The room was dimly lit and empty, except for two people. In the center of the room sat Sasuke inside a large circle. Strange markings were drawn around him, forming that circle, and went up his bare chest and arms towards the mark in his neck. Inside the circle and around him, a few kunai knives stuck in the ground. Kakashi stood behind him He just finished drawing the last few signs.
“That’s it. Just a little longer and it will be done.”
He formed a few hand signs and pressed the palms of his hands against Sasuke’s curse mark. Slowly the markings that formed the circle retreated towards Sasuke’s neck. The boy cringed and groaned in pain. Finally, the markings formed a small circle around the curse mark and Kakashi pulled his hand away. Sasuke panted. Kakashi studied the boy.
“Even if the curse mark awakens again, the power of the seal should contain it. But… Sasuke, the strength of this spell is in the strength of your own will. You have to want it to work… and you must believe in your own power to control it. If you don’t the curse mark could have its way again.”
Sasuke gave an exhausted nod and slumped down on the floor, unconscious. Kakashi gave him a faint smile and sighed.
“So… you’ve mastered the sealing technique, Kakashi?” a voice chuckled behind him, “you sure have grown.”
Kakashi tensed and turned around. “You’re…”
A figure stepped out of the shadows and smirked at him. “It’s been a long time…”
“Orochimaru…” Kakashi growled.
Orochimaru slowly walked up to him. “Pardon my rudeness, Kakashi, butt I have no use for you. I’m here for the boy behind you”
Kakashi glared at him. ”What do you want with Sasuke?”
Orochimaru shrugged casually. ‘Oh, you know how it is… two guys have something, and a third just has to have it too.”
He chuckled at seeing Kakashi’s confused expression. “You haven’t had it for very long yourself you know. Know what it is yet?” He smirked when Kakashi’s eyes narrowed. “Heh. That’s right… Sharingan.”
“Why?” Kakashi hissed.
“The newly created village of Sound is my new home you see. Get it now?”
“So, it’s just your greed?”
“I suppose you could say that,” Orochimaru answered, “good help is hard to find these days and I need all sorts of pawns at my disposal.”
Kakashi glared at him. “So you think Sasuke is one of your pawns?”
“Oh, he’s a very special pawn… a real keeper. Those other boys that are attending today… they are disposable.”
Kakashi took a fighting stance. “Stay away from Sasuke,” he warned. Lightning formed around his hand, “no matter what happened in the past, the man I am today can take you down.” He was startled when Orochimaru started laughing. “What’s so funny?” Kakashi asked.
“You are,” Orochimaru answered, “the seal you placed on Sasuke is futile. When a heart is sufficiently focused and ruthless in its desire, then for good or evil, the end will justify any means. Sasuke possesses such a heart… the heart of an avenger.”
“So that’s how you got your hooks in him,” Kakashi said, “but Sasuke’s not…”
“A day will come when he will seek me out,” Orochimaru said while turning to leave, “hungry for power. Meanwhile… I believe you were offering to kill me… care to try?” He chuckled. Kakashi gasped and watched him go. He hated this man, but found himself uncertain to attack. He looked confused when Orochimaru stopped a few feet away from the door. “Or maybe you?” he asked, “do you think you have a better chance?...Taryn…?” He turned his head to the side.
From behind a pillar, a girl stepped into the light. She had a kunai in her hand and gave the man a look full of hatred. He chuckled lightly. They held each other’s stare a long time. Taryn’s hand with the kunai trembled and sweat appeared on her forehead. She bit her lip, but didn’t break eye contact. Something about that pleased him and he smirked. “Strong willed as ever,” he said. Casually he turned around and walked away. “He’ll come look for me…”
Taryn let her breath escape when he disappeared. No matter how strong she was, it still cost a lot of effort to control the curse mark when he was manipulating it like that. The kunai slid from her fingers and clattered against the floor. Within seconds Kakashi was next to her.
‘Are you alright?” he asked. Taryn gave a curt nod. She glanced back at Sasuke.
“You should take him to the infirmary and have him guarded.”
Kakashi nodded. “I was planning to.” He brushed aside her hair and shove her collar down a little. His cool fingers rested against her neck. “Do you need me to re-seal that mark?”
Taryn shook him off. “No. It can wait.” Kakashi eyed her concerned, but nodded. “Alright.” He turned to retrieve Sasuke. “Let’s go then. We might make it back in time for you to watch your siblings fight.”
“… the winner is Aburame Shino!” Without a word Shino returned to his teammates, Inuzuki Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata, who congratulated him. “Moving on to the next match,” Hayate said.
“Yo,” Kakashi’s voice sounded. Naruto and Sakura turned around and saw their teacher appear.
“Kakashi-sensei!” Sakura said, “tell us about Sasuke. Is he alright?”
“He’s fine,” Kakashi assured her, “he’s in the infirmary, sound asleep.”
Sakura sighed relieved.
Behind Kakashi, Taryn made her way back to the railing. She ignored the stares Naruto gave her and without a word took her earlier position, only a little further away then before. She kept her eyes on the scoreboard where the next two names appeared. Then she straightened. Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankuro. She turned her head towards her siblings who she hadn’t see in such a long time. All three of them had grown. And she hadn’t been there to see it. Kankuro, her younger brother by four years, smirked and jumped down the balcony, his crow puppet on is back. This was a fight Taryn wanted to see. His opponent measured him and grinned.
“This won’t take long at all.”
Kankuro slid his puppet off his shoulder and leaned it on the ground. ‘I agree,” he said, ‘I’ll be finished with you in no time.”
Mitsumi jumped at Kankuro. “Don’t try any tricks. I’m going to win with the first strike.” Kankuro tried to block him, but failed. Mitsumi’s body tangled around him as if he was made out of water. He smirked.
“I can dislocate every joint and manipulate my body by chakra. And with the same power I can keep squeezing and constricting until your bones break. Surrender or die…. You’re running out of time.”
“Heh,” Kankuro smirked, “no way. Do you want to be the one who dies? You’re about to get your wish.” A loud snap sounded throughout the arena and Kankuro’s body went limp.
“Ah!” Naruto gasped.
“He broke his neck,” a kid named Lee said.
Taryn remained silent and kept staring at the battlefield. It was not over yet. Suddenly Kankuro’s body straightened.
“Now I’ll return the favor,” a broken voice said.
Misumi stared at the puppet in his arms. “What?!” he yelled confused.
There were sounds of shredding and the puppet locked Misumi in his arms. “It’s a puppet,” he called.
On the floor, the wrapped up puppet started to move and a few seconds later Kankuro jumped out of it. He pulled tightly on the wrappings, crushing Misumi with the puppet. He smirked. “Think of how much more flexible you’ll be with all the bones in your body broken to bits.” Screams came from inside the puppet and then died out. The battle was over.
Taryn grinned content. Even as a child, Kankuro had always been a good fighter. Again, that feeling of loss came over her. It had been so long. What had they told them? Did they hate her? She glanced at Baki, their teacher, her father’s right hand. Of course, the children of the kazekage would only get the best. He felt her stare and looked back at her dark eyes. His glare was a warning. She averted her gaze and looked at her youngest brother instead.
‘Gaara.’ She didn’t pay attention to the new fight that had already started below. She didn’t care about that. Instead, she watched her brother. As if he felt her gaze, he turned his head towards her. His eyes were cold and hard and held anger as he looked at her. Deep dark circles were underneath them. The side effect of long-term insomnia. Her eyes filled with regret. Gaara, her younger brother by seven years. Temari came in between, one year younger than Kankuro. The four children of the Kazekage of Suna…
Kankuro walked back to his siblings, passing Taryn on the way. She didn’t seem to notice him, she was too focused on Gaara.
‘Of course she would be,’ Kankuro thought.
He silently wondered why she was here. With a concerned look he glanced at Gaara. How would he react to her? As for now, his younger brother seemed fine, but how long would that last? He had been tense during the whole of the prelims, since Taryn had walked through the door.
“I’ve never considered either of you my siblings…”
Kankuro shivered as he remembered the words Gaara had directed at him and Temari in the Forest of Death. If Gaara lost control here, who would be able to stop him?
In the arena, the battle between Sakura and Ino had ended in a draw, with both girls unconscious. Tenten from Gai’s team and Temari were next. It was over within a mere minute. Tenten was a weapon expert, but no matter how many scrolls she used, she was no match for Temari’s wind attacks. With one single strike, she cut the girl down and blew all her weapons away. Tenten screamed as she fell and landed with her back on Temari’s fan.
“Was that all you could do?” Temari asked, “how boring.” With one swift movement she flung Tenten away across the field. There was a blur from the balcony and her teammate Lee caught her midair. He glared at Temari.
“Nice catch,” Temari smirked. “What’s wrong with you?!” Lee yelled, “that’s not how you treat people. Especially not someone you just defeated!”
“Oh, shut up,” Temari sighed, “get yourself and that loser out of the way.”
“Temari!” Taryn snarled down, “show some respect!”
Her sister turned around and gave her an angry glare. “How dare you tell me what to do? You of all people!”
From not so far away, Gai looked at the dark eyed girl who glared at her sister. ‘Taryn Desertstorm. Her coming back here only means trouble… What is she planning this time?’ He turned back to the field and watched Lee make ready for a jump.
“No Lee!” Neji Hyuuga, his other student yelled. But it was already too late. Lee launched a kick at Temari, who surprisingly enough blocked him.
“Just as I thought,” she smirked, “you’re not so fast after all.”
“That’s enough Lee,” Gai said, landing behind them.
“Temari!” another voice called out. “get back up here,” Gaara narrowed his eyes at her, “you’ve already been declared the winner. How long do you intend to trifle with prince Charming over there?”
Temari growled and made her way back to her brothers.
“Shinobi of the Sand!” Gai called up, “be prepared. You have no idea how strong this boy really is.”
From the corner of her eye, Taryn notices Gaara’s eyes flash red for a moment. She eyed it with concern and wished the prelims would be over soon. The way things were going now didn’t predict much good.
The battles continued. Next up was Nara Shikamaru from Konoha, a shadow bender. Taryn remembered that his family provided the medicine for the hospital. His opponent was a sound ninja. Taryn glared. Orochimaru’s spies… She smirked when after a short battle, Shikamaru was declared the winner.
Taryn straightened when Kakashi’s final student was up. The hyperactive Naruto was matched against Kiba from the Inuzuki clan. ‘A fearsome opponent. The Inuzuki clan fights with dogs, so you actually have two opponents instead of one.’
It was a long battle in which Naruto got severely beaten up. Kiba kicked him to the floor and the boy groaned.
“Naruto! Get up!” Sakura yelled, “you can beat him!”
Taryn wasn’t so sure, but the boy stood up nonetheless. Kiba came at him again. Their clash caused a cloud of dust. When it cleared, there were three Kiba’s instead of two. Taryn grinned in surprise. So the boy was smart. He would have the upper hand now, being able to attack both the others, while Kiba and Akamaru had to be careful not to attack each other. Not long after, Naruto beat Kiba and the medics carried him out. Naruto jumped in joy. “I did it!” He dashed back up the stairs.
A girl hesitantly approached him. She seemed awfully shy and was blushing like mad. Taryn smirked amused. ‘Hyuuga….’
“N-Naruto…,” the girl whispered. He turned around and looked at her curiously. “Hinata? What is it?”
The girl looked down and handed him a small box with ointment. “For your wounds,” her teacher Kurenai explained for her.
“Ah, thanks Hinata,” Naruto smiled and started rubbing it in his wounds. “Wow, this stuff really works,” he said confused when his cuts disappeared almost immediately.
Taryn looked at it thoughtfully. ‘Quick healing powers… Jinchuuriki huh. You’re the Kyuubi kid.’
Hinata walked down to Kiba and his puppy. “here, I have some for you too.”
‘Thank you Hinata,” Kiba said, “but save some for yourself. There are only six of you left, including that Sand kid and Neji… Hinata… if you’re paired up against them, withdraw. Do you hear me? Neji’s always so cruel to you. You’d be torn to pieces.”
Taryn, who stood close enough to hear the boy’s words, turned her head aside towards Gai’s team. ‘Neji Hyuuga…’ She growled.
As fate would have it, it turned out exactly as Kiba had predicted. When the next two names were announced Hinata froze and Neji narrowed his eyes. Hyuuga vs. Hyuuga.
“Neji-nii-san,” Hinata whispered
“Hn?” Naruto gasped, “she’s his sister?”
Kakashi turned to him. “Well, both are members of Konoha’s oldest and most illustrious family, through whose veins flows the most elite and accomplished blood… the Hyuuga clan. But their not brother and sister.”
“Then.. how are they related?” Sakura asked curiously.
“Well,” Lee explained, “Hinata is a member of the Main Branch, while Neji is a member of the Side branch, but… there’s been strain between them for some time. Relations aren’t exactly friendly."
“Hn” Naruto asked, “why’s that?”
“I don’t know the details, but it sounds like a pretty common tale around the older families. The first generation Hyuuga made all sorts of rules that favored the Main House in order to preserve the family line and retain the purity of the blood. It’s said that members of the Side branch still burn with anger and humiliation.” He looked at Sakura. “In this case, you could say it goes even deeper, since Neji and Hinata’s fathers were brothers.”
“They’re cousins,” Sakura said. Lee nodded and they turned their attention to the battlefield.
“Hinata,” Neji said, “you’re not cut out to be a shinobi. You should withdraw from the match.” Hinata gasped, “You have no self-confidence and a major inferiority complex,” Neji continued, “you are no leader, so you’d never make a good Chuunin, but to attend this exam, you’d had to be in a team of three and you didn’t want to let your team down. The truth is,, your participation has been reluctant from the start, hasn’t it?”
“N-no.. you’re wrong,” Hinata said, “I really wanted to change that about myself.”
“Hinata-sama, you’re the sheltered little bay of the Main house. A leopard doesn’t change his spots. A failure always fails and a weak person won’t become strong. We must live within the boundaries set for us by the judgment of others. It’s unchangeable… as the fact that I’m from the Side Branch and you are of the Main House. I’ve seen all of it through the Byakugan, so I know… your courage is just a bluff. In the truest, deepest part of your heart, you’re desperate to run away from here…”
Taryn grabbed the railing tightly and narrowed her eyes at Neji. She gritted her teeth. She wanted to punch him.
Byakugan?” Sakura asked. Kakashi looked at her.
“They say the Uchiha clan can trace its origins back to Hyuuga. Byakugan is one of the kekkei genkai passed down in the Hyuuga family, an ocular art, in some ways similar to Sharingan, but in it’s penetrating perceptive ability… it surpasses Sharingan completely.”
Neji’s eyes changed as he activated Byakugan. “My eyes can’t be deceived,” he said, “to escape my stare you averted your eyes… glancing towards the upper left, signaling you recall a past experience, one that brought you pain. When you glanced down the lower tight, it indicated you were envisioning physical and mental agony. In other words, you recall your own previous experiences and imagined the outcome of this match. You foresaw your own defeat. Even now as you bring up your arm as to shield yourself, you want to create some distance between us. In addition… the way you touch your lip expresses your own doubts. It’s completely clear that you are aware… you can never change yourself!”
Hinata was trembling in front of him.
“You’re wrong!” Naruto suddenly yelled, “she can change herself! You can’t just decide these things for other people! Show him Hinata! Beat him up!”
Neji glared at him annoyed, but Hinata seemed to gain some determination. Neji looked at her again. ‘The look in her eyes is different now.’ “So you won’t withdraw?” he asked, “then I won’t be responsible for what will happen.”
“I won’t run anymore, “ Hinata said and activated her Byakugan. She took a fighting stance, which Neji copied, and then it began.
Taryn leaned in to have a better look. Neji might be just side branch, but he was the family’s pride. He was a natural talent and his Byakugan was very strong. The Hyuuga fighting style was based on Taijutsu and it was very fast. Hinata tapped Neji’s shoulder.
“Did she get him?” Sakura asked.
“No, it’s just a scratch,” Naruto commented.
“But a scratch is all it would take,” Lee told them, “normal Taijutsu causes damage to the outside of the body, but the Taijutsu of the Hyuuga clan is called ‘gentle fists’ and it inflicts damage to the enemy’s chakra channels that leads to the breakdown of the internal organs, destroying the opponent from the inside. It doesn’t look like much, but the effects grow gradually.”
“Chakra channels?” Naruto asked.
“Chakra channels are a network of energy, much like the circulatory system. It carries chakra throughout the body,” Lee explained, “and it’s delicately intertwined with one’s organs. Attack the channels and the organs suffer as well.”
“But…,” Sakura asked, “if the chakra channels are energy inside the body… how can you attack something you can’t see?”
“They can,” Kakashi answered, “Byakugan can see those channels.”
Below, the fight still continued. Neji hit Hinata, who coughed up blood. Neji glared. “So this is the full extend of the Main House’s strength? How pitiful…”
Hinata looked confused. He didn’t seem hurt at all. Neji grabbed her wrist as she launched a punch and poked her arm with his fingers. After that he lifted Hinata’s sleeve to reveal several spots there.
Hinata gasped. “It can’t be… you mean… from the start..?”
“Yes,” Neji nodded, “my eyes can see the Tenketsu.”
“Tenketsu?” Naruto asked his teacher, “what’s he saying?”
“Those are the chakra points, no larger than the prick of a pin. They are along the chakra channels and if you hit them accurately, you can halt the flow of chakra or control it any way you wish. Though, I should add… Tenketsu are undetectable, even to Sharingan. To be able to see them…” He sighed in admiration.
Hinata fell to the floor, panting heavily.
‘I warned you,” Neji said, “this is the unchangeable reality. Your defeat is inevitable. Withdraw!”
“I’ll… never….,” Hinata choked out while crawling to her feet, “… go back on my word.”
“She’s got guts,” Naruto said amazed.
“She’s a lot like you,” Lee smiled.
“Yeah,” Sakura said, “I’ve noticed she’s always watching you.”
“Come here,” Neji said in a low vice. Hinata gasped and clutched her chest. Blood fell to the floor.
“She’s at her limit, “ Kurenai whispered, “one more attack and she’ll…”
“Hang in there Hinata!” Naruto shouted.
New determination came to Hinata’s eyes and she charged at her cousin again. Neji gave a firm push against her chest and the girl fell again, coughing up more blood.
“Don’t you know when to quit?” Neji asked.
Hayate moved forward to stop the match, but Naruto interfered. “Don’t stop it!”
“What are you saying?!” Sakura gasped, “she’s already collapsed.”
“No, look,” Naruto said. To everyone’s amazement, Hinata crawled up again. She could barely stand.
“Why are you getting up?” Neji asked, “if you push too far, you’ll die.”
“This isn’t over yet…” Hinata whispered.
“You’re not fooling anyone,” Neji said, “it’s taking all your strength just to stand. You were burdened from birth with the destiny of the clan’s main Branch. You punished yourself for your own weakness, but you can’t fight your nature, nor change your fate. But you don’t have to suffer anymore. Be at peace.”
“You’re wrong Neji,” Hinata said, “I can see it now… that even more than me… it’s you who is suffering from the destiny of the Main and Side branch of our clan.”
Neji’s eyes turned to murderous hate and he charged towards Hinata.
“Stop!” Hayate ordered, “the match is already over!”
But Neji ignored him. Only a feet from Hinata he came to a halt. From behind, Gai was restraining him. Neji’s right hand, which was outstretched, was held by Kakashi and his left by Kurenai. Hayate stood in front of Hinata, shielding her from Neji. But to everyone’s surprise, another person had interfered.
Taryn stood in front of Neji. Her right hand palm was against his chest and her eyes had lost all color. They were white as Neji’s.
“Stop this!” she warned. Neji glared at her.
“Why are you getting involved?” he growled, “who are you to try and stop me?!” He pulled away from the other Jounin, who released him.
“Blood of your blood,” Taryn answered him without emotion. She glared at him. “Don’t fight out your personal battles here.”
“You are no Hyuuga,” Neji hissed. He turned and walked away.
“If only that were true,” Taryn spat, “you may not like it, and you can deny it all you want, that doesn’t change the fact that we’re related.”
“You are a traitor,” Neji hissed, “you are no family to me.” He turned to face her again. Behind them, Hinata fell to the ground again.
Naruto jumped from the balcony and kneeled next to her. “Hinata!”
“She doesn’t look so good,” Sakura said, appearing next to him. Hinata was barely breathing. Then she fell unconscious. Naruto gasped.
“Hey you!” Neji called. Naruto looked up. “One word of advise. A true shinobi would have too much class to go cheering during a serious match. And one more thing, you should accept who you are. Once a failure, always a failure.”
Naruto narrowed his eyes. “You wanna try me?”
Neji scoffed. In the meantime the medics were tending to Hinata who was seriously coughing up blood. Kurenai narrowed her eyes at Neji. ‘He really intended to kill her.’
“Instead of wasting time scowling at me,” Neji said to her, “you should be taking care of her.”
Naruto growled. He dipped his fingers in some of Hinata’s blood and stood up. He made a fist at Neji. “I will beat you,” he said,
Neji scoffed and turned around. “You’re too weak to beat me,” he said.
“One day,” Taryn growled at him, “you’ll learn that true strength has nothing to do with skills.” Her eyes had returned to normal and she glared at him. He answered her look with a cold one of his own.
“And who will show me? You?” He walked away.
Taryn made ready to jump at him, but was stopped by Kakashi. “Don’t draw any more attention to yourself,” he whispered and pulled her with him, back to the balcony.