In A Time Where Kunoichi Didn't Exist

NOTE: Due to certain changes that would definitely be evident, certain characters' personalities shall be changed. The main ones with the personality changes (thus far, mind you) will be Hinata, Neji, Hanabi, Hizashi and Sasuke. Sunagakure does not have the 'no kunoichi' laws; therefore, Temari will still be a kunoichi. Also, there is a slight change in the story of Hinata's father and her uncle, which I'll reveal later. Oh, and everyone in the original cast of Naruto that was a kunoichi (that I consider important, mind you) shall still be a kunoichi (Hinata, Hanabi ((later on)), Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Tsunade, Shizune, Kurenai) Other than that, that's about all I need to inform you… for now. Enjoy the story, and please give me feedback on how things would work out, if you have any to offer, of course.

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LEGEND OF THE KUNOICHI

Long ago, there was a man named Masanori Takayuki. He had a beautiful wife, named Haruki. Together, they combined a large band of people, shinobi, kunoichi, and regular nomads alike, and created Konohagakure. The man called himself the Hokage, but his wife was his major supporting role, and helped him through the tough times. Life was good for a good while, and they managed to have two children—a boy and a girl.

One day, the married couple, and Masanori's brother, Masaru, was sent on a S-class mission to fight missing-nin from the also newly founded Sunagakure. The desperately needed information on the Land of Wind, and the best way to get it was to capture them.

From the start, Masanori had been against Haruki coming along. He accepted it when she finally demanded it, but told his brother in private to help keep an eye out for her. The close-knit family traveled for days through the forest and in the westbound direction of Sunagakure and the Land of Wind. Finally, on their third day of travel, they finally met the two fugitive ninja. One was an excellent master of sand, the other amazing at using a rather large and extravagant fan to manipulate wind.

The battle was fierce. Masanori and Haruki fought the sand master, while Masaru took on the fan-user single-handedly. Mid-fight, Masaru finally succeeded in knocking out his opponent. The other, thinking that his partner killed, began to fight with an even greater fury than he had before. Even with Masaru helping to fight the sand-nin, he managed to kill Haruki. As she was dying, she told her husband that she loved him and to not show weakness.

Forgetting the plan of capture, Masanori became lost in his grief over the death of his wife. He grew into what Masaru later described as "monstrous—almost inhuman". Within minutes, the battle was finished, and the sand-nin had been mutilated in so many ways that it seemed almost impossible.

Once they returned to their village, Masanori made a law stating that women were now forbidden to be kunoichi. In those days, this made little difference—only one person was truly affected, and that was his still unborn granddaughter, Tsunade. Later, Masanori gave his life for the village. The next Hokage became Masaru, who followed his elder brother's wishes regarding kunoichi.

And that is the legend of the kunoichi, and the beginning of the history of Konohagakure.

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A young Hinata sighed as she sat down her storybook and stared out the window. With her brother Neji gone to school, her little sister off doing shopping with a Branch member (she had messed up yet another kimono while playing), and her father figure on a mission, Hinata was all alone in the large and intimidating Hyuuga compound. Somehow, with no one around to talk to, it seemed even larger…

She sighed and climbed to the window, staring outside. Outside, Branch family members were going through basic stances—though they couldn't use the Byakugan. She stared in awe for a few minutes, before remembering her place and climbing back down from the window. She glanced from her storybook to the Branch family members, and scoffed. She climbed back up and watched for a few minutes, before their practice stopped.

She sat on her bed, thinking about what she had just witnessed. Their fighting stance… seemed somehow familiar. Like it belonged to her. She stood up and, after quickly glancing outside her room, she broke the law for the first tie in her seven-year-old life.

She went through battle stances. She replayed them in her head, and allowed her body to follow them. It felt like some strange dance—like she was now a geisha, beautiful and strong, dancing in front of hundreds of people, but somehow… fiercer.

A soft knock sounded at her door. Hinata immediately sped to her bed and grabbed her storybook before calling, "Come in!" happily.

At her door stood her brother, Neji. "Neji-nii!" she cried out in joy before throwing her tiny arms around her older brothers waist. He staggered backwards a bit in shock before smiling.

"Okaerinasai," he said.

"Irasshaimase," Hinata replied, muffled against the chest of her older brother.

Neji sighed and asked, "So, what did you do all day?" Hinata paused, thinking that Neji had somehow caught her, but she shrugged.

"Eh, reading, sitting around… it was a boring day. I wish that I could go to school with you…" she said, adding the last part as an after-thought after she released Neji and took a step back to allow him 'personal space'.

"No, you don't. Being a shinobi is dangerous… I could die. In fact, being a shinobi is probably why I'll die when I do. But… you're not the fighting type, Hinata-chan," Neji said reluctantly. It was a difficult subject to pursue, and he knew the laws against kunoichi were completely wrong, but… There was nothing he could do.

"I know…" she whispered. "Well, at least Hanabi and Chichi-ue will be here tomorrow… and then you don't have school the day after, right?" Hinata asked, staring up at him with happiness.

"Hai… but… I have special training with Chichi-ue…" Neji admitted slowly with a sigh.

"Oh… so I'll be alone with Hanabi again… Well, that's okay. I love my little sister, anyways," Hinata replied with a smile. She didn't want her brother to feel bad for something he had no choice in doing—besides, if Neji had to do training, and if Hanabi was otherwise preoccupied, then she could watched Neji and her father train—which would be a whole lot more exciting than watching Branch family members train. Maybe, just maybe, if she paid enough attention, she'd be able to utilize the Byakugan…

No. Being able to do the stances and such was too much as it is—even illegal.

"Hinata-chan, is something wrong?" Neji asked concernedly, looking down at her as if she was sick or hurt.

"Iie, Neji-nii. I'm fine…" she replied back slowly.

"Are you—" Neji began, but was cut off by the sound of the door to the Hyuuga compound sliding shut.

"Okaerinasai!" came the deep voice of Neji and Hinata's father, couple with the much softer (and cuter) voice of Hanabi.

"Hanabi! Chichi-ue!" Hinata cried out, running from Neji to greet her little sister and her father. "Irasshaimase!" she called out before picking up her little sister, giving her a quick hug, and then turning to hug her father.

"Ahh, Hinata-chan! Neji-kun! How have you been?" Hizashi greeted happily, smiling at both of his oldest children.

"How was the mission, Chichi-ue?" Hinata asked with a bright smile.

"Ahh, girls shouldn't worry about missions. We completed it successfully, and no one was hurt—that's all you need to know," Hizashi said with a soft smile. He walked past her and patted her on the head as he did so. "Neji-kun, let us do our practice—I want to see how much you've grown in the past two days," Hizashi commanded in a light tone, a soft smile on his features.

Sometimes it surprised Hinata how nice her father was. Most people in the Hyuuga family were much too… formal and strict. He obeyed the rules and laws of the Hyuuga clan, but… he managed to do it with a sort of kindness. Hinata often asked herself why, but she finally decided that she (and the rest of the family) was lucky that she had such a benevolent father.

"Hanabi-chan, do you want to color with me?" Hinata asked with a soft smile.

"Hai!" her younger sister cried out before latching onto her older sister. Hinata smiled sweetly down at her before leading Hanabi to her room, where she had (and kept only because of Hanabi) a stash of various coloring and drawing utensils, coloring books, regular paper, blank scrolls, and other such things that one single person could use and stay content for hours.

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Hinata woke up slowly, blinking her eyes a few times before sitting up and stretching. Yesterday, her teacher had taken a day off, so she was excused from lessons. She sighed, knowing that today was her lessons in mannerisms and grace. She would be taught how to dance, or how to walk, or even, at times, just sit there for hours, pretending to eat an imaginary meal. She never faltered in them—except if her father, Neji, or Hanabi came to visit—but they were excruciating.

Plus, she'd much rather watch the Branch members train again.

She glanced through her closet, going through her kimonos. Whenever she went to one of those classes, she would be reprimanded if she did not wear a kimono—her normal play clothes would not do for formal lessons. So, she finally decided on a light purple with a violet flower print and walked out of her room.

Neji had already left for school, and her father was probably meditating. Hanabi was definitely still asleep—lessons didn't start until you were a little older, usually around five. Hinata walked silently down the halls of the Hyuuga, glancing from left to right at the paper screen doors in silent curiosity. Only Hanabi's, and the other young ones', rooms were dark. If you squinted, you could sort of see what was going on inside of them. Of course, Hinata only looked at certain rooms—many were dressing, and it was inappropriate to look at such things. In some rooms, you could see faint outlines of people meditating—in others, you could see vague forms of people doing silent practice, with both chakra and with simple forms.

She finally arrived at a large room near the center of the large house. She silently slid open the screen door and immediately bowed to her teacher once she entered. The old lady, known as Naoki-baa-san in informal occasions, was kneeling in the center of the room. Incense was behind her, and her eyes were only half-open. She gave a bow back, though it was much lower and somehow held more dignity.

"Ohayou gozai masu," Hinata said, doing her best to say the syllables correctly and to enunciate.

"Ohayou gozai masu," Naoki said back formally. "I presume you did not eat breakfast yet, Hinata-sama?"

"Iie…" Hinata replied softly in embarrassment.

"I see… Well, please, sit down. I have something we can eat. This shall be another eating lesson," Naoki said as she elegantly motioned to the seat across from her own. Once Hinata sat, Naoki halfway turned and pulled a box from behind her. She then placed it in between the two of them and silently opened the box. Inside were various pieces of sashimi—ika, tako, and ebi were obviously present. Also, a larger compartment held white rice.

"Itadakimasu…" Hinata said before beginning to serve herself using the larger end of her chopsticks to place the various foods on her plate. She then took the rice bowl Naoki had provided her and put a much greater amount of rice in the bowl than she had taken of sashimi.

"Do not hold back, ojo-sama," Naoki commanded politely.

"Hai, sensei," Hinata replied back before adding more sashimi to her plate. They ate in a formal silence.

After they finished eating, Hinata carefully set her bowl and plate back. She also replaced all of the lids, once she confirmed to herself that Naoki was finished as well. She set her chopsticks in the small holder that was in the inside of the large bento box, and said, "Gochisosama deshita," as she folded her hands in her lap and waited for Naoki to give her her evaluation.

"The only thing you are still reluctant about is helping yourself to the food. It offends the chef if you are reluctant to fill your plate. Other than that, however, you have mastered the art of being served and self-serving. We shall move onto cooking next week. You are dismissed," Naoki said, motioning for her to leave with a slight shooing motion.

"Arigatou, Naoki-sensei," Hinata said with a bow before walking slowly out the door. Once she closed the door, however, she began running (as fast as she could in the kimono, anyways) to her room to get dressed in normal clothes and maybe catch someone, anyone practicing.

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Things continued to go on like that for months and months. Hinata would do her lessons and then hurry to her room, hoping to catch someone practicing, which she later learned was called Juken. She would practice it herself in her room whenever she could, especially after realizing she knew every part of the exercises. She was nearly caught once when someone who was practicing utilized the Byakugan, but when he went to her room, she began dancing wildly, as if she had been all along. The Branch member smiled and apologized for interrupting before leaving. After that, Hinata made it a point to only watch those practicing, and practice on her own later on when she was alone.

After a while, Hinata grew tired of the simple stances that the Branch members took on. She was growing immensely bored out of her wits, as her only energy outlet seemed pointless. She was wandering around the Hyuuga compound one day, when she happened to hear her brother and her father conversing.

"…jutsus?" Hinata heard, and froze at that moment. What were these 'jutsus'? And why were Neji and her father talking about them?

"Hai, Kawarimi and Henge," Neji replied.

"I see… Good job, Neji-kun. However, I expect that to only be used in dire situations," the father warned.

"Hai, chichi-ue. I know—the Byakugan and the Juken have a much higher skill level," Neji answered back automatically.

'So… Juken must be the style I've been copying, but what is this Byakugan? A jutsu? The Kawarimi and the Henge must be jutsus… He's probably learning them at his school. Perhaps, if I can somehow sneak there on my next day off… After all, I'm not bothered, and if they can't find me, I can always say I was out admiring the gardens and hiding…' thought Hinata excitedly.

While she was thinking, her father and brother exchanged a few more words before the father dismissed Neji. Hinata caught herself just before Neji opened the door, and ran out of the nearest door, which happened to be the yard where training took place.

The two training stared at her suspiciously before she bowed and said, "Gomen-nasai! I got lost in my thoughts on the way to the garden. Please excuse me!"

"It's fine, ojo-sama—just be more careful next time, neh?" the obviously older one called out. Hinata gave them a nod and a quick bow before dashing back into the Hyuuga compound and decided, since she told them she was on her way to the gardens anyway, to go ahead to the garden to have some time to think.

She walked slowly through the gardens, silently contemplating what she could do about sneaking to school with Neji. She could always pretend to be sick and just sneak to the school with Neji—but then again, Neji would most definitely notice her long before they reached the school. Along with that, she'd probably have older and/or unmarried Hyuuga women crowding around her.

Perhaps… she could just ask to go out into the town, and then 'lose' herself in the crowd. It would be relatively easy, especially if she went with on market day, when the market was full of bustling people. If she was found, she could always just explain that someone had pushed her aside, and the current of people continued carrying her, unintentionally, away.

And, with a firm resolve and determination, she decided that's exactly what she was going to do.

A/N: Teehee, rather proud of the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed the story so far!

Oh, and yeah. Naruto will be added in a little later. The next chapter will have the other girls added in (even Temari shall be mentioned), and I'll even include Sakura and Ino's Sasuke obsession. :D

P.S. If you have any questions about some of my terminology, feel free to ask.