Hinata Hyūga

One Year Ago

Strength before all else, that was the tenet the Hyūga clan lived by. It was a principle that the Hyūga were willing to, and had died for. But, more importantly, it was one that the clan was willing to, and had killed for. Because, to the Hyūga, strength came before all else; before compassion, before love… before family.

Some people called them insane for it. Others called them obsessed. Many more called them cruel. None were wrong. For while the Hyūga lived by this one principle, one which may even have had good intentions in the beginning, over generations, it had warped into something else, something ugly and twisted.

So much so, in fact, that Hinata felt disgust at having to bear the Hyūga name.

If she had to pinpoint a moment as the birth of her… distaste for her clan (or, more specifically, its ways), Hinata would pick the day when, at four years old, she'd see the caged bird seal at work for the first time in her young life.

It had been used by her father on one of her cousins, a twelve year old boy, and it was still the most horrifying thing that Hinata had ever seen.

Of course Hinata had tried to make him stop, and when she had, her father, Hiashi Hyūga, head of the clan, had looked her right in the eyes and said these words; "Kindness is a privilege for the strong. And the truly strong never need it."

Hinata had understood something that day, her father was a cruel man, and she wanted to be nothing like him.

Her bedroom door slid open and Kasumi walked in.

The older woman smiled at her, her brown eyes filled with affection in a way no biological Hyūga, even Hinata herself, would ever let themselves express.

"It's time, Hinata," Kasumi said.

Hinata let out a slow exhale, then she nodded and rose to her feet.

"I'm sure you'll pass with flying colours," Kasumi added.

Hinata knew she would, in fact, everyone knew it; the test was practically a formality at this point.

Nevertheless, Hinata appreciated the woman's words and shot her a small smile in return.

They headed to the ceremonial dojo then, the two minute journey made in silence.

Over a dozen members of the clan—all the members of the main family—were seated within the dojo already, and without it, in the adjoining yard, stood the dozens more that made up the rest of the clan; the branch family, the children, and those married into the clan.

Hinata and Kasumi arrived, the older woman waiting outside with the rest of the clan, while Hinata went in and sank to her knees in a bow.

All was still and perfectly silent for several seconds. Hinata remained bowing through it all.

Finally, the clan head, her father, spoke, his deep, low voice resounding in the silence: "Hinata Hyūga, on this, your eleventh birthday, you shall be tested on your ability as one of the clan. Prove yourself worthy and be welcome within our midst, or prove yourself unworthy and be cast out among the rabble to serve your betters. Are you prepared?"

The question was pointless. True, Hinata could answer no, but if she did she would be forfeiting the test and would immediately be branded with the caged bird seal and put in the branch family.

"I am prepared," Hinata said.

"Then rise," Hiashi Hyūga said, "and prove yourself worthy."

Hinata rose. She took in the fourteen faces of the ninja seated before her, the youngest of them belonging to her cousin Neji, the Hyūga genius who had taken this very test the year before and passed exceptionally.

The twelve year old boy looked upon Hinata with dismissal. Not because he thought she would fail, but because of her character.

Hinata knew the words that the main family described her with; weak, soft, pathetic.

She also knew the words that those outside the main family described her with; good, caring, kind.

But, as much as she hated to admit it, being kind alone wasn't enough.

Her uncle, Hizashi, had been kind. He'd been kind and he'd been angry, and he'd refused to take The Test of Worth and had been branded for his effort. And then, when even that hadn't stopped him, he'd been killed.

So no, kindness wasn't enough. Neither was anger. But there might be something else that was.

The Hyūga respected strength, and the strongest of the clan led it.

Hinata would become the strongest. She would lead the clan. And when she did, she would make it something whose name she could be proud to bear.

——

Hinata passed her test of worth with flying colours; this came as no surprise to anyone.

The things that the girl would go on to accomplish however, both in her clan and without, would very much be.