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"You seem a bit angry, but I assure you I meant no disrespect. I was simply inquiring as to why someone of your status was bothering herself with something this trivial."

As usual the Hyuuga was testy at best. "I respect your strength and your experience, and I’ve shown you no disrespect. I would ask that you at least get off your high horse and at least be civil towards me."

The infernal woman always seemed to think herself better than the rest. While her rank demanded respect from most people, it meant nothing to him. Her prowess in combat was another matter.

"It's funny to see a beautiful woman like you in such plain clothes. Unfortunately a beautiful woman is still a beautiful woman, regardless of one’s rank or clan. Would you agree?"

Truly, he meant no disrespect towards the Hyuuga. With any luck he would one day work past her hatred of Senju. It was doubtful, but a goal for him nonetheless.

Saito ran at an epic speed, his heart racing as he caught up to Zephyr. His eyes widened as he saw flames behind Zephyr.

"Wha--", before he could finish wondering what was going on, he suddenly tripped and stumbled face first into Zephyr's thigh.

He latched on, closing his eyes, surprised.

Oops..

Not good..

I feel heat and anger...

I'm scared!!

Saito cringed, holding onto Zephyr's leg a bit tight. He shut his eyes, closing his mouth and holding his breath, acting like a growth on the Hokage he hoped he wouldn't notice.

'He's going to kill me!', why was that rock there?! Who puts rocks in places like that.

"DONTKILLME!", he shouted, his mind racing of Zephyr using some crazy jutsu to make his eat his own kidneys.

...

There was a lot going on for this little boy~

Rhaim stood a small ways away from the man who had up until this point had acted like the head instructor for the genin exams. As time drove onwards it became more and more apparent that the exams were going to be much more of an ordeal than he had originally thought they would be. The constant influx of people made him feel like some sort of caged animal in a zoo. There were more people in the immediate area that weren't involved with the exams than were. It was probably just another ploy by his sisters to keep a close eye on him and try to give him more unneeded stress. Clearly there was no end to the lengths that they would go in order to torment their little borther. With a light sigh the Nara laid down on the grass to begin his cloud gazing anew. The last thing he needed was to try and follow all of the drama unfolding.

Shirayuki Kaede - Academy Student

Theme: For My Father

LV. 2 | Experience: 44/110 | Hp: 16/16 | Cp: 6/6 | MHp: 24/24

"Uwaaaa..."

The girl couldn't help it, that she was such a hateful wimp. Such a crybaby. She knew that shinobi weren't supposed to be like this, and yet... Kaede's frustration at her inability to stop crying made her want to sob even harder. The girl had no idea what the man was trying to say, but it was clear he was still angry. He had every right to be.

"Sir, I-I'm s-so Hiccup. s-sorry... for b-b-bbe-ing ann-Hiccup.-annoying-ng.
I'll... I'll... "

And Kaede found herself thinking back to that horrible dream. While it was horrible, she couldn't possibly have her father be put in debt for something she was clearly at fault for. A burden. That's what a burden would do. Kaede couldn't afford to allow herself to be a buden. And yet she couldn't propo... propose - the word made her cringe immensely - to him. The girl was, well... a girl, not a woman, and that would be extremely weird. And it was too presumptuous for her to assume that her worthless self could possibly equal that of his little... cousin's? doll. No, she would have to offer something else.

"I'll d-do wh-whatever Sniffle. y-you want me t-t-to do. T-to pay off m-my debts. An-anyth-thing..." she muttered against the ground, trembling, and sniffling, her head still bowed.

Even if it meant working as a servant or a slave... the girl would spend the rest of her life working it off until the day she died.

Hp: 1650 | Cp: 2738 | MHp: 1650

So Senju wanted to play it that way?

Fine. That was fine with her. In the diplomatic world, it was all a stage-act: merely a mask of civil behavior and as far as she was concerned, without drawing Kusanagi or threatening to cut off this person's chakra lines, and speaking without insults, that was civil enough. She merely spoke of fact, that she owed him no demanded explanation.

What, what else did this boisterous young Senju expect? Respect was given, not demanded, just as she was free to offer a reason if she wished. Firstly, speaking one's given name, in the eastern tradition, is meant only for the closest...and what is it to him how she chooses to dress? Dress did not define the person, nor was it any of her concern nor problem that Senju failed to see the reason to his question present in these very fields (Tairu), or the general thickness of the royal family.

Was it - really - not obvious? Incredible.

But, because Senju will fail to realize otherwise, she looked - very slightly - in the direction of Tairu. Yet still, even with this person...her tone softened a bit. "His father won't come." Simple words: pride rebelled, and the rest went unsaid, but perhaps it would be unnecessary.

Because it was the least she could do, for young Tairu.

She could not offer replacement for a parent's love, or a parent's support...but she could still at the very least, support, and watch him grow. And so she stays. Senju can complain all he wishes.

Rank: Sennin | Position: Council of Elders, Head of Hyuuga Familia
Title: Konoha's Kuruizaki-hime "Madly-Blooming Princess"

Taiju looked over towards where Zephyr, Tairu, and Kaede were, and quickly put two and two together. So she was here for Tairu, which wasn't surprising given the fact that they were both Hyuuga.

"Well I’m glad that you have a big enough heart to be here for him. Not even I had that back in the day."

It was true that Taiju had never really understood what the word "family" meant. He hadn't really had one, since no one technically gave birth to him. The house structure was complex and if you tried to graph it, it looked more like a scatter plot than a tree. Who the hell had ever heard of a family scatter plot?

"Still, why didn't you just say that earlier? Is it so hard to be nice to a Senju like myself? If I have somehow injured your person, property, or pride by talking to you I will gladly do my best to remedy the situation."

As usual the princess was acting more like a queen without a castle. She demanded respect from those who didn't care, and turned every casual conversation into a stressful situation. It was trying to diffuse a bomb every time you tried to speak with her. Did the women even know what the word "casual" meant?

Shirayuki Kaede - Academy Student

Theme: For My Father

LV. 2 | Experience: 44/110 | Hp: 16/16 | Cp: 6/6 | MHp: 24/24

Kaede rubbed at her eyes and her runny nose with her sleeves, sniffling some more afterwords. And the girl flinched when she felt something tug at her kimono and drag her back up on her feet. A wave of fear hit her. Was it an enemy shinobi that was going to attack her? Did someone mistake her for a test participant and was trying to gauge her capabilities? It seemed like a lot of things were out to get her lately. Oh... it was just Hyuuga-san. And the words that followed...

What!?

"N-no, Hyuuga-s-san!"

Kaede couldn't allow her sempai to be involved in her matters, much less pay for her mistakes. That would be breaking her resolve not to become an utter burden. And even if Hyuuga-san had paid for the doll, to Kaede, the debt would only shift to Hyuuga-san instead of this man. No, this was her responsibility... she was the one who broke it in the first place! The girl was so bent on paying whatever price the man demanded, that she was about to ask, "Which o-o-organs... do you want?"

... until she realized that it wasn't what he really asking for. Now, she was even more confused than she was before. What did he really want then? And she couldn't help but worry, it was part of her nature. Because it seemed that things were being resolved too quickly for comfort. Like if she allowed herself to feel relieved, a wave of bad luck would strike. And most of all...

"Y-you don't Hiccup. look f-fine..." Or else he wouldn't be scowling.

Hp: 1650 | Cp: 2738 | MHp: 1650

"He's family." She replied. "That's reason enough."

There was a slight pause, before she continued smoothly. "Family shouldn't be only just in the name." She looked at him evenly. "To what meaning would a name amount to, if it destroys the very thing it should represent?" She allowed her words to linger, and as the passing breeze brushed ghostly fingers through her long midnight-blue locks, partially obscuring her expression with the smooth locks following the waves of the wind, her lips moved, her next words quiet:

"How foolish a thing." She said, simply.

Yokou did not like Senju, because she disagreed with their ways, but...

"...if I had hated Senju, then that would mean I would've hated him too."

...because as annoying and reckless as her Sensei was, his cheerful smiles still bring one upon her own face. She would protect him, not out of the duty expected for one serving the Hokage - no no, nothing as meager as rank or class - not even for any pretense of protecting the royal family, whatever her family chooses or so to think... She would protect him, simply because he was as he was, coarse and insensitive, yet still a spirit with such brilliant kindness, despite how so his hands were stained.

Zephyr had never claimed to be innocent.

But, like her, Shika, and the others...

He shared the dream.

And that was enough.

Rank: Sennin | Position: Council of Elders, Head of Hyuuga Familia
Title: Konoha's Kuruizaki-hime "Madly-Blooming Princess"