Chapter 11

To walk within the lines

Would make my life so boring

I want to know that I

Have been to the extreme

So knock me off my feet

Come on now, give it to me

Anything to make me feel alive

Is it enough to love?

Is it enough to breathe?

Somebody rip my heart out

And leave me here to bleed

Is it enough to die?

Somebody save my life

I'd rather be anything but ordinary, please

I'd rather be anything but ordinary, please

-Avril Lavigne, "Anything But Ordinary"

 Hyuga Neji vs. Hyuga Hinata. As soon as the names stopped shuffling on the scoreboard, Naruto felt the white-eyed girl in front of him start to tremble. He wasn't sure how to react, knowing little about Hinata or the other Hyuga. Vaguely he remembered someone saying Hyuga Neji had been last year's number one rookie. If that were true, he didn't envy Hinata facing the prior class version of Sasuke.

 "What's wrong with you, Hinata? Nobody ever won a battle by being scared from the very start."

 It was when she didn't respond that Naruto knew this wasn't just another case of the jitters. Walking down past him, zombie-like, the life had gone out of her already pale eyes. She's not just anxious. She's terrified. What the hell is that Neji guy capable of?

 The boy in question knew exactly what he could do. It filled Hyuga Neji with a confidence that made everything seem clear. He and Hinata were related in only one thing: blood. In all other aspects of life, they would never – could never – be equal. Be it social status, martial skill, natural talent or even looks (though Neji would never admit to thinking about it), they were worlds apart.

 So when his well-trained eyes gazed upon Hinata, as they faced each other before Hayate, Neji exulted. Just once, I can do what I like, and there is no one from the main house that can do anything about it. For once, fate is on my side.

 He believed in fate, more than any other force in the universe (except maybe gravity, and everyone knew that was real). What else could explain a life like his? Losing a father at a young age, while himself bearing the burden of the Hyuga branch house's terrible curse? If he'd been a girl, Neji would have looked like the damsel in distress from some badly written romance novel. It was something he loathed. Fate or no fate, Hyuga Neji wasn't going to let anyone think he had to be saved, let alone pitied.

 It explained a lot about why he loathed his cousin. For one thing, Hinata drove home their relationship every time she called him "Brother Neji."

 He wasn't sure whether she meant it, and it really didn't matter. The very idea of someone from the main Hyuga line being like a sibling to a branch Hyuga was ludicrous. The main house holds all the power. We could die on a whim from any one of them, with just a simple hand seal. How is that supposed to let us be a united house?

 Today was different from the usual Hyuga tradition. Nobody could accuse him of scheming to hurt a main house member; in fact, there'd be precious little they could do even if he killed the girl now standing in front of him. All he was doing was following the course fate had set.

 Hyuga Neji wondered what the odd feeling was that had racked him when he had that thought. An under-used conscience has that effect on people.

 Hinata was dealing with her own odd feelings, but they had nothing to do with her conscience. How could eyes that were just like hers have been so different, so cold and hateful that it made her quail just from the sight of them?

 Naruto would laugh at her for being so silly. If you thought about it, she hadn't just been silly; she was probably also guilty of stupidity. Seeing Neji's feelings for what they were, Hinata realized how very ignorant she had been of Hyuga family politics.

 This was not going to be a regular sparring match, like if she had fought Kiba or Shino. Her opponent would do just about anything to hurt her, maybe even kill her. It didn't matter that she'd never done anything to him; all her cousin would see right now was a main house Hyuga. It was hardly a pleasant thought, and it only made her feel worse about the fight. Neji was talented; make that extremely talented, and Hinata had no ego to tell her she was just as good (which she probably wasn't anyway).

 She did have something just as good as an ego, however. Nobody ever won a battle by being scared from the very start. Was it the medicine she'd given Naruto that had made him notice her this once? Was it just something he'd been meaning to do for a while? Whatever had prompted it, Hinata held on to the blonde boy's hasty advice like a life preserver. She couldn't afford to look pathetic or weak in front of him. In any other fight, any other mission, she could afford to be her usual self. Not here. Not now.

 As if sensing that the mental tide was turning, Neji chose that moment to speak.

 "Since you always insist on calling me 'Brother,' I suppose I should live up to the name, and give you a warning."

 Above them both, Naruto blinked.

 "Brother? They're siblings?"

 A hand on his shoulder made the blonde Genin look up, into the eyes of Gai, standing near him with Rock Lee and his other student (whose name he still didn't know).

 "Were it only so simple, Naruto…they share the same name, but I fear they share little else."

 The taijutsu master looked over at his prize pupil, watching Neji with a tense expression.

 "Lee! You know more about Neji than anyone. Why don't you explain what Neji and Hinata's relationship is all about?"

 "Right, sensei! I'll fill you all in on it.

 "There is technically more than one Hyuga family. There's a main house, which Hinata belongs to, and a branch house, which Neji is a part of."

 "That still means they're cousins, right?" Sakura said, listening in on the conversation. "Must be tough having to fight your own family member."

 "It would be, Sakura-san, if they considered themselves like family. But that's not the case. I'm no expert on the Hyugas, but it seems their two houses don't exactly get along anymore. Too many bad feelings between them, for a reason I've never learned."

 "Doesn't end there, either." Shikamaru had wandered over, figuring talking would be less troublesome than watching the two Hyugas just stand around. "Ain't more than a few famous old bloodlines in any shinobi village, and the Hyugas are one of the Leaf's oldest noble houses. Most any house that's got a Bloodline Ability has rules to protect it, and they always favor one group."

 "Correct." Lee went back into teacher mode as the four Genin continued their talk. "When one group is favored, naturally the other part of the family thinks it's being slighted, put down. The same holds true for the branch house Hyugas."

 Sakura pieced together her conclusion from Lee's words.

 "So you're saying rather than sticking together, those two down there hate each other?"

 "Neji, yes. Hinata I'm not so sure about; not that it would matter either way."

 Before any of them could figure out what the thick-browed Genin meant by that, Neji spoke again.

 "Listen well, because I will only say this once, Hinata. Turn around and go home and give up. You are not qualified to be a Genin, let alone a Chuunin. If I am not mistaken, the only reason you are here is because the rules only allow teams to sign up for the Exam."

 He plunged on, oblivious to her quick attempts at a denial.

 "You never fight for your own beliefs, preferring to go along with the group, craving harmony. I doubt that you have ever had a shred of self-confidence. Instead you would rather wallow in your own inferiority.

 "Such is not the way a true shinobi can think, and be able to operate regularly. Therefore, I would quit if I were you."

 "No…" Hinata managed to choke out the words, her cousin's comments already hitting home. "Taking the Exam was my idea too…to change myself."

 Hearing that, Naruto figured it was a good idea. Hinata was a novel personality compared to Sakura, but her timid voice and movements could get annoying if you spent enough time around her.

 The young Genin had it wrong. It was Kurenai, silently watching, who knew what her student really meant.

 How far can anyone be pushed before they find something within that changes their lives? Hinata has been pushed aside by her family, her cousin, and almost everyone she knows. If she cannot change herself, she risks being left behind by the few people she's become close to…Shino, Kiba, and perhaps Naruto.

 Still her student continued to withstand the abuse…

 How long can you stay this way, Hinata?

 Neji scoffed as he heard his cousin's faint counter-argument.

 "Just what I expected from one of the spoiled issue of the main house. You cling to the idea that people can be changed, but you are a living reminder that nothing can be altered.

 "A loser will always be a loser."

 Sakura looked over as she heard a strange noise, and saw Naruto gripping the steel rail while staring at Neji, an angry expression on his face. Any time someone mentioned the word "loser," he always acted like that. But why would he react when Hinata was the target?

 She saw that Naruto was in no mood to answer; it didn't make her curiosity go away.

 Neji continued, not seeing the increasing rage he was provoking in someone above him.

 "We have labels like 'elite' and 'loser' because of the difference between people, separating everyone into groups or classes. Just like our own relationship, in fact, keeping you in the main house while I am below in the branch house.

 "These eyes of mine have seen so much over the years, whether by themselves or through the Byakugan, and now they tell me that your protests are futile. You would rather be anywhere else in the world but facing me."

 "That's not true…" Hinata tried to assert herself again, but she felt everything slipping away from her again. Just like things always did… "I don't…"

 Even the spectators were ignoring her, talking to each other about what Neji had said. Maybe he's right…

* * *

 "What's he's saying about the Byakugan?" Sakura said, as she turned back to Rock Lee. "That's the Hyuga family special ability?"

 "Right. Some people say the Uchiha clan came out of the Hyugas, and that is the origin of eyes like Sasuke-kun's Sharingan. The Byakugan is another eye technique like the Sharingan, but you could say its ability of insight is even more powerful than the Sharingan. The Hyugas aren't considered the strongest family in the Leaf Village for nothing."

 Naruto snorted, still contemptuous of Neji.

 "So those funky-lookin' eyes can actually do something besides freakin' people out? Nice to know he's not gonna just try and talk his opponent to death."

 He couldn't really have explained it, even if Sakura had asked. Maybe it was sympathy, or just his personality. But hearing a Leaf ninja call another Leaf ninja a loser, especially one from his own family, grated on Naruto's nerves. Why couldn't that stupid moron look past rules and titles? Hinata seemed to do it well enough.

 He liked living with his aunt Setsuna, but Uzumaki Naruto still envied people who came from intact families. The spiky-haired boy didn't know why; was it the closeness between parent and child? The willingness of siblings to fight for each other? Or was it as simple as knowing that there was somebody out there who loved you?

 The reason didn't really matter. It burned Naruto up when he saw someone like Neji just throw away a family member. What was the point of being so wasteful? What could they hope to gain? He'd experienced loneliness before, and wished it on nobody. Why would someone choose it unless they were nuts?

 What could Hinata do against someone who might be crazy?

 Naruto did not know the answer to his question. All that he could do was try and help the girl, in the only way he knew.

* * *

 "SHUT THE (#*#%! UP!!"

 Hinata's doubts fled in terror at Naruto's shout from the balcony.

 "I've never seen anything dumber, and I flunked the Genin Exam three times! Yakking away like ya got all the time in the world. Whoever heard of someone trying to talk their opponent to death?"

 Neji tried to ignore it, but his eyes tightened. What does he know, that noisy idiot?

 Naruto didn't have to see the Hyuga boy's face to know he was listening.

 "Yeah, I'm talkin' to you, ya dumbass! If you're gonna fight, then fight! If you're gonna run, then run! Stop wastin' everybody's time with empty-ass words, and get to the damn point!

 "And you, Hinata! The hell are you so scared about? Main line, branch line, that's all I hear. In the end, what's it matter? You're as much a Hyuga as he is! You've got the same eyes as he does! All it comes down to is how you use 'em! So stop listening to him and listen to yourself! Listen to what you believe in, deep inside, and not what others say about you. If I had listened to everybody all those years, would I be here today? BE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE, NOT EVERYONE ELSE'S HINATA!"

 Hinata shook herself, listening as the words cascaded down upon her. He was right. Even if Naruto did not have the Byakugan, he could see that Hinata was feeling the impact of his shouts. What he could not have seen was the drastic effects it had deep within the pale-eyed girl.

 When you throw a light switch, shadows vanish, consumed into brightness. Something deep in the shadows of Hyuga Hinata's psyche awoke in that moment. It would have looked very familiar to Haruno Sakura.

 I…

 Still weak, like a newborn baby, it started slowly.

 I…am…

 Emotions flooded her soul as Hinata stared at Naruto, then Neji, and then back again.

 I…am…Hyuga…

 Gratitude. Envy. Pride. Hate. Tenacity. Frustration.

 I…am…Hyuga…too…

 And underneath it all, rage. Rage like a looming volcano, lethal intent boiling just beneath the earth.

 I AM HYUGA TOO!

 She too was a Hyuga! Wielder of the powerful Byakugan! Born of the main house, once heir to the strongest clan in the Leaf Village! But she no longer thought of the clan that way.

 Her cousin hated her, seeing the main house. Her father had thrown her aside, seeing a weakling. But Naruto and Kurenai-sensei had not. They had seen something Hinata had not. The Hinata that could be, someday. The Hinata that should be. The Hinata that would start her life today.

 Yes, she was a Hyuga, but she would make her own legacy. She would be her own Hyuga, free of main and branch houses. She would, to put it Naruto's way, just be herself. And try though he might, her cousin would not get in her new path without suffering the consequences.

 Her hands moved in a flash, as if something else was controlling her. Rock Lee saw the seals, and knew what they meant.

 "Looks like she's not going down without a fight, Neji-san."

 Neji watched his cousin prepare for the Byakugan, half disdaining, half curious. What could she possibly do, even if she were self-confident?

 Hinata opened her eyes, the veins around them pulsing as only the Byakugan could make them. Taking a familiar defensive stance, she gazed at her cousin, eyes probing into him.

 "Come on, Neji. We've wasted enough time. I won't run, and neither will you. So let's fight."

 To everyone else, it sounded like nothing more than a dull statement. To Neji, Shino, Naruto and Kurenai, it sounded much different. Hinata's voice was supposed to be small, a feathery whisper that barely touched the ear. This Hinata's voice carried a dark, hard edge. An edge that promised pain and suffering, not shy weakness. It surprised Neji so much that he just managed to avoid the fist that came rushing at him, Hinata beginning the fight without warning.

 Neji was further surprised when Hinata did not turn around and attack again, running behind him and facing him as he settled into a defensive stance.

 "All that talk, and you run from my attack? Maybe Naruto-kun was right. Maybe you were the one who really felt like running." Hinata's soft voice carried a hint of contempt, making her cousin flush in anger. As he clenched his fists, she removed her forehead protector from around her neck, tying it around her forehead for once. "Come on! Don't you want to prove I'm a loser?"

 He needed no more prodding, surging forward to destroy his lifelong enemy.

 After all the talking, the two Hyugas stayed silent once the battle was joined. Fists flew and chakra exploded in the air with a funny crackling noise, as auras clashed. But even with all the murderous intent, their movements resembled nothing so much as a graceful dance, leaving the audience confused. How could movements that barely touched the opponent be doing any damage?

 "Too evenly matched," Naruto groused. "Nobody can get close enough to land a good knockout! How long will this take?"

 Gai chuckled at the impetuous boy's complaining.

 "It's not that simple, Naruto-kun. For the Hyugas, even a glancing blow can be a deadly strike."

 "Unless they know how to stretch themselves like that Orochimaru freak, I don't see how."

 Lee spoke in his best "professor's" voice again, taking over the explanation.

 "It's got nothing to do with stretching. The Hyuga clan uses a special form of taijutsu, completely different from the kind that Gai-sensei and I use.

 "In my fighting style, I try to cause damage from the outside in. The Hyugas, on the other hand, can do it the other way, from the inside out, by pushing their chakra into the enemy's Inner Coil Pathways, and attacking internal organs directly."

 Always insightful, Shikamaru caught on first.

 "So as long as you can make some kind of contact…"

 "Correct." Lee nodded. "You can cause damage. It may look weak, but the effect on the opponent is just as strong. In a way, it's stronger than what I could do with the same attacks."

 Naruto didn't catch on quite as fast.

 "So what's the Inner Coil thingy anyway? How come it's so special that they can go straight for it?"

 "I'll put it to you this way. Your blood runs through your body in veins and arteries, right? Chakra is a lot like that; there are pathways that let it flow all over your body."

 "So it's a road for Chakra, huh?"

 "Very good, Naruto-kun. One thing to remember, though, is that the roads lead to and around all the major organs in your body. Injure the road, and the organs suffer too."

 "Hmm…" Shikamaru leaned closer to the rail, as the other three Genin looked on. "Road's a good analogy, but if I were Hinata, I'd think of it more as a human chessboard."

 "How's that?"

 "In chess, there are pieces on the board worth more than others, because they can do more things, or move farther. Naturally, a player wants to protect those pieces; sometimes they'll sacrifice weaker pieces to do it. Or they may sacrifice a weaker piece so they can get in position to attack a stronger piece.

 "Neji's got a height and reach advantage on Hinata, which makes it harder for her to get inside him and attack the major organs, like the heart or lungs. So one way she could get inside is let an arm or leg absorb an attack, and then plow inside Neji's defenses and attack with what she's got left. Or, she could fake like she was going after something important, and make Neji sacrifice an arm or leg to defend himself."

 Sakura beckoned them over from their discussion with a harsh whisper.

 "Pay attention, guys! She's about to do something!"

 Somewhere along the way, Hinata's jacket had become undone, flapping about as the two combatants lashed out. Neji dismissed it and kept on attacking. But as he did, Hinata suddenly swerved, taking herself out of the familiar forms of the Hyuga taijutsu, coming straight at him.

 He scoffed at her intent expression. Using a head-on attack, like that noisy fool? I'm not as dumb as Kiba.

 Judging where she would try to strike him, Neji surged forward…and found nothing, as Hinata moved away from him. What was she doing? It didn't matter. There was still a way to attack! Grabbing at the back of his cousin's jacket with his right hand, Neji yanked it towards him. You can't escape that easily!

 Immediately, he knew something was wrong. The jacket was coming off too easily, with no weight shift to make him balance himself, like what should have happened if he'd yanked Hinata off her feet. Looking up, his eyes widened as he saw himself grasping the back and one empty arm of the jacket! She slipped out of it!?

 Momentarily shocked, Neji's confusion grew as Hinata planted her feet and somersaulted backwards, over his head, wrapping her end of the jacket around his arm and pulling it with her as she flew through the air. The branch house Hyuga could only watch, off balance and stunned, as his cousin landed and kicked a foot out backwards, aimed straight at his shoulder. Neji's image of his loser cousin disappeared with a short, sharp cracking noise.

 For a moment after Hinata's attack, you could have heard a pin drop in the arena. Sakura broke the silence, confusion evident in her voice.

 "What just happened?"

 Naruto's reply carried equal parts of pride and grim satisfaction.

 "She changed."

 Rock Lee had watched the short exchange with intensity; something Sakura and the other Genin expected out of him. Only Gai knew the real reason why his pupil was paying such attention.

 Watch, learn, and absorb, Lee. Neji is your greatest rival; and if you are ever to surpass him, you must learn how to do so from people like Hinata.

 Shikamaru smiled, appreciating the audacity of the move, just like a chess master.

 "Nice move, Hinata. Lull him into thinking you're only going for slight contact, trap him with the jacket, and force him off balance."

 "Hey, Shikamaru, you're the chess player…" Naruto smirked. "Who did the sacrificing and who did the attacking?"

 "Man, you're tiring me out with your stupidity. I'm only gonna explain once, so listen up.

 "Hinata started off fighting just like Neji, so she could trick him into thinking he knew what she'd do next. So when she went straight at him, he figured he could counter her attack 'cause he knew where she'd be. Instead, Hinata hunched her shoulders a bit, to let the jacket get loose, and moved aside instead of attacking. All Neji grabbed was the jacket, and he overbalanced himself 'cause he figured he'd have to compensate for Hinata's weight. When he did that, Hinata jumped behind him and twisted Neji's arm backwards. Then she kicked him at the shoulder joint, and because of the leverage she had on his arm, she probably broke or dislocated the joint. Either way, she's weakened one of his arms."

 His arm hung loose, pain a blazing fire in his shoulder, but Hyuga Neji would not cry or scream. Especially not when his hated cousin had done this to him. Neji contented himself with glaring at her, his anger obvious.

 "That was not the Hyuga-ryu style. Those are not the techniques that we were taught from birth. What are you trying to do?"

 Again, Hinata's reply was laced with contempt.

 "What do you think I'm doing? If the Hyuga clan no longer wants me as heir, why should I keep on using their tactics? Why does my father deserve my respect after tossing me aside for a child half my age? Grow a brain and stop thinking so narrowly.

 "Don't lump me in with the high-and-mighty Hyuga clan. Don't flatter yourself by thinking we carry the same blood, either. I'm not going to be a part of the main house or the branch house any longer. Their so-called Hyuga-ryu is not my school. I will fight for myself, and fight the way I want to. That's all there is to it."

 He didn't respond. Hinata wouldn't have listened anyway. Neji focused all of his willpower into ignoring the pain, taking hold of his limp arm and trying to push it back into place. Hearing the slight pop and feeling the grinding of bone, he knew he'd been lucky. The joint would hurt, and he'd need a long rest after this was done, but he still had use of the arm.

 Shikamaru winced as Neji confirmed that his shoulder wasn't broken.

 "Hinata better have more than just one new move, or else she's toast."

 "Why?" Naruto wondered. "She's got him on the ropes."

 "Don't be so sure. The only reason she landed that shot on Neji in the first place was because she caught him off guard. Now he knows what's coming."

 Do you think this little display really changes anything between us? What is the point of choosing such desperate tactics, Hinata? Are you that unwilling to see reality for what it is?

 Neji could afford to feel superior again. Watching his cousin's new attacking style and knowing what was coming, he could easily pick out the basic, first-year taijutsu they had all been taught at the Academy. Every combination, the turn of a wrist, the kicks fired in all directions, might as well have been copied straight out of a textbook.

 Call him what you wanted, but you couldn't call Hyuga Neji a bad student.

 Again the dance of death began, this time faster and wilder, a reckless abandon coloring everything Hinata did. To some in the audience, it seemed as if she wanted to make up for twelve years of doing nothing by trying to kill, knock out, and maim Neji all at once. It would have been deadly, if any of her attacks had actually landed on target.

 Kurenai sighed. She started well, but she's gone from timid to berserk. Neither approach will work against Neji; I'm not sure she could do any damage even if she combined the two. Change isn't only about doing the opposite thing, child. Sometimes, that only makes things worse.

 Neji certainly wanted to make things worse, and thinking back to the old Academy lessons, he knew when to make it happen. Certain attacks in basic taijutsu left the user open if they weren't careful, making them vulnerable to a devastating counterstrike. And Hyuga Neji was capable of unleashing just such an attack. Even if you try to change, you're still a loser! Now I'll prove it!

 Slipping underneath Hinata's guard as she lunged forwards, Neji brought his left palm up in a short, vicious strike directed at his cousin's heart. As he did, his chakra flared so high that it seemed to burst from her back, a sword of pure spirit piercing her body.

 Hinata collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, sprawling on the ground in a boneless heap.

 Neji didn't say anything. Then again, his actions had already spoken loudly and clearly enough for him. You are nothing to me. No amount of foolish words and outlandish fighting will ever change that.

* * *

 Hyuga Hinata looked up as the skies parted, the gray clouds splitting and depositing a body that landed beside her. When Naruto had finished yelling at her and Neji, she had abruptly found herself here, trapped on a barren plain that stretched out to forever, sensing what was going on, powerless to act. It was a bleak, drab place to be…a lot like she was.

 "I didn't…wake up…so you could dig yourself…deeper into your rut."

 The pale-eyed girl started as the body that had fallen to earth began to struggle slowly to its feet.

 "Who are you?"

 "What does it look like to you? Grab a clue, sister!"

 Hinata could only stammer wordlessly as the other person straightened, and she matched a voice to a face. Her own.

 Was it her? This Hinata was not the one she saw when she looked into the mirror. The other girl's eyes were not the blank white pools that had once stared back at her. These orbs held an odd, unbalanced gleam. And her hair…could it even be called hair? So wild and unrestrained, it might as well have been a bird's nest! She could never have let herself look like that.

 "And that's the problem, isn't it?"

 "W-what?"

 "Don't play the timid, stammering girl with me. We don't have time for that."

 "I don't understand…"

 The other Hinata threw up her hands and shook her head in disgust.

 "Great. Now she's a coward and a moron. Let me make this easy for you.

 "I'm you, Hyuga Hinata. But I'm not you. I am what you have always denied to yourself. Everything you never wanted to, or never thought you could be. Hate, anger, envy, even pride."

 Hinata stepped back, frantically denying the girl's heated accusation.

 "But I never did anything like that!"

 The other Hinata scoffed, bitter anger evident in her hunched shoulders.

 "Make as many excuses as you want. You pushed all of those things aside, and you made me - the image of all your so-called imperfections. If that wasn't bad enough, you imprisoned me here, letting me watch every humiliation, failure and defeat. Well, I'm tired now, and I'm not doing it any more."

 "Doing what?"

 "Sitting here watching you act like some stupid, timid little mouse, and getting nowhere! I've had it with not being able to do anything while you screw our life up. I'm here to turn things around, whether you like it or not!"

 Hinata had always had a hard time getting angry, whether at herself or anyone else. Was it because of this mirror-Hinata that she felt her temper start to boil?

 "What gives you the right? You're not me! You can't just come out and take away my life like that!"

 "Don't get moral with me! What gave you the right to do this? Can you justify creating me so you could feel better about yourself? Oh, sure, you're the good little girl who never started fights, never talked back, never stood up for herself!

 "Do you have any idea what it was like to be me? I loathed myself from morning to night, because you made me that way. Every time you were teased or taunted, the weight fell on me. I wanted to die, or become a better person and leave the pain behind! But how could I ever do anything like that? Every time I tried to rise, you pushed me back down again with your cowardice."

 "I'm sorry." Hinata looked down, unable to bear the hatred in her other self's eyes. "I never wanted to make anyone feel sad…"

 "SAD!?" The other girl screamed. "Is that all you think it was? Just sad? Sad is a rainy day! Sad is watching someone else get the last piece of candy at the store! I hated myself! You made me think I was everything that was holding you back, the reason the world looked at you with so much pity! And you have the gall to just write it off as sad? It was torture! You think an apology will make up for years of that?"

 "But…but…" Hinata could feel it, the same despair that she had felt against Neji sliding over her again. But here, inside her, it had a much different effect. She watched in horror as her mirror image shuddered, then collapsed, shaking violently. Reaching out to help the girl, she was forced back as the other Hinata slapped her hand away, even as she writhed in agony.

 "Haven't you…done enough? Just leave me…to my job…like you always do. I'm used to it…"

 Hinata could have run away. She'd done it often enough. But that was outside, in a world where nobody cared what she did. Where there were no consequences for pushing her problems away. But this wasn't such a place. Here, the consequences were staring her in the face. And Hyuga Hinata didn't like what she saw.

 Forget Neji. Forget her father, her sister, even Naruto (as hard as that was). This girl was a part of herself. How could she have sunk so low? Hurting herself just so she could run away from her problems? It had to stop. But how would she do it? The only idea that she could think of was not only crazy, it was downright stupid, if you stopped to think about it. But how stupid could wanting to help someone else be, if you really meant it? Naruto had done it for her. Now Hinata had to prove she was worthy of that kind of respect.

 Kneeling again at the girl's side, she shook her head.

 "I'm sorry…but I can't do that."

 "What are you saying?"

 There was no time to hesitate. For once in her life, Hinata boldly continued with what she wanted to do.

 "We're both wrong, you and me. We're two extremes, at opposite ends of the spectrum. No matter who wins the battle for control of this body, in the end they'd lose the real fight outside. The only way we'll ever be able to grow strong for real…is if we join forces."

 The other girl scoffed, tears of pain and suffering still drying on her cheeks.

 "You'd never have the guts to do it. Aren't you scared of what might happen? Afraid of losing yourself?"

 "Truthfully?" Hinata looked down. "I'm terrified. But I'm more terrified of what would happen to both of us if I kept on running away from everything."

 "Why should I trust you?" The mirror-Hinata looked away. "How do I know you won't try to seal me away again?"

 "You don't. But then, how do I know that you won't try to seal me away like you just did if you get the chance? The point is that we have to trust each other, and believe that we're stronger together, as a team, than we are apart.

 "I hate to say it, but fighting Neji taught me something. Nobody's perfect. Not Naruto, Kurenai-sensei, Kiba, Shino; nobody is ever going to be completely free of faults or problems. Trying to live my life by avoiding mistakes and conflict won't make me perfect. So I might as well embrace all of the things that make me who I am, and walk out there as the real Hyuga Hinata. But I can't do that if you're not with me."

 "That simple, huh?" Mirror-Hinata snorted, turning back around. "You really think we're ever gonna mesh well enough to fight together?"

 Hinata shrugged, holding out a hand to her "other half."

 "We were together once, even if it was when we were very young. I don't see why it can't be that way again someday. Besides, I thought I was supposed to be the scaredy-cat in this mind. Are you in or out?"

 "Gee, either join you in this crazy-ass idea, or stay here for the rest of my life," the other girl groused. "I still say you're nuts, but who am I to talk? You're on."

 As their hands touched, the gray skies disappeared, and Hyuga Hinata was reborn.

* * *

 Neji's eyes narrowed, betraying his annoyance, as he watched his cousin stagger to her feet, blood leaking from a corner of her mouth. What's the use of getting up again? Haven't you had enough?

 Hinata felt weird, as though she was seeing everything around her for the first time. But there was one thing she was no longer confused about, and he was glaring at her. You poor bastard. Rail, rave and rant all you want about not being able to change, and all you really want in the back of your mind IS to change.

 She wondered for a moment. The voice of her thoughts was mirror-Hinata's, not the voice she usually thought in. Are we always going to be like this? Two halves sharing a soul?

 Nah. Once we really learn to accept each other, we'll probably become your so-called "real Hyuga Hinata" again. Can't say I'm ever gonna get used to you acting girly-girly all the time, but what the heck. That reminds me…

 What is it?

 I think I have a way of ending this fight in our own style, without getting our butts kicked.

 I don't see how…we're fighting together, but I don't think even you're crazy enough to believe we can win.

 No, I'm not that dumb. But you hit it on the head when you said Neji wanted nothing more than to kill us. He wanted to end the fight on his own terms. So what would piss him off more than this…?

 As her other self explained the plan, Hinata's eyes widened, and then her mouth opened in something totally unfamiliar (and a little scary) to Neji, Naruto and even Kurenai…a full, wide grin.

 That has got to be the cruelest, most sadistic idea I've ever heard. I think I like it.

 Hey, all I had to do for a decade or so was sit back and think violent, nasty, nasty thoughts. I'm good at it.

 "Um, Hayate-san? Referee-type person?"

 Hayate looked over to see Hinata raise her hand slowly.

 "Yes?"

 "I quit."

 The room shook a bit with the impact of five simultaneous face-faults up in the balcony; Naruto, Lee and company stared down in surprise at the chipper note in Hinata's voice.

 Hayate was also a little confused; the girl was still conscious, after all.

 "Any particular reason why you're forfeiting?"

 "Oh, that," Hinata shrugged, turning towards the stairs. "Why should I let that jackass end the fight his way? If I'm going to lose, I'm doing it my way. Besides, if I'm gonna get knocked out for real, it should be by an opponent I respect."

 Neji's face went bright red with fury as his cousin let loose with a mocking laugh.

 "And Hell's gonna freeze over before I ever feel that way about you again."

 Forget rules. Forget the Exam. Hinata could not be allowed to disrespect him, Hyuga Neji, any more. Charging forward, heedless of Hayate's shouts for him to stop, Neji prepared to strike, the veins around his eyes standing out with his rage.

 Just as he was about to reach his target, a loud clang sounded in front of him, forcing him to leap back to safety. Looking up, he saw a large orange lump on the ground; a discarded jacket. And behind the clothing stood its owner.

 "And here I thought Kiba was the King of the Jackasses. You want a fight, you punk? Hinata's already done. You want to mess with her, you gotta go through me first."

 "You?" Neji sneered. "What have I got to fear from a loud-mouthed idiot who cheers on losers like an empty-headed spectator?"

 Naruto simply shrugged.

 "If we meet in the Finals, you can see for yourself."

 Expecting the hotheaded blonde Genin to charge, Neji was stunned to see Naruto pick up his weighted jacket, turn on one heel and start back up the stairs.

 "What happened to fighting me, you loser? Who's talking who to death now?"

 Naruto didn't even bother looking back, continuing up the stairs.

 "Why should I waste my time and chakra on an arrogant jerk who doesn't even know the value of family? You don't deserve to fight me. You don't deserve to fight anybody in this village. Come back when you're ready to live life like a normal human being, not a cruel, self-absorbed jackass. Wait a minute; never mind. I forgot you're incapable of change. Just wait until the Finals, then. Right now I'm not in the mood to ruin my day by staring at that arrogant mug of yours any longer."

 Quivering in fury, Neji could only watch and swear silent revenge as Naruto left him behind, standing on the floor. This was not over. Not by a long shot.

 "Naruto-kun," Hinata looked over at her defender as he came up the stairs. "Why did you just do that?"

 The blonde shrugged.

 "Because you reminded me of myself."

 "I don't understand…"

 "It's simple, really," he grinned. "When I was trying to prove myself and make it through the Academy, I would have given anything to have someone encourage me. If Iruka-sensei hadn't been there to push me that last year or so, I'd probably still be at the Academy.

 "So when I heard that jerk mouthing off about people not being able to change, I figured I better do for you what Iruka-sensei did for me. Nothing I hate more than people getting called losers and getting no help to change."

 Having said his piece, the spiky-haired Genin continued on, slinging his jacket over one shoulder. Reaching his team's spot, he noticed the small bundle of fur curled near the rail. Itachi, feeling footsteps approach, woke up slowly and scampered up to Naruto's feet.

 [I needed some sleep, Speaker. What'd I miss?]

 Naruto face-faulted for the second time in five minutes.

 "Aw, why do I even bother acting cool if you're not watching? How else are the other tribal leaders supposed to know I'm worthy?"

 [Get a rooster, then. Us ferrets are nocturnal anyway.]

 Hyuga Hinata smiled to herself as she watched Naruto's one-sided (to her) argument with the ferret. Thank you, Naruto-kun. You may be weird, but it's a good kind of weird.

 Then, turning back in Kurenai and Shino's direction, she continued on the path into her new life.

 Behind her, the scoreboard began its deadly shuffling again, until two names were revealed.

 Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino.

A/N: Please Support Me On patreon.com/The_Alchemyst