Chapter 4

"What were you thinking?" Tsunade-sama demanded in a rage. "You're supposed to be keeping a low profile! Do you accomplish that by blabbing the reincarnation story to everyone? Including the man who happens to be the head of the most powerful clan in the village? The most powerful clan in the country? And I'm including the daimio's family in that assessment!"

Without the part of me that was Ranma, I couldn't have done it. I'll admit, as Sakura I have sometimes tended to be meeker than I might have been. Almost like Hinata in some cases, I guess. But as Ranma, I'd learned (eventually) to stand up to my father's bluster, and I'd eventually even learned to stand up to Nabiki. Between her talents at blackmail, manipulating emotions, twisting words, and what had to be a bloodline limit in her ability to trowel on the guilt, Nabiki had been the second-toughest opponent I'd ever had to face. Though I couldn't say that I'd decisively bested her, as an adult I'd gradually learned to fight her to a draw.

It was that experience I called upon to face up to Tsunade.

"We aren't going to be able to keep my new knowledge a secret," I told her. "According to Hinata, my chakra points and flows have completely changed. Every Hyuga in the village will know something's up. So I told her about my near-death experience, and even told her that I'd returned from that with memories of a past life—"

I saw Tsunade's expression turn confused. It was easy to imagine her thoughts at that point: Why are you repeating the cover story?

"She even knows that I may have some new techniques, but that I'm still a little messed-up by it."

Tsunade's expression began to clear. She new better than I did that the secret we were trying to preserve was her reincarnation jutsu, not the knowledge I'd brought forward from Ranma's life.

"Frankly," I finished, "I think this is the best thing that could have happened. I'm trying to work through this knowledge. At first I thought that I'd just be able to boost my taijutsu. But some of the skills and techniques – there was a phrase I picked up from that other life: balance of power. I think some of the techniques that I picked up could eventually change the power relations among the hidden villages, and the five countries."

Tsunade's scowl lessened and she looked at me in surprise. "That powerful? Are you sure?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not sure. Not at all. But I think there's a chance that I could teach some of these skills to people. If all our nins, or even a small number of them, suddenly had new and unforeseen abilities, even a fairly modest ability might shift the balance, correct?"

"Perhaps."

"And if that's the case, perhaps we should warn some of the key players in the village."

"But you scheduled a negotiation!" she protested. "With me as witness."

"Oh," I said lightly, "there were a couple of other issues that I needed to work out with Hyuga-sama."

"I see." Tsunade frowned at me. "Alright girl. It's your game, let's see how you play it." She gestured for me to proceed.

I grabbed my left arm, suddenly feeling the weight of what I was about to attempt.

"Could you, ah, bring him in?"

Tsunade nodded, bemused. She returned to her desk and sat down, then pulled a hanging signal cord. When an assistant opened the door and peeked in, Tsunade said, "If Hyuga Hiashi is still waiting, would you please show him in?" The door closed quietly.

In the brief seconds remaining, I asked quickly, "He can lip read, can't he?"

Tsunade nodded, breaking into a pleased smile. "Very good, Sakura."

He could lip read. He could see through walls. I'd planned our previous conversation with the idea that it wouldn't be private.

The glacial calm force that was Hyuga Hiashi strode into the room, closing the door behind him. It was only the three of us, and as the man turned to face me, the situation quickly shifted to Hyuga-sama vs. me, with Tsunade delegated to referee.

"I have important things to do, girl. Let's get this over with. I have little patience for those who think they can meddle in clan affairs."

"Don't you want your daughter to be happy?" I countered.

It was a weak opening, but that's the way I'd always preferred to fight, as Ranma. You start soft, and gradually work up to the big stuff. I noticed that Tsunade-same seemed surprised by this topic.

"Unfortunately, the Hyuga clan has always been burdened with responsibility to match our power. We might have been happier with a simpler life, but that is impossible. Now, I believe you have some new technique you wanted to show off?"

"What would be the harm in allowing Hinata to marry outside the clan?" I demanded.

Hiashi allowed a trace of irritation to appear on his stern face. "That is purely an internal affair of the Hyuga clan. By treaties that pre-date the founding of Konoha, the village is forbidden from interfering in the clan's internal affairs."

"The village isn't interfering," I pointed out. "Just me. What's the harm?"

"Surely Hinata gave you some clue! The byakugan is a recessive gene. No children of an out-marriage will carry an active version of the bloodline. But if second generation children intermarry, they have a chance of producing a third-generation child with the full byakugan – outside the clan, and outside our training or control." He narrowed his strange eyes. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to gather such a scattered collection and bring them into containment once more? Can you conceive of how it would hurt this village, if competitive byakugan clans sprang up in the countries of water, or earth, or sound? Do you have any idea what you're meddling with? You wanted to talk about balance of power – imagine the Akatsuki with the ability to glance at the populace and immediately spot your friend Naruto, and see him for what he is!"

That struck me like a slap across the face.

"Naruto? What do you mean? Why is Akatsuki after him?"

Tsunade-sama leaned forward and cleared her throat. We both looked at her, and I was shocked. There was a look of fury on her face like I'd never seen before, and it was directed straight at Hyuga Hiashi!

"Er—" the clan leader suddenly fumbled in his delivery. "That secret belongs to Naruto and others. All I can say is that an accident in his youth left him…uniquely different."

I frowned, trying to puzzle out what he meant. Naruto had more than a few weird traits. He can do shadow clones better than anyone else our level, and the mass shadow clone better than most jonin-level ninja. He was a bit of a knucklehead. He had more loyalty than anyone in the world. He had those strange whisker-scratches on this face. Which reminded me of how in the deepest crisis, his eyes would turn slitted, his fingers would seem to form claws, and his body would erupt in an animalistic aura. In that form, he was nearly unstoppable, and as he grew more and more desperate, he looked more and more like one particular form of animal.

Suddenly everything made sense.

Suddenly I understood why some people disliked him, and reacted savagely toward him. Maybe they sensed the animal he held within him.

Because I suddenly knew Uzumaki Naruto's secret. The answer came, surprisingly, not from my life as Sakura, but from older and darker memories of Ranma. But one thing was completely and utterly clear. Naruto knew the neko-ken!

I stared at Hiashi in dawning understanding. "You knew about this? Even when he was a child, you knew?"

"We've always known! Didn't you understand? The byakugan allows us to see chakra! One glance at the boy is enough to see it all – one look at his chakra patterns and it's obvious! Every one of us has seen the boy, and the monster he hold inside of himself!"

That revelation had me off balance. And it was just about the coldest, cruelest description of the neko-ken that I'd ever heard! "You're telling me that the whole clan knew, and they never said a word?"

He gave a tight smile, sensing a winning hand. "We've always kept the hokage fully informed, as well as certain other vital parties. But yes, the Hyuga clan knows how to keep secrets. That's the power of a well-controlled clan. That's the structure you're attempting to disrupt."

I was trying to work through the implications of it. "Back when Naruto was a child – with no family, no parents, no one to turn to – you knew even back then, and you did nothing to defend him?"

"On the contrary. The Hyuga clan has always defended him. How else do you think he could have survived, in a village filled with blind hate? Some people knew, others merely sensed something off about the boy. Our clan aided him, but subtly. I personally favored a more open approach, adopting him into the clan where we could have provided better support." He shrugged. "Other factions within the clan disagreed. In the end, we kept our distance, protecting without his knowledge or awareness."

My mind raced. He'd given me the key! There was no trace of it in his expression, but I had to believe that Hyuga Hiashi had deliberately given me the hint I needed. Why? For his daughter's happiness? Could it be that he actually cared? You wouldn't know that to look at him.

"If there was the possibility of adopting Naruto before," I slowly worked out, "then it should be still possible to adopt him today. And if he was in the clan, he could marry Hinata."

Hyuga-sama gave a cold smile. "It's my understanding that no one has even mentioned this to Uzumaki yet. Your scheming on your friend's behalf without his knowledge or consent is worthy of a Hyuga clan elder. But to answer your question, no. That window of opportunity is closed. Uzumaki's situation was a unique event. Our reaction to that event might have been to adopt the child. But that path was not taken. The event is now long past, yesterday's news. Reconsidering at this late date would be purest favoritism. It would display the head family as hypocrites who look to their own interests over that of the clan, and it would ultimately end up destroying the clan. Furthermore, there is the choice of Hinata. She is my heir. She will lead the clan. She will marry within the clan to reinforce her power base. Her children will possess the full byakugan and they in turn will lead the clan."

I thought I understood. Hiashi wanted his daughter to be happy, but he saw no way out for her. He'd given me what clues he could, but he couldn't see a way out of the trap, and he didn't expect me to find one either. But he seemed modestly willing to indulge me. Maybe he really wanted to see my new technique. Maybe he was just an optimist.

"Hinata's your heir," I thought aloud, "but you have another daughter."

"Hanabi," he confirmed, with barely a nod. "She has excellent potential."

I was desperately searching for a new plan. "Would you adopt Naruto as a favor to another clan? A restored Uchiha clan, for example?"

I wasn't entirely insane. I had hopes and fears. Between the two sides of me, some of my hopes were my fears. There was no way I had any real claim on Sasuke at the moment, and I wasn't really saying that. I was just feeling things out.

"Hyuga relations with the Uchiha clan have often been … trying. It's difficult to imagine circumstances that would lead the clan to accept an adoption. From Uchiha, or anywhere else."

But I thought I saw a sparkle in his eye. Perhaps it was my imagination, but though the man's visage was stern, he seemed to be indulging my speculation.

"What about the other way?" I wondered. "Could another clan adopt Hinata?"

"The Uchiha clan. No." There was a finality to that.

"The … Haruno clan. The Haruno clan would adopt Hinata!"

Hyuga Hiashi gave me the sort of smile you would give to a child. "To take our heir from us? Not likely. First, we would need treaties binding both clans together. This 'Haruno' clan would need to control its bloodlines as fiercely as the Hyuga do. Any child born with the active byakugan would need to be returned to the Hyuga. Forever, because a recessive gene could hide for generations. Finally, such a clan would need to be a great clan. Great enough that the Hyuga elders would agree to the wisdom of such a joining. Lastly, the price for our heir would be beyond reckoning. So let me merely say that it doesn't seem likely."

"But it's possible!"

"I'll grant you that for the sake of argument. Anything is possible."

"Then," I looked at Hyuga-sama desperately, "can we just leave it as 'possible' for now? Please, we're talking about your daughter here! Don't tell me you don't love her! Don't tell me you don't want her to be happy, because I won't believe it!"

"Let's see the demonstration. Show me this stunning new technique." His tone wasn't indulgent, but I thought he was at least willing to consider it.

"Okay, fine," I agreed. I turned to the Hokage, who'd been watching silently until now. I began to spin my justification. "Long ago, ninjas used disguise and concealment more than we do today. It was the primary approach – sneaking into the enemy territory without being identified. As anonymous as any peddler or merchant. But with techniques like the byakugan, we could spot infiltrators through the concealed hardware they carried."

"And their scrolls, and the strength of their chakra patterns, and other methods," Hyuga-sama added.

"Uh, right. But what if we could go back to the old days? I mean, what if the Fire Country alone could sneak around with weapons, but in a way that couldn't be spotted? That's a major tactical advantage!"

The two adults in the room looked at each other. Hyuga-sama nodded in some sort of acknowledgment.

"I agree, so far," he admitted.

"Well? Use the full byakugan, if you want. Am I carrying any weapons? Anything at all?"

He whispered a word, and as the veins bulged out around his eyes, he stared through my body. "No. No metal, no scrolls, no wood even. Although you have the chakra coils of a ninja, you're not concealing anything."

"But I am." And with that, I touched my hidden weapons. I pulled out seven kunai with my right hand (currently the most I could hold at once) and ten shuriken with the left.

Hyuga Hiashi stumbled back in shock, pulling an arm up to shield his eyes.

"Further, I've got another technique that will blind users of the byakugan. I haven't told anyone or mentioned it, but what if there's a possibility that this could work against any dojutsu? What if we could blind any eye technique? And through training and cooperation, what if we could find a way to make your clan, and your clan only, resistant? Would that count as important?"

Hyuga-sama lowered his arm, daring to look at me now that the brief surge of ki from my hidden weapons had passed.

"That was startling, but forewarned we could easily compensate. It is hardly the blinding attack you describe. Though I am impressed with the technique, I'm afraid—"

I didn't allow him to finish. While he spoke, I'd been concentrating my attention, focusing my will. Compared to my life as Ranma, this was nothing. Akane had been vastly more impressive. Still, I was able to touch my ki, which was apparently more than anyone else in this world could do. And while Hyuga-sama spoke, I raised my battle aura, bringing it out to waver at the very edge of visibility – a translucent blue film that covered by body.

"No! Stop it! Turn it off!"

Even without the byakugan raised, Hyuga Hiashi reeled back in pain. I instantly snuffed my battle aura.

"How about now?" I asked. "Could the Hyuga clan benefit from a weapon that blinds any pupil technique?"

"My God!"

Hyuga-sama blinked, reassuring himself that he hadn't been permanently blinded. Finally, he looked at me through eyes that still watered.

"It's not me you need to convince, it's the clan elders. I know them well enough to predict that their first reaction will be to eliminate the problem through assassination." He had a manic grin on his face as he considered it. Hyuga Hiashi actually had a manic grin. I never expected to live to see that, nor do I expect to see it ever again.

"If you want to live, you need to prove that not only is this an effective weapon against competing dojutsu, but that you can help the Hyuga find a way to defend against it.

"And after that," he turned to face me, wearing a crafty, predatory smile, "then you may have the power to negotiate."

He smacked his fist into his palm. "I like your plan! We'll start immediately. In one week you will fight Neji, inside the Hyuga compound. If you win, we'll continue from there."

I was dumbfounded. "I—what? Neji?"

"Of course, I'll brief him on your little trick. He can begin thinking about a defense."

With that, he clapped my on the shoulder, before turning to stride out the Hokage's door. "Congratulations! This was worthwhile after all! Oh, and be sure to brush up on your counter-assassin techniques!"

The door closed and Tsunade turned to me, speaking at last.

"If you wanted to start an avalanche, you succeeded."

END OF CHAPTER 4

Author's notes:

In my first draft, Sakura knew about the kyubi. Re-reading the manga scanslations, Naruto tells her on their first new mission, as they head to the hidden village in the sand to rescue Gaara. Which is a month or so in the future, in the timeline of my story.

I liked that bit in the manga and wanted to keep it (even if I had to alter some of the cast). So coming back to my story, I needed to change Sakura's response, since she no longer knew of the kyubi. And … the obvious misunderstanding leapt out at me. It required remarkably little alteration of the dialog (assuming that people pussyfoot around in their dialog, being reluctant to discuss additional aspects of the big secret).

Actually, the whole kyubi-vessel is probably one of the least believable parts of the Naruto story. Not the demon or the magic or anything. That's fine. No, I mean, "Every single adult knows this huge secret, and none of the kids find out." Yeah, as if.

Sakura will find out the truth… eventually. Probably just as it happened in the manga. Until then, at least two adults assume she already knows. Meanwhile, Sakura is thinking that this village is insane enough to throw children into a pit filled with starving cats – just to gain an unbeatable technique. Of the dangerous secrets, Sakura's is worse. Because the village IS that insane. Let's hope she doesn't explain the far-too-simple training procedure to anyone.

Next chapter: sexy training