I wanted to try this story out because I've been thinking about it for a while now.

Please enjoy and I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 1

Hinata was crying in her bed. Just a few moments ago she was branded with the caged bird seal and striped of her royal status. Hanabi had been named the next head of the Hyuuga clan and boy did she rub it in her face. Her father wanted nothing to do with her even going as far as to call her a disgrace. He was the one to initiate the sealing out of duty but she knew he was doing this for his own pleasure. It was excruciatingly painful since the seal was meant for children so they wouldn't be too much pain but she was 15.

"I told you that I will beat you and now look at you. I'm disgusted to think that you, a failure, could ever be my sister but at least the only time I'll see you pitiful face is when you serve me food and do the cleaning around. Hahaha!" with each word Hinata felt her heart shattering like someone took it and stomped on it repeatedly. She loved her sister very much but the person she saw wasn't the same adorable little girl that used to look up to her for guidance and understanding, those days were long gone and it took her till now to realize it. Hanabi had grown into an arrogant girl that was close to rivaling her father and although Hinata did the best she could to be the mother figure Hanabi never had it still ended with Hanabi turning her back on her. Hanabi had no idea how much she broke Hinata. She was literally the only person Hinata could talk to since she was so shy but that has definitely changed now. Hinata would have gladly sacrificed herself to the seal if it was to protect Hanabi but that was not the case, she was just branded out of spite.

Here she was sharing a room with six branch family members but at least they made her feel welcomed. The branch family members were probably the nicest people in the Hyuuga compund. In some ways they still thought of her as royalty but Hinata didn't want that, she never did, all she wanted were for all the Hyuuga to be united and treated equally. When Neji arrived back from a mission he was absolutely furious with the main family for branding her and would've done something too if she hadn't pleaded with him to let it go but could she let it go? Hinata wanted to feel angry about this situation but the only thing she could feel was sadness. She was sad that the situation had to escalate to this and even though she was upset with Hanabi she still worried about her little sister. Will the position be too much for her to take? She didn't ponder too much as she drifted to sleep.

At the same time Hinata went to sleep Hanabi was still wide awake. She just couldn't sleep! It was so irritating. Usually when she couldn't sleep Hinata would always be there to aid her every time, whether it being through stories or a beautiful lullaby, Hinata had a beautiful voice and although Hanabi acted irritated with all this she truly did feel, to a certain point, touched at her sister's kindness and love. It was only a few moments ago when she was named clan head. She felt so happy to have one up Hinata again like all their sparring matches. Something changed in Hinata and Hanabi didn't miss it, besides she kind of felt like she caused it somehow. She couldn't really tell but Hinata's eyes became something akin to hopeless when she ripped her older sister a new one about her failures. Hanabi didn't remember much of what she said because she was basking in the afterglow of once again beating her pathetic sister at something but the look on Hinata's face scared her a bit, it was the same look that someone who was giving up on something would give. Tomorrow she would be acting out her duties as Hyuuga head by making sure everything is being run smoothly. She sighed and tried to sleep but it was hopeless.

"Good morning Hinata-sama!" chorused a group of maids as Hinata made her way to her morning laundry duties.

Hinata gave them a kind smile and said "Good morning and please just call me Hinata".

Hinata was different now. No longer will she be the one to let people hurt her by opening her heart and being the shy one. Naruto was an exception but that was the only person that would have a definite place in her heart now. It didn't mean she was going to stop being kind though, it's who she is after all.

Hanabi had slept a little but it wasn't enough to escape the bags under her eyes. She felt so horrible and her body ached. The only time this would have happened in the past was when Hinata would be away on missions. She got out of bad and did her morning routine than she decided to take a walk around the Hyuuga compound to make sure that everything was fine, she was the new head after all.

"Good morning Hyuuga-sama," a branch member greeted politely as he bowed.

"Good morning," she greeted as she made her way to the branch family homes.

She didn't know why but she was looking for Hinata now. She told anyone who knew her that she didn't want anyone getting close to her because she was a loner but in some way Hinata was an exception. She would never admit it to herself but she actually wanted to know how Hinata was doing.

"Do you know where I can find Hinata?" she asked a random maid.

"She's most likely in the laundry room Hyuuga-sama," the lady bowed then left.

It took a while to find the laundry room but she did. She saw Hinata at a corner, folding and lining clothes as she was instructed by another woman on which clothes go where.

"Good morning Hyuuga-sama," greeted another woman washing some clothes on the other side of the room. Hinata's attention was on her now too.

"Good morning," she said walking inside.

"Good morning Hinata," Hanabi greeted a bit impatiently since Hinata was supposed to be the one to greet her first since she was royalty.

"Good morning Hyuuga-sama," Hinata greeted politely but the love that she used to convey to Hanabi wasn't there.

Hanabi felt like she'd been punched. It didn't matter Hinata called her "Hyuuga-sama" instead of her name but the way her big sister called her that title was sending red flags to Hanabi. She quickly composed herself so as not to draw attention to herself.

"Are you OK?" asked Hinata seeing the bags under her eyes.

"Of course I am. I'm not like you remember" Hanabi jabbed offhandedly. She expected to see those oh so familiar worried eyes and get those annoying questions from Hinata about her health but what she received was not expected. Hinata glared at her. She actually glared at her and for a moment Hanabi couldn't believe her shy and loving sister would actually do that but this was really happening.

"Then I should get back to work. Please excuse me Hyuuga-sama," Hinata said curtly and actually spat out the "Hyuug-sama" part before she resumed her work.

Hanabi couldn't hold in her shock this time. This was definitely not the sister she knew. She could see Hinata was upset with her but Hinata was never upset with her before, even after everything she used to put Hinata through. Hanabi hated admitting weakness but right now she had no idea what to do. She was actually scared of saying something that would have Hinata really pissed at her.

"Then I shall leave you to it," Hanabi said calmly and left the laundry room.

Hanabi was walking around the Hyuuga compound with a calm demeanor but on the inside it was anything but that. Her mind was racing. It shouldn't have ended the way it did at the laundry room. Hinata didn't even look like she was interested in seeing her and Hanabi was confused and worried.

"She was upset with me. But she's never upset with me! What's going on? What happened to my sister?" she thought worriedly. She wanted to blame everything on the caged bird seal but she would be just fooling herself. Her heart ached and she knew why but she didn't want to admit it, not even to herself. She couldn't see Hinata again today because truth be told she was scared of what she might see her sister do next in her presence.

"Guess we'll have to see what tomorrow brings," she thought as she made her way to her father's office to report her findings but she wasn't going to tell him anything about Hinata though.

AN: I hope you liked it and if there are grammar errors or spelling mistakes then you should know English isn't my first language. Next chapter should be up soon. Please review