Bah, the Easter Bunny came late for you readers. But enjoy the chocolate morsels all the same!

I don't own Naruto or InuYasha

The Hyuuga Heiress struggled to keep standing as senbon tore through her calf muscles. White hot pain licked through her with every breath but she stood her ground, Sasuke-kun needed her! Indeed the boy she'd been so terrified of mere hours ago lay crumpled in a heap behind her. Metal needles jutted out of the boy from every angle-his neck included. If it were not for her Byakuugan she would have thought him dead- in fact he would soon die if the fighting didn't end soon. Too bad that it was more likely that she was probably going to die here as well.

If only Naruto-kun hadn't trained so hard the previous night! If only she'd stopped him from pushing his body into Chakra exhaustion. Instead she'd merely watched him from a distance, like always. Too afraid to get too close.

And now because of her actions both she and Sasuke-kun would die here on a bridge far from home.

A masked boy had attacked Sasuke-kun and stupidly she'd rushed to help him and had gotten the two of them trapped in ice mirrors controlled by the boy's bloodline. Sasuke-kun had awoken his Sharingan while defending her but it wasn't enough to win against the mysterious masked boy.

The last thing Sasuke had said to her was an apology of all things, "I didn't mean… to make you cry..."

Tears prickled at his words as she watched him fall unconscious.

"Do you have someone precious to you?" The masked boy asked suddenly. Lavender eyes snapped up and her Byakugan allowed her to see that the mirror image 275 degrees to the right behind her was moving a fraction of a second faster than the other mirror images. Seems like she'd finally found the real one. Of course this discovery came too late to be of any help to her now (or to poor Sasuke-kun for that matter). Giving no indication of her discovery she made a show of addressing the reflection directly in front of her.

It was strange- the boy had shown no previous desire to make conversation and it set her on edge. But keeping him talking would keep her alive a smidgen longer.

She echoed his question, "S-s-someone pr-precious?"

His soft voice came from all of the mirrors, "Someone who means more than life itself that you would do anything for."

Her mind flashed to sweet, kind Naruto-kun. But she wasn't strong enough to protect him. She wasn't even strong enough to speak with him! And he certainly didn't need a weak nobody like her offering what little protection she could to him!

"I-I Th-think I kn-know w-w-what you m-m-mean. D-do y-you have some-m-one?" She replied just as softly.

Keeping an eye on the one she deemed to be the 'real' masked boy she waited. For a reply, an attack, anything really.

"You and I. I feel that we are quite a bit alike. You are too kind for this." He continued on but his words didn't reach her.

Now that hurt- the fact that an enemy had picked up on what she thought she'd been keeping hidden. That perhaps everyone was right- her father, Kakashi-sensei, Neji-ni, and Sasuke-kun. She wasn't cut out for being a shinobi. And because she had kept thinking that it would all somehow work out if she just struggled the best she could instead of giving up people were going to die.

The masked boy then shocked her by sharing his tale of how he had been hated for his ability, his parents, and his most important person. A small smile crossed her face, she understood his devotion he felt for Zabuza. How could she not when she felt much the same for Naruto-kun? Only Naruto-kun had never asked anything of her like Zabuza had of the masked boy. Oh, but she would; of that she had no doubt in either her mind or heart. Should Naruto-kun wish it of her, she would face even the fires of Hell itself for him in a heartbeat. Such was her own devotion.

And with equal clarity she understood that this boy could not allow her to live for the simple fact that Zabuza wanted her team dead. It was nothing personal- the boy even said that he was merely a weapon.

Morbidly she hoped that Naruto-kun's new teammates (after she and Sasuke-kun died that is) would be better suited to him.

No… 'Sasuke-kun's not dead yet!' it hit her that Sasuke-kun could live- Naruto-kun didn't have to loose two teammates today!

'If anyone has to die, then let it be me! Sasuke-kun! I'll protect you- for Naruto-kun!'

Determination swelled within her chest as she staggered back to her feet. Ignoring the pain that radiated through her right leg Hinata lowered her body into the Gentle Fist stance. Panting she coughed a bit, wincing at the coppery taste of blood as it filled her mouth.

"Sasuke-kun. I-if you c-can hear me… I won't let you die here!" She promised solemnly as she stood over his body, fully prepared to die to save her teammate.

Grunting with effort she channeled Chakra to her fists attempting to deflect as many of the senbon as she could.

Her redoubled efforts seemed to please the masked boy that she would at least die fighting- a fitting death for any shinobi. The next volley of senbon shredded the left side of her jacket. The pocket was gone and she felt the humid air seep into the newly exposed area.

She could see her cousin's powerful pink chakra, she'd sparred enough with the girl to recognize the chakra instantly, surge forth from the ofuda that must have slipped from where it had been folded up in her pocket. Hinata had to deactivate her Byakugan and close her eyes to shield herself from the brightness. She listened to the world around her as she cursed herself for leaving herself vulnerable by closing her eyes in the middle of a battle!

But a curious sound like the tinkling of shattering glass reached her ears and she dared to open her eyes. The masked boy's ice mirrors came tumbling down, shattering on the unforgiving concrete of the bridge. She winced as a shard of ice sliced into her cheek. The masked boy himself seemed to be stunned as he tumbled from his ice mirror (the one she'd been watching) giving Hinata her shot. Hinata reactivated her bloodline in seconds as she took her chance gathering as much of her chakra as she could manage into her palms as she thrust into the boy. Left arm. Right arm, Right shoulder! Left leg! Chest!

Blow after blow buffeted Haku and he found himself unable to defend himself from the tiny girl. She'd been so timid earlier, to think she had this much ability! He realized that her power had shone through because she had a precious teammate to defend, the dark haired boy that he'd struck down not moments before the girl had managed to break his ice mirrors.

"Uzumaki Naruto is here to save the day!" Startled Hinata from her assault, though she'd already won. Haku slumped to the ground coughing up blood, barely conscious, unable to so much as twitch a pinky. With his chakra cut off the boy was simply no longer a threat.

"Hinata-chan! Teme!" Naruto rushed over to Sasuke's body and shook him. "What happened?"

"Shut up- your voice is pissing me off!" Sasuke groaned, not bothering to open his eyes as the idiot poked and prodded him. He'd definitely lost consciousness for a while and felt like he was going to slip back into that welcoming dark void.

"What was that?!" grabbing a fistful of Sasuke's shirt collar Naruto hoisted the boy roughly up into a sitting position.

Hinata felt most of the fight go out of her- she was tired. Too tired to even attempt to play diplomat for the two boys (not that she normally did so anyways) she let herself slump next to her vanquished foe.

The hostile glare matched the Uchiha's frigid tone perfectly, "If you haven't noticed you dunce you are more than a bit late! Taking after Kakashi-sensei now?"

"Don't you compare me to that guy!"

"Zabuza… Girl… Please kill me. I'm no good to Zabuza now!," The masked boy pleaded from his crumpled position on the concrete.

"Oi! Don't you go telling Hinata-chan to kill you." Naruto dropped Sasuke (who screamed as senbon dug deeper into his flesh) "Who are you anyhow? Let's see what's beneath that mask!"

Swift fingers pried off the mask in seconds revealing a feminine face that was very familiar to the blond boy.

"Haku?!" Blue eyes sharpened as he stared at the kindly person he'd met only days before, unable to understand why it had come to this.

"I won't let you die here! We'll uh, take you prisoner! Yeah, that way I won't let you die! You aren't a bad person- you can't be!" Naruto declared hastily and Hinata wondered if they did in fact have the power to take prisoners.

"Ne Hinata-chan, you dropped your bracelet!" Naruto declared as he bounded over to her handing her the aforementioned 'bracelet'.

The bracelet was actually a wooden bead necklace that her cousin had hand made. But she'd seen Kagome-chan become annoyed with it and threw it away!

It was much too pretty a necklace to simply be thrown away, not when her cousin had spent so much time carving the beads. So Hinata had swiped it from the trash and had doubled it up like a bracelet upon her wrist. The beads were rough at first but she'd sanded the beads down so that they were smooth.

"T-thank y-you Naruto-kun." She took the bracelet from him and placed it back on her wrist. While she wanted nothing more than to rest she knew she mustn't. Her teacher was battling still so she needed to continue her vigilance. Sighing she reactivated her Byakuugan and winced, she was beginning to feel eye strain. Taking a moment to focus she spotted her teacher fighting the man with the large sword, Zabuza.

A few moments of watching the two warriors battle she noticed something amiss, wasn't that Gatou?

Hinata screwed her eyes shut as she stumbled towards Kakashi-sensei. Her chest heaved as she tried to yell out a warning- that there was an army hidden in the mist! But her voice failed to come out. Her left foot caught roughly on some concrete ruble sending her down hard. Automatically her hands lashed out to break her fall. She felt her left wrist snap tightly and blazing pain shot through her unlocking her voice in a scream. The bead bracelet had gotten caught underneath her left hand and the simple twine holding the string of beads shattered.

In slow motion she watched as the beads her cousin had worked vigorously on in her free time carving, rolled away from her. Everything was falling apart she realized in startling clarity. Her minds eyes brought up the visage of Sasuke riddled with senbon- barely alive, her poor broken excuse of a team, this awful mission.

It wasn't fair that an entire country's economic security should fall on an inexperienced genin team! Everything was falling apart around her and she was unable to do a thing!

Lavender eyes opened and tears began to stream. 'Sasuke-kun will be mad at me for crying again.' She commiserated. But she didn't care- she was hurt, scared, and reaching her limits both physically and mentally. She hadn't even saved Sasuke-kun on her own, no, the paper seal that Kagome had given her was responsible for the chance to fight the masked boy. Her own plan had been to simply let herself be killed by the mask boy and hope that the Uchiha survived.

And now she was about to watch her teacher murder another human right before her very eyes. She had always known that life as a shinobi would entail death, but to be only a few months out of the Academy and exposed to such a gruesome sight was too much for her kind heart to take.

"S-STOP!" She cried out as she threw the bead at the one precious to the masked boy. The unthinkable then happened – the bead struck the man on the chest but then remained as though it had been coated in glue. Soon the other beads joined around the man's neck in a flash of pink.

Not a second later Kakashi's lightning covered fist was where Zabuza's chest had been. The formidable missing nin was sprawled face first on the concrete.

"The Hell did you do- you little bitch?!" Zabuza roared as he charged towards Hinata.

Barely louder than a whisper she protested, "P-p-please st-stop!"

Instead of instant death like she had expected the man was once more face down.

"Kakashi-sensei! Th-there's an-an army in th-the m-mist!"

"I-I take Zabuza Momoichi as prisoner, Kakashi-sensei! Him and his accomplice Haku!" Hint declared boldly making her teacher pause.

"Is that so, Hyuuga-san?" It was the first time her teacher had ever referred to her by only her last name.

"It-t i-is so. Kakashi-sensei!" She nodded uncertainly.

"Very well. Now for that army." he submitted to his shy student's wishes, for a live capture of the S-ranked missing Nin could work well in their favor. Glancing at the beads he looked thoughtful, perhaps Hinata-chan's talents were elsewhere.

Hyuuga Compound a few days after the return of Team Seven

Her grandfather was there as was Kagome-chan who gave her the thumbs up sign. She couldn't help the small smile on her face as she took on the gentle fist pose.

"Do you understand that this fight is to determine your adequacy as Heir to the Clan?" Her grandfather asked. Not trusting her voice, she nodded. She would not loose.

"Very well, bring out Hanabi-chan. She will be your opponent. Fight well."

Her heart clenched as her younger sister came an stood before her, ready to fight.

She had paralyzed poor Hanabi-chan without thinking- they had been on so many missions latly that Hinata was now in the habit of attempting to take out any enemy as quickly as possible. She had won.

Cold pale eyes looked up in shock from where she'd been knocked down.

Her grandfather cleared his throat and spoke loudly to the clan members, "Hinata-sama has won. She will remain heiress to the clan."

He paused a moment before continuing, "Hanabi-chan has lost. And with her loss she looses her place in the Main Branch in accordance to the terms set by the Elders. She is to be integrated into the Cadet Branch from this moment on. Let the Sealing commence."

Hinata could only watch in horror as her little sister was bodily dragged away to the room reserved for sealing. No! Not Hanabi-chan!

"You mustn't Hinata-sama!" Kagome-chan held onto her wrist tightly keeping her from following her sister, "You cannot go against what has been decreed."

Tears streamed down her porcelain cheeks as she weakly tried to break Kagome-chan's grasp.

Her sweet cousin murmured soft apologies and Hinata knew the girl hadn't known the full extent that her 'heiress test' would entail.

Hinata wept for her poor little sister, wishing with all of her heart that she could take back her victory- that she were the one about to be sealed away to the Cadet Branch! At least then she could have been with Kagome-chan!

Room of Sealing

"Otou-sama!" The poor child began to cry, large salty tears streamed down her face as she was restrained by the branch members, "I'm scared! Please don't!"

A brief look of anguish and pity crossed the leader's face but it soon passed. With a heavy heart he placed the accursed seal upon his own daughter's brow. It was the hardest thing the man had ever done, not even the pain of his brother's sacrificial death matched the pain of harming his child. Hiashi knew he would weep tonight as he looked upon the portrait of his dear wife.

"Hanabi you are now a member of the branch family. You will be moved to your new residence in the morning." Was all he could say to keep himself from tears.

The next morning was a bleak and heart-wrenching one for most occupants of the Main House. Hinata-chan had been escorted to her room the night before and had proceeded to weep, unable to dare look upon her younger sister whom she had grievously wronged.

Natsu arrived early that morning and helped other servants move some of the child's possessions. Quietly she led Hanabi to Mimi's house.

"Natsu! I want to go home! Take me home!"

Natsu kneeled before Hanabi with tears in her eyes, "I am sorry Hanabi-chan, but I cannot. You are home now. This is your home from this day forth."

She enveloped the girl in a hug, "Do not fret, I will visit you as much as I am able! Mimi-san will take good care of you in my stead! And I'm sure your cousins will look after you, Kagome-chan and Neji-kun."

Mimi and Kagome smiled welcomingly while Neji remained brooding in the entrance.

"Welcome to your new home, Hanabi-chan." Mimi placed a comforting hand upon her newest charge's shoulder.

"Don't you touch me!" Hanabi snapped easily batting Mimi's hand off her shoulder.

Kagome felt her smile wane a bit, "We'll be sharing my room. I'll help you settle in before I go meet my team for missions." She lead the girl down the hallway where they would share her room.

"Do not begrudge your sister, Hanabi-san." Kagome offered kindly as she made space for Hanabi's futon in the closet, "Her strength is much improved, I am sure! If anything the fight was unfair to you who are not even a member of the Shinobi Academy, whereas Hinanta-sama is already a genin with many missions and fights under her belt."

A nasty sneer crossed the child's face and she backhanded Kagome, "That's Hanabi-sama to you!" It had never mattered that her sister had been older or a member of the academy- she had always won.

Neji delivered swift retribution in his sister's stead, landing a brutal punch into Hanabi's abdomen sending the child to the ground coughing up spit. "Touch my sister again and I promise you will regret it, little cousin. You are of the Branch family now- the comforts of the Main Branch are a thing of the past."

"Onii-sama!" Kagome protested as she crouched to their downed cousin, "She's younger than us!"

"She is on our level now. Its best she learn her place now before she lets her sharp little tongue earn her a taste of the power of the seal." Neji sneered down at the younger cousin. But not for a minute did he doubt the former Main Branch Daughter would learn her place soon.

"I hate to say it, but he's right. Hanabi-chan take care to not offend anyone of the Main Branch. Ask Mimi- she'll make sure you know all of the etiquette of being a Branch Member. I would tell you myself, but I need to go meet my team soon!"

"Its not fair! It's not fair!" Hanabi cried as she curled up in a ball beating her fists harshly into the ground.

"No its not." Kagome conceded, "But you must find peace with your newfound fate. Being a Branch member is not the end of the world!"

That night when Kagome came home from a rather simple tracking mission involving finding a lost ring she sensed it would not be a pleasant evening before she even entered the house.

Her suspicion proved right when Neji nearly barreled her over in the entrance muttering dark things under his breath.

Flinching as he set his sights on her Kagome heard words that made her stomach drop in dispair, "Let us train, Sister."

"Now?" She squeaked as she kept pace with Neji to the Dojo, "But what about dinner?"

The look he gave her made her silent.

"Our darling little cousin has seen to it that dinner is postponed for at least an hour." He managed to get out, but the disdain that practically dripped at the word 'cousin' made Kagome dread the upcoming training. She was going to be black and blue, she just knew it! Just what had Hanabi-chan done to make Onii-sama this angry?

They hadn't reserved a time to use it but thankfully it was not in use. Kagome sent a prayer up to what ever deity was listening for that, Neji looked about to blow a fuse!

To her credit her brother had only managed to get in seven hits that would bruise badly, she was leagues better than she had once been! The two siblings sat panting.

"Now are you going to tell me what got you this riled up?"

Neji was silent a moment and Kagome feared that he would stoicly keep it to himself, "She… got under my skin…" He reluctantly revealed.

"She called us… Well she called us dirty orphans essentially."

Quirking a brow Kagome doubted that was the reason for Neji's rage, words like 'orphan' did not make him angry for he acknowledged that he was indeed an orphan. There was no point for him to deny or contest what he saw was his fate- that he was an orphan as was his sister for all intents as her mother was MIA.

"I know you Onii-sama, such a thing doesn't normally bother you. Tell me what she said."

"She… she said our father deserved what he got…"

"That isn't true, you know it isn't Onii-sama." Kagome offered, understanding why Neji had been upset. He seemed calmer now as they returned home.

Hanabi had refused to eat the meal Mimi had prepared going so far as to knock the dishes to the floor. That had earned a twisted arm from Neji who would not stand to see his guardian insulted in such a manner. Even he was not so disrespectful towards the mousy caretaker.

Peace would be a long time coming in her household it would seem Kagome realized as she got ready for bed.

~!~!~!

Kikachu buzzed angrily beneath his skin at the rising levels of lactic acid and Shino knew he'd gone too far. Sweat poured from his brow as it was wicked away by his headband. Grudgingly Shino decided it was time to take a break though he'd gotten nowhere with the kinjutsu manual he'd borrowed from the library.

Perhaps a moment to rest his eyes would grant him the reprieve he desperately needed… He was startled awake when a swift kick was lightly delivered to his legs.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! Keeping your sword such a deplorable condition, don't you know this is an extension of yourself!?" A girl in a pink chinese style shirt had her arms akimbo as she glared down at him.

"You… you're from that team we worked with." He recognized the girl, yet he didn't recall her name. To be frank he agreed with Kiba that the one mission was best left in the most obscure recesses of his mind, it was far too traumatizing to bear the pain of rememberance.

"And you are on the team with Neji's little sister right? Aburame-san?"

Nodding he sat up and adjusted his jacket into a less wrinkled state, "It would seem that kinjutsu is a rather difficult endeavor when only aided with written instruction. Normally I can manage but this is rather difficult."

Tenten's face softened as she looked at the open scroll. Kinjutsu was an art that required an actual teacher. Her own father had instructed her in basic kinjutsu before he'd been forced to retire after his arm had been ruthlessly amputated by an enemy. But this katana was longer than the ones she tended to use. She was still learning herself so she didn't want to offer to teach him.

"Hmm… Come with me. I may not be able to find you a teacher, but we can at least make it look better!" There was not even a chance to refuse as the girl took his hand and hoisted him to his protesting feet.

The man was built like a bear, burly and broad shouldered. His single arm was as thick as a tree trunk and heavily muscled. A toothpick was jauntily perched in the corner of the man's mouth.

Behind the counter on the wall a large portrait hung. A very odd couple- the woman was dainty and delicately tiny. She was perched upon the flexed arm as though it were a bench. On the other flexed arm sat a little girl with panda buns upon her head with her own arms flexed proudly. Shino realized this was TenTen's family.

"What a rusty piece of junk! I can sell you a better one boy!" The man offered as he appraised the sword.

Angry buzzing filled the air and the man lumbered a heavy step back.

"That is not acceptable! Why? Because this sword is my teammate's heirloom!" Shino refused hotly, surprising even himself at the tenacity in his voice.

"Sheesh, no need to get angry. It'll just take a good deal of work to get this old thing lookin' halfway decent." Goji mused rubbing his bald head. "Perhaps more experienced hands than even mine are needed…"

"Oh, no. Not Gramps! Daddy please!" TenTen pleaded.

"The old man needs to keep himself sharp, what better way than a sword?" Goji asked his daughter.

Sighing TenTen let her shoulders slump in defeat, "Fine…"

Turning to Shino she motioned for him to follow her.

A seemingly ancient old man dressed in striped green clothes lay snoozing on a pillow in the warm sunshine. A long mallet was leaned against his shoulder as though the old man expected to be attacked at any moment.

TenTen motioned for Shino to remain behind her for a moment as she tapped the old man on the shoulder.

"Eh, Who are you? Where am I?" Totosai started awake nearly clubbing Shino with his long mallet. Surely this was not the weapons master?

"Eh, Momo! You old cow! What'd you wake me for? I already finished the senbon orders hours ago!" The man fussed as he swung his mallet forcing the two genin to dance out of the way of his blows.

"I'm not Grandma! I'm TenTen! TenTen! And don't call Grandma a cow!" the girl insisted. She swiftly whispered to Shino, "She's been dead for fifteen years!"

"TenTen? Why the little sprout's a few months old, thanks fer askin'! Pretty lil' bug she is too!"

"Gah!" TenTen groaned as she got an idea, "Gramps- this is a customer. He's traveled quite a ways to seek your skill!"

"This is old, but remarkable craftsmanship." Totosai narrowed his eyes at Shino, "Did you steal this boy? Do I need to report you?"

"I stole nothing. It is a gift from a teammate." Shino allowed the man to test the balance, "I was told that it was forged by Sango Inuzaka- who was sister to the master who forged the famed Seven Swordsmen's blades."

The old man was silent a long moment before nodding solemnly. For a moment Shino saw what he thought the man must have been like in his prime.

"I'll fix your sword, boy. But you'll need to find a teacher worthy of its abilities."

Kaede was the one to make and cast the subjugation spell that bound Inuyasha to Kagome in the anime so I figured that someone other than the maker can use the beads. Hope everyone enjoyed this chap. And major things are slowly happening! Hinata is now the sole heir of the Hyuuga, and Hanabi resides with Kagome. Haku and Zabuza are alive and in Konoha. What changes will be wrought? Who knows? I'm open to suggestions.

Next chapter: Anko sends Team 8 on what is certain to be the strangest tracking mission they've ever received!