Chapter Two

Author notes: Mark my words; this chapter was written one year ago, when I was still in the first phase of my writing-English-development. I've edited some grammar mistakes, so it looks a little better, but still….it's not my best work.

She felt a bit more comfortable, knowing she finally took her decision. As she stood up and walked home, raindrops started to fall down. Within seconds the rain poured down from the sky. She stood still and looked up to the sky, enjoying the feeling of the drops wetting her face. But because she didn't want to catch a cold, she hurried back to her apartment.

When she got home, she really wanted to take a nice warm bath. She pulled of her soaked clothes and stepped into the hot water. She sighed of pleasure as she felt her muscles untighten and her body relax. She watched her hair floating on the surface of the water. It's gotten really long. I think it must be reaching my belly-button by now. Her shiny indigo-black hair was definitely one of her beauties. As were her lavender Hyuuga-eyes. She turned a lot of heads whenever she was walking through Konoha. She never cared about that though, she only wanted one head to turn...Yeah, keep dreaming girl.

When should she do it? She was still a little shocked by the thought she was going to do something what she'd done in her dreams for so many times, but she needed to get used to the idea first.
I hope he'll react just as he always does in my dreams...
With that hopeful thought in her head she dried herself and went to bed.

The next morning she woke up feeling refreshed. She took a quick shower, had some breakfast and headed to the training grounds. She started with some kunai-throwing practice.
But how am I going to do it?
She hit the target.
If I just wait on an occasion to arise, I'll probably be waiting forever.
Hit again.
And what if I can't muster the courage?
Another hit.
What if he hates me afterwards?
Oh, you fool, she said to herself, he would never hate a fellow Konoha ninja.
But he'll still look at me differently.
Fighting with her inner self she threw the rest of the kunai all at once. Tk-tk-tk-tk-tk-tk they did as they all hit the target right in the middle.
I have to become stronger.

The sun was setting and she was breathing heavily. She had spent the whole morning and afternoon at the training grounds working on her Jyuuken style. The wooden puppets she trained with were showing some serious signs of wear.
Wham! She hit the chest of the puppet with the palm of her hand, spun around quickly and hit it with her other hand.
A sound of splintering wood echoed over the training area as she kicked the puppet through the air. It landed with a smash, cracking into pieces.
I think I might have overdone that last kick a little.
She gave a glance over the area, where the remains of the wooden puppet and some other severly damaged puppets lay. She had never been able to cause so much damage while training. There might be a slight chance I've gotten a little stronger since the chuunin exams.

flashback
A punch to the chest. They were standing still, holding their position.
Naruto watched with his eyes wide-open. Every living soul in the building was watching this fight.
A heartbeat started raising. Blood dripped on Neji's arm.
'So this was the best the head family could do.'
Blood was slowly streaming down from the corners of her mouth. I'm not done yet.
She hit his arm away from her chest and wanted to attack again, but he gripped her arm and pushed two fingers on her skin. Her vision blurred and she had trouble keeping her byakugan active. She panted for breath.
Neji pulled the sleeve of her hoodie back and red spots all over her arm were revealed. She panicked.
'Did you...So you were..'
'Correct, my eyes can see the chakra holes' he said. and with that he hit her chest with tremendous force. She flew backwards and hit the ground hard.
Naruto took a sharp breath.
'Hinata-sama, this is the difference between our unchangeable powers. It's the difference that separates the elites from the dropouts.'
She lied on the ground, breathing heavily, and turned her face to him.
'This is the unchangeable reality' he continued, 'you were destined to regret this when you said you didn't want to run away. You should be in despair right now.' He walked up to her. 'This is your last chance. Give up.'
She pulled herself up a little. 'I'm...' She formed her hands into fists.
Neji's eyebrows raised.
More blood dripped on the ground as she tried to stand up.
'I'm...not going to...take back...'
Neji was really confused now.
'...my...'
'Hinata...' Naruto whispered.
'...words...That's my nindo, my way of the ninja...' she said weakly but determined.
Neji gritted his teeth.
She glanced at Naruto again, as if she was seeking for courage to hold on.
'I didn't know Hinata was so tough...' Naruto said to his comrades standing next to him.
'She's actually very similar to you, Naruto-kun', Lee said.
Yeah, she has always been watching you', Sakura added.
Hinata... he thought.
Both Hyuuga activated their byakugan again.
'Come' Neji said provocative, taking his fighting position.
But she couldn't. She gripped to her chest and let out a scream of pain. More blood flew down her mouth on the ground.
Naruto inhaled sharply.
His attack struck my chakra holes and completely stopped my flow of chakra. She was now unable to use Jyuuken moves which force chakra into the enemy. I'm done for.
Naruto looked around. He could tell from the faces of the other persons present that they had all given up on Hinata, and it pissed him of.
'Hinata', he yelled. 'Do your best!'
She looked at him in surprise. Naruto-kun...
Neji watched her running towards him. Power has returned to her eyes...he thought.
She prepared to fight while running.
I have watched you all this time.
They got into combat again.
I have been watching you for so many years...
She directed a punch at her cousin.
I wonder why...
Neji tried to hit her again, but she quickly stepped aside and his fist only contacted with air.
I don't know why, but...
They kept blocking each others attacks.
...when I watch Naruto-kun...
They forced each other to use nothing but defensive moves.
...I feel more courage within me. It makes me feel as if I can accomplish something if I try. As if I am worth something.
She came to him, preparing her fist to contact with his body, but Neji dodged it and hit her so hard she flew through the air.
'Hinata!' Naruto screamed, leaning over the balustrade that kept him aside.
Fortunately she managed to land on her feet. But suddenly a wave of pain went through her chest and she almost choked.
Naruto-kun, I have only been watching you... She ran to Neji again.
But I...I finally... She prepared an attack. Naruto-kun! she screamed in her head.
But Neji dodged her attack before she even tried and forcefully slammed his hand on her heart.
Time seemed to slow.
She coughed, spitting out blood.
As in slow motion, she fell to the ground, her byakugan still active.
Naruto felt anger raising up in him.
Neji looked at his cousin laying on the ground. 'You are such a stubborn person. Your attacks had no effect on me to begin with. It's over.' And he deactivated his byakugan.
Naruto's eyes narrowed of anger, and he gritted his teeth.
'I assume she cannot fight anymore' the proctor announced.
'Don't stop the match!' a voice shouted. Everybody looked surprised to the blond haired boy.
'Don't stop the match!' he screamed again.
'What are you talking about, bakaa!' Sakura yelled. 'She cannot fight anymore! She fainted!' But the look on Naruto's face made her lowering her voice and she turned her face to Hinata. 'What?'
Everybody gasped. Was this actually happening? How could it be...?
She was trying to pull herself up, and shaking heavily she got on her feet, barely able to remain her balance. She held her hand to her chest in pain.
'Why did you stand up?' Neji asked annoyed, sweat running down his face. 'If you push yourself, you're really going to die!'
'I can't...show such an unsightly scene...in front of the person I admire...'
Neji got angry. 'Why?'
'...who has finally looked at me...' she said with a determined look in her eyes.
Naruto nodded to her almost proudly, as if he was saying 'you're doing well Hinata!'
The Hyuuga genius activated his bloodline limit again as she stumbled to him, still holding her hand to her heart.
'There's no point in acting tough. You're barely able to stand up. I can tell with these eyes that you have carried the destiny known as the Hyuuga Family. You cursed your powerlessness and blamed yourself. But people cannot change. This is destiny. There's no need to suffer, let yourself go.'
She shook her head. 'You're wrong, Neji-nii-san. Because I can see...that you are suffering more then me.'
'What?'
'You're the one who is confused and suffering from the fate of the head and the branch family.'
This really pissed Neji of. He ran at her, screaming of anger, as if he finally let out all the anger that had been building up in him for years.
'Neji-kun, the match has ended!' the proctor yelled to him.
But he didn't stop.
A poof of smoke, and three jounins appeared, holding him back.
'Why did the other jounins came out?' he yelled. 'Does the head family receive special treatment?'
She felt her heart shrivelling up. Pain rushed through her entire body. She coughed and collapsed.
Naruto, Lee and Sakura jumped down and ran towards her. Naruto kneeled down next to her. 'Hinata, are you okay?' he asked, really worried.
No response.
'Hey!'
'Naruto-kun..' she whispered.
'Yeah..?'
'I...'
Naruto looked at her with his eyes focused on her.
She whispered something unintelligible.
He leaned a little bit forward to hear her better.
She could feel herself slip away. Was I...Was I able to change a little?
Naruto watching her was the last thing she saw before her eyes closed, and she lost consciousness.
end flashback (finally)

She smiled as she recalled that memory. Ever since that fight, it felt as if Neji-nii-san finally started to respect her a little. He still called her Hinata-sama, but it sounded like he actually ment it now. She was glad to see that the relationship with her cousin had gotten a bit better.

Suddenly she felt a presence getting closer to her. Her adrenaline-level raised and she prepared to fight, activating her bloodline limit.
'Hinata-sama' a calm, familiar voice said. Wow, speaking of the devil...
'Hokage-sama summons your presence right away.'
'Hai' she said, immediately on her way to the Hokage-office.
Neji took a look at the training ground. When did she become this strong? he wondered as he saw the devastated puppets spread over the area, hand and foot prints all over them.

She ran into the office. 'You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama?'
'Ah, Hinata, you're here' Tsunade said as she looked up from her paperwork. 'I have a very important mission for you. I want you to go to the Land of Water and find these herbs for me' she said as she handed her a paper with more details about the herbs. 'They're very rare so they're hard to find. Besides that there's also the possibility you will run into some missing nin's, because the region were the herbs are located is also an area where a lot of missing nins are hiding.'
'B-but Tsunade-sama?'
'What is it?'
'I-Isn't this A-ranked then?'
'Yes. What about it? Do you think you can't handle it?'
She kept silent.
'Don't worry about it, Hinata. You're not going alone. Your partner should arrive any minute now.'

The door swayed open and a squall flew through the office, which caused the papers on the desk to flie through the air, showing some lottery tickets hidden underneath them.
'I'm sorry I'm late Tsunade-no-baachan!' somebody shouted.
She turned around slowly. There stood her partner. W-What?...I-Is this actually h-happening? The shock caused her to stutter even in her thoughts. Blond hair...piercing blue eyes...
'I already told you not to call me that...Naruto!' Tsunade yelled.
And everything went black.