Waiting for the storm [Nejiko, open to people in the Hyuuga compound]
[set immediately after One's Duty]
The training grounds Nejiko chose were as far away from the nearest building as she could get without traveling beyond the thick stone walls. She wasn't sure what was worse - the fact the Elders were pushing this issue, or the fact she could understand the reasoning behind it. All Hyuuga knew their duty. Duty to clan and to village came at the price of individuality, of self-governance.
Nejiko began shadowing her through sword-forms, hand grasping an imagined sword, her eyes half-closed. Her movements began slow as she attempted to assume the meditational calm she preferred for stepping through kata, but the meeting with Hiashiko and with Hinata refused to remain gone for long. The flowing, almost sensual forms quickly degenerated into something more vicious, more violent, more lethal.
She had said nothing but the truth to them: being in ANBU meant that yes, Tsurude had the first say in regards to anything she and/or the clan might wish, if it could conflict with her ANBU duties. A wedding and a bedding certainly qualified, especially when progeny was the desired goal. It didn't matter that the only man she had ever wanted, the only man she had ever allowed herself to privately consider for a husband was--unavailable.
For all the energy she put into everything that deep well of emotion and adrenaline continued to build until the pressure almost physically hurt because she couldn't release it quick enough.
Her children would be branch. At least then they could escape the compound, be part of a genin cell that would open to them a world generally unexperienced by the main, except from a distance. The branch were taught strict obedience to the main, and as today reminded her they would have little say in even personal matters, if said matters conflicted with the will of the clan. But were the main any better? Hiashiko herself had been stripped of her power. The main were disallowed from going anywhere outside the compound absent an escort of at least one member of the branch, even if said member maintained their vigilance from a distance specified by the main. And Hanabi... Hanabi would have even less choice in his future wife. Nejiko could avoid this unwanted 'duty' by sheer virtue of being a shinobi. (Or at least, being part of ANBU.) Hanabi had no such recourse, and it infuriated her more.
Kata continued to prove to be a poor outlet, so she stopped and changed her stance. She focused her chakra, pushed it to just beneath the skin and then loosed it as she spun to create the visible sphere of the kaiten.
Faster and faster she spun in place, keeping her arms tucked in close to not flap uselessly. The part of the kaiten that was beneath her feet gouged a crater that deepened inch by inch as she continued to spin. She felt the internal pressure begin to ease, but it was not fast enough. Gritting her teeth in effort and concentration, she forced out more chakra, expanding the sphere's radius and ruining more of the grounds.
The training grounds Nejiko chose were as far away from the nearest building as she could get without traveling beyond the thick stone walls. She wasn't sure what was worse - the fact the Elders were pushing this issue, or the fact she could understand the reasoning behind it. All Hyuuga knew their duty. Duty to clan and to village came at the price of individuality, of self-governance.
Nejiko began shadowing her through sword-forms, hand grasping an imagined sword, her eyes half-closed. Her movements began slow as she attempted to assume the meditational calm she preferred for stepping through kata, but the meeting with Hiashiko and with Hinata refused to remain gone for long. The flowing, almost sensual forms quickly degenerated into something more vicious, more violent, more lethal.
She had said nothing but the truth to them: being in ANBU meant that yes, Tsurude had the first say in regards to anything she and/or the clan might wish, if it could conflict with her ANBU duties. A wedding and a bedding certainly qualified, especially when progeny was the desired goal. It didn't matter that the only man she had ever wanted, the only man she had ever allowed herself to privately consider for a husband was--unavailable.
For all the energy she put into everything that deep well of emotion and adrenaline continued to build until the pressure almost physically hurt because she couldn't release it quick enough.
Her children would be branch. At least then they could escape the compound, be part of a genin cell that would open to them a world generally unexperienced by the main, except from a distance. The branch were taught strict obedience to the main, and as today reminded her they would have little say in even personal matters, if said matters conflicted with the will of the clan. But were the main any better? Hiashiko herself had been stripped of her power. The main were disallowed from going anywhere outside the compound absent an escort of at least one member of the branch, even if said member maintained their vigilance from a distance specified by the main. And Hanabi... Hanabi would have even less choice in his future wife. Nejiko could avoid this unwanted 'duty' by sheer virtue of being a shinobi. (Or at least, being part of ANBU.) Hanabi had no such recourse, and it infuriated her more.
Kata continued to prove to be a poor outlet, so she stopped and changed her stance. She focused her chakra, pushed it to just beneath the skin and then loosed it as she spun to create the visible sphere of the kaiten.
Faster and faster she spun in place, keeping her arms tucked in close to not flap uselessly. The part of the kaiten that was beneath her feet gouged a crater that deepened inch by inch as she continued to spin. She felt the internal pressure begin to ease, but it was not fast enough. Gritting her teeth in effort and concentration, she forced out more chakra, expanding the sphere's radius and ruining more of the grounds.