Now Hinata Hyuga would not describe herself as clingy. More of, not liking it when Naruto had to go. Whether it was because she had to go to meeting with Hiashi or times like these where Naruto ran off somewhere without telling her where till he got back. It was different back in their time. Then she could have gone and talked to Kiba, Shino, Kurenai-sensei, Ino, Ten-ten, or even Sakura when she wasn't busy at the hospital. But currently she had no one to talk to when Naruto left.
Wait. I actually do! It continued to slip Hinata's mind no matter how many times she reminded herself. She was slowly building her relationship with Neji up to what it had been in the old timeline before his death. His death still haunted her even though Neji was healthy right now.
So Hinata set out in search of Neji. Now Neji was not a hard person to find. He was either with his tutors or in the training hall. Hinata herself had tested out of the need for tutors a month after they had come back. Hiashi decided it was in the best interest to not waste any time in training his daughter and Naruto. Naruto had shown his prowess in everything but math. Hiashi hadn't even been that surprised at that point.
Hinata made her way through the halls, gliding along even in her silly shoes. She received the well wishes for her birthday with a smile. Since she and Naruto had come back the relations between the branch families and the main house had eased greatly. Hinata was even working on her father about easing the Caged Bird seal on the branch family. She was working with Naruto on a way to rewrite the Caged Bird seal to just seal the Byakugan upon death with no way to trigger it prematurely. The seal mark would also be smaller and less noticeable. The mark could also be moved to the side of the temple so it could reasonably be hidden with slightly longer bangs or hair at the front of the face. The concepts they had worked on so far left behind a light blue mark on each temple next to the eyes. One mark per eye.
It was developmental and would need to be presented to the entire clan but they were sure it would go through. The mark would seal the eyes and then scourge any genetic markers from the deceased. The only downside so far was if the deceased was immediately revived like with medical ninjutsu the damage would already be done.
They didn't have a way to put a possible delay on it without adding a loop hole that would make the seal pointless. If the eyes were taken immediately before the seal could do its dirty work then all clan secrets were out in the open. It was a difficult situation and they would have to imply the risks needed. They could try to incorporate a single trigger function where the in question Hyuga could grant a trusted team mate or someone who could activate the seal if the Hyuga was truly dead with no chance at revival. But that could then be held against the Hyuga and backfire as well.
They didn't have an immediate solution but Hinata was happy to know she was doing something. She had made it to the training hall and opened the door. She peered inside and was happy to see Neji inside. He was drilling his gentle fist style. Neji was young but he was on his way to being a master. In the old time Neji had achieved mastery of the gentle fist style by the time the war started. Hinata watched Neji for a few more minute.
Neji had seen she was there but was content to let his cousin be until she either grabbed his attention or he was done. He reasoned that Naruto had probably gone somewhere and Hinata had stayed behind and was now in search of company. He didn't know it but he was spot on.
Hinata just stood next to the doorway inside the building and waited patiently. What she had in mind to talk to Neji about could wait. She watched as Neji neared the end of the drill sequence. Finally Neji stood there breathing deeply but not excessively. He turned to Hinata and greeted her.
"Hinata-sama. What brings you here?"
"Naruto is running an errand and I had something I'd like to discuss with you."
Neji internally flinched at how mature his cousin sounded. Until Naruto came into her life she had been timid and shy, rarely speaking up. Even after then it was still different. She had kept a child like tone in her voice. Neji had realized after that day a month ago that Naruto and Hinata had been fooling them all.
A conversation with Hiashi had Neji reeling with news and revelations. The truth about his fathers death, and the short lived anger at not being told, and other emotions that had coursed through him. But after a week he had come to terms with what had happened and had since been participating in Hinata and Naruto's training. It had thrown him off once again how advanced his cousin and Naruto were.
Hinata knew the gentle fist style inside and out she just didn't have enough strength behind it to be devastating in a fight. She would be a formidable opponent as he well knew now, but she had more strength training to do. Her accuracy though is what scared him. Hiashi had set up a series of dummy with hidden points that Hinata had to hit. The points were like pencil marks on the inside of the dummy. Neji had missed five out of the fifty points.
Hinata hit all of them in half the time it took Neji. Naruto had cheered for her and given her a quick seemingly friendly hug. Hiashi may have bought it but Neji didn't. Hinata and Naruto's relationship had surpassed friendship. He didn't think his cousin no matter how mature, would have a romantic relationship. But this time, he was wrong.
Neji looked at his cousin. "What would you like to discuss?"
"Naruto and I have been experimenting with something that greatly concerns the branch family and as someone affected by it we wanted to discuss it with you. And since I have the time I am here to talk."
Neji nodded. "What is it?"
Hinata took a deep breath. "We have been working on a way to replace the Caged Bird seal. The new form of sealing would be for every Hyuga. No matter what status. Instead of the sprawling seal across the forehead the seal with contained in a light blue mark on the temple near each eye. The mark can continue to be hidden by a headband if wished but the marks are much less obvious."
Neji just stared slack jawed as Hinata continued. "After time the marking will become seen as a normal clan marking like the Inuzuka facial tatoos. As a sign of faith in the idea, if the majority of the clan approves the idea them I will be the first one to receive the marking. The marking has no premature trigger. it activates immediately upon death sealing the eyes and destroying any genetic markers that could compromise clan bloodline secrets.
"Our only issue is that it activates once the chakra system shuts down so that means even if the ninja is revived by medical ninjutsu then the Byakugan is gone with no hope of recovery."
Neji still stared. Silence reigned in the hall. Finally Neji gulped. "What?"