Toltiir supplied the power, Hinata the direction, and the universe itself the result.
Some aspects of the old timeline remained in the new. A child was stolen by a ninja of Kumogakure. That ninja was killed and the child recovered. Threats of war were given. A brother sacrificed himself to save his sibling and to foil the designs that Kumo had set in motion.
However, due to the birth order of their parents being reversed, it was Neji who was kidnapped. Hinata's father who sacrificed himself, leaving Hinata and baby Hanabi orphaned but within the clan.
Hinata, and later Hanabi, who would come to wear the Caged Bird Seal. Neji who would be the Heir of the clan.
Some aspects of the old remained in the new. Neji believed in fate and destiny. It was his fate to be the Heir, to eventually become clan-head. It was fate that decreed the Heir be the most talented of the current generation of Byakugan/Jyuken practitioners. It was fate that decreed he was superior.
Some aspects completely changed. Hinata's lack of innate talent in the Jyuken was not as apparent because the spotlight was not on her. She was frequently pulled in as a "training dummy" to be demolished by Neji, but other than that...
"More tea!"
"Right away, sir," said Hinata, the eight year old scurrying to comply.
Neji glanced disdainfully at the servant-girl as his father gestured to the side. A break in training wasn't particularly welcome, but it was deemed acceptable.
The girl came back almost immediately, the tea tray with its contents seeming huge in comparison to the diminuitive girl who carried it.
"Leave it and go about your duties, Hinata," said Neji's father to the little girl.
"Sir," said the meek servant, placing the tray carefully on the steps and then backing away.
Neji had already dismissed the girl when he noticed his father looking at where she'd gone. "Did she do something wrong?"
"No, not that at all," said Hizashi Hyuga, deciding that this was a good lesson opportunity. "Some day you will be the head of the clan."
"Of course," said Neji, sitting down and taking one of the cups. "I have much to learn yet."
"Not just in the use of the Byakugan or the skills of Jyuken," said Hizashi. "What are the duties of the clan head?"
"To rule the clan, of course," said Neji.
"Ah, and there's the thing," said Hizashi. "What do you think of Hinata?"
"Poor Jyuken skills, not very quick, somewhat clumsy in fact," said Neji, immediately assessing the girl.
"That's in her Jyuken. What else?" prompted Hizashi.
"I... have no idea," admitted Neji. "Does it matter?"
"Aoi?" asked Hizashi.
An older woman stood up and walked around a partition, finally kneeling before Hizashi.
Neji glanced at the woman, recognizing her as one of the branch family members who often seemed to be scribbling things out on scrolls. Just a part of the background actually.
"Aoi," said Hizashi, looking not at her but at his son instead. "What are your rated skills?"
"In the standard village skill assessment tests, the private Hyuga records, or the ANBU sealed records, My Lord?" asked Aoi.
"Let's go with the standard, shall we?" asked Hizashi, still watching Neji.
"I'm rated chunin-level in naginata-ryuu, kenjutsu, and in kunai and shuriken. Within the village records I have performed: 57 D-Rank, 13 C-Rank, and 1 A-Rank mission. My specialty within the clan is as an accountant and records-keeper."
Neji raised an eyebrow a bit at that. Apparently not as generic-background as he'd originally thought.
"Thank you, Aoi. You may return to your duties," said Hizashi.
Neji frowned as the woman returned to where she'd been.
"Neji, nearly everyone within the clan is like that," said Hizashi. "Some of our branch members still serve in ANBU and among the chunin and jonin of Konohagakure. Some are operatives specifically of our clan. Most will excel in a certain area, and will be less accomplished in others. Aoi is a ninja but she truly shines when working out budgets and allocation tables. Things that are necessary for a clan to function properly."
Neji glanced at his father, waiting for whatever point was to be made would be done with.
"It is the duty of the clan head to find where to place his subordinates," said Hizashi. "Minimize their weaknesses and maximize their strengths."
"Oh," said Neji, nodding. That made sense actually. Maybe he should assign Hinata his Academy homework?
"Why don't you see where Hinata's skills best fit?" asked Hizashi, thinking this would make a good learning experience for Neji and not really thinking about how terribly wrong it could go. "I'll check your progress next week."
Read the comments on this episode
(Posted Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:52)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.