Shogi

Her stomach churned as she saw the names that appeared on the screen, her hands became clammy, and her heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest.

"Hyuuga Neji vs Hyuuga Hinata"

Her teammate’s warning echoed through her mind as she watched him get taken away by the medics:

“Be smart and walk away if you’re up against Neji or the guy from the Sand, Hinata. Don’t put yourself through that.”

But she couldn’t just back down. Not now. Not after everything.

She walked down to the arena, her steps slow but resolute, each one heavy with the weight of expectation. The arena felt smaller now, the air thicker, like it was closing in on her. When she reached the center, she stared her opponent directly in his eyes. He was standing with an unyielding expression, his stance poised and ready. 

"Good luck, brother," she said softly, her voice carrying a weight that only he would understand. The words sounded like a promise—one she wasn’t sure she could keep.

Murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire. The air buzzed with disbelief. A loud, familiar voice cut through the noise.

“What the heck? They're siblings?!” Naruto’s shocked exclamation echoed through the arena, his wide eyes not believing what he had just heard. His voice had no filter, as usual, and Hinata could feel the weight of every whisper, every look from the crowd that followed.

Neji didn’t react to the murmurs, his gaze never leaving Hinata. The cold, indifferent look in his eyes made her heart tighten.

“I don’t need luck, especially coming from the likes of you,” Neji said, his voice sharp, each word coated with venom. His contempt for her was palpable, and despite the connection they shared by blood, it felt like they were worlds apart...because from his perspective they were

Hinata sighed, the sound barely audible. She reached up and began to untie the leaf headband that had always symbolized her status as a member of the Hidden Leaf. Slowly, she pulled it off, the fabric still warm from the heat of her neck. She glanced at the crowd one last time before tossing the headband aside. It landed softly on the ground, an unspoken gesture of resolve.

“We both know this pairing wasn’t a coincidence,” she said, her voice steady but laced with emotion. Her eyes never left Neji’s.

Neji paused. For the first time, he seemed to actually notice the weight of the moment. He scanned the arena. The clan heads were all present, as expected, but there were other figures too—higher-ups, council members, and the ever-present eyes of Danzo.

Hinata could feel the tension in the air, thick enough to choke. Danzo’s piercing gaze was cold, calculating, and ever-present, as though his very eyes were weighing her every movement, her every word. 

Neji’s lip curled as he took a moment to look around, his eyes lingering briefly on the members of their clan. He noticed their grandfather, the man who had long viewed him as the prodigy, and Hinata as little more than a disappointment. His gaze hardened further.

Without another word, Neji followed her lead. He removed his headband, tossing it aside with a fluid motion. It landed in the dirt next to hers, a symbol of their mutual rejection of their place in the clan, even if that was not their intent.

“There is still time for you to forfeit, you weakling,” Neji continued, his voice low, but every syllable cutting deeper. “We both know you only agreed to participate in the exams because you didn’t want to disappoint your team.”

Hinata’s breath caught in her throat. She knew this was what Neji believed. That she was weak. That she was afraid. 

Maybe he was right

But what she feared was becoming so small that no one, not even herself, would remember she ever existed.

She locked eyes with him. "I’m here because I have my own reasons Neji.” her eyes drifted to Danzo once more, then to her grandfather. Shivers went down her spine but she took a deep breath to steady herself.

Neji's brow furrowed slightly, and she could see the flicker of confusion pass through his cold exterior. But then it was gone, replaced by that familiar mask of contempt. 

“Save your speeches. I’m not interested,” he sneered. “You’ll never be able to change the fate you were born into. You’re weak, Hinata. And nothing you do will ever change that.”

His words burned, but Hinata held her ground. “We’ll see about that.”

The announcer’s voice boomed through the arena, signaling the start of the match. 

“Begin!”

Without hesitation, Neji launched himself at her, his movements fluid and fast. His Byakugan flared to life, his veins pulsing with chakra, and in a blink, he was upon her.

Hinata’s body tensed, and her mind raced. She wasn’t fast enough to dodge, but she wasn’t going to back down. This wasn’t just about winning. It was about proving to herself that she could stand her ground, no matter the odds.

As Neji’s fist came toward her, she blocked it just in time, the impact sending a shockwave of pain through her arm. She staggered back, but her feet stayed rooted to the ground. The crowd was silent, watching the battle unfold, but Hinata only had eyes for Neji.

She could feel her own Byakugan activating, her vision sharp and clear. She could see the chakra points in his body, the way his energy flowed, and the gaps in his movements. Neji had always been faster, stronger, but she wasn’t as helpless as he thought.

“I can do this” she whispered to herself, just loud enough for only her to hear.

With a deep breath, Hinata moved, not to attack, but to evade. Neji’s relentless strikes came one after another, but she ducked and weaved, every movement a dance between life and death. She could feel the weight of the moment, the eyes on her, the judgment. But none of it mattered anymore.

This was her fight.

And she would fight until the end.

---

"I don't understand, why didn't the summons come out to protect her?" Danzo asked Hikoda as they stood outside Hinata's hospital room.

All it took was one near fatal strike from Neji to cause her heart to stop momentarily 

Hikoda scoffed at his grandchildren, one so meek and pathetic, the other either so stupid or brave that he tried to kill the head of the clan's daughter in public

Well Neji wasn't called the Hyuuga prodigy for nothing

"Maybe because she didn't have the heart to stop him, deep down she thought she deserved whatever was coming to her" Hikoda hypothesized "Maybe the summons would only appear when she thinks she really needs help. There's a lot we still don't know about it, but at least we know she has it, it was a good call sending her to the anbu Danzo"

Danzo lit his pipe as he watched over the unconscious Hyuuga "Anbu would be the perfect place to crush her spirit and control her, just look at what we accomplished with Hatake and the Uchiha boy...soon we'll have your clan's hidden weapon in the palm of our hands my old friend"