "She was weak, and anyone that holds the same ideals as her is weak as well. And now I'm going to prove that. It's your turn to show me what you think you can do. But know that your path ends here, Uzumaki."
Though it pained her to admit it, Hanabi knew that Neji was going to lose. For Uzumaki Naruto, Hinata was a source of strength. He would keep drawing on her for the will to fight. At the same time, Hinata was a source of constant frustration for Neji. And they were both going to keep dragging her back into the picture, because she was really the only thing they had in common. If they had just avoided talking altogether, Neji would have already won. But he was being drawn into the debate, and was unable to resist getting his point across.
The result wasn't really all that shocking to Hanabi, either. She thought she'd seen a flash of something familiar under Naruto's jacket as his name had been called to fight, and the Byakugan had confirmed her suspicion. She wasn't surprised that Neji hadn't noticed it right away. He didn't have Hinata's old jacket hidden under his bed. Nor did he spend several minutes each day just staring at it for no real reason at all.
No, Neji had tried to distance himself from Hinata whenever possible. And perhaps because he had made no real attempt to deal with his feelings for her, they were more problematic than they ever had been before. Hanabi could see no way out of the dilemma for Neji presently. Naruto knew exactly where he stood with Hinata, and so did Hanabi, but Neji did not, and it was eating away at him, slowly but surely. Perhaps after the match, Hanabi could tell him what she knew to be true about Hinata's feelings for him, and what she suspected he had known all along and simply refused to believe. But she doubted he would be in any mood to listen to anyone, even her, after today.
"I am sorry, Neji-oniisan," she whispered. "I do not wish to witness this any longer. You will be humiliated enough without me watching."
Hanabi stood up to leave, but was stopped by a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Have you given up on him already, Hanabi? I think we owe it to Neji to watch him fight, no matter what the outcome. Whether he should succeed or fail, he must know that we were here to see it."
Reluctantly, Hanabi sat down, this time with her father next to her. She still had no desire to watch the match, but she could not afford to disobey her father, especially not when Hinata's betrayal was still too fresh in their minds.
"I am curious as to why you think Neji will lose," Hiashi admitted after a moment.
Hanabi did not look at him as she answered. "Neji-oniisan has lost his own path. But I suspect this loss will help him find it again."
What she did not say, however, was that Hinata had been part of Neji's path, however unwelcome, and that it was her leaving that had caused him to stray from it.
Neji smiled as the original Naruto, plus four Shadow Clones, closed in on him. He had lost his way for a while, but now he was certain that he would still win the fight. All he'd needed was a change in tactics.
That, and for Naruto to do something completely predictable, like rely on the use of Shadow Clones yet again. Even better, there was no need to figure out which one was the original Naruto, so long as he was among them.
In an instant, Neji sent his body into a spin, willing chakra out of his body in one enormous wave that slammed into each and every Naruto. Four exploded at once, leaving only Naruto to crash to the ground a few seconds later.
"It would seem Hinata did not prepare you for everything I have to offer," Neji remarked as he approached Naruto's fallen form. "I will admit that you have something in the way of stamina, but that alone is not enough to win."
"Guess you're right," Naruto grunted as he slowly sat up. "I can see I was taking you too lightly. But now it's time to get really serious! I'm gonna have to bring out my super-secret, never before tested jutsu! You better just hope it doesn't kill you instantly!"
"Your empty boasting means nothing to me," Neji sighed, waiting for Naruto to stand up. "Face your end with some dignity."
"Just remember that you forced me into this, Hyuuga! Prepare to face my ultimate forbidden technique!" Naruto shouted as he vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Neji shook his head and merely pierced through the smoke with the Byakugan... and got the shock of his life. With a strangled cry, he quickly backed up, only to receive a devastating blow as Naruto's full weight struck him high in the back, driving them both to the ground hard. Naruto managed to stay on top of Neji as they slid to a stop, and quickly flipped Neji over to face him, pressing a kunai against his neck. "So how'd you like it, Hyuuga? Quite a bit I bet!"
"You... you filthy degenerate!" Neji gasped, his body shuddering with rage. "How dare you... even imply..."
"If it makes you feel any better, I had to make up the specifics myself, but I think they're still pretty accurate. But nothing changes the fact that there wasn't a thing you could do against it!"
"You have no honor, Uzumaki! You deserve every insult that's ever hurled at you in this village, and you always will deserve them!"
"Oh, I've got plenty of honor," Naruto disagreed. "I honor what's important to me: my friends, my dream, and my life. But you don't have any of those things, Hyuuga." He cleaned closer, until his face was only inches from Neji's. "Hinata didn't tell me everything, but she told me about you. How you're supposed to protect her. Well, you did a lousy job if she didn't even feel comfortable and safe in her own home! You talk about family loyalty, but you don't have any! It's your fault Hinata's gone, because she couldn't depend on you to protect her! And now you're completely useless! Without her, there is NOTHING in your life worth protecting!"
Neji's hand was practically a blur as it flew up, driving two fingers deep into the left side of Naruto's chest. His pale lavender eyes filled with murderous intent, Neji whispered only three words.
"Take. It. Back."
Naruto didn't move, nor did he say a word. But he got the distinct impression that he'd just made a huge mistake.
"Take it back," Neji growled through gritted teeth. "Do it, or I swear your heart will explode inside your chest."
This was no bluff. Naruto could feel something cold and dark where Neji's fingers were touching him, as if the process had already begun. He knew there was no other choice.
"I... I take it back."
Neji slowly lowered his fingers. Then his eyes closed, and his body seemed to lose all its strength as he collapsed to the floor.
"He... used everything he had left... just to do that?" Naruto muttered in confusion. He let go of the kunai and slowly stood up, staring down at Neji's unconscious body for a long time. "Guess I was wrong about you, Hyuuga. But what could you possibly have left that you would throw away everything for?"
Naruto still hadn't figured it out when he became aware of a dull roar. He turned to see nearly everyone on their feet, applauding the match. It finally dawned on him that the match was over since Neji couldn't go on. Naruto didn't feel like a winner, though. He felt, instead, as if he'd been spared. Neji could've killed him. But all he'd wanted was for Naruto to take back that last accusation.
Shaking his head slightly, Naruto bent down to pick Neji up. But as he did so, he could hear the triumphant shout of one Yamanaka Ino all the way from her seat.
"And THAT'S what you get for not being seduced by my incredible beauty, Neji!"
She awoke abruptly from the dream with a gasp, sweat and tears mixing to roll down her face in large drops. "Naruto-kun," she breathed, and then softer, "Neji-niisan..."
Sensing her distress, Akamaru raised his head and whined softly.
Hinata blinked and absently reached out to pet the dog's head. "Just a dream, Akamaru," she murmured, already feeling sleep call to her again. She burrowed deeper into the gray jacket and let the familiar scent of Kiba soothe her worries away. "They're fine," she whispered, closing her eyes again.
Akamaru watched her for a few more minutes before resting his head on his paws and returning to sleep himself.
Neji was furious with himself as he sat on the edge of a hospital bed. He was still angry at Naruto, of course, but mostly at himself. That he had allowed such a juvenile and perverted jutsu to impact him in such a way was so... shameful.
If only Naruto hadn't disguised himself as Hinata.
Even Tenten would've been better under the circumstances.
And that only brought a darker blush to Neji's cheeks as he checked his neck for cuts. He could find none, which was only a small relief.
Without warning, a vision of a naked Hinata, hidden only partially by clouds (that were no match for the Byakugan, he unfortunately knew now from experience), danced in his head for a few seconds before Neji forced it away with a violent shake.
He was still trying to think of the most boring things possible to keep himself occupied when the door opened.
"Neji-oniisan?"
Neji slowly looked up to see Hanabi staring at him. The weight of her gaze was almost painful, and he turned his head away from her as she stepped into the room.
"Are you in pain?" Hanabi asked shortly. "Is anything broken?"
He closed his eyes. "Only my pride."
"Neji-oniisan... you-"
"I failed. I shamed myself and my clan. And... to lose to him, of all people, in that way..."
There was silence for a long moment.
"I am not ashamed," Hanabi said at last. "I am... proud."
Neji's head snapped up. "Why? How?"
"I watched your lips," she replied. "I heard your words. I know what they meant."
He stared at her, still not sure where she was going with this.
"You defended my honor. More than that, you defended my honor at the cost of your own advancement." Hanabi took a deep breath. "I have never been more proud of you, Neji-oniisan." She stepped closer and carefully slid her arms around him, resting her head lightly against his chest.
Neji found that he was only able to stare down at the top of her head. Even when he recalled how to move, he only felt safe with placing a hand on her shoulder.
That was how Tenten found them as she burst into the room a moment later.
"I'm so sorry!" she cried at once, starting to back out. "I didn't mean to-"
"Come in," Hanabi ordered. "You are his teammate, aren't you?"
Tenten stared hesitantly at Neji before entering, and he felt his cheeks warming again as he quickly looked down.
"I wanted to be sure you were okay, Neji," Tenten murmured. "I couldn't really see what was in that cloud, so... I didn't know if you-"
"I'm... fine, Tenten," he interrupted gently. "Thank you, for... being concerned about me." For no reason at all, he then added, "As a teammate."
Tenten's eyes widened. "What? Neji, no! I... I mean..."
"Yes?" Neji asked, sensing she was about to say something important.
"It wasn't... just that," Tenten whispered uncomfortably. "You're more than just a teammate to me. Please, don't think it was only that."
"Then what was it?"
She hesitated again, glancing at Hanabi. "Do you think we could-"
Hanabi sighed. "I will tell otou-sama that you are still resting," she said as she slipped out and closed the door behind her.
Tenten bit her lip nervously, and she suddenly decided to move closer to him, sitting beside Neji on the edge of the bed. There were only a few inches between them, and Neji was distinctly aware of that. Probably it had something to do with the idea of her being naked in his head a few minutes ago.
"Neji... you and Lee... I don't just think of you as teammates. We've been together for a while now. You're all like family to me. Gai-sensei is like a second father, Lee is like a brother..." She paused. "And then there's you."
"What about me?" Neji asked slowly.
"You are... everything I'd want to be, if I were a boy." Tenten shook her head slightly. "No, that's wrong. You are everything I want to be even now. You're strong, intelligent, honorable... you're perfect."
It was such an odd compliment, especially coming from Tenten, that Neji wasn't sure quite how to take it. Fortunately, he didn't need to say anything just yet, because she wasn't done.
"Can I ask... why you don't look at me anymore? Or why you won't talk to me like you used to? We used to talk about nearly everything. I... I really miss that."
"Because every time I look at you," Neji replied quietly, "I remember that day. And I can't imagine that the same doesn't apply to you."
"Neji..." she whispered. Tenten's hand gently covered his own. "That's not what I think about when I look at you. Didn't you just hear me? You're perfect to me." She reached up and turned his head towards her. "You could never be weak in my eyes."
"But... the way you cried out... the way you looked at me-"
"I was worried, Neji! Not because I thought you were weak, but because I thought I might lose you! You told me that under certain conditions, the Cursed Seal could kill you! I thought Hinata was going to take you away from us. And I couldn't just stand there and let her do it. You're too important to me. I don't know what I'd do without you in my life."
"I... I don't understand," Neji said at last. "If you felt that way, why wouldn't you look at me the same?"
"Because... my feelings were out in the open. At least, I thought they were." Tenten blushed slightly. "You looked at me differently, too. I thought you knew how I felt, and just didn't want to deal with it. I wanted to talk to you, but I was afraid."
"What are your feelings, exactly?"
Tenten obviously didn't trust herself to be able to express her feelings through words. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Neji's neck, pressing her lips to his ear. "Just let me be near you, Neji. You don't have to do anything. Nothing has to change if you don't want it to. I just want to be a part of your life."
Neji didn't know what to think. How could he not have known that she felt this way? Was it that he just hadn't seen it, or that she had been hiding it until now? He didn't dare ask her. But he also felt obligated to say or do something to let Tenten know how he felt. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped one arm around her waist. He felt her body tense against him, even as he heard what might have been a whimper directly in his ear. Tenten's arms tightened around his neck, enough for Neji to know that the mere act of returning her embrace both pleased and frightened her. She obviously hadn't been expecting him to react that way.
"Tenten," he said softly in her ear, and another whimper (he was sure that's what it was now) was her immediate response. Clearly, talking to her this way was pointless, so he drew back enough to see Tenten's face, which was bright red. "Tenten," he repeated, "I accept your feelings for me. I will not act as if they do not exist, or as if I am not aware of them. I do not know when or if I will ever be able to return them, but I will not discard you either way. You have my word on this."
"Thank you, Neji," Tenten murmured, her eyes growing damp. It was hard to tell whether she was sad, pleased, or both at the time, but it was the best reaction he could hope for under the circumstances.
Neji gently brushed the start of tears from her from eyes, and Tenten's eyes closed, a serene smile on her face as she leaned into his hand. It was certainly not an unpleasant feeling, so he did not pull away.
"Neji," she said softly. "When Hanabi was hugging you... was that your reward, for doing your best in the match?"
He considered that for a few seconds. "That's one way of putting it."
"May I reward you, too?" she asked hopefully.
It was a trap. Neji could see that perfectly well, even without the Byakugan activated. And yet, for some unknown reason, he felt his head bob up and down in a nod, almost eagerly.
Tenten's brown eyes lit up, and she gently seized his face with her hands. She slowly leaned in close, as he'd known she would, her eyes drifting shut as he felt her warm breath against his lips.
The world slowed to a crawl as a multitude of emotions rushed through Neji. The prominent ones seemed to fear and confusion, but a very hazy surge of satisfaction eventually overtook him, and by then it only seemed natural to close his eyes and let Tenten have her way with his mouth.
And for the first time since the match, Neji could say with certainty that he was definitely not thinking about Hinata.
There was very little that could surprise Morino Ibiki, as he'd been through a great deal in his twenty-seven years of life. And yet he was very surprised when the man that stopped him on the street turned out to be Hatake Kakashi.
"Let me guess," Ibiki said before Kakashi could speak. "There's only two reasons you could possibly want to talk to me. Either you've had a change of heart, which I doubt, or you want something from me."
"Just making conversation," Kakashi replied with a rather relaxed blink of his eye.
Ibiki crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't even bother playing head games with me, Kakashi. I do it for a living. What do you need?"
"I want to know if ANBU is going to do anything about Hyuuga Hinata."
"And why ask me?" Ibiki demanded. "You've got much better connections in ANBU than I do."
"I did, once," Kakashi admitted. "But that's not why I'm asking you. Very few people are actually aware of why she left. And if anyone in charge ever wanted to know why-"
"They'd bring me in," Ibiki finished with a frown. "What's your point?"
For a few seconds, Kakashi said nothing, and Ibiki could tell the man knew he was taking a chance by saying more.
"She's just a girl, Ibiki. More than that, she's a girl who doesn't like to fight. She ran from a family that didn't want her anyway. Yes, it's a crime, but it shouldn't be. There's no need to pursue it the way they're going to. But I'm not the only one with connections around here, so they will."
"Are you asking me to be merciful, Kakashi? Last time I checked, it wasn't in the job description."
"I would never ask that. But I know you know an innocent soul when you see one. So I will only say this: if you see her, look into her heart before you condemn her. If you truly believe that she deserves what you know you can do to her mind, then do it. But if you have any doubts about being able to look yourself in the mirror afterwards, consider your options carefully."
"As you can imagine, I've learned to deal with quite a bit when I look into the mirror," Ibiki pointed out.
Kakashi blinked, taking in Ibiki's scarred face slowly. "I don't doubt that. But you were a man when you got those scars, Ibiki. Could you have handled it as a boy? Before you answer, just do me one favor. I want you to keep a close eye on Hyuuga Neji. Then you tell me you can't see why that girl had to run the way she did."
Ibiki grunted to himself as Kakashi walked away. This actually wasn't the first time someone had told him to pay attention to the Hyuuga boy. This time, he actually would, but not because of Kakashi. Ibiki knew what it meant to truly be betrayed, and indeed, he saw that when he did dare to look in a mirror. But the girl had left in the night, and had raised a hand to no one. It didn't sound like betrayal. It sounded exactly like what Kakashi had called it: running away.
And sometimes, Ibiki knew, that was all you could do to keep everything around you from falling apart.
At Some Point in the Near Future…
The trouble with dreams, Hinata decided, was that they sometimes had ways of spilling over into the waking world and making things ambiguous. For a solid week now, she'd had the exact same dream, over and over again each night. It was almost as if someone were trying to tell her something.
And for the first time in a while, it wasn't Kiba. His presence she would've recognized right away. But this was someone else... not quite as familiar, and very different, but familiar all the same.
She had been asleep at the base of a tree that first night the dream came. The woods had been exceptionally dark, too, but since it made for more places to hide, she hadn't thought it suspicious at all.
Without warning, a figure in black loomed over her, staring at her sleeping form with the oddest expression on its face. It seemed to combine both jealousy and kinship, though Hinata had never seen such a look before.
"You must live," said the rough voice. "For now. For him."
The figure drew what seemed to be a sword, raised it high in the air, and quickly drove it into the ground next to Hinata's head, though she didn't even stir.
"You must live," the voice repeated, softer this time, and there was a strange flash of red as the figure in black turned and retreated into the darkness.
That had been the end of the dream, but not the end of the mystery. For when Hinata woke up the next morning, the first thing she saw was a huge, white staff embedded into the ground, not an inch from her face. Upon pulling it up, she found that it was actually some sort of bone, with a sharpened base, and two sharp tips extending slightly from the blunt, rounded top.
Akamaru had taken one sniff at it and growled, tossing his head irritably. Normally, that would've been reason enough for her to leave the staff. But Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that while her visitor certainly hadn't been Kiba, they were still trying to protect her. Anyway, she had been thinking of obtaining some sort of weapon to practice with.
With each night that it returned, the dream became clearer. Hinata was now certain that the red flash toward the end had actually been a matching set of red eyes, glowing in the darkness. As for the voice, she had definitely heard it before. And if it belonged to who she thought it did, that only made things more confusing.
But each time that bone staff had been the difference maker in a particularly tough encounter, Hinata was glad she'd kept it. Akamaru still didn't like the smell of it, but he'd finally stopped growling at her every time she picked it up.
There was a chance that it had only been a dream, and that the staff had been there even when she'd first fallen asleep. But Hinata chose not to believe that. Instead, for each time that the staff saved her life, she would merely grip it tightly and murmur, "Thank you, Sasuke-kun. I will live."
End of Part 4.
Endnotes:
If you couldn't tell, everyone but Hana, Neji, and Hanabi is lying to protect Hinata during the trial. While everyone else has a sense of loyalty to Hinata, Hana doesn't. She barely knows Hinata, doesn't appreciate being lied to, and isn't willing to lie to the Council for her. This isn't to say she hates Hinata, just that she tells the whole truth as she knows it, which happens to help the inquisitor's case.
If you're wondering why Ino is so pissed at Neji, in the anime she tried to seduce him during the second stage of the chuunin exam (so he wouldn't beat up her team and take their scroll). Needless to say, it didn't work; Neji didn't attack them or take their scroll, but only because he didn't want to get a reputation for taking the easy way out and picking on weaklings. I think Ino was more offended that he didn't find her attractive.
I've seen one picture of Danzou, and age was the first thing that jumped out at me. If he's not older than Hiashi, he definitely didn't age as well. And while Danzou's opinion of both Itachi and Hinata is meant to play off of the idea that he's a warhawk, there might be some truth in his perspective (at least concerning Itachi's fixation on the destruction of his clan).
The original version of the Neji/Naruto fight has Neji blocking off Naruto's chakra channels, and Naruto tapping into a secondary source as a way around it. Now, I don't see anything WRONG with that. But my way assumes Naruto actually uses his brain occasionally. Yes, he's impulsive, but I don't think he's stupid, and I think he can win a fight or two without a lot of help from Kyuubi. Although I admit that probably the only way Naruto could manipulate his chakra so expertly is because of Kyuubi's presence in him.
Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms exists in both the anime and a Naruto game, though I'm told it was in the game first. I know some people are down on the anime and don't consider moves that originate there "official," but I look at it this way. When you consider how many blunders there are in the translated manga (at least the one I've seen), which supposedly IS official, sometimes you're actually MUCH safer with referring to the anime and all of its mistakes (I'd even bet money on the idea that some fans would watch the anime just for the sake of getting the "total" Naruto experience). And saying Neji couldn't create a move like this is taking away from his genius and ability, both of which are far more developed when compared to the average member of the Rookie Nine (Naruto and Sasuke being exceptions in ability, of course).
Yes, that was a VERY dirty trick Naruto played on Neji. Desperate times call for desperate measures (and jutsu that definitely should be forbidden. Bad Naruto!). I suppose you could call it the Sexy Hinata Jutsu. Naruto wasn't pulling the measurements from memory, he just used his imagination. Keep in mind that Naruto's Harem Jutsu makes use of Shadow Clones (actual bodies that can fool the Byakugan), so as far as Neji knew at the time, what he saw was real, in triplicate (and therefore really, really, really disturbing, as opposed to just really disturbing). I know Naruto doesn't usually imitate other females, but he did prove to have mastered the Clone Jutsu by the end of the fight. If nothing else, Sakura might have shown it to him between episodes just to keep him from embarrassing her more than he already did.
Only people with the Byakugan could see through Naruto's smokescreen (with ease, anyway), which was his intent all along. And I don't think those three are going to tell anyone else what they saw. Telling would be admitting you saw it in the first place, after all.
If his name sounds familiar, Morino Ibiki is the scarred commander of ANBU's Torture and Interrogation Force that designed the written portion of the chuunin exam. I just envision Kakashi as an especially well-known ninja, and his face (maybe 'head' is a better term here) is pretty distinctive. The odds of an adult not knowing him on sight should be slim, especially if that person joined ANBU at any time during or after Kakashi's service. Ibiki is only a year older, so odds are they've at least crossed paths before.