#nejichi

Specifically the politics and consequences of Chihiro’s decision to use her clan’s secret scroll technique to fight the ten tails during the war.

Quick recap: she pushed Neji out of the way and ends up getting stabbed instead, and figuring she’s gonna die anyway, she uses a scroll to summon the wolf god who founded her clan and merge with her to fight and defeat the ten tails. Usually the payment for that power is the castor’s life, but Neji wasn’t going to let that happen especially since she just confessed to loving him right before offering herself to the wolf god. They ended up offering half of his life and half of hers, and the wolf god was so stunned by the action she accepted the terms thus allowing them both to live.

Neji and Chihiro were found unconscious on the battlefield and returned to the leaf and admitted to the hospital (something something war lasted longer than 3 fucking days something), with the scroll in her hand. Makoto, the head of the Osaka clan and Chihiro’s mother, was trying to figure out what happened exactly. She spoke with Naruto and Hinata, and was shocked when they described Chihiro using the scroll and jutsu. Makoto was supposed to be wielding the scroll as a final weapon, so now she had to figure out how her daughter got a hold of it instead.

The Osaka elders are also incredibly pissed and constantly complaining to Makoto, saying that Chihiro has finally gone too far. To use such a powerful and ancient power, and for what? That hyuga kid (this is an assumption on their part as they are very aware of her feelings towards Neji)? It’s supposed to be used to defend the clan above all else.

However, others argue that she didn’t actually use the scroll, as Chihiro is alive, and each castor had died previously. It’s assumed that it’s impossible to escape that payment.

When Chihiro does wake from her coma, she’s questioned on what happened exactly. She does admit to using the jutsu, but the elders don’t believe her. That is, until they open the scroll.

Each shinobi who ever casted the jutsu have their names recorded within the scroll, as their power and knowledge get added to the jutsu to increase its strength. At the end of the list, Chihiro’s name is not only there, but weaved together with hers is neji’s name. This proves that not only did Chihiro cast the jutsu, but that the wolf god accepted the payment of half of Chihiro’s life and half of Neji’s life.

This infuriates the elders. It means that she did do it for Neji, a boy they consider inferior since he’s of “low birth” and from a rival Shinobi clan. But not only that, but it means that if Chihiro chooses him to marry, they would have to accept it because their god has approved of their match. They cannot question her decision.

Makoto was the one who was supposed to wield the scroll during the war. It makes sense. She’s the current head, and has chihiro as an heiress. So if anything did happen to her, she would be able to become the new head and continue the line.

But Chihiro became overwhelmed with the thought of her mother dying. It didn’t really register in her mind until the war began, and she realized that there was a very real chance that she would use the scroll at some point.

Chihiro swapped the real scroll with a fake during the war. She didn’t really want to use it herself, she just wanted to keep her mother from using it. Which was insanely dangerous, as if Makoto felt that she had to use the scroll, then the situation would’ve been extremely dire. If she had needed it, they could have lost many lives as well as Makoto.

And that’s essentially what Chihiro was scolded for.

The elders tried to punish her by barring her from ever seeing or speaking with Neji, but Makoto refused to approve or enforce that.

“You really think they would listen to an order like that? They were willing to fight a god and die for each other. Your words would mean nothing.”

It’s Neji and Chihiro’s kid’s birthday today