Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters therein. They are all owned by Kishimoto Masashi.

Author's (hopefully brief) Ramblings: SHOKKU! I was inspired by 30 seconds of the dubbed version of Naruto as soon as I turned on my TV! THE DUBBED VERSION! Hows can this be? Anyway, welcome to my newest-sparkliest fanfiction. I'll be happy if it is even fractionally as well-received as Shikotsumyaku was.

Of note would be the current situation; this is set during the Hinata vs. Neji fight scene during the Chuunin Exam story arc. With a TWIST, of course.

What's going on? How can she be faster than before?

Neji was confused. Hinata had certainly had the upper-hand early on, but that was only because he had been focusing on hitting the Tenketsu in her arms. But this was different.

Why?

Hinata was now applying constant pressure, so much so that all he could do was block. And he was being forced back.

Why?

The wall was only a few feet away -or to put it another way, about two seconds at this rate- and that was bad. He was only just managing to dodge and block her rapid strikes, having a wall at his back could only be disadvantageous.

Why is she so strong?

He tried to angle his body away from the wall, only to find Hinata's blows cutting off his escape route.

She was never this strong before! Is this the power of the Head Branch?

And now he was against the wall. This was too unrealistic. This couldn't be happening. But "this" seemed to be happening, sure enough.

NO! People can't change themselv-!

His last thought stopped dead when he noticed the look in Hinata's eye. It was a focused, calculating look, the Byakugan searching out every opening in his stance to be exploited.
A look very much unlike Hinata.

…I…

Realisation dawned on Neji briefly, and it was a beautiful enough dawn to transfix him for a fraction of a second. In that time of glorious insight, he barely noticed a hard hit, containing no chakra, land on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He also didn't notice the way that this made him lean forward unconsciously, or the second hard blow which slammed his head against the wall. He fell forward quietly.

Hinata looked down at her unconscious cousin. Had she really done that? She was vaguely aware of some scattered cheering and gasps, but one voice cut through the rest. She looked up at Naruto, leaning over the rails of the observation platform, and managed a weak smile.

Was I able to change…a little…?

Then she dropped to her knees and saw no more.

Notes: Yes, it was a fantastically short chapter, wasn't it? Consider this chapter a prelude to the semi-finals of the Chuunin Exam. d:3