*A/N: I have bequeathed my rights to Naruto, Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. And I do not own any of the book references in this story, Dattebasa.*
Chapter 7: Tarnishing Fate One Day at a Time
Hinata Hyuuga POV: 10 Years Old
Walking back to the compound after the academy, I sighed and then wiped my hand through my now long, dark blue hair. With two more years left until graduation and also two more years left until I have to do my final test to prove whether or not I am strong enough to lead our clan. Over the last year, my father, once out of every month or so would make me spar with him so he could judge my progress, although in a non-contructive way. During our spars, I had to hold back as much as I could and played it off as me doing somewhat well with the traditional gentle fist. After all, I can't surprise him in the end and embarrass him in front of the clan now can I? Soon, very soon he will feel exactly what I've felt after all of this time with him looking down on me, and I cannot wait. Even so, over the last year, I have managed to improve more when it comes to my overall speed and agility, if I am to judge, I may be on the same level of speed compared to Mizuki sensei, maybe slightly less. We haven't spared much at the academy, only once a month now since the teachers want to get us trained in some of the basics before moving on to advanced academy taijutsu. Even during my spars, I still held back much of my abilities since I knew that if I brought too much attention to myself, my father would be notified that I was some kind of prodigy like Sasuke.
I only show enough and do enough to beat my opponent, making it look like I barely won. My grades are pretty much top of the class, maybe second to that screaming ban-, I mean Sakura, who happens to be top of the class. However, with my greater abilities in taijutsu and with being second in terms of academic abilities, I could be rounded out to being the top kunoichi of our class. Enough for me not to look like a failure to my father, but not enough to where I am looked at as someone who should graduate early. When it comes to my training, I have mastered the divine stones and divine shield, I am now working on Kami no Kotowari, but I still need to improve my charka control beyond my father's ability. After being in my inner musings for a bit, I glanced up, then had to slightly move out of the way as a man pushing a cart was in front of me. Looking back at the now-passed cart, I sigh in relief as Ko glares at the man after walking past him.
Hinata Hyuuga POV: 11 Years Old
I've read some stories about predators and prey, the cycle of life. In other words, how the death of one living thing contributes to the life of another, an endless cycle, a beautifully endless cycle. However, I would have never thought that I, Hinata Hyuuga, the once shy and emotional mess, would be the predator of a poor defenseless bunny rabbit. Standing behind a tree roughly 200 meters from a clearing of a random training ground, I can see a single bunny moving around, trying to find some food. Now, you may be asking, "Why are you hunting a rabbit, you are a Hyuuga, you can just have some poor servant bring you food whilst you are in the bathroom on your throne?" Well, you would be right, however, maybe I have a few screws loose. Maybe the years of abuse by a certain man have finally caused me to lose my sanity. That may also be right. However, in truth, I have taken up reading in my spare time since I would rather not go back to writing a song in my notebook since the day my father metaphorically spat in my face and stomped on my heart. That notebook still sits in my dresser, untouched.
Anyway, I have been reading books in my spare time. Books about topics ranging from, 'Ramen Recipies for Bakas', to, 'Why Cinnamon Buns Were Created by Kami.', to 'The Art of War'. It was, 'The Art of War', that truly had me hooked, nearly on the same level as, 'The 48 Laws of Power'. However, what had me hooked wasn't necessarily anything grand or beautiful, or not beautiful in a sane sense. No, it was gorgeous, the yang part of the circle of life completing it with an ending. Yes, indeed, when reading these books and reflecting on my own goals of transforming my clan by any means, I came to realize a major factor. I will have to kill. I am a ninja after all, although if I had any choice, I would be like Ino and play with flowers all day, maybe taking up flower pressing. But no, this poor soul has to kill and be a damn good killer. And this rabbit in front of me would have to be my first victim.
And, you may ask again, "Why are you killing a poor rabbit? Don't you remember, you can have rabbit brought to you while taking a..blah…blah…blah." I know, but if I want to end the slavery of my family, I need to survive the many near-death encounters I will be partaking in, perhaps in the next couple of years after I graduate and become a genin. Freezing up when needing to kill to survive and protect my comrades will be a quick way for me to end up six feet under, and I'm not going under until I'm done with my mission. I am a ninja, and a future clan head of now the most pristine clan of Konoha, since the Uchihas were wiped out. Killing is in the name of the game, now, no more questions, I'm going rabbit hunting.
Standing behind a random tree, I activate my Byakugan no Shiroi Me, a soft, light blue glow takes refuge around my upgraded eyes as I stare at the poor fucker who's gonna be at the receiving end of Kami no Kotowari. I then built up chakra in my eyes then cast my jutsu with a mental shout, "Kotowari no Justu!" The furry never seen it coming. After being hit with my jutsu, the rabbit froze in the middle of eating and then quickly fell over. I stared hard at the animal, it was still alive, just weak. I then started making my way towards the downed bunny while breathing pretty heavily, eyes still glued on it and a stoned heart. As I got within 10 meters, the rabbit somehow stumbled its way up and started limping towards nearby bushes. Not giving it a chance to escape, I quickly ran forward with a kunai pulled out, I then threw the kunai at the rabbit, hitting it in the neck, killing it on contact. As I approached the dead rabbit, I sighed in resignation, feeling sorrowful for what I had done, however, I'm gonna have to get used to it, I gotta survive in this cold world after all. Surviving and enduring the pain is something I could be considered a pro at. With another sigh, I looked up at the sky with the midday Sun shining behind some clouds.
Hinata Hyuuga POV: 12 Years Old
Today is the day, of graduation. The day where I officially become an adult, the day where I can finally spank the prickiness out of my father, and have my seat cemented as future clan head. But first, Iruka sensei has to arrive. I stared out at the nearly empty classroom, except for the usual few civilian nerds and my now somewhat close, but not close relationship with Shino to my right with his usual buzzing noises. I slightly sighed as I leaned back on my chair with my arms crossed, then used one of them to flip my long hair from getting caught in the chair's nails. I really need to start tying it up or something. Anyway, since I am the number one degenerate of my clan, I have ditched the robes that I never used and my purple sweat outfit. Since my true fighting style relies on my flexibility and speed, I have taken to wearing a simple, slightly oversized white t-shirt, with black spandex shorts and some modified ninja sandals where the straps come up halfway to my calf. Hanabi calls them gladiator sandals, although, for the life of me, I could not find any books relating to gladiators.
After some time passed a few more of my, now friends, although some closer than others, came in including Choji, Shikamaru, and Kiba. Poor Naruto is probably late. When I say that they are my friends, I do not mean that we share our secrets, tell our greatest fears, and paint one another's toes. I mean that, if anything, they are my more respected comrades, even if Naruto could be slightly annoying, and loud, he's a good guy, I still remember the day that he protected me from those bullies all those years ago. I'm not gonna lie, I did have a slight cush for him some time ago, but, I was only a child and those feelings morphed into respect of his kind character. Now, because you are a professional investigator, you may ask, "But doesn't Naruto have that scary aura around him?" Well, yes and no. You see, Naruto is not what that energy is, in fact, they are completely separated, However, it does seem that the chakra of that energy gives a tiny portion of itself to Naruto's blue chakra. And besides, it's not like Naruto has a tail, or nine of them, and strange bunny ears. Yes, that's right, I believe he may be the jinchuuriki of the infamous nine-tailed bunny rabbit, I mean fox.
I cannot conclude until I am able to gain more political power which will give me access to classified information, however, I have read a few books about Konoha's history and the history of the elemental nations, along with books about politics outside of class, along with the lecture that Iruka sensei gave us three years ago about the nine-tails attack. From the reading, I came to a conclusion, maybe a few. One, all jinchuuriki of the five hidden villages, are all related in some way to the leader of said village. Two, the bijuu are made completely of chakra and cannot be killed, the only way to stop them is by sealing them in someone or something. And finally, Naruto is the jinchuuriki of the nine-tailed fox and is somehow related to our fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Lord Fourth's picture or any other imagery has been seemingly left out of our history textbooks, unlike all of the other previous and current Hokage. Very suspicious indeed, I have also come to another conclusion that Naruto's heritage and his tenant must be some kind of village secret, however, it is a poorly kept secret since most of the village hates and glares at him.
Now, with that understanding, you can see how being close to Naruto would benefit me politically, and to a larger degree, mentally. Is he annoying? Yes. Is he fashionably challenged? Absu-fucking-lutly. Is he also one of the nicest people I know? Your Kami damned right. I like nice people, actually no, I adore nice people. Hanabi is to die for and Naruto is also really good. Surrounding myself around people who genuinely care is something of a new passion of mine along with revenge against my father and ending slavery in my clan. And, by no stretch of Kami's, you know what, is Naruto nearly as annoying as a certain pair of scoundrels that I can now feel coming toward this classroom. I can now hear deep, window-shattering rumbles, marching like some army of a dictator with a weird mustache. Why can a pair of lightweight girls cause the need for an evacuation? I have no idea. With that thought, Shino, Choji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and I sat starring at the door to our class, with blank faces, and Shikamaru and I muttered a "Troublesome", as the greatest circus on Earth managed to get lost and found its way into our classroom once again.
As per usual, Ino Yamanaka, beautiful and wasted potential screamed her way into Mr. Duckass's poor, cold heart. And then everyone's favorite pinkette, the green-eyed banshee from Yami, Sakura Haruno, screeching her way into said duckbutt's ducky pants. With all the noise, I along with the rest of the class had to once again cover our ears and wait for Iruka to come to save us from this atrocity with his,' Bighead no Jutsu', and for Naruto to blast his way in with his, 'Dattebayo no Jutsu'. Yup, some things never change indeed. Maybe one day, I could get Sakura and Ino to stop this foolishness. After some time and the usual antics of this dysfunctional class, Iruka sensei finally got to what would be our final test until we became genin. After finishing the writing test that was ridiculously easy, outside of quiet mumbling from Naruto about, "Old man still has his pipe in this photo, but won't let me wear my super awesome kabuki face paint." We had to go into another room for the test with Mizuki sensei, and Iruka sensei would come back and forward to collect one of us for testing. Seeing that this was gonna take a while, I decided to put my head down on the desk for some rest.
Hinata's POV: Academy Graduation
"Hyuuga Hinata!" Shouted Iruka sensei for probably the one-hundredth time, glaring at my now awakened and groggy face. "U-um, sorry about that Iruka sensei!" I said with a slight sweatdrop and pink cheeks as I also made my way down to the front door of the classroom, waving at some of my future comrades giving me a nod of approval. After some time after leaving the classroom and entering another near-empty one with Mizuki sensei sitting on the other end and Iruka sensei now walking to stand next to him, I got ready for the instructions of the test.
"Alrighty, all you have to do for this part is the transformation, substitution, and basic clone jutsu. We will judge you based on speed, and overall details. Are you ready?" Asked Mizuki. I nodded and prepared to take the next step to becoming an official ninja with my heart slightly pumping faster. With that, Iruka shouted, "Begin!" With that, I immediately channel my chakra with my now very highly attuned control from my training over the last few years, to transform into a perfect copy of Iruka sensei, with every detail, even with the booger slightly poking out and all. Seeing this, Iruka and Mizuki nodded in approval, until Iruka sensei did a double take, then blushed as he got a napkin as Mizuki sensei was writing. I then continued to do the substitution with a random chair at the end of the classroom. After that, I did the clone jutsu, with no effort or much chakra at all. Seeing this, once again, Iruka and Mizuki sensei nodded again in approval before looking at each other in puzzlement. I stared in confusion at their expressions, wondering if I got anything wrong.
"Uh, Hinata, we noticed that you did not use any hand signs, we know Hyuuga typically have higher chakra control than other clans but even what you just did takes a lot more control, especially at your age." Said Iruka sensei in astonishment. I giggled in slight embarrassment and said, "Um, yeah, I have done a lot more training in chakra control so I can perfect my fighting style." Hearing this, Iruka made a face of understanding until smiling and going to collect a headband. This is it, I am now officially a ninja, next up, to secure my position as clan head of the Hyuuga clan no matter what. With a face of stone and a gentle smirk, I thankfully accepted my headband by Iruka sensei as Mizuki also got up with a smile to escort me back to class and to get the next student.
Time passed later as my feet were crossed, propped up on my desk as I meditated to Shino's buzzing noises, as Iruka and Mizuki sensei finally walked back into the classroom, presumably to assign us to our teams. I open my eyes to look around at some of the hopefuls, already knowing that a majority of the civilians, many of them fangirls, are not gonna be getting assigned to a team and would probably go into the ninja reserves. Iruka sensei then started off with the list of names and teams, I tuned out until he got to my team. "Team 8: Shino Abarame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Kunoichi of the year, Hinata Hyuuga!" Hearing this, I nearly fall out of my chair, earning a slight eyebrow raise from Shino, that's his way of laughing. Steadying myself I look at Iruka in shock and slight embarrassment as some of the other members, with Kiba and Naruto being more vocal in their approval of my accomplishment. With the praise, my cheeks reddened to a shade that I had not been able to get to in years as I slightly waved, while also feeling some slight heat coming from the direction of Sakura and Ino, but I didn't pay them attention. After quieting everyone, Iruka continued, "Your sensei will be Jonin Yuhi Kurenai."
End of Chapter
A/N: Howdy y'all, hope you enjoyed that chapter. With this one, I wanted to introduce a bit more dynamics with the fourth wall breaking and also to showcase a bit more of a change in Hinata's overall personality over the years. I hope that adds to the story a little more so she is not too static in her development. Anyway, that's it for now, Katomi signing off.
*P.S.: Do not use my work in any video without crediting me.*