Moonlight poured into the Hyūga audience chamber, glinting off porcelain cups and lacquered trays as faint flute music floated through the air. The banquet was formal, the tension beneath it unspoken. Hiashi Hyūga sat in quiet command at the head of the low table, his composure unshaken, eyes cold and assessing. Beside him sat the visiting envoys of Kumogakure, all polite smiles and veiled ambition. Across the room, little Hinata Hyūga sat near the corner, hands folded in her lap, shoulders drawn inward beneath her pale blue kimono.
Hiashi's gaze turned toward her, the faintest crease forming between his brows. "Hinata, how has your training progressed recently, my dear?" His tone was calm but left no room for imperfection.
The child straightened immediately, her small voice trembling. "F-Father, I'm still having trouble learning the basic forms you taught me the other day."
Hiashi's expression hardened almost imperceptibly. "And your chakra extraction? Have you managed to stabilize it?"
Hidden high above in the ceiling beams, Raven watched silently, her violet Rinnegan faintly glowing in the lanternlight. "So this is where her timid streak begins," she thought. "I'll have to fix that in the years ahead."
Hinata fidgeted, her voice shrinking. "I can pull in chakra now, but I can't sit still for too long. My butt gets sore."
Raven nearly slipped from her perch, a hand flying to her mouth to stifle the laugh bubbling up in her throat. Below, Hiashi's eye twitched as a small vein pulsed at his temple. He inhaled slowly through his nose. "You must try harder, Hinata. You represent the future of the Hyūga clan. As our heiress, you carry a sacred obligation to meet our expectations."
"Lecturing a three-year-old in front of foreign diplomats," Raven thought. "Typical Hiashi. Always more concerned with image than affection."
Hinata's face flushed red. "I-I'm sorry, Father!" she squeaked. She turned to retreat, caught her foot in the hem of her kimono, and fell face-first onto the tatami with a soft thud.
Hiashi didn't move. "My apologies, gentlemen," he said, glancing toward the Kumogakure envoys. "My daughter's performance has been lacking of late, but rest assured we are working to mold her into the future patriarch our clan requires."
Raven's faint amusement evaporated, replaced by something colder. "Does he love her at all… or is she just a tool to him?"
Hinata stood quietly, dusting her knees, eyes lowered. Then she turned and slipped out of the room without a word. Raven's gaze followed her. "How could anyone not adore such a perfect little bean sprout?" she whispered under her breath.
Moments later, the silver-haired child dropped soundlessly from the rafters, landing in the shaded corridor beyond the chamber. Her chakra folded inward, vanishing as she melted into shadow. The faint thread of Hinata's chakra guided her through the compound until she reached the garden courtyard.
There, under the pale light of the moon, Hinata knelt on the grass. Her tiny hands trembled as she tried to focus chakra between them, brow furrowed in effort. The energy sputtered and faded. She tried again, whispering softly to herself, "Come on… work this time."
A whisper of air brushed her cheek as Raven stepped from the darkness. Her white hair caught the moonlight, her Rinnegan glowing faintly. Hinata gasped, stumbling backward onto the stone path. "W-Who are you? How did you get inside the Hyūga compound?"
Raven approached slowly, her tone soft. "So this is my first meeting with Hinata Hyūga—the little heiress of the Hyūga clan."
Hinata blinked rapidly, still trying to decide whether to scream. "You're… you're a little girl too. How did you get in here?"
"I've been watching the banquet," Raven said, crouching slightly so her voice carried gently. "It looked like you were having a rough time with your father."
Hinata tried to stand, tripped again, and toppled forward. Raven moved quickly, catching her before she hit the ground. She steadied the little girl on her feet.
"W-Why are you here? Who are you really?" Hinata asked, trembling.
Raven's eyes softened. "Is that any way to treat someone who wants to be your friend?"
Hinata blinked up at her, the fear melting from her face. "Y-You want to be my friend? I don't have any friends my own age!"
Raven lowered herself to one knee so they were eye level. "Then let's be friends. And I'll help you become strong enough to stand up to your father—to become the 'patriarch' he wants you to be." She even lifted two fingers to gesture the word.
Hinata's face brightened instantly, the timid mask falling away to reveal something pure and determined. "I want to be the strongest Hyūga ever! I want to lead my family and protect everyone!"
Raven's lips curved faintly as she lowered her mask, revealing a small, youthful face framed by silver-white hair and violet eyes marked with ripples of divine power. "Then I'll help you do exactly that. My name is Raven Kamizaki."
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