NaruHina: Duty

Chapter 8: Academy Days

WARNING: Descriptions of gore in the middle of this chapter. (Not sure what everyone's tolerance is but I'm just going to give you guys a heads up.)

Chapter 8: Academy Days

She was the granddaughter of the clan head, the first-born daughter of the next in line.

Her family had expectations for her and Hinata met them all because it was not in her nature to rebel.

Her respect and love for her father carried too much weight. Because he was the only parent she knew, she didn't want to disappoint him.

If he told her to study the difficult Japanese classical texts in philosophy and history, she would learn them. If she needed to memorize Hyuuga facts and clan lore, she was duty-bound to do so. If she was told to become immersed in traditional Japanese art like buyou and shodou calligraphy, she would practice as much as she could. If taijutsu was a requirement for all Hyuugas, then as the representative of the clan, she would become the very best in it. If she was meant to join the family business and had to learn to use the abacus, then her role would be the most prominent and most important.

In short, Hinata was so busy doing clan things she never experienced a normal childhood.

And yet, she needed to understand what it was like to be a child because Tsunade had stepped in and demanded that Hinata do so.

She came, bursting through the heavy gates of the Hyuuga compound, but Tsunade managed to not blast them off their hinges. It was still, technically, private property.

Behind her trailed her chosen weapons. Jiraiya came in sauntering with his easy grin while Shikaku Nara, Fugaku Uchiha, and Sakumo Hatake walked in more sedately but with equal ferocity.

Shingen Hyuuga came to greet them in the courtyard.

Quivering with hostility, he bowed low to the Hokage, who kept him in his prone state longer than usual to show him her power.

Tsunade was without her pride. She never forgot that Shingen Hyuuga had been the lone dissenting voice when all the Konoha clans had voted upon her ascension to the Hokage position eight years ago.

All because she was a woman.

But today, she brought her strongest pieces: men who had distinguished themselves in the war and who were directly under her command. These were men who showed respect to her not only as Hokage but as the direct descendant of Hashirama Senju.

It was a blatant display of force to show Shingen that she tolerated no disrespect. The first Hokage, who had signed the blood oath that had given the Hyuugas power and prestige, was her grandfather.

Shingen visibly paled, understanding the message.

Fugaku, Shikaku, and Sakumo were men that Shingen himself respected. Jiraiya had been his choice to become Hokage after Hiruzen's death. That time, he'd made his opinion very clear.

But Tsunade was here now, demanding her due respect.

"You may raise your head," she said coolly.

He did so but he still simmered with humiliation. She barely nodded at him, again putting him in his place.

His sons came up behind him and her greeting for them was warm, in stark contrast to the chilly greeting she had for their father.

"Hiashi, Hizashi," she said, holding out her hand regally.

They came and grasped it, each one taking a turn to shake hers. They were both careful to hide their smiles from their father. Hizashi irreverently winked at her.