She was back here. As the voice had spoken, she was aware of what was going on. She knew what would happen if things continued.
Her eyes went back to Naruto. Naruto was alive. Unhurt. Also using his pinky to clean his ear, but that was a small consideration.
Hinata looked at her relatively undeveloped body. How could she make a difference? She hadn't trained this body to where she could use the higher level manuevers she'd developed. She had to train hard to reach that level again.
Her eyes went over the class again, settling on someone besides Naruto.
Sakura flinched after a few moments of that regard, causing Hinata to drop it. There was nothing to be gained here and now with that confrontation. Sakura wouldn't remember the past ten years. Wouldn't remember the medic-nin turning slowly into cold-eyed killer.
Sakura's family didn't have the wealth or prestige of the Hyuga family, they weren't even ninja. Yet Naruto as he was now fawned over Sakura, would make promises and follow her. She would ignore and belittle him, then use her position in his heart to motivate him to return 'her Sasuke' to her. Despite what it did to Naruto's heart.
Eventually, Hinata remembered confessing her love to Naruto. Not at a particularly good time but one of her previous problems had been that she'd always been waiting for a perfect moment that had never arrived. Then, as she'd learned MUCH later, Sakura had come up with some sort of bizarre love-confession of her own as part of some plan. Which had screwed up any chance that Naruto had taken her own confession seriously, at least if she'd pieced everything together correctly.
Naruto was getting up now to do his clone jutsu, something he'd never done well before.
She needed to change things, the only question was - when? Naruto would fail to pull off the clone, as usual. There wasn't much she could do about that.
Tonight? Tonight would see Naruto stealing the scroll and the revelation about the Ninetails. It was also a night in which her father would 'train' her and beat her severely, providing an object lesson to the watching Hanabi.
"Hinata? It's your turn."
"Don't give up." Hinata managed to touch Naruto's jacket and flash him a smile she hoped was encouraging as she stepped forward and performed the jutsu.
"Hinata! You will now perform the Swallowtail Attack, begin!" said her father with a sneer.
Hanabi watched, but was frowning. She'd picked up on something being different.
Hinata's face was grim as she took the appropriate stance.
"Your legs are too far apart, what do you think-" began her father.
An opening. Hinata launched herself, using a burst of chakra on her legs to gain altitude, and then began a midair tumble. She couldn't do this for long, she'd have to build up her chakra reserves as well as her flexibility and speed. However, she was making a point.
Her father reacted quickly, blocking the palm-strike and kick, then Hinata was springing away again. As soon as her lead foot tapped onto the floor, off again, this time doing the named manuever - a slashing blow that would have gutted a normal genin and even a few chunin.
Her father managed to block and leap aside, before his face turned angry and he began raining punches and kicks at her.
Both her father and her sister expected her to cry out when the blows struck. When she was slapped so hard that she spun around twice before hitting the floor. Neither expected her to catch herself and sweep her legs around. Her father leapt just a few inches to avoid the legsweep.
Perfect, thought Hinata as she directed a burst of chakra from her palms to launch herself again and then brought her foot to strike an appropriate spot on her father's knee.
Her father stumbled back, looking startled now. The iron mask that usually was his face to family had been momentarily lost.
Hinata would take that triumph for what it was worth. Though now she was panting heavily and feeling the burn from overstressed muscles.
"You... are not as pathetic as you usually are," noted Hiashi Hyuga as he regarded the twelve year old.
"I am now genin," said Hinata, wiping an errant bit of blood from her mouth. "I also have a goal that I must achieve."
"Hmmm," hmmmed the head of the clan. "What goal is that?"
"I will be a medical-nin who shall bring honor to my family," said Hinata as she caught her breath. She wouldn't mention saving Naruto. Yet. "I shall protect my loved ones and the team that I am assigned to."
Hiashi looked at the little girl who had always been such a disappointment to him. As with many of the Hyuga clan, he was very good at reading body language. While there were oddities, he could see the determination there. "Very well then."
With that Hiashi Hyuga walked off without a limp until he was absolutely certain no one was watching him, and with the Byakugan that was fairly iffy. Then he got some muscle rub because Hinata might be a delicate little twelve year old girl - but she'd really nailed him with that last kick.
Hanabi considered briefly, looking towards where their father had vanished, then at her sister who was shaking from the exertion she'd just undergone. "Who are you?"
Hinata snorted, another gesture completely at odds with what Hanabi knew of her sister. "Who do you think I am?"
"You are not someone disguised with a ninjitsu nor am I under a genjutsu," said Hanabi. "However, my sister is not as confident as you. Nor does she... is this regarding that boy you watch?"
Hinata's look apparently spoke volumes as Hanabi scooted back some under that gaze.
"I see," said Hanabi finally. "Don't forget that your first loyalty is to the Hyuga clan then."
"I can serve the clan as a medic-nin, and I can save lives," said Hinata. There was a dangerous tone to her voice, one that indicated that pressing further was not really a wise action.
Hanabi nodded at that, accepting the point. Her sister's cheeks had flushed slightly, though that could have been from the exercise - but slightly more in response to the bringing up of Uzumaki. Their family was well known for their abilities as spies and observers, but their abilities would also serve well as medic-nin. If Hinata did indeed go the medic-nin route, she should excel there and that WOULD bring more prestige to their clan.
Hinata left, but after entering her room quickly left it again via the window.
She had places to go, after all.
Naruto would not face the future alone.
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(Posted Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:40)
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