Normal speech
Thought
Nine-tails/Other big voices
InnerSakura
A/N:
Disclaimer
I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form. This is merely for my, and hopefully everyone else's, enjoyment. Thank you!
Recap:
Naruto walked over to the wall behind him with a smile on his face and sat against it. Sakura asked if there was something wrong and he said that he was fine. He even looked as if nothing were wrong… Kakashi would have to keep an eye on him… just in case…
Kakashi: He doesn't seem to be in such bad shape after everything… My guess is that he's got the best of both clans. He's naturally tough because "beast warriors" tend to have a knack for taijutsu, meaning that he is physically fit... and with his other half in the equation, he has a great deal of chakra... even without the Ninetails. If he continues to develop the way he is, he may just rise through the ranks faster than I originally thought.
Kiba: Aww man… I guess it's a good thing I didn't have to fight Naruto after all then… but now I'm curious… Who will I be fighting…?
Kurenai: Well… of the other 5, who would you like to face…?
Kiba: If I had my pick… it'd probably be either Chouji or the Sound guy… and the same for Hinata… The other two are bad news.
Shino: So you wouldn't want to face Hinata even though she may just forfeit and allow you to advance without any effort…?
Kiba: Of course not you idiot!! I wouldn't want her to just give up without a fight… and if she decided to fight… then I would think about quitting myself… You know as well as I do that Hinata is a lot tougher than she lets on!!
After a bit of discussion on the buildings durability, Hayate announced that they would proceed with the next match. To everyone's surprise it was…
It's discovered that Naruto has more to him than what just meets the eye. His heritage from the "beast warriors" has been his driving force, but now another has appeared. How can he fully realize his potential? With the best of both clans, the "beast warriors" and the "star fighters", Naruto seems to be a formidable fighter. One with potential that could one day reign supreme… or does he…?
The Two Sides
Hinata Hyuuga vs. Neji Hyuuga
Kiba: What the hell is this…?! Some kind of sick joke…!!
Kurenai: Hinata… *looking at her*
3rd: What an interesting match up… though I doubt any match will be as entertaining as the previous…
The two met in the center of the arena on top of the rubble…
Neji: I never thought I'd be facing you… Lady Hinata…
Hinata: … Nor I you… brother…
Sakura: I didn't know that Hinata had a brother… What are the chances that they'd have to face each other…?
Kakashi: They are members of the Leaf's oldest bloodline… the Hyuuga clan… but they aren't siblings…
Sakura: Then what are they?
Kakashi: Hmm… well… they are members of the Hyuuga clan's "main house" and "branch house"… you could say.
Naruto: Main house and… branch house?
Gai: Yes… Hinata is a member of the Hyuuga main house. Though Neji carries the same blood, more or less, he is in the lower house.
Sakura: So they're cousins then?... That makes fighting difficult…
Gai: Yes but… many things have happened between the two houses over the years… and right now they do not get along together very well.
Naruto: Why?
Gai: I'm not sure but… with a lot of old houses this is normal… in order to protect the blood and house of the original Hyuuga family many rules have been established to put the main family in an advantageous situation… Because of this, the branch houses feel slighted…
Sakura: So they hate each other then…
Hayate: Now begin the match… (cough)…
Neji: Before we begin the fight… I'd like to ask you whether or not you will be using your little bow…
Hinata: No I…
Neji: Just as I thought… I'd also like to say something more Lady Hinata… if you don't mind… You don't make a good shinobi so you should forfeit now! You are too kind… you wish for harmony and avoid conflict… you agree with others, never resisting… and you have no confidence in yourself… I can feel your sense of inferiority… That's why… I thought it would be best for you to remain a genin… but the Chunin Exam can only be taken as a team of three. You couldn't turn down your teammates' request… and unwillingly entered… Am I wrong?
Hinata: N… No… I… I… just wanted… wanted to change myself… to do it myself…
Kurenai recalled the day that she became Hinata's sensei and approached Hiashi on the grounds for allowing this. He had said that it was her decision to become a ninja but to him she was not greatly suited. He didn't believe in her because she seemed to lack something necessary to be a real shinobi. Either that or he was extremely worried for her well-being and couldn't see her potential…
Kurenai: Hinata is trying to change herself…
Neji: Lady Hinata… you are nothing more than the spoiled brat of the main house. It is clear that this is not best for you and yet… you are allowed to do as you please. People cannot change themselves! Losers are losers… their personality and strength will not change.
Naruto was starting to look like he was being irritated. He couldn't take anymore of this jerk berating his friend. He jumped up and gripped the rail. If he said just one more thing…!
Neji: Because people cannot change, differences are born… Expressions like "elite" and "loser" are created. Looks, brains, ability, size, personality… all people judge and are judged in these values. Based on these unchangeable factors, people discriminate and are discriminated against. And they suffer within their own means. Just like the fact that I am from the branch house and you are from the main house cannot be changed. I have seen through many things with this Byakugan… so I know… you are just acting strong… deep down inside you want to run away from here.
Hinata: N… No… I… I really…
Neji activated his Byakugan, making Hinata even more uneasy…
Neji: You can't fool my eyes. Just now you eyes drifted to the upper left. This is a sign that you are remembering your past experiences… your painful past. Perhaps how you've been singled out for not being a real Hyuuga and efficient in our styles… After that, you looked to the lower right… That's a sign that you are imagining physical and mental pain… Basically… you are thinking about yourself… and from all the experiences until now… You are imaging the results of this match… imagining that… you'll lose! That action of holding your arms out in front of your body… that shows that you are trying to create a wall between us, create distance from me… that you are trying to prevent me from figuring out how you are truly feeling… because everything I have said is true. Furthermore… placing your hand up to your lip is a personality trait revealing a disturbance… It's a defense mechanism to soften the nervousness and worrying… So basically… in reality… haven't you already realized…? That you cannot change your…
Naruto: ENOUGH WITH THE PSYCHO-BABBLE!!! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM HINATA… OF COURSE YOU CAN CHANGE!!! IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT THEN DO IT!!! JUST DO ME A FAVOR… KICK THAT BASTARD'S ASS AS YOU DO!!!
Hinata was on the verge of crying her eyes out when she heard Naruto speak up. Once he did it was like the raging river of tears completely dried up…
Naruto: HINATA! STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!! I CAN'T STAND TO SEE HIM TALK TO YOU THIS WAY… SO EITHER YOU KICK HIS ASS OR I'LL COME DOWN THERE AND DO IT MYSELF!!! I KNOW YOU CAN… BECAUSE WHO ELSE COULD STOP A RAMPAGING DRAGON!!
Neji: A dragon…?
Hinata: … I… He…… Naruto… thank you…
Neji: Her eyes have changed… So you won't forfeit. I won't be held responsible for what happens.
Hinata: I won't run away!! I no longer… I no longer… want to run away…
Hinata made a few hand seals and rings of chakra began to form around her wrists and ankles. When she opened her eyes… they sparkled from the fire that burned brightly in them…
Hinata: Prepare yourself… brother!
Neji: Very well then…
They both took similar stances. Gai quickly stated that it was a greatly revered taijutsu style and because of that, and aside from Naruto and Lee's performances… Neji may very well be the best genin in the exam.
In a flash Hinata shot straight for Neji. He waited patiently for her to make her first move, a palm thrust to the head, and ducked it. He then attempted at hitting Hinata in her abdomen, but it was sidestepped. This went on and on before finally… someone fully connected…
Neji had thrusted his palm at Hinata's head… but she ducked and thrusted her hands into his abdomen. As a result, he was pushed back and blood began to drip from his mouth. He was unaware of this because he had no time to think about anything but Hinata as she kept up the assault…
Sakura: He's bleeding!
Naruto: Looks like that blow to the gut did some damage…
Gai: With the Hyuuga clan, a small touch is enough to be effective. They have a special taijutsu that have been passed down through the ages… The taijutsu Lee and I use causes damage by injuring the body and breaking bones. It's a fighting style that aims to cause damage to the outer body. You could call it an "Iron Fist" style… The Hyuuga on the other hand cause damage by flowing their chakra into the opponent's "chakra systems". A technique that destroys the inner organs, the "Gentle Fist" style… It may not look impressive… but it'll definitely be felt later.
Kakashi: Well… you can't train your inner body. It can be a critical hit for even the toughest guys.
Gai: Yeah but… I've heard that the little heiress there can't perform it as well. So how did she manage to do so much damage with in one blow…?
They continued to watch the battle as Neji took a blow from Hinata and slid across the floor and stopped at the rubble. Hinata quickly pounced on him before he had a chance to recover, but Neji rolled out of the way just in time. If he hadn't… he may have been smashed like the rest of the rubble…
Kakashi: With one punch she inflicted enough damage to cause bleeding and smash through the rubble… And just now one of her kicks knocked out a chunk in that beam… If you ask me… the thing responsible for her great damage are those spinning chakra rings around her wrists and ankles. They must increase the force of impact of her attacks. Now that I think of it… this reminds me of stories I've heard of shinobi with similar capabilities… But in the stories the shinobi had wings…
Sakura: In the forest Hinata grew wings right before she stopped Naruto when he was destroying everything…!
Gai: They could be connected seeing as Hinata's mother is said to have been a kunoichi from a different village. It's rumored that she was as beautiful as an angel, but she died shortly after the birth of the second daughter… If Hinata takes more after her mother than her Hyuuga father, then it makes sense that she doesn't quite have the knack for the Hyuuga style.
Naruto: That may be, but she's kicking Neji's butt…
Shino: She's really giving him a run for his money…
Hinata was currently winning as she had Neji on the ropes. It wasn't a one-sided fight however, as every now and again Neji would get in some shots of his own. As the fight continued, Kakashi noticed that the chakra rings around Hinata's wrists and ankles were shrinking. With every blow Neji landed the rings began to shrink and Hinata's pace began to slow…
They both were exhausted but Hinata wasn't about to give up now. If she could just keep it up, she had a real shot at winning. She charged and threw a right and a left, which Neji brushed aside and sidestepped. Neji jumped back to create some distance but Hinata continued to give chase. As he jumped, she did a somersault in the air hoping to land on Neji… but he evaded it. Right away she attempted an enzuigiri to Neji's neck, but he narrowly avoided it...
A/N: Enzuigiri like the wrestling move or any move or strike targeting the back of the head. In wrestling it's mostly a jumping or high kick delivered to the back or even side of the head. (Just for those of you who didn't know :)
Before Neji had any time to think, Hinata attempted a backflip kick. Neji blocked this by grabbing a hold of Hinata's ankles. Taking advantage of her situation, Hinata swung herself under Neji sending him stumbling forward.
Hinata charged ahead again… but this time she was stopped by Neji as he thrusted his palm into her chest…
Though he was completely drained, Neji managed to land a perfectly timed blow. This very blow caused Hinata to cough up a lot of blood.
Neji: So… this is… it… the extent… of the main house's… strength…? *blood dripping from mouth*
Hinata: N… Not… yet…!
Hinata attempted one more time to finish the match in her favor. With her left hand she shoved Neji's arm aside and caught him with a rising palm to the chin. Neji stumbled back and Hinata followed. With one more attack, she attempted to break his face… but Neji halted her chakra flow with one more strike and delivered another that sent her tumbling back. As she fell to the ground, a smirk appeared on Neji's face…
Kakashi: What a guy…
Kurenai: It can't be…
3rd: No wonder he is considered to be a genius among the Hyuuga clan…
Neji: This match is over… Whatever little chakra you have left is not good enough to defeat me now… If you don't believe me… then roll up your sleeve…
Hinata rolled up her coat sleeve and saw that Neji had been pinpointing specific spots on her. From the very beginning he had been targeting these points in order to render her ineffective…
Neji: This is the difference in talent that you cannot change… the difference that divides an elite… from a loser. This is the reality that cannot be changed. At the point you said "I don't want to run" you were setting yourself up for regret. You should be overcome with desperation by now… Forfeit…!
Hinata: I… won't… go back… on my word… *rolling down sleeves* …That is… also my ninja way!
Naruto: …Hinata… I never knew she was this incredible…
Sakura: She's very similar to you…
Naruto: Yeah... I already knew that with the whole, "born of two different clans" thing...
Sakura: That's not what I mean... She always seemed to be around you. Watching you is the only kind of way to explain this kind of stubbornness… Some of your stubbornness must have rubbed off on her… I feel sorry for her…
Kakashi: Stubborn… The whole lot of 'em is stubborn… some more than others…
Hinata pulled herself up and began to cough up more and more blood the more she moved…
Kurenai: She's at her limit… Any more damage and she'll…
Naruto: YOU CAN DO IT HINATA!!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!
One last smile appeared on her face before she turned her attention from Naruto to Neji. Before another word could be said, she charged at Neji. As she did a ring of chakra began to form around her head and wings of chakra began to sprout from her back…
Hinata: Naruto… I have always watched you… I've watched you for all these years!! I've often wondered why that is?... I don't know why, but… when I look at you… I feel courage… I feel that if I try my best… even I can do it… that I'm worth something… That's how I begin to feel…
Hinata continued to pressure Neji as everyone watched…
Kurenai: Hinata… You've always had a hard time adjusting to the shinobi life… but you began to try to change yourself… I know better than anyone the tough training you put yourself through. But you'd always have a tough time on missions… You were afraid that you were too weak, feeling almost completely useless. The only time you gave it your all was when it really mattered, but you'd quickly lose your confidence… But today's Hinata is different… I've never seen her with eyes like that…
Hinata: Naruto… in the past I was the only one looking… but right now… you're watching me…!
Hinata was knocked back again but would not go down or give up… She tried one more time… but the results were the same. This time though… she did not get up.
Neji: You don't understand anything…! From the beginning your attacks have done nothing…
Kurenai: Hinata, that's enough… You may have lost, but you have changed… You did great…!
Gai: A deciding blow to the heart. I feel bad for her… She won't be getting up again…
Hayate: Continuing is impossible… therefore…
Naruto: WAIT!! DON'T STOP IT!!!
Sakura: What are you saying idiot!! She's at her limit, she's unconscious!!!
To everyone's, except Naruto, surprise Hinata had sat up and was struggling to stand…
Naruto: She may be at her limit but she's not the only one…
Sakura: What do you mean by that…?
Naruto: You may not see it but I do… Neji's putting up a front, he's in much worse shape than he's letting on!
She finally made it to her feet, her wings had dispersed but the ring around her head was still flickering…
Neji: Why…?! Why do you stand…?! If you keep pushing yourself, you'll die…
Hinata: He's finally watching me… the person I admire…I can't let things end… this badly…
Neji: It's over… acting tough is useless. You can barely stand, I can see that. From the time of birth, the responsibility of the Hyuuga main house has been forced upon you and practically taken away… You have always hated yourself for your own weakness… but people cannot change… that is destiny. There is no need to suffer anymore… Let it go!
Hinata: That's not true brother… because I can see it, even without the Byakugan… it's not me at all… The person lost and suffering within the destiny of the main and branch houses and the triviality of my heritage is you…
This sent Neji over the edge. He wasn't going to sit there and be insulted by someone who didn't know what she was talking about. If she wanted to continue the match, then they would…
Neji: Be silent… YOU INFERIOR…!!
Neji charged Hinata as fast as he could. He was going to finish the match one way or the other. As he closed in and tried to deliver the finishing blow the present Jounin tried to stop him… but not before he made full contact…
Neji lets his emotions get the better of him and he goes for the kill...
The match and the prelims come to an end...
Next chapter: The Good, The Bad, and The Deadly...