A/N: I've been watching the Naruto episodes in Japanese now 'cause their voices are way cooler! Anyway, I watched Neji and Hinata's preliminary match over and I was so spurred up in how Hinata wanted to change….from Naruto's motivation of course, that I wrote this!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Shattered Mask

Hinata was said to be weak. She was an unfit kunoichi. Even her sister, who's five years her junior, was more skilled than her. Neglected as heir of the Hyuuga main house, disowned by the man she called father, Hinata tried to stay out of everyone's way, to make them satisfied, but by doing this ritual of her own making, the shunned Hyuuga forced herself to be in the sidelines.

She forced herself to smile when it was actually a frown.

She forced herself to be happy, but she was crying.

She forced herself to be quiet when she wanted to yell and scream.

She forced herself to be obedient when she wanted to neglect orders.

She forced herself to shy away when she wanted to confess her feelings.

She forced herself to think she's weak when she wanted to be strong.

She forced herself to be like this when she doesn't want to be.

She forced herself to accept it when she wanted to change.

The list would go on, but Hinata would list them in her head until she starts repeating the mask of lies over. Then she would start from the beginning again, repeating the spells of façade that bound her to this ludicrous life. Each time though, as she drowns in shattered pieces of memory, a single nonexistent crystal would taint the rim of her soulless eyes.

Now, Hinata had pushed away her mask, but shards of it's porcelain shell still remained, hung loosely on her face. She wasn't free and the pearl-eyed girl knows that. She has to earn her freedom, to stop the losing war that plagued her conscience. With that set miles before her, the Hyuuga trained alone, assaulting the wooden log rooted near her family estate. She wants to be herself, to be strong. She doesn't want to be left behind, in the sidelines where she used to find safe. She wants to block kunai and Jyuuken enemies, to feel her heart pounding rigorously in her chest.

She wants to, because nowhere is safe, it never was.

That's why when blood stains her once soft smooth hands, a slight smile plays on her lips. It was her blood. Her's…her skin's no longer embedded in the blood and guilt of her former teammates or Naruto, who had left her behind, becoming what she could not. Hinata now smiled at the red monster. It showed her determination to change, to break down the barrier she had weaved with her own lies.

The raven-haired girl won't be left behind anymore.

--

Hinata stared at the white bandages wrapped around her hands. Waves of pain throbbed through them, but pearl orbs would stare confidently. It was only another symbol of the last porcelain shards that still haunted her.

The wary chuunin pushed herself up, wincing at the pain of her arms supporting her weight. Rubbing the palms of her hands, the feeling of blood drenched cloth brushing against skin brought the corners of a straight line to curve upwards. Walking warily to the wooden enemy that was adorned with specks of gleaming red, Hinata positioned herself. A jaded expression crawled it's way onto her face, shielding the smile etched behind it. Then, ignoring the pain, the lies, and the sideline girl that was once her, Hinata began her assault.

That list of her façade still goes on, but one thing has always remained true…

Hyuuga Hinata wants to be a ninja.