Chapter Text
Chuin watched his erstwhile student perform the balance exercise that he had assigned. The boy was, due to his burden, much more susceptible to imbalances and therefore would have to work much harder than his peers to achieve and maintain the proper balance to fully utilize his almost preternatural potential.
Chuin almost regretted having never met this Yondaime Hokage and his wife – they produced superior children. Chuin was actually almost disappointed that he would most likely have returned to his own world before his student could learn of his heritage.
Without turning, Chuin sensed the arrival of the two children that often trained with Naruto. "Welcome Neji-san, Hinata-chan. You shall sit and practice breathing properly."
"Hai, Master Chuin!" was the response and he listened as the two children assumed the proper position. Suddenly, he heard something which caught his attention.
He turned and observed the two Hyuga children both positioning themselves and noticed the girl's labored movements. If he was anyone other than who he was, such a minor change from normal would be unnoticeable, but he was Master of Sinanju: The understanding of perfection was his gift.
He glided over and stood in front of the children and looked down. The two made every effort to not allow his movements to alter there own. The boy tensed only briefly, as was understandable, before relaxing once again. The girl, however, flinched slightly. Chuin withheld his frown so as not to impart disapproval.
He did take steps to correct the problem though. "Hinata-chan. Please stand."
Hinata slowly stood, the five-year old girl moving ever-so-stiffly as she did so. "Neji-san. I shall demonstrate proper correction of tenketsu points. Please turn on your ability."
Neji quietly said "Byakugan" and his vision suddenly achieved clarity in the smallest detail. He wasn't quite skilled enough to do this silently yet.
"Hinata-chan, please relax and stand still." Hinata nodded and then did as he asked.
Chuin moved with his innate grace and skill to press lightly at 14 points on Hinata's body in less than 4 seconds. Neji, watching with his Byakugan, saw the slightly inflamed tenketsu relax and Hinata's chakra paths suddenly went from slightly strange to normal.
"Did you see?"
"Yes, Master Chuin."
Chuin nodded. "Hinata-chan. I shall demonstrate this lesson for you soon. For now, assume the proper pose and begin your exercises."
Hinata nodded, trying to mask her relief at the removal of her pain.
Chuin moved to his desk and pulled a sheet out and wrote a message. "Naruto-kun, come here."
Naruto paused in his own exercise and moved to stand in front of his teacher. "Yes, Sensei?"
Chuin handed Naruto the scroll he had just sealed and said, "As a test of your speed, you shall take this to the gate at the Hyuga compound and give this scroll to the guard. You shall then return. I require you to maintain your breathing and balance. When you return, your breathing should demonstrate no strain. You have eight minutes. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sensei!" Naruto took the scroll and, once Chuin nodded, moved as quickly as he could to do as his teacher required.
Chuin waited and, to his mild surprise, Naruto returned with 11 seconds to spare. Listening, he noted that Naruto's breath was as even as ever. There were some signs of strain in his movement which quickly evened out.
"Barely adequate," Chuin said. Naruto had to repress his grin at what was almost effusive praise from his sensei. "Your breathing I would call adequate. But your balance, as ever, needs work. Return to your exercise."
At his desk, Hyuga Hiashi accepted the scroll from the guard. Recognizing the seal, he quickly moved to open it.
The Hyuga clan had an honor debt to the House of Sinanju and it would not behoove him to treat any missive from said House cavalierly. He quickly read the message and then called out, "Hizashi!"
From his own office, Hyuga Hizashi moved to see what his clan head needed. When he got to his door he asked, "Yes, Brother?"
Hiashi waved a scroll at him and said, "Read this."
Hizashi took the scroll and read the message. "Interesting. After dinner, then?"
Hiashi nodded. "Hai. I shall invite Sinanju to dinner and we can meet in the dojo afterwards. Please let the elders know that there will be a meeting.
"Of course, Hiashi-sama."
Hiashi hated when his brother used that honorific on him in private. He knew Hizashi did so to tweak him.
Hiashi pulled a brush and parchment to answer to message, even as he referred to the message he received.
Hyuga Hiashi, Clan Head of the Hyugi Clan
A matter of supreme importance has come to my attention as regards your daughter, Hinata, and her training in your family style.
As Master of Sinanju and her current non-Hyuga sensei, I deemed it important enough to inform you as soon as the matter became known to me.
I would, at your earliest convenience, ask that you and any other involved in Hinata's training accept my request to see you as a group so that the matter can be resolved. Hinata and Neji should also be present as it will be valuable to their education.
I am,
Chuin,
Master of Sinanju
At exactly 5:30, the guard entered the room and announced the guests. "Presenting, Chuin of Sinanju, Master of Sinanju, Katakana* Remo, 1st Apprentice of Sinanju, and Uzumaki Naruto, 2nd Apprentice of Sinanju."
Hiashi and his court stood respectfully to receive their guests – the Hyuga Clan head having subtly reminded them of the debt.
After a polite dinner where nothing of consequence was discussed, the entire gathering moved to the Main Family dojo.
Soon, Chuin was standing before the Clan Council, with his apprentices off to the side, sitting with Hinata and Neji. Hinata was having a hard time not watching Naruto but only Chuin noticed. As it wasn't his house, he ignored it – he recognized that her admiration was quite innocent at this age.
Chuin gave a brief bow – one which would have been proper for a Daimyo addressing his nobles. No one commented.
"Honored Hyuga. A matter of some importance has come to my attention. As I have explained in the past, Sinanju is considered the Sun Source of all taijutsu upon my home world. As such, the Gentle Fist style of your clan has been observed by myself for comparison.
"Before I may properly explain my findings, perhaps it would be advisable for me to demonstrate my understanding so as to ensure I am not mistaken in my observations. Perhaps I may demonstrate with Hizashi-sama? From my understanding he is second only to Hiashi-sama in his technique."
Quickly, agreement was reached and the two stood across from each other. Chuin said, "I shall attempt to use only what I understand is proper Gentle Fist without the chakra pulses – such is proper for your training, correct?"
"Hai" was murmured by most of those watching.
Finally, the senior remaining Elder called, "Hajime!"
With their Byukagen activated, the watching Clan members could not distinguish between the styles used by either of the combatants. Indeed, it was almost immediately noticeable that Chuin, with only observation and his innate skill and training, was the superior Gentle Fist user.
Hizashi soon had to surrender as continuing further would have meant a lengthy stay in the Clan infirmary.
Chuin, who was not showing any sign of exertion, asked, "Is my understanding of your Gentle First adequate?"
The agreement from the audience was almost fearful – no non-clan member had ever demonstrated such an understanding of their style in the history of their clan.
Chuin nodded. "Before we continue, I need to finish a lesson I began earlier. Hinata!"
The girl ran over and stood respectfully before her sensei. "Yes, Master Chuin?"
"Activate your abilities so that you may see the same lesson I showed Neji earlier."
"Hai, Sensei!"
Hinata's face screwed up and her Byukagen activated. The watching elders noted that her voice was only a whisper – quite skilled for her young age.
"Hizashi-sama, please stand so that I may correct your tenketsu points." Hizashi, with visible effort, stood in front of the tall man. "Please, relax." Hizashi complied as much as he was able.
Seeing that Hinata was watching (as were all the remaining Hyuga) Chuin quickly moved his hands. Within the 8 seconds he moved, the Hyuga saw Chuin relieve 31 tenketsu points of their irritation. Hizashi's chakra paths were, once again, in full working form.
There were sounds of amazement as no Hyuga had ever seen so many points so quickly repaired.
Chuin looked at Hinata. "An true understanding of how to damage the body necessitates an understanding of how to heal it. Do you understand, Hinata-chan?"
Hinata was mightily impressed with the lesson – her gentle nature in full agreement with such a sentiment. "Hai, Sensei!"
Hinata and Hizashi were soon seated again. Chuin continued with his talk. "From my observation, your skill is based upon the Hyuga nature of being like the Earth – unmoving, firm, and inexorable? Your bodies are predisposed to this style?"
Hiashi nodded in agreement. "Yes, Master Chuin. Almost all Hyuga are Earth types. It is the basis of our Gentle Fist."
Chuin nodded. "Such is the problem with Hinata."
Hinata, for the moment, was suddenly very upset, though she tried to hide it.
"Hinata-chan, unlike you, is NOT an Earth type. Her body is fluid. Adaptable. Her body is not suited to acting as a mountain but more like the flowing river."
Hiashi, who had suspected such but tried to have Hinata overcome such a limitation, asked, "So she is a water type?"
"If there is a test for it …."
Hiashi nodded and sent for chakra paper. Soon, it was retrieved, and Hinata was directed to channel chakra to it. As now expected, the paper became very wet – a clear indication of her release type.
"It is as I expected. This means that training her has to be adapted," Chuin said.
Hiashi objected. "The Gentle Fist has been unchanged for centuries. Properly learned, there is no way it can be defeated by another taijutsu style."
Chuin sighed. "Perhaps if I demonstrated. You are pre-eminent in Gentle Fist. I shall modify what I understand of your Clan style to a water-style user. Perhaps some clarity can be reached."
Soon there was agreement, though it was reluctant. The two stood across from each other, the remaining Hyuga watching. Chuin ordered Hinata to watch his movements with her eyes activated and she did so.
The Hyuga clan was expecting a route. The Gentle Fist was unstoppable and Hiashi was the best. It was a route – but not as they expected.
Using a style which obviously held elements of the Gentle Fist, the more fluidly moving Chuin gave the Hyuga Clan Head a beat down such as he had never received in his life.
The Clan council was terrified at the demonstration. Chuin hid his satisfaction well as he looked down upon his opponent.
Sinanju did have some scruples as to how children were treated during training.
Hinata, however, was mesmerized. This was a style which she felt she could do.
"Hinata-chan, Neji-kun. Perhaps you can attempt the technique I demonstrated earlier to repair Hiashi-sama's tenketsu points."
The two children hesitantly tried to do as Chuin had done. Surpringly, Hinata – the younger of the two – was more successful in applying what she had seen. The tenketsu points weren't fully relieved, but Hiashi was once again at least mobile.
"We shall work on your technique as part of your training. Please sit back down with my apprentices." The two children quickly retreated.
With a small smile, "As you can see, it might be possible that if I were allowed to modify the Gentle Fist to suite Hinata's body, you might have a future Clan-head with quite superior skill to pass on. Do I have your agreement?"
There were terrified sounds of agreement. "Very good! I thank you for the opportunity. I shall educate Neji and Hinata in their Gentle Fist styles. You shall not need to do so. I am certain that, when necessary, they can demonstrate their skills regularly under my personal observation. Of course, developing such a boon for your Clan should be worth some recompense. A matter we shall discuss another day. But I thank you for allowing me to show what I have learned." Chuin was serene as he talked to the watching Hyuga.
The Hyuga were relieved when the House of Sinanju politely left their home for the night.