QOTC:

(Referring to Side Branch Members) You challenge me. You bow before me, but you form in secret circles behind my back chit-chatting about Kami-knows-what. There is an uprising going on in here and I will not tolerate it. I will no longer risk any more death, nor shall I put the death of my brother in shame! We need order! We need a new reign of felicity and peace! 

- Hiashi (to the Hyuga)

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Chapter 53: Hyuga Death Match

TWO DAYS AFTER INO'S ASSAULT

"What's all the fuss going on?" A Shadow clone Neji appeared, who called for Hyuga Iroha. "Is there a fire drill?"

"No, sir, but it seems that Lord Hiashi calls for a gathering. It's for all Hyuga men and women."

Neji crossed his arms and kept a sharp eye along the Neighborhood. While Hiashi controlled a lot of pawns, Neji had Iroha as his trustful friend. He used to be Hinata's babysitter a while back until Neji was appointed to be the next heir; it was about time Neji thought the man should gain a higher position.

Neji wondered. Elders, people who wore kimono garments had gathered themselves into the Main Hyuga Compounds. The heat was fantastic.

"We have all been degraded. But we will still stand to be the best." Hiashi started, without holding a crotch. "What are we without laws? Were they not based on common sense? What happens to our community when it breaks down, leaving the rebels on the loose? There have been many rascals—hiding behind doors and windows. We must consider a forbiddance. If no one solves this disrepute, I will. It has been thirteen years since my daughter was kidnapped."

There was the way Hiashi mentioned Hinata unlike any other—he had referred Hinata as him alone, a handicapped. It was similar of how he looked up to his own clan as the rising sun, the Leaf's strongest veterans.

"I thought we had solved this disrepute. I thought we had finally come to terms that the House is divided into two for the sake of keeping our secrets to ourselves—secrets our ascendants had protected for centuries, decades even. Yet what have you to be done with us, you hypocritical bastards? Once a Side, always a Side." He continued, pacing along the maximum space of the red carpet, like he'd caged himself inside a barrier. "You challenge me. You bow before me, but you form in secret circles behind my back chit-chatting about Kami-knows-what. There is an uprising going on in here and I will not tolerate it. I will no longer risk any more death, nor shall I put the death of my brother in shame! We need order! We need a new reign of felicity and peace!"

More like death and money, Hinata crudely implied. She was seated next to Hanabi who played with her toy Kunai. Hiashi was right; the House was truly divided—them and Neji, standing on opposite sides against each other. She decided to be quiescent.

"We are going to end this right here, right now." Hiashi looked like an old man who was selling chipped cups—he was playing his words like a joker, and he wasn't even being natural. "There is a Match the Hyuga had always remained loyal to." He took a scroll out of his pocket, untied it and rolled it. "When both Houses no longer remain faithful to one another, the Hyuga Death Match is born. For those of you who seek revenge, this is your chance. The rules are simple: death will be your last phase." He clarified, "For not a single drop of blood should be drawn; must it be a hundred 'til nightfall."

✦✦✦✦THΣ THIRD UCHIHΔ✦✦✦✦

THE END OF THE AFFAIR

"Does it hurt?" The woman asked. The girl nodded her head.

"Where?"

"In here," Sakura said, pointing to her belly button. Beside it laid the Curse Mark. It reminded Sakura of the daily things it did to punish Sasuke: sear him, torch him, and make him go savage. With the Curse Mark, everything gets darker and darker until you've run out of control. Welcome to the new age where Impures, Uchihas and pregnant sixteen-year-olds get a hold of it.

Orochimaru would have been proud.

Tsunade placed her marshmallow hands upon Sakura's womb, caressing it. Sakura just observed her, the blonde girl who was so perfect she stopped loving. And she didn't want to be like her lying on a bar restaurant's couch with having somebody to clean up her mess. But she would want to excel at everything Tsunade did.

She remembered a quick story Naruto shared to them one day; the story of how him and Jiraiya saw Tsunade pounding the slot machine. There wasn't much interesting on the old lady—she was a difficult woman, looked at people as if her world was a problem, and she carried a jug of rich Sake wherever she'd go. It was hard to believe someone like that would become a Kage.

She looked up to her as a teacher, a mother, or a grandmother. The days Sasuke was gone didn't help Sakura carry on with her life as a matter of fact. She didn't cry every day, but whenever she would pass the Uchiha Manor and noticed the yellow warning signs gone, she would see a ghost of him lurking by; somewhere in the village or by the river Uchiha Shisui died in—was a duck-butt head walking, his hands in his pockets, his back always turned to people.

It was like Sasuke never looked back.

All the good things, all the luscious precious memories since they were kiddos; they were all gone. Just like that, like an immediate Tailed Beast bomb that shook terror upon the Leaf's grounds. Sakura was just a little girl when her mother reminded her to be adventurous. Always search for the impossible things in life that could not be bought; friendship, a love that could wipe the despair off a girl's smile.

"I didn't train you to become an outcast. You know the Law, right?"

"Yes."

Tsunade sighed, poking her hand as she gets a sample of her blood. Sakura awed. "Then you know that this is a serious crisis. I don't know if I can protect you anymore, but I'll tell you this—nothing will stop me from assuring that you and your child will get out of this safely."

Sakura cringed without showing it to the Fifth. Well, Sakura didn't directly ask for anyone's help in the first place, nor did she wish to be everyone else's priority. Sometimes she wished all of this could easily end. Like how Sasuke disappeared, or, the way he would smoothen her hair and she'd quickly fall back to sleep. Being pregnant sucked as fvck.

"You've ever done this before?" Sakura asked, staring at Tsunade's yellowish hands. They were white and blemished, with cuts and other broken promises, she assumed. When you've lived your whole life as a Medical Ninja, would helping people by simply touching them and taking their hands present you a peace of mind?

"What are you, a fool? Did you really that you were the only sixteen-year-old who got knocked up?" Tsunade smiled maliciously, choosing a tool.

"Well, how were you in your years? Did you have fun, being a teenager and knowing shit?"

Tsunade stared at her, like a cactus champed her butt. Well, if there was a time Sakura had awoken her eyes to the course of many, many things, the kingdom of sixteen would be it.

"I'll tell you about the Harvest. The clans really believed it would resolve the conflict upon them; getting new children of their own, as if they were experimenting blood. But I was the Princess, and no one had the right to decide for my future. Kakashi lost himself; and he might have taken Yamato alongside him. Wherever he went, Yamato was there as his wingman. I remember how people would say, 'There's old man Sakumo's son. That's his boy; tragic.' You know what's worse? He chose his missions. What kind of Shinobi is that?"

"Come on, Lady Tsunade." Sakura laughed that she forgot how many wires were attached to her. "I know that part already. Tell me something else. Tell me about you and Master Jiraiya."

"There were three of us. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and there was me. Don't ask anymore."

"Was it true that there was a girl who gave up her baby for adoption?"

"Yes." Tsunade dismissed. Somewhere out there, Sakura thought her master caught dirt in her eye...or whatever. "Are you considering? "

"No. Yes. Maybe. What would you do if you were in my shoes? What would you do about Sasuke? I feel so screwed up. I feel like there's this heavy feeling in my chest and I can't get rid of it."

"What do you really want, Sakura? Do you want the baby? If you want it, keep it. If you don't—be careful of what you wish for. You can't get something back when you've already pushed it away."

"Yo," a voice said, coming from the door. Kakashi entered the room with a faint smile, making a yes sir gesture with his right hand as he faced the aggravated Sakura. "I assume you haven't taken a bath yet with uh... all your urinary activities. If you do not know how to make safety precautionary measures, then you shouldn't be having s*x at all."

Sakura threw her slipper at his head. "Go away!"

"Now now, Kakashi. Off you go." Tsunade said, setting some of the tests subjects on a nearby table.

"I heard about Ino." Kakashi said, lingering inside the room.

Sakura wanted to just bury her head on a catacomb and curse herself for having associated with Ino. Ever since Ino entered her room that very night in order to smother her with a pillow, rumors spread like wildfire. It was the same when TenTen left--ugly voices told ugly versions of truth. Some said Ino did it for jealousy; others said she just did because of bloodlust.

Obito's voice rang at the back of her head, immediately got her springing. Get it out of its misery. Listen to your thoughts and do not put anyone in front of yourself, you're pathetic. You see what happens to children who've lost their parents and mended in the streets. She glanced at Tsunade curiously, thinking she could be one of those who sees hope for her child.

"Six days and a half hour pregnant. Your parents are killing you for this."

"I couldn't care less." Sakura growled. "They expect me to give them a title. I'm the only one left into bringing them glory. I'm their last hope, you see. My mother stopped having children because she was too conservative."

"So go wed someone then. Uzumaki or Uchiha, make your parents proud." Tsunade muttered, as a mother would say to her grown-up daughter. One of these days Sakura wished she could have just had the blonde as her real mother. Just as Naruto obviously looked up to her like that as well.

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6.28.15