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Konoha children's crusade Chapter 14 Part 3

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Five minutes later order was restored. Hiashi stood at the top of the platform. Hinata stood opposite him in a wide circle on the ground. Everyone else was gathered around the walls. Junko was sitting in the crowd gnashing her teeth. Honan sat on the opposite side near the bar, laughing to himself.

"Hinata Hyuga, you have issued a challenge." Hiashi stopped and looked down at her with a blank gaze. "Do you have any support for your claim?"

Neji stepped forward. "I am bound by my word to support Hinata-sama in this matter Hyuga-sama," said Neji very formally. He bowed to Hiashi.

"No branch family support is allowed!" called out Junko. "The girl is not allowed to call upon her own family's branches."

Neji bowed again. "I am the head of my own household, Junko-sama. I am married and my wife is with child."

"And we will see just how long that child remains yours, you meddling branch brat," she said in a loud whisper. Neji stiffened. "The girl still lacks support," she called in a loud voice. "Are there any others who wish to add their voices to her cause?" Junko glared around the meeting hall daring any to defy her.

"We support Hinata-Oneesan!" yelled out a pair of high-pitched voices. Kento and Riku were standing on a table near the back and waving. "We support Hinata Hyuga!"

"Be quiet children," called Hiashi. "This is not a game. You should show more respect at this gathering."

Kento frowned and stamped his foot. "We are showing respect Hyuga-sama. We want to support Hinata-Oneechan because she's nice!"

"Yeah!" screeched Riku, in an even higher pitched voice. He pointed at Junko. "That mean old lady said she'd take us away from our Mommy! Plus she smells bad!"

A titter of laughter ran through the crowd. Junko turned purple with rage and embarrassment.

Hiashi looked over at Kento and Riku. "Show me your forehead child." They obliged. He glanced over at Hinata. "Are you that desperate that you would drag children into this with you?"

Hinata kept staring straight ahead. "I wish I could have found another way Father, but they were all I had," she said calmly. "Besides Junko already dragged them in when she made it clear she wanted to bind them to her. I am merely trying to rescue them."

Junko recovered enough from her anger to turn and face the gathered crowds again. "So the girl's support is one cousin from the branch family and two boys." She spun to the front. "Hiashi, how much longer are you going to let this nonsense continue?"

Hiashi glanced at Junko. "As unusual as this is, Hinata is observing the proper forms. The boys are of the Head family. She is correct about Neji."

"Unusual?" cackled Junko. "I'll say that this is unusual." She looked around smiling. "Well then, who else wishes to support the girl? A babe still suckling at his mother's breast?" A laugh bounced around the crowd. "Maybe we should just bypass the challenge and make the girl the Head of the clan's children and branch family simpletons." Another laugh echoed and Junko tittered at her own wit. "After all," she joked staring at Neji with a gleam in her eye. "It's a well known fact that the branch family wants more say in how we guide and shape their sad little lives. Maybe they would be happier if we gave them their own clan gatherings so they could play at politics like the rest of the grown ups?"

Laughter and chaos threatened to overwhelm the meeting. Hiashi raised his hands for order, but to no avail. He was ignored. Hinata felt the first flutter of fear in her chest; so much depended right now on controlling the clan meeting. She could feel that control slipping away. Junko rocked back on her heels and gave Hiashi a smug self-satisfied look.

"Enough!" A booming voice used to commanding over the clash of waves and thundering gales cut through the din. Honan shoved his way to the edge of the circle and glared at Junko. "The Mistress of Hyuga Husbandry makes a very convincing argument." He called out. "The girl needs some seasoned adults to support her or this whole challenge is a farce." Honan lifted his mug to toast Junko and drank. An evil smile crept up on Junko's lips. Hinata felt her heart sink, then Honan caught her eye and winked. He lowered his mug and burped hugely. Then he spat at Junko's feet. "I reckon the wee lad had the truth of it." He grinned savagely in Junko's direction. "You are a smelly old witch." He looked up at Hiashi. "I support Hinata Hyuga."

Junko tried to say something back but it was lost in the rumble of the crowd. Hiashi once again raised his arms for silence, but the pause would not come.

"Silence!" roared Honan. All eyes turned to him. "Quiet you bunch of bastards! Let Hiashi-sama run the damn meeting!"

Hiashi frowned and gave Honan a reluctant nod. "Well, it appears that the form of the challenge is complete." He looked across the circle at Hinata. "Do you wish the challenge to continue," his cheek twitched, "my daughter?"

Hinata looked back at him. She kept herself still despite her nervousness. "Do you still wish the marriage contract to proceed Father?" Hiashi sighed. He glanced quickly at Junko and nodded once. "Then I'm afraid the challenge must continue," said Hinata quietly.

"No it mustn't!" crowed Junko triumphantly. "I've just remembered where I know those two brats from." She raised her finger and pointed at Kento and Riku. "Neither of them is a Hyuga! They are both half-bloods! Their mother isn't even of the clan!" She smiled gleefully. "How can we count the votes of two half-breed babes as full head family members?"

There was a concerned grumble. Hiashi spoke over it. "The clan charter clearly states that that all Hyuga who have not been bound into another's service count as full members of the clan. They are allowed."

"But should they be?" asked Junko, raising her voice. "This, after all, is quite the momentous occasion. The first challenge any Hyuga has seen in six generations. Do we really want to be so careless with the formalities?" she said in a soothing voice. "Why shouldn't we take the time to study this and vote on it? Say..." she glanced over at Hinata, "six months or so?"

Hinata felt her stomach grow cold. A large part of her plan hinged on surprising her Father and Junko and not giving them any time to prepare for her challenge. In six months heaven only knew who Junko would be able to cajole and bribe to support her. "Why wait?" called out Hinata in a clear voice. "Let's hold a simple vote right now. Should only full blood Hyuga be allowed to vote at the clan meeting?"

"You mean for the clan challenge dear, learn to use your ears!" snapped Junko.

Hinata smiled toothily at her. "Why stop there? A vote is a vote isn't it? After all only the purest of the pure should be allowed to call themselves Hyuga." Hinata nodded at Junko. "That is your claim correct? How far back should we go I wonder? Two generations, perhaps three, seventeen?" She motioned to the crowd "How many of you are so sure about your family tree?"

The whispering continued. There were quite a few worried frowns. Junko opened her arms. "Come now, this slip of a girl wants to lump the noblest of the Hyuga into the same category as the branch family and half breeds? Don't make me laugh." Junko shrugged her shoulders. "If she believes that the noblest families of the Hyuga have anything to fear, then so be it. Let us vote now. Prove her wrong!"

Hiashi called the group to attention. The final vote was surprisingly close. But Hinata lost. She looked down at her feet. Her challenge was over. She had no idea where she could get one more vote from the head family, let alone two. Junko grinned gleefully.

Hiashi looked stern and asked the question she was dreading. "Have you any other support from the head family my Daughter? It appears you still need two voices of support."

"Excuse me Hyuga-sama?" called a voice from the back. "May I ask a question?" Naruto stepped forward.

A low mutter passed through the observers. "Silence this brat! Hiashi!" called Junko. "Only Hyuga are allowed to express their opinion at the clan meetings."

"Please Hyuga-sama. It is only one small point I wish you to clarify."

"Hiashi I demand that the demon fox be expelled from the gathering!" howled Junko.

"You will demand nothing!" snapped Hiashi. His eyes cut like a knife as he glared at Junko. "I am still the head of the clan here. I interpret the rules. I determine who must be removed from this gathering." He narrowed his eyes. "Am I clear?" Junko snorted but bowed her head. Hiashi turned back to Naruto. "Ask, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto nodded his thanks. "As you know, I have been named the Hokage's successor, and so It would help me to learn all the customs of each great family in Konoha." He swept his arms motioning to the crowd. "Many would say that there is no clan in the Hidden Leaf village than that of the Hyuga." The crowd stared at him with stony silence. Naruto cleared his throat and continued. "So I am curious, how one determines what is a Hyuga?" He motioned to Kento and Riku. "These two boys stated that Junko wished to bind them into her service, because their mother, as a non-Hyuga was unfit to raise two Hyuga boys, which is fine, for the clan charter states than any Head member can become a branch member by being sealed."  He put his hands behind his back and began to walk around the circle. "The boys also told me something I found hard to make sense of. Their father was killed in the fourth ninja war. They were receiving the clan survivor's benefit, but it was recently cut in half, because they were not full-blooded Hyuga. Not taken away mind you, just cut in half, because they are 'half Hyuga'." Naruto stopped in front of Junko but didn't look at her face. "And just now as I was watching, they were determined not to count as Hyuga at all, because of the circumstance of their birth." Naruto turned and smiled. "So, as I said, because I will one day be Hokage, and need to know these things." He turned and looked up at Hiashi. "How does this work? Are these two boys members of the head family, but not allowed to vote? Is the Hyuga clan allowed to bind non-Hyuga? " He looked back at Kento and Riku. "Or are they merely half members? Neither here nor there?"

A quiet silence settled over the gathering. Junko's dry chuckle cut through the quiet. "I wouldn't expect an outsider to understand our ways."

"True," said Naruto simply. "I don't understand, and that is why I asked. To the unknowing layman it must appear as if the clan charter is being bent to suit someone's whim." He smiled up at Hiashi. "I am sure that the most noble and honorable clan in Konoha would never do such a thing. Especially not to children. I am just trying to detect the logic behind it."

"Hiashi!" snapped Junko. "Just throw the boy out and be done with it! Why are we wasting time with his blathering!"

Naruto nodded at Junko's statement, but kept his eyes focused on Hiashi. "You are well within your rights to ask me to leave. I am only a guest here." He shot a quick glance back at Junko. "However I am the future sixth Hokage and I do have the ear of the Fifth Hokage. If you cannot or will not explain these actions to me I'm afraid I may have to report my… concerns back to Tsunade-sama."

"Go ahead and report!" snorted Junko. "The Hokage wouldn't dare interfere with the running of the Hyuga clan. We have had an agreement for over a hundred years!"

Naruto smiled and turned to look at Junko full on. "The second Shinobi war was a very long time ago Junko-sama." He shrugged. "Times change. People change. Maybe Tsunade-sama will decide it's time for a second look at that unspoken agreement?"

Junko pointed a finger at Naruto. "Do you call this not interfering?" She yelled at Hiashi. "Throw the boy out already!"

"The lad's just pointing out what a conniving, hypocritical wench you are," snapped Honan. "It ain't interfering if the boy speaks the truth. Let him stay!"

The assorted Hyuga all began to speak at once. Naruto started walking around the circle and stopped next to Hinata. "What do you think you are doing?" she hissed at him.

He gave a nearly imperceptible shrug. "I saw an opening and I took it." He smiled. "Shikamaru's dad was acting all cool and lawyer-y at the Hokage's council. I decided I wanted to try it."

"You said you would trust me!" accused Hinata, very quietly.

"I do trust you. I know you can do this. But let me help you a little right here, okay? I think I've found a way out of this." Naruto's jacket pocket wriggled. A tiny frog peeked its head out.

"What are you talking about?" asked Hinata.

"I found you one other supporter. She's from the head family. But you need one more vote."

Hinata gave a curt nod and stepped forward. She charged her palms with chakra and clapped them together. The detonation brought a stunned silence. "Hyuga-sama," she called up to her father. "I wish to have this issue resolved before we proceed, as it is integral to my claim. Are the boys full Hyuga or are they not?"

Hiashi stood there for a long time. Then he shrugged slightly. "The only fair solution I can see is compromise. The boys are half Hyuga, so they should count as half. We agreed on this previously with the survivors payments they receive from their late father, so this should not be an issue." Hiashi shifted and stared at Hinata. "What is an issue is your continued defiance of the will of the clan and your Father. Why must you continue in this?"

Hinata ignored him. "So in this case, the two boys here would count as one vote?"

Hiashi nodded. "I suppose so."

Junko snorted. "It still does not matter. You are still lacking support from the head family. Your challenge cannot proceed." She smiled and motioned to the crowd. "There is not a single voice in this hall that would support you."

The main door to the hall creaked open. "Not all the Hyuga are here yet Junko-sama!" A young woman's voice called. She wore the ANBU uniform, but no mask, the sign of a trainee. She stood beside Hinata. "I would like to support Hinata Hyuga in her challenge," said Hanabi. She looked over at Hinata and smiled. "Hey Onee-chan. Naruto-nichan said you needed me?" She smirked. "Actually a talking frog said you needed me. My ANBU instructor nearly jumped out of her boots."

Hiashi's face clouded over. "Hanabi. I was not expecting you to be at this clan gathering."

Hanabi bowed. "Father." I wasn't expecting to be here. I heard that my big sister was in trouble and needed my help."

"And what do you intend to do?" asked Hiashi quietly.

"I offer my support to my older sister for her challenge to Hiashi Hyuga for the head of the clan," Hanabi said in a somber voice.

"I see," said Hiashi quietly.  His face went very still. "Then I suppose that honor commands that I must accept." He stood and slowly walked down the steps to the floor.

"Hiashi you fool!" called out Junko, "You don't have to listen to either of them! Just tell them to stop this foolishness!"

Hiashi held up one hand. "I am still the head of the Hyuga clan. A challenge has been successfully made and I must answer it." He stopped and looked at Hinata. "I never thought I would see a challenge for the head of the clan in my lifetime." He shrugged. "I suppose, a good leader must always be prepared to learn new things. I will however offer you this opportunity one last time. Withdraw this challenge, take your place as my heir. I don't know what sort of game you are trying to play here, but you must realize you are now in an impossible situation." He leaned forward. "You do realize what will happen when you fail in this challenge?"

Hinata's lips tightened, but she nodded. "I will not fail Father, not while I still breathe."

Hiashi nodded. "So be it." He stepped back to the far side of the circle. "I choose that the challenge happen now. It will continue until one us yields or is unable to continue," he said quietly.

"If you wish Father, we can wait. You may get your ninja gear," said Hinata nervously.

Hiashi shook his head. Ko helped him take off his outer robe. "I will not need it for this," he said coldly.

Hinata gave him a short bow and walked to the opposite side of the circle. Naruto was there waiting. "What did you father mean by 'what will happen if you fail.' What will happen?" he whispered.

Hinata didn't meet his gaze. "Anything he wants. Traditionally if the challenger loses, he has to perform one task that the Head asks of him. Usually the loser gets sealed… I think my father means that I will have to get married to Mikio."

Naruto looked up. Hiashi was confidently warming up. Junko was standing with a small smile on her face. "I see," he said quietly.  He turned back to Hinata and touched her cheek. "Well," he said smiling, "They're in for a big surprise. Because you my dear, are going to win."

"Oh yeah," said Hanabi. "Dad's going to get an ass kicking." She pulled on Hinata's sleeve. Hinata leaned closer. "Don't bother with any of the vacuum palm jutsu, he's really good at countering it. Also, Dad's left knee has been bugging him lately, he can't turn on it like he used to," Hanabi whispered.

"Thank you Hanabi," whispered Hinata back.

Hanabi smiled at her. "It's the least I can do… I got you into this mess in the first place." She took a step back. "I'm sorry I can't stay to watch it all. I only have an hour's leave. I have to get back to ANBU training." She gave Hinata a hug and then gave one to Naruto. "You cheer really loudly for my big sister okay?" Then she turned and was gone.

Hiashi had finished his preparations and was standing in the circle, waiting expectantly. Hinata tried to remain calm, and stepped forward. Naruto grabbed her hand. She turned and looked at him.

He smiled at her. "I love you," he whispered. "You're going to win for sure." Hinata stared into his eyes for a moment and smiled. She stepped forward and kissed him quickly on the lips. There was a gasp from the crowd. Her heart danced a little as she turned back to face her father.

Hiashi stood there, his face as cold as stone. Hinata bowed to her father, and Hiashi nodded back. Without a word the challenge began.
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spadiekitchenqueen's avatar
Heart in my throat waiting for how this will resolve.