chapter 16: night meeting .
Hanabi slips into the obscure streets of the city in silence. She must see Neji. She has questions to ask him. Without being seen by the guards, enter in the manor of the branch family, and go to the apartments of his cousin. But she finds only his wife there, with a man who isn't Neji....
An affair? Hanabi jumps in the room
and makes lights. The Neji's woman and one of the intendants assistants
raise with an expression of terror, worsened when they recognize Hanabi
Hyuga. But she puts a finger on her lips, asking silence. She
whispers:
"Where is Neji?"
Korine: "He... He's not there...."
Hanabi: "Where is he? If you answer me,
I would forget what I just saw."
The two faulty ones look down, then the
woman answer:"We don't live together anymore. Neji lives in an
apartment
downtown, with her maitress. He's independent... the family of the main
branch don't know it. I give you his address."
When she has the address, the small girl disappears without a word, leaving behind her the two adults dubious and surprised. The small girl runs towards Neji's apartment . She didn't know that he had cut his bond with the family. A true rebel. Very interesting.
At the door, she knocks without worrying
about the late hour. she knocks a long time, when the door opens
brutally.
A man hand takes hers and draws her violently inside, then closes again
the door behind her. But Hanabi isn't anxious, it's just Neji .
Now
he probe the surroundings using his Byakugan, seeking any trace of
danger...
or guards of the Hyuga family. Not seeing anything, he relax a little
before
turning a severe face towards Hanabi.
Neji: "Hanabi-sama... you still left without
authorization? and in the middle of the night!"
Hanabi: "I have questions to ask you."
But Hanabi stops when she see Neji's
girlfriend to enter in the room, not completly awake. She had read in
the
inquiry report that she resemble Hinata a little.
The investigators are wrond. she doesn't
resemble Hinata.
She IS Hinata!
Hanabi leaps in the arms of the young woman
while shouting: "Sister!!!!!"
Surprised Yuuki can only catch the
young
girl who explodes in sob while tightening herself against her older
sister.
Who would be able to recognize Hinata inside Yuuki? The timid teenager had become a blooming woman. Black eyes and hair like a night without moon, wearing clothes emphasizing the beauty of her body... no, really, nobody could have find Hinata by looking at Yuuki. But at the bottom of herself, Hinata is always the same, soft and quiet, not very assured. Only the pure glance of Hanabi could transpierce the outside envelope of the first sight, and recognize the liking heart of her sister. The two sisters embrace in silence,sharing the intense happiness of the meeting. Patiently, Neji waits until the two
sisters
calm, while supervising the neighbourhoods with attention. If Hanabi
doesn't
return quickly at home, the Hyuga family will discover her departure,
leave
to search her..... and will be too interested about Yuuki and
him.
|
yuuki: " Hanabi, calm down. I'm here."
Neji: "Hanabi, you're a Ninja, then acts as a Ninja and calm down. You must tell us the last events exactly... "
Yuuki: "Neji, don't bo so hard with Hanabi..."
Neji: "We don't have much time. Hanabi must return to the manor as quickly as possible... "
Hanabi: "I won't return! I stay with Hinata!! I hate them!"
Neji: "Don't call her Hinata anymore, but Yuuki! You don't understand? She hides to escape to our family! You are endangering her by your whims! "
Yuuki: "Neji! "
Neji: "If you stay here, it's as if you give Hinata to them yourself!"
Hanabi lowers her eyes, she understood
all
that. But it's so difficult to listen to the duty when all her heart
wish
the opposite. Hanabi seldom makes whims, she always follows the rigid
way
imposed by the clan. Her only deviance was always Hinata, her only
refuge,
the only person with who she can follow her heart.
Yuuki: "Hanabi, you muwt go home. Everyone
will be very anxious if you disappear... You're the most important
Hyuga
child... "
Hanabi: "No!It's you! You're the older,
then as long as you will live, you're the heiress!!"
The heart of Hinata tightens at the
mention of her so heavy burden : heiress.
Yuuki: "N..no, Hanabi. Now it's you. You
are strongest and...."
Hanabi: "It's the rule: the heir is the
older. No possible dispute. We won't change an ancestral rule of the
clan
like that."
Neji: "I agree with you on the fact that
Hinata is the heiress of the clan, Hanabi. But did you think well
what that implies?"
Yuuki leaps and stand before Neji: "SHUT
UP! I... I don't want that you speak about it!... please, Neji....."
Neji looks her with attention, reading
her
emotions on her face. Then he closes his eyes and leans towards her,
until
their faces touch. The face marked with a mortal black seal touch the
black
fringe of Yuuki with tenderness. This black seal of the secondary
branch,
the black seal that Yuuki wish with all her heart to see disappear from
the face of her love... The seal she never want to see on the face of
her
sister.
Neji: "... I know, Yuuki."
Feeling forgotten, Hanabi draws Yuuki by
the hand abruptly. She had just understand that Neji is Hinata's
boyfriend
and that don't please her. Hanabi doesn't like to lend her older
sister.
But for the moment, Neji is the only person who's able to protect
Hinata,
then she entrusts her to him.... for the moment. Now completely calm,
Hanabi
starts to think. Hinata is alive, she knows where she is, it's better
than
nothing.
Hanabi: "I will return, Sis.... No, Yuuki.
I will return to see you."
yuuki: "Hanabi... Be careful... "
Neji: "I accompany her back, Yuuki, don't
worry."
yuuki: "Thank you, Neji."
The two Hyuga girls embrace with force,
then
following her cousin, Hanabi leaves toward her house. Neji brings her
until
their small secrete way and tll her a last recommendation before
leaving:
"Paid attention to what you say. Don't put her in danger !"
Hanabi: "I know."
Then she passes by the hole of the wall
and enter her room in silence.
Yuuki didn"t fall asleep again and she
awaits
Neji a little anxious. More and more of people know who she is. They
are
more ally, but more risks to be discovered too.
Yuuki: "Neji... I'm anxious...."
Neji: "Yuuki, you must sleep. Spare your
health "
She goes against him and she surrounds her
with his arms to reassure her.
Neji: "don't worry about Hyuga, my angel.
Worry only about you and our child"
Chapter 17: a working day.
Because she didn"t sleep much the night,
Yuuki goes out of the bed with difficult. Neji's mission starts later
and
she take care not to awake him. Since the adventure with Naruto, Yuuki
wear her black lenses even the night. It's a new type of lenses, that
she
can several days without problem. Even if someone surprise her in the
middle
of the night, she always has the black eyes. The only dangerous
moment
is when she must change the pair of lenses, like this morning. After
having
carefully checked the absence of any camera, spies or others, Yuuki
withdraws
her lenses and take a new pair, when she's surprised by her reflection
in the mirror.
Two large white eyes are looking at her.
She had taken the habit to see herself with black eyes. Two large white
eyes, signs of her being a member of the Hyuga family.
In the asleep spirit of Yuuki, this idea
brutally become essential.
She's Hyuga. For always and ineluctably
Hyuga.
She can't flee this reality eternally.
Thoughtful, Yuuki leaves to the
medical
cabinet. Some visitor, as always. Yuuki take inks with top secret
composition
and trace complicated signs on an arm. Then she murmurs a jutsu. The
drawing
shines and contracts until the size of a coin. She succeeds. The
visitor,
a Chunin who leaves on mission tomorrow, will have his arm protected
from
the paralysis. The following visitor is taken care by Dr. Isha,
assisted
by Yuuki. This Jounin lost consciousness while returning of mission,
and
the cause is a seal on his hand. The Doctor quickly trace a seal-parade
and the jounin awakes.
Then Yuuki leaves to seek a scroll of technique in the library at the request of the Doctor. They are very old seals, which are forbidden for the non-specialists and kept in the residence of Hokage. With her authorization and narrowly supervised by an Anbu, Yuuki take the scroll and recopy the requested seals. But her Byakugan in action reveals much more to her! Yuuki was unaware of the existence of this room full with scroll about seals, and there's no doubt that many secret techniques kept here could be useful to her... But she'll see that later, the anbu supervising her shouldn't have any suspicion. She complets her work and go back to the Doctor and helps him to prepare the seal on a parchment, ordered by the hokage for a mission of class S. |
chapter 18: discussion at Hyuga manor
At Hyuga manor, It seems that Hanabi
ceased
her whim. She’s eating with all the family at the table this evening.
But
she stays quiet and don’t speak during all the meal, not even answering
anybody.
Hiashi: "Hanabi, Stop being childish."
The little girl doesn’t even blink. The greatest pride and hope of the Hyuga being so hostile toward the family is a bother. Order and discipline should be recalled to her ! But she’s extremely strong against the pressure. She’s a future great shinobo without any, provided that she doesn’t use her talents against the family. The white eyes of the adult can always read her resentment on her face. It’s the expression of somebody who’s likely to become their enemy....
After the meal, Hanabi takes her Shuriken
and goes to train in the garden. The parents and the great-parents
reunite
to discuss the matter. The situation is worse than they think.
Dissensions
reappear between Hyuga’s members is a weakness,which could someday
damage
the whole family. The reconciliationwith the branch family had
strengthened
the power of the clan, but the revolt of Hanabi threatens the new
balance.
The grandmother: "Hinata disappeared, Neji
doesn’t have a child yet, and now Hanabi who’s opposed to us. The
survival of our blood is threatened... "
Hiashi: "It’s only a momentary revolt."
Hiashi’s wife: "You underestimate your
daughter....
her resentment will only grow if we don’t do something, like the Neji’s
hatred against Hinata formerly."
Once again, the memory of Hinata comes to
haunt the conversation. To get rid of this cumbersome heiress is not so
easy.
Hiashi: " Hanabi doesn’t direct her anger
toward the right people. The culprits are Kaishima’s men who lost
Hinata...."
Hiashi’s wife: "We sent her there. We
thought
that it was the best decision, but Hanabi suffered from this
separation.
She rejects all the fault on us now."
Hiashi: "We won’t reconsider our previous
decisions. The important thing is to defuse Hanabi’s rebellion quickly
"
Hiashi’s wife: "We could ask Hanabi to help
us in the search of Hinata. I am sour that she’s still alive...."
The grandmother: "the chances are weak."
Hiashi’s wife: "I am sour. She’s my
daughter,
I feel that she is alive."
Hiashi launches a short glance to his
wife.
Hinata and Hanabi inherited of her sensitivity. But it’s what
currently
poses problem to them.
Hiashi: " Shinobis shouldn’t reason with
their emotions..."
His wife answers nothing. She’s perfectly
conscious of her duties and would never answer against the word of her
chief and husband. But her desaprobation can be read on her face.
The grandmother: "If we find Hinata, we
could reconcile with Hanabi. But what could we do with Hinata after
finding
her ? Set her in mission is too dangerous and the marriage with
Kaishima’s
family is cancelled."
Hiashi’s wife: "We could marry her to
someone
in the village. In the best case, we could make enter her husband in
Hyuga
family. In the worst case, she’ll live with him outside of the family
but
in Konoha and under high protection."
Hiashi: "About the seal..."
Hanabi: "I don’t want Hinata to be sealed!"
The voice of the young girl makes
the
parents start by surprise. Opening one of the door, Hanabi enters. She
heard all the meeting without being discovered. Really, she’ a future
very
great Shinobi!
Hanabi: "If I help you to find Hinata, you
promise not to seal her and keep her in Konoha ?!
Hiashi:’wife "Hanabi, don’t be insolent..."
Hiashi analyzes with attention the face
of
his daughter. She shows such an insurance... she knows more about
Hinata
than them, without doubt. He must yield a little, to gain more.
Hiashi: "I promise it, as the chief of the
clan. When we find Hinata, we won’t harm her, and She will live here.
But
it will be your task to prevent her to leave. "
Hanabi thinks a little time. Hinata could
return to the house like before. She too will be happy, undoubtedly.
She
seemed so sad when she had left the house... Refusing to admit that
Hinata
loves Neji, Hanabi doesn't see any difficulty now.
Hiashi: "Now, Hanabi, help us to find
Hinata."
Hanabi: "I already found her."
chapter 19: Hyuga dramas, evening
The evening is merry in the small
apartment
of Yuuki and Neji. Her discoveries had put the girl in a state close to
the euphoria. The two lovers are literally swimming in happiness, until
the bell sounds.
Through the closed door, Yuuki recognizes
Hanabi and wants to open to her, but Neji retains her with a serious
face.
By habits, he looked at the surroundings. And he saw that they were
encircled.
A little further in the street, Hiashi Hyuga is looking toward them.
When
his glance crosses Hinata's, her face becomes pale and she starts to
tremble.
They're in a trap. She is so much disturbed that she doesn't manage
anymore
to keep her Byakugan. If she could it, she could have seen the face of
her father with a not very usual expression.
The bell continues to sound
impatiently.
Neji draws behind him a trembling Yuuki and opens the door before a
happy
Hanabi. She runs towards her older sister, but stops when she see her
about
to melt in tear. A little dubious, she tries to speak to her.
Hanabi: "Sister, all is good, you know. You'll be able to return to the house... The parents agreed... and they have promised... " Yuuki speaks in a sob "I... didn't want to come.. back ..." Hanabi looks at her sister without understanding and starts when Neji says hardly: "Then you too sold your sister, Hanabi! I believed that you want to protect her." Hanabi: " I do it!" Seeing that Hiashi is approaching,
Neji answers
nothing to Hanabi and stays in front of the sobbing Yuuki, between his
father and her. Hiashi and Neji looks each one fixedly during a
few
moments, then the chief of clans breaks the silence.
|
Neji: "Yuuki! Yuuki, hold on!"
Focused on the sobbing Hinata, Neji doesn't even pay attention to the other spectators of the scene. Kneeled near her, he tries to speak to her, but she doesn't seem to hear him. Hanabi is upset to see her sister like that. Now she's feeling guilty, she moves back and want to flee. Hiashi makes a sign for the guards who encircle the building, before catching her younger daughter by the hand. Drawing Hanabi, Hiashi leaves toward the Hyuga manor. All these childish way must cease. Before the guards can approach her, Neji takes Yuuki in his arms, and leaves towards the manor too. They can't escape now.
All the family is here to welcome Hinata, but shed's always crying and she clings hopelessly to Neji, refusing even to answer her mother. Hanabi is always firmly held by Hiashi, but all her insurance disappeared, like any trace of resistance, mined by the conscience of her error. The servants are running in all sides in a completely useless way, whereas the Hyuga members stay motionless, without knowing what to do nor what to say. The members of the secondary branch are here too, but Neji is unaware of them and he leaves behind a servant towards Hinata's room. Her futon is already installed on the ground and Neji put her in. Servants run with hot tea and a calming medicine, then they withdraw. Seeing that Yuuki is falling asleep under the effect of the drug, Neji sit beside her. He don't want to elave her alone.
Nobody comes to disturb Neji while he
takes
care on Hinata.. The others of the family are holding council, but Neji
can't concerned about it. Hinata only is in his thoughts.
After a long wait without sleeping, Neji
sees finally the Yuuki 's eyes opens. When she recognize her lover, the
girl smiles. Then her face darkens when she understands that it's
her old room.
Neji: "How do you feel, Yuuki?"
Hinata: " Fine... I... I don't remember
very well, what happened?"
Neji: "The Hyugas found us, and we were
brought back to the manor."
He doesn't remind her the treason of Hanabi.
Hinata: "What we will become?"
Neji: "I don't know...."
They stay quiet both. They would like to
embrace, feeling the warmth of the other to comfort themselves! But in
this manor, where all is fixed and subjected to ancestral rules, they
don't
dare to show more their culprit relation.
Hinata: "Neji..."
He looks at her, she has a calm but
determined
face.
Hinata: "Let's go. I'm ready to face them."
Neji: " I will always be with you, Yuuki.
"
Their hands joins, their face touchs.
Together.
chapter 20: Hyuga's drama, morning
Most of the family members are here,
sitting
in the reception room, this morning. When the sliding door opens before
Hinata and Neji, the silence settles and all the attention goes on
them.
Hanabi only lowers her head instead of raising it.
All these glances which are fixed on her
make Hinata tremble, but she manages to keep her composure. She must
stay
strong. She withdrew her lenses to she her white eyes, and her long
hair
is carefully capped, but she kept her clothing of the day before,
refusing
to put on the hyuga traditional Kimono. She isn't anymore the old
Hinata.
She and Neji advance to the room center, facing the clan chief, Hiashi.
In the heavy silence, Hiashi rises and
advances
towards them, but Hinata speaks first.
Hinata: "What do you want from me?"
What kind of answers are possible to such
a question? None. There's no answer. Hyugas don't want anything from
Hinata,
they don't expect anything of her since a long time, they don't know
what
to do with her. Too different, she doesn't enter inside their preset
mould,
they don't know anymore how to react. Then they don't answer.
Hiashi: "Hinata, your unconscious
behaviour
created a great disorder in the clan, threatening our balance! What
answer
do you have to this?"
Hinata: "The disorder was created only by
your arbitrary and unjust decisions!"
Usually, Hiashi is calm and masters
himself.
But for the second time in a day, his emotions overcomes him and his
hand
rises to slap her daughter. But Neji interposed and blocked his arm.
All
the room resound from such an audacity. Hiashi's anger turns to
the
young man who faces him.
Hiashi: "How dare you, Neji?! First you
hide Hinata from our family, then you dare to touch her in a
unforgivable
way! You dishonoured her, whereas you are cousins! Your crime is
unforgivable!
You deserve an exemplary punishment!"
But he doesn't have the time to form with
his hand the signs feared by the secondary family members, the signs
which
activates the seal on their head. Another hand blocks his movements and
hold his fingers tight firmly. It's Hinata's hand, which holds her
father
without weakening. In her other hand, a kunai shines. Then she turns it
towards her own throat.
Hinata: "If you do something to Neji,
I'll cut my throat."
Her threatening voice make the others
Hyuga
stop as they were raising to help the clan chief. Nobody dares to move
anymore while the father and the daughter's glance clash, maintained
one
by the other. Hinata won't yield, she's decided to go until the end,
and
her father reads it in her eyes with horror. But he doesn't yield
either,
he's the chief of the clan, he just can't let pass that...
A voice resounds in the silent room: " I'll
cut my throat too, if something happens to Hinata!" Pointing a knife
towards
her, Hanabi raises and faces the glance of her father. She decides ,
this
time, to truly help Hinata.
Now, all the younger generation is bound by the same fate and is drawn up against the chief of clan. They are united, main and secondary branch family, sisters and cousins, more united than their parents were, united in life and death as a strong clan must be united. Hiashi's anger alleviates and leaving place to a great sadness. He must recognize that they're right. The older Hyugas are responsible for the disorders and the dissensions inside their clan. Whereas the Hyuga's young people could understand themselves and ally.
Hiashi ceases his fighting against Hinata
and she releases him. Looking at the face of her father, she reads
tiredness
and sadness there. He doesn't say anything, and Hinata speaks with her
soft voice: "Let us live the life which we have chosen."
Then she smile to Hanabi. Taking Neji's
hand, she leaves the room with him. They walk straight. They're going
home,
in their small apartment. They're free.