Please Enjoy and I only own Ami and her unique Justus. The chapters of the story will occasionally combined some episodes in to one
Chapter 13: - A Failure Stands Tall
The two Hyūgas stood across from each other the tension palpable in the air, I couldn't tell what Neji looked like as his back was towards me but Hinata looked… petrified, whilst her body didn't show it her eyes were anyone need to look at.
"I'd never thought that you and I would have to face each other, Hinata," Neji spoke, his tone calm.
"Nor I brother," Hinata responded. Her tone was also calm with a slight waver that almost went unnoticed.
"What'd she call him?" Sakura asked, her voice showing her surprised tone. Even Naruto and myself were surprised by this statement.
"Brother?! Those two are brother and sister?" Naruto exclaimed as he stared down at the two Hyūgas.
"They're both descended from the Hyūga clan, one of the most ancient and honourable families of the Hidden Leaf Village. Not actually brother and sister," Kakashi-sensei explained.
"Oh, ok, but they're related somehow, right?" Sakura questioned.
"Yes, in the way the branch of a great tree is related to its' trunk. Technically they're more like cousins," Kakashi answered. However Naruto was confused by this comparison.
"Yes. Hinata belongs to the family's main household, directly descended from the head of the clan, while Neji's family is just a side branch of the clan," Lee explained. I nodded agreeing with his statements as we turned back to the match.
"Still they're family and now they have to fight each other. I feel for them must be hard," Sakura stated.
"Yes but…," Lee began to respond but he trailed off. I looked at the Taijutsu fighter wondering what he had to say, Sakura prompted him to continue by asking.
"It may not be as hard as it seems, I have heard that for many generations there has been some bad blood between the two families," Lee finished. When asked why he couldn't give a defiant answer except that it was possibly related to their Kekkei Genkai.
"If what Lee says is true then it would explain why Hinata is afraid," I spoke up. Everyone turned to look at me before looking at Hinata.
"I done see it," Sakura spoke up. I turned to the pinkette and sighed through my nose before turning back to the stand-off.
"If you're looking at her body you won't, but her eyes show that she is afraid," I stated. Hayate then told the two of them to begin and immediately Neji repositioned his feet
"Before we do this, a word of advice. Hinata, listen to me, withdraw now. You know you were never meant to be a ninja, you're too kind and gentle, you seek harmony and avoid conflict, you allow yourself to be easily swayed by others," Neji ordered. I gritted my teeth, who did he think he was ordering someone to do something else.
"Admit it, you have no confidence, you feel inferior to everyone else here, it would have been better for you to simply remain a Genin but to register for the Chunin exams you need a team of three people. You never even wanted to take part in these exams but Shino and Kiba did and you couldn't bear to let your teammate down could you?" Neji insulted.
'If she's got you for family no wonder she feel inferior, you must insult and berate her.' I thought.
"No you're wrong, I wanted, I had to find out, I wanted to see if I could change," Hinata protested. I felt so sorry for this girl, for simply have a sweet soul she must have been thought of lesser than the rest of her family.
"Hinata you are the pampered offspring of the Hyūga's main branch, people cannot change no matter how hard they try. They can't run away from their true nature, a failure will always be a failure," Neji insulted. I felt a stab to my heart at his words, for I was trying to change what I was raised to be… but I wondered if that was impossible.
Neji continued to berate and insult Hinata, his insults only served to anger Naruto and I could understand he was beginning to get under my skin as well and that was an almost impossible task. Neji mentioned the Byakugan and Kakashi explained that it was a Dōjutsu much like Sasuke's Sharingan and that the Byakugan was believe to be the ancestor of the Sharingan and explained that by power of insight the Byakugan was stronger.
Neji activated his Dōjutsu and it was that this point that Hinata fear had become so powerful that it had begun to show through in her body movements, Neji picked up on these and elaborated as to what each of these actions meant. With each word that Neji spoke, I saw that Naruto's entire being was shaking with anger, his fists had a white knuckle grip on the ointment jar Hinata gave him whilst his teeth grated against one another.
"That does it!" Naruto's yell shattered the silent tension that had been building thanks to Neji. "Who gave you the right to tell her what she can and can't be? Go on Hinata show this guy he's wrong," Naruto told the girl. Her eyes were wide with surprise at this. "Hinata you just going to stand there and take that! Do something, you're driving me crazy!" Naruto added on.
"Naruto's right Hinata. You wanted to show your strength and now have the chance, to back down would be an insult to everything you believe in," I told the girl. Her eyes widened even more if that was possible, as if she couldn't understand why we had spoken up.
Hinata's head lowered and then it raised to meet Neji, her eyes were calm now and they no longer showed fear, the only showed pure determination. Neji tried to get her to forfeit but Hinata responded by performing hand signs and activating her Byakugan, she then assume a fighting position with her left leg extended and both legs bent at the knee, her left arm completely extend and her right arm pulled back to her side, with both being opened palms.
"Defend yourself, my brother," Hinata warned. Neji was annoyed by this turn of events but he assumed the same fighting stance as Hinata.
"Very well then," Neji responded
"Of course it is the Hyūga style. That is why they're poses are the same," Lee spoke up. This attracted our attention, I realised that it was the Gentle Fist fighting style, a technique that was used in tandem with the Byakugan.
"The Hyūga style?" Sakura questioned. I would have answered but that might have given away how vast my knowledge was… and not just on the Hyūga clan.
"It is the most effective type of Taijutsu found in our village. I have said it before, I have on my team the man who is probably the strongest Genin ever to come out of the Hidden Leaf Village. That man, Neji Hyūga," Lee stated. His body was shaking and I realised that this was the person he wanted to beat and that Neji mostly likely insulted him the same way he insulted Hinata.
The two charged at each other and Hinata launched the first strike but Neji was able to block it with his arm, a wave of chakra burst forth from the contact. They continued to throw strikes at each other with both of them effectively dodging or block every strike, the chakra continued to flow from the attacks. At one point Hinata manage to make a glancing blow to Neji's exposed side.
"Did she get him?" Sakura asked as we all looked on.
"No way she hardly touched him," Naruto answered. But I knew that a glancing blow could still be as fatal as a direct hit.
"Even so a glancing blow is enough. That is what makes the Hyūga clan the most formidable of fighters," Lee spoke up. Sakura asked what Lee meant but Guy began to explain.
"They're Taijutsu is a unique one, that has been passed down over generations. It's not the kind of Taijutsu Lee and I employ, we tend to concentrate on inflicting external damage we use crushing blows to raise contusions and break limbs, pounding our enemy," Guy explained. The two Hyūgas were gathering their breath as they looked for any openings to strike.
"The Hyūga way is to attack their opponent's internal organs and their chakra network through which the chakra flows. They're way is more subtle, maybe not as thrilling to watch but it gradually takes with devastating results," Guy continued on
"You see you can't build but your internal organs no matter how hard you training even the toughest ninja is vulnerable to this kind of attack," Kakashi finished explaining. The two then began to attack each other again the chakra waves flying off the strikes once again, Naruto cheered Hinata on but I saw Sakura was nervous.
"They attack the chakra network. These people are amazing," Sakura spoke. Naruto looked at her completely confused.
"Yeah you can say that again… what is the chakra network anyway?" Naruto asked. I looked at him stunned that he didn't know a simple basic fact.
"Is he really this dense?" I asked. Kakashi and Sakura sighed as if acknowledging that he was.
"Naruto, the chakra network is a complex system of circulatory canals that distribute chakra through the body, similar to the vascular system, veins and arteries that carry blood," I explained.
"I get it only these veins carry chakra not blood," Naruto realised.
"Basically, also the chakra network is heavily interwoven with our vital organs that they are almost one in the same. Thus when the network is attack so are these organs," I finished p.
"Wow Ami how did you get to be so smart?" Naruto wondered. Of course at this point Sakura yelled/asked how he was a Genin before hitting him. Sakura then asked how they knew where to strike as the network was invisible to the eye, Kakashi explained that the Byakugan could see the chakra network and that a small but intense burst of their chakra drilling into the opponent which was hwat directly afflicted the chakra network.
At this point it seemed like both Hyūgas had managed to land a direct blow onto each other. They remained stock still and we could see who had gotten who due to their close proximity. However Hinata let out a cough and blood followed soon after.
"So that's it, that's all there is to the main branch's power?" Neji questioned. Hinata refused to give in and push away Neji hand before going into attack but Neji stopped it and drove two of his fingers into her arm. Neji then pulled back the sleeve of her jacket to reveal that across her arm were multiple red dots.
"What, you mean, all this time you?" Hinata questioned, realising what Neji had done. Neji confirmed that he had been attacking her chakra points, as Naruto was confused Kakashi-sensei explained that along the chakra network there was 316 energy centres or chakra points, which when attacked directly they acted like vales which could restrict or increase how much chakra flowed throughout the body, allowing the Hyūgas to gain control of the flow of chakra in their opponents body.
Neji struck Hinata again which sent her flying backwards, he then began to talk down to her again, claiming he was out of her league and trying once again to get her to forfeit the match.
"I, I, I never… go back… on my word, because that to is my Nindō, my way of the ninja," Hinata spoke, as she struggle to rise to her feet. She eventually succeed and faced Neji, blood dripped from the corners of her mouth to her chin.
"I had no idea, Hinata's as tough as she is," Naruto stated. I looked at him, wondering if he realised that Hinata's words were the same as his.
"She is a lot like you," Lee stated. Sakura revealed that Hinata was always watching Naruto, which surprised the blonde. Hinata reactivated her Byakugan, which had be undone some time ago, however before either could attack Hinata clutched her chest as more blood dripped form her mouth.
'This is bad, her heart's taken a hit, if he hits her heart again she could die.' I thought as Neji looked prepared to attack Hinata. Naruto continued to cheer Hinata on and Hinata somehow found the strength to attack Neji despite being heavily injured.
'Naruto, he's her inspiration, someone who is just like her, considered a failure yet he fights on to prove everyone wrong. Hinata gets her strength from him.' I realised in my mind. The fight continued on but the chakra bursts were present any longer as Hinata's points were too restricted to allow proper chakra flow.
Hinata did her best but Neji continually avoided her blows and he at one point managed to thrust the heel of his palm into her chin send her backwards. Hinata began to cough as her heart caused her pain, after it passed she charged in again to attack.
I was stunned by her persistence, she wasn't giving up despite the fact that her heart was damaged and that her chakra points had been blocked. She went into strike but Neji beat her to it and hit her chest and I saw a large burst of chakra fly up from behind them and Hinata crumpled to the floor. Everyone looked on with different expressions, some uncaring, others worried, many shocked but I could tell Naruto was angry as was I.
"You just don't get it do you? Your strikes were ineffective with the very start, you're finished," Neji told the younger Hyūga, who lay completely still on the floor.
"It's too bad, but after that blow to the heart, Hinata is done," Guy stated. I had to agree her heart would only cause her pain the longer she delayed medical treatment and the longer it was delayed to more likely her heart would be permanently damaged. At this point Naruto's grip on the ointment jar tightened so much that cracks appears on the surface.
As Hayate was about to declare Neji the winner, Naruto refused to believe it and encouraged Hinata to continue fighting and then Hinata surprised all of us by beginning to raise her body off the ground. She managed to stand to her feet, her body shaking and her breathing was laboured but she was still standing.
"What do you think you're doing? If you continue to fight you're going to die," Neji informed the girl. Hinata raised her head, the fire still burning within her eyes.
"I'm far from finished," Hinata told Neji.
"Give up the tough girl act, I can tell you're barely standing. You've been carrying a very heavy burden, being born into the main branch of the Hyūga clan and you've cursed and blamed yourself for being weak, but look, people can't change the way they are that's just how it is, just accept defeat and you won't have to suffer anymore," Neji insisted but Hinata refused.
"No you're wrong brother you've got it backwards. You see I can tell, that you're the one, you're suffering much more than I," Hinata informed the boy.
"I'm what?" Neji questioned.
"You're the one who's all torn up, about the fate of the main and side branches of the Hyūga clan," Hinata answered. This seemed to anger him as he charged forward.
I realised that he was going in for a fatal attack and was about to launch myself forward when a hand stopped me, as four Jōnin surrounded Neji. Hayate held his fingers out to his forhead, Kakashi-sensei held his outstretched arm, Guy had an arm around his neck and a female Jōnin held his other arm.
"Neji get a hold of yourself! You promised me you wouldn't let this whole head family thing get you riled up," Guy ordered his student.
"Why are you and the other Jōnin butting in? The head family gets special treatment huh?" Neji questioned. Hinata then collapsed to her knees and began to cough, upon this I shook of Lee's hand and jumped down, swiftly followed by my teammates and Lee, we rushed over to the Hyūga girl.
Me and Naruto knelt down beside her as she was lead on the floor, Naruto began to speak to her but I was checking her pulse, it was erratic showing that her heart was struggling to beat. I noticed that the girl had blackout whilst she tried to talk to Naruto.
Neji then called out to the blonde and told him to quit cheering and that once a failure always a failure. Naruto then charged at Neji but Lee stopped him, telling him to wait as rules stated the fighting had to be done in a match but that he understand where Naruto was coming from and Naruto, begrudgingly, back down.
Hinata then coughed up more blood, the female Jōnin who had stayed with me, quickly unzipped her jacket and then checked her pulse with her hands. I also checked her pulse and we both realised that Hinata was going into cardiac arrest.
Medical-nin rushed in to help her and she was taken to the infirmary when they realised she had no pulse. Naruto rushed over and I could tell he was shocked and also a little worried for the girl, he then bent down and touched his fingers to Hinata's blood before turned and holding out those same fingers curled into a fist at Neji.
"Hinata I give you my word, I vow to win!" Naruto declared. I agreed, he had attempted to kill an innocent girl and that had pushed my buttons enough to make me extremely angry, angry enough to want to kill the Hyūga boy, myself.