I was walking around the village it was hard getting used to everything being so calm and uneventful, when I sensed a familiar chakra. I ran in the direction it was coming from and saw Kakashi-sensei, Asuma-sensei, and Kurenai-sensei.
As Sasuke arrived, the chakra disappeared. I climbed up a building to try and locate it again. It took me a while, but when I did, I started running in that direction.
While running, I heard someone call my name. I turned to see Naruto with a big smile on his face.
I dropped down from the building, asking, "Oh, hey Naruto, what's up?"
He chuckled and said, "I'm going on a training trip with Pervy Sage, who's going to teach me a jutsu even stronger than the Chidori! It'll make me even stronger than you and Sasuke!"
Grinning, I replied, "I'm not going to let you surpass me that easily!" We fist-bumped and said goodbye.
Continuing to run towards the chakra, I stopped when I noticed it had disappeared again.
I sighed, deciding to give, maybe I was wrong, after all, there was no way Itachi would show his face in the village ever again.
As I walked through the main Hyuga compound, about to enter my room, I stopped. It was too quiet; Hanabi would usually be training around this time.
I began tracking her chakra as I followed it till I finally arrived in front of a room. I entered only to see her curled up into a ball.
"Hanabi, what's wrong?" I asked as I walked towards her before I spotted the wounds on her body, "What happened?! Why haven't you gotten your wounds treated?!"
Hanabi looked up at me, her lips trembling as she said, "I'm fine."
"You're clearly not fine. Tell me why you haven't gotten your wounds treated," I replied, trying to stay calm and not raise my voice as I knelt in front of her.
"I… I'm worried that I'll cry because it hurts so much. Father said I can never let others see me cry, I can never let them see me in my moment of weakness, or the clan won't respect me anymore."
"Hanabi, you're a child if it hurts, and you feel like crying, cry, and if they call you weak, if anybody tries to pick on you, I'll be here."
Hanabi ran into my arms as she buried her head in my chest, crying. We sat there as she just cried, unaware of me healing her wounds.
She had finally calmed down, her head against my shoulder as I began speaking again, "You know, there's this girl I met a long time ago, she was being bullied, and before I could step in, someone else did. I didn't think much of the girl at that time. I had seen her cry often."
"She was too weak to protect herself," Hanabi mumbled.
"Yeah, it's true she would often lose when it came to combat, even though I hate to admit she's smart. She was a big crybaby, and she still is, yet when it matters most, even with tears running down her face, she gets back up, and fights, that pinkheaded idiot doesn't even realise how cool she looks sometimes she doesn't realise how strong she can become, how strong she is."
"Sounds like you respect her, big sis."
I froze hearing her words before immediately denying it as I said, "I wouldn't go that far, she's super annoying and nags all the time, she fawns over a boy, and that usually clouds her judgment, she'll have to do a lot better to earn my respect!"
Hanabi burst out laughing, "You care about her a lot!" she exclaimed.
"No way!"
We kept going back and forth as Hanabi's smile only grew larger.
"I'm gonna find out who you're talking about!" she exclaimed, running out.
I couldn't help smiling as I watched her leave. My smile soon disappeared. 'I have to find a way to change the clan. I will make this clan a place where children are strong but are still able to smile and be happy, but first I have to become stronger,' I thought to myself, leaving the room.
"Maybe I should go on my own training trip," I mumbled to myself.