Fifty Shades of Gennin

Naruto's seals workshop was as messy as ever when Hinata hurled open the door, not helping the clutter as stray papers were blown off of the large desk. Naruto himself, hunkered behind in his seat, looked up, holding a brush in his hand.

"Somebody's eager today," he teased. "Are my lessons finally filling your head with the true and proper divine glory of Fuinjutsu?"

Hinata paced inside, taking her usual seat across from him. She crossed her legs. A moment later she leaned on the desk, laying her hands flat to avoid showing that they had been clenched into fists.

"I've learned storage seals well enough," she said. To prove it, she spread four strips of paper from her pocket across the table. A quick infusion of chakra caused each of them to activate. Piles of white sand from the Hyuuga's zen gardens appeared over a third of the desk.

"Thanks… For the sand…?" Naruto said. "I mean it's not my favorite, but—"

"All of these are different arrays," Hinata said. "I can do each of them perfectly. I want to move on."

Naruto scratched his head. "I feel like I should say something about how slow steps are best, and being able to do something a few times isn't the same as mastering it… But who cares about that? Seals are supposed to be fun." He planted his hand on the table, sweeping it sideways so that all the sand and storage seals flew off onto the floor, grinning as he leaned forward. "What do you want to learn?"

Hinata's thoughts were already far away from this room, running one more time through a series of events that she'd planned out for the last two days straight. Instead of backing away from him, she stood her ground, cocking her head as she met Naruto's eyes.

"There's four things…"

O-O-O

In the evening, the Hyuuga Compound took on an eerie quality. Early in the day children could sometimes be seen, and although Hyuuga children did not play with the same abandon that their agemates did, they certainly lacked the cold dignity that all Hyuuga adults carried themselves with. Which meant that as the sun faded so did what little energy the compound usually contained, until it settled into a state where each soft footstep felt as if it rang for miles.

This was the setting as a solitary figure passed through a wooden corridor. They walked with their head turned down, a tray of food held in both hands. When no one was around to see them, they paused. They set down the tray just long enough to affix a cheap featureless mask with ink patterns scrawled along the inside. That done, they lifted their tray once more and finished their walk to an ornate door.

This was the only door in this part of the compound. It was made from taught canvas with wooden scaffolding, designed to slide open and closed. The figure reached up, tapping the door with one finger. It slid open after a moment's pause.

The figure lowered their head, holding out the tray of food. Standing in the doorway, Hanabi Hyuuga accepted it easily, not even looking long enough to spot the servant's mask. Her eyes had bags beneath them. She had hardly left her room for the last few days, having her meals delivered by branch members— like the figure here now.

Hanabi turned away, gesturing with her hand to dismiss them. Before the door could close, the figure stepped forward, not back.

Their foot landed heavily, making the floor groan. Hanabi stiffened. She dropped her tray of food, causing a bowl of noodles to spill across the floor as she raised her hands to defend herself. But she was a Hyuuga first and foremost. The first thing she did was activate her Byakugan, relying on its sight to identify her attacker. 

All it showed her was their chakra network, everything above the neck hidden behind the simple white mask, which remained solid to the Byakugan's sight.

Despite common misconceptions, the Byakugan could not see through anything. Rather, it could see through anything missing the proper seals. Every major building in Konoha, along with the Hyuuga Clan Leader's personal quarters, featured the seals in question. Their effect was simple. When a Byakugan user looked at whatever they were written upon, it would appear like an ordinary, solid object.

It was rare to find someone who could actually use these seals, though, to the point that even Hanabi, the heiress to the Hyuuga Clan, never expected to encounter one out of the blue. But she held her position for a reason, and certain lessons were ingrained too deeply for her body to ever forget. Like the Main House Hyuuga that she was, she formed the hand sign for the Caged Bird seal reflexively. Any branch member delivering her meal would keel over on the spot, only rising when or if Hanabi deemed it acceptable.

The figure moved like water, not pausing for a second as they struck her in the chest.

Hanabi's eyes widened. Her Byakugan cut out in an instant. She looked down slowly, toward where a slip of paper was stuck to her chest, covered in elaborate strings of kanji. Then she stumbled, falling backwards with a thud. The figure stepped over her downed body.

Chakra suppressing seals were one of the most common types of seals out there. They could be accompanied by a variety of effects, from dizziness to fatigue, but with a bit of tweaking they could even knock a grown ninja unconscious. The only reason they didn't see widespread use in fights was the dexterity needed to apply them before an opponent moved. To use one successfully required extraordinarily fast fingers.

With their identity safe and Hanabi disabled, the figure scanned her room quickly. The Hyuuga tendency toward austere decorating worked in their favor. There were a limited number of spots suitable to hide something of the size they were looking for. After rummaging through a wardrobe and cracking open a desk, they finally found what they were after slipped inside a hole in the lining of Hanabi's bed.

A moment later, the figure tucked the journal they'd found into a pocket. The feeling of it pressing into their side caused a rush of relief in their gut. They stood up… Just in time to hear distant explosions rock the compound.

Exploding tags were the only type of seal that most shinobi ever used. They were as simple as it got— place the tag somewhere, activate it, and watch it go boom. But it was entirely possible to make them more advanced, with more steps to the procedure. Like, for example, creating ones with a longer fuse, which could 'burn' for more than half an hour before the eventual detonation. These would've stood out like firecrackers to the enhanced eyes of the Hyuuga, but although the explosions could be felt across the whole property, the tags had been placed nearby in a copse of trees, leaving them just far enough away for not even zealous guards to spot.

The figure had the book. They'd set off their distraction, ensuring as well as possible that they would not be caught escaping. Every step of the plan had worked so far… leaving only one detail left.

It was time to use the fourth thing that Hinata had learned.

She removed her mask for this. That wasn't necessary, and if anything was only a risk. But it felt right to her for this. She knelt beside Hanabi, pulling out one last seal.

For one single moment, she hesitated. Then she felt a panging echo of the pain that had wracked her chest, and pressed the paper down. By the time the seal activated, she was on her feet and reaffixing her mask. She left quickly, not waiting to watch the seal take effect on her sister.

The hallway was as empty when leaving as it had been when she arrived. Though her heart hammered the whole way, no one stopped her. After a few turns she stowed her mask, using every bit of self-control she possessed to force herself into slowing to a walk. She must look casual. She had nothing to hide.

It wasn't until she reached her room, entering and shutting the door behind her, that she allowed herself to react.

Laughter burst from her throat, pure and unfiltered in a way she couldn't remember hearing for a very long time.

O-O-O

Hinata lay flat on her bed holding Naruto's journal above her. It wasn't even open, and she didn't have her Byakugan active. This wasn't about reading it. The point was to feel its coarse surface, bask in the familiar weight, and acknowledge that for once in her life she had actually won back something that was taken from her.

Maybe this whole plot could still collapse around her. But for now, she was going to allow herself to feel proud, thank you very much.

Someone tapped on her door.

It was the standard Hyuuga style, using only one finger. Hinata hoped that meant this was a purely social visit, rather than her reckoning for acting out… but knowing her family, they would keep up appearances even while beating her half to death. 

Hinata stowed the book back in its old hiding place inside a pillow. Hanabi had kept it rather than turning it in to their father, meaning that her sister should be the only one who knew of its existence. She didn't fear it being discovered now, she only worried about what may happen to her. None of these thoughts were visible on her face when she opened the door.

There, on the other side, stood Neji Hyuuga.

It had been over an hour since Hinata's plot and the explosion that served as her distraction. The trace bits of ash stuck in Neji's long hair hinted that he had been among those investigating the scene.

He did not speak, even after Hinata opened the door. The silence between them went on for so long that Hinata herself felt compelled to break it.

"Can I help you with something, cousin?" she asked. 

"Did you not hear the explosion?" Neji asked.

"Of course I heard it," Hinata said. "That's why I'm here. The last time something was wrong, you seemed concerned to find me in the garden. So this time I made sure to stay put. Though… I can't imagine why I would be a target these days."

Neji peered at her. The answer had been directly on the border between innocence and sarcasm, and he seemed to offer her the benefit of the doubt. Or maybe there were simply other things he was more concerned about. 

"Something has happened to your sister," he said.

"Goodness! Is she hurt?"

"She is bright orange," Neji said sourly.

Far behind him, through a window, Hinata spotted Hanabi passing as if summoned. Her sister's face was bright red… but not half as bright as her tangerine-colored hair. She was marching in the direction of the bathhouse, attendants scattered behind her while she scowled deeply. Hinata hid her mouth behind her hand.

"Oh dear," she said, keeping her voice neutral even as she desperately shielded her smile. "What a horrible fate!"

"Fate has nothing to do with this," Neji said. 

He paused, and as ever Hinata found his face unreadable. "The cause of the explosion has been found," he said. "There were flakes of paper in the air. Exploding tags were used for it. When Hanabi was attacked, the assailant had seals to protect their face, bound her chakra… and even used seals to color her hair."

"It sounds like this was very well-planned," Hinata said. "I hope they'll be caught."

"Why did you do it?"

Hinata's heart skipped a beat.

"I don't know what you mean, cousin," Hinata said. "Me? Doing all of that? My inability to contend with Hanabi is well known by now."

"And yet, as soon as you begin using seals, something like this occurs. Hinata, I am going to give you a chance. Forget what you learned. Pretend you're ignorant of all that knowledge, and never use it again."

"I know nothing worth forgetting. But if I do not listen… If I don't take this chance you're giving me… What will you do?"

"Nothing," Neji said. "Fate cannot be overpowered. To struggle against it is to demand tragedy. It will befall you no matter what I do, and if you insist on this course, then expect no help from me when that reckoning comes."

It was such a perfectly Neji sentiment. Hinata heard similar things from him before, albeit without the threatening undertone it held now, and she always nodded along as if she agreed. But on this night, she was feeling good.

The thrill of success still thrummed through her like a high. Perhaps that was why, instead of bobbing her head like usual, she opened her mouth.

"Do you not think that makes you a coward, cousin?"

Neji shifted his weight backward, and although it was slight, even that much of a reaction was akin to seeing him recoil. His shock only added to Hinata's rising thrill, and before she knew it she was talking again.

"Fate can be cruel. Both of us know that by now. But whether it's unbeatable, or simply difficult to fight… How would you know? You've never once tried."

"And you have," Neji said coolly. "It did not work."

Hinata shrugged. "True. But I cannot use Kaiten, defeat my father in a duel, or reach the rank of Jounin. Does that make them impossible? Perhaps fate too would have fallen into your palm, if you'd had the courage to step forward and grab it."

It took Neji a long moment to answer as he glared at her, trying to gag her with a look alone.

"You have filled your head with dangerous ideas," he said.

Hinata laughed. "Those have always been there. It's the part where I speak them that's new."

"Then you are welcome to face what you have brought upon yourself," Neji said. "Do not expect the fallout for this to be light… and do not expect me to shield you when the time arrives."

He turned, walking down the hall with long strides. Hinata watched him go, before closing her door and sighing.

Despite his harsh words, she believed Neji would not expose her. Whether it was because he thought it unnecessary, since fate would always balance itself in the end, or whether it was out of lingering loyalty, he would stay silent. But if she were to be caught, she was on her own.

That was fine. It was how it had always been, really. If this affair ended up spelling the end for her, then at least she would go out because of something she did, rather than something she failed at.

Smiling again, Hinata returned to her bed. She drew out the journal she had hidden, turning it over and beginning to flip through pages. Hanabi had been so scared that she might've read all of it… 

Now that the journal was hers again, that made Hinata want to memorize every last page.

She saw names that she recognized. Tsunade, the legendary Sannin? Tsume, the Inuzuka Clan Leader? She was pretty sure that Temari was one of the Kazekage's children, hailing from Suna of all places.

Still, she couldn't see any reason Hanabi would care. Unless kinks ran in the family, and Hanabi had somehow discovered what a treasure trove of material this book was. Maybe—

Hinata lost her train of thought entirely. The book slipped from her fingers, bouncing on the sheets of her bed.

She stared down, uncomprehendingly, at the name atop a page like any other, close to the end of the book.

Hanabi Hyuuga.

With a trembling hand, Hinata activated the seals, the room around her starting to glow…