"Your Uncle Hizashi traded his own life for your father's, hehe," Uchiha Jie's clone chuckled, quietly telling Hyuga Hinata the Hyuga Clan's secret history.
"When you were kidnapped, your father, Hizashi Hyuga, pursued the Cloud Ninja himself. In his fury, he killed the one who'd taken you with a single palm strike, protected your Byakugan, and brought you home."
"The Cloud Ninja had clearly started it, but Konoha High Command was afraid of a conflict with them. They feared that Hyuga Hiashi's impulsive action would reignite war between the two villages. Konoha could hardly afford to fight another war at the time."
"The Cloud Ninja knew that, too. They were deliberately provoking Konoha."
"In the end, they made a demand: a life for a life. The man your father had killed had kidnapped you, so they wanted your father's life."
"But..." Hyuga Hinata set down the empty bowl, her voice trembling slightly.
"But your father is still alive and well, while you haven't seen your Uncle Hizashi since then. Isn't that right?"
Hinata lowered her head. Though she was still young, Uchiha Jie's words made her realize what must have happened back then. Her father was unharmed, but Uncle Hizashi...
"Why?" she asked.
"You should think about why you have so many guards when you go out, why you have so many training partners when you practice, and why every member of the Hyuga Clan smiles ingratiatingly and bows and scrapes whenever they see you, as though they weren't even people."
"Because you're Main Family, while your Uncle Hizashi, Brother Neji, Sister Yue, your guards, and your nanny are all Branch Family."
"Your father must have told you what that means, right?" Uchiha Jie asked.
But Hinata only shook her head. She was still young, a student at the Ninja Academy. Her father often told her how hard she needed to work as a member of the Main Family, to train diligently and mind her appearance.
She learned all kinds of etiquette, as well as how to become a capable ninja.
But she didn't really understand what Main Family and Branch Family meant. After Uchiha Jie's words, she thought she understood a little, though much of it was still unclear.
"It means that only one of you and Hyuga Hanabi can become head of the Main Family," Uchiha Jie said with a smile. "And those who become Branch Family, hehe, their lives are all in the hands of the Main Family."
"Even if you're losing to your little sister now, if you become the next head of the Main Family, you'll only need to activate your chakra a little, and she'll die right in front of you."
"No, she won't..." Hinata shook her head vigorously. "I won't let Hanabi die. I'll protect her!"
"And Sister Yue, and Father, Brother Neji, Brother Chio, Brother Toshio, Auntie Megumi—I'll protect them all once I become a ninja!"
"Protect them? Hahahahaha!" Uchiha Jie's Shadow Clone burst out laughing. He turned and looked through the window at the front of the carriage, toward Hinata inside. "Then tell me, how did Hizashi Hyuga die?"
"He... Father..."
Hinata grew flustered and couldn't get her words out. Her father had never told her any of this. Her father and his brother, she and her younger sister—
They were all members of the same clan, even one family, yet there seemed to be strange relationships and odd barriers between them.
But all she wanted was for everyone to live happily and in good health.
"All right, get some sleep. That little head of yours can't make sense of such complicated things yet." Uchiha Jie's real body had opened his eyes at some point, staring directly at Hinata.
"For now, you only need to know one thing: by taking you away from the Hyuga Clan, I've spared your father the worry that what happened between him and Hizashi Hyuga could happen to you."
"This is a very good thing for both you and your younger sister, Hyuga Hanabi."
As he spoke, he took a large sleeping bag from a scroll, filled it with warm air using Wind Release, and laid it in the carriage for Hinata to climb into.
"If you want to protect them, go to sleep early so you can get up early tomorrow and start training."
Watching Hinata fall into a deep sleep, Uchiha Jie couldn't help sighing. The innocent young lady of the Main Family was as naive and unknowing as a blank sheet of paper.
She had no real understanding of the Main Family and Branch Family. All she thought about was keeping her family safe—not just Hyuga Hiashi, but Hanabi, Neji, Yue, and everyone else, too.
But that was only a young girl's dream. In reality, someone had already been hurt.
"All right, you two brothers have finished your punishment." Hyuga Yue frowned as she looked at Hyuga Toshio and Hyuga Chio, their bodies covered in bloody welts, almost turned into two walking masses of blood. "This should be enough that the Clan Head won't have anything more to say."
"Sister Yue, it was our fault for failing to keep the Young Miss safe."
Hyuga Toshio supported his older brother, who in turn supported him. Even for ninjas, being whipped until they were bloody and torn up like this meant spending a week or two in bed before they could stand properly again.
Yet the two of them remained standing, heads lowered as they repeatedly apologized to Hyuga Yue.
"All right, go rest. The Clan Head won't need you for now." Hyuga Yue waved a hand, and two other Branch Family members escorted the brothers back to their quarters.
She still had to face Hyuga Hiashi herself.
"Clan Head."
"Yue, have there been any new developments from Lord Hokage?"
Hyuga Hiashi had just soothed Hyuga Hanabi to sleep. His face was dark, and only at home could he let himself show the authority of a clan leader. He fixed his Byakugan on Hyuga Yue.
"Lord Hokage sent Hatake Kakashi." Hyuga Yue remained as calm as ever. Whether in or out of the village, Sharingan Kakashi was well known. He was one of the most prominent—and strongest—of the new generation of ninjas.
Sending Hatake Kakashi was the best choice they could have made.
"What about Chio and Toshio?" Hyuga Hiashi asked.
"They won't be able to get up for months."
Hyuga Yue clenched her teeth and drew the Ninja sword at her waist. Since the two brothers hadn't paid with their lives for Hyuga Hinata's kidnapping, she would have to pay the price instead.
The gleaming blade moved toward her abdomen. It wasn't fast, but it wasn't slow, either. The instant its tip touched her clothes, Hyuga Hiashi acted.
The blade didn't pierce her. Its edge merely grazed the side of her abdomen, leaving a small but noticeable cut. Blood stained her white clothes, but Hyuga Yue still held the Ninja sword, keeping its blade pointed inward.
"You still have to teach Hanabi tomorrow morning," Hyuga Hiashi said calmly.