Downfall

ALMOST

He hated Itachi. He hated Itachi. He hated his aniki.

And that was his ambition, his drive and motivation for becoming a shinobi. So what was hers? Besides being born into the expectation of being the successor to a clan such as the Hyuga. Was she here to grasp an understanding of at least a quarter of her power? Or is this a last minute plan to maybe unlock a prodigal potential she might just have hidden deep within?

They finally made eye contact when she shuffled on the spot anxiously. Her face was passive but there was something swimming within her pupils that made Sasuke frown.

"Yosh! Get into stances," Iruka called.

Sasuke quickly withdrew his hands from his pockets, assuming a battle position, but Hinata just stood there looking dumb with her arms at her sides.

"Start!"

Sasuke pinned her arm behind her back all too easy. She hadn't even resisted, it was like moving a lifeless doll. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly and then took a couple steps back, huffing. It would defeat the purpose of this exercise if she didn't try to fight back.

And then Sasuke wondered if she really was just as his father had said all those years ago – an uptight pompous ass – however he quickly came to the realisation that no. No. She was just unresponsive. Too far in her own mind to peek out in reality. She lacked severely in self confidence, a strong knot of anxiety clogging her throat to disable her ability to speak out and a firm dislike of being given too much attention.

Or at least that was his understanding of it.

Except she confused him because no matter what was said to her, she remained passive and unresponsive. Like it hadn't even dawned on her the reality of what had just been insulted. Did she have no pride? Or did she just not care? He leaned towards believing the latter.

His brow furrowed. She was the definition of what not to be, if about to inherit the role of clan leader and Sasuke decided he did not like the Hyuga heir. She was everything he did not want to be.

"Fight back, Hyuga," he told her.

She blinked at him and then a slow smile crept across her lips. "A-aa. S-sorry."

She took the fighting stance they were taught and Sasuke hated the look on her face. Like she was scared. Was she scared of hitting him or was she scared of him? Either way, it pissed him off. Did she really want to be a shinobi? He didn't know why she irked him so much.

Irritation fuelling his actions, he stepped in to her and threw a punch. He hadn't expected it to hit. Even with her timidity, he assumed she'd had enough training in her own estate to learn to dodge hits – especially under the tutelage of Gentle Fist.

But his fist landed, and he jerked up in surprise. She had twisted her body sideways so that he caught her shoulder and then she stepped into the inside of his body. Foot between his legs, her two hands snatched his elbow and armpit, her body leaning into his. She was going to throw him.

His eyes widened a fraction for he hadn't anticipated the Hyuga was going to take a hit to deal her own blow. His lips curled at the edges ever so slightly.

In an instant, he was flipping over her shoulder with a strength she didn't look like she had but at the last second, she slipped up.

"Ah!" she momentarily cried out, realising her mistake.

Sasuke kicked out and flipped out of her grip with ease, landing back on two feet, hand out in front of his to steady himself.

"Hyuga, you surprised me there," he pointed out. He rose to his full height. "Why are you holding back?"