A/N: Well, time to get started with this. Cracks knuckles LET'S DO THIS THING!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters within. They belong to the honorable Kishimoto-sama.

Chapter 1: The request.

Team 8 was training, and training hard. All 4 of them, human and canine alike, were panting heavily from exertion. The Jonin exams were in 1 month, and all of Team 8 were applying for the rank. Hinata, whom should have been the underdog for Jonin candidacy, was actually pulling ahead of Kiba and his dog partner, and were nearing the skills of the bug master, Shino. Where this sudden surge of inner strength and stamina came from, nobody knew for sure, but most theorized that it had to do with the return of a certain blonde shinobi.

It had been approximately 4 months since Naruto and Sasuke's return from the Akatsuki headquarters, and the defeat of 5 of the Akatsuki, not including the few already killed by Konoha shinobi before that time. Zetsu, Kisame, Pain, Tobi, and, most important of all, Itachi Uchiha had been killed. After they had returned, Sasuke had been sentenced to 2 years of indentured servitude to Konoha before he would be allowed to return to being a ninja. A generous offer, by all accounts.

Hinata and Kiba had just split from a midair clash, and their eyes were darting back and forth to look for Shino when a Hyuuga messenger, a member of the branch family, arrived at the training grounds. The messenger bowed before saying, "Lady Hinata, I have a message for you. Your father requests your presence in his chamber for official Hyuuga clan business."

Hinata almost glanced back, but decided against it. Kiba would have chosen the second she was turned away to attack. Insteady, she focused her chakra, and activated her Byakugan. She glanced left, then right. Then, she disappeared, moving just a little faster than it was possible to follow with the naked eye. She dashed straight up a tree, the same tree that Shino had been hiding in. The only chakra that he had been emitting was a tiny amount from the soles of his feet to keep himself on the tree, but Hinata's vision had improved so much that she could see even that amount, and it had given him away as if there were no leaves on the tree in the first place.

She appeared right in front of him, and hit him twice, with the same hand, in blurring succession. Once in the right shoulder, and once in the left side of his hip. He was effectively disarmed, and began to fall out of the tree. Hinata jumped up, hard, infusing her legs with chakra to enhance her physical abilities. She cleared the top of the tree easily, and backflipped once in the air, hands outstretched, and landed right behind Kiba. The same tactic was applied to him, except all four limbs were hit. Her job done, she turned to the stumps in the middle of the clearing, bowed to her sensei, Kurenai, whom was staring at her with disbelief, and walked back to the messenger.

Kurenai was amazed. When all three of her students had requested permission to enter the exams, she had no idea that it would be Hinata outclassing both of her teammates. Ever since Naruto had come back, Hinata had changed dramatically. She was drastically stronger, faster, and more efficient in her attacks. Her vision had grown so much that she could see even farther than Neji. She had perfected the stances of the 8 Trigrams. Not to mention the fact that she had also grown drastically in confidence. She had stopped stuttering completely, never touched her fingers together, and only blushed slightly at the sight of Naruto. She had really matured, Kurenai thought, with a whimsical smile on her face.

Hinata bowed to the messenger, and asked, in a polite but firm voice, "Thank you. What is your message?"

The messenger replied, in a respectful tone, "Your father wishes to speak with you regarding your marriage."

Hinata's eyes bugged out. "My WHAT?!" She went from controlled to full blush and shaking fists in a single second.

The messenger, whose name, coincidentally, was Chimero, cowered beneath her. "Please, my Lady, I do not know what he wishes to speak about regarding your marriage, but it could be something that might turn out to be very good for you."

She was still blushing, and still angry, but she brought her fury under control, and said in a too-calm voice, "Very well... your duty is done, go and forget what you have heard. I will ... speak... with my father."

Chimero left as fast as he could, to get to a bar so as to drink himself into a stupor and assume for the rest of his life that all he had seen that day was a hallucination, brought on by 12 gallons of sake.

Lol... nifty ending, eh? And you still don't know who she's going to be with! HA!

Sorry I'm one day late... Reviews please, I beg of you!

Hinata: Who are you setting me up with?!

Me: You'll see... evil laugh

Hinata: glare

Stay tuned!