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: Not only for myself… If Bushy-brows and Hinata can keep going and never quit, then… I'm going… to beat you… *winces in pain* …… I told you… I'm… no good… at giving up…!
Everyone was surprised to see that he could still get up after the abuse he had just undergone. The spectators knew that it took more guts than brain to continue now, but if he wanted to then maybe they could enjoy the match a little longer…
Neji: Just give up already…! Continuing won't change anything. I have no real grudge against you…
Naruto: Sh… Shut up…… I do!!
Neji: … What do you mean?
Naruto: Why… Why if you're this strong… Why with those eyes that can see everything… did you mentally attack Hinata, who was trying so hard?
Neji: It's not your affair.
Naruto: Insulting Hinata, automatically deciding she's a loser!! Main family… branch family… I don't know what happened… but I won't forgive pieces of shit like you who call others losers!!
Hiashi: He's sticking up for Hinata…? It doesn't make sense when she's none of his concern…
Neji: … Heh… Well, if you're gonna go that far, then I'll tell you… "The Hyuuga's destiny of hatred"…
The "Caged Birds" of the Hyuuga
Neji: The Hyuuga "main" family has a special jutsu that has been passed down… It's a… curse seal jutsu… The curse of the mark represents "a bird in a cage." It's the symbol of being tied down to an inescapable destiny.
Neji removed his headband and showed Naruto that he was a recipient of said curse seal. He then proceeded to tell Naruto his story…
Neji: One day when I was four… I had this horrible seal placed on my forehead. That very same day, a grand ceremony was taking place in the Leaf Village… A "shinobi leader" from the Cloud Country, which had been warring with the Leaf for many years, had arrived to sign an alliance treaty… but at this ceremony which everyone attended, there was one clan missing… the Hyuuga clan. The reason for this was that it was an important day to us… the day that the Hyuuga heir turned three… Lady Hinata's third birthday. *looks up at the on-looking Hyuugas and scowls*
Naruto: Hinata's…
Neji: My father, Hizashi Hyuuga, and Lady Hinata's father, Lord Hiashi Hyuuga, were twins… but her father was born first to this world… a member of the "main family"… while my father, the second born, became a member of the "branch family". That day, on her third birthday, was the first time we had met…
Neji recalled that day and how nice things seemed, even the how nice Hinata looked. He was wrong however as the days events would start to go downhill from there…
Neji: When the Hyuuga first daughter turned three… I was taking by Lord Hiashi and company and turned into a "bird in the cage" through this seal… nothing more than a member of the Hyuuga branch family.
Naruto: Why is that necessary…? Why do you need that mark to distinguish the main and branch families?
Neji: This mark on my forehead is no mere decoration… I witnessed it first hand that very day. My father explained to me that protecting Lady Hinata would be one of the duties that I would be taking from that day forth. As we sat in on a training session between her and Lord Hiashi, and her clumsy attempts at our style, my father became angry. Lord Hiashi could sense a slight killing intent and activated my father's seal. It pained me to see him in such agony as his curse seal took affect. He was made an example and I was told to remember my place… This curse seal is the absolute fear of death given to the "branch families" by the "main". With a simple hand seal, the "branch" member's mind can be easily destroyed… death is just as easy of course. That is the only time that this curse will disappear, sealing up the ability of the Byakugan along with it.
Naruto: To go to all the trouble of that… Then…
Neji: The Hyuuga is a clan that holds great advanced blood. Those that attempt to unlock its secrets are incalculable. With this jutsu, this seal, the "branch" family is allowed to live only to protect the "main" family, and there is no disobedience allowed. It is an effective system to eternally protect the advanced bloodline of the Hyuuga… the Byakugan…
Naruto: But I thought that Hinata couldn't use the Byakugan… What does this have to do with your hatred for her?
Neji: True… she has the eyes of the Hyuuga… but she is incapable of using them. This is the very reason for the Hyuugas' outlook on the "main" family getting involved with outsiders. It is frowned upon for the rich bloodline of the Hyuuga to be polluted by that of others… and yet… Lord Hiashi was made the exception. His wife was nice and kind on the day we met, but that's all in the past… a past that lead to the birth of Lady Hinata and… that incident…
For unknown reasons, a face flashed in Naruto's mind, but he couldn't recognize who it was…
Naruto: Incident…? What kind of incident?
Neji: My father was killed by the "main" family. One night, Lady Hinata was kidnapped by someone. Before he could escape however, Lord Hiashi caught up and killed him. It was dark and the man wore a mask, but when it was removed… it was revealed to be the Cloud "shinobi leader" who had just signed the alliance treaty. It became clear that his real intention was the secrets of the Hyuuga… With one of their leaders killed in the failed plan, the Cloud Country made demands of the Leaf for breaking the alliance. Of course the Leaf and Cloud bickered back and forth, but with the Leaf wanting to avoid war… they came to a compromise…
Naruto: They made a deal…?
Neji: The Cloud wanted the "main" family's advanced blood and the Byakugan… They demanded the corpse of Lord Hiashi… and the Leaf agreed to their terms…
Naruto looked up into the stands at the Hyuugas in shock. If they wanted Hiashi dead, then who was the man that was sitting there looking at them?
Hanabi: Huh? But father is right here…
Neji: And war was safely avoided… thanks to my father… who was killed in Lord Hiashi's place… by the "main" family.
Hiashi: No… that isn't quite how it all happened… at least the part about how I defeated the Cloud-nin. I was merely given credit by those that didn't want it to get out that a Hyuuga could not protect or rescue his own daughter…
Neji tells his tragic tale to Naruto and anyone that will listen...
Hiashi says that Neji doesn't have all the facts...
Next chapter: The Heiress and the Cloud...